June 2008

A New Season, A New Chapter

After a cool spring, summer in the Northeast began ahead of schedule earlier this month with a heat wave. With high humidity and near-100 degree temperatures, we jump started summer. Now that temps have returned to a more seasonal 80 degree range (I say this is California weather), I am enjoying spending time reading outside, which is one of the reasons I love this time of year.

For many of you, these days also signal the end of the school year. Since my two sons FINALLY are out of school, I look forward to spending time with them sans alarms and homework. It's always more pleasant when the to-do lists are not lurking.

My older son Greg graduated from high school last night, and that makes this summer break different from previous ones. I want to spend as much time with him as possible before he sets off for college at Fordham University at the campus here in New York City. I confess that I am comforted to know that he will still be close by, even if he is no longer living at home. He also is pulling together a plan to get the laundry home for the housekeeper to handle, which amuses me. As he sets off to begin a new chapter in his life, I look back at all of his accomplishments with great pride and know that there are many more wonderful things still ahead of him.

My younger son is a "book a day" kind of reader, so I have spent most of this week trying to "feed his habit." I love it when I overhear him talking to his friends about books...it's interesting to hear his promotion lines for them!

This month we have a terrific list of titles to start your summer reading off right. We are holding a special contest for SHE ALWAYS WORE RED, the second installment in Angela Hunt’s Fairlawn series. Read on to find out more about the book and contest details. We're also awarding Hunt's latest novel to the winner of our Word of Mouth contest, along with DEEP IN THE HEART OF TROUBLE by Deeanne Gist, a historical romance about unexpected love.

This month we are bringing you an interview with Rene Gutteridge, whose new book, SKID, is a quirky story that takes place on a flight from Atlanta to Amsterdam. Read on to learn more about the book and the author.

Other featured titles include WASHINGTON’S LADY by Nancy Moser, a story told from the perspective of Martha Custis, the woman who would later marry George Washington; FROM A DISTANCE by Tamera Alexander, a historical romance set in 19th-century Colorado; and TEACHING YOUR CHILDREN HEALTHY SEXUALITY by Jim Burns, a useful tool for parents seeking advice on how to address the topic of sexuality with their children.

Among the reviews this month in our Faithful Fiction, Christian Living and Marriage and Family Life sections are DEEPER WATER by Robert Whitlow, FATHER & SON by Walter Wangerin Jr. and Matthew Wangerin, and RAISING UNSELFISH CHILDREN IN A SELF-ABSORBED WORLD by Jill Rigby.

With fiction in mind we remind you that the winners of the 9th annual Christy Awards will be announced on July 12th, and the next night the 2008 Christian Book Award winners will be revealed. Check back with us next month for the results.

Tell us about your home book collection by responding to our poll. We also encourage you to answer our question, which asks what books in your personal library reflect you.

Here’s to a great summer. Congratulations and best wishes to all of the graduates out there. May the warm days ahead allow for more time with family, friends and good reading.

Carol Fitzgerald ([email protected])

 

FaithfulReader.com Talks to Rene Gutteridge, Author of SKID

Click here to read our interview with Rene Gutteridge.

Special Contest and Feature: Win a Copy of SHE ALWAYS WORE RED by Angela Hunt

We are celebrating the release of SHE ALWAYS WORE RED, the second installment in Angela Hunt’s Fairlawn series, with a special contest. Ten readers will have the opportunity to each win one finished copy of SHE ALWAYS WORE RED, which is now available in stores.

SHE ALWAYS WORE RED: Fairlawn Series #2 by Angela Hunt (Fiction)
Jennifer Graham --- mother, student and embalmer's apprentice --- could use a friend. She finds one in McLane Larson, a newcomer to Mt. Dora, and is delighted to learn that the young woman is expecting a baby. While McLane's soldier-husband serves overseas, Jen promises to support McLane and then learns that her tie to this woman goes far deeper than friendship. When a difference of opinion threatens their relationship, Jennifer discovers weaknesses in her own character...and a faith far stronger than she had imagined.

-Click here to see the study guide for SHE ALWAYS WORE RED.
-Click here to read more about SHE ALWAYS WORE RED.
-Click here to read an excerpt from SHE ALWAYS WORE RED.
-Click here to read Angela Hunt’s bio.
 

Click here to read all the contest details.

Now in Stores: WASHINGTON'S LADY by Nancy Moser

Click here to read a review of WASHINGTON'S LADY.

Now in Stores: DEEP IN THE HEART OF TROUBLE by Deeanne Gist

Now in Stores: FROM A DISTANCE by Tamera Alexander

FROM A DISTANCE: Timber Ridge Reflections, Book 1 by Tamera Alexander (Historical Romance)
Determined to become one of the country's premier newspaper photographers, Elizabeth Westbrook travels to the Colorado Territory to capture the grandeur of the mountains surrounding the remote town of Timber Ridge.

Daniel Ranslett, a former Confederate sharpshooter, is a man shackled by his past, and he'll do anything to protect his land and his solitude. When an outspoken Yankee photographer captures an image that appears key to solving a murder, putting herself in danger, Daniel is called upon to repay a debt.

-Click here to read an excerpt from FROM A DISTANCE.
 

Now in Stores: TEACHING YOUR CHILDREN HEALTHY SEXUALITY by Jim Burns

TEACHING YOUR CHILDREN HEALTHY SEXUALITY: A Biblical Approach to Preparing Them for Life by Jim Burns (Parenting)
Thanks to the Internet, graphic images in the media and their "know-it-all" friends, kids today grow up earlier than ever. They have questions, and as a parent, your responsibility is to clear up the mixed messages and lead them to a healthy, value-centered view of sexuality. Sure, conversations with your kids about these topics can be uncomfortable --- but they don't have to be. Jim Burns gives expert advice on how and when to talk with your children, and he provides answers to the most difficult questions your kids and teens might ask.
 

Christian Fiction Reviews on Teenreads.com

Faithful Fiction Reviews

DEEPER WATER: Tides of Truth Series, Book 1 by Robert Whitlow (Fiction)
In the murky waters of Savannah's shoreline, a young law student is under fire as she tries her first case at a prominent and established law firm. A complex mix of betrayal and deception quickly weaves its way through the case and her life, as she uncovers dark and confusing secrets about the man she's defending --- and the senior partners of the firm. Reviewed by Susan Miura.

THE MOON IN THE MANGO TREE by Pamela Binnings Ewen (Fiction)
Family history and fiction mingle together in former lawyer Pamela Binnings Ewen's THE MOON IN THE MANGO TREE. Ewen sets her second novel in Siam during the Roaring Twenties and bases the protagonist on her grandmother, a suffragette and an aspiring opera singer who gives up everything to follow her new husband to the medical mission field. Reviewed by Cindy Crosby.

PERFECT by Harry Kraus, MD (Mystery/Suspense)
The talented Harry Kraus crafts this absorbing, suspense-filled story of Wendi Stratford, a surgeon's wife who has the perfect life and everything money can buy --- but finds it is not enough. Her husband is frustrated by her lack of attention and vulnerable to sexual temptations that lurk right around the corner. Will their marriage be able to stand up to the mayhem about to be unleashed? Reviewed by Cindy Crosby.

ANATHEMA by Colleen Coble (Romantic Suspense)
After years of running, Hannah Schwartz has finally built a life for herself --- far from the insecure husband who bullied and abused her, and far from the close-knit Amish community who raised her, then shunned her. Only love can bring her home again. But can love heal old wounds…or keep the community safe from a deadly danger? Reviewed by Susan Miura.

THE ALMOST TRUE STORY OF RYAN FISHER by Rob Stennett (Fiction)
Rob Stennett, an award-winning screenwriter and a playwright, knows how to craft a good scene, and the pacing of his debut novel never falters as the story pushes to its inevitable conclusion. This sparkling addition to Christian fiction will provide plenty of thoughtful introspection about churches, worship services and pastors today, even while it succeeds as pure entertainment. Reviewed by Cindy Crosby.
 

Christian Living Reviews

Marriage and Family Life Review

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