SWEPT AWAY

In SWEPT AWAY by Nicole O'Dell, you not only get two great stories in one, you also get to choose the ending for each. How fun and educational is that? I loved the concept of picking your own scenario, but what I hadn't expected is the desire to read the other after you'd already made your decision.

O'Dell does a wonderful job in creating teenage characters with real life situations. Each story provides the reader with two choices and to discover the consequences of their decision. Both stories are perfect for pre and young teens.

In High Stakes, two best friends, Amber and Brittany are presented with a contest that puts their friendship to the ultimate test. When Amber is faced with the possibility for winning something she feels she deserves more than her friend, she puts their friendship and what's right on the line, and her lack of faith in God is evident in the decision she makes.

In Essence of Lily, running from her unhappy home life, Lily makes a decision that could ultimately change her life forever. She soon learns life's lesson that God is the only one that can fulfill the empty whole in one's heart, and that lying and our choices can lead us into situations we find difficult to get out of, and could ultimately change our lives forever.

BURLEQUE

BURLEQUE is a fun musical. Very entertaining. Cher and Christina Agulera did an outstanding job acting, dancing, and singing. BURLESQUE brought MOULIN ROUGE to mind, another great musical.

Most of the movie takes place in a night club that Tess (Cher) is determined to save. Ali (Christina Agulera) is new to town and determined to make it on the stage of Burlesque. The story is light and fun with a touch of romance.

Jack (Cam Gigandet), the bartender, comes home to find Ali, one of the waitresses, on his doorsteps. He offers to take her in. In time their growing friendship blossoms into an attraction that can't be denied.

TO WIN HER HEART

Karen Witemeyer has done it again. TO WIN HER HEART is the third book I’ve read by her. If I hadn’t been convinced by her first two books, A TAILOR-MADE BRIDE and HEAD IN THE CLOUDS, that she’s amazing writer and story teller, TO WIN HER HEART sealed the deal.

The prison ministry is a passion and calling from God that I’ve been blessed to serve in since 2004. Levi Grant’s story immediately drew me in. When I think of Levi, a gentle giant comes to mind. A man with a past, one who earned his living by fighting, and that landed him in prison. When he was incarcerated Levi was brought back to God and vows to never fight another again.

Eden Spencer, an only daughter of a wealthy man, had been betrayed by a man she was set to marry in a way that has her swearing off men. But when the new blacksmith arrives in Spencer, Texas, Eden discovers the huge man whose words are few, is not who she believes him to be.

You will fall in love with the characters as you are swept away into this amazing story of love, trust, honor, and redemption. Levi and Eden have unique challenges that are masterfully addressed.

I can’t wait for Ms. Witemeyer’s next novel. She has become an author whose latest books I snatch up without hesitation. Though the covers are always enticing, and the blurbs are intriguing, I no longer need to study them before purchasing. I know what awaits me when I curl up into a comfy chair and begin to drift into the world of her amazing storytelling.

TEN THINGS YOUR TEEN WILL THANKS YOU FOR...SOMEDAY

The Things Your Teen Will Thank You for...Someday, by William L. Coleman is a must read for every parent, whether your child is one or eighteen. This quick easy read is packed full of vital information. The book speaks of Christian values in parenting, yet the Christian perspective is sprinkled in light enough not to offend the nonbeliever.

I purchased this book because of a recommendation of my adult son. It would have been great if he, too, could have benefited from the knowledge I'd gained by reading these wonderful principles for parenting. Don't wait until your child is a teen to read this. There are many principles that apply to young children as well.

THE SHERIFF'S SWEETHEART

The Sheriff’s Sweetheart by Laurie Kingery, is sweet indeed. If you like an old time romance about a bad guy turned good, where the poor meets the wealthy, you’ll love this tender historical romance. It is well written with a great plot and characters you’ll get to know and love.

After taking a beating following a gambling game gone wrong, Sam Bishop decides enough is enough. An ad in the newspaper seeking marriage-minded bachelors has him heading for the small town of Simpson Creek, Texas. What he doesn’t expect to find is the beautiful Miss Priscilla Gilmore. It doesn’t take long for love to blossom. But life has a way of getting in the way, and the secrets Sam keeps from the woman and town he’s grown to love, may cause him to lose it all.

YOU LIE - THE BAND PERRY

YOU LIE by THE BAND PERRY

It ain't complicated
Well, I've grown to hate it
I never liked the taste of crow but baby I ate it
They tried to warn me
They said that you were ornery
So don't bring me those big brown eyes and tell me that you're sorry
Well you might as well throw gasoline on a fire
The way you lie

You lie like a priceless Persian rug on a rich man's floor
You lie like a coon dog basking in the sunshine on my porch
You lie like a penny in the parking lot at the grocery store
It just comes way too natural to you
The way you lie

That ain't my perfume
I bet she had a curfew
You told me you were out with the boys and baby I believed you
So why you lookin' so nervous
You know you're gonna deserve this
I oughta kill you right now and do the whole wide world a service
Well my daddy's gonna straighten you out like a piece of wire, like a piece of wire
The way you lie

You lie like the man with the slick black hair who sold me that Ford

You lie like a palm tree in the back yard after last month's storm
You lie like a penny in the parking lot at the grocery store
It just comes way too natural to you
The way you lie

Well, I'll tell you what I'm gonna do
I'm gonna drive into the big ol' muddy river
I'm gonna park my car in the middle of the mile-long bridge
And then I'm gonna cry well maybe just a little
Then I'm gonna slip off the ring that you put on my finger
Give it a big ol' fling and watch it sink
Down, down, down
There it's gonna lie
Until the Lord comes back around

Because you lie like a priceless Persian rug on a rich man's floor
You lie like a coon dog basking in the sunshine on my porch
You lie like a penny in the parking lot at the grocery store
It just comes so dang natural to you
The way you lie
The way you lie
Well it's what you do, it's who you are