A Peek At My Bookshelf

The Jerk Magnet by Melody Carlson

2012-01-25T15:26:00.000-08:00

I'm always fascinated by the imaginations that create the books I love to read. How in the world do they come up with some of the most intricate plots? But I think I've finally tapped in to the creative genius known as Melody Carlson...

...she reads Facebook and Twitter updates posted by teenaged girls! Seriously, Melody has a knack for tapping into today's hot-button teen issues and crafting realistic and believable stories...kind of a 'ripped-from-the-headlines' talent.

"The Jerk Magnet" opens a new series, 'Life At Kingston High' and introduces us to Chelsea Martin, an insecure, rather homely high school junior. About to gain a new step-mother, Chelsea believes life can't get any better than it is and has resigned herself to being the school's wallflower.

But when Kate persuades her into an all-over makeover, Chelsea is not only amazed at how attractive her new appearance is...she's buoyed by an unexpected self-confidence. Moving to San Jose and a new high school couldn't come at a better time!

Her new neighbor quickly befriends her and the world seems to be wide open to the new and improved Chelsea...except for one problem. The only kind of guy she seems to attract?

You guessed it...hence the title of the first book in a very promising series. Reality television and teen stars have pushed physical appearance insecurities to a new high. Toss in airbrushed magazine photos and stick-thin acresses (or six-packed actors) and it's no wonder most aren't satisfied with how they look.

But Melody's new book puts a new spin on 'hotness', and I think it's much needed. I enjoyed "The Jerk Magnet". It isn't spiritually deep, but for busy teens who can choose between zombies and vampires for reading material, I believe this is a breath of fresh air in the literary marketplace.

My thanks to Donna at Revell for my complimentary copy. "The Jerk Magnet" is available in bookstores everywhere, and I think would make a lovely Valentine's gift for your teen daughter/niece/sister...you get the idea! "The Jerk Magnet" is recommended...can't wait for more in this series!

Happy Reading!

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The Mother Road by Jennifer AlLee

2012-01-21T10:03:00.001-08:00

Sibling rivalry, Alzheimer's, and nostalgia...just a few of the topics that pop up in Jennifer AlLee's newest novel, "The Mother Road". Buckle up, reading friends...it might be a bit bumpy!

Natalie Marino's picture-perfect life is crumbling before her eyes. Her husband has been having an affair, which is painful in itself...but now he wants a divorce. And it would seem no hope for reconciliation, since his mistress is expecting a baby.

As if the affair wasn't enough, there's a baby...something Natalie has wanted so desperately, but hasn't been able to conceive. To top it all off, her entire career is based on marriage and living marriage well. This scandal could ruin her both personally and professionally.

When the call comes that Natalie's mother is getting worse, suffering from Alzheimer's Disease, it's apparent that the time has come to return home. This gives time for Natalie's broken heart to heal, and might be the perfect time to heal another broken relationship...

...with her sister, Lindsay. The two siblings set off on a road trip down the 'Mother Road', Route 66...Natalie to escape the pain of a broken marriage and a shattered career, and Lindsay to run from an abusive relationship...

...right??

Two sisters, two expectant mothers (did I forget to mention that Lindsay is pregnant??), and one mother who's memories are rapidly becoming shadows. What else could happen along the way?

Um, Lindsay's boyfriend and the father of her baby in hot pursuit, maybe?? Oh, yeah!

Packed with heart-tugging moments and sprinklings of laughter, Jennifer's new novel was a joy to read. Traveling along the iconic Route 66 with these two sibling opposites was both entertaining and enlightening. Honestly, the only way to avoid sibling rivalry is to be an only child!

I've enjoyed getting to know Jennifer AlLee through her stories, and I'm falling in love with Abingdon Press Fiction! My thanks to my friends at TitleTrakk.com for my advanced copy of "The Mother Road". This one is recommended for those wintery evenings by the fire...road trip, anyone?

Happy Reading!

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First Date by Krista McGee

2012-01-11T10:48:00.000-08:00

I'm young at heart, I suppose...that would explain my love for YA fiction. This particular book caught my eye for two reasons. First and foremost, a new author (Yay!) to discover, and second...

...the story is loosely based on the Book of Esther...yeah, THAT Esther! Krista McGee blends Biblical truth and our culture's love of reality television to craft a new series for teens and young women that just may put her on the map of YA fiction.

"First Date" introduces us to Addy Davidson, a teen aged girl after my own heart. Addy is rather reserved, loyal to her friends (of which she has few), intelligent and well-read...and totally reluctant to stand in the spotlight.

With a bit of arm-twisting and some wise counsel from her guardian, Uncle Mike, she appears as a candidate for teen dating reality show called "The Book of Love". One hundred girls from across America hope to win the heart of the 'First Son', the president's son, and be his date for Senior Prom.

Yes, these girls have claws, and they aren't afraid to show them...when the cameras aren't rolling, of course! Addy is so far out of her comfort zone she has no clue where to begin, or how to share her faith with anyone. Thank goodness for Kara McKormick, Addy's complete opposite.

Everyone should have a friend like Kara, in my opinion. She's from a huge family that makes their home in Long Island, and they embrace Addy as one of their own. With both girls vying for prom date, they join forces against the mean girls and support one another through the challenges thrown their way.

Who will be escorting the president's son to prom? I'm not telling...you'll have to read the book for yourself! I enjoyed "The Book of Love". The writing is light-hearted...nothing gritty or earth-shattering. The characters are lovable, but a bit stereotyped. The bad guy is obvious, and the mean girls are true to form.

Truthfully, the stand-out character is Kara...which I'm excited about as she gets her own book this year. Overall, I'd say if you love YA fiction you'll enjoy "First Date". If you're a heavy-duty fan of Melody Carlson, you might find this one extra light reading.

Still, I think you'll love Krista McGee and find her to be a shelf-favorite. I know I have. "First Date" is published by Thomas Nelson and is available in bookstores everywhere (I purchased my copy).

Happy Reading!

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FIRST Presents "The Accidental Bride" by Denise Hunter

2012-01-09T08:11:00.000-08:00

It is time for a FIRST Wild Card Tour book review! If you wish to join the FIRST blog alliance, just click the button. We are a group of reviewers who tour Christian books. A Wild Card post includes a brief bio of the author and a full chapter from each book toured. The reason it is called a FIRST Wild Card Tour is that you never know if the book will be fiction, non~fiction, for young, or for old...or for somewhere in between! Enjoy your free peek into the book!

You never know when I might play a wild card on you!

Today's Wild Card author is:

Denise Hunter

and the book:

The Accidental Bride

Thomas Nelson (January 3, 2012)

***Special thanks to
Audra Jennings – The B&B Media Group – for sending me a review copy.***

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Denise lives in Indiana with her husband Kevin and their three sons. In 1996, Denise began her first book, a Christian romance novel, writing while her children napped. Two years later it was published, and she's been writing ever since. Her books often contain a strong romantic element, and her husband Kevin says he provides all her romantic material, but Denise insists a good imagination helps too!

Visit the author's website.

SHORT BOOK DESCRIPTION:

Shay Brandenberger has built her entire life on the shifting sands of what others think. Constantly seeking the approval of others, she has struggled through a rocky childhood, a failed marriage and single parenthood. Now it looks like she’s losing the ranch that has been in her family for three generations, a surefire way to mark her as a failure in the eyes of the community. When Travis McCoy, the high school sweetheart who very publicly broke her heart fifteen years before, returns to Moose Creek, she is less than pleased. Not only does his re-appearance dredge up a deluge of painful memories, it also reminds everyone in town that it was he who left her, not the other way around. To make matters worse, Shay and Travis are unwittingly paired to play bride and groom in the annual Founder’s Day wedding re-enactment where, much to her chagrin, she discovers he still has the power to take her breath away.

Product Details:

List Price: $15.99

Paperback: 304 pages

Publisher: Thomas Nelson (January 3, 2012)

Language: English

ISBN-10: 1595548025

ISBN-13: 978-1595548023

AND NOW...THE FIRST CHAPTER:

The bell above the diner’s door jingled
and—despite her most valiant effort—Shay Brandenberger’s eyes darted toward the
entry. An unfamiliar couple entered—tourists. She could tell by their khaki
Eddie Bauer vests and spanking-new hiking boots. Look out, Yellowstone.

When her heart rate returned to normal,
she checked her watch and took a sip of coffee. Five minutes till she met Miss
Lucy at the Doll House, forty till she met John Oakley at the bank. What if he
said no? What would they do then?

“Mom . . . Earth to Mom . . .” Olivia
waved her hand too close to Shay’s face, her brown eyes widening.

“Sorry, hon.” The one bright moment of
her Saturday was breakfast with her daughter, and she couldn’t enjoy it for the
dread. “What were you saying?”

Olivia set her fork on her
pancake-sticky plate and heaved a sigh worthy of her twelve-year-old self.
“Never mind.” She bounced across the vinyl bench, her thick brown ponytail
swinging. “I’m going to meet Maddy.”

“Right back here at noon,” Shay called,
but Olivia was out the door with the flick of her hand.

The diner buzzed with idle chatter.
Silverware clattered and scraped, and the savory smell of bacon and fried eggs
unsettled her stomach. She took a sip of the strong brew from the fat rim of
her mug.

The bell jingled again. I will not look. I will
not look. I will not—

The server appeared at her booth, a new
girl, and gathered Olivia’s dishes. “On the house today.”

Shay set down her mug, bristling. “Why?”

The woman shrugged. “Boss’s orders,” she
said, then made off with the dirty dishes.

From the rectangular kitchen window,
Mabel Franklin gave Shay a pointed look.

So Shay had helped the couple with their
foal the week before. It was the neighborly thing to do.

Fine. She gave a reluctant smile and a
wave. She pulled her wallet from her purse, counted out the tip, and dragged
herself from the booth, remembering her daughter’s bouncy exit. Lately her
thirty-two years pressed down on her body like a two-ton boulder.

She opened the diner’s door and peeked
both ways before exiting the Tin Roof and turning toward the Doll House. She
was only checking sidewalk traffic, not hiding. Nope, she wasn’t hiding from
anyone. The boardwalks were busy on Saturdays. That was why she hadn’t come to
town for two weeks. Why their pantry was emptier than a water trough at high
noon.

She hurried three shops down and slipped
into the cool, welcoming air of Miss Lucy’s shop.

“ ’Morning, Miss Lucy.”

“ ’Morning, dear.” The elderly woman, in
the middle of helping a customer, called over her rounded shoulder, “It’s in
the back.” Miss Lucy’s brown eyes were big as buckeyes behind her thick
glasses, and her white curls glowed under the spotlights.

“Okeydoke.” Shay forced her feet toward
the storeroom.

A musty smell assaulted her as she
entered the back room and flipped on the overhead fluorescents. She scanned the
boxes of doll parts and skeins of yarn until she found what she was looking
for. She approached the box, lifted the lid, and parted the tissue.

The wedding gown had been carefully
folded and tucked away. Shay ran her fingers over the delicate lace and pearls.
Must’ve been crisp white in its day, but time had cast a long shadow over it.
Time had a way of doing that.

Her fingers lingered on the thin fabric.
She remembered another time, another dress. A simple white one that hung on her
young shoulders, just skimmed the cement of the courthouse steps. The ache that
squeezed her heart had faded with time, but it was there all the same. Would it
ever go away?

Shaking her head, Shay turned back to
the task at hand. The gown seemed too pretty, too fragile to disturb.

Oh well. She’d promised.

She pulled it out and draped it over the
box, then shimmied from her jeans. When she was down to the bare necessities,
she stepped carefully into the gown. She eased it over her narrow hips and slid
her arms into the long sleeves. The neckline was modest, the gathered skirt
fuller than anything she ever wore. Here in the air-conditioning it was fine,
but she would swelter next Saturday.

Leaving the button-up back gaping, she
hitched the skirt to the top of her cowboy boots and entered the store.

Miss Lucy was ushering the customer out
the door. When she turned, she stopped, her old-lady shoes squeaking on the
linoleum. “Land sakes.”

Shay took two steps forward and dropped
the skirt. It fell to the floor with a whoosh.

“Fits like a glove,” Miss Lucy said.
“And with some low heels it’ll be the perfect length.”

Shay didn’t even own heels. “My boots’ll
have to do. Button the back?”

Miss Lucy waddled forward, turned Shay
toward a small wall mirror flecked with time, and began working the tiny pearl
buttons.

Shay’s breath caught at her image. She
forced its release, then frowned. Wedding gowns were bad luck. She’d sworn
she’d never wear another. If someone had told her yesterday she’d be wearing
this thing today, she’d have said they were one straw short of a bale.

Miss Lucy moved up to the buttons
between her shoulders, and Shay lifted her hair. The dress did fit, clinging to
her torso like it was made for her, wouldn’t you know. Even the color
complemented her olive skin.

Still, there was that whole bad luck
thing.

And what would everyone think of Shay
Brandenberger wearing this valuable piece of Moose Creek heritage? A white
wedding gown, no less. If she didn’t have the approval of her closest friends
and neighbors, what did she have? Not much, to her thinking.

She wanted to cut and run. Wanted to
shimmy right out of the dress, tuck it into that box in the storeroom, slip
back into her Levi’s and plaid button-up, and go back to her ranch where she
could hole up for the next six months.

She checked the time and wished Miss
Lucy had nimbler fingers. Of all days to do this, a Saturday, when everyone
with two legs was in town. And she still had that infernal meeting with John
Oakley.

Please, God, I can’t lose our home . . .

“I’m obliged to you, dear. I completely
forgot Jessie was going out of town.”

“No problem.”

“Baloney. You’d rather be knee-deep in
cow dung.” The woman’s marionette lines at the sides of her mouth deepened.

“It’s one hour of my life.” A pittance,
after all Miss Lucy had done for her.

Miss Lucy finished buttoning, and Shay
dropped her hair and smoothed the delicate lace at the cuffs.

“Well, bless you for being willing. God
is smiling down on you today for your kindness.”

Shay doubted God really cared one way or
another. It was her neighbors she worried about.

“Beautiful, just beautiful. You’ll be
the talk of the town on Founders Day.”

“No doubt.” Everyone in Moose Creek
would be thinking about the last time she’d worn a wedding gown. And the time
before that.

Especially the time before that.

Third time’s a charm, Shay thought, the corner of her lip
turning up.

“Stop fretting,” Miss Lucy said,
squeezing her shoulders. “You look quite fetching, like the gown was made for
you. I won’t have to make a single alteration. Why, it fits you better than it
ever did Jessie—don’t you tell her I said so.”

Shay tilted her head. Maybe Miss Lucy
was right. The dress did make the most of her figure. And she had as much right
to wear it as anyone. Maybe more—she was born and raised here, after all. It
was just a silly old reenactment anyway. No one cared who the bride and groom
were.

The bell jingled as the door opened
behind her. She glanced in the mirror, over her shoulder, where a hulking
silhouette filled the shop’s doorway. There was something familiar in the set
of the man’s broad shoulders, in the slow way he reached up and removed his
hat.

The sight of him constricted her rib
cage, squeezed the air from her lungs as if she were wearing a corset. But she
wasn’t wearing a corset. She was wearing a wedding gown. Just as she had been
the last time she’d set eyes on Travis McCoy.

In my opinion, Denise Hunter is one of the best when it comes to Christian Romantic Fiction. She adds just the right amounts of humor, heart and a heaping helping of faith to each story. You can't go wrong with a novel by Denise!

I'm almost done with this one...watch for my full review, and be watching for my review of "Smitten", a collaborative romance written by Denise and friends!

Happy Reading!

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Waking Hours by Lis Wiehl (with Pete Nelson)

2012-01-06T16:40:00.000-08:00

If you like your novels with a 'things that go bump in the night' flavor, then you won't want to miss the first in a trilogy by FOX News personality Lis Wiehl. I've enjoyed her other series, but this is completely different, and has a heavy supernatural tone.

"Waking Hours" is one of three novels set in East Salem (hence, the name of the series), which already sounds creepy by title and locale. Seems that every small town has her secrets, but how many of them involve evil beings and murder?

Forensic psychologist Dani Harris is called in when a local teen is picked up on suspicion of murdering a classmate. But nothing is as it appears, so don't get comfortable thinking you know 'whodunit'...suspects begin coming out of the woodwork, and no one can remember what happened.

Retired football legend Tommy Gunderson has his own creepy doings to figure out when a well-known author, suffering from Alzheimer's, shows up on his property reciting in an odd language and handling a dead amphibian. Could these events be linked, and if so how?

Interest in the supernatural is at an all-time high among teens and young adults. Turn on your television and you'll find a wealth of shows, check your local theater listings, or browse the bookshelves at your local bookstores.

Lis Wiehl takes the creepy factor and adds a more complete understanding of the dangerous side of messing with demons, crafting a novel that will keep you up in the wee hours. The writing could be a bit tighter, but the characters are lively and the action seems evenly paced.

Lots of loose threads to be tied up in the second book (hopefully), which I'm eagerly waiting to read. My thanks to my friends at Thomas Nelson for my sneak preview. "Waking Hours" is available now at bookstores everywhere and is recommended.

Happy Reading!

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That's My Girl by Rick Johnson

2012-01-05T17:57:00.001-08:00

Dad's everywhere, sit up and pay attention! Author Rick Johnson has written a thorough and easy-to-read book on understanding and relating to your daughter(s)--and it's one of the most transparent books I've read on the topic.

"That's My Girl" opens with stories about Rick's relationship with his daughter, Kelsey. The two have had some rocky years, but now work in ministry together, helping other fathers and daughters avoid some common pitfalls and to grow together as she grows into a young woman.

The early chapters discuss biology, and while I know dads will find it useful, it may be more information than they wanted to know! I could see my husband skipping over these pages, and asking me to give him the shorthand version.

Rick shares from his own father/daughter relationship, and he's honest with Kelsey's permission. It was refreshing to read honest stories that share both successes and failures. Too often I've read parenting books that have left me feeling inadequate and Rick's doesn't do that...we're walking similar roads.

He goes on to share about communicating with your daughter, bonding with her and what he's learned that a girl needs from her father. I think my favorite chapters were the later ones: 'Danger, Will Robinson!' and 'Uh-Oh! She's Becoming a Woman!' were excellent.

Something else I truly appreciated was Rick's 'old-fashioned' desire to be his daughter's protector. That might fly in the face of modern psychology and relationship therapy...but it's truth, and it's vital. Dads...watch out for your little girls, whether she likes it or not!

In all, I found "That's My Girl" to be engaging, accurate, and very easy to read. My thanks to Donna at Revell for my complimentary copy. I enjoyed this one so much I may have to hunt for a copy of Rick's book on boys, "That's My Son".

For now, "That's My Girl" is recommended. Wish we'd had this book when my girls were little!

Happy Reading!

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The Mulligans of Mt, Jefferson by Don Reid

2012-01-02T12:38:00.000-08:00

Some would say it is a long way from the stage of country music to the publishing industry of Christian fiction, but Don Reid makes it seamlessly. He takes his knack for storytelling in song and turns out full-length novels that are engaging, entertaining, and worth every minute spent turning pages.

In his newest novel, Don introduces us to three friends: Carl, Harlan and Buddy. Three boys who've grown up together in the small locale of Mt. Jefferson...a town Mr. Reid is revisiting (Remember "O Little Town"?). Think 'Mystic River' without all of the ick factor and you'll have the story in a nutshell.

Buddy has become a lieutenant with the local police department and he's good at what he does. When the call comes in that his friend Harlan is in the hospital, in serious condition due to a gunshot, Buddy can't help but be on the case from the first moment.

Carl has entered the ministry, much to the surprise of his friends and family. He too is at Harlan's side from the first phone call, but for a different reason. Carl senses Harlan's need to commune with his Maker...and he intends to be there for his friend at all costs.

With skillful flashbacks to the boys' early years, Don Reid takes us on a fully fleshed out back-and-forth journey that hooks the reader from page one and doesn't let go until the final page is turned. You'll find yourself cheering for Buddy to find the shooter, loving Carl for his passion, and wondering how to feel about Harlan...

...is he the good guy, the bad guy...or the guy caught up in something horrific? Pay attention to every detail...Don doesn't waste a drop. If you've ever enjoyed the songs of the Statler Brothers, you'll devour "The Mulligans of Mt. Jefferson". Even if you weren't a fan...take a listen at this highly recommended novel.

I'm looking forward to more from Don Reid in the world of fiction. What a great way to read in the New Year! My thanks to my friends at David C. Cook and at TitleTrakk.com for my preview copy. "The Mulligans of Mt. Jefferson" releases this month...don't miss it!

Happy Reading!

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Chance to Win Bibles!!

2011-12-08T11:22:00.000-08:00

We wanted to let you know about a great giveaway happening over at the New Living Translation Facebook page, and also give you a chance to enter a Tyndale Blog Network exclusive giveaway.

Here are the NLT Facebook page giveaway details:

Starting on November 29th until December 24th at the New Living Translation Facebook page we're giving away lots of great prizes and something free for you just for singing up.

By visiting the giveaway entry page (located on the NLT Facebook page, the link is under the profile picture) and entering your name and e-mail address you'll be entered to win the following prizes:
•One random person each day will win a Life Application Study Bible Family Pack (Guys Life Application Study Bible hc, Girls Life Application Study Bible hc, Student's Life Application Study Bible hc, Life Application Study Bible hc, Life Application Study Bible Large Print hc).
•One Random person each week will win an Apple iPad 2!

Everyone that signs up gets a free download copy of the Life Application Bible Study – Book of Luke!

There's more!

Here's how you can win by helping us promote this giveaway:

The first 100 people to post about this giveaway on their personal blog will win a free Life Application Study Bible. We'll also choose one person from all the entries to win a free Life Application Study Bible Family Pack (includes 6 Bibles!). You can earn extra entries by posting about the giveaway in multiple places.

For more details and to enter fill out this form with the link to your blog post (click here to visit the form).

Thank you again for being a part of the Tyndale Blog Network.

Have a Merry Christmas!

The Tyndale Social Media Team

Happy Reading!

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Protection for Hire by Camy Tang

2011-12-07T16:02:00.000-08:00

Because I read so many books, it's hard to find something unique. Often I pick up a new book and end up feeling like I've read this story somewhere else. I'm always on the hunt for an author who writes fiction that reads fresh and new, with intriguing characters and quirky settings.

Camy Tang never fails to give me exactly what I'm looking for in enjoyable fiction. I fell in love with her storytelling skills when I read her "Sushi Series" and have eagerly waited for her new series. "Protection For Hire" is even better than I'd hoped.

Tessa Lancaster cannot outrun her past. Working as an enforcer for her uncle's crime syndicate, Tessa took the fall for the one crime she had no ties to. Fortunately, God met her in prison and changed her into a new creation.

Now that Tessa's out, can people forget the old person she once was? Seems family never forgets as her mom continues to favor Tessa's younger sister over her. Seems like the community you grow up in has a difficult time letting the past go as well. Volunteering at the battered women's shelter was supposed to give Tessa a fresh start, but her reputation finds her out.

Once again, God is with Tessa and He finds her work as a bodyguard for a young heiress and her small child. Seems someone wants the pretty young woman dead, and she believes that Tessa is the one to watch her back.

Even though I've never been a part of a crime family, I could relate to Tessa. When you grow up in a small town it's hard to outlive some of the more colorful things you're known for doing. It's easy to want to leave and start all over, but even then...you tend to go along wherever you end up.

Tessa learns to live as a new creation before others learn to see her through new eyes. Having a 'tough girl' rep does come in handy, as things begin to heat up. Packed with twists and some laugh-out-loud moments, "Protection for Hire" just has me longing for the second book in this outstanding new series.

And did I mention some delicious romance within these pages? Oh yes. At least, until Tessa learns that even high and mighty lawyers like Charles Britton have deep and dark secrets too. Will these secrets prove to be too much, or will Tessa take Charles' heart captive?

You'll find the usual suspects in this novel: quirky family members. And while I felt like shaking Tessa's sister, in the end even she grows on you. Of course, having a cool daughter kind of saved her for me! And you'll find those who deserve your ire, like Fred and Uncle Teruo. Basically, plenty of imaginary people to flood your imagination and keep the pages turning into the wee hours.

You simply cannot miss out on a fun reading experience when you choose a novel by Camy Tang. She has a unique flair for creating and plotting that makes every story a fresh experience, and you'll be longing for more. Got my daughter hooked on Camy's stories, and now we fight over the books!

My thanks to Camy and to my friends at Zondervan for my sneak peek copy. "Protection for Hire" is available now at bookstores everywhere, and makes a perfect Christmas gift for the reader who's read everything. "Protection for Hire" gets my highest recommendation.
Happy Reading!

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FIRST Presents "F.A.I.R.I.E.S.: Baptism By Fire by M.C. Pearson

2011-12-05T08:06:00.000-08:00

Today's Wild Card author & illustrator is:

M. C. Pearson

and the book:

F.A.I.R.I.E.S.: Baptism by Fire

FIRST Wild Card Press (December 5, 2011)

***Special thanks to M. C. Pearson of FIRST Wild Card Press for sending me a review copy.***

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

M. C. Pearson graduated from San Jose State University with a B. A. in art, served as a multi-media illustrator in the United States Army, earning the rank of sergeant, and spent four years as a house parent for at-risk youth. Now married over 20 years, she homeschools her two children, volunteers with her church youth group, and runs a book review blog alliance (FIRST Wild Card Tours) while writing and drawing. F.A.I.R.I.E.S.: Baptism by Fire is her first novel.

Visit the author's website.

SHORT BOOK DESCRIPTION:

Unwittingly chosen to join an army of fairies, who fight for the Light of the One, a teenaged girl learns about spiritual warfare as she attends a military academy with fantastical beings.

FROM THE BACK COVER:

Here lies a most precious treasure,

Awaiting one Chosen to deliver.

Seek out the red cousins in the East,

For on this your greed mustn't feast.

The wealth of a species now in your hands,

Do with it as the light demands.

Give them your gift to unite,

For it is the darkness we all must fight.

EDITORIAL REVIEWS:

"Imagination runs wild in F.A.I.R.I.E.S. Pearson brings young readers through a looking glass and into a world bursting with adventure, heroism, and fascinating creatures. Readers will be inspired to be true to the One and left with anticipation of more to come."

--Jill Williamson, award-winning author of

By Darkness Hid, and other books

"Sprinkled with delightful illustrations, and brimming with a full bestiary of magical creatures, F.A.I.R.I.E.S. is a fun, clever romp through the alternate landscape of the most magical world of all, our own. Read, and take up the call: 'Defend and Emancipate!'"

-- D. Barkley Briggs, author of

The Book of Names, and other books

"F.A.I.R.I.E.S. will appeal to readers who love the interplay of fantasy and reality. A rich cast of eccentric characters and exotic settings make this a fun addition to the folklore of the battle between good and evil."

--Mike Hamel, author of

YA fantasy series: MATTERHORN THE BRAVE

"F.A.I.R.I.E.S. is one of those rare gems I want to tell everyone about. It's highly imaginative, packed with adventure, and full of hope. A must read for kids and for kids at heart. Even better than Narnia! I was thinking about Pearson's wonderfully memorable characters for days."

--C.J. Darlington, author of

Thicker than Blood

"Ms. Pearson's extravagant and imaginative F.A.I.R.I.E. kingdom will surely delight the young and the young-at-heart in this tale of good and evil, light vs. darkness. The fantasy-loving reader will not be disappointed!"

--Linore Rose Burkard, award winning author of

Before the Season Ends, and other books

Product Details:

List Price: $17.99
Paperback: 482 pages
Publisher: FIRST Wild Card Press (December 5, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0615530222
ISBN-13: 978-0615530222

AND NOW...THE FIRST CHAPTER:

Four thousand seasons shall pass while our swords grow rusty.

Where once one chose to divide, another shall be chosen to unite.

One changed the past, the other shall change the future.

One must emancipate the other to allow the light its dominion.

The realm, now torn, allows the shadow to abide, as humanity lies blind to its peril.

The bond of friendship must endure, for the army of shadows awaits another tear.

Dust off your swords.

Unite the realm.

Destroy the strongholds.

Foretelling of Didasko Gnome Digdeep

†

PART ONE

MANY ARE CALLED

BUT

FEW ARE CHOSEN

†

CHAPTER ONE

Off and Running

t was an accident!” Mellie yelled, not caring who heard or stared. Tears streaked her face as she fled down the Santa Cruz coastline, away from her family.

You don’t need them, a voice hissed in her ear, Escape. Run away.

Scorching sand burned at her feet and bitterness ate at her heart. Mellie pumped her legs as fast as they would go. Her feet pounded with the rhythm of her emotions, beating a tempo with the crashing waves. Run-a-way. Run-a-way. Run-a-way. Adrenaline pulsed through her veins, quickening her step.

Why did I have to be the youngest? Only 12 years old. Never smart enough. Never athletic enough. I just wish they loved me.

Once, just once, she wanted to do something that would make her sisters see that she wasn’t the stupid, awkward, ugly, little baby sister.

As she ran, she wiped away some tears with the palm of her hand. Her fingers settled on her large nose, a gift from her dad’s Hungarian ancestry.

Chelsea got the ski-slope shaped nose. I had to get Half-Dome. It just isn’t fair.

Her hand dropped to her side and she pinched at her stomach. It still had some of its baby fat.

Ugh, why are my sisters so perfect? What happened to me?

Pushing her short bangs from her forehead in disgust, she mumbled, “Maybe I’ll find treasure. I’ll be the rich one, and then they’ll have to accept me.” But she knew better. California didn’t hold any more undiscovered treasures.

The sand, hot and coarse, cut at her feet. I wish I had remembered my shoes. She wore only a black, one-piece swimsuit and a San Jose Sharks sweatshirt tied tightly around her waist.

Breathing rapidly, she began to tire. She slowed her pace to a walk and looked back across the beach. The sand was so hot that waves of heat rose from it and blurred her view. A lone seagull screeched overhead.

Her sisters were nowhere in sight.

Man, I thought for sure that Chelsea was going to chase me down and kill me.

She had to admit that it was a little gratifying to see the sand fly from her foot, covering Chelsea’s sub-sandwich and freshly oiled stomach. Grinning slightly, the tears stopped flowing. She rubbed her eyes.

Mellie looked in the direction of her sisters. “You guys can never take a joke.” Flipping her golden hair, she turned her head back toward her chosen path. She no longer smiled as she stomped her feet in the cold surf, remembering the hateful words that had been said.

“Oh, waa waa, you stupid cry baby! Go tell mommy! Maybe she’ll feel sorry for her ugly, fat baby. Why don’t you grow up? We don’t want you near us. Can’t you understand English? You are so dumb. Look at her mouth open. Oh wait, here she goes…come on, baby…cry!”

Mellie knew she couldn’t go back. They would only ridicule and torment her further. Her mom would never believe it was Chelsea’s fault. No, the evidence was on Chelsea’s side. Who was the one with the sand all over her oily, coconut-smelling body? Who was the one who had a sandwich full of sand? Mellie walked on.

After her temper finally cooled, it occurred to her that she had never walked so far alone.

How far have I gone?

A shadow passed over her, and she looked up. Nothing was there. A cool breeze from the ocean created a stark contrast to the scalding sand. She shivered but kept walking, lost in her loneliness.

Not until she stubbed her toe on a large broken clamshell did she look at the beach. A chill snaked up her back. Nothing appeared familiar. The sounds of the surf were still there, yet something was decidedly different. She felt dizzy. Looking around, she could not quite pinpoint the change. Then it struck her.

No people.

Where did everybody go?

Even though she could see no one, Mellie could swear that she felt eyes staring at her.

She looked inland across the sand, saw movement near some eucalyptus trees, but decided that the wind must have caused it.

Trees? So close to the beach?

Something shook the trees again, causing goosebumps to stand out on Mellie’s arms. Alarmed, she checked the skyline. The sun was close to setting. She hoped that the police weren’t out looking for her.

Suddenly cold, she pulled at the arms of the sweatshirt still tied around her waist. It fell to the sand. Bending to pick it up, she once again saw a blur of movement, except this time it came from a rocky outcrop by the waves. She shook the sand out of the sweatshirt and hurriedly tugged it over her head.

“Okay, I’m seeing things.” Mellie yanked at her hair, pulling it out of the sweatshirt. She stared at the sinister rocks. “Hel-lo?” Her voice cracked as she spoke louder. “Is someone the-ere? Hello?” No answer. The shadowy rocks seemed to quiver with excitement, beckoning her closer.

Hmm…probably just a seagull.

Even if it was a bird, she did not want to see it.

There’s no way I’m going over there.

The wind picked up and blew her hair into her eyes. The sand spun with the wind.

Yes, definitely time to move. I need to find a road.

She turned back toward the sweet smelling, oddly placed trees.

Mellie arrived at the base of the first, colossal eucalyptus tree. Without warning, one of the branches fell in front of her, then seemed to get up from the ground and pose its bottom stems in a military-like stance.

Mellie screamed and jumped back. “Branches don’t stand.”

“They do if they are walking sticks.” The eucalyptus branch chuckled, stretching to its full height, considerably taller than Mellie’s meager five feet.
She gasped, grabbed the branch, and threw it like a javelin, as hard as she could.

As she took off running, she heard a bark and halted. Turning, she saw a golden retriever bounding toward her with the stick in his mouth. The dog dropped it at her feet. She watched the dog run into the grove of trees and disappear before she fearfully turned back to the possessed stick.

It had already gained its footing again and stood over her. Mellie was too frightened to move this time.

A face emerged from the skinny twig and took on the characteristics of a male human, but none like Mellie had ever seen. He had hair made up in rolls as if it were a powdered, green-silver wig, the same color as the leaves that grew all around his skinny body. His face was long and his forehead high. The twiggy man smiled and said in a distinctly British, albeit breezy, accent, “Do not worry, you are safe.”

Mellie couldn’t answer.

“Ahh…I love new recruits. They are so easily addled.”

Feeling more confused than threatened, Mellie found her voice. “What? What do you mean, new recruits?” She rubbed her eyes, shaking her head. “Okay, I’m talking to a stick now. Yes, I have lost it. I have gone totally mental.”

“Oh, I say, am I to understand that I am the first to be revealed to you?” With round, leathery leaves, the branch resembled a toddler toy with rings stacked on one another.

She dropped open her mouth and nodded.

“Well, let me do this properly, then. Ahem. Mortal, made of clay, you have been Chosen to join the Fantastical, Aerial, International, Reasonably Inconspicuous, Emancipation Squads.”

“What? What are you? You look like a stick…but you can talk.”

“Yes, child,” the stick replied with a sigh. “But, I think we are quite past that by now. Have you not heard me? You have been Chosen.”

Mellie opened her mouth wider, closed it, frowned, and opened it once more. “Chosen? For what?”

“You did wish to be different? To change who you were? ’Twas an especially strong desire, yes?” The branch crossed its arms and tapped its twiggy foot.

“Umm…”

“Dear me, this is highly unusual. You made a choice to run away from a miserable life and asked to be set free? Correct?”

“Well, I, ah…yeah. I guess so. What did you say about recruit for some squad?”

“Humph. I see that I was not understood. Yes? Let me elucidate. The Fantastical, Aerial, International, Reasonably Inconspicuous, Emancipation Squads , or shall I say F.A.I.R.I.E.S.? have accepted you into their organization. You asked. You were answered.” The branch attempted a smile, but looked impatient instead.

“Fairies? I don’t believe in fairies.” Mellie winced, half expecting him to fall down and writhe in pain until she clapped her hands.

“Quite right. You are not supposed to. If humans truly believed we existed, we would never get anything accomplished.”

Mellie laughed and looked around for a hidden camera, thinking this must be a joke. “Right. Ah…heh…okay, bud, brilliant costume,” she said, imitating the branch’s accent. “Where’s the zipper?” She reached toward him and touched a soft leaf.

The branch slapped her hand away and stamped its foot with a loud cracking noise. “I beg your pardon. I have not been a bud for over 800 springs!” He paced, his leaves crumpling, mumbling to himself about humans and why, in the One’s name, did he listen to that confounded gnome who told him that he needed to stand gate duty. With his rank!

“I’m sorry I upset you. Please, I’m very confused. I’m lost, and I just want to go home.” Mellie bit her lip.

The branch stopped mid-pace. “Home? Earlier, did you not wish for a new life? And riches? I know you wished for treasure, hmm?”

“How do you know that?” Mellie furrowed her brow. “Have you been reading my mind?”

The twig man didn’t answer her questions, asking his own instead. “Ahh, so, you admit this, yes?”

She narrowed her eyes. “Yes, but…well, this really isn’t what I had in mind.”

The branch threw up its twiggy fingers. “Oh, well, of course you did not have this in mind. After all, we are reasonably inconspicuous, especially to humans. How could you have this in mind? However, is it not superior of the One to think that this is what you would have chosen had you known about us? Anyway, ’tis irrevocable now. So, if you would just follow me, we shall get you signed in and enrolled for training.”

The branch marched off between the trunks of two large eucalyptus trees.

Mellie slid uncontrollably after the walking stick. She planted her feet firmly, refusing to budge, but she slid after him anyway. Grasping at branches of nearby trees, she panted heavily as she struggled to resist following the branch. Some kind of invisible tie connected her to him. He seemed to pull her along with his every step.

Mellie thought about her sisters and how mad they were at her. I’m dead meat if they find me. Mellie quickly gave up her battle and ran after the eucalyptus branch, barely keeping up with his stride.

†

The sand changed to coarse dirt, with pebbles and sticks. More and more trees filled Mellie’s vision. Bushes scraped against her bare legs and slapped her face as she moved deeper inside a forest of eucalyptus and redwood trees. She winced in pain as a razor-sharp rock sliced her foot. Stopping to nurse it, she wished once again for her forgotten shoes.

“Excuse me, sir?” Mellie looked around. She could not see the branch anywhere.

“Do not call me ‘sir’, I work for a living.” The branch peeked out from around one of the gigantic trees. “And please, try to keep up. We need to reach the gateway.”

Mellie limped up to him. “Sorry, sir…I mean…umm, what should I call you then?”

“Oh, well, we did skip that. Did we not? Yes, all right, an introduction then.” The branch man seemed to enjoy formal etiquette for he gave an elaborate wave and bowed. “My name is Regnans, family of Myrtaceae, born member of the F.A.I.R.I.E.S., Britannia Wing, rank of Master Nymph Dryad.”

“Nice to meet you, Reg…Reg?” Mellie chewed on the inside of her mouth. Never good at remembering names, she knew she would offend him with her lack of manners.

Sure enough, the dryad raised an eyebrow and pursed his lips. “Regnans.” He gave a hurt sniff, then drolly sneered. “If you find that a difficult name, you should meet the rest of my family, all seven-hundred thirty-four of them.”

“Sorry, I just…well, it is a lot to remember. It’s a nice name, though. My name is Maryellen Goodwin of Bret Harte Middle School, San Jose, California. But everyone calls me Mellie.” She stuck out her hand, intending to shake. Regnans stared at her.

“That is a strange curtsy. However, I guess ’twill do. We must get moving now. The shadows abound, you know.” Regnans made an about face and marched off faster than before.

Another hour passed, and still they strode along the forest floor. Mellie’s feet were now cut, blistered, and bleeding. She kept up as best she could with Regnans’s long stride. Whenever she tried to stop, he would pull her on with that invisible force of his.

Stupid, pompous, magical Star Wars freak.

She whimpered as she limped. Darkness and mist now covered the woods. As she was about to plead for a break, Regnans stopped. Except for her heavy gulps of air, all seemed quiet.

Regnans stiffened even more than usual. Nothing on him moved, apart from his eyes, which darted around quickly.

“All is safe, we may proceed.” He held up a twiggy finger to his woody mouth. “Please do not speak, and try not to breathe so abominably loud.”

Mellie nodded with a disgusted frown. Sweat dripped from her bangs. She tried to calm her breathing, even though her vision blurred, and her legs wobbled. Her blisters had popped by now and oozed wetness.

Regnans moved again, yet this time he took slow, deliberate steps, all the while scanning his surroundings. He walked up to a massive redwood tree and stroked its bark.

A breeze stirred up, rattling the leaves, sounding almost like spoken words. Mellie thought herself crazy again. However, the longer she stood there, the more she sensed that it really was the tree’s language, as if she had never listened to trees properly before. It said, “If you love, you will say the one true love that leads the way.”

Regnans whispered in a leaf rustling voice, “Ah-gaw-pay.”

A loud grumbling sound, as if someone awakened after a long sleep, shook the grove. The redwood tree opened two eyes, each the size of Mellie’s head, and blinked. A great fissure erupted below the eyes in the shape of a crescent, and redish-brown wooden teeth emerged. A long, knobby branch pushed its way out above the mouth and inhaled deeply.

The tree chuckled. Instead of the whispering leaves, a low, rumbling utterance of human speech came from the redwood tree. “Regnans? What brings you to my neck of the woods?” He blinked again. “And who is this? A new recruit? A human? A Chosen?”

Mellie knew she looked silly, standing there with her mouth in an ‘O’ shape, but she couldn’t move. This was simply impossible. There is no such thing as fairies!

“Yes, yes. Please open the gate, we must not dawdle here…they may be watching.” Regnans looked agitated.

A deep laugh resounded from the redwood. “Oh, Regnans. There are none who watch here.”

Regnans mumbled something about hamadryads and their pride, then proclaimed in a slightly louder voice to the tree, “We must be sober, be vigilant, because the shadow walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom it may devour.”

The hamadryad looked chagrined. “You speak true, dryad. Forgive me for acting like an arrogant seedling.” He glanced at Mellie, and with a lowered voice asked, “And what is your name, little human?”

Mellie managed to squeak out, “Mellie Goodwin.”

“Ah, ’tis always nice to have a Good Wind.” The hamadryad laughed heartily.

“Sorry to interrupt this lovely tete-a-tete,” Regnans said, “but would you please open the gate? I left Westside completely unguarded.”

An annoyed creak came from the base of the redwood, followed by a sigh. “Yes, Regnans. Agape you said, and agape it is. Go with the light, my friends.” The large, joyous eyes closed, and the hamadryad whispered in his leaf rustling voice, “Until we meet again, Good Wind.” His face disappeared, and his roots lifted and pulled apart, exposing a tunnel within his trunk.

Regnans grabbed Mellie’s hand with his rough, wooden one, and pulled her inside the opening. The tree closed itself abruptly and left them in total darkness.

Regnans cleared his throat and said, “Let there be light.”

A burst of dazzling brightness sparkled from the tunnel’s wall. Mellie glanced around and noticed a long, winding stairwell leading down into the ground.

“Shall we, then?” Not waiting for a reply, Regnans started down the steps.

Available at Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble.com.

Happy Reading!

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ESV Grow! Bible by Crossway Publishing

2011-12-01T16:53:00.000-08:00

I'm a Bible junkie, so I rarely find a version that I don't enjoy and fall in love with. In order to give a fair and impartial review, I gave a copy of this one to my daughter to see what she thought. Keep in mind that she's 21 and has been a struggling reader most of her life.

She loved the cover and found the text very easy to read and understand. The "W" questions pointing out who, what, where and why were engaging. According to Katy, these encourage kids to ask more questions and to discuss what they read with their parents.

The "4U" boxes make the Bible more relevant and applicable to a child's life, and since the Bible is a "Grow!" Bible, each time your child reads God's Word, the answers will change as well as the application. Katy loved this feature as well.

The articles and diagrams were also appealing. She said the color added to the eye-factor, drawing the reader's attention to the special goodies on each page. The helps in the back were great, including a chart for where to read when dealing with a life issue (like friends not talking to you any longer) and a chart about the life of Jesus.

Katy and I agreed that the maps gave the Bible a grown-up feel, while still being easy for a child to understand. In all, we both give the "ESV Grow! Bible" a high recommendation and feel it is a great Bible for boys and girls ages 8 and up to at least 13 or 14 depending on the reader.

My thanks to Angie at Crossway for a chance to take a peek at this new Bible, and the "ESV Grow! Bible" is available at bookstores everywhere and online as well!

Happy Reading!

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The Names Of God Bible by Ann Spangler, General Editor

2011-11-29T11:03:00.000-08:00

I love Bibles, but go into any bookstore and you'll find wall after wall of translations, helps, and new Bibles to choose from. How in the world can you select from such a huge...well...selection?

I'm happy to share a new Bible with you that I absolutely love. It's "The Names Of God Bible" in the 'God's Word Translation', edited by bestselling author Ann Spangler. This new easy-to-read translation is perfect for anyone who's struggled with reading Scripture or for those who want a fresh look at this precious text.

"The Names of God Bible" comes with several unique features. This edition comes with the standard index of the books of the Bible, but also has an alphabetical list of names and titles of God, including the page references. Wonder where God is referred to as God Most High? How about The Lord Who Heals? Did you know that He is called a Jealous God?

"The Names of God Bible" includes a pronunciation guide, an introduction written by Ann Spangler that is a wonderful entry point to reading the Bible, and helpful diagrams. Ann provides multiple reading plans that allow you to read the entire Bible, through the various names of God, a quick overview of Scripture and more.

My favorite feature is the focus on the names of God. Each time God is mentioned the name is in bold red italics. Each book introduction has a list of the key names of God and the meaning of each name. You'll find name pages devoted to background, explanation, references and more, sidebars connecting Biblical characters with their names for God, and a topical prayer guide.

I love the 'Scripture callouts, locations when Ann highlights a Scripture or passage for memorization. Each one focuses on a name of God and is key to the book or passage. Plus, the "God's Word Translation" is so clear and easy to understand!

This is a wonderful Bible for a fresh look at God through His Word, for new believers wanting to know more about the God they now call Father, for struggling readers, and for anyone wanting a deeper relationship with Elohim. My generous thanks to Donna and my friends at Revell for my complimentary copy.

"The Names of God Bible" is highly recommended. You can find "The Names of God Bible" in bookstores everywhere, and is available in hardcover edition.

Happy Reading!

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Diary of a Player by Brad Paisley and David Wild

2011-11-16T09:33:00.000-08:00

I'm a HUGE fan of country music, and Brad Paisley is one of my all-time favorite artists. Some of the best songs on his albums are the instrumentals, and I adored "Play"...an album almost entirely composed of his 'pickin'.

So naturally I was thrilled when I learned he'd written a book. I was even more thrilled when my friends at Howard Publishing sent me a review copy. This was a quick read, filled with great photos and lots of memories...

...of how Brad became the consumate guitarist that he now is. It all began when Brad was 8-years-old, on Christmas Day at Papaw's house. Last year Brad Paisley was crowned "Entertainer of the Year" at the Country Music Association Awards.

With a whole lot of practice and learning in between two life-changing events. You most definitely hear Brad's voice in the writing. Each chapter opens with a lyric from one of Brad's songs, and throughout the pages are 'Solos', when a fellow artist shares an opinion or memory of Brad and his talent.

The book contains some language, which I found disappointing. Just a sprinkle, but enough to make me sad. It contains some great stories about some great artists of days gone by, such as Porter Waggoner and Buck Owens.

Another sadness? Not much about Brad's faith, which I suppose wasn't the point of the book, but I'd like to think that faith permeates any aspect of our lives as believers, so I would have enjoyed hearing more about Brad's faith in God.

Sigh.

Overall, if you are a Brad Paisley fan, or a fan of country music, or a fan of really good guitar licks (or 'chicken pickin' as Brad often calls it), you'll most likely enjoy the book. I enjoyed it...just not as much as I'd hoped I would enjoy the book.

Again, my thanks to my friends at Howard Publishing for my copy. "Diary of a Player" is available now in bookstores everywhere, and comes mildly recommended...just not highly so.

Happy Reading!

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Triple Dog Dare--and Truth & Dare: Devotions for ages 9-12

2011-11-15T07:05:00.000-08:00

One of the best life-habits we can train our children to develop is reading God's Word daily, and one of the best gifts we can give them is a devotional book design to get them into their Bibles, digging a little deeper and learning a little more.

Two excellent devotional books are releasing just in time for Christmas, both from David C. Cook (my thanks to my friends at B&B Media for my review copies!) Each book has a brief daily reading, a devotional message relevant to life application, and a chance to journal thoughts and respond to the day's reading.

"Triple Dog Dare" is written by Jeremy V. Jones and designed to appeal to boys ages 9-12. Each page is filled with cool graphics, covering Monday through Friday, with a special section for each weekend. The devotionals aren't dated, so the book can be read again and again, year after year.

Each day offers a Scripture passage, the truth found within the passage, some response challenges, and a nugget to easily remember. Journal space is provided on each page.

"Truth and Dare" is crafted by Ann-Margret Hovsepian for girls ages 9-12, again with appealing graphics and an attractive layout. Pages aren't dated, so the book can grow with your daughter(s), with plenty of space to write and lots of application.

A brief Scripture, some truth nuggets and some challenging 'dares' round out Monday through Friday, with an expanded reading and activity for weekend readings. A wide variety of age-appropriate topics are covered, and readers will walk away with valuable teaching and training from their time in the book...and in God's Book!

Both devotionals are recommended. This set is great for families with both boys and girls, perfect for encouraging your child's personal quiet time and daily devotion, and easy to understand and to share. An ideal gift for Christmas for any tweens in your life, "Truth and Dare" and "Triple Dog Dare" are both available at retailers and online, published by David C. Cook.

Happy Reading!

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Remembering Christmas by Dan Walsh

2011-11-14T07:22:00.000-08:00

Fans of Nicholas Sparks will find a new author to love in Dan Walsh...for me, he writes circles around any New York Times best-selling author. His books are filled with engaging characters, rich story, and deep faith in our unchanging God.

His newest book is "Remembering Christmas", a story about going home, even when you don't want to, and finding what you've been searching for your entire life.

Rick Denton left Florida, his roots and the family business behind and never looked back. With his father out of the picture and his mother settling into life with her new husband, Rick wanted bigger and better out of life. His move to Charleston proved to be a lucrative one, and while not satisfied, he's on the right track.

Rick is living his life, on his terms, as his own lord and master...controlling his own destiny which will be whatever he decides to make of it all.

Until his mom calls. Art has suffered a stroke, and she needs help keeping The Book Nook open until doctors can figure out how to treat her husband and he is back on his feet. Leanne has no choice but to call on her only son and hope he can put family first for at least a couple of days.

Days turn into weeks, and Rick's frustration mounts. Didn't he escape this podunk down, joke of a family business and all of these religious trappings for the better life? Just how long can he stay, sorting out the mess 'good old Art' calls a business?

Apparently for as long as it will take God's Spirit to penetrate Rick's hardened heart...quite possibly until Rick remembers Christmas and the message of hope, deliverance and healing sent to the world so long ago.

Once again, Dan creates memorable characters that pull up a chair in your imagination and settle in for a good, long while. From J.D., the homeless man who looks forward to his daily McMuffin to the sassy co-worker that keeps putting Rick in his place, you'll love each and every person you meet.

Be prepared for a surprise or two along the way...

And you'll see how it's the smaller, seemingly insignificant things in life that truly produce the most...and change hearts forever. My thanks to my buddy Donna at Revell for my review copy of "Remembering Christmas", available at bookstores everywhere.

I'm highly recommending this one...and just in time for Christmas! How 'bout that?

Happy Reading!

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My Life and Lesser Catastrophes by Christina Schofield

2011-11-13T18:50:00.000-08:00

I can honestly say that this is one of the best books I have ever had the privilege of reviewing. Christina Schofield is a woman after my own heart, and definitely filled with God's Spirit and His love...plus she's gut-wrenchingly honest while being laugh-out-loud funny.

Imagine you are cruising down the highway with the love of your life, celebrating another year of marriage with a brief romantic motorcycle ride before getting busy with the business of the day. Your precious three-year-old awaits you, you've just received word that the contract of your life will set your dream career on its proper path.

Overwhelmed, you send up a prayer of praise and thanks to God for all He's done and is going to do in your life and through your life.

Next thing you know you're in the emergency room, stunned, dazed and confused. Your husband is fighting for his life, all because of a small patch of gravel. Nothing will ever be the same. That's where we begin our journey with Christina, popular children's book illustrator and all around wonderful Christian woman.

So, how do you respond when life just doesn't make sense? When all of your good works and proper obedience don't gain you the safe, trouble free existence you'd expected? What do you do when the one you love most on this earth is no longer the man you married, and you have no idea how life will now turn out?

If you're like Christina, you pray, you weep, you question, you lean...and you learn a whole lot from the Father and His plans...which quite often are not the same as our plans. What a journey she is on with the One!

The book is thoroughly engaging and enjoyable reading, yet painful and filled with emotion. Christina hides nothing...she is completely transparent and real in the telling of her story...which is still being told, by the way. Oh, her journey is far from over.

In some ways, it's just beginning! I respect and admire her and her family, her church family, and her relationship with God so very much. The true beauty of the book? It's all God. There's simply no way a human being can do this without His Spirit, His mercy, His grace...strength...wisdom...and His Body, the church.

A gorgeous testimony of real and genuine faith, "My Life and Lesser Catastrophes" is a must-read. My thanks to my friends at Chosen Books, and I highly recommend you pick up a copy for you...and for a friend. Believe it or not, you'll be greatly inspired.

Happy Reading!

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The Christmas Shoppe by Melody Carlson

2011-11-11T17:57:00.001-08:00

What would your town do if a strange person came in, purchased prime retail property and was so secretive about plans for the business opening soon? The town of Parrish Springs didn't take so kindly to such happenings...until even stranger things began to occur.

I look forward to the Christmas novellas each and every year, and Melody Carlson writes a new story without fail. Normally, I enjoy her tales...but this one was just so-so for me. I think it was because this particular story had less of a 'Christmasy' feeling to it.

Matilda Honeycutt was the main character, but she seemed to remain in the background for the largest part of the story. Her quirkiness was discussed, but I kept forgetting what she looked like and never could quite pinpoint her age.

Maybe I wasn't supposed to.

The shop felt a bit disappointment as well. Instead of a magical holiday feel, or even a holy moment feeling, the shop was basically what the town dreaded...with a twist, of course.

Maybe that was what Matilda intended...a twist for those who entered.

And the dwellers of Parrish Springs for the most part weren't very likable, with rare exception. They quickly judged Matilda and her shop and found both very wanting...kind of like I felt about the story itself.

I think I missed the point. Hopefully, you won't when you pick up a copy of "The Christmas Shoppe". Melody Carlson is one of the most versatile authors in Christian publishing, and she writes quite a few books each year, capping the year off with her Christmas novella.

So I'm mildly recommending this new release, simply because Melody writes a good story...I just personally didn't engage as I usually do. I'm guessing many of my readers will love "The Christmas Shoppe" and fall in love with Melody's storytelling abilities.

Which is a good thing, because you'll find lots to love with Melody's books, written for all age groups from littles to tweens to teens and on up to...well, MY age! My thanks to Donna at Revell for an opportunity to review "The Christmas Shoppe".

You can find a copy of "The Christmas Shoppe" at retail booksellers everywhere. See what you discover at Matilda Honeycutt's Christmas Shoppe. And feel free to leave a comment and nicely disagree with me if you enjoy the book.

Happy Reading!

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CFBA Presents" Proof of Heaven" by Mary Curran Hackett

2011-11-11T17:14:00.000-08:00

This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
Proof of Heaven
William Morrow Paperbacks (November 1, 2011)
by
Mary Curran Hackett

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Mary Curran Hackett is the mother of two children, Brigid Claire and Colm Francis, and is married to Greg Hackett. She received an MA in English Literature from the University of Nebraska and a BA from the University Honors Program at Catholic University in Washington, DC. Born and raised in Danbury, CT, she has traveled extensively and lived in various places throughout the U.S., but her favorite place in the world is home with her kids, husband, and her stacks of books. Like her character Colm Magee, Mary suffers various heart and brain ailments, but thanks in part to her brother, a physician, as well as her own doctors, she now has a pacemaker and a heart that beats on its own at least most of the time. This is her first novel.

ABOUT THE BOOK

A mother’s faith, a child’s courage, a doctor’s dedication—a moving and thought-provoking tale of hope, love, and family.

He might be young, but Colm already recognizes the truth: that he’s sick and not getting better. His mother, Cathleen, fiercely believes her faith will protect her ailing son, but Colm is not so sure. With a wisdom far beyond his years, Colm has come to terms with his probable fate, but he does have one special wish. He wants to meet his father who abandoned his beloved mother before Colm was born.

But the quest to find the dying boy’s missing parent soon becomes a powerful journey of emotional discovery—a test of belief and an anxious search for proof of heaven.

A magnificent debut novel, Mary Curran Hackett’s Proof of Heaven is a beautiful and unforgettable exploration of the power of love and the monumental questions of life, death, and the afterlife.

If you would like to read the first chapter of Proof of Heaven, go HERE.

I promise a full review soon...just behind a bit in my reading...trying to keep up with my life and my family! You know how it is sometimes, right?

Pop in with a comment and let me know what YOU think about this one!

Happy Reading!

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Sifted by Rick Lawrence

2011-11-10T15:35:00.000-08:00

Have you ever had a love/not love relationship with a book? Ever knew a book was meant for you to read, but really wish you'd never heard of it at all? Ever felt God speaking to you as you read the pages, and KNEW He'd sent the book for such a time as this?

Well, if you haven't, and you don't want that kind of reading experience, stay away from "Sifted" by Rick Lawrence. But if life seems flipped upside down, nothing seems to add up, and yet you love God with a passion that runs through your very marrow, maybe you should run to the local bookstore and snatch up a copy.

Rick focuses on the Bible passage of Luke 22:31-32, when our dear brother Peter gets his emotions tangled with his faith and informs Jesus, God in the flesh, Creator of the universe and Savior of our souls that He "would not surely die!" Remember that moment?

Jesus, with a heart full of love, compassion and truth declares satan desired to 'sift Peter like wheat'. Trust me when I tell you we have no understanding of what that truly meant. If we did, we'd shake at the thought. I've had people toss that phrase out at me and I've nodded and thought, 'yeah, I'm being sifted'...no biggie.

Oh, but it's SUCH a biggie! To be shaken HARD, beaten and pitched into the air, where the ground truly falls out from under you and you have no clue where you might land, just an assurance of Who will catch you...THAT is to be sifted.

Don't believe me? Read Rick's book and see how he checks out the sifting of wheat in the days of Jesus...and may I say 'wow'...and I'm being so sifted, and it isn't fun, it hurts, it is a very big deal, and I do not like it at all.

Here's the cool thing, though...Jesus didn't just leave Peter there, and He doesn't leave us there either. With that same love and compassion and truth Jesus tells Peter 'WHEN you have turned back'...'strengthen your brothers'.

Why will Peter turn back? Why will you and I turn back? Because Jesus also says 'but I have prayed for you'. Here's an interesting fact...Jesus calls Peter 'Simon' in that statement...his old name. Seems important, right?

It is. So is this book. Each chapter takes a portion of the passage and breaks it down, using other Scriptures and examples to deepen the meaning, then puts it all back together in a beautiful yet painful portrait of being changed forever.

It's that 'glory to glory' thing the Bible talks about. It hurts. But it's worth it. It has to be, or God wouldn't allow it. A couple of times I questioned what I read, but for the most part, I found "Sifted" to be sound and reliable. I highly recommend "Sifted" to you.

My thanks to my friends at David C. Cook and at B&B Media for the chance to understand this season of my life a bit better...and to Rick Lawrence for taking a passage of Scripture I've always glossed over and bringing it to life.

Happy Reading!

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I Am In Here by Elizabeth M. Bonker and Virginia G. Breen

2011-11-08T21:46:00.000-08:00

When you hear the term autism, you automatically feel a tug at your heart for the family dealing with the diagnosis. Read this amazing book and you'll never look at autism the same way ever again.

Elizabeth has autism: she is a healthy, smart and creative thirteen-year-old girl trapped in a body that cannot speak. But she can write poetry to express her thoughts and feelings that has more talent and expression in the fewest amount of words. Hers is a voice that most definitely needs to be heard.

Virginia is Elizabeth's mother. And what a force to be reckoned with! She's gone to bat for Elizabeth and her daughter's silent voice since day one, and this book is a perfect collaboration between mother and daughter. Featuring many of Elizabeth's poems, this is the story of living with autism from both sides of the diagnosis.

Praise God for the talented and dedicated men and women who've worked tirelessly to help Elizabeth express who she is and just what she is capable of, and who've stayed with Virginia as she has fought battle after battle on behalf of not only her daughter, but for children with autism in general.

Easy to read, engaging, at times heart-rending, "I Am In Here" puts a human face on a hot-topic news story and gives those dealing with autism more than a voice: this book will inspire and empower those waging the war against the diagnosis that all too often defines and limits those dealing with it.

I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know Elizabeth, and her mother. I highly recommend "I Am In Here" and offer my thanks to Donna at Revell for my chance to review this title (and offer my humble apologies for being late with my review!).

"I Am In Here" is available in hardcover from Revell Publishers and can be found in bookstores everywhere.

Happy Reading!

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The Opposite of Art by Athol Dickson

2011-11-06T09:50:00.000-08:00

Once in a while a novel comes my way that leaves me with mixed emotions. While I can agree the story is well told and holds the reader's interest in a tight grip, I'm left feeling a bit unsettled by the tale. This is one of those novels.

In "The Opposite of Art" we are introduced to the genius of Sheridan Ridler, known to the art world as Ridler and to his forever love as Danny. An up-and-coming painter, Ridler is full and yet searching: full of himself but still seeking that one thing.

When his best and favored model, Suzanna Halls, chooses her God over Ridler's love, his world begins to quake with the loss. Frantic, the artist rushes out into the darkness of the night to find Suzanna and bring her back.

Tragedy strikes and the world has lost one of its best and brightest...or has it? What follows is a search to capture and control the essence of faith, the image of God, what Ridler calls the Glory. It is a journey that takes him far and wide, to places most of us will never travel, finding things we'd never seek out.

Like life with a traveling sideshow! While I found this group a true oddity in the story, I was oddly fascinated by their company. Just one more quirky thing in this engaging tale of one searching for the Glory.

Ultimately, rumor begins that the artist once thought deceased is alive, and two begin to search for him. One who longs to know him, and one who longs to see Ridler truly dead. Who will find him first, and will Ridler find the Glory before his end finds him?

Mixed emotions abounded as I turned page after page. I was both turned off and intrigued by this unusual novel. Believe it or not, the most upsetting scene for me was the young boy paddling his way along the river to his home in Harlem. Why oh why do we allow people to live in situations such as this??

While I wouldn't call this my favorite story by Athol Dickson, I still highly recommend "The Opposite of Art". The elements of the story are so unique I believe you'll be held captive from the first page and eager to see where you and Ridler end up.

Quite possibly you'll catch a glimpse of the Glory along the way. My thanks to my friends at Howard publishing for my complimentary copy of "The Opposite of Art" and my gratitude to Athol Dickson for putting pen to paper to create a memorable cast of characters.

Happy Reading!

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CFBA Presents "The 13th Demon" by Bruce Hennigan

2011-10-28T15:57:00.000-07:00

This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
The 13th Demon
Realms (October 4, 2011)
by
Bruce Hennigan

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Bruce Hennigan was born and raised in the isolated countryside of Shreveport, La., a place full of possibilities for the active mind of a young boy. The fertile imagination he cultivated while playing deep in the Louisiana woods would lead to a lifelong love of creative writing.

In 2006, Hennigan pursued the Certified Apologetic Instructor Certificate from the North American Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention. He has become a frequent speaker at regional and state events on apologetics and his strong point is in making these sometimes hard to understand issues easily approachable for the average Christian. Hennigan’s experience in apologetics inspired him to write his new novel, The 13th Demon: Altar of the Spiral Eye, a supernatural Christian thriller that combines science and faith. Now, combining his love for apologetics and his love for the art of writing, Hennigan is pursuing a career as the “Michael Crichton” of Christian fiction building powerful, fast paced stories around the truths of Christian apologetics.

Hennigan currently resides in Shreveport with his wife and daughter. He continues to write and to practice radiology at the Willis Knighton Health Care System. He has secured Jeff Jernigan of Hidden Value Group (www.hiddenvaluegroup.com) as his literary agent and has signed a five book deal with the Realms imprint of Charisma Media for “The Chronicles of Jonathan Steel”.

ABOUT THE BOOK

When Jonathan Steel wakes up on a beach in a raging thunderstorm, naked, beaten, and bleeding, he has no idea who he is or how he got there. But just as he starts to make progress in his slow journey to recovery, tragedy strikes again, taking everything in his new life that he has come to love and rely on.

Filled with rage and a thirst for revenge, he searches the countryside for the entity responsible—an entity called only the Thirteenth Demon. His quest brings him to Lakeside, Louisiana, and a small country church where evil is in control and strange writing on the walls, blood-soaked floors, and red-eyed spiders have appeared in the sanctuary.

As he faces the final confrontation with an evil presence that has pursued him all of his life, he must choose between helping the people he loves or destroying the thirteenth demon.

If you would like to read the first chapter of The 13th Demon, go HERE.

Happy Reading!

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CFBA Presents "Attraced To Fire" by DiAnn Mills

2011-10-23T21:58:00.000-07:00

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing Attracted to Fire Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. (October 1, 2011)

by DiAnn Mills

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

DiAnn Mills believes her readers should “Expect an Adventure.” She is a fiction writer who combines an adventuresome spirit with unforgettable characters to create action-packed novels. Her books have won many awards through American Christian Fiction Writers, and she is the recipient of the Inspirational Reader’s Choice award for 2005, 2007, and 2010. She was a Christy Award finalist in 2008 and a Christy winner in 2010. DiAnn is a founding board member for American Christian Fiction Writers, a member of Inspirational Writers Alive, Advanced Writers and Speakers Association, and is the Craftsman Mentor for the Christian Writer’s Guild. She speaks to various groups and teaches writing workshops. DiAnn and her husband live in Houston, Texas. Visit her website at: www.diannmills.com or find her on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/diannmills

ABOUT THE BOOK

Special Agent Meghan Connors’ dream of one day protecting the president of the United States is about to come true. Only one assignment stands in her way. After the vice president’s rebellious daughter is threatened, Meghan is assigned to her protective detail on a secluded ranch in West Texas. Unfortunately, working with Special Agent in Charge Ash Zinders may be as tough as controlling her charge. Ash has a reputation for being critical and exacting, and he’s also after the same promotion as Meghan. But when the threats escalate and security on the ranch is breached, it becomes clear this isn’t the work of a single suspect—it’s part of a sophisticated plan that reaches deeper and higher than anyone imagined. And only Ash and Meghan can put the pieces together before it’s too late.

Watch the book trailer:

If you would like to read the first chapter of Attracted to Fire, go HERE.

My Thoughts: I thoroughly enjoy criminal suspense, and DiAnn Mills always delivers. I actually read this one on my Kindle before reading the finished product! My only issue with "Attracted to Fire" was keeping all of the story threads together in my imagination.

I had moments of feeling overwhelmed by plot twists, and some characters seemed to come and go at a rapid pace...at times a bit too quickly for my taste. I prefer to have time to invest in people, whether real or imagined!

BUT...the story was interesting enough to hold my interest, and I'm hoping to see continuing characters in future novels...although not clear on whether this was a stand-alone story or the beginning of another trilogy.

If you like criminal suspense, love a political flavor, and enjoy a hint of romance in your fiction, then give "Atracted to Fire" a chance.

Happy Reading!

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CFBA Presents" Love on the Line" by Deeanne Gist

2011-10-18T21:06:00.000-07:00

This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
Love on the Line
Bethany House (October 1, 2011)
by
Deeanne Gist

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

After a short career in elementary education, Deeanne Gist retired to raise her four children. Over the course of the next fifteen years, she ran a home accessory and antique business, became a member of the press, wrote freelance journalism for national publications such as People, Parents, Parenting, Family Fun, Houston Chronicle and Orlando Sentinel, and acted as CFO for her husband’s small engineering firm--all from the comforts of home.

Squeezed betwixt-and-between all this, she read romance novels by the truckload and even wrote a couple of her own. While those unpublished manuscripts rested on the shelf, she founded a publishing corporation for the purpose of developing, producing and marketing products that would reinforce family values, teach children responsibility and provide character building activities.

After a few short months of running her publishing company, Gist quickly discovered being a "corporate executive" was not where her gifts and talents lie. In answer to Gist’s fervent prayers, God sent a mainstream publisher to her door who licensed her parenting I Did It!® product line and committed to publish the next generation of her system, thus freeing Gist to return to her writing.

Eight months later, she sold A Bride Most Begrudging to Bethany House Publishers. Since that debut, her very original, very fun romances have rocketed up the bestseller lists and captured readers everywhere. Add to this two consecutive Christy Awards, three RITA nominations, rave reviews, and a growing loyal fan base, and you’ve got one recipe for success.

Her latest releases, Beguiled, Maid To Match, and Love on the Line are now available.

Gist lives in Texas with her husband of twenty-eight years and their border collie. They have four grown children. Click here to find out the most up-to-the-minute news about Dee.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Rural switchboard operator Georgie Gail is proud of her independence in a man's world ... which makes it twice as vexing when the telephone company sends a man to look over her shoulder.

Dashing Luke Palmer is more than he appears though. He's a Texas Ranger working undercover to infiltrate a notorious gang of train robbers. Repairing telephones and tangling with this tempestuous woman is the last thing he wants to do. But when his stakeout puts Georgie in peril, he realizes more than his job is on the line.

If you would like to read the first chapter of Love on the Line, go HERE.Happy Reading!

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CFBA Presents "Reclaiming Lily" by Patti Lacy

2011-10-13T07:49:00.000-07:00

This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
Reclaiming Lily
Bethany House (October 1, 2011)
by
Patti Lacy

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Patti Lacy, Baylor graduate, taught community college humanities until God called her to span seas and secrets in her novels, An Irishwoman's Tale and What the Bayou Saw.

The secrets women keep and why they keep them continue to enliven Patti's gray matter. A third book, The Rhythm of Secrets, released in January of 2011. Patti's, Reclaiming Lily, documents a tug-of-war between a Harvard-educated doctor and an American pastor and his wife for a precious child and explores adoption issues, China's "One Child" policy, and both Christian and secular views of sacrifice.

Patti also facilitates writing seminars in schools, libraries, and at conferences and has been called to present her testimony, "All the Broken Pieces," at women's retreats. She also leads a Beth Moore Bible study at her beloved Grace Church and has had a blast planning the September 2009 wedding of her firstborn, Sarah.

Patti and her husband Alan, an Illinois State faculty member, live in Normal with their handsome son Thomas, who attends Heartland Community College. On sunny evenings, you can catch the three strolling the streets of Normal with their dog Laura, whom they've dubbed a "Worchestershire Terrier" for her "little dab of this breed, a little dab of that breed."

ABOUT THE BOOK

A storm the size of Texas brews when Gloria Powell and Kai Chang meet in a Dallas hotel. They have come to discuss the future of Lily, the daughter Gloria adopted from China and the sister Kai hopes to reclaim. Kai is a doctor who had to give up her little sister during the Cultural Revolution and has since discovered that an inherited genetic defect may be waiting to fatally strike Lily.

Gloria's relationship with her daughter is tattered and strained, and the arrival of Kai, despite the woman's apparent good intentions, makes Gloria fearful. Gloria longs to restore her relationship with Lily, but in the wake of this potentially devastating diagnosis, is Kai an answer to prayer...or will her arrival force Gloria to sacrifice more than she ever imagined?

If you would like to read the first chapter of reclaiming Lily, go HERE.

Happy Reading!

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