December 2010

We Wish You a Merry Christmas...and a Happy New Year!

Merry Christmas to you from all of us at FaithfulReader.com! We hope you're preparing for a restful, reflective Christmas filled with time to make memories with family and good friends. Another year has zoomed by!

My family is in the home stretch of school and work. Greg has one more final, Cory has one more day, and Tom has one more project before we make our annual trek to the Outer Banks of North Carolina. Although preparing, packing and getting there takes a lot of organization, arriving at the house is always a highlight of the year. I am getting down two days in advance this year to make some Christmas magic happen before they arrive. It's just the four of us this Christmas; we celebrated with both of our families last weekend. Over the years we've made so many friends at our "home away from home" that we will have plenty of people to celebrate with. Each year the local church in Corolla conducts a beautiful candlelight service that brings everyone together and truly sets the Christmas mood. I hope there's a similar special ceremony or tradition in your town that you're all able to participate in as well.

We have three special holiday and year-end features to share with you. Our annual Christmas Roundup is filled with books for you to consider adding to your holiday reading list, and don't miss our What to Give, What to Get Gift Guide with some "reader perfect" suggestions for Christmas. And be sure to take a look at all the author interviews that appeared on the site throughout 2010.

Among the titles we're currently spotlighting is SARAH'S CHOICE, the third book in Wanda E. Brunstetter's Brides of Lehigh Canal series. In this historical romance, a widow is torn between her love for the town's blacksmith and a mysterious boater docking at the canal. SIMPLE DECEIT, the second book in Nancy Mehl's Harmony series, follows a Mennonite community's battle against greedy land developers. We also have a review of bestselling author Jan Karon's IN THE COMPANY OF OTHERS, her second Father Tim novel. For more reviews, check out our Faithful Fiction, Christian Living, and Marriage and Family Life sections below.

Many thanks for all your support throughout another fun, successful year at FaithfulReader.com. We hope you and your family enjoy a wonderful Christmas and a bright and peaceful New Year!

Carol Fitzgerald ([email protected])

 

IN THE COMPANY OF OTHERS: A Father Tim Novel by Jan Karon (Fiction)
Retired Episcopalian clergyman Father Tim Kavanaugh and his wife Cynthia are visiting Ireland for what is intended to be a restful vacation at a quaint fishing lodge. Unfortunately, Cynthia injures her ankle when a stranger jumps out of an armoire and startles her, and a treasured family painting is stolen. All the while, the inn's owners and assorted family members have plenty of deep, dark secrets. Reviewed by Carole Turner.
 

Now in Stores: SARAH'S CHOICE by Wanda E. Brunstetter

SARAH’S CHOICE: Brides of Lehigh Canal, Book 3 by Wanda E. Brunstetter (Historical Romance)
Slip into romance in this eagerly anticipated book three of bestselling author Wanda E. Brunstetter’s Brides of Lehigh Canal series. Widowed Sarah Turner has her hands full, raising three young children, tending the lock on the canal, baking bread, and washing clothes for boatmen. Although she’s not looking for love, she’s vowed not to lose her heart to a boatman. Yet she didn’t count on meeting Captain Elias Brooks. Will she follow her heart where it leads or accept the proposal of a handsome land-loving blacksmith?

-Click here to read an excerpt from SARAH'S CHOICE.
-Click here to read Wanda E. Brunstetter's bio.
 

SIMPLE DECEIT: A Mennonite Community's Way of Life Is Threatened by Outsiders: The Harmony Series, Book 2 by Nancy Mehl (Mystery/Romance)
In the sequel to SIMPLE SECRETS, watch how a raging current of deceit runs through the once peaceful Mennonite community of Harmony, Kansas. As soon as Gracie decides to stay in town and take freelance work involving a local land developer, the townspeople blame her for bringing on this change that could ruin life as they know it. Gracie’s motives in romance with Sam, in helping an oppressed teenager, and in trying to make a living are all suddenly drawing suspicion. Should she leave or stay and fight for what she has come to love?

-Click here to read an excerpt from SIMPLE DECEIT.
-Click here to read Nancy Mehl’s bio.
 

As 2010 comes to a close, we invite you to take a look at the author interviews that were featured throughout the year on FaithfulReader.com. This is a great way to catch up on the discussions you may have missed --- and to re-read what some of your favorite authors had to say about their books.
 

In anticipation of Christmas, we at FaithfulReader.com have assembled a number of inspirational titles that are sure to remind you of “the reason for the season.” In this roundup, you’ll find heartwarming and original tales of both fiction and nonfiction. There are snow-day revelations, Yuletide mysteries and romances, daily devotionals for Advent preparation, and guides to holiday hymns. Whether you share these books with your loved ones or use them for your own spiritual nourishment, we hope they will warm your heart and renew your spirit as you get ready to celebrate the birth of our Savior.
 

On Bookreporter.com you'll find our What to Give, What to Get feature, a great resource for holiday gift giving and getting. Included is a category for Inspirational fiction and nonfiction titles perfect for the faithful reader in your life.

Our featured titles in this category are:

BLIND HOPE: An Unwanted Dog and the Woman She Rescued by Kim Meeder and Laurie Sacher
THE CHARLATAN'S BOY by Jonathan Rogers
DIVINE APPOINTMENTS by Charlene Ann Baumbich
HERE BURNS MY CANDLE by Liz Curtis Higgs
LADY IN WAITING by Susan Meissner
MERE CHURCHIANITY: Finding Your Way Back to Jesus-Shaped Spirituality by Michael Spencer
THE PIRATE QUEEN by Patricia Hickman
SISTERS OF THE QUILT: The Complete Trilogy by Cindy Woodsmall
TWO TICKETS TO THE CHRISTMAS BALL by Donita K. Paul
 

LOVE, CHARLESTON by Beth Webb Hart (Fiction)
St. Michael’s bell ringer Anne Brumley’s dreams of love are beginning to fade. Widower Roy Summerall --- a reverend with a red neck and a simple faith --- is suddenly called to the church. And Anne’s sister and cousin struggle with their marriages. Family, friendship and faith converge, as God's love transforms the city of Charleston. Reviewed by Michele Howe.

DINING WITH JOY: A Lowcountry Novel by Rachel Hauck (Romance)
Joy Ballard may be the first television cooking-show host who doesn’t know how to cook. When talented and handsome chef Luke Redmond becomes her co-host, sparks fly in and out of the kitchen. But Joy refuses to open her heart, afraid that her secret will scare Luke away. Will Joy risk getting burned in order to learn the recipe for love? Reviewed by Lynda Schab.

SNOW DAY by Billy Coffey (Fiction)
Peter is a simple man who lives by a simple truth: A person gains strength by leaning on his constants. And his are the factory where he works, the family he loves and the God who sustains him. But when news of job cuts comes against the backdrop of an unexpected snowstorm, his life suddenly has far more doubts than certainties. Reviewed by Susan Miura.

THE CAMERA NEVER LIES: Hometown Mysteries by Elizabeth Goddard (Mystery)
When Polly Perkins agrees to photograph her friend’s wedding, she doesn’t expect to stumble onto a murder. As she tries her hand at amateur sleuthing and puts together the pieces of the puzzle, one thing becomes clear: the camera never lies. Reviewed by Lynda Schab.
 

THE CONFIDENT WOMAN DEVOTIONAL: 365 Daily Inspirations by Joyce Meyer (Devotional)
Confidence may be something many women struggle with, but it doesn’t have to be. Bestselling author and Bible teacher Joyce Meyer offers 365 practical devotions on rising above the insecurities that weigh them down and help them to become the confident women God intends. Reviewed by Lynda Schab.

ALL THAT JESUS ASKS: How His Questions Can Teach and Transform Us by Stan Guthrie (Christian Living)
Looking at nearly 300 questions asked by Jesus in the New Testament, award-winning journalist Stan Guthrie uncovers who Jesus is by examining what was important to Him and what He wants us to believe. This unique and comprehensive look at Jesus can encourage faith and challenge the faithful. Reviewed by Evelyn Bence.

POWER TO REINVENT YOURSELF: How to Break the Destructive Patterns in Your Life by Jason Frenn (Christian Living)
Evangelist Jason Frenn details five steps to access Christ and break the destructive patterns that afflict generation after generation. In this book, readers experience the story of the author and his family, and how he was rescued from destruction. There is a power that can set you free --- and change your future. Reviewed by Michele Howe.
 

GOD LOVES SINGLE MOMS: Practical Help for Finding Confidence, Strength, and Hope by Teresa Whitehurst (Parenting)
Written by a psychologist who has successfully navigated single motherhood herself, this book helps single moms believe they deserve the best life has to offer. Packed with practical tips and smart strategies, it shows single moms that God loves them and wants to guide them every step of the way. While they may get weary, they need never feel alone. Reviewed by Michele Howe.

In our latest monthly contest, one reader will receive a copy of RADICAL: Taking Back Your Faith from the American Dream by David Platt, a stirring reexamination of the Gospel. The deadline for entries is Monday, January 24th at noon ET.

RADICAL: Taking Back Your Faith from the American Dream by David Platt (Christian Life/Spiritual Growth)
In RADICAL, David Platt invites you to encounter what Jesus actually said about being his disciple, and then obey what you have heard. He challenges you to consider with an open heart how we have manipulated a God-centered gospel to fit our human-centered preferences. With passionate storytelling and convicting biblical analysis, Platt calls into question a host of comfortable notions that are common among Christ’s followers today. Then he proposes a radical response: live the gospel in ways that are true, filled with promise, and ultimately world changing.