Holy Curiosity - Winn Collier

Baker Books
ISBN: 9780801068331
October 2008

At heart, HOLY CURIOSITY shows how many of today's pressing questions have already been asked of people - by Jesus himself. Do you wonder why so many are homeless, struggling, scared or doubting God? The author takes personal experiences from his own life and shows how Jesus himself has pondered these same issues.

Topics covered include:

• Self doubt
• Feeling abandoned by God
• Wealth
• Fear
• Faith

The blend of personal stories and Biblical examples helps drive each point home. I think everyone can relate to at least one, probably many, of the chapters.

The Secret's In The Sauce - Linda Evans Shepherd and Eva Marie Everson

REVELL
ISBN: 978080073208
September 2008

The Potluck Catering Club has accepted their first job, and the women are at odds with their own ideas and personal issues. This spin-off from the Potluck Club novels sees the heroines now running a business and handling things that life throws at them from relationships to marriages and difficult parents to skeletons in their closets.

Evangeline Vesey is back from her honeymoon and at odds with Lisa Leann Lambert who makes every effort to be in control of the business. Lisa Leann is rather set in her ways and wants everyone to fall into line. Evangeline isn't quite as willing to cave to Lisa Leann's demands.

Meanwhile, Goldie has her own problems. Her father has a major heart attack and his life is in the balance. Goldie must head home where she learns she didn't make it in time. Her father is dead.

Lizzie's youngest daughter is getting married and you'd think she'd be happy. Unfortunately, her daughter's fiance's mother is determined to take control of everything and not let Lizzie and her daughter enjoy things as thrilling as picking out the wedding dress together. When Lisa Leann sticks her nose in it, Lizzie feels ready to burst. Add to this the fact that Lizzie's mother has Alzheimer's and it becomes clear that Lizzie has a full plate.

Vonnie's son has moved on from Donna and is now dating Donna's obnoxious half-sister. Vonnie is not happy with this situation and wants to get Donna and David reunited. Unfortunately, Donna is seeing someone else. In addition, Vonnie's mother still lives with them and is a major annoyance because she's happy with little Vonnie does.

THE SECRET'S IN THE SAUCE revolves around these main characters, each linked by their common ties as members in the Potluck Club. Unfortunately, I found myself disliking most of the characters. For Christians, they are awfully catty at times and often fall back to juvenile behavior.

My bigger issue involves a formatting error that should have been caught. For whatever reason, any word starting with the letters "f" and "i" failed to print correctly. Instead, those words begin with a box with an "x" through it. This occurs throughout the book and, in my opinion, should have been noticed during editing.

Reader's are treated to a selection of recipes at the end of the book. The Mystery Mocha Cake is amazing. I cut back the sugar because it was too sweet for my liking, but the overall cake is moist, chocolaty and extremely impressive! My family loved it!

Overall, while I didn't enjoy all of the characters, I still found THE SECRET'S IN THE SAUCE to be an enjoyable peek into the women of Summit View, Colorado's lives.

All I Have To Give - Melody Carlson (Christmas)

REVELL
ISBN: 9780800718824
September 2008


Melody Carlson is a master at creating engaging, emotional stories. As Christian stories go, I've never found her books to be preachy, something I appreciate. Instead, she spins stories around likeable characters and touching storylines.

In ALL I HAVE TO GIVE, the main character Anna becomes troubled when her husband spends more time at work. After years of trying to conceive and a heartbreaking miscarriage, Anna's ready for a happy holiday season. To revitalize her marriage and spirits, she sells some family china in order to purchase an engine for the car her husband is trying to restore. As events unfold, Anna learns a lot about herself, her husband and the true blessing Christmas provides.

ALL I HAVE TO GIVE is a good story, but it's another spin on the classic O'Henry tale. After starting the book, I realized that was the path the story was taking pretty quickly. I'm a huge fan of O'Henry's "Gift of the Magi," and I suppose I'm just growing tired of the number of books that take that plot and respin it every holiday season. That's why I can't say Carlson's book is my favorite. It's good, but I was hoping for more.

MORE PAGES FROM THE RED SUIT DIARIES

Revell Publishing
ISBN: 9780800719043

Released October 2008

Wow! Ed Butchart's book made me snicker at times, cry at times and feel completely thankful for all I have! This real-life Santa shares stories from his work as both Santa and as founder of Friends of Disabled Adults and Children. If you've never heard of this organization, I hadn't either, but they refurbish wheelchairs and other medical equipment to give to those who need it most. http://www.fodac.org/

MORE PAGES FROM THE RED SUIT DIARIES delves into Ed's own grief period after his wife died and the friends who helped him through it. I can't think of any story within the book that didn't make me feel some range of emotions, they were all exceptional and beautifully written.

I plan to purchase Mr. Butchart's first book and hope he continues sharing his stories for years to come. Take time during this holiday season to share these stories with your own children. I think they capture the true meaning of giving in a lively, touching manner.l

Hometown Favorite

Revell
ISBN: 9780800719142
Released September 2008
www.revellbooks.com

HOMETOWN FAVORITE is a football themed book that carries a strong emotional edge. According to information presented in the book, Tennessee Titan's former wide receiver, Chris Sanders, helped the authors capture the ins and outs of a football star's life. I'm not a big football fan, so at times I found myself racing to get back to the very emotional storyline involving one man and the challenges he faced off the field.

From high school, Dewayne Jobe showed incredible talent as a linebacker. It doesn't surprise people that he ends up in the NFL. Along the way, he meets his future wife, a woman from a completely different background. She's used to luxury, while Dewayne's single mom worked hard to keep food on the table. Yet, Rosella fits perfectly in Dewayne's life. As his career is taking off, Rosella becomes pregnant. The pair also move to adopt Rosella's niece and nephew whose addict mother must complete a rehab program before the kids may see her again. Now a family of four with one on the way, their life seems perfect.

Unfortunately, things are not meant to be rosy for long. Tragedy strikes Dewayne and Rosella testing their faith in God and each other. Just when their lives looked perfect, it seems that everything Dewayne achieved will be yanked out from under him.

I have to say. I knew there was a "tragic event" that would shape the story. When it hit, I was floored. The story takes a dramatic turn and evoked a few tears. It's incredibly powerful and keeps you on the edge of your seat. I love that the characters reacted in a human manner. Despite this being a Christian story, the reactions were genuine and easy to empathize with. HOMETOWN FAVORITE is a fine novel and one that will get most people really thinking about life.

What Women Wish Men Knew About Dating: A Single Guy's Guide to Romantic Relationships

Baker Books
ISBN: 9780801068409
June 2008

***

Looking for sage advice on dating? Your journey ends with Stephen W. Simpson PhD's offering titled WHAT WOMEN WISH MEN KNEW ABOUT DATING. Whether you follow Christian principles or not, the advice found in this book is right on the money.

Not only does the author use witty stories and humor to share his tips, he also includes his own true story about his failure to win the woman of his dreams, or at least the woman he thought was that woman. From the very first tip, I knew he'd spent plenty of time discussing what women are looking for with those who know it best-single women.

The first tip struck me as especially true. If your feelings for a woman go beyond friendship, be honest with her! You never know what she's thinking. As added proof, I can add my own story. In high school, none of my male classmates ever asked me out. Some would turn up in the oddest of places to walk me to class, and I gave many of them the opportunity to say something, yet none of them ever seemed interested in more than being friends.

After graduation, my parents bumped into a guy I knew. He was rather good looking, but kept to himself and never spoke a word to me. He came right out and told them how he'd always had a crush on me and asked how I was doing. Had he said something back in high school, the answer most certainly would have been yes!

Not only do I think every single man alive should read this, it also includes some tips that could help women. If I'd known back then that men are generally scared of the women they like, maybe I could have been a little more intuitive.

Over all, this is a must-read!

REVIEW: The Man Whisperer

Revell
Non-Fiction
ISBN: 9780800731977
July 2008

www.revellbooks.com

Rick Johnson's THE MAN WHISPERER follows the premise that men, like horses, respond better to a person that fully understands exactly what they need rather than what the other person wants from them. As a woman, I found that Rick Johnson seems to have a good grasp on both sides of the picture. I've been married for almost 18 years and there's a good reason why my husband and I are still great friends, as well as husband and wife.

Women who think they can change a man need to read this book. While I'd love to change some things about my husband, and vice versa I'm sure, I realize that he wouldn't be the man I fell in love with if he changed himself to fit my list of ideals. Things covered in this book include the number one issue in my house--the toilet seat.

My son summed it up best: "Mom, it's just as much work for us to have to put the seat up every time as it is for you to have to put it down some of the time." He does have a valid point, though he's never gone down in the wee hours of the night to use the toilet and fallen in because the seat is once again up. Nitpicking aside, the toilet seat issue is no longer a battle in our house. This is one of many issues that Johnson details in his book. He covers issues like getting your man to help with the household chores, parenting issues and much more. He does so with humor.

I won't say I agree with everything he says. Not every family will fit ideally into some of the lessons. One for me was the getting your husband to take a day off from time to time. My husband's work is booming requiring them to work weekends when ordered. If he doesn't show up or calls in sick, it's a black mark on his record. Too many of those and he'll lose his job, thirty years seniority and the best benefits around. If he's forced to work for a month running without time off, we have to suck it up and deal with it.

For the most part, however, I do think THE MAN WHISPERER will help a lot of women. It's got some great lessons and ideas that you can easily incorporate into your daily lives.