Curled Up With a Good Book and a Cup of Tea

JJ Isaacs has always dreamed of becoming a star and now, as she goes out on tour as a back-up singer for R&B superstar Deacon Hill, her dream just might come true.  Deacon sees JJ’s potential, and so does Rayshawn, JJ’s manager and producer - and secret boyfriend.  But the more success she finds on stage, the harder it becomes for her to stay true to her faith. While JJ is on tour, her sister-in-law Sheree is struggling through a difficult pregnancy back in Toronto.  But she knows that she can count on doctor Simon Massri to take good care of Sheree.  What JJ doesn’t expect is that she’ll soon find Simon taking care of her.  As JJ struggles to deal with her feelings for Simon, her flailing faith, and her impending stardom, she finds herself having to make a tough decision - love or career? Hitting the Right Note is Rhonda Bowen’s fourth novel and it is a lovely, Christian novel that will transcend the religious genre and strike the right chord wi...

When the boarding school of Emma Smallwood's father shuts down, he takes a job tutoring the young sons of a baronet in cliff-top manor in Cornwall.  When Emma decides to accompany him, she has no idea what mysteries await her at the manor.   The baronet's older sons, Henry and Phillip, are former students of Mr. Smallwood's and they both remember the relationships they had with the younger Emma.  They both find themselves drawn to her and she enjoys getting to know them again.  But soon, strange things begin to happen at the manor.  At night, Emma hears someone playing the pianoforte, only to find the room empty when she investigates.  Someone begins sneaking into her room at night and soon things start to go missing.  As these frightening acts begin to escalate Emma finds herself in terrible danger and her hopes lie in an unlikely rescuer. The Tutor's Daughter by Julie Klassen is a historical romance that has it all - an exciting locale, ...

The small town of Port Dundas, Ontario is shocked when beloved hardware store owner Henry Weist is found dead in the parking lot of a First Nation reserve cigarette shop.  All signs point to Henry dying of a bee sting but Detective Inspector Hazel Micallef isn't so sure.  When more deaths follow, Hazel and the police force find themselves embroiled in a mystery that involves illegal gambling, modern day slavery and a suspect bent on getting revenge. A Door in the River is the third offering in the Hazel Micallef series by Inger Ash Wolfe.  I haven't read the first two books but it is not necessary to have done so.  This book stands on its own and any references to the previous books are explained well enough that you don't need background information.  This is a wonderfully written, deep thriller that pulls you in right away and keeps you hooked until the very last page.  The secondary stories of personnel changes at the police station and Micallef's...

There are currently over 400,000 children in the foster care system in the United States, and over 76,000 children in the system in Canada.  These are children who are waiting for homes due to circumstances of loss, abuse, neglect and abandonment.   Wait No More  chronicles Kelly and John Rosati's journey as they build their family by adopting four children from the American foster care system.  The Rosati's strongly believe that adoption through the foster care system by Christians is not only a solution for the children, but for the adoptive family to live an authentic, pro-life commitment to God.  They are open and honest in this book as they share both the joys and struggles of adoption and this book will inspire every reader to find ways that they can become involved in such a journey. This is such a beautiful story.  As someone who genuinely hopes to adopt out of the foster care system one day, the book further solidified this hope.  ...

Sadie Wagner will do anything for her family so when her stepfather is injured and can no longer work, as the eldest child she decides it is time for her to take on a job. The town of Goldtree, Kansas offers her everything she could ever want - a job as a clerk at the mercantile and the opportunity to become a professional singer at the local opera house. Though the opera house isn't what she thought it would be, she can't risk the money her family needs so she will do anything to keep her job. Thad McKane is the new sheriff in Goldtree. It's not quite what he wants to do but it will earn him the money he needs for training to become a minister. Goldtree isn't the type of town that would need a sheriff, but it has been plagued by bootlegging operations and the town council wants Thad to find the culprit before word gets out to the people living there. When Thad and Sadie meet, there is instant attraction. But when Thad hears Sadie practicing the bawdy tunes she sings at...

Team Jasmine or Team Rachel? You might want to pick a side because these ladies are going to make sure they are the last woman standing. Jasmine Cox Larson Bush and Rachel Jackson Adams are not your typical first ladies. But they have put their scandalous and drama-filled pasts behind them and are focused on supporting their husbands in their roles as Pastor. Naturally, when the position of president of the American Baptist Coalition opens up both women think their husband is perfect for the job. When they find out who they are up against, the women realize that they may have to reach into their old bag of tricks. But will it be enough when both women come up against the current first lady, who has a plan of her own for the coalition? Sinners & Saints brings together two of the most devious and dramatic first ladies ever seen in Urban Christian fiction. ReShonda Tate Billingsley's Rachel grew up in the church but went seriously astray as a teen. She turned her life ...

To escape her stepfathers pressure to marry a dishonourable man Margaret Macy flees London on a whim. If she can last only a few months on her own until her next birthday she will inherit a large sum of money from her aunt and along with it, independence. With no money and nowhere to go, Margaret reinvents herself as Nora Garret and takes a position as housemaid. She quickly discovers that the house she is working in belongs to Nathaniel Upchurch, a former suitor of Margaret's who she rejected in the failed hopes of attracting his older brother. Can Margaret remain hidden and pass as a servant under the noses of those who are looking for her? The Maid of Fairbourne Hall is a fantastic work of historical Christian fiction. Julie Klassen is a skilled writer who instantly transports you back to the time and place and immediately draws you into the story, keeping you hooked until the very end. The book has mystery, romance, and faith all in one. The book looks at two worlds of old Eng...

According to the World Christian Encyclopedia , the church spends $1,551,466 for each new follower of Jesus. With that kind of statistic it would seem that the church's outreach efforts aren't the most effective. What is the church doing wrong, and what would be a better way to share our faith? In Branded , Christian radio personality Tim Sinclair explores the ways in which the church has been essentially "mass-marketing" Jesus in the last few decades and how in many cases, it has failed to excite newcomers to the church and faith. Using examples of successful businesses, Sinclair looks at the consumer culture of today and posits that if we were to stop turning Jesus into a brand and instead market our faith relationally, person to person, honestly and authentically, that we would be more successful in our outreach efforts. Branded is a fantastic book. What I enjoyed most about the book was how well-researched it is, how Sinclair really understands his audience ...

While separation of church and state exists in the United States today, a look at the culture and politics of the country shows that religion still has a major influence in society. This is because religion and history will forever be tied together in the US. When you look at the history of immigration and expansion, the Civil War, the Civil Rights Movement and other critical time periods, Christianity is heavily linked to the mood and actions of the times. In The Sword of the Lord: The Roots of Fundamentalism in an American Family , Andrew Himes lays out this connection between US history and religion in an easy to read and gripping manner. Himes is the perfect person to tell the story - his grandfather, John R. Rice, was a leading fundamentalist and editor of the popular The Sword of the Lord newspaper. Anyone interested in the history of the United States and the role Christianity played in its development will find this book invaluable. From the immigration of the Scots-I...

As a Christian, are you living in the pink? You know, your sins aren't red like scarlet, but you aren't doing what's necessary to make them white as snow. You are satisfied living in the middle, in the pink. Sharon Tubbs' new book, Living in the Pink , will have you thinking about where you are living and how you can move out of it and into the light of truth. ABOUT THE BOOK Living in the Pink is a series of humorous and insightful short stories with Christian underpinnings. Through the eyes of the wise “Sister Pinky” and Believers Ministries International Church, these stories highlight issues that women grapple with but that often remain unspoken in religious circles. The characters are everyday wives, mothers, and singles. They develop and gain a spiritual perspective in dealing with romantic relationships, wayward children, jealousy, church traditions, Christian hypocrisy, and self-righteous judgment, among other themes. Discussion questions help readers con...

Shayne Moore was your typical full-time suburban mom, living in an insular world of soccer practices, bake sales, and carpools. Until one day she attended a talk by Bono of U2 and learned about the devastation of poverty and HIV/AIDS around the world. With her eyes opened she knew she couldn't stay silent about this global epidemic and she became involved in the local fight. Before she knew it she was travelling the world with the organization ONE, meeting rock stars and world leaders, and doing her part to change the world. Global Soccer Mom is the story of Shayne's journey but moreso is a call to action for women and men of all walks of life to find a cause they are passionate about and to go out and make a difference in the world. Her story shows that no person is too small to make a difference and no matter how busy your life, there is always room for getting involved in a worthy cause. As Shayne chronicles her journey from full time soccer mom to world-travelling ...

Patricia Talbert is a high class social co-ordinator from New York and a city girl at heart. Talon Carlson is a ranch foreman and champion bull rider from Texas, your typical Western guy. Will opposites attract when their worlds collide? Give the Lady a Ride by Linda W. Yezak is a modern Western romance and a fun culture clash. Patricia Talbert has just inherited the ranch that Talon Carlson runs. But her mission to sell the ranch is derailed when she discovers not only a few family secrets on the ranch, but that she has a deep attraction to Talon. Knowing that the attraction may be mutual, she decides to buy herself some extra time on the ranch by issuing Talon a challenge - she wants him to teach her how to ride bulls. I am a city girl at heart so I can definitely relate to Patricia's hesitation regarding the ranch at first. That sort of stuff is not on my radar. But Linda W. Yezak's writing pulled me right in from the start and never let me go. I quickly found ...

On September 15, 1963 a bomb planted by the Ku Klux Klan at the Sixteenth Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama exploded, killing four young girls. Only minutes earlier 15 year old Carolyn Maull had said spoken to those four girls and then walked away. For decades, Carolyn tried to put that day and the troubling days that followed behind her. But she no longer feels that she can stay silent about the tragedy and injustice she witnessed as a young girl growing up in the civil rights era. While The World Watched is Carolyn Maull McKinstry's eye-witness account of what life was like for Black residents of Birmingham, Alabama when Jim Crow laws ruled the South. It is a moving description of how far Americans have come in terms of race relations, and how far they still need to go. This is an incredible book that brings to life the civil rights movement of 1960's America. This book has a unique place in the writings of civil rights history as it comes straight from ...

Katie McKenna has a billion reasons why she should marry her current boyfriend Dexter. He's stable, a Christian and will make a good father. He is everything she has wanted in a husband. But a blast from the past is about to put those feelings in jeopardy. After being apart for eight years, her ex-boyfriend Luc DeForges has walked back into her life. Not only is he ready to commit to Katie, but he's not backing down. Will Katie be able to put their past, which includes a humiliating public breakup, behind her where it belongs? Or will she allow Luc to sweep her off her feet? Is God's desire for Katie a safe and predictable marriage or a heart full of life that only Luc can offer her? A Billion Reasons Why by Kristin Billerbeck is inspirational chick lit at its finest. Ms. Billerbeck has done it again. The main characters love of the 1940's and the beautiful locale of New Orleans give the book a few fresh twists. The characters are all endearing and have "...

Are you a 'Doing it all' or 'Do what matters' woman? No matter what our roles in life are, as modern women we often find ourselves trying to figure out how to manage our busy lives. As Christian women, we turn to the Bible for guidance. But sometimes it can be hard to find the answers, since life today is much different from what it was back then. It's often hard to find chapter and verse that can be applied to our current situations. In The Life Ready Woman: Thriving in a Do-It-All World , Shaunti Feldhan, with Robert Lewis, shows Christian women how they can live an abundant life while keeping a Biblical perspective. She shows us how we can live God's best for our lives and find the peace and balance we all desire. I found this book refreshing. I often shy away from books that give life advice because I find that they are often written with only one type of person in mind, or that they are trying to create one type of person. But Shaunti Feldhahn ...

Jackie Donovan is praying for two things to come into her life - an honest, wonderful man to marry and The Bailey House, a local bed and breakfast that features in many of her happy childhood memories. Until her prayers are answered she must remain content with her job at a local magazine and going on blind dates set up by her relatives. When Jackie meets Davis Erickson, a handsome man who holds the keys to the bed and breakfast, Jackie thinks her prayers have answered. But it seems her dreams may remain just dreams as she begins to learn about Davis' past and the secrets surrounding the Bailey House. Will Jackie's prayers ever be answered? Hatteras Girl is cute story set in a beautiful destination spot, the Outer Banks of North Carolina. Alice J. Wisler does a wonderful job of painting the scene for the reader. Even if you have never travelled to this area you will still be able to picture the scenes through Wisler's writing. I did have a difficult time connec...

The time has arrived. Patent Attorney Ashley Stockingdale is getting married…to a surgeon! This is what she has been dreaming about and waiting for. Bring on the Vera Wang dress, the Kenneth Cole shoes and the Kate Spade place settings. Doesn't it all seem perfect? Too bad it's not turning out that way. As if being a Patent Attorney in Silicon Valley and a bride to be wasn't enough, Ashley's company has just hired her ex-boyfriend, her fiance is talking about moving across the country, and her soon to be sister-in-law/wedding planner has decided that only a Gone With the Wind theme would be appropriate for the wedding. Add to that a very judgmental mother-in-law, a roommate with a dark family secret, and a few great-aunts who can't wait to throw her a lingerie shower (thongs included) and Ashley is beginning to wonder if her happily ever after will ever be real. With This Ring, I'm Confused is the third book in Kristin Billerbeck's Ashley Stocking...

Mary Beth Chapman was living a life she had never planned for. Instead of the peaceful and stable life she had always dreamed of, she was living a pretty hectic one. With her husband, an award-winning singer/songwriter, she had a full house with three biological children and three children adopted from China, as well as a nonprofit organization to run. But on May 21, 2008 their world was changed forever. One of their young daughters was hit by a car, driven by their 17-year-old son, in the driveway of their home. In the months that followed, Mary Beth struggled with understanding God's plan for her life and why their beautiful, full of life girl was taken from them. In Choosing to SEE: A Journey of Struggle and Hope Mary Beth Chapman shares the story of her life and her struggle to find a new normal following the death of her daughter. This is an open and honest book that is full of laughter, sadness, faithfulness and the promises of God. Mary Beth's story is an i...

As President of World Vision US, Richard Stearns has seen first hand the unimaginable poverty and sickness that faces millions of people around the world. And as a Christian he has found himself looking into the eyes of these people and asking the question "What does God expect of us?" In the book The Hole in Our Gospel Stearns sets out to answer this question. Through personal anecdotes and Scripture, he attempts to show other Christians that we are lacking in an important part of Jesus' teaching - helping the poor. If people worldwide could do what they are truly capable of, then a lot of the suffering around the world could be ended. This is a very inspiring book for both Christians and non-Christians. In addition to his own personal story, Stearns shares the stories of people involved in all aspects of World Vision, donors and recipients alike, who have made a difference in our world. At times it may seem like the problems are too large for one person, but i...