About the book:
What haunting legacy awaits deep beneath the barrios and wealthy enclaves of Southern California?

A billionaire driven mad by grief.

A pastor in love with the wrong woman.

An illegal immigrant desperate to feed his family.

Only Lupe de la Garza can save them from the ancient evil lurking in a lost mission’s ruins, but it will take an act of faith beyond all human power.

An idyllic Spanish mission collapses in the eighteenth century atop the supernatural evidence of a shocking crime. Twelve generations later the ground is opened up, the forgotten ruins are disturbed, and rich and poor alike confront the onslaught of resurging hell on earth. Caught up in the catastrophe are…
· A humble shopkeeper compelled to leave her tiny village deep in Mexico to preach in America
· A minister wracked with guilt for loving the wrong woman
· An unimaginably wealthy man, blinded to the consequences of his grand plans
· A devoted father and husband driven to a horrible discovery that changes everything

Will the evil that destroyed the Misión de Santa Dolores rise to overwhelm them? Or will they beat back the terrible desires that led to the mission’s good Franciscan founder’s standing in the midst of flames ignited by his enemies and friends alike more than two centuries ago?

From the high Sierra Madre mountains to the harsh Sonoran desert, from the privileged world of millionaire moguls to the impoverished immigrants who serve them, Athol Dickson once again weaves a gripping story of suspense that spans centuries and cultures to explore the abiding possibility of miracles.

About the author:
Athol Dickson is an award-winning author of several novels. His Christy Award-winning novel River Rising was name one of the “Top Ten Christian Novel of 2006″ by Booklist magazine. He lives in California with his wife. Find out more about Athol and his books by visiting his website.

BUY THE BOOK! https://www.amazon.com/dp/1416583475?tag=sprightly-20

Contest!

Blog Tour: http://www.litfusegroup.com/latest/current-blog-tours/94-athol-dicksons-lost-mission

About The Great Christmas Bowl:
Marianne Wallace is focused on two things this holiday season: planning the greatest family Christmas ever and cheering on her youngest son’s team in their bid for the state championship. Disaster strikes when the team loses their mascot-the Trout. Is it going too far to ask her to don the costume? So what if her husband has also volunteered her to organize the church Christmas tea. When football playoffs start ramping up, the Christmas tea starts falling apart. Then, one by one her children tell her they can’t come home for Christmas. As life starts to unravel, will Marianne remember the true meaning of the holidays?

Buy the Book

The Great Christmas Bowl website: http://thegreatchristmasbowl.blogspot.com/ The website features a note from the author, fun updates from Big Lake  Gazette, info on how to host your own Great Christmas Bowl Tea to  benefit a local ministry or charity and a fun Recipe Exchange contest!

CONTEST: Be a part of the Great Christmas Bowl recipe exchange!  Susan loves getting recipes from friends, and sharing the delicious  cookies, soups, breads and other fun fixings that go with celebrating the Christmas season. More than that, she loves the crazy stories about favorite Christmases – serious, touching, funny…whatever. Find the recipe contest here:
http://thegreatchristmasbowl.blogspot.com/2009/07/recipe-exchange.html

Will you share your story and recipe with Susan and the readers of the  Great Christmas Bowl? She will post your story and recipe on the FRONT  PAGE of the Great Christmas Bowl website, and send you a link when it
goes up so you can tell all your friends. Then, at the Great Christmas Bowl party (December 5th, 10am, online! Details TBA) she’ll make the entire cookbook available for download!

For every recipe/story you submit (up to 3), you will be entered in a  drawing to receive one of SMW’s collections (Noble Legacy, Team Hope,  Heirs of Anton, Deep Haven Series, Josey series, or THE ADVANCED COPY of Sons of Thunder – Susie’s brand new epic World War 2 novel, due out in January 2010!)

Go – run, get your recipe, then come back here and click on the link below to share your Christmas memories!

About Susan:
Susan May Warren is the RITA award-winning author of twenty-four novels with Tyndale, Barbour and Steeple Hill. A four-time Christy award finalist, a two-time RITA Finalist, she’s also a multi-winner of the Inspirational Readers Choice award, and the ACFW Book of the Year. Her larger than life characters and layered plots have won her acclaim with readers and reviewers alike. A seasoned women’s events and retreats speaker, she’s a popular writing teacher at conferences around the nation and the author of the beginning writer’s workbook: From the Inside-Out: discover, create and publish the novel in you!. She is also the founder of www.MyBookTherapy.com, a story-crafting service that helps authors discover their voice. Susan makes her home in northern Minnesota, where she is busy cheering on her two sons in football, and her daughter in local theater productions (and desperately missing her college-age son!) A full listing of her titles, reviews and awards can be found at: www.susanmaywarren.com

The kids are back in school and it’s time for us moms to do something nice for ourselves. Here are just a few of this fall’s great offerings:

The Confidential Life of Eugenia Cooper by Kathleen Y-Barbo

The future is clearly mapped out for New York socialite Eugenia “Gennie” Cooper, but she secretly longs to slip into the boots of her favorite dime-novel heroine and experience just one adventure before settling down. When the opportunity arises, Gennie jumps at the chance to experience the Wild West, but her plans go awry when she is drawn into the lives of silver baron Daniel Beck and his daughter and finds herself caring for them more than is prudent–especially as she’s supposed to go back to New York and marry another man.

As Gennie adapts to the rough-and-tumble world of 1880s Colorado, she must decide whether her future lies with the enigmatic Daniel Beck or back home with the life planned for her since birth. The question is whether Daniel’s past–and disgruntled miners bent on revenge–will take that choice away from her.

Kathleen Y’Barbo is the best-selling, award-winning author of more than thirty novels, novellas, and young adult books, with more than a half-million in print. A graduate of Texas A&M University, she is currently a publicist with Books & Such literary agency.

The Sweetgum Ladies Knit for Love by Beth Patillo

Once a month, the six women of the Sweetgum Knit Lit Society gather to discuss books and share their knitting projects. Inspired by her recently-wedded bliss, group leader Eugenie chooses “Great Love Stories in Literature” as the theme for the year’s reading list–a risky selection for a group whose members span the spectrum of age and relationship status.
As the Knit Lit ladies read and discus classic romances like Romeo and Juliet, Wuthering Heights, and Pride and Prejudice, each member is confronted with her own perception about love. Camille’s unexpected reunion with an old crush forces her to confront conflicting desires. Newly widowed Esther finds her role in Sweetgum changing and is surprised by two unlikely friends. Hannah isn’t sure she’s ready for the trials of first love. Newcomer Maria finds her life turned upside-down by increasing family obligations and a handsome, arrogant lawyer, and Eugenie and Merry are both asked to make sacrifices for their husbands that challenge their principles.
Even in a sleepy, southern town like Sweetgum, Tennessee, love isn’t easy. The Knit Lit ladies learn they can find strength and guidance in the novels they read, the love of their family, their community–and especially in each other.

RITA Award-winning Beth Patillo combines her love of knitting and books in her engaging Sweetgum series. Pattillo served churches in Missouri and Tennessee before founding Faith Leader, a spiritual leadership development program.

Rose House by Tina Ann Forkner

A vivid story of a private grief, a secret painting, and one woman’s search for hope.
Still mourning the loss of her family in a tragic accident, Lillian Diamon finds herself drawn back to the Rose House, a quiet cottage where four years earlier she had poured out her anguish among its fragrant blossoms.
She returns to the rolling hills and lush vineyards of the Sonoma Valley in search of something she can’t quite name. But then Lillian stumbles onto an unexpected discovery: displayed in the La Rosaleda Gallery is a painting that captures every detail of her most private moment of misery, from the sorrow etched across her face to the sandals on her feet.

What kind of artist would dare to intrude on such a personal scene, and how did he happen to witness Lillian’s pain? As the mystery surrounding the portrait becomes entangled with the accident that claimed the lives of her husband and children, Lillian is forced to rethink her assumptions about what really happened that day.
A captivating novel rich with detail, Rose House explores how the brushstrokes of pain can illuminate the true beauty of life.

Tina Ann Forkner is the author of Ruby Among Us. Originally from Oklahoma, she now lives with her husband and three children in Wyoming, where she serves on the Laramie County Library Foundation’s board of directors.

I love this series! A Passion Denied is the third book in the series and it certainly didn’t disappoint. Lessman is a very gifted writer – her books just flow. She covers tough topics and yet love and restoration are what resonate.

About the Book:
Has she fallen in love with a man who cannot love her back?

Elizabeth O’Connor has been like the little sister John Brady always wanted, sharing his love of literature and his thirst for God. But in the throes of the reckless Roaring Twenties, Lizzie has grown up. Suddenly she wants more from the man who has been her friend since she was a child. When this shy little bookworm blossoms into a beautiful young woman bent on loving John, she discovers that his past won’t let him return that love. But Lizzie refuses to give up–until his shocking secrets push her away.

Can true love survive the betrayal and deceitful of a painful past . . . or will it be shattered like the fairy-tale dreams of a girl in love?

Brimming with romance, longing, and redemption, A Passion Denied, will quicken your pulse and gladden your heart with a riveting story of the true power of love.

Childhood sweethearts Kinna and Jimmy Henley had simple dreams—marriage, children, a house by the sea… Everything they needed for happily ever after. What they didn’t plan on was years of infertility, stealing those dreams, crushing their hopes.

Now, all that’s left is the memory of young love, and the desperate need for a child to erase the pain. Until…

When Kinna rescues an elderly woman from the sea, the threads of the past, present, and future weave together to reveal the wonder of one final hope. One final chance to follow not their dreams, but God’s plan.

Can they embrace the redemptive power of love before it’s too late? Or will their love be washed away like the castles they once built upon the sand?

About the Author:
Marlo Schalesky is the author of several books, including Beyond the Night and Empty Womb, Aching Heart. A graduate of Stanford University, Marlo also has a masters of theology with an emphasis in biblical studies from Fuller Theological Seminary. Married over twenty years, she lives with her husband, Bryan, and their five children in California.

I knew from the description on the back cover – not to mention the title – that this wasn’t going to be your typical Jane Austen book. Having read most of the follow-ups, retellings and modern day setting Austen novels, I was excited to find a book that went at Austen from a different approach and it didn’t let me down. There’s no other way to put it – I adored Jane Austen Ruined My Life.

The main character, Emma Grant, has loved Jane Austen since she was young. How could she not when she’s named after one of Austen’s most famous characters? She became an Austen scholar and was a college professor with the dream job of teaching, studying, and generally absorbing herself in all things Austen. Then her world collapses. Emma finds out her husband is a cheating rat. In the midst of their divorce he manages to discredit her, get her fired, and make a mockery of her entire career.

Ready for a change in many areas of her life, Emma departs for London to stay in her cousin’s flat and put her life back together. Her main reason for heading “across the pond” is to research Jane Austen’s missing letters. Emma is convinced that if she can find even one of them her career can be resurrected and her life can begin anew.

Jane Austen Ruined My Life was rich and refreshing. It kept me guessing and left me feeling satisfied as well as inspired. Emma is such a great character, easy to care about and cheer for. The history of Jane Austen’s life and times that is folded into the story is done so seamlessly. In fact, it piqued my interest and sent me off to do some Austen-era research of my own.

By the end of the novel I was ready to try new things and reach for new heights. Emma’s quirkiness and spirit were so much fun and I was sorry to see the story end.

Review By:
Jill Hart

Listen in as we chat with Virginia “Ginny” Smith about her latest novel, “Age Before Beauty.” One of the things that I loved most about this book was that the main character becomes a work-at-home mom. What could be better?!

Tune in to hear Ginny talk about what inspired the story and as she shares a little bit about working from home herself.

About Age Before Beauty:
Desperate to stay home with her baby, Allie Harrod launches a new career. Sure, she dropped out of Girl Scouts because she was lousy at cookie sales, but makeup is different, right? She’ll do anything to make enough money to cover her share of the household bills, but how can she focus on her business when her list of problems is growing? None of her pre-baby clothes fit, her checking account is dwindling, and her mother-in-law has decided to move in! To top it off, her husband’s attractive coworker suddenly needs his help every weekend. Middle sister Joan insists that God has the answers to all her problems, but Allie isn’t so sure. Can she really trust him?

FOUR STARS from Romantic Times! “In the second book in the Sister to Sister series, Smith taps into every mother’s heart. Readers will see themselves in Allie as she struggles to be a superwoman. It’s evident that God’s plan is not always our plan, but if we trust Him, everything works itself out.” — Romantic Times

Age before Beauty, the 2nd book in the Sister-to-Sister series, is a sweet, heart-warming tale about one of three sisters. Book One in the series, Stuck in the Middle, followed the life of middle sister Joan, while Age before Beauty allows us a peek at older sister Allie, a new mom who wants to stay home with the baby. The characters become family, and you’ll cheer for them, cry over them, and celebrate with them. And thankfully, Ginny has announced the title for the 3rd book, scheduled to release in February 2010 – Third Time’s a Charm involves us in younger sister Tori’s life. I can’t WAIT!

About the book:

Desperate to stay home with her baby, Allie Harrod launches a new career. Sure, she dropped out of Girl Scouts because she was lousy at cookie sales, but makeup is different, right? She’ll do anything to make enough money to cover her share of the household bills, but how can she focus on her business when her list of problems is growing? None of her pre-baby clothes fit, her checking account is dwindling, and her mother-in-law has decided to move in! To top it off, her husband’s attractive coworker suddenly needs his help every weekend. Middle sister Joan insists that God has the answers to all her problems, but Allie isn’t so sure. Can she really trust him?

You can view a fun book trailer at Ginny’s Web site.

About the author:
Virginia Smith left her job as a corporate director to become a full time writer and speaker with the release of her first novel Just As I Am. Since then she has contracted ten novels and published numerous articles and short stories. She writes contemporary humorous novels for the Christian market, including Murder by Mushroom, Stuck in the Middle, and her newest releases, A Taste of Murder and Age before Beauty.

In March of 2008 she was named “Writer of the Year” at Mount Hermon Christian Writers Conference. An energetic speaker, Virginia loves to exemplify God’s truth by comparing real-life situations to well-known works of fiction, such as her popular talk, “Biblical Truths in Star Trek.”

Visit Ginny’s Web site.

Lynda Schab’s On the Write Track

A Mom Who Loves Reviews

LillePunkin

The Life of a Home Mom

Frugal Living

Gone Frugal

Bibliophile’s Retreat

Sips ‘n Cups Cafe

I Need to Read

Projecting A

Kindred Thought

Jennifer Tiszai

Stamped with Grace

Amy Barkman

Book Bargains and Previews

My Reading Room

Mountain Breeze Writer

Christian Book Scout

Books, Movies, Chinese Food

Edgy Inspirational Author

Pix-N-Pens

Relz Reviewz

Vicki Tiede’s Grace Lessons

Camy’s Loft

Cara’s Musings

Jill Elizabeth Nelson’s Artistic Blogger

Sherry Kyle

AusJenny

My Friend Amy

Write by Faith

Maggie Come Lately by Michelle Buckman covers a more serious subject matter than the usual chick lit/YA that I choose. It’s a coming-of-age story of a girl who is searching for her place in the world. It’s dark at times and yet there is a ribbon of faith that runs through the book and helps to put her struggle in perspective. It’s a story of hurt and betrayal, but also one of redemption.

Maggie has struggled for years to make sense of her mother’s suicide. She resents the fact that she has had to make up for her mom’s absence – doing the cooking, cleaning and other “motherly” tasks. She wonders what it’s like to be a normal teenager.

Then her sixteenth birthday arrives. Maggie’s birthday wish is that sixteen will be a great year – that she’s be pretty and popular and that her brother’s best friend (whom she’s had a crush on forever) will notice her.

Her birthday ushers in a whole new period in her life, but it’s not quite what she expected. Her father gives her a family heirloom as a gift (just the fact that he remembered her birthday is a miracle) and announces that it’s time for her to meet the ‘special someone’ in her life. Then she makes a discovery that will change the course of her life forever.

Blog Tour Contest: Since Sweet September is all about family, Tricia wants to meet yours. Leave a comment on the Tricia’s blog tour post (http://triciagoyer.blogspot.com/2008/09/sweet-september-blog-tour.html) sharing who your favorite family member is and why and you’ll be entered into a drawing to win William-Sonoma’s Pumpkin Harvest Loaf Pan & Quick Bread Set. (I’ve attached a photo. It’s super cute…and would be great for fall treats!)

About the book: Harvest time at Heather Creek Farm is an exciting time, but the kids don’t seem to be getting into the spirit. One day while he’s wandering through the fields, Christopher stumbles across an old piece of metal buried in the ground. He doesn’t know what it is, but he hides it in the shed.

That night, the garden by the house is uprooted. Who could have done such a thing? Charlotte is determined to find out, but is distracted when she gets news that Sam is failing school. The sullen teen is indifferent and won’t study. He starts spending a lot of time with Pete. Though she loves her son dearly, Pete never finished high school, and Charlotte is afraid he’ll encourage Sam to do the same. How can she help him get back on track?

A gripping story that examines the Stevenson family’s history as well as its shaky future, Sweet September will bring you deeper into the loving community of Bedford and the deep ties of love that bind this broken family together. As they forge new connections, you’ll be entertained, inspired, and reminded that God’s grace can make all things new.

About Tricia: Tricia Goyer is the author of twelve books including From Dust and Ashes, My Life UnScripted, and the children’s book, 10 Minutes to Showtime. She won Historical Novel of the Year in 2005 and 2006 from ACFW, and was honored with the Writer of the Year award from Mt. Hermon Writer’s Conference in 2003. Tricia’s book Life Interrupted was a finalist for the Gold Medallion in 2005. In addition to her novels, Tricia writes non-fiction books and magazine articles for publications like Today’s Christian Woman and Focus on the Family. Tricia is a regular speaker at conventions and conferences, and has been a workshop presenter at the MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) International Conventions. She and her family make their home in the mountains of Montana.

Tricia’s website: www.triciagoyer.com

Tricia’s blog: http://triciagoyer.blogspot.com

Sydney Alexander is back and happily married to the man of her dreams. Now, if she can just find great guys for her friends life will be perfect. She’s already done it once – she set up her hippie neighbor Rain with Stinky Nate. They are happily married now as well, so Sydney is convinced she can make the same magic happen for other friends.

Sydney takes on the challenge of matchmaking for a few of her friends including her boss, Lucinda. As she becomes confident in her set-up abilities, she even takes on the role of “Lucy for the Lovelorn,” a syndicated column that could take her career to new heights.

In the midst of it all Samantha, Sydney’s sister, is going through a relationship crises. Well, more like a relationship melt-down. Sydney tries to give her advice, but Samantha soon realizes that she must make the decision for herself – follow her heart and see where it leads.

Sydney’s matchmaking talents rival those of another beloved heroine, Jane Austen’s Emma. And just as Emma eventually comes to the conclusion that meddling rarely changes things for the better, Sydney must learn some lessons through a few matchmaking disasters.

I thoroughly appreciated Banister’s humor and writing style in her first novel, Around The World in 80 Dates, and Meddlers is made up of the same stuff. The story is well-told and filled with compelling characters. Sydney’s experiences made me laugh, made me cry and above all reminded me that giving advice is not always as simple as it might seem.

In the back of the book, readers will find a readers guide, Sydney’s Recommendations For Life’s Little Circumstances and a list of resources for those who want to be a part of promoting music education (as Sydney’s husband discusses in the book).

The Miracle Girls is a sweet novel about second chances. Ana Dominguez has just moved to Half Moon Bay and is doing her best to fit in to her new life. Unfortunately, Riley, the most popular girl in school has singled Ana out for her own brand of high school torture. When Ana and Riley end up in detention together, Ana is sure things can’t get any worse.

As He tends to do, God uses this bad situation to bring Ana together with a group of girls (Riley included) who, like her, are living their second chance at life. Ana realizes that they have brought together for a purpose, but she must now convince the other “Miracle Girls” – maybe not Riley – that their friendship is meant to be.

I really enjoyed Miracle Girls and am already looking forward to the next book in the series. This is the type of novel that is timeless, that I’ll want my daughter to read when she hits her teens (or tweens). I look forward to the day when I can share my love of reading – and clean, godly books like this one – with her.

I love Melody Carlson’s books, so I was tickled pink when I received her newest book, A Mile In My Flip-Flops. the book’s main character, Gretchen Hanover, is a charming if somewhat lost thirty-something. She is recovering from a broken heart. Her fiance’ has run off with an old girlfriend leaving Gretchen with not only shattered dreams, but an apartment full of stuff – enough to fill the house they would have shared.

Gretchen has moping around for months and consuming more Ben & Jerry’s than she ever thought possible. Until one fine day when, while watching her beloved HGTV she has a “light bulb moment.” She decides that the way out from under her grief and despair is hard work … like flipping a house.

So, Gretchen sets out on the adventure of a lifetime. Will she end up with a great investment or will her flip be a flop?

This book made me feel as if I were right in the story helping Gretchen flip the house. I, too, watch HGTV and have always wondered if I could do it. Walking through the experience with Gretchen was a blast, but at the end I was glad all the hard work had been hers.

I’ve been a fan of the DragonKeeper Chronicles series since I picked up a copy DragonSpell at a local bookstore a few years ago. The latest in the series, DragonLight, is no exception.

DragonLight continues the story of Kale Allerion, the Dragon Keeper, and her husband Sir Bardon. They have been living happily with their dragons while Amara (the land they live in) recovers from years of evil and war. However, when they agree to accompany their Meech dragon friends on a quest to find the Meech Colony, they encounter dark forces that they aren’t expecting.

Kale and her friends must uncover the mysterious force behind the darkness. The question that remains is….how will they discover what they can’t see?

This is the final installment in the DragonKeeper Chronicles (must to my chagrin). Happily, there is a note at the end of the book sharing with readers that they can expect a new series summer 2009 – “a different continent and a different time – featuring a cast of characters whose adventures will touch your life.”

You can hear the interview with Donita K. Paul when she joined us on MomCast Live – listen here.

Outcasts of Skagaray by Australian author Andrew Clarke is a suspense-filled book that will literally keep the reader on the edge of his seat until the end.

The book starts out very dark – the world that Tarran lives in is bleak. He is young – just on the verge of becoming a man and yet even at this age he knows in his heart that there should be more – must be more to living that simply fighting, killing and becoming a warrior.

When Tarran is expected to kill a bear to prove himself as a “Bear-Slayer,” the highest level of respect in his community, he finds himself at a crossroads. Will he do what is expected of him or will he risk becoming an outcast…or worse.

Clarke’s imagery and detail make you feel as if you are in the story yourself. The characters are deep and thought-provoking. Once I picked this up, I didn’t want to put it down.

Review By:
Jill Hart

How far is too far? That’s the question that seems to be ever in Lissa Mansfiedl’s mind since moving to San Fransisco. How far will she go to be accepted in the “in crowd?” How far is she willing to go with cute Callum McCloud? How far is she willing to bend to get along with her talkative-opinionated-wacky new roommate, Gillian Chang? And most importantly of all, how far is she willing to push herself to make sure her faith in God is evident in her life?

These questions and more keep Lissa on her toes as she tries to fit into her school life. It doesn’t help that she’s gotten herself on the planning committee for the Benefactor’s Day Ball – the biggest event of the year at Spencer Academy. Can she find a hot celeb to book for the Ball or will she end up disappointing the entire student body?

I don’t read a lot of YA (young adult) Lit, but this book so much fun. The characters are charming and right from the beginning I was pulling for Lissa to make the right choices. The best part about this book is that while moms like me (thirty-somethings) will enjoy it, it’s also appropriate to be shared with teens and tweens. It would make a great conversations starter for moms and daughters!

It’s official. I want to be a SisterChick when I grow up. I hope I might be so lucky. Robin Jones Gunn’s SisterChick series is centered around the lives of two “midlife mamas”, Elizabeth (Liz) and Kellie. The two friends have been through ups and downs together and know each other almost well enough to read the other’s thoughts.

Sisterchicks Go Brit, the seventh book in the series, finds Liz and Kellie on their way to see Big Ben. How they end up traveling to the UK is a story in itself, but I’ll leave that a mystery because what’s best about the book is what’s in the middle – the trip itself. The gals visit all of the places I’d like to go if I were cross the pond – the old haunts of C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien, the sights and sounds of London, shopping at Portabella Road in Knotting Hill. Ahhh, I could envision myself alongside them as they bopped from place to place. (and bop they did)

Liz and Kellie have quite a journey. They are spectators at a village pancake race, taken on a whirlwind tour of British authors sites, and even end up in a hot air balloon. If that isn’t enough, one of them manages to get herself pulled aside for questioning on The Underground.

I’ve read many of Gunn’s other books, but I actually jumped into this series with this book. Even though I didn’t have a lot of background on the characters, the book was enjoyable and held it’s own. Although these mamas are middle-aged I still related to them and laughed with them along the way. I liked the book enough that I’ve already gone out and found myself a copy of the first book so that I can start from the beginning and experience life through the eyes of the two hilarious chicks. I almost forgot to mention, Gunn includes a bonus for her fans in the back of the book. She shares pictures and thoughts of her own trip to the UK as well as an excerpt from the Sisterchicks devotional, Take Flight.

Review By:
Jill Hart

Joan. Boring name for a boring life. Or so Joan believes until she meets her new next door neighbor. The handsome doctor her age makes Joan realize that there may be more to life than settling for living at home, getting up every morning to go to an unfulfilling career and wishing she were living one of her sisters’ lives.

But Joan knows she can’t make a change because no one would be there to care for her aging grandmother – a job that she has taken upon herself, but truly enjoys. Not to mention, the doctor may be adorable, but he’s also a Christian. And Joan’s not so sure that’s what she needs right now. Her life is comfortable – why complicate it with thoughts of love and religion. Joan’s not sure her life can handle either.

Stuck in the Middle is a picture of what life is like as middle child. It seems most three daughter families have the smart, ‘motherly’ older sister; the sweet, carefree younger sister; and the insecure, people-pleasing middle child. Joan is the epitome of a middle child and yet she’s easy to love. I was rooting for her from the very beginning. The two other sisters frustrated me at first, but as the book progresses you learn how much they care about their sister and they endear themselves as well.

The novel is the first book in the Sister-to-Sister Series and Virginia Smith’s sixth book. Smith’s contemporary fiction is filled with humor as well as meaningful lessons for life. There is one specific section in Stuck in the Middle that really made me pause and re-evaluate how I think about my life (I don’t want to give it away, but look for the chocolate ice cream story). I love a book that sticks with me. Weeks after I put it down, it still comes to mind and continues to make me think.

Review By:
Jill Hart

"This is a great Christian fiction book about three young girls trying to make it as models in New York. Macy, LaRue, and Patterson are all trying to get along with each other, keep their Christian values and learn tha value of being friends." – LaTara, s2s4christ

"This book is as wondeful as the first two. It gives a clear picture of what life is like knowing Jesus and what it can be like if you don’t. " – Jill Hart, CWAHM.com