Grace by Shelly Shepard Gray

Brenneman Bed and Breakfast is family owned. Their family is finally going to be together again for the holidays. They are looking forward to some family time with no guests for the holidays when a reservation arrives late showing they have a guest arriving today!

Levi is trying to get away for the holidays looking forward to time away from family and prying eyes that know his past. He wants to blend in with the guests of the bed and breakfast where he can be alone.

As Levi's taxi arrives at the B&B another unexpected guest, Melody, arrives as well. Not only does she show with a past that she is running from, she passes out at their door pregnant!

The Brennamen family has to welcome and include two unexpected guests for their holiday season. While Levi and Melody had both planned to run away they are the only two guests and are brought in to join the Brennamen family traditions. They had no idea what they were in for.

This story is really cute. It's my 2nd holiday book to read, since I've never really read Christmas stories for the Christmas season. But this one actually made me enjoy the idea and I ordered more Christmas books to read! I think from now on I will dedicate my Decembers to a few holiday books each year! Enjoy!

Choosing to See by Mary Beth Chapman

I just finished this book last night...Was such a great book to read. Made me laugh and cry both at the same time. Very touching.

This is a story about Mary Beth Chapman and Steven Curtis Chapman. It's a story of how they met, the struggles of first being married, her as a mother, fighting depression, challenges of juggling life, how they came to adopt 3 beautiful girls from China and then loosing one of them when their son accidentally hit her with the car at their home. The fear for their son and how they have struggled to get through their loss.

Mary Beth is so very honest in this book. She is so encouraging, that even in the hard times, times of loss or struggles, even just being a mom that she still has hope or prays; "I believe, help my unbelief".

She adds songs in the book that go along with their life. Many of the songs we have all heard on the radio but have a different meaning as you read about their lives. From first being together, from raising kids, to his "Beauty Will Rise" CD, which is the struggles of loosing his daughter.

I highly recommend this book. I'm usually not a non-fiction type of reader but this book is worth the read!

Their First Neol by Annie Jones

This story is very cute. My local book club decided on this read for the month of November to get in the groove of Christmas!

This story was really cute. I always think of these types of books like a Hallmark movie! I could totally see all the parts and see it on the t.v. playing out.

Andy McFarland is working on restoring the local holiday inn that he now own in Mt. Piney, Vermont. He is getting close to his deal line to open for Christmas as a tribute to their annual Christmas tradition before a fire had destroyed part of the inn. One snowy night Corrie Bennington walks through their inn, before their scheduled opening day.

Corrie is in town to make a ginger bread for St. Pineys annual ginger break contest. But her motives for being there are not all about ginger breads, she is trying to find her father, a man that her mother has never spoken about. All Corrie has is his name and where her parents met; the Mt. Piney Inn.

Andy is all business, scheduled and a planner. Corrie is none of these. She walks into Andy's life and he discovers he will never be the same! Will Corrie find her? Will Andy be able to let Corrie into his life?

I recommend this read for Christmas time, it's a cute story and an easy read.

Like Dandelion Dust book vs. movie

After having read the book and then being so excited to see the movie I was surprised it is so different from the book.

In the book Molly's relationship with her sister is way more believable. They are very close which makes the idea for them to go on the trip to Haiti more believable rather than in the movie Molly and her sister have tension because of Molly's beliefs. In the book Molly and her husband, Jake are united all the way. In the movie they fight over each step they take with their son Joey. Jack is always easy going but in the movie he even yells at the social worker and friends to help them. Even Joeys visit with this biological parents is better than in the book, which makes you almost sway your hear to feel bad for them. In the book you can't stand the biological dad from the beginning. The differences are so obvious it's hard to get over them.

Because the story is hard, it is sad to watch, even with the differences. Had I not read the book I may have loved the movie. But because I read the book the movie wasn't all what I expected it to be. I am disappointed. But I'm sure it is still great for those that haven't read the book. And if you don't like to read I would recommend to do so!

Like Dandelion Dust

by: Karen Kingsbury

This book is an incredible book! Like Dandelion Dust is a very emotional and touching story.

A couple, Wendy and Rip Porter, had a child. Rip went to prison for domestic violence when Wendy found out she was pregnant. She hid her pregnancy from Rip and when the child was born she forged her husbands signature to put the child up for adoption. Now 4 years later Rip is getting out of prison and Wendy tells him about their son that she gave up. Rip wants him back. He's a changed man, found religion and has worked through his anger. Maybe he is a changed man and they can be the family Wendy always wanted to be.

Molly and Jack Campbell adopted their son, Joey 4 years ago. Now Molly's sister Beth and her family have moved to the same town, something they always dreamed of. They have a dog, Gus. Her husband has had great sucess in business, they are lacking nothing...or so they think. Along with Beth and her family has come her new found faith in God. Something that Molly and Jack are not in need of...until now.

When the social worker that had worked on their adoption case calls to tell them that the signature for the adoption papers were forged and now their adoption is nullified. The biological father never knew about their son and now the parents want their son back, Molly and Jacks world is shifted. What will they do to keep their son? Will they turn to God? This story is about two mothers and their love for their son. Who will pay the ultimate sacrifice?

I LOVED this story. The first half is building up to the second half of the book. Half way through the book I was bawling like a baby and at the end of the book I was as well. I think this story is a MUST read! I found out it is a movie as well, which is on the way from Netflix right now! I can't wait to watch it!

Courageous

by: Randy Alcorn

This book is great! One if my book clubs read this book and I had no idea it was a book, I had only heard of the movie. If the movie is as good as the book (which I have heard it's great) than I can't wait to watch it. I'm curious to see how much they are alike, cause it was almost like reading the movie, the pictures in the book reflect scenes in both the book and movie...I shall see!

Courageous is about 4 police officers; Adam, Nathan, David and Shane. There is another man, Javier, who joins their small group of friendship through a Divine Intervention. As police officers, they see so much crime in Georgia and all the gangs in their area. These men decide there is a need to stand up for the fatherless children and declare to be better husbands and fathers in their families. This book takes you through the trials (had me crying), their daily struggles, betrayals, their lives as policemen and also the victories in their lives.

This book is an easy read. It's almost like watching a Hallmark movie; as you read you watch their lives play out. Though parts are sad you still feel encouraged. And when you see their victories it challenges you personally! It's definitely a book to help lift people up, to help encourage and show us, the reader, how our lives, families and marriages could be if we let it.

I am excited to see the movie. I would highly recommend reading this book whether you've seen the movie or not! I will have to post how alike they are after I see the movie!

The Hunger Games

by: Suzanne Collins

I had heard so many high remarks about this book/series. People I know have read it and loved it so I thought I would give it a try. I waited awhile because there is a long waiting list at the library but I finally got it. When I was at the library I saw on their board that this book is also a controversial book. Parents tried to have the book banned because it is too violent for teens to read. Now that I have read it I definitely would not have my 13 year old read the book but High School age I would. Maybe 15+ (just thinking of my daughter). Especially since my take on the book seems to be different than others I know that have read it. Then I heard that my 12 year old niece is reading it for school, I was surprised, it is their mandatory reading this year! Not sure I would like that!

Hunger Games...this story is about an earth somewhat different than it is now. There are 13 colonies. Panem was the main colony that ran the earth but the other 12 tried to rise up again Panem and lost. Panem destroyed one of the colonies and now to make sure that the last 11 of the colonies will not rise up again against Panem they created the hunger games.

Once a year 2 children, one boy and one girl, ages 12-18 from each colony have their names placed into a drawing for the hunger games. 24 children in all are chosen and then pinned against each other in a man built coliseum to kill each other! Because it is still a version of earth as it is now, they televise the games on t.v. and bid on who the winner will be! It's a sporting even to those in Panem while the rest of the world is watching. Either thankful that that their child wasn't chosen or watching their child be killed, live!

They go through training and learning how to survive on their own. Each of them is shown off to the world to receive sponsors who can send them gifts through out the game as well. It's the Capitals way of showing the world that they can take their children and more if they wanted to!

I had a hard time with this book. I do like the writing, I did like the story up until the games began. I could have taken the story as gladiators fighting for their lives or a type of games where in the end you are out of the game but not killed. But the idea that children are pinned against each other to kill each other was hard for me to read.

For the most part there wasn't much description on their deaths or gore. But at the end of the book it was more gruesome. Now that I have read book one I do want to read the rest to find out what actually happens but I'm sorry to say that I would not actually recommend this book. Don't just take my word for it but I just had a hard time with it!