Gabby's Stick-To-It Day

Title: GABBY’S STICK-TO-IT DAY
Author: Sheila Walsh
Illustrator: Natasha Kuricheva
Publisher: Tommy Nelson
March 2012
ISBN: 978-1-4003-1805-6
Genre: Inspirational/childrens

How do you get little girls to stick to it and finish what they started?

Sophie wants to do good, and she tries very hard to be good. But when things get hard to do, Sophie quits every time! Gabby, her guardian angel, is frustrated by how Sophie quits time after time, and the senior angel tells Gabby that her mission is to teach Sophie not to quit!

So, Gabby heads down to Earth where Sophie is giving the dog a bath. But the dog won’t stay in the tub! When Sophie and Gabby end up getting soaked and Sophie yells, “I quit!” what is a little angel to do?

My daughters (ages nine and six) love Sheila Walsh’s books so much that they recognize Sheila’s name and ask for me to please review her books. GABBY’S STICK-TO-IT DAY is another winner for my two girls. Both of them sat down and read it without waiting for me to read it first, and then sat in my lap so I could read it out loud to them.

The pictures are engaging, the words attention grabbing, and the lesson is valuable. I highly recommend this book, the second one in Sheila’s Gabby, God’s Little Angel series. (The book easily stands alone.) For ages three and up. $14.99 hardcover. 32 pages.

The Qur'an Dilemma

Title: The Qur'an Dilemma
Author: Al Fadi and other former Muslims
Publisher: Water Life Publishing
2011
ISBN: 978-1935577034
Genre: Religions

Islam is one of the fastest growing religions of the world, and The Qur'an is the foundation of Islam. It is the source of all Islamic laws and practices, religious or otherwise. The current Qur'an is divided into 114 chapters or suras of different lengths. This first volume of The Qur'an Dilemma investigates the first nine of these suras.

Each sura contains the text of the Qur'an, complemented with the following elements:

. Sura Introduction
. Critical analysis of key verses
. Variant readings of certain verses
. Abrogated verses with analytical comments

The Qur'an Dilemma also has articles of different subjects that will interest the reader such as the status of "women in Islam", the treatment of "people of other faiths", and others.

The Qur'an Dilemma also contains a glossary to help support the reader and a Who's Who section that provides a bibliographical synopsis of some Islamic scholars and historical figures.

I was interested in reviewing this book not because I am interested in the Islamic religion, but because my sons, both in different state colleges/universities in Arkansas are being taught Islam in their college career, in some of their required classes. I am upset by this, as I feel it goes against the separation of Church and State and the Muslims (and other religions) would be upset and crying intolerance if Christianity was being shoved down the throats of their students the way Muslim is being shoved down the throats of the Christian students.

This is a book that would need to be studied in detail to gain all the benefit from it that one could. I did get confused some, and decided that since I am not a student of religions that maybe this book is meant for more of a scholar of religions such as pastors, or one who is more familiar with the Islamic religion and wants to reach Muslims with the truth. I also want my sons to read it, so they will understand that it is not all that they are taught in University.

This is not a critical review of the book as I am not intelligent enough in this matter to write the review as some of the reviewers on Amazon did. But this is my thoughts as a plain ole Mom in Arkansas. $39.95 hardcover.

Steve's review, following:


This is Volume 1 of a two-volume set that will, essentially, provide an introduction and primer to the Qur’ān for those who know little to nothing about the Qur’ān. The book is introduced with the subtitle, “Former Muslims Analyze Islām’s Holiest Book,” and comes across as a text-critical introduction with easy-to-understand explanations of the critical arguments. This first volume covers the first nine chapters (referred to as suras) with an introduction, analysis, variant readings, and verses that have been officially removed from the text, with explanations as to why they were removed. Volume Two will cover the remainder of the suras. In addition, there are nine articles which will provide the reader with a crash course on the world behind the Quran, addressing such topics as “Compilation of The Qur’ān,” “Women in the Qur’ān,” and “The Qur’ān and People Of Other Faiths.” The last section of this book contains a comprehensive collection of resources and references for further study.

All in all, this book on The Qur’ān will satisfy the most able scholar, as well as the most devout layman. This reviewer is looking forward to completing the collection when Volume Two comes to press.

Words Spoken True

Title: WORDS SPOKEN TRUE
Author: Ann H. Gabhart
Publisher: Revell
February 2012
ISBN: 978-0-8007-0245-2
Genre: Inspirational/historical romance

One woman stands ready to defend her newspaper—even if it means losing out on love.

Adriane Darcy’s father owns the Tribune, the leading newspaper in Louisville in 1855. Adriane was practically raised in her father’s office, and she can’t imagine life without the clatter of the press and the push to be first to get the important news. Adriane’s father has just promised her hand to a wealthy young man, and their engagement is going to be announced. Adriane cares for Stanley, but she doesn’t want to marry him…

Blake Garrett is newly relocated to Louisville from New York, and he owns a competing newspaper, and he’s determined to win the battle of the papers. Unfortunately for Adriane, he’s coming out ahead. He’s always first to get the news, sometimes seeming to know in advance when something newsworthy is going to happen. When Blake and Adriane meet, sparks fly. After all, they are each other’s enemy. But the mutual attraction is hard to ignore. But Blake will stop at nothing to get the news—and the girl.

Someone is killing Irish girls down by the river and both Adriane and Blake need to get the stories first. Not only for the sensational news stories, but in hopes of solving the mystery. Who is killing these girls? And why? Will the killer confine the killing to the Irish inhabiting that area? Or will some of the elite—possibly even Adriane, be a target?

WORDS SPOKEN TRUE is loosely based on real events that happened in Louisville in 1855. The characters are fiction, but the setting and backdrop is not. I had to admire Adriane’s courage, wits and wisdom, and her unconventional approach to getting the job done. Blake also was admirable. I couldn’t help but fall in love with him. I wanted Adriane to dump the wimpy pushover Stanley for a real man.

I like that the mandatory death in this historical wasn’t someone directly related to the heroine. And I liked that both main characters were strong-willed, with sparks. A major plus! And I liked the suspense that is worked into the plot. I didn’t even guess who the killer was until the end. Great book! $14.99. 356 pages.

A New Line of Mysteries for your eReader

A NEW LINE OF MYSTERIES FOR YOUR E-READER

Susan Sleeman here. Do you have an e-reader or maybe an iPad? Then I'd like to tell you about a line of cozy mysteries that has recently released with most books retailing for only .99 for a limited time.

Spyglass Lane Mysteries are published by a group of cozy mystery authors who have joined together to bring you a new cozy mystery every week. Currently, there are over 25 wonderful mysteries in this line.

Stop by the website to view all of the available books and while you're there, be sure to sign up for our email newsletter where we announce each new book that releases and our authors share behind the scenes stories about the books.

I'd also like to share a little bit about my Garden Gate Mystery Series that is releasing as part of this line. The first book, Nipped in the Bud has already released and book two, Read Between the Tines will release in February 23rd. Here's a little bit about both books.

NIPPED IN THE BUD

WHEN YOU FIND YOUR BOSS PUSHING UP DAISIES. . .

Life in full bloom, landscape designer, Paige Turner, scores her first landscaping contract to spruce up the park, her radio talk show shoots to number one, and her retail shop is simply blossoming. Yes, her life is a bed of roses. Until she finds the city manager served up on the blade of her favorite shovel mere hours after she’s threatened to have his head on a platter, then the thorns come out. And there is none thornier than the local police chief declaring Paige the one and only suspect and threatening to plow her under.

YOU’VE GOT TO FORMULATE A PLANT OF ATTACK . . .

Paige teams up with dashing attorney, Adam Hayes to weed through the list of suspects, and clear her soiled reputation. And along the way, discovers that Adam just may be the man of her dreams.

» Read an Excerpt          »Order It Now

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READ BETWEEN THE TINES

IF YOUR LIFE IS A BED OF ROSES. . .

Recovered from her near death at the hand of a killer, landscape designer Paige Turner is certain her life will soon be a bed of roses. That is, until her employee, Daisy Rose Plante, finds a dead body, and the thorny police chief looks no further than Daisy for a suspect. Paige digs in and weeds through the list of potential killers, and before long, her sweet smelling rose of a life is soundly trampled.

YOU’LL HAVE TO SURVIVE THE THORNS. . .

Paige would be much happier working over-thyme on her budding relationship with handsome attorney, Adam Hayes, but it soon becomes clear she’ll be in a hoe lot of trouble with him if she continues digging for the killer. Does Paige risk all and try to unearth the killer? Or does she settle down in peaceful bliss with the man of her dreams?

» Read an Excerpt

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SUSAN SLEEMAN is a best-selling author of inspirational romantic suspense and mystery novels. She grew up in a small Wisconsin town where she spent her summers reading Nancy Drew and developing a love of mystery and suspense books. Today, she channels this enthusiasm into writing romantic suspense and mystery novels and hosting the popular internet website TheSuspenseZone.com.

Susan currently lives in Florida, but has had the pleasure of living in nine states. Her husband is a church music director and they have two beautiful daughters, a very special son-in-law and an adorable grandson.

To learn more about Susan visit: Website, her Facebook page, or on Twitter

When the Smoke Clears

Title: WHEN THE SMOKE CLEARS
Author: Lynette Eason
Publisher: Revell
February 2012
ISBN: 978-0-8007-2007-0
Genre: Inspirational/romantic suspense

Alexia Allen is suspended from her firefighting job due to equipment failure while trying to rescue some young children from a house fire. She makes a last-minute decision to head across the country to her mom’s house and attend a high school reunion. But trouble seems to follow her. Someone is in her mother’s house when she arrives and she discovers a dead body in the basement. Who killed her mother’s boarder, and why?

Hunter Graham is the responding officer. He harbored a crush on Alexia from way back in high school, but his partner has Alexia on the top of her suspect list. Hunter doesn’t believe the Alexia he knew is guilty of the crime—but then again, she did have unproved evidence against her for setting fire to her parents’ house in an attempt to kill her dad. Did that really happen? Or was that another instant of being in the wrong place at the wrong time?

Everything seems to be going wrong. Someone is definitely trying to kill Alexia, but why? Hunter is pulling favors he doesn’t owe to try to keep her safe. But the killer is determined and will stop at nothing to succeed. Why are they targeting Alexia? Does she know something from her past that the killer wants?

WHEN THE SMOKE CLEARS is the first book in the newest series by Lynette Eason. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book, it held my attention to the very end, even though I figured out part of the mystery very quickly. There are some loose strings in this book, which will tie it into the next book, and probably the third book in the series.

I fell in love with Hunter, Alexia and some of the secondary characters in this book. I can’t wait to read more in the Deadly Reunion series by Lynette Eason. This book is a winner. Highly recommended. $14.99. 340 pages. 5 stars.

Glad Tidings: The First Twenty-five Years of Flanders Family Christmas Letters

Title: GLAD TIDINGS: The First Twenty-Five Years of Flanders Family Christmas Letters
Author: Jennifer Flanders
Publisher: Prescott Publishing Organization
December 2011
ISBN: 978-0-9826269-8-6
Genre: Christmas letters/memoirs

One man. One woman. Twelve children. Twenty-five years.

GLAD TIDINGS is the collection of Christmas letters from the first twenty-five years of Doug and Jennifer Flanders’ marriage. Okay – the first year of their marriage (in August of 1987) they didn’t send out any Christmas letters—they were too busy with other things (any newlywed can relate). But every year there-after is a fun, detailed, newsy letter filled with the Flanders’ life.

I don’t know the Flanders family personally, but I enjoyed reading the information about their life, about the birth of each of their children, Doug going through medical school, Jennifer dropping out of her masters program, and of the remodels, moves, and information about the family as it grew.

I read Jennifer’s other book Love Your Husband, Love Yourself and found it interesting, but this book was even more so. I felt like I got to know the Flanders family pretty well through these letters.

Jennifer shares in the book that she gets letters from complete strangers every year asking to be put on their Christmas letter mailing list, so at Doug’s urging she put the first twenty-five years of letters into book form. If you are a Flanders, related to the Flanders, or are one of those who want (or wanted) to be put on their mailing list, you’ll love this book. If you are someone like me who don’t have a clue who they are, you’ll still enjoy this book. It’s a great read, and recommended. $11.95. 170 pages.

February is Library Lovers Month

February is Library Lovers Month

At Home in the Library
By Gerry Wakeland

If you asked me to describe my dream home, without pause I'd respond, "My dream home would be an old vacant library where I would remove all the fixtures except the bathroom and the bookshelves and then I'd move my bed and desk into the center and start filling the shelves with my books." At which point you would stare at me quizzically.

My love affair with books and the library began as a child and continues to this very day. I remember as an elementary student begging my mother to take me to the library. She'd pull up to the curb in front and let me out, reminding me she would be back in an hour. Every time, I'd race up three sets of steps, fling open the double doors, run inside and stop. I would stand perfectly still and inhale the fragrance of the books. True love.

The library was my refuge. It provided a safe and silent haven from the noise and chaos of my home. But more than that, it opened doors for me, doors to the past, doors to the future, doors of adventure, and doors of romance, most importantly doors of wisdom.

I learned so much at the library. I learned that as a woman I could be brave and bold like Amelia Earhart or save lives like Florence Nightingale or Clara Barton. I could write poetry like Elizabeth Barrett Browning or books like Jane Austen. The library gave me hope!

Over the years I have continued to be a library patron. Sometimes I take my laptop and head to the library to work on a project. With the world at my fingertips, both digitally and in hard copy, I can research any topic to my heart’s content. Hardly a Saturday goes by that you cannot find me at some point in the day at the local library, perusing the new arrivals for the week.

Or sometimes I just sit quietly in one of the easy chairs wishing that the books could talk and wondering what they would say if they could tell the stories behind the stories.

I may never have the unusual, almost bizarre, home of my dreams. But the library is still my refuge, affording me a place that’s safe and silent, where dreams are born and hope exists.

Gerry Wakeland is the President and CEO of CLASSEMINARS, Inc. She loves helping Christian communicators identify their passion, clarify their vision and define their mission so that they can articulate God’s message effectively. Gerry is the mother of two grown daughters and grandmother to three precious grandsons. She makes her home in the land of enchantment, Albuquerque, New Mexico. Her favorite pastime is reading and one of her favorite places is the public library. In March, the CLASS website will release news of the 2012 Christian Writers Conference: www.classeminars.org. Come meet Gerry and the rest of the CLASS faculty there!