Night of the Living Dead Christian by Matt Mikalatos

"Night of the Living Dead Christian" by Matt Mikalatos is about a guy named Luther on the run from his werewolf-self. He turns to his neighbor Matt for help and together they try to find someone who can help him overcome his inner beast before Borut (a lethal hunter with too many weapons) finds him. Throughout their journey they run into a mad scientist with an android, a horde of zombies, a vampire, secret lairs and not-so-secret lairs, and a robot Jesus.

I'm a big fan of Mikalatos' first book "Imaginary Jesus." So I was pleasantly surprised when I read and saw that this book was a follow-up. I loved the whole monster theme because it was refreshing to see someone write about monsters as they really are, not some gushy I-love-you-and-yet-I-want-to-suck-your-blood-really-badly vampire book.

"And so we return to my most pressing need, the desire for transformation, the burning passion to have a more manageable and less destructive nature. Of course, the Christians say they can help with that. Or God can. But I look at their lives and see far too many zombies." - Luther the Werewolf, page 95

This book is an spiritual allegory. Christians claim to have been resurrected in Christ, but we sometimes act like a zombie, experiencing a resurrection that is 90% death and 10% life. Or like vampires who satiate themselves at the expense of others. In Luther's case, he was a werewolf who couldn't control his base desires.

"If you never see yourself the way you really look, it's pretty easy to be satisfied with your life." - Lara the Vampire, page 122

I really enjoyed this book along with the laughs and watery eyes that came with it. The discussion guide in the back was awesome and very thought provoking, great for a small group to get together and discuss. There was also a fun Are You a Monster? guide in the back of the book.

I received a complimentary copy of this book for review purposes from Tyndale House. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

*Many spoilers will be included in this review. Beware. Read at your own risk.*

My curiosity was too much and I had to pick up a copy of The Hunger Games at the library. The whole idea of being forced to fight to the death is intriguing and a heck of a lot more interesting than a pale, sparkly dude who won't eat ice cream with you.

The beginning was boring. Nothing memorable, nothing too exciting. But when it got to the part where they were drawing names for the Hunger Games, it started to get interesting. It wasn't hard to figure out that they would draw Prim's name. I did like the part when Katniss took her place though.

Let's talk characters real quick. Gale vs Peeta. Who did you like better? I'm with Gale 98%. Peeta was just too...lovestruck? Foxface was definitely one of my favorite female characters. Thresh was also a favorite.

Katniss was an awesome character. She was smart, quick, and strong. Seeing her handle a bow and arrow so well was interesting. I'm used to reading books where the main characters usually use swords when fighting. Instead, I got to see sling shots, spears, and knives.

There is a lot of violence in this book. Twenty-two teens die. I was interested in seeing the movie when it came out until I actually read the book. It's one thing to read about a knife being thrown into someones back, but it is a whole another thing to see it played out on screen. I'm really concerned about how violent the film is going to be. I'm guessing the rating is going to be PG-13.

Peeta and Katniss also do a lot of kissing to make it look like they are in love. Nothing descriptive, you just read stuff like "he pulled me close for a long kiss."

Katniss also stands around naked quite about in this book, like when her prep team is trying to find her something to wear or after the doctors look her over. I kept thinking, Is this really necessary? Just stick some clothes on her already! It added nothing to the story.

All-in-all, it was a good book. Not fabulous, not bad, just good. Most people love this book and I liked it, so if you are looking for a book to read then I recommend it.

What did you think when you read The Hunger Games? Like or dislike? Are the sequels worth reading?

Bookstore Dilemmas

Question: What bookstore is your favorite to get YA Christian books?

Mine is Books a Million. They actually have a decent YA Christian fiction section, yay!

Lifeway is eh. I never actually see any teens in there looking at books. Maybe because it's right next to Veggie Tales...Plus, they don't have a good selection and they get new books in months after they've already been out. By then I've bought it somewhere else.

Barnes and Noble is the worst. They keep the Christian YA fiction on one shelf at the very bottom of the NON-FICTION YA Christian books bookshelf. This makes no sense whatsoever. I occasionally go through and count how many Christian YA books are in the secular YA section, and my highest count is five so far (Starlighter by Bryan Davis, Roadside Assistance by Amy Clipston, one of the Carter House Girls books by Melody Carlson, The Final Hour by Andrew Klavan, and The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis).

I literally gasped out loud when I saw Starlighter in the secular YA section. Not from horror, but from delight! A store employee heard me and asked what I was so excited about. When I told him, he said, "Yeah, you usually don't find those kind of books in this section."

But I think it's progress. Lisa Bergren, author of The Rover of Time Series, said on Facebook,
"Barnes & Noble finally recategorized WATERFALL to teen fantasy and adventure! Huzzah! (It was in Christian nonfiction--bizarre.) So...yay!

Is it just us, or is your local B&N putting Christian fiction books in the non-fiction section also?

My New Favorite: The River of Time Series

I recently got Waterfall, book one in The River of Time series, by Lisa T. Bergren for free on my Kindle. I read it, loved it, went to Barnes & Noble, and bought the sequel, Cascade.

Y'all. If I spend money on a new book - not used - you know I love it. I only buy books from used book stores because I'm a tightwad. Like Fred Mertz. Ok, well, I bought The Reluctant Prophet by Nancy Rue from Lifeway the other day because it was on sale for $8.

It was amazing. They both were. I think I liked Waterfall better, but they were both really, really good.

A movie producer was reading it back in June, so cross your fingers! I would love to see this series make it to the big screen.

Check out the River of Time Series Facebook page!

New Trends on the Horizion

Thank goodness, librarians are predicting that this paranormal romance craze (Twilight, other vampire/dead people books) is going to be overtaken by steampunk and dystopias (Hunger Games, Matched).

And where ever secular YA goes, Christian YA follows. I do remember seeing a couple Christian vampire books come out, but I really don't think they were that popular. I may be wrong though.

I'm going to be totally jazzed if sci-fi becomes really popular. I really have no idea what books go into the steampunk category, but Wikipedia's desription sounds promising.

Steampunk is a sub-genre of science fiction, alternate history, and speculative fiction that came into prominence during the 1980s and early 1990s. Steampunk involves a setting where steam power is still widely used—usually the Victorian era Britain—that incorporates elements of either science fiction or fantasy.

So, what do you think? Excited about these changes that might be coming? Or do you wish another genre would become the next trend?

Hunter Brown and the Eye of Ends by The Miller Brothers

The Codebearers Series ends with Hunter Brown and the Eye of Ends! In book two, Hunter Brown and the Consuming Fire, you are left hanging with a school fire and Hunter falling into the hands of medics with aren't who they seem to be. In book three, Hunter wakes up with no memory of his last visit to Solandria with Trista and Rob. To make things worse, intimidating detective Volger suspects Hunter was the one who set the school on fire! Hunter sets off with to get back his memories and winds up in a search for his father and a lost relic called the Eye of Ends.

I really enjoyed this conclusion to The Codebearers Series. It was amazing to watch characters and places from the first book reappear and add more to the story than I had ever imagined. I also loved the new characters, especially Desi. I think the best part about this book was that it wasn't predictable. The Miller Brothers were always surprising me in every chapter. Plus, their artwork keeps getting better and better! My brother and I agreed we liked the second book the best, but really liked this one also.

The Sweetest Thing by Elizabeth Musser

The Singleton family's fortunes seem unaffected by the Great Depression, and Perri--along with the other girls at Atlanta's elite Washington Seminary--lives a carefree life of tea dances with college boys, matinees at the cinema, and debut parties. But when tragedies strike, Perri is confronted with a world far different from the one she has always known.

At the insistence of her parents, Mary "Dobbs" Dillard, the daughter of an itinerant preacher, is sent from inner-city Chicago to live with her aunt and attend Washington Seminary, bringing confrontation and radical ideas. Her arrival intersects at the point of Perri's ultimate crisis, and the tragedy forges an unlikely friendship.

From the first page, I knew this was my kind of book. It had that southern charm and familiarity. I also love reading about the Great Depression, and this was a whole new side I had never seen before. You usually don't read about wealth and people having a good time at parties, it's usually heartbreaking stories about families starving and having to give away children. Of course, this book had both. Rich families and very poor families. I think it was a great balance between the two.

I love Atlanta, so the setting was great for me. I also loved the bits about Chicago and Moody Bible Institute. Everything was well researched and fun to read about. You also got emerged into the culture back then. From pop-calling to fashion to the Sawdust Trail, I loved every bit of it.

I was afraid that it was going to turn into a kid-solves-complex-mystery-even-when-after-they-were-told-to-stay-away book, but it didn't, which I was glad. You see too many of those and they're predictable and boring. Instead, it had just enough mystery to keep you reading and add depth to the plot. Overall, I enjoyed the book very much!

I received a complimentary copy of this book for review purposes from Bethany House. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

New Kid Catastrophes

TJ Finkelstein is your average seventh grader trying to survive junior high. Average except for . . .

Just moving from the Midwest to crazy, money-is-no-object Malibu, California.

Becoming mortal enemies with the school’s most popular girl, who stars on the Dizzy Channel.

Oh yeah, and being followed around by two goofball boys from the 23rd century!!!

That’s right—Herby and Tuna have traveled back in time to study TJ for a class project. Unfortunately, she is the only one who can see them. And unfortunatelier (don’t try that word on your English teacher), their “help,” which involves using whacked-out 23rd-century gadgets, only leads to more mayhem and plenty of side-splitting laughter.

Join this unlikely trio as they stumble into one hilarious catastrophe after another . . . while accidentally learning the importance of such core values as love, honesty, patience, and kindness.

I was so excited to finally read a new book by Bill Myers! Yay! I love his Journey to Fayrah, Wally McDoogle, Blood Hounds, and McGee and Me series.

I didn't know if TJ and the Time Stumbers would be as good as his other series, but I loved it even more! Both me and my brother were, like, "Eh, it doesn't look that great." But we were hooked from page one. I don't really like the cover, so maybe that's why I didn't think I would like it so much (I know, I know. Don't judge a book by it's cover).

Every chapter started out with a time travel log done by Herby and Tuna. I really liked that and I think it added more depth (and humor!) to the story. Myers always amazes me because his books are so funny and yet they cover serious topics. By page eleven you read about TJ dealing with the death of her mom and Chad's divorced parents. It's not depressing, it's just true to life. The story also comes with hope - TJ discovers what a wonderful future she has ahead of her. Sorta like on Meet the Robinson's.

Of course, Myers had me giggling, snorting, and laughing throughout the whole book. Time travel has been done again and again, but not quite like this before!

I received a complimentary copy of this book for review purposes from Tyndale House. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

Sword in the Stars by Wayne Thomas Batson

Centuries have passed since the Silence, and the few remaining faithful cling to the ancient prophecies of the First One. They wait for the Caller and watch the skies for the Sword in the Stars, even as the world they've always known unravels around them.

Murderous Gorracks have secretly penetrated the kingdom's borders. Their attacks grow more brazen...more horrific, threatening to touch off a war on a scale that hasn't been seen in seven ages.

In the capital city of Anglinore, noble King Aravel ponders the advice of this twin brother Morlan: declare all out war on the Gorrack nation. While Anglinore's High Shepherd, the wise Sebastian Grenlaff urges caution and listens to troubling voices on the wind.

Queen Mariel, due to deliver a child any day, suspects the unthinkable about her husband's brother Morlan. She sets off alone to Morlan's castle in Dunharrow, hoping against hope that she can keep old wounds from erupting in war.

Alastair Coldharrow, tortured by an addiction to the outlawed Witchdrale and haunted by a violent past, wagers his life on the hope that the foretold Halfainin, the Pathwalker, would come. When at last, the Sword appears in the Stars, Alastair begins a fruitless search for the Halfainin that leaves him disillusioned, broken, and lost. Used to caring only for himself, Alastair will enter a maelstrom of conflict as loyalties are tested, dark schemes are hatched, and the many realms of Myriad brace themselves for war.

Will Alastair realize what he has before its too late...for everyone?

Some books aren’t good enough to just be read. They deserve a spot outside under a tree or in front of a fireplace with piping hot chocolate.

And then there are some books that don’t need to be read in a special place because they whisk you away from our world into theirs. Books that suck you into past, present, and future. Through a wardrobe or through swirling ink called letters upon paper. Sword in the Stars was this kind of book.

I loved every little detail. The characters, the plot, battles, prophecies, Shepherds, the list goes on and on.

I had heard rave reviews about this book, but I couldn’t get my hands on a copy until a couple days ago.

And as I read, it met every expectation. But I never expected a little romance thrown in there! For me, the best parts were Alastair and Abbagael falling in love. I loved their letters. I thought it was a very good way to cover those six/seven years of war without boring the reader. I’ve noticed Mr. Batson’s trend with girls with curly red hair, and I have to say those are some of my favorite characters of his!

Alastair was a puzzle. His story slowly came together piece by piece, page by page, and goodness, it was an amazing story. Mr. Batson wove together an interesting and exciting tale that had me gasping, sighing, and occasionally laughing.

The only thing I was left wanting was more detail. I have a beautiful story in my head, but not a lot of mental pictures. The Gorraks were described in detail over and over, but I would have liked more on the other inhabitants and lands. But maybe Mr. Batson will include more details in the sequel, The Errant King!

I received a complimentary copy of this book for review purposes from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

Roadside Assistance by Amy Clipston

Emily Curtis is used to dealing with her problems while under the hood of an old Chevy, but when her mom dies, Emily's world seems shaken beyond repair. Driven from home by hospital bills they can't pay, Emily and her dad move in with his wealthy sister, who intends to make her niece more feminine---in other words, just like Whitney, Emily's perfect cousin. But when Emily hears the engine of a 1970 Dodge Challenger, and sees the cute gearhead, Zander, next door, things seem to be looking up.

But even working alongside Zander can't completely fix the hole in Emily's life. Ever since her mom died, Emily hasn't been able to pray, and no one---not even Zander---seems to understand. But sometimes the help you need can come from the person you least expect.

Considering I know absolutely nothing about cars, I really enjoyed this book! The characters were believable and Zander was adorable. I just don't like his name.

I usually hate books about girls who are tomboys and everyone keeps telling them to be girlie, and when they finally do, they get the guy and realize make-up and clothes aren't that bad. Puh-leeze. Emily was just the opposite. *Spoiler* She stayed true to herself and still got the guy! I think this book really stands out among all the other girl-gets-makeover-and-turns-into-a-model-overnight books that you see a lot.

If would have never thought in a million years that I'd like a book about a girl who works on cars, but I was hooked! I really wanted to go tinker under the hood of a car after I finished reading. Haha, that would have ended in disaster! Clipston did a great job and I really liked the whole book!

I received a complimentary copy of this book for review purposes from Zondervan. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

The Ale Boy's Feast by Jeffrey Overstreet

The king is missing.

His people are trapped as the woods turn deadly.

Underground, the boy called Rescue has found an escape.

Hopes are failing across The Expanse. The forests, once beautiful, are now haunted and bloodthirsty. House Abascar's persecuted people risk their lives to journey through those predatory trees. They seek a mythic city - Abascar's last, best hope for refuge - where they might find the source of Auralia's colors.

They journey without their king. During a calamitous attempt to rescue some of his subjects from slavery, Cal-raven vanished.

But his helper, the ale boy, falling through a crack in the earth, has discovered a slender thread of hope in the dark. He will dare to lead a desperate company up the secret river.Meanwhile, with a dragon's help, the wandering mage Scharr ben Fray is uncovering history's biggest lie - a deception that only a miracle can repair

Time is running out for all those entangled in The Auralia Thread. But hope and miracles flicker wherever Auralia’s colors are found.

I've wanted to read Auralia's Colors for, like, years, but never got the book to read it. It was very confusing starting the series off by reading the fourth book, but pieces clicked together as I read further (I would recommend starting at book one!). I actually didn't know this book was a sequel to Auralia's Colors until I got it in the mail...surprise!

It was a great read for fantasy fans and the story was awesome and very descriptive. I loved all the names of the characters, who were, by the way, delightful and very real. The whole book definitely had a other-world feel to it.

Like I said, it was confusing and I didn't get into it as much because I hadn't read the three previous books, but I liked it. A great read for ages 12 and up!

I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

So Over My Head by Jenny B. Jones

Newly single, stalked by a killer, and in desperate need of some chic clown shoes--Bella is one skinny mocha frapp away from total meltdown.

When the Fritz Family Carnival makes its annual appearance in Truman, Bella's keen reporter instincts tell her the bright lights hide more than they reveal. Her suspicions are confirmed when one of the stars is murdered. Though the police make an immediate arrest, Bella doubts this case is quite that simple.

She needs her crime-solving boyfriend, Luke, more than ever. Problem is, his ex-girlfriend has moved back to town, giving Bella some murderous thoughts of her own. Then again, there's no time for a relationship crisis when Bella's doing her best to derail her father's wedding and stay one step ahead of a killer.

Is God sending her a message in all of this madness? With a murderer on the loose and her boyfriend's ex on the prowl, this undercover clown has never had more to juggle--or more to risk.

I love all things Jenny B. Jones, but this book isn't making my favorites list.

The third book in A Charmed Life is full of drama, romance, and mystery. And I think it was the romance that was throwing me off. Luke and Bella break up, Luke keeps telling Bella she's insecure and doesn't trust guys, Bella keeps telling Luke to stay away from that Ashley girl...It was a great twist to the series to have them break up, but it was like a CD stuck on the same line as they worked out their relationship.

I usually hate mysteries (they're so predicable!), but Jones keeps things funny and suspenseful. I had a freak out when Bella encountered the killer. I also died laughing at Ruthie. Seriously. I want that girl to go to MY church.

I did wish to read more about Bella's family in Truman and friends at school, but the book mostly focused on the circus and her Dad in New York.

All in all, I liked it. Not as good as the first two, but a great ending to the series!

Note: By the way, am I the only one who thinks Junie B. Jones when I read her name? Anyone?

Jenny B. Jones writes Christian fiction with equal parts wit, sass, and untamed hilarity. When she's not writing, she's living it up as a high school teacher in Arkansas. Since she has very little free time, she believes in spending her spare hours in meaningful, intellectual pursuits such as watching E!, going to the movies and inhaling large buckets of popcorn, and writing her name in the dust on her furniture.

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Starlighter by Bryan Davis

Legend says dragons are enslaving humankind and a black egg signals the end of the world. If so, Jason Masters must journey to another realm and join forces with a slave girl named Koren to rescue the captives and save two worlds from destruction.

What if the legends are true?

Jason Masters doubted the myths: people taken through a portal to another realm and enslaved by dragons. But when his brother is taken, he must uncover the truth and find the portal before it's too late. Once he's through the portal, he meets Koren, a slave in the dragons realm, who struggles to destroy a black egg prophesied to doom all mankind.

Jason and Koren must work together to save their two worlds before the dragons learn

that their secrets have been discovered.

I was presently surprised when I read Starlighter, the first book in Dragons of Starlight. Why was I surprised you ask? Well, I had read Davis' Dragons in Our Midst series and wavered from dislike to sorta liking it. It just wasn't my type of book.

And then I read Beyond the Reflection's Edge, the first book in his Echoes from the Edge series, I didn't like that one at all. Again, it wasn't my type of book. Davis is an excellent writer and bestselling author, but, as I said, it wasn't my type of book. So imagine my surprise when I thoroughly enjoyed Starlighter.

The beginning had me hooked. I think he should have waited a little while longer before introducing Koren, but that's my only complaint.

When I think back on this book, I immediately remember characters. I loved how Elyssa was always "skipping steps" and how Randall became likable over time. My favorite dragon was definitely Arxad (how do you SAY that?). He kept me guessing and re-guessing what he was going to do next. Definitely a book filled with wonderful and unique characters.

Actually, I like this book enough to go out and buy it (I read the Kindle Freebie on my PC). A great read for ages 13+!

Bryan Davis is the author of the Dragons in Our Midst and Oracles of Fire series, contemporary/fantasy books for young adults. He is the author of several other works including The Image of a Father (AMG) and Spit and Polish for Husbands (AMG), and four books in the Arch Books series: The Story of Jesus’ Baptism and Temptation, The Day Jesus Died, The Story of the Empty Tomb (over 100,000 sold), and Jacob’s Dream. Bryan lives in Western Tennessee with his wife, Susie, and their children. Bryan and Susie have homeschooled their four girls and three boys.

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Website/Blog:

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FWCT: Motorcycles, Sushi, & One Strange Book by Nancy Rue

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

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

Today's Wild Card author is:

Nancy Rue

and the book:

Motorcycles, Sushi, & One Strange Book

Zondervan (April 16, 2010)

***Special thanks to Pam Mettler of Zondervan for sending me a review copy.***

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Nancy Rue has written over 100 books for girls, is the editor of the Faithgirlz Bible, and is a popular speaker and radio guest with her expertise in tween and teen issues. She and husband Jim have raised a daughter of their own and now live in Tennessee.


Visit the author's website.





Product Details:

List Price: $9.99
Reading level: Young Adult
Paperback: 224 pages
Publisher: Zondervan (April 16, 2010)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0310714842
ISBN-13: 978-0310714842

Press the browse button to view the first chapter:

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Click HERE to read my review of this book!

A Change of Heart by Lynn Stanley

Debbie Nichols has everything a 14-year-old girl could want. She has good looks. Lots of friends. Nice clothes. And she's president of The Club, an elite social group that every girl in school in dying to join.

But Debbie also has a mean streak - and she's focusing it on Cheryl, a well-liked girl who wants to be a member of The Club.

Debbie will stop at nothing to keep Cheryl from getting in. Even if it means forcing Cheryl to compromise her beliefs and reject Rhonda, a fragile girl with a dark secret from her past.

But this time Debbie has gone too far. This time, hasty apologies and insincere promises can't undo the damage. This time, only A Change of Heart can prevent a devastating tragedy.

I was surprisd at how well it was written. I sorta expected a cheesy, high school story about girls fighting, but it went deeper than that. The book starts off with this verse below.

Do no forget to entertain strangers,

for by so doing

some people have entertained angels

without knowing it.

Hebrews 13:2

When I read that verse, I KNEW this story was gonna be good. And it was.

Debbie is a rich, spoiled, popular girl who hates her looks even though everyone else thinks she's beautiful. But even through all her hate, she's still tries to fugure what Cheyl meant when she said Debbie had a "rotten heart". To make it even more interesting, Debbie's mom is a social worker and every Sunday she brings someone to dinner - usually from the homeless shelter.

Cheryl is Japanese and just wants to fit in after feeling left out for so long. She's nice to everyone and a Christian. Her dad pops onto the page every once and a while to prick her conscience - he doesn't think his daughter should join a club that excludes people.

Rhonda is a depressed girl who has kept a terrible secret since she was nine. Since that age, she became withdrawn and quiet - her parents don't know what to do.

With those three characters, you know you're gonna have a great book. Stanley kept things running smooth, never getting so dramatic that it was unbeleiveable. I had never flipped pages so fast as I did when I got closer and closer to finding out what Rhonda's secret was. It bugs me when characters are super-Christians, but Cheryl was a perfect blend of a Christian and someone trying to fit in.

Lynn Stanley was a freelance writer who lived in Scottsdale, Arizona, with her husband, Fred, and their two children.

(Note: It was hard finding information about Stanley, but I stumbled across an article about her death in 2006. You can read that here.)

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FWCT: So Not Happening (The Charmed Life) by Jenny B. Jones

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

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

Today's Wild Card author is:

Jenny B. Jones

and the book:

So Not Happening (The Charmed Life)

Thomas Nelson (May 5, 2009)

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Jenny B. Jones writes adult and YA Christian Fiction with equal parts wit, sass, and untamed hilarity. When she's not writing, she's living it up as a high school speech teacher in Arkansas.


Visit the author's website.



Product Details:

List Price: $12.99
Reading level: Young Adult
Paperback: 352 pages
Publisher: Thomas Nelson (May 5, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1595545417
ISBN-13: 978-1595545411

AND NOW...THE FIRST CHAPTER:

One year ago my mom got traded in for a newer model.

And that’s when my life fell apart.

“Do you, Jillian Leigh Kirkwood . . .”

Standing by my mother’s side as she marries the man who is so not my dad, I suppress a sigh and try to wiggle my toes in these hideous shoes. The hideous shoes that match my hideous maid-of honor dress. I like to look at things on the bright side, but the only

positive thing about this frock is that I’ll never have to wear it again.

“. . . take Jacob Ralph Finley . . .”

Ralph? My new stepdad’s middle name is Ralph? Okay, do we need one more red flag here? My mom is marrying this guy, and I didn’t even know his middle name. Did she? I check her face for signs of revulsion, signs of doubt. Signs of “Hey, what am I thinking? I don’t want Jacob Ralph Finley to be my daughter’s new stepdad.”

I see none of these things twinkling in my mom’s crystal blue eyes. Only joy. Disgusting, unstoppable joy.

“Does anyone have an objection?” The pastor smiles and scans the small crowd in the Tulsa Fellowship Church. “Let him speak now or forever hold his peace.”

Oh my gosh. I totally object! I look to my right and lock eyes with Logan, the older of my two soon-to-be stepbrothers. In the six hours that I have been in Oklahoma preparing for this “blessed” event, Logan and I have not said five words to one another. Like we’ve mutually agreed to be enemies.

I stare him down.

His eyes laser into mine.

Do we dare?

He gives a slight nod, and my heart triples in beat.

“Then by the powers vested in me before God and the family and friends of—”

“No!”

The church gasps.

I throw my hands over my mouth, wishing the floor would swallow me.

I, Bella Kirkwood, just stopped my own mother’s wedding.

And I have no idea where to go from here. It’s not like I do this every day, okay? Can’t say I’ve stopped a lot of weddings in my sixteen years.

My mom swivels around, her big white dress making crunchy noises. She takes a step closer to me, still flashing her pearly veneers at the small crowd.

“What,” she hisses near my ear, “are you doing?”

I glance at Logan, whose red locks hang like a shade over his eyes. He nods again.

“Um . . . um . . . Mom, I haven’t had a chance to talk to you at all this week . . .” My voice is a tiny whisper. Sweat beads on my forehead.

“Honey, now is not exactly the best time to share our feelings and catch up.”

My eyes dart across the sanctuary, where one hundred and fifty people are perched on the edge of their seats. And it’s not because they’re anxious for the chicken platters coming their way after the ceremony.

“Mom, the dude’s middle name is Ralph.”

She leans in, and we’re nose to nose. “You just stopped my wedding and that’s what you wanted to tell me?”

Faint—that’s what I’ll do next time I need to halt a wedding.

“How well do you know Jake? You only met six months ago.”

Some of the heat leaves her expression. “I’ve known him long enough to know that I love him, Bella. I knew it immediately.”

“But what if you’re wrong?” I rush on, “I mean, I’ve only been around him a few times, and I’m not so sure. He could be a serial killer for all we know.” I can count on one hand the times I’ve been around Jake. My mom usually visited him when I was at my dad’s.

Her voice is low and hurried. “I understand this isn’t easy for you. But our lives have changed. It’s going to be an adventure, Bel.”

Adventure? You call meeting a man on the Internet and forcing me to move across the country to live with his family an adventure? An adventure is swimming with dolphins in the Caribbean. An adventure is touring the pyramids in Egypt. Or shopping at the Saks after-Thanksgiving sale with Dad’s credit card. This, I do believe, qualifies as a nightmare!

“You know I’ve prayed about this. Jake and I both have. We know this is God’s will for us. I need you to trust me, because I’ve never been more sure about anything in my life.”

A single tear glides down Mom’s cheek, and I feel my heart constrict. This time last year my life was so normal. So happy. Can I just hit the reverse button and go back?

Slowly I nod. “Okay, Mom.” It’s kind of hard to argue with “God says this is right.” (Though I happen to think He’s wrong.)

The preacher clears his throat and lifts a bushy black brow.

“You can continue,” I say, knowing I’ve lost the battle. “She had something in her teeth.” Yes, that’s the best I've got.

I. Am. An. Idiot.

“And now, by the powers vested in me, I now pronounce you Mr. and Mrs. Jacob Finley. You may kiss your bride.”

Nope. Can’t watch.

I turn my head as the “Wedding March” starts. Logan walks to my side, and I link my arm in his. Though we’re both going to be juniors, he’s a head taller than me. It’s like we’re steptwins. He grabs his six-year-old brother, Robbie, with his other hand, and off we go

in time to the music. Robbie throws rose petals all around us, giggling with glee, oblivious to the fact that we just witnessed a ceremony marking the end of life as we know it.

“Good job stopping the wedding.” Logan smirks. “Very successful.”

I jab my elbow into his side. “At least I tried! You did nothing!”

“I just wanted to see if you had it in you. And you don’t.”

I snarl in his direction as the camera flashes, capturing this day for all eternity.

Last week I was living in Manhattan in a two-story apartment between Sarah Jessica Parker and Katie Couric. I could hop a train to Macy’s and Bloomie’s. My friends and I could eat dinner at Tao and see who could count the most celebs. I had Broadway in my backyard

and Daddy’s MasterCard in my wallet.

Then my mom got married.

And I got a new life.

I should’ve paid that six-year-old to pull the fire alarm.

Forgotten: Seventeen and Homeless by Melody Carlson

Struggling 17-year-old high school senior Adele has a secret . . . she's homeless.

With absent parents, overdue rent, and no one to turn to, Adele is forced into the hard, cold world of homelessness. While striving to maintain the pretense of a “normal” life, Adele attempts to finish high school—all the while concealing her secret. Adele enjoys being with the "nice kids" in the church youth group, but she has more in common with the young people who live on the streets. Is she strong enough to keep up the act?

Forgotten, the first book in Carlson's Secrets series, was a very strong book. You don't find a whole lot of YA books about the harsh reality of homelessness.

I've read reviews that said this book was "unrealistic", "doesn't talk about real life", "Can life really change THAT fast?"

Um. That blows my mind. I work with a lot of kids one step away from homelessness. I remember picking up kids from a this terrible motel to take them to church, and seeing a young woman trying to squeeze all her belongings into her trunk. That was all she had left. Her stuff and her car.

I could tell you story after story. But let me get back to the book.

The short summary above really wraps the whole book up. I thought it was written very well, it drew me in from page one. It's my favorite book by Carlson yet. Lots of people said the ending was too abrupt, and I sorta agree. I just didn't want the book to end.

Basically, this is a book you either love or don't like at all. It pinpoints Jesus as our only Savior, and that just rubs some people the wrong way. But for the ones who loved it, it opened their eyes and changed their hearts.


Melody Carlson has published over ninety books for adults, children, and teens, with sales totaling more than two million and many titles appearing on the ECPA Bestsellers List. Several of her books have been finalists for, and winners of, various writing awards, including the Gold Medallion and the RITA Award.

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DragonQuest by Donita K. Paul

A New Quest Begins...

A dragonkeeper of Paladin, Kale is summoned from the Hall to The Bogs by the Wizard Fenworth to serve as his apprentice and tend his newly hatched meech dragon, Regidor. But Kale isn’t going alone. The Hall is sending a student to monitor her performance and report back to the scholars. Worst of all, it’s Bardon–an older boy Kale finds irritating, but who at least can hold his own in a sword fight.

Meanwhile, the Wizard Risto has seized another meech dragon, bringing him dangerously close to gaining the power he seeks. So with only a motley band of companions, Kale sets out on a desperate quest to rescue the second meech, to free those dragons already enslaved, and to thwart Risto’s devious plans. It’s up to Kale to lead the search and to embrace the role that’s rightfully hers. But will her efforts be enough to save the land of Amara from the dark future that awaits at Risto’s hands?

I liked DragonQuest, book two in the DragonKeeper Chronicles, even better than DragonSpell. For one, the cover is awesome. Makes me think of Hallmark's Dinotopia. Great movie. Four hours long, but still a great movie.

Second, the story threw all the characters from the first book into a whole new adventure. Bardon was an especially interesting character. You'll have to read the book to find out why though...

Third, more dragons! Paul did a wonderful job creating a world where dragons and people (er, not exactly people) coexist. It seems so natural throughout the whole story.

All in all, this book surpassed the first one with flying colors. I can't wait to get my hands on DragonKnight, the third book in Paul's DragonKeeper Chronicles. Now where did I put my library card...

Donita Kathleen Paul is a best-selling contemporary Christian fiction novelist. Best known for her fantasy DragonKeeper Chronicles series, she won a finalist medal in the Christy Awards for the first installment of the DragonKeeper Chronicles, DragonSpell. She has also written romances and juvenile novels under the name Kathleen Paul. Born in Lawrence, Kansas, Paul now lives in eastern Colorado.

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Heartless by Anne Elisabeth Stengl

Check out that cover! Gorgeous! (My sister thinks its creepy. She's not at all into fantasy.)

Princess Una of Parumvir has come of age and will soon be married. She dreams of a handsome and charming prince, but when the first suitor arrives, she finds him stodgy and boring. Prince Aethelbald from the mysterious land of Farthestshore has traveled far to prove his love--and also to bring hushed warnings of danger. A dragon is rumored to be approaching Parumvir. Una, smitten instead with a more dashing prince, refuses Aethelbald's offer--and ignores his warnings. Soon the Dragon King himself is in Parumvir, and Una, in giving her heart away unwisely, finds herself in grave danger. Only those courageous enough to risk everything have a hope of fighting off this advancing evil.

I picked up this book expecting it to be good, but not great. Like eating a bland dinner without all the tasty seasonings and spices.

Boy, was I wrong.

Heartless, book one in Tales of Goldstone Wood, started out like a fairytale with two children playing by the woods, and then jumps ahead a couple years. I was enraptured throughout the whole story, poking my head out of the book everyonce and a while to gaze about the bookstore wondering how much time had passed, just to dive right back in.

To me, a good book is one where I have NO idea what is going to happen next. I hate it when books are so predicatable.

To my delight, I had no idea what was going to happen next. And I happily kept reading until I found out.

It is an allegory, and I've read a couple reviews where people thought it came on too strong at the end. I strongly disagree with that, but it really is a matter of opinion to the reader.

Anne Elisabeth Stengl makes her home in Raleigh, NC, where she lives with her husband, Rohan, and a passel of cats. When she’s not writing, she enjoys Shakespeare, opera, and tea, studies piano, painting, and fencing, and generally leads a busy life! She studied Illustration at Grace College and English Literature at Campbell University. Heartless is her debut novel.

She is happy to take reader questions at her email address: aestengl@gmail.com. Of the two planned sequels, Book 2, Veiled Rose, is scheduled to hit the shelves in summer 2011.

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DragonSpell by Donita K. Paul

Once a slave, Kale is given the unexpected opportunity to become a servant to Paladin. Yet this young girl has much to learn about the difference between slavery and service.

A small band of Paladin's servants rescue Kale from danger but turn her from her destination: The Hall, where she was to be trained. Feeling afraid and unprepared, Kale embarks on a perilous quest to find the meech dragon egg stolen by the foul wizard Risto. First, she and her comrades must find Wizard Fenworth. But their journey is threatened when a key member of the party is captured, leaving the remaining companions to find Fenworth, attempt an impossible rescue, and recover the egg whose true value they have not begun to suspect...

Okay! Quick question! Did anyone notice the shadow on the egg? Ha, now you're looking at it again, aren't you? That is so cool! I think it totally makes the book cover.

One prob though. That scene you just checked out, of the girl creeping up on a dragon? Not in the book.

The pretty cover turned out to be a fake, but did the rest of the book turn out that way?

*duh-duh-duh-da-duh-duh-duh-da-da-da-da-DA!-da-da-da* (Um, hello, Jepordy theme song going on.)

The answer is: No!

Dragonspell, the first book in Paul's DragonKeeper Chronicles, was an adventrous book filled with quirky characters like the Wizard Fenworth. It had me giggling and flipping pages rapidly as the story progressed. I'm not a big fan of drgaon books, but this one had me spellbound. Er, Dragonspell-bound.




Donita K. Paul retired early from teaching school, but soon got bored! The result: a determination to start a new career. Now she is an award-winning novelist writing Christian Romance and Fantasy. She says, “I feel blessed to be doing what I like best.”

She mentors all ages, teaching teenagers and weekly adult writing workshops.

“God must have imprinted 'teacher' on me clear down to the bone. I taught in public school, then home schooled my children, and worked in private schools. Now my writing week isn’t very productive unless I include some time with kids.”

Her two grown children make her proud, and her two grandsons make her laugh.

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