Guest Blogger: Melody Carlson

Today I am doing something a little different. Novelist Melody Carlson has a unique voice in the world of Christian fiction. She writes books for both adults and teens, but this blog has to do with the draw of the supernatural for teens.

Teens and Their Supernatural Pursuits

by Melody Carlson

Have you even wondered why some teens are drawn toward things like Ouija boards or psychics? Or why séances are still popular at sleepovers? Does it just have to do with Halloween and that spine-chilling need for a good scare? Or could it be something more? And, as a Christian, should you be concerned?

Those questions, as well as some confused reader letters, prompted me to tackle the “supernatural” in one of my teen novels (Moon White, TrueColors, Nav Press). And whenever I write an issues-based novel, I’m forced to research—and often in some dark places. So I began scouring websites, learning more about Wicca and the occult, trying to grasp what was really going on with today’s teens—and how I could write about it in a helpful and relevant way.

But, as usual, when I write a teen book, I go back to my own adolescence...trying to connect with my inner teen...and I suddenly remembered a short era when a friend and I got very interested in witchcraft. I had honestly forgotten about this time and was fascinated to recall how we scoured some witchcraft stores on a local campus—I think we even purchased a few things. Fortunately, this interest was short-lived and I became a Christian not long afterward.

However, as I reconnected with my inner teen, I had to ask myself—why had I looked into witchcraft back then? Why do teens dabble with it now? Suddenly the answer became crystal clear. I was searching. I’d been calling myself an atheist for several years by then, but I was spiritually hungry—starving in fact.

Consequently I was looking for spiritual answers—something that would fill that empty void within me. I wanted a supernatural force in my life and I didn’t even care where it came from. I needed something bigger than me, more powerful than me, something to hold onto. I had no idea at the time that I was really searching for God.

This realization changed the way I viewed my research. Instead of feeling disgusted and dismayed by the witchcraft/Wicca sites (which are not particularly enjoyable) I began to recognize that these people (mostly girls) were simply searching too. They wanted a power source in their lives just like I wanted one in mine. They just hadn’t found God yet.

This led to another discovery. A girl who’s attracted to a religion like Wicca is usually seeking to gain some control over her life. Something is wrong and she wants to change it. To do so, she’s often enticed to purchase something—like “magical herbs”—to create a potion that will give her some control over her situation. Unfortunately, she doesn’t even realize she’s being tricked.

But think about it, wouldn’t you love to have control over a bad situation sometimes? Wouldn’t you love to be able to change the circumstances that make your life unpleasant? So what if someone offered you the “power” to do just that? Perhaps if you’re fifteen, you wouldn’t see that person as a charlatan and you would fall for it.

Which brings me to another important factor in understanding this generation’s attraction to the supernatural. Follow the money. The more I researched, the more it became painfully obvious that Wicca and witchcraft and the occult are money-making enterprises. Thanks to the internet, these savvy distributors sell anything imaginable—and many things you can’t. That leads to some serious motivation—these marketers want to hook their unsuspecting young customers and reel them in. Of course, these potions and trinkets and how-to books don’t come with a money back guaranty. Nor are they approved by the FDA. Yet they are a multi-million dollar industry.

So, in a way, it’s a perfect storm. Teens that are insecure, lost, unhappy, and searching...meet up with an unregulated industry that offers supernatural answers and power and control...for a price. And, oh yeah, I never even mentioned how this opens a door for Satan to slip in and wreak havoc. For that...you’ll have to read the book.

Read more about this serious issue in Melody's book, Moon White. To read a portion of it, go to the link here. And check out my review of this book in the next couple days!

About Melody Carlson:

Melody Carlson published her first book in 1995 and she has been writing prolifically ever since. To date, Melody has published over 200 books, making her one of the top 20 most prolific authors of all time. With total sales of over 1.4 million her award-winning books include: Homeward, Love Finds You in Sisters, Oregon; Limelight; the Diary of a Teenage Girl series; the True Colors series; and the Charter House Girls series.

In her professional life, Melody has worn many hats: from pre-school teacher to political activist to senior editor. Currently, she writes full-time, and freelances from her home. She has two grown sons and lives in Sisters, Oregon with her husband, Chris, and Bailey, her chocolate lab. They enjoy skiing, hiking, and biking in the beautiful Cascade Mountains. 

God Makes Lemonade

God Makes Lemonade

by Don Jacobson

From the back cover

In God Makes Lemonade you'll read stories from everyday folks - people like you and me who discover unexpected sweetness in the midst of sour circumstances. Some of these real life stories are laugh-out-loud funny, others are sobering, and more than a few will have you reaching for a tissue. But these true stories all have one thing in common: hope. 

There's no question that life gives us "lemons," like issues with health, employment, and relationships - truly sour circumstances we wouldn't wish on anyone. But when those lemons become lemonade, it's as refreshing as an ice-cold drink on a hot summer day.

God Makes Lemonade is a wonderful collection of stories from ordinary people who, with God's help, rise above unfortunate circumstances in their lives. This is the type of book I would want to pick up when I'm going through a discouraging time, or am having a hard time seeing the good in my life. 

One other thing that I really liked about this book was its unique cover, printing style, and fonts. It really is a beautiful book!

I would recommend this book to anyone who needs a spiritual lift. Five stars!

About the author:

Don Jacobsen's twenty-five years in publishing included serving as the president and owner of Multnomah Publishers, where he oversaw the production of more than 1000 titles and the sale of more than 100 million books. Now Don and his wife, Brenda - who has been mentoring mothers for more than a decade - are excited to encourage readers everywhere with God Makes Lemonade and support single moms through the LemonAid Foundation. 

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Glass Road Public Relations. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

I Am in Here

I Am in Here

by Elizabeth M. Bonker & Virginia G. Breen

In I Am in Here, Virginia Breen writes the story of her daughter, Elizabeth, who has severe autism that has left her literally speechless. She does, however, write using a "writing board," which allows Elizabeth to type out, letter by letter, her feelings through poetry. 

It was inspiring to read this book about a mother who never gives up on her daughter. I like how she describes the difference between people who see their struggles as problems, and people who see them as opportunities: 

I have come to see the world as divided into "Why People" and "How People." Why People cannot be at peace until they answer the question of why suffering has befallen them. They look backward and ask, "Why me?" How People, on the other hand, ask, "How can I move forward?" Having been dealt their hand in life, their focus shifts to how they can find whatever healing and wholeness is possible. -Virginia Breen, 18-19

She sees her daughter Elizabeth as being a "How Person," someone who keeps going even when things get tough. 

This book shed a lot of light on the inner world of autism for me. While I did know that people with autism could have very high IQ's, I did not know that such complex and beautiful thoughts  could be expressed through poetry the way that Elizabeth writes. 

I would recommend this book to anyone who is interested in learning more about autism, or anyone who works with autistic children.

This book is now available at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.

About the authors:

Elizabeth M. Bonker is a thirteen-year-old young lady with autism who cannot yet speak but who writes deeply revealing poetry, which was featured on PBS's Religion & Ethics Newsweekly. She excels in school with an educational aide.

Virginia G. Breen is the mother of three beautiful children, two of whom are profoundly affected by autism. Besides working to heal her children, Virginia is a venture capitalist investing in high-tech companies, and she sits on both corporate and nonprofit boards. She studied computer science at Harvard, business at Columbia, and philosophy in Singapore. 

Elizabeth and Virginia live in northern New Jersey.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Revell Books. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

A Necessary Deception

A Necessary Deception 

by Laurie Alice Eakes

Lady Lydia Gale lost her husband, Charles, 7 years ago in the French Revolutionary War. She lives with her controlling father, her sickly mother, and her sister Cassandra, who is near-sighted, bookish, and engaged to Jeffrey Whittaker, and her sister Honore, whose only interest is catching a man during her "coming out" season. 

Christophe Christien de Meuse is the man she helped release from prison. Christien had helped her husband during the war, and Lydia felt she owed it to him to help him. Shortly after helping Christien, Lydia is visited by a stranger who claims that Christien is a French spy. The stranger blackmails her, threatening Lydia's family if she doesn't comply.

I struggled with this book a bit. Though I was really interested in the story and loved Christien's character, I disliked Lydia's character throughout most of the book. Her obsession with keeping her sisters in line and "toeing the line" got old after awhile, and I wanted to yell at her to wake up to discover all the good she had in her life. 

Though I didn't enjoy Lydia's character, I am looking forward to reading Cassandra's and Honore's stories in the rest of the books in The Daughters of Bainbridge House series.

This book is now available at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Company.  

About the author:

Award-winning Laurie Alice Eakes wanted to be a writer since knowing what one was. Her first book won the National Readers Choice Award in 2007, and her third book was a Carol Award finalist in 2010. Between December 2008 and January 2010, she sold thirteen books to Barbour Publishing, Avalon Books, and Revell, making her total sales fifteen. Recently, she added two novella sales to that collection. Her first book with Revell, Lady in the Mist, was picked up by Crossings Book Club, and three of her books were chosen for large-print editions by Thorndike Press. She has been a public speaker for as long as she can remember; thus, she suffers just enough stage fright to make her sharp. In 2002, while in graduate school for writing fiction, Laurie Alice began to teach fiction in person and online. She lives in Texas with her husband, two dogs, and probably too many cats.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Revell Books. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Book Reviews of the Week: Oct 9-15, 2011

Check out these reviews! All of them look great!



Tammy at Bluerose's Heart blogs about Carla Anne Coroy's Married Mom, Solo Parent: Finding God's Strength to Face the Challenge here.










Deborah at Books, Movies & Chinese Food writes about Donna Johnson's Holy Ghost Girl here.

Becky at Christian Chick's Thoughts reviews Tricia Goyer's Along Wooded Paths here.











Katie at Legacy of a Writer shares her thoughts on Kathi Macias' Deliver Me From Evil here.







Chantel at Life, Laughter & Little Things writes about Lawrence O. Richards' It Couldn't Have Just Happened here.








Christy at Southern Sassy Things blogs about Kathy Herman's False Pretenses here.












Wall to Wall Books reviews Susan May Warren's Baby, It's Cold Outside here.

Turnabout's Fair Play

Turnabout's Fair Play

by Kaye Dacus

The third installment of Dacus' Matchmakers series, Turnabout's Fair Play focuses on Flannery McNeill, continuing the story that started with Zarah Mitchell in Love Remains and Caylor Evans in The Art of Romance. 

Flannery McNeill is an editor at Lindsley House Publishing Company. She has just seen her two best friends get engaged, but she has no prospects. 

Flannery can't stand Jamie O'Connor. He appears to be everything she hates, plus he has a huge ego. When life circumstances cause him to re-evaluate his passions and life's calling, Flannery and Jamie discover they might have more in common than they realized.

As the premise of the series is on matchmaking, hence the series' title Matchmakers, all of the characters' grandparents are trying to marry off their grandchildren. I love what Kaye does with the cute busy-body grandmothers. In this book, both Flannery's grandfather and Jamie's grandmother end up finding love too.

I really loved this book. Kaye does an outstanding job of creating these characters. The chemistry between her characters is amazing. I found myself wanting to yell at some of the characters at times - in a good way, of course. And as someone who loves a good banter, I have to give Kaye a pat on the back for the witty dialogue in this book. 

Perhaps the best part of Kaye's books for me is the fact that her characters are in their 30s, a little older than most of the heroines in romances out there now. She also develops her characters in a way that seems more genuine. I have my friend Becky to thank for introducing me to this author. She and I have the same reasons for loving Kaye's books!

I highly recommend this book. It will be available at your favorite bookseller at the end of October. Click here to pre-order or read a portion of the book!

About the author:

Humor, Hope, and Happily Ever Afters! Kaye Dacus is the author of humorous, hope-filled contemporary and historical romances with Barbour Publishing and Harvest House Publishers. She holds a Master of Arts in Writing Popular Fiction from Seton Hill University, is a former Vice President of American Christian Fiction Writers, and currently serves as President of Middle Tennessee Christian Writers. Kaye lives in Nashville, Tennessee, and even though she writes romance novels, she is not afraid to admit that she’s never been kissed.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Barbour Books through NetGalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising." 

Longing

Longing

by Karen Kingsbury

In Karen Kingsbury's third book in the Bailey Flanigan series, Bailey is still dancing in the musical, Hairspray, on Broadway, and dating Brandon Paul, the hottest actor in Hollywood. When she goes home to Bloomington, Indiana for Thanksgiving and discovers that her first love, Cody Coleman, is in town to coach a game with his high school football team, she goes to the game reluctantly. She hasn't talked to Cody since seeing him at his new girlfriend Cheyenne's side in the hospital. When she goes to the game without Brandon, sparks definitely fly between Bailey and Cody. What will happen to her relationship with Brandon? And will Bailey and Cody be able to rekindle their old flame?

I was very excited to have the chance to get an advanced review copy of this book. Karen Kingsbury is my favorite author, and I have quickly grown to love Bailey Flanigan. 

Karen did an amazing job of writing this story. I found myself staying up later than I normally do, just so I could find out what would happen next. She has a way of pouring such life into each character, that you fall in love with each one of them. I felt torn between Bailey's men - Cody Coleman, her first love, or Brandon Paul, her new love. 

If you like Karen Kingsbury's writing, you will love this one. I recommend reading the first two books in the series (Leaving and Learning) first though, so you have more background. Ultimately, to get the most background, you would need to read her Baxter series, Firstborn series, and Above the Line series. But it isn't absolutely necessary to read those series in order to enjoy this book.

I give this book 5 stars. I can't wait for the last book, Loving, to be released in March 2012!

This book will be available at your favorite bookseller from Zondervan Books, starting November 22, 2011. You can pre-order it here or at your local bookstore.

About the author:

After graduating from college in 1986 with a degree in journalism, Karen became a full-time reporter for the Los Angeles Times. Her first book, Missy’s Murder, was based on a murder story she covered in Los Angeles as a reporter. She sold a version of the story to People magazine in 1989. A New York agent read her People story and asked her for a book proposal. The book hit stores in 1992. She then wrote three more true crime novels. Next she wrote four collections of answered prayers and miracle stories before transitioning to inspirational fiction in 1998.

Her first novel, Where Yesterday Lives, was a real challenge for Karen to get published. Although publishing companies said they liked the story, they were not sure what to do with it since it didn’t contain foul language and had no sex scenes. Finally, the Christian publishing house Multnomah, published her novel and gave her a multi-book contract. Her books made a real connection with contemporary romance fans. Since her first novel, Karen has written more than 40 faith based novels, many of which have hit #1 on national lists. There are more than 15 million copies of her award-winning books in print.

Karen lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband, Don. They were married in June, 1988 and have six children, three of whom were adopted from Haiti. You can read her Adoption story. 

Dubbed by Time magazine as the “queen” of Christian fiction, Karen receives tens of thousands of letters from readers who say that Karen’s fiction has dramatically changed their lives. These letters and e-testimonials of improved marriages, spiritual awakenings and new found hope have enabled her to formally trademark her work Life-Changing Fiction™.

They celebrate their faith daily by laughing, loving and living life to the fullest. You can contact Karen atmoc.yrubsgniKneraK@neraK.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Zondervan Books through NetGalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising." 

Book Reviews of the Week: Oct 2-8, 2011

Check out these book reviews!

Becky at Christian Chick's Thoughts posted a review on Stephanie Grace Whitson's A Most Unsuitable Match. Read it here.

Renee at Doorkeeper writes about Katie's Davis' Kisses from Katie here.

Christy at Southern Sassy Things blogged about Tracie Peterson's House of Secrets here.

Lydia at The Overweight Bookshelf reviews Debbie Viguie's Kiss of Night here.

Tammy at Bluerose's Heart writes about Amy Parker's Night Night Blessings here. 

These all look like interesting books!

Until next week,

Holly

My Life in Books

Books that Remind Me of Childhood

The Poky Little Puppy. Though I don't have my original copy of this book, I do have a copy. I still love this book about the precocious puppy who can't seem to stay in his own yard.

Aloysius Sebastian Mozart Mouse. My mom's friend gave this book to me when I was about 7 years old. Aloysius was a mouse who had dreams of playing the pipe organ. Try as he might though, he couldn't seem to depress the pedals and keys at the same time. Some friends of his come up with a way for him to play, though. I think this book instilled in me a love of music. I still have this book, and am looking forward to sharing it with my own children someday.

Dick & Jane. My mom taught me to read with these books. I still remember sitting with her and discovering the thrill of reading, when I thought the word "jump" was such a hard word! :)

Ramona Books. Miss Newton, my 1st grade teacher, introduced me to these great books. I still remember sitting on the classroom floor, absolutely enthralled while listening to Ramona's adventures.

Amelia Bedelia Books. These books always cracked me up. While I did find myself a bit frustrated with her inability to understand the simplest directions, I always found myself laughing.

Books that Defined My Teens

The Babysitters Club. I probably read every single one of these books - at least the ones that were written in the late 80s/early 90s. I also remember choosing to read one of these books at recess, rather than play with my classmates. :)

Nancy Drew Series (the ones that came out in the 90s). For awhile I didn't know there were any other Nancy Drew series besides these. I can't attest to how well written these are, because it's been years since I've read them, but I know I always thoroughly enjoyed reading them.

Sweet Valley High Series. I always enjoyed reading about the adventures of twins Jessica and Elizabeth Wakefield. Made me kind of want a twin, but not really. I remember relating more to Elizabeth's bookish personality at the time. :)

Anne of Green Gables series. I read these books after watching Anne of Green Gables and Anne of Avonlea 57 times. I remember thinking how different the movie is from the books, but that I liked both for what they were.  I recently obtained most of this series for free for my Kindle. I think the last couple books are still waiting to be placed on public domain.

Books that Defined My College Years

A History of the English Language. Ahh, HEL ( yes, this is what English majors called the class that used this book). It was appropriately titled, yet I do remember learning some interesting facts about the English language while going through this book. Combine this book with the nice little Old English passage book that required translating once a week, and you have HEL. :)

Perelandra. I remember reading C.S. Lewis' science fiction trilogy for a paper I was writing. Though I am not a huge science fiction fan, I did enjoy these books in some part, mostly for the allegories.

Figure Skating: A Celebration. There was a period of my college years where I was sort of obsessed with figure skating. I fell in love with the beauty and grace of the sport after watching the 2002 Winter Olympics. Tim Goebel may have had a small part in my liking figure skating at the time. But anyways, I still have my copy of this book. Becky, do you like the old picture of Elvis Stojko on the cover? :)

The Last Book I Read

Longing - I am currently reading this latest Karen Kingsbury book, the 3rd in the Bailey Flanigan series...stay tuned for my review!

A Favorite Book Few Others Seem to Know About

• Fragile Dreams & Old Photographs (Elizabeth Gibson). I first read this in high school or early college, I believe. This book recounts the journey of a girl who comes of age in the 1960s and struggles through the 1970s. It is a great story, one that long sticks in your mind after you close the book. Go here to check it out.

What about you? Leave your answers in the comments, or better yet, write about it on your own blog and post the link in the comments. 

A Heart for Freedom

A Heart for Freedom

by Chai Ling

In the spring of 1989, a series of protests in Beijing, China's Tiananmen Square broke out. The response of the Chinese government horrified the world, who watched the events on television. Chai Ling was part of the demonstrations, but she was trying to do so peacefully and help bring calm to the other demonstrators. A Heart for Freedom tells Ling's story from childhood to college, to the Tiananmen Square protests, to her heart for rescuing the children that China has abandoned.

Ling recounts her 3 forced abortions under China's one child policy. I read with horror that women in China must get a birthing license in order to give birth. Women who aren't married, or already have a child, definitely cannot obtain a birthing license - therefore, the government forces them to abort their babies.

The book got a little "detail heavy" around the Tiananmen Square scenes, but I know it was necessary for Ling to recount not only what happened, but to honor those who died while protesting for something they believed in, and, I think, to get some closure for herself. The part of the book that fascinated me was her escape from China and her days as a fugitive.

I admire Ling for her courage in taking a stand for what she believes in. She recently accepted Christ as her Savior, and sees her mission to save China and the girls of China, in the light of God's truth. Today, Ling has an organization called All Girls Allowed, whose mission is "to restore life, value, and dignity to girls and mothers, and to reveal the injustice of China's One-Child Policy."

No doubt, this book is not easy to read, due to all of the horrors experienced at the hands of the Chinese government. But I think it is one that everyone should read, or at least know about.

Read more: http://www.allgirlsallowed.org/about/our-mission#ixzz1ZuDHJHWZ

About the author:

In addition to founding All Girls Allowed, Chai Ling serves as the Founding President and Chief Operating Officer of Jenzabar, Inc., a leading higher education software and services provider. Prior to Jenzabar, Chai Ling worked as a consultant at Bain & Company, a leading global business and strategy consulting firm. She holds a M.B.A. from Harvard Business School, a M.L.A. in Public Affairs at Princeton University, and a B.A. from Beijing University. Chai Ling also established the Jenzabar Foundation and serves as one of its Board Members. The Foundation supports the most inspirational and influential humanitarian efforts of student leaders through grant opportunities. A key student leader herself in the 1989 Tiananmen Square movement, Chai Ling was subsequently named Glamour Woman of the Year and nominated twice for the Nobel Peace Prize.

Read more at: http://www.allgirlsallowed.org/about/our-team#ixzz1XwuI9XJp.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Tyndale House Publishers. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Hello, Hollywood!

Hello, Hollywood!

by Janice Thompson

Athena Pappas is the head writer for the sitcom, Stars Collide. When she finds out the show wants to add a fourth writer, she starts getting anxiety, thinking she may be about to lose her job. When she meets the fourth writer, Vegas comedian Stephen Cosse, she finds herself being torn between liking him and resenting him. When it seems that Stephen has betrayed her and their fellow writers, will he turn out to be the real deal, or a disappointment?

I really liked this book. It was a fast read, and I thoroughly enjoyed reading not just the love story between Athena and Stephen, but the dynamics and antics of Athena's huge Greek family. It had a sort of My Big Fat Greek Wedding vibe. There were so many cute elements to the story, and laugh out loud moments with Athena's family, Stephen's daughter, Brooke, and Zeus, the dog Athena inherited from her great-aunt Athena. I also thought it was interesting to read about what goes on behind the scenes of television writing. The author's background in script writing lends an authenticity to the writing scenes (though I know they're shortened and exaggerated a bit for the story). Of note, this book is the second in this series. The first is Stars Collide, which features Kat and Scott's story. 

I give Hello, Hollywood! 5 stars.

This book is now available at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Company. Click here to read more about Hello, Hollywood, or to read a portion of the book.

About the author:

Janice Thompson is a seasoned romance author and former screenwriter. An expert at pulling the humor from the situations we get ourselves into, Thompson afford an inside look at TV land, drawing on her experiences as a screenwriter. She is the author of the Weddings by Bella series and Stars Collide. She lives in Texas.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Revell Books. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Free Christian Books For Your Kindle on Amazon!

Check out all of the free Christian books for your Kindle on Amazon here!

I usually check Amazon's list of free Kindle books at least every other day, but in the past few days they have added a ton of great Christian books by authors such as Lynn Austin, Tracie Peterson, Catherine Palmer, and Sally John. Hurry over and grab them while they're still free!

Please note: Not all of the books on the list are Christian, or even what I would consider decent. And also, since I haven't read any of the books, I am not endorsing them, but merely offering suggestions of possible good free reads. :)

Book Reviews of the Week!

Check out these book reviews:

My friend Becky at Christian Chick's Thoughts posted a review on Susan May Warren's novel, Heiress, here.

Deborah at Books, Movies, & Chinese Food posted a great review on Kim Cash Tate's Cherished here.

Katie at Legacy of a Writer writes about Maggie Brendan's Deeply Devoted here.

Lydia at The Overweight Bookshelf reviewed Adina Senft's The Wounded Heart here.

Wall-to-Wall Books posted a review on Life Application Study Bible Devotional Daily Wisdom from the Life of Jesus here. She's also giving away a copy, so go on over there and post a comment for a chance to win!

Tammy at Bluerose's Heart reviewed Anne Elisabeth Stengl's Veiled Rose here.

Happy 2 Be Scrappin' writes about Jenny B. Jones' There You'll Find Me here.

Christy at Southern Sassy Things posted a review on Tosca Lee's Havah: The Story of Eve here.

I don't know about you, but I think all of these books sound great!