2011 Favorites

It's that time of year again. The time to give a virtual high five to my favorites of 2011. Granted, not all of the following books came out in 2011, but it's the year I had the pleasure of experiencing the talents of these amazing writers, so it's the year I shall share :) To keep things simple, I won't include story summaries, just the why and what that made these reads so irresistible.

Books:

Fiction

Indivisible by Kristen Heitzmann. Anybody who knows me knows I'm a total scardy cat. I jump at YouTube previews and scream when a shadow crosses the front window (later to discover it's just the UPS man) But I digress. Indivisible was just the right blend of chilling, on the edge-of-my-seat romance. Kristen's gift at storytelling sold me at page one. I became an instant fan.

Plain Jayne by Hillary Manton Lodge. I must admit, I'm not a big reader of Amish fiction but Hillary's debut novel was impossible to put down. Her characters were so likable and real and Hillary's voice is hilarious. It's one of the few books I've ever read that made me guffaw and snort all in the same paragraph.

Fresh Start Summer by Beverly Nault. I'm a huge fan of Beverly's style of writing. Casual, funny and always inspirational. She writes the kind of characters you want to be friends with. If you like cozy fiction and a writer with a sense of humor, snatch this one up!

Katia by Bruce Judisch. A dramatic and witty recount straight from Berlin during the time of the wall. Bruce's novel drew me in from the start and didn't let go until I read The End. This is the type of book that challenges. It made me want to be a better person.


Non-Fiction

A Love That Multiplies by Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar. Whether you have one child or a bus load, this peek into the Duggars lives is truly inspiring. Any couple that encourages parents to strive for greatness and Godliness when it comes to raising children are heroes in my book.

We Are Not Alone by Kristen Lamb. Easy to read, stuffed with important how-to's, and the ever helpful what-not-to-do's, this book is a gem of information on social media. And Kristen is a total riot. Not to mention, her way of using her own blunders to help others is pretty darn cool.


Movies:

I guess I should say movie, because I haven't gotten out much this year =)

But I can't think of a movie more worth mentioning than Courageous. My husband and I had a date night for our anniversary and this was the perfect movie. Encouraging, uplifting and even life changing, this is a film that all families should see. Plus, I cried within the first two minutes. This movie had me at hello.

So there's the nutshell. I'm curious. What great reads and films did you discover this year?

Book Review: Mine Is The Night

The story:


Stepping from a battered coach on a rainy April eve, newly widowed Elisabeth Kerr must begin again, without husband or title, property or fortune. She is unafraid of work and gifted with a needle, but how will she stitch together the tattered remnants of her life? And who will mend her heart, torn asunder by betrayal and deception?


Elisabeth has not come to Selkirk alone. Her mother-in-law, Marjory Kerr, is a woman undone, having buried her husband, her sons, and any promise of grandchildren. Dependent upon a distant cousin with meager resources, Marjory dreads the future almost as much as she regrets the past. Yet joy still comes knocking, and hope is often found in unexpected places.


Then a worthy hero steps forward, rekindling a spark of hope. Will he risk his reputation to defend two women labeled as traitors to the Crown? Or will a wealthy beauty, untainted by scandal, capture his affections?


The heartrending journey of the Kerr women comes to a glorious finish in Mine Is the Night, a sparkling gem of redemption and restoration set in eighteenth-century Scotland. 


My thoughts:


There are few authors who spin a tale as delightful as Liz Curtis Higgs does time and time again. After reading Here Burns My Candle, I was eagerly anticipating the sequel to the Kerr family story. And Mine is the Night does not disappoint! Laced with the colorful details of 18th century Scotland, Mrs. Higgs weaves a story richer in colorful details than any tartan plaid. As with every story written by Liz, her painstaking research comes through so effortlessly, that the reader is whisked away to another time and place. With cozy fireplaces, delectable Scottish fare and heartwarming characters, Mine is the Night is the perfect autumn read. 

      ~Joanne

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Winning Him Without Words: Book Review & Giveaway!

A mismatch Blessed by heaven.
If your husband does not share your faith, you may feel like you are walking a tightrope of spiritual survival--guarding the flame of your belief in Christ, yet unable to share it with the person you love the most in the world. But your spiritually mismatched marriage can be a vibrant, blessed relationship where you're free to grow in love with God and your man!



Co Authors Lynn Donovan and Dineen Miller open up their hearts and past experiences to share with the reader mistakes they have made in the past and triumphs they've experienced by turning the possibility of their husband's salvation over to Christ and simply loving their hubby and being the wife he needs by believing their marriage is blessed, staying connected to their man and allowing God to do His work in their husband's lives. Written in a girlfriend to girlfriend style, Winning Him Without Words is the perfect book for any woman in an unequally yoked marriage who is looking for hope that she can have a happy, blessed and thriving marriage with her unbelieving husband without needing to compromise on her relationship with Christ.

Lynn Donovan and I attend the same critique group and she has such a heart for women and a desire to share her story. When the book first came out, we asked her what her husband thought of it all. She surprised us by saying that he completely supports the book and her ministry. Now that is a spiritually mismatched marriage that is strong and thriving! To Learn more about their story, check out the video above.

Also, I have a copy of this book to give away! And I am so excited to share about the awesome book. Just leave a comment below and you will be entered into the drawing. The winner will be chosen on May 12, so please check back! Also, you can find more information about Winning Him Without Words and Lynn and Dineen's ministry at their website:
http://www.winninghimwithoutwords.com/

Book Review: Lessons From The Mountain by Mary McDonough

"Mary is a whole lot more than
Erin on The Waltons.
This book shows how she's handled
all the highs and lows with grace."
George Clooney

 Lessons From the Mountain recounts the childhood of Mary McDonough and her experiences of growing up on the Mountain as one of the beloved children in The Waltons.

Her accounts stirred my heart, bringing to life the young acress' experiences, both delightful and heartbreaking. Through dispelling myths, sharing insecurities and recounting all the good times and gags (mostly by John Boy--my favorite was the foaming mouth scene in the middle of church) from the Walton's set, McDonough's memoirs are touching in true-to-life fashion. She offers the reader a real treat, an inside look into these fond memories, leaving us understanding a little more about the characters and crew that made up The Waltons. 

As her endearing innocence faded into insecurities and struggles with self-worth, Mary searched to find herself. Her days were filled with sets and wardrobes, stylists and media scrutiny, bullies and blunders. Lost in an imaginary world where time stood still, she was always seen as the cute kid with freckles through the world's television screen and though the show must always go on, she secretly struggled behind her character's persona. This book shines a bright light on the realities that Mary faced as a child actor and surprisingly, her experiences were often times heartbreaking.

As those around her helped her carve out a new and victorious path, she began to find herself among the not-so glitz and glam of the Hollywood she knew. Yet even as an adult, Mary's struggle with fitting in haunted her and a decision to improve her appearance nearly cost the actress her life. Lessons From The Mountain shares her intense climb out of her sorrows and fears and into a world where she realized her voice was powerful--not just as an actress--but as a women's rights advocate, mother and friend. What's so special about this book is the way Mary recounts all her memories and experiences, whether good or bad, with the utmost class--a true testament to her character, making Lessons From The Mountain an excellent read.


Lessons From the Mountain on Amazon

Book Review: "Katia" by Bruce Judisch

A spirited American exchange student. A sixty-year-old invalid. An enigmatic Berlin gentleman. A riveting Cold War secret. "Seek the truth, embrace the pain, cherish the freedom." Peek over the Berlin Wall as Katia's story comes to life through the scribbled notes of a girl struggling to grasp the significance of what she has written for her own life as well as for future generations.

As I read through Katia, I kept thinking to myself, "There is no way my review will do this book justice." And it's true. So I begin with an apology and a plea to just go out and buy the book, regardless of my ramblings.

This book is pure class. I loved every minute of it. Based upon the life of Katia Mahler, a sixty-year old German invalid and her memories and experiences living in Berlin during the Cold War, Bruce Judisch weaves a remarkable tale--heart wrenching in it's history and revelations, yet simple in its execution. Never did I expect this type of story to be such a light read, so finessed. Katia is arranged in such a way that it never felt weighty. Many threads woven together to read with such simplicity is a quality only a true craftsman can pull off.

I can't recall another book that made me chuckle on one page, cry on the next, and burst out laughing moments later. Mr. Judisch has a rare gift for tugging at the heartstrings and smile muscles simultaneously (often to my own annoyance--I rather resent someone who dares take advantage of my irrational feminine emotions. :D) That said, Katia is remarkably romantic. The story felt so real, I often reminded myself that it was a piece of fiction, though I must admit, the romantic in me refuses to listen.

Above all else, Katia left me feeling humbled (in the best sense). The lessons of faith woven through this story are carried out with grace as both the writer and his characters know just how to pull the reader along with the utmost sensibility and care to kindly pull back the cobwebs of the heart in thought provoking and, I suspect, life changing ways. This book has touched my heart and I hope it will touch yours.

For more on Katia and Bruce Judisch, including photographs of his time spent in Berlin during the wall's fall, check out his website!

Katia on amazon.com
Bruce's Website

Book Review: Here Burns My Candle

I am one of those people who eagerly awaited (rather impatiently) Liz Curtis Higgs' most recent Historical novel: Here Burns My Candle. Set in Edinburgh Scotland, 1745, the romantic tale follows the Bible story of Ruth and Naomi.

I would highly recommend this book as it is an important reminder about the value of relationships in our lives, taking the reader beyond the love between a husband and a wife and into the bonds between family. It is a beautiful tale filled with the rich detail of Scotland and bustling Edinburgh.

Following in the path of Liz's previous Scottish Fiction, Here Burns My Candle is well worth the read!

Liz Curtis Higgs

Book Review: The Heart Mender

When I first began reading Andy Andrew's The Heart Mender, I was honestly worried that I wouldn't like it. The story got off to a bit of a puzzling start, but as the pieces of the mystery fell into place, I found myself digging deeper into the book, curious to find out more about what seems to be a very true love story between a WWII "Nazi" and the American waitress who finds his battered body on the shoreline.

Helen has just lost her husband to the war and finds herself in a lonely pit of anger and despair. When taking a late night walk, she stumbles upon a German soldier's body lying on the shore, and her first instincts are to leave him to die. Yet when this man whom she assumes is a heartless Nazi, quickly demonstrates his kind spirit, Helen undergoes an enormous risk by lugging the wounded soldier back to her sea-side cottage and nurses whom she thought was her enemy, back to health.

With enough romance and action to satisfy an array of readers, The Heart Mender is a story of love and second chances. The account of one woman's need to forgive and a displaced soldier who has no where else to turn, The Heart Mender is a reminder that a person's true colors do not decorate any uniform, but exist within the heart.

Leave your comment to be entered in the drawing for a free copy of The Heart Mender. The winner will be drawn on May 30, 2010


Thomas Nelson has provided me with a complimentary copy of this book, and the opinions expressed are my own.