OKLAHOMA RENUNION

Title: Oklahoma Reunion
Author: Tina Radcliffe
Publisher: Love Inspired (September 20, 2011)
Pages: 224


I was pleasantly surprised when I won a contest on author TINA RADCLIFFE’S site. I received some pretty cool things, but
I was most excited about the copy of her next release, OKLAHOMA REUNION. I waited with bated breath in anticipation of its arrival. I can’t say enough about her first book, THE RANCERS REUNION. If I were one to reread books, this would be at the top of my list.

Kait Field is back in Oklahoma for the first time since she left eight years ago. Sure, she has business to tend to…but she also has a secret that needs to be revealed. She was the last person Ryan Jones expected to see. After all, she left suddenly with no explanation, leaving his heart shattered. Could they both forgive the past enough to have a future?

I knew once I started OKLAHOMA RENUNION I’d have a hard time putting the book down, and sure enough, it wasn’t until page eighty that I was able to do so. Ryan isn’t one of your typical cowboy characters. He says exactly what’s in his heart. I loved that about him. Love the characters and the plot as well as MS. RADCLIFFE’s writing. Can’t wait for her next book.

HADES

Title: Hades
Author: Alexandra Adornetto
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends; 1 edition (August 30, 2011)
Pages: 432


When I discovered I had the chance to read HADES by ALEXANDRA ADORNETTO, I grabbed the opportunity. My fourteen-year-old daughter read HALO, the first in the sequel, some months ago, and insisted that I read it as well. I was pleasantly surprised with HALO.

I found HALO to be a refreshingly different read from the typical romance I’m accustomed too. The writing was amazing, and I was pleasantly surprised at how well the faith and evil aspect was presented without being preachy. I appreciated the lack of foul language and inappropriate behavior.

I was shocked to discover the author ALEXANDRA ADORNETTO is just a teen herself. I don’t particularly care for a lot of detail, but I was in awe of Ms. Adornetto’s unique description as well as her distinct characters and accurate portrayal of teens.

Where HALO had many five and four star reviews on Amazon, HADES had only one. If the lack of stars wasn’t deterrent enough, the reviews were. But I’d already committed to reading HADES and after HALO, I needed to know the rest of the story.

As I began to read HADES I was shocked to discover it not only to be good but better then HALO. The poor reviews baffled me, because it was just as well written as HALO and for me, the story itself was intriguing and captivating. For a period of time, HALO’s pace was slow, though wonderfully written, where HADES was packed full of action that didn’t cease until the last sentence.

In HALO, Bethany Church is sent to Earth with her siblings to keep dark forces at bay. Angels weren’t supposed to fall for human but that’s exactly what happened when Bethany met Xavier Woods, the High School good guy. Jake Thorn, a demon, has other plans for Beth.

In HADES, Jake tricks Beth into his underworld, a world no Angel has ever gone before. Beth is forced to make a decision that could quite possible destroy her, and threaten Xavier’s love for her.

I highly recommend HALO and HADES not only for preteens and teens, but for adults as well. As an aspiring writer I found myself wanting to reread these books to capture the author’s unique play on words.

And talk about a cliffhanger…

HALO

Title: Halo
Author: Alexandra Adornetto
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends; 1 edition (August 30, 2011)
Pages: 496



My fourteen-year-old daughter read HALO by ALEXANDRA ADORNETTO some months ago, and insisted that I read it as well. Like in the past with her suggestions, I didn’t warm up to the ideal immediately. But just like the others she suggested, I was happy I did.

Bethany Church is an angel sent to earth with her archangel brother, Gabriel and sister, Ivy. They’re on a mission to bring goodness back to the small town of Venus Cove, ridding it of its dark forces.

Bethany attends Bryce Hamilton High School and falls for the schools good guy, Xavier Woods. Angels aren’t supposed to be attached to humans in a romantic way, but her undying love for him has her seeking approval from the Convenant, a group of archangels. All seems well until a new student named Jake Thorn arrives. But the good-looking guy who seems to have it all isn’t what he appears to be. He wants Beth and isn’t about to take no for an answer.

I was shocked to discover the author ALEXANDRA ADORNETTO is just a teen herself. I don’t particularly care for a lot of detail, but I was in awe of Ms. Adornetto’s unique description as well as her distinct characters and accurate portrayal of teens.

I found HALO to be a refreshingly different read from the typical romance I’m accustom too. The writing was amazing, and I was pleasantly surprised at how well the faith and evil aspect was presented. I appreciate the lack of foul language or inappropriate behavior.

I highly recommend HALO not only for preteens and teens, but for adults as well. As an aspiring writer I found myself wanting to reread this book to capture the author’s unique play on words. I look forward to the sequel, HADES.

UNBROKEN CONNECTION

I’ve been a huge fan of Angela Morrison’s ever since I was introduced to her writing with TAKEN BY STORM about Michael and Leesie, a story that I loved. After I finished TAKEN BY STORM, I couldn’t wait to begin UNBROKEN CONNECTION, the next book in the series. Unfortunately it didn’t come out for some time due complications in getting the book published.

Though it had been some time since I read TAKEN BY STORN, Michael and Leesie’s story was still fresh in my mind because the characters were so alive and their story amazing. It didn’t take me long to get back into their continued story in UNBROKEN CONNECTION.

Like Angela’s other books, which are well written fast paced stories with three-dimensional characters that you fall in love with, this book was no different.

In UNBROKEN CONNECTION, Michael is away in Thailand, living his dream as a diver. Leesie is at BYU living hers. Thought they had parted as friend, they soon find themselves back together. Their relationship grows deeper than ever and Michael decided to take it to a whole new level.

UNBROKEN CONNECTION will leave you loving Michael and aching for Leesie. I can’t wait to receive my copy of the final book in the series, CAYMAN SUMMER, to see how things end up for Michael and Leesie.

FAIRER THAN MORNING

FAIRER THAN MORNING by Rosslyn Elliott threw me for a loop and took me by surprise. I felt as though I was taken back to the early 1800’s with Ms. Elliot’s amazing description and play on words. With three possible hero’s, I was kept guessing who would end up with the heroine, a unique twist from the stories I’m accustom to reading.

Ann Miller is pursued by Elie Bowen, a man any woman would be proud to marry. But there are lingering concerns, and when Ann travels with her father to Pittsburgh on business, she encounters two other men. Allan Burbridge, obviously smitten with her, but it’s Will Hanby that captures her curiosity.

Will, a saddle-maker’s apprentice, has suffered from loss of his family and abuse from his master. Upon his meeting Ann, the compassion he sees in her ignites in him hope that he long thought was dead. When Will is no longer able to endure the abuse of his master, he flees in hopes of finding Ann and her father.

The compassion of a few good Christians as well as Will’s growing faith was one to be admired. Ms. Elliott did a wonderful job conveying the hands and feet of Jesus in a natural and convincing way. I was truly humbled to read of their acts of Christianity as well as Will’s determination and faith despite his horrific circumstances.

As is often the case with me, I failed to read the back cover of FAIRER THAN MORNING, for if I had I would have realized the shocking information revealed in the final pages. I won’t give it away in case you’re like me, and love a good surprise.

YUKON WEDDING

If I could only say one thing about ALLIE PLEITER'S writing, it would be her amazing ability to write in different styles employing a unique voice for each genre. The KENTUCKY CONNERS, a contemporary series, reads with a distinctive voice, while MASKED BY MOONLIGHT and MISSION OF HOPE, both historical, read in yet another. To my surprise, YUKON WEDDING had yet a different voice. What they all have in common is Allie's flair for unique and witty lines.

YUKON WEDDING immediately drew me in with a powerful beginning and dynamic characters. Lana Bistrow, recent widow and mother, is struggling on her own to survive in Treasure Creek, Alaska. When Mack Tanner, her deceased husband's friend, steps in and offers her a marriage of convenience, she refuses.

Mack Tanner sees marriage to Lana as his duty to protect his former business partner and friends, family. Lana doesn't take kindly to his offer of marriage and the stubborn woman makes him ask several times before she finally gives in.

What may have started out as a marriage of convenience, slowly blossoms into love as Lana and Mack endure the trials and tribulations of the Alaskan town he founded, Treasure Creek.

HOMETOWN SWEETHEART

It has been some time since I last read one of LENORA WORTH'S books, but only because she changed genres. She was one of the very first inspirational fiction authors I read, and I fell in love with her writing. I was excited to discover HOMETOWN SWEETHEART.

As I began to read this wonderful story, I wasn't disappointed, being instantly swept away. The writing was just as amazing as I'd remembered, with three-dimensional characters you'll fall in love with. The storyline was unique and rich.

Shanna White is pretty and sweet, always sporting a sunny smile and a bubbly attitude. Simon Adams is not happy when she disrupts his reclusive live by moving in to the rental cabin next door with seven unruly kids on a church retreat.

As Shanna breaks through Mack's stone heart, he opens up Shanna's heart to the hurt and pain she'd been hiding from, revealing the warm, kind and sensitive man he once use to be. The unlikely match discovers their lives would be incomplete without the other.

HOMETOWN PRINCESS

HOMETOWN PRINCESS by Lenora Worth is a sweet, even-paced romance. I wasn't aware when I began to read HOMETOWN SWEETHEART that it was the second book in the Hometown series. I loved the first book in the series, HOMETOWN SWEETHEART, and was excited to read about Simon in HOMETOWN PRINCESS.

Cari Duncan moves back to her hometown after her father passes away and leaves her the old Victorian house in Knotwood Mountain, Georgia, where she grew up in. Her stepmother is not happy, in spite that the house is the only thing Cari's father left her.

All's Cari wants is to make a new start, but her stepmother will stop at nothing to drive her away. Rich Adams, the handsome businessman from next door, offers to help Cari. Will she open her heart to faith, family and her own Prince Charming?

If there are more in this series, I'll be sure to pick it up.

HOW DO YOU KNOW

I'm not a huge fan Owen Wilson, but I am a fan of Reese Witherspoon, and HOW DO YOU KNOW sounded like a movie I'd like. The storyline is unique and plays out wonderfully with just the right amount of comedy and romance to make it believable. HOW DO YOU KNOW is well acted with charming characters that will pull you into their story right from the beginning, all the way through to the end.

Lisa, played by Reese Witherspoon, is cut from a national softball team. Shortly after this happens, she meets major-league pitcher Matty, played by Owen Wilson. With his goofy antics, he wins over her heart and in a snap decision, moves in.

Then enters George, played by Paul Rudd. George has been accused of tax fraud while working for his father's company, played by Jack Nicholson. What starts out as a friendship between Lisa and George slowly turns to love. Matty however is clueless, which adds to the humorous love triangle.

The writers did an amazing job in pulling off George's unique situation with a surprising and believable ending. A movie you won't want to miss.

ME AND ORSON WELLS

The word “great” would not be the word I’d use to describe the movie ME AND ORSON WELLS, but I would say it was a good movie. The acting was wonderful, as well as the production. However what I found most fascinating about ME AND ORSON WELLS is what I learned afterwards about the man.

Although I recognized the name, I didn’t realize who Orson Wells was until I looked him up on the Internet and found a picture of him at an older age. Christian McKay plays Orson with an amazing likeness in physical features as well as doing a spectacular job portraying him.

In looking into his history I discovered Orson Wells was originally from Kenosha Wisconsin and at a young age, moved to Chicago Illinois with his mother. Not far from where I live. His mother died when Orson was just eight years old, and he was thirteen when his father passed away.

Zac Efron does a wonderful job playing Richard Samuels, a young man who finds himself working alongside Orson Wells in a production of JULIUS CAESAR. He’s warned by Sonja Jones, played by Claire Danes, that no one disagrees with the great Orson Wells. Despite the warning, he does just that and at the end of the production, is fired by Orson.

ME AND ORSON WELLS was even paced, well acted, and an interesting storyline. Though I wouldn’t say it was action packed, exciting, or filled with drama, yet still a movie worth watching.

SAVE THE CAT, THE LAST BOOK ON SCREENWRITING THAT YOU'LL EVER NEED

SAVE THE CAT, THE LAST BOOK ON SCREENWRITING THAT YOU'LL EVER NEED may have just saved my writing. As an aspiring author, I've struggled over the years as I've grown and learned how to write fiction. I've read a handful of books on the craft of writing but none have compared to SAVE THE CAT by Blake Snyder.

If you are a fiction writer, don't let the fact that SAVE THE CAT is about screenwriting cause you to look the other way. It has all the elements needed to write a novel. And not just any novel. One that has everything needed for a great story. It even touches on how to promote and sell your work.

In other books I've read on the craft, they were not able to cover all the basics in such precise, easy to understand and visually pleasing ways as SAVE THE CAT.

A few things I've learned from SAVE THE CAT?

1) You must be able to answer the question, "It's about a guy who..."

2) You need a great logline.

3) A primal goal is a must.

4) Spice up the back-story so it's not boring.

5) An ARC in every character a must...except the bad guy.

6) Give every character a limp or an eye patch.

And so much more, including:

The dos and don'ts to creating a great story.
A checklist for the lead characters, and
How to build the perfect novel.

To date, SAVE THE CAT is the best writing book I've read, one that will have a huge impact on my writing.

STEP UP

I wasn't sure what to expect when I borrowed STEP UP from my library. I'd caught a glimpse of the trailer and liked the music with an upbeat tempo.

What I hadn't expected was an engaging movie with great acting and a storyline that were both moving and captivating. I'd loved Channing Tatum in DEAR JOHN and SHE'S THE MAN, and he didn't disappoint in STEP UP. Who knew he could dance as well as act?

An overachieving dancer, Nora Clark, played by Jenna Dewan-Tatum, loses her dance partner before an important performance due to an injury. Tyler Gage, played by Channing Tatum, is a rough, streetwise guy is doing community service at the school for performing arts where Nora attends. Faced without a partner, Nora takes a chance and asks Tyler to step up to the challenge. Tyler, though hesitant, steps out of his comfort zone into an unknown world. One he never dreamed he'd be a part of but now envisions.

Take a chance and STEP UP to hope, faith, and your dreams.

COUNTRY STRONG

The first time I saw the ad for COUNTRY STRONG, I immediately made a mental note to see the movie. Like so often is the case, I didn't make it to the theater. Lucky for me, my library had the DVD. I'm a country lover and that was my main attraction to COUNTRY STRONG. I also like Gwyneth Paltrow and Tim McGraw. Both great actors.

What little I knew of the movie was that it was about a country singer Kelly Canter, played by Gwyneth Paltrow, coming out of rehab for alcohol addiction. Her husband and manger, played by Tim McGraw, is driven to push Kelly to her limit to become a success in her music career.

I didn't known Gwyneth sang, and was surprised to discover that not only does she sing, but she's quite good. But Gwyneth wasn't the only one who could sing. A second set of characters had their own storyline.

The slow growing romance between Chilies Stanton, played by Leighton Meester, and Beau Hutton, played by Garrett Hedlund, will warm your heart as you are taken along on their compelling stories. I thought the main focus would be on Gwyneth's character, Kelly, which in part was why the added story of Chiles and Beau was such a pleasant surprise. Their back-story, their growing romance, and great voices had me wanting a story of their own. With Leighton's beautiful voice, and Garrett's unique gravely sound, purchasing the soundtrack is a must.

COUNTRY STRONG was a great movie but what really won me over was the ending. There's nothing like a final shocker, as well as a happily ever after.

THE COWBOY'S HOMECOMING

THE COWBOY'S HOMECOMING by Brenda Minton, like every other book I've read of hers, has all the elements of what makes a great book. The cover is perfect and the back blurb is intriguing. As I often do when I spot a book that isn't one of my favorite authors, I read the first couple of pages. All of Ms. Minton's books immediately draw me in, threatening to never let me go until I finish reading.

And that's exactly what happened with THE COWBOY'S HOMECOMING. I devoured the book in only two days. Every character came to life with a vivid story. When you've read as many "cowboy" books as I have, it becomes harder and harder to run across new ways of saying the same things, but Minton pulls it off. I often find myself shaking my head in awe of the words she's strung together.

Former bad boy Jeremy Hightree, returns to the town where he grew up, and he has misson. Revenge has him wanting to tear down Back Street church. Only problem is, the woman he had feelings for all those years ago, Beth Bradshaw, will stop at nothing to prevent him from doing so.

With both their faiths weak from past hurts, will they trust God with their futures?

Beth's brother, Jason, is a character from Minton's previous book THE COWBOY'S COURTSHIP. Revisiting his character left me wanting to reread his story all over again. There are several new characters in THE COWBOY'S HOMECOMING that I'm keeping my fingers crossed the author will create a story for them as well.

ALL I EVER WANTED

I have to admit I picked ALL I EVER WANTED by Kristan Higgins because of the main characters name. Yeah, I know, but I have a tendency when I spot a book with one of the characters names the same as two of my daughter's with uncommon names, to purchase it.

Kristan Higgins is a new author for me and not long after I received ALL I EVER WANTED, I ordered MY ONE AND ONLY. Another risky move, ordering another book by the same author you have yet to read. As and aspiring author and an avid reader, I'm all too aware that even the best writers can produce a "bad" novel now and again or change their style. Thus I will be giving MY ONE AND ONLY a fair chance.

Because I'm an inspiring writer and a Christian, I like to point out the positives in a book. In my opinion, if there were, I won't write a review and will only include a synopsis. After all, writing is subjective.

When I first began reading ALL I EVER WANTED, I was a little put off by it being first person and so contemporary. Not the kind of book I'm accustomed to reading and love. Yet, I was willing to give it a chance. But I quickly realized the story was not going to be one I could stomach. By page twenty I HAD to put it down, and the story started on page nine.

Was it all about being first person? No.
Was it poorly written? No.
Did I not like the storyline? Not exactly?
Was I intrigued to go forward? Yes.
Were the characters three dimensional? Yes.

But!

What I have a problem with, being a Christian, is all the foul language, offensive words, and insinuations. I've read my share of non-inspirational books, and I'm not opposed to stories that aren't faith based. I just believe whole heartedly that one can write an amazing, compelling, life changing, emotionally-resonating story without sex and bad language. I was astounded at how many foul and offensive words were used in only the few pages I read.

In recent years I've gravitated more and more to inspirational books. Now days, it's rare for me to purchase one that isn't. Until this book, I hadn't realized how much I appreciate good, clean fiction. I never have to worry about my kids picking up one of my books and reading it. And believe me, it happens.

Based on the back cover blurb:

For Callie Grey, things aren't going well. The love of her life and boss, Mark, ended their relationship because of "bad timing". Later, he confesses to being in a serious relationship. If that's not bad enough, she's turning thirty with no prospects in sight.

Bad goes to worse when she stirs up a crazy relationship with Ian McFarlan, the town's not so warm and fuzzy veterinarian. Callie decided to give him a "makeover" and darn if she doesn't fall for him.

BIG SKY REUNION

I only recently discovered author CHARLOTTE CARTER. I loved the first book I read by her, MONTANA HEARTS, so when I spotted BIG SKY REUNION and read the back cover, I purchased it.

It'd been years since Melinda Spencer had in Potter Creek, Montana, but when her ailing aunt returns home from a rehab facility, Melinda offers to stay with her and help with her knitting shop until she fully recovered. Little does Melinda know, that she'll encounter a rebellious cowboy she met many years ago who broke her heart.

Daniel O'Brien can hardly believe his eyes when he spots Melinda, or as he liked to call her, Goldilocks. She'd hightailed it out of town years ago after spending the summer with her aunt.

In the years since Daniel last saw Melinda, God has worked wonders in his life. He senses Melinda is in need of God's grace as well. Could she forgive herself just as Daniel forgave himself with the Lord's help? Or will her guilt ruin any chances of love the second time around.

BIG SKY RENUION is well written with great lines, and a touching story with characters you'll love.

SUGARLAND - THE INCREDIBLE MACHINE

1) There are those albums you listen to for the first time and love each song.

2) There are those albums you listen to for the first time and love just one or two songs.

3) And then there are the albums you purchased because of a song or two you love. Once you listened to the entire album, as time goes on, the others grow on you and before you know it you love them all.

SUGARLAND, The Incredible Machine, is number three! The more I listen, the more I love all the songs. Great, catchy songs that will have you tapping your feet and singing out loud.

MEMOIRS OF A GEISHA

A friend of mine loaned MEMOIRS OF A GEISHA to me, and I have to admit it sat on my shelf for months. The small font, singled spaced text was far from appealing to my eye. My preference to soft cover books over hard also hindered me from reading it. Once I finally dove into it, I was swept away by a fascinating story.

MEMOIRS OF A GEISHA is brilliantly written with amazingly unique lines, and packed full of information, giving great attention to detail. The story is captivating, and intriguing, heartbreaking and heartwarming. It reads like a biography, though in actuality it's a wonderful fictional story packed full of non-fiction material. This book will draw you into the world of a Geisha, equally sad and fascinating.

Nine-year-old Chiyo and her sister were sold into slavery by their father while their mother was on her death bed. Thrown into the harsh world of the unknown, Chiyo soon realizes her only hope is to become a Geisha.

MEMORIES OF A GEISHA takes the reader on Chiyo's journey from a young sister and daughter, to the aches, pains, and relentless training required to become a Geisha. Each and every character is so well thought-out you'll believe them to be real.

Because the author was so detailed, I longed to see it visibly, and was tempted more than once to view the movie before I finished book. Within hours of completing the book, I watched the movie. It was extremely fast paced compared to the book, and like most great books, the movie couldn't compare, although I enjoyed it.

It was great to see the book come alive, but I would highly recommend reading the book before the movie. Though you get the visual details in the movie, many of them have little meaning without the knowledge of the details behind them. If you haven't read the book, but have seen the movie and enjoyed it, I recommend you read the book. You'll be fascinated by what you'd missed.

A BILLION REASONS WHY

I could give you A BILLION REASONS WHY I liked this book by Kristin Billerbeck, but to be honest I'm just not that creative. This is the first book I've read by Billerbeck and though I wasn't exactly thrilled with the ending, I loved it just the same. I thought the characters were well thought out, it was wonderfully written, and I loved the storyline.

Katie McKenna fell for Luc DeForges years ago. Only problem is when she went out on a limb to make her feeling known, he rejected her. Eight years later and he's returned. Of course she can think of A BILLION REASONS WHY she shouldn't allow him back into her life. The only problem is that; she's still in love him and he's not one to take no for an answer.

Luc DeForges has always loved Katie, but he has a secret that had him saying no when he wanted nothing more to say than yes. But he's not the only one with a secret. Katie's mom has one of her own. Can Luc reveal his secret and still have the woman he loves?

SMALL-TOWN MOMS

SMALL-TOWN MOMS is a two-in-one book.

A DRY CREEK FAMILY by JANET TRONSTAD

A DRY CREEK FAMILY is a sweet romance. Separated from her sisters at an early age, Maegan Shay heads to Dry Creek, Montana to check up on her deceased sister's daughter, Lily. Maegan wants a chance to get to know her niece, and to make sure she's okay. What she doesn't expect to find is Lily's handsome guardian, Clint Parker. With the Lord's help, they can become the family they both long to have.

A MOTHER FOR MULE HOLLOW by DEBRA CLOPTON

I'm not usually surprised when I spot a new book at the store by Debra Clopton because I keep a close watch on her sebsite for upcoming books, excitedly awaiting the next great story. I've read every single MULE HOLLOW book including all of THE MEN OF MULE HOLLOW series. Debra never fails to deliver an amazing, well written, can't-stop-turning-the-page, story.

In A MOTHER FOR MULE HOLLOW, widowed mother Olivia Dancer heads to Mule Hollow, Texas to meet her nephew, Wes for the first time. What she doesn't expect is to find his rude, stubborn father, Gabe McKennon.

Unknown to Gabe and against his wishes, his mother invites Olivia to spend a few weeks with them so she can get to know Wes. Gabe is less then unwelcoming and has no intentions on letting up. That is until he realized Olivia is nothing like Wes' mother.

God has his work cut out for Him to bring an angry and bitter man, and a hurt and lonely widow, together. But as the Bible says, "all things are possible through Him".

HE’S JUST NOT THAT INTO YOU

HE’S JUST NOT THAT INTO YOU is a cute, funny, and romantic movie with an all-star cast - Ben Affleck, Jennifer Aniston, Drew Barrymore, Jennifer Connelly, Kevin Connolly, Bradley Cooper, Ginnifer Goodwin, Scarlett Johansson and Justin Long.

There are four couples to follow, each with very different scenarios.

1) He likes her but she likes someone else.
2) She likes him but he’s married.
3) She can’t find anyone that likes her, but the guy she consults ends up falling for her.
4) The girl he likes didn’t like him, but he finds another that has been searching for the “perfect” guy.

So often in movie that involves several scenarios like HE’S SO NOT INTO YOU, at least one of the situations doesn’t play out like we hope. That wasn’t the case with this movie. Though you were inclined to think otherwise, in the end each relationship turns out as you’d imagined or hoped with a few surprises.

Great movie, well acted with a storyline that will hold your interest from start to finish.

127 HOURS

I have to admit I've had the book BETWEEN A ROCK AND A HARD PLACE for a few years and have yet to read it. When I discovered it was made into a movie, I knew I'd eventually see it.

Aron Ralston, played by James Franco, is an energetic young man who loves adventures in the great outdoors. With only his backpack and a few supplies, he traipses off alone without telling a soul where he's gone. Before long, he finds himself trapped in a crevasse at the Utah's Canyonlands National Park with his hand wedged between the wall and a boulder that had fallen when he had.

In the five days Aron is trapped, he documents what he believes to be his final days with a camera. After several attempts to escape, he makes the unthinkable decision to free himself the only way possible.

127 HOURS is definitely a movie to be seen. Although not filled with action or suspense, it was done well considering the situation. After all, how much can one do with the focus on someone being trapped like Aron was. If you have a weak stomach, you may want to look away when he decides to end his entrapment.

This inspiring movie is an eye-opener with a lesson to be learned along with a nice ending that gives a glimpse into Aron's current life.

THE SWITCH

THE SWITCH is a fun and surprisingly touching movie. The plot is one that could have gone in the direction of a wacky comedy or a dramatically serious love story. THE SWITCH pulled off a wonderful combination of the two.

Kassie Larson, played by Jennifer Aniston, decides he wants to be a mother. The only problem is she's not in a relationship. But that doesn't deter her. Who needs a man ...well a husband that is? So she decides to use a sperm donor.

Wally Mars, played by Jason Bateman, is not happy with his best friend's decision to mother a child from a man she doesn't know. In denial of his feeling for Kassie, he doesn't interfere with her plans to get pregnant ... well, not intentionally.

At Kaissie's "getting pregnant party," Wally has a little too much to drink, resulting in "the switch". It's not until seven years later that the discovery is made. Wally has a choice to make. Reveal his secret or let the woman he loves marry the wrong guy.

TEMPLE GRANDIN

A love for animals and a neighbor with an autistic daughter drew me to the movie TEMPLE GRANDIN. Claire Danes did an amazing job portraying Temple Grandin. A must see for anyone who knows an autistic person. Not only will you gain knowledge and an understanding of the challenges of an autistic person and the key people in their life, but you'll be inspired as well.

God is faithful in bringing good out of the trials and tribulations of our lives if we so chose to live life with open eyes and ears and a willing heart. And that's exactly what Temple Grandin did.

TEMPLE GRANDIN will keep you on the edge of your seat, anxiously waiting to see what will happen next. You' be saddened by the hurtful words and actions of others as well as rejoicing in her spirit and determination.

Temple was diagnosed at an early age with autism and recommended to be institutionalized but her mother Eustacia, played by Julia Ormond, wouldn't hear of it. Temple wasn't deterred for long by the negative words of others instead she grasped on to the positive ones from her mother, Aunt Ann, played by Catherine O'Hara, and one of her teachers, Dr. Carlock played by David Strathairn. Her life is a great example of how words can destroy or build up. Never underestimate the power of words.

Temple went on to not only graduate from high school but from college as well, earning a doctorate and becoming a bestselling author, as well as a pioneer in the humane treatment of livestock. I highly recommend this movie. It's one that's sure to have an impact in the way you view others with "disabilities" as well as inspire you to reach for your own dreams.

GIVE THE LADY A RIDE

Give the Lady a Ride by Linda Yezak certainly took me on a ride. Having only recently gone to my first ever bull riding event, the cover intrigued me. One of the signs of a great book is its ability to draw you in right from the start. With Give the Lady a Ride, the opening line accomplished this, and continued to hold me captive from the very first word to the very last.

When Patricia Talbert discovers she's inherited a ranch, she and her best friend Marie hightail it to Texas to put the property on the market. Talon Carlson, the foreman of Circle Bar Ranch, is every bit a Texas cowboy as Patricia is a high-class social coordinator from New Yorker.

When Patricia unexpectedly shows up, Talon fights his attraction for her like a bull fights to throw his rider. Patricia is determined to sell the ranch, but Talon and his crew have something else in mind. With a growing attraction to Talon, Patricia is filled with indecision and offers him a challenge he can't refuse--teach her how to ride a bull.

If I were to highlight all the good phrases in this story with my marker, the book would be considerably marked up. If I were to then add highlights to the parts that were well written, interesting, fun, and well-paced, there would be no words left unmarked.

I was swept into this story with its vivid characters, so much so that they played out in my mind like those in a great movie. What a treat to not get just one great romance in a story but a touch of another with Chance, Talon's best friend and "brother" and Marie. I've always loved the opposites attract scenario and Yezak did an amazing job. She and Give the Lady a Ride are now on my favorites list.