First Skype Interview

Hello Ladies~
I hope this post finds you all doing well. We have had some crazy weather, so I hope you are all keeping healthy and warm. Some good time for some reading-that's for sure.
I just wanted to update you all to let you know that we will be doing our first Skype interview with an author! I LOVE IT! Modern Technology at it's best! We will be interviewing author Ginny L. Yttrup on March 24th at my house. We will be discussing her book, our book of the month, "Words". And at that time we will also do the drawing for Ginny's new book "Lost and Found", which she so generously gave to us to do what we wanted. Lucie and I decided to do a special giveaway to the ladies in our book club. I hope you are all excited! It has been so hard to put this book down ever since I started. I know there is going to be some great discussion to follow!
The book club will start at 11:00, the interview will begin at 11:15, so come early so you don't miss anything! Have your questions ready for Ginny, this is going to be so fun! (Remember, new members are ALWAYS WELCOMED!)
Happy Reading~
Deborah

Off to a Great Start!

Well, we had our second meeting at our new location for the Chick Lit Book Club at "Hot Brew". It was a great success. It is so nice to be able to call and make reservations for a table. We were running into the problem of sometimes not having a table that was big enough. Sometimes Starbucks was quite crowded on a Saturday morning and it was hard to save spaces and chairs. Now we don't have to worry about that problem. We also have friendly service and the chance to share what us crazy ladies are up to with our pink bags!
We have a new member...Welcome to Dawn Allardice! It is so nice to have some new faces that are excited to join in on our conversation and even say that they are enjoying reading a genre of books that they would have not picked up before. I love to hear stuff like that! That is what Lucie and I wanted as one of our goals for this group, to try other genres, because there are so many great authors out there that write such amazing books, ranging from mystery and suspense to romance and historical fiction. There is never a dull moment! And the best thing is that it is all with a Christian message somewhere in the story.
Our next book of the month for March is called "Words" by Ginny L. Yttrup. Here is a little of what the book is about:

"I collect words. I keep them in a box in my mind. I'd like to keep them in a real box, something pretty, maybe a shoe box covered with flowered wrapping paper. Whenever I wanted, I'd open the box and pick up the papers, reading and feeling the words all at once. Then I could hide the box. But the words are safer in my mind. There, he can't take them."

Ten-year old Kaylee Wren doesn't speak. Not since her drug-addled mother walked away, leaving her in a remote cabin nestled in the towering redwoods-in the care of a man who is as dangerous as he is evil. With silence her only refuge, Kaylee collects words she might never speak from the only memento her mother left behind: a dictionary.

Sierra Dawn is thirty-four, an artist, and alone. She has allowed the shame of her past to silence her present hopes and chooses to bury her pain by trying to control her circumstances. But on the twelfth anniversary of her daughter's death, Sierra's control begins to crumble as the God of her childhood woos her back to Himself.

Brought together by Divine design, Kaylee and Sierra will discover together the healing mercy of the Word-Jesus Christ.

The author has offered to do a Skype interview with us when we are ready to do our discussion. I have left her a message to see if our date works with her schedule. This will be very exciting. We have done speakerphone interviews before, but this will be our first Skype interview!
Our next meeting will be March 24th at my house, so pick up a copy of the book and read it so you can come and join us for the discussion! New members ALWAYS WELCOME!
Happy Reading**Deborah

I Love a Good Suspense!

Hello Ladies~
I hope you are enjoying our book of the month "The Witness" by Dee Henderson. This is the first book I have ever read of hers and I am really enjoying it!
I am looking forward to hearing what all of you ladies have to say about it. Our next meeting will be coming up next weekend February 25th at Hot Brew at 11:00 a.m.
I hope all of you will be able to make it, it will be nice to hear everyone's input about the book.
Until then, happy reading!
Blessings~
Deborah

New Beginnings

Hello Ladies;
I am always excited to share good news! Our new home is such a blessing to us! We are finally settling in and almost done with unpacking. This weekend should be the last of it, if all goes according to our plans.
I am getting back to reading again, since I have been sick I have not been up to doing any of my "normal" activities. I have missed it so much!
Our book club meeting was wonderful! It was so good to get back into the swing of things! I know we all missed each other and agreeing to a new meeting date and place has got us all excited for the New Year. We are also looking forward to welcoming some new members as well!
Our next meeting date will be on February 25th and we will now be meeting at Hot Brew instead of Starbucks because it has been so hard to find empty tables, but thankfully we asked and the wonderful waitresses at Hot Brew said we can call ahead and reserve a space! Wahoo!! What a blessing!
The book we are reading for January is a suspense called "The Witness" by Dee Henderson. It is already good, should be some good discussion!
I look forward to posting more as I am feeling more like my "old self". Thanks for being so patient with me!
Blessings and Happy Reading~
Deborah

Here's to a New Year

I must apologize for not blogging for awhile now. I have been dealing with some major health issues which I hope will be coming to an end here soon.
With the New Year coming just around the corner I am so excited for what it holds. We have been blessed with a HUGE answer to our prayers with a wonderful new home to move into. It is time for a change-and we are so ready for it!! We have been in this home for 9 years, it has held some great memories and some not-so great memories, but definitely through it all-God has been with us.
I am looking forward to making some GREAT NEW MEMORIES in our new home. With Christ in the heart of it!
I have not been reading as much as I have liked because I have not been feeling well, so I am looking forward to getting back to myself again. I will be reviewing and posting my reviews again after the New Year.
I hope everyone has a blessed New Year surrounded by those that they love and care for.
God bless all of you!
Happy Reading~
Deborah

A True Inspiring Life!

When I first got Brenda Warner's book "One Call Away", I thought, "Oh this book will probably be a good read." I must tell you that is a true understatement. I could not turn the pages fast enough.
I know that each of us have a story to tell, God has called us to use each of our hurts and heartaches and even our joys to encourage others as they walk this journey called life. This is exactly what Brenda has done in this book.
I was so moved by her openness and honesty as she shared her story of her first marriage and the ups and downs and even as it led to the unfortunate disability of her son Zack. I was so impressed with the strength that Brenda showed to fight for her child to find out all the information that she could as he was growing up and not settle for what the doctor's would tell her. We do have to be advocates for our children, no one else will do it!
Having been through divorce and also the pains of adultrey, I could share some of the feelings of betrayal that Brenda described in her book. It brings to surface so many insecurities and lack of self confidence.
It was great that she had such an incredible support system, as did I.
Brenda goes on to tell how she met her second husband, Kurt Warner, who at that time was just starting to play football in college. Their story is very sweet and romantic. It was not without it's own trials, but as soon as they started giving everything over to the One who created everything, things definitely started going smoother.
Brenda was so great about sharing how life as a football wife was tough for her, she was an outspoken lady and it often made her very unpopular with the media and the coaches of her husband's teams.
I won't go into too much detail about the story, but I will say the two of them have huge hearts. As much money as they made, they loved to share and help out as much people as they could, and they still do that today.
The story that touched my heart the most was the one of Daniel. Brenda is part of a ministry where she goes to hospitals and rocks little babies that are abandoned and left to die. There was one that was pretty much brain dead as he was "shaken" by his birth father but the mother did not want him to be taken off life support because that would mean the father would go to prison for murder.(unbelievable!) Daniel was finally getting worse and was sent to a different hospital as he was on his last days. One night Brenda had a real strong feeling that she was to "go rock Daniel". She told Kurt about this and he said "GO!" long story short, Brenda listened to the voice of God and went to spend that time with Daniel holding him, rocking him, kissing him, singing to him, speaking to him softly, and telling him that he could let go and go home to Jesus, the One that loved him and created him. He died that night, but not alone....Brenda was holding him, but had she not listened, he would have died alone. WOW!!! I cried so hard when I read that part!
This book was amazing, Brenda is an amazing woman with such a heart for God. Her and Kurt both have such a great ministry that I admire! I loved this book and I hope someday to be able to share my story just like they did! I definitely recommend this book! You will be inspired!

The First Gardener-by Denise Hildreth Jones

When I got the opportunity to review this book from Tyndale House, I did not hesitate. I have heard such wonderful things about this author and I have had several of her other books on my wish TBR list as well. Including her Savannah series.

Jeremiah Williams has been taking care of the gardens at the Tennessee governors mansion for the past 25 years. He has cared and prayed for its residents as well. There is something special though about the current family. Jeremiah wonders if all the hurt and unjust treatment he's gone through in life have been so that he could be with this family at this specific time.

Governor Gray London and his wife Mackenzie, struggled with infertility and miscarriages for years. Now it seems that all their dreams have come true. Their miracle baby, Maddie, is heading off to kindergarten, and Gray is making a real difference as governor.

When tragedy strikes again and again, the London's are thrust into circumstances they don't know if they can survive, and they're not sure they even want to.

What is God doing in their life? Is he really even there? How could he love them and let these kinds of things happen?

It's a real story of life . . . and death, forgiveness,faith, depression and broken dreams.

One of my favorite quotes from Jeremiah was when he said in his southern accent " . . . Maybe this what the last thirty years been for. Maybe this why I gone through ever'thing I gone through, see ever'thing I see, hear ever'thing I hear. `Cause this family need me. 'Cause there be some way I can make a difference, even if it's only prayin' for an ornery ol' woman..."

This story is packed with emotion. The characters literally leap off the pages and into your heart. You will definitely need a box of kleenex as you prepare to read the book.
I definitley recommend the book, but it is not an easy, lighthearted read. Although it is not one you will forget anytime soon!
I look forward to reading more of Denise's books. She is a very gifted author who knows how to tell a story.
I want to thank Tyndale for trusting me with a copy of this book to give my honest review to post on my blog and share with others.