Carolyn Astfalk's Blog, page 30

Interview with Author Crystal Walton

I discovered Crystal Walton’s well-written romances last year and am eagerly awaiting the next book in her current series! They are realistic, sweet, and filled with hope!

Your contemporary, clean romances are so fun to read! How did you choose the genre, meaning why “clean” and not mainstream romance, why “clean” without being Christian or inspirational?

[image error]Often in mainstream romance, a romance novel’s sole focus hinges on graphic sexual tension, which to me, ends up leaving romance feeling stilted and devalued. I prefer portraying romance as the beautiful, hard, sacrificial, painful, messy, redemptive gift that it is. Yes, that’s going to include physical attraction and real-life temptations and struggles. But it’s important to me to balance that out with a very real emotional connection between the characters themselves, and consequently between the characters and the readers.

I actually do consider the Home In You series to be inspirational romance. Maybe just an unconventional version.

The Ogress’ Son

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About the Book:

It’s a new Dark Age.

200 YEARS AGO:

An apocalyptic level scientific overreach catastrophe reversed the poles, killed off 97% of the world’s population, and caused inheritable genetic anomalies in some of the few who survived.

TODAY:

Those with flawed genes, the Unearthly, are pariahs, science and technology is regulated by a despotic king, lawlessness has given way to local fiefdoms, and a new dark age has arisen, explaining what were once scientific facts as legend, lore, and myth.

NOW:

Slade lives a quiet life in the Iron Wood, hunting alongside his mother and visiting the village only to trade goods. But when she’s assassinated, he goes out into the dreaded human world to find her killer. Human he might be, but as the son of the Ogress, he is unafraid of rebels, Syndicate crime lords, or ruthless nobles who would love nothing more than to see him dead.

My Review:

I unknowingly made my first foray into steampunk with The Ogress’ Son, and I’m glad I did. Page Zaplendam creates an intriguing world – a medieval type future with a high-tech past waiting to be recovered. The problem lies in which faction does the recovering – those who are secreting each advancement for their own political gain or those would use it to bring power to the people?

The story follows the ogress’ son, Slade, as he seeks justice – or is it revenge? – for his mother’s death. On the way, he is drawn into a conflict by a princess in exile, so to speak, Matilde, and rival factions.

Slade waffles about whether he can trust Matilde despite his attraction to her. The reader will wonder, along with Slade, where allegiances lie and whether Slade, son of an ogre, can lead men in a city-wide revolution.

While the story resolved to my satisfaction, I’m guessing there may be more to Slade’s story in subsequent novels. The revolution has just begun.

The Ogress’ Son. A medieval type future with a high-tech past waiting to be recovered!Tweet This
About the Author:

Page Zaplendam is a southern writer with a wide range of fiction interests. As mama to a lot of littles, she doesn’t gets her books out there as often as she’d like, but it’s not for lack of having the need to craft, create, and share new stories with the world. Besides exciting dystopian adventure tales, she also writes about vampires, sweet romance, and sometimes sweet vampire romance.

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An Open Book

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Welcome to the February 2018 edition of An Open Book, hosted both at My Scribbler’s Heart AND CatholicMom.com!

[image error]With the addition of Hoopla Digital to our local library membership, travel time, and ongoing frustrations with his progressive lenses, my husband’s favorite way of “reading” has become audiobooks. He’s been listening to Bloodline by Claudia Gray. This Star Wars story takes place before The Force Awakens, at the birth of The Resistance. My husband characterizes it as less an action story and more political intrigue, focusing on Princess Leia in particular.

[image error]I’d read so many glowing reviews of The Lady and the Lionheart by Joanne Bischof, that I feared the book could never live up to the hype. I discovered, however, that it’s worthy of the praise it’s received. If you enjoy a character-driven story, a gentle romance, and a book that tugs on your heartstrings, you’ll enjoy the novel. Like any good fiction, there are themes and layers that resonate with truth, calling the reader to go deeper, examining what truly defiles the body, and how we participate in Christ’s suffering and sacrifice. Set amidst 19th century circus life, it’s a book that leaves an impression.

[image error]I’d also read many raves about Pulitzer-prize winner All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr. It tells the story of two children during World War II: one a blind French girl whose father hides a sought-after gem, and the other a German orphan boy with an affinity for radio communication. The story was beautifully written, the characters expertly drawn, but in the end, while I enjoyed the book, I felt as if the hint of hope was too little, too late for me. (For more discussion, check out this month’s Sabbath Rest Book Talk.)

[image error]My oldest son is still concentrating on the Greek mythology he began reading last month, but he brought home a new book he received at a  school assembly: Bible Basics for Catholics: A New Picture of Salvation History by John Bergsma. His copy has a different cover and is marked the “Special Augustine Institute Edition,” but I don’t know how that differs from other editions. It takes the reader through the Bible with a broad eight-chapter overview, including some stick figure illustrations.

[image error]After seeing this National Book Award winner recommended twice within a few days, I requested a copy from the library. It’s The Penderwicks: A Summer Tale of Four Sisters, Two Rabbits, and a Very Interesting Boy by Jeanne Birdsall. My daughter enjoyed what she thought was a more realistic depiction of family life than she usually reads. The children needed correction, and the siblings sometimes didn’t agree.

[image error]Shoo-Fly Girl by Lois Lenski is about an Amish girl who (along with other Amish children) attends public school. This author is a new favorite of my daughter’s, and she’s slowly working her way through the library collection. It includes a recipe for shoo-fly pie, which is a big deal in Lancaster, PA, but which I always find a bit bland.

[image error]After studying the Epic of Gilgamesh, my oldest son was enthusiastic about sharing the story with his little siblings and found this picture book, which I borrowed from the library. Gilgamesh the King by Ludmila Zeman is the first book in a trilogy. (Why the library carries the first one and not the remaining two is beyond me.) We enjoyed the retelling for children and ancient-looking but still inviting illustrations.

[image error]The Mercy Watson series is our all-time FAVORITE for beginning readers! The series features a pampered pet pig, Mercy (a “porcine wonder”), who loves nothing more than hot buttered toast. In her quest for it – and a bit of adventure – Mercy is involved in some hilarious escapades. Mercy Watson Goes for a Ride by Kate DiCamillo is my favorite of the series. And, I absolutely love the illustrations by Chris Van Dusen, which make me laugh out loud. Mercy wears such a look of innocent glee.

[image error]Our copy of Puppies! Puppies! Puppies! by Susan Meyers is well-loved and tattered. All of our children have loved this simple picture book. They study the illustrations by David Walker on each page, and pick out which puppy represents them. Cute rhyming story, fun read-aloud, and charming illustrations.

What are you reading? Share it at An Open Book and find new book recommendations too! #openbookTweet This

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Want more details on An Open Book? You can also sign up for An Open Book reminder email, which goes out one week before the link-up. No blog? That’s okay. Just tell us what you’re reading in the comment box.

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When You Fast: Jesus Has Provided the Solution Blog Tour

With Lent about to begin, I can’t think of a better time to read this short book and to  implement it in your life.

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About the Book:

There are many references to fasting in Scripture. In Saint Matthew’s Gospel, Chapter 5, Jesus puts the solution in front of us when he says, “When you fast.” He doesn’t say “If you fast,” but “When you fast.” As Christians, we’re supposed to imitate Jesus. Jesus fasted before every major event in His life.

Jesus also tells us that “nothing is impossible for us.”

Fasting was so important that Jesus taught it to His disciples to be used as a special deterrent against evil. These are the same evils that plague our world today: the attack on life, the attack on the family, the attack on our religious freedoms, and the attack on Christianity as a whole. It’s especially important to recognize that our actions and our participation can change all of this evil. This is why we are being told by Jesus that “nothing is impossible for us.”

In this short booklet, you’ll learn how fasting is a spiritual weapon. You’ll also learn the basics of fasting, what saints, prophets and popes have had to say about fasting, and testimonials of people whose lives have been changed through fasting.

Reviews:

“The power of fasting with prayer is biblical (Matthew 17:20 from the St. Joseph Bible, New Edition). Jesus said that there are certain demons that cannot be cast out but through prayer and fasting. The two are a powerful team and Andy LaVallee, through his book, provides us with means to accomplish this goal.”

Jim and Kerri Caviezel

“When You Fast isn’t just one of the best and most thorough books on fasting. In a word, it’s inspiring. Author Andrew LaVallee shares both the physical and spiritual benefits of fasting, from calming our own anxieties to bringing peace to our troubled world. From healing family rifts to opening another’s heart, mind, and soul to the idea of conversion. When You Fast can be a key—can be your key—to a closer relationship with God.”

Susan Tassone, author of St. Faustina Prayer Book for the Conversion of Sinners

“Andy LaVallee has provided the method, the motive and the means for the spiritual discipline of fasting. His book explains why fasting is important and encourages many to take part in this vital aspect of spiritual warfare in the world today.”

Fr. Dwight Longenecker, pastor, speaker, blogger and author of Mystery of the Magi: the Quest to Identify the Three Wise Men

Jesus didn’t say, “If you fast,” He said, “When you fast.” @livethefastTweet This
My Review:

Praying and fasting go hand-in-hand, yet most Christians are big proponents of prayer while all but ignoring fasting outside of the mere two required days of fasting set by the Catholic Church.

Andrew LaVallee is a cheerleader for fasting and its integration into the Catholic life. When You Fast makes the case for its value, spiritually as well as physically, using LaVallee’s personal conversion and adherence to regular bread and water fasts as examples.

Some points are repeated, and there is frequent reference to the alleged Marian apparitions at Medjugorje throughout. Even if you are skeptical of the apparitions, you won’t find anything here contrary to the consistent messages of the Gospel, the Church, and the saints in promoting fasting.

LaVallee’s insights helped me to think about fasting in new ways, and as he says, the most important part of fasting is to start. That being the case, this book is a good primer and motivator. I hope the book is successful in convincing more people to adopt fasting as a regular practice. Our fractured world needs it.

About the Author:

Since 1969, Andy LaVallee, has been working in the bakery industry and in 1977, he started LaVallee’s Bakery Distributors. LaVallee’s is New England’s premier provider of artisan breads and other bakery offerings to clients such as the InterContinental Boston, the Four Seasons, Boston College, and the Chateau Restaurants.

LaVallee’s is known by their customers and colleagues for their excellent product mix, legendary customer service and business model based on servant leadership. With Live the Fast Breads, Andy brings his knowledge of top-end; highly-nutritious artisan breads and applies them to the ancient practice of prayer and fasting. They have selected multigrain rolls for this endeavor. These breads are made with no GMO, unbleached and untreated flour, with no additives and preservatives and with flavorful, nourishing ingredients that will help one maintain and finish a bread and water fast. He and his team desire to spread this practice — so beneficial on a number of levels — to greater New England and across the United States.

In recent years, during trips to Medjugorje, Andy grew to a deeper understanding of the practice of prayer and fasting, a practice that is common in this small village. He realized that he had a unique role, perhaps even a duty, to provide high quality breads to those in America who were interested in prayer and fasting. Andy has consulted with Sister Emmanuel Maillard who wrote Freed and Healed Through Fasting, Fr. Charles Murphy author of The Spirituality of Fasting and others knowledgeable about the practices of a healthy fast and the ingredients of fasting breads. He has also steeped himself in the teachings of the late Father Slavko Barbaric, who integrated into his many noble works, was his role as a humble practitioner and educator of prayer and fasting.

His first book is From the Hub to the Heart.

Buy Links:

Available from Live the Fast ($11.99 includes shipping)

Paperback on Amazon ($9.99)

Kindle Edition  ($2.99)

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Guest Post: Small Things Brought Together

(Or How to Grow As A 10 Minute Novelist)

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Back in 2006, I did a pretty small thing: I decided to take my writing career seriously. Now the problem I had, besides a lack of confidence, was that I didn’t have any time to do this. My time was consistently taken up by the other small things in my life: my five children, who were, at the time between the ages of six months and eight years old.

I decided that whatever effort I could put toward my dreams of writing would be worth it, even the smallest. So I set my timer and did my best to write ten minutes a day. If I was lucky, I could get several ten minute increments of writing in between laundry, meals, homeschooling and other domestic duties. Because I am a mother, I understood then and I understand now that true growth doesn’t come in leaps and bounds. Growth comes in the tiniest of disciplines. My children grow because I feed them daily. They learn how to read, how to be a decent human being, and how to become who they were destined to be by slow, steady growth.

It made sense to me at the time (and it still does) that my writing can be treated the same way. Over the course of five years, I wrote that first novel in mostly ten minute increments. I blogged about my journey. I called the blog 10 Minute Writer. Then, in 2012, I wrote another one. Then, out of the blue, I got a contract by a non-fiction publisher to write Write A Novel in Ten Minutes A Day.

Back in 2014, I did another pretty small thing: I started a Facebook group for time-crunched writers like me. I called it 10 Minute Novelists. Back in the beginning of this group I took small steps: telling jokes, making fun graphics, asking questions, and slowly this little group grew. The community was built on little names and photos who all lived inside my laptop screen. As time went by, these little names grew into precious friends. What was once small was growing larger and larger as I went on. In fact, it got so big, I had to ask friends to help me organize it. These small things grew so big, that we celebrated Author Happiness in every corner of the world. We made friends on every continent. We were a community of writers that surpassed all of my expectations.

More importantly, we didn’t look at our collection of “small things” as an excuse to keep from following our dreams. We made time even when there wasn’t any. We got advice from each other. We took chances. We excelled, where before we wouldn’t have tried.

I am constantly amazed at what has happened in my writing since those small steps back in 2006. And I’m delighted to surround myself with writers like me who want to do the best with what they have.

Vincent Van Gogh is reported to have said, “Great things are done by a series of small things brought together.” How fitting it is that we, a bunch of rag-tag wannabe writers, have finally come together for our first ever conference. And we want to world to join us!

10 Minute Novelists invites you to join us for the first ever 10 Minute Novelists conference! www.10mincon.comTweet This

It’s the anticipation of great things that 10 Minute Novelists cordially invites you and writers from all over the world to join us for the first ever 10 Minute Novelists conference.

Our theme is Small Things Brought Together.

We’re featuring widely-sought award-winning and bestselling authors Donald Mass, Janice Hardy, and James Scott Bell, will be held August 9 -11, 2018 at The Embassy Suites in Covington, Kentucky. Our intention is to bring together hundreds of virtual friends and mentors to meet in person while honing their craft. In addition to pursuing their writing goals 10 minutes at a time, many attendees are full-time employees, parents, homeschoolers, and caregivers whose time is already stretched to its limits.

[image error]It is no small thing to pursue your dreams. 10 Minute Novelists understand this. Join us this next August for a chance to learn and grow with us.

For more information about the conference, including the schedule and registration details, visit www.10mincon.com. For more information about 10 Minute Novelists, visit www.10minutenovelists.com.

Katharine Grubb is a mom of five, homeschooler, baker, comedian wanna be, former running coward, Challenge A Director with Classical Conversations, and independent author. Her biggest joy in life is meeting aspiring novelists with big dreams and showing them how to meet their goals. She founded the Facebook Group 10 Minute Novelists and works with her staff of volunteers to create a vibrant and fun community for writers. She and her family live in Central Massachusetts where they cheer for the Patriots.

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Disobedience: Why We Can’t Have Nice Things

As a parent, I most often hear myself repeating the same instructions, “Hurry up,” “Leave your brother/sister alone,” or the ever-favorite, “Get off of the bed while I’m making it.” Other times, I’m saying bizarre things I never thought I’d hear myself say, such as, ” Get that Spider-Man out of the freezer,” “No, you can’t bring that rifle to church, ” or “Get your face out of your brother’s butt.”

But every once in a while, I say something that resonates with me. A few words that make me stop and re-examine them as you would a diamond in the sunlight, twisting it this way and that, examining it from all sides.

A couple of years ago, I escorted my teary, unhappy preschooler away from a store saying, “I can’t give you good surprises if you don’t obey.”

[image error]My little girl had been lollygagging again, trailing off behind me and not coming when called. I can’t remember what surprise I had in mind for her, but whatever it was, she’d lost it before it’d ever been offered.

How often have I been denied God’s “good surprises” because I did not obey? How can I receive His gifts if I do not cooperate with His plan?

Like my daughter’s, my disobedience isn’t outright. Rarely do I refuse to comply. Instead, I lollygag. I let His words roll off my back while I fritter away time and opportunity and generally drift off, complacent in the hope that I won’t be left behind. There’s time yet to catch up.

It’s easy to dismiss my disobedience as procrastination. Maybe a little laziness. But, in truth, I’ve failed to obey.

Just as I saw clearly the natural consequences of my daughter’s disobedience, I see the natural consequences of a disobedient culture, one that has relegated God and His commandments to the sidelines. It’s easy to see how our collective rejection of God’s plan for sexuality has resulted in the rotted harvest we now reap in pervasive misogyny, rape, divorce, abortion, and so much more. (See Humana Vitae at 50.)

It’s more difficult – or maybe more uncomfortable – to examine my personal sins, connecting my disobedience to the rotted fruits in my life. The absence of those “good surprises.”

How can we enjoy “good surprises” if we don’t obey? Tweet This

I don’t have a quick fix, although I think outright refusal to obey seems an easier problem to solve than the lukewarmness we know is repugnant to God. (Rev 3:15-16)

I think the fix is a long, slow one with plenty of backsliding and beginning again and again and again. One that involves prayer and fasting and a good, swift kick in the rear. And a reminder of this verse:

“Let your ‘Yes’ mean ‘Yes’ and your ‘No’ mean ‘No.’ Anything more is from the evil one.
 – Matthew 5:37

Which do you struggle with: outright disobedience or disobedience by apathy or sloth?
What have you said to children that you imagine God saying to you?

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Relevant Fiction Reviews: Christian Romantic Suspense II

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How about a second helping of Christian romantic suspense titles? This post includes some author favorites from the first Christian Romantic Suspense edition of Relevant Fiction Reviews and some new authors as well.

Convenient Lies by Robin Patchen

Convenient Lies grabbed me from the first paragraph and then held my attention through the final page!

Rae and her newborn are on the run from her terrorist husband, landing back in her hometown, a place she’s reluctant to revisit. Things at home aren’t quite as she’d expected, but despite betrayal, the love between her and her best friends, including former boyfriend Brady, has not diminished.

I wondered several times how they author would make a way for Rae to finally be free from her past and create the possibility of a happy future. It all ties up fairly neatly at the end, paced just perfectly and to my satisfaction.

Great story, great writing – highly recommended for fans of romantic suspense. Looking forward to the next book in the series.

Blind Spot by Dani Pettrey

Blind Spot keeps the tension building in the Chesapeake Valor series! I love the Baltimore-area setting of this series as well as the intertwined friendships.

With so much at stake and multiple, complex murders and crimes to unravel, there’s not a whole lot of time for romance between Declan and Tanner. If you read a steady diet of straight romance, their attraction may seem rushed, but Dani Pettrey’s juggling a lot of story lines and a very large cast, which I think she handles well. (Binge readers will have an advantage in keeping all of the characters and their histories straight, while those reading each installment as it releases may strain their memories recalling details from prior novels. Or maybe it’s just MY memory that is poor!)

Finally, we get into the head of Luke Gallagher, who’s been missing throughout the series and may be black ops. Looking forward to reading more about who he has become and his reunion with his longtime love Kate in the next installment!

If you enjoy fast-paced crime solving with a dash of clean romance, Blind Spot will hit the spot!

Deadly Proof by Rachel Dylan

It’s been a long, long time since I’ve read a legal thriller, and Deadly Proof was a good re-introduction to the genre. The pacing seemed just right, as the jeopardy to the characters increased in tandem with how entrenched they became in their position either for the plaintiff or defendant.

The romance between Kate and Noah was simple and sweet. I think a little more initial conflict between them would have enhanced it, but the characters were well developed and their progression from guarding their hearts to vulnerability was nicely done.

I had a good idea who the inside person and mastermind were with the pharmaceutical company, but that didn’t diminish my enjoyment of the resolution. There were many shades of deception among the cast, and I liked that they weren’t all strictly good or evil. They had varying motivations with varying degrees of complicity.

While I would’ve like to have seen a little less dialogue and a little more of the internal workings of the characters’ minds, particularly early on, the things I really missed were setting details. Rooms and locations were nondescript. No peek at the furniture, decorating – nothing that would enhance the reader’s vision and develop characters. Similarly, the characters didn’t – physically – do much. It lacked the personal details that, again, help develop character and bring the scene to life. Just simple things like twirling pens, massaging a neck, biting a lip that humanize characters.

That said, I enjoyed the story. It was a quick, easy read that kept me interested from start to finish.

Christmas Captive by Liz Johnson

Fast-paced and not too heavy despite the ongoing mortal peril the main characters are embroiled in. Amy and Jordan are well-developed, likable characters. (Hard not to like a Navy SEAL who’s principled, skilled, respectful and good-looking to boot.) The obstacles to their getting together seemed a little superficial to me at first, but once the characters’ backstories were revealed, their objections made more sense.

The Christmas setting is incidental to the storyline, so I didn’t get that “Christmas feel” from the book. It was, however, well-written and entertaining, start to finish.

Conspiracy of Silence by Ronie Kendig

Conspiracy of Silence is a well-written thrill ride, taking the reader over several continents as Tox, a resurrected black ops agent, and his team seek to stop an ancient plague and a highly-secretive ancient order that kills with flaming blue arrows!

Tox is appropriately badass while hiding a tender heart for his niece, and later his former sister-in-law, Haven.

The pacing is excellent and the writing taut. There is a large cast of characters and many possibilities for where culpability lies when it comes to the plague, thefts, assassination attempts, and other entanglements. My mind got admittedly muddled toward the end, and I only wanted to know how the four censers would be recovered (presumably halting the plague) and whether Tox and Haven would get together.

Despite some confusion, I still enjoyed the book very much and plan on reading others in the series. My only minor (very minor) quibble is Tox (and his other war-hardened teammates) using words like “butt” and “heck.” I appreciate not reading profanity, but the pains used to avoid such innocuous words as “ass” and “hell” pulled me out of the story every time because it seemed so absurd. Better that it just says “he cursed” or “muttered an oath,” as was done many other times in the story. Again, so minor.

If you enjoy action/adventure/suspense with a strong and honorable hero, Conspiracy of Silence is a good pick!

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Top 10 Tuesday: Books I Meant to Read in 2017 But Didn’t Get To

Linking up with The Broke and the Bookish for Top Ten Tuesday . . .

10 Books I Meant To Read In 2017
But Didn’t Get To
(and totally plan to get to in 2018!)

Here’s a smattering of books I’ve been meaning to get to for oh, so long! I stuck to ten, but there are a whole lot more. Hopefully this list will keep me accountable. Some of these books I won as prizes. Others I downloaded on sale days, for free. One’s a classic I’ve never read. And one I’ve returned to the library, unread, at least once.

What books have you been meaning to read but haven’t gotten to yet?

[image error]Death Panels by Michelle Buckman

[image error]A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens

[image error]Unblemished by Sara Ella

[image error]Someday by Corinna Turner

[image error]Long Time Gone by Mary Connealy

[image error]The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion

[image error]The Memory of You by Catherine West

[image error]Mission Libertad by Lizette M. Lantigua

[image error]Ready Player One by Ernest Cline

[image error]Saving Mount Rushmore by Andrea Jo Rodgers

THANKS FOR STOPPING BY! STAY A WHILE AND LOOK AROUND. LEAVE A COMMENT. SHARE WITH A FRIEND. IF YOU LIKE WHAT YOU SEE, PLEASE SIGN UP FROM MY AUTHOR NEWSLETTER TO KEEP UP-TO-DATE ON NEW RELEASES, EXTRAS, AND HOT DEALS![image error]

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An Open Book

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Welcome to the January 2018 edition of An Open Book, hosted both at My Scribbler’s Heart AND CatholicMom.com!

[image error]After a recent overnight trip to Washington, DC with our family, my husband picked up Star Spangled Banner: The Unlikely Story of America’s National Anthem by Marc Ferris. His interest was piqued by our visit to the Smithsonian Museum of American History, where the original flag that inspired Francis Scott Key is on display. Not as moving as the display at Fort McHenry in Baltimore, but close. We’re looking forward to learning more about our anthem’s history.

[image error]On the way to and from Washington, DC, I listened to Christmas at Carnton by Tamera Alexander. I loved this historical Christian romance set during the Civil War in Tennessee.  The narration was extremely well done, in my opinion, and I was immediately drawn into this story of a pregnant widow in dire financial straits and an injured Confederate sharp shooter. Easily the best Christmas book I’ve read/listened to this season.

[image error]While waiting for hotel staff to resolve our overflowing toilet issue in the hotel room, I was able to finish Charming the Troublemaker by Pepper Basham. I enjoyed this second book in the Mitchell’s Crossroads series set in Appalachia (Virginia, to be specific) much more than the first. Both main characters, brokenhearted but independent Rainey and lonely, charming Alex are likable, but Alex’s originality steals the show. Light humor and gentle faith themes make this “kissing book” a fun, easy read.

[image error]For Christmas, we gave our oldest son Life-Changing Love by Theresa Linden, the second in the West Brothers series of Catholic teen fiction by Theresa Linden. He received Roland West, Loner for Christmas last year, and eagerly dug into this book during his Christmas break. While clumsy redhead Caitlyn graces the cover, Roland and his brothers are front and center in this book, and it’s equally enjoyable for boys and girls.

[image error]His only homework during the Christmas break is to begin reading Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes by Edith Hamilton. Somehow I missed reading something this comprehensive despite majoring in Classics in college. I love that my son enjoys these classic myths.

[image error]At the recommendation of Franciscan Mom, my fourth-grader is enjoying books by Lois Lenski. She zipped through Strawberry Girl, and is currently reading Indian Captive: The Story of Mary Jemison.  This Newbery Award-winner recounts the true story of a young girl captured and raised among the Seneca Indians. My daughter is captivated.

[image error]The other book open next to “her” side of the loveseat is a Christmas gift: The Other Side of Freedom by Cynthia T. Toney. She’s told me twice so far what a good book it is.  On a southern strawberry farm in 1925, young Sal and his Italian immigrant family must discern when to be silent and when to speak up in defense of his father as they become embroiled in a case of bootlegging and police corruption.

[image error]My new reader borrowed Christmas with Morris and Boris by Bernard Wiseman from the school library. We have a collection of Morris the Moose stories that all of my children have loved. Listening to a beginning reader can be tedious, and the humor of Morris makes the task more pleasant.

[image error]I’ve also introduced her to Henry and Mudge through Henry and Mudge and the Bedtime Thumps by Cynthia Rylant. This series about a boy and his HUGE (but not Clifford-sized) dog is also fun for new readers and their families. I love Cynthia Rylant’s writing for children.

[image error]My youngest child received a copy of The Monks’ Daily Bread by Sylvia Dorham. This simple rhyming book, delightfully illustrated, follows the monks through their daily routine when the cupboards are bare, and they must rely on God’s providence for their dinner. A great read-aloud book that children will long remember and treasure.

What are you reading? Share it at An Open Book and find new book recommendations too! #openbookTweet This

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Top 20 Faves of 2017

Here are 20 of my favorite books read in 2017. It was tough to pare it down to 20, and there are some books I loved that I left off of the list, but here they are, in no particular order.

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My Top 20 Favorite Books of 2017! My Scribbler’s Heart BlogTweet This

Convenient Lies by Robin Patchen (Romantic Suspense)

Sweetbriar Cottage by Denise Hunter (Contemporary Romance)

Julia’s Gifts by Ellen Gable (Historical Romance)

True to You by Becky Wade (Contemporary Romance)

The Whys Have It by Amy Matayo (Contemporary Romance)

Charming the Troublemaker by Pepper Basham (Contemporary Romance)

Playing by Heart by Carmela Martino (Historical YA Fiction)

The Other Side of Freedom by Cynthia T. Toney (Historical Middle Grade Fiction)

An Unexpected Role by Leslea Wahl (Contemporary YA Fiction)

A Single Bead by Stephanie Engelman (Contemporary YA Fiction)

Standing Strong by Theresa Linden (Contemporary YA Fiction)

Blind Spot by Dani Pettrey (Romantic Suspense)

Turning in Circles by Michelle Buckman (Contemporary YA Fiction)

Hometown Girl by Courtney Walsh (Contemporary Romance)

Just Maybe by Crystal Walton (Contemporary Romance)

A New Shade of Summer by Nicole Deese (Contemporary Romance)

The Grace Crasher by Mara Faro (Contemporary Romance)

Finish: Give Yourself the Gift of Done by Jon Acuff (Nonfiction)

Fatima: The Apparition that Changed the World by Jean M. Heimann (Nonfiction)

The King’s Prey by Susan Peek (Historical YA Fiction)

And then there’s that book of mine, which was published this year that I happen to love:

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Rightfully Ours by Carolyn Astfalk (Contemporary YA Romance)

THANKS FOR STOPPING BY! STAY A WHILE AND LOOK AROUND. LEAVE A COMMENT. SHARE WITH A FRIEND. IF YOU LIKE WHAT YOU SEE, PLEASE SIGN UP FROM MY AUTHOR NEWSLETTER TO KEEP UP-TO-DATE ON NEW RELEASES, EXTRAS, AND HOT DEALS![image error]

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