CFBA Blog Tour: My Name is Russell Fink

This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
My Name is Russell Fink
Zondervan (March 1, 2008)
by
Michael Snyder

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:


Michael Snyder has spent the bulk of his professional career in sales, has fallen in love, and continues to struggle with the balance between art and vocation. He's never investigated a murder, much less that of an allegedly clairvoyant dog.





ABOUT THE BOOK:

Russell Fink is twenty-six years old and determined to salvage a job he hates so he can finally move out of his parents house for good. He's convinced he gave his twin sister cancer when they were nine years old. And his crazy fiancée refuses to accept the fact that their engagement really is over.

Then Sonny, his allegedly clairvoyant basset hound, is found murdered.

The ensuing amateur investigation forces Russell to confront several things at once-the enormity of his family's dysfunction, the guy stalking his family, and his long-buried feelings for a most peculiar love interest.

At its heart, My Name is Russell Fink is a comedy, with sharp dialogue, characters steeped in authenticity, romance, suspense, and fresh humor. With a postmodern style similar to Nick Hornby and Douglas Coupland, the author explores reconciliation, forgiveness, and faith in the midst of tragedy. No amount of neurosis or dysfunction can derail God's redemptive purposes.

My Review:

Can I just say, “Thank you, Michael Snyder!” I have completely enjoyed reading this novel…it’s clever and had me grinning quite often. Seriously, this book may have just brought me out of the book blahs I’ve been in lately. It seems like the books I’ve read recently have been lack-luster and mediocre…not this one! I love the characters and the crazy story lines…again, all very clever. Russell is certainly a very likable character…

This book is definitely a keeper and is going on the shelves!

Fallen

This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
Fallen
(Kregel Publications February 29, 2008)
by
Matthew Raley


ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Matthew Raley is senior pastor of the Orland Evangelical Free Church in northern California, where he lives with his wife and two young children. For fun, he enjoys playing chamber music with friends, giving occasional solo recitals, and playing first violin in the North State Symphony. This is his first book.






ABOUT THE BOOK

Jim was at work when his eyes drifted to the coffee shop visible from his office window. An attractive woman driving a Mercedes pulled up to the curb . . . and Jim’s married pastor emerged from the car. When Jim delves deeper into his pastor’s world, will he be able to handle what he discovers? Is he right to suspect that Dave is having an affair? In the behind-the-scenes church battle that ensues, Jim is torn between duty to his church and a desire to show grace. A ripped-from-the-headlines drama of suspense that keeps you engaged to the last page.

Fallen is the story about Jim’s relationship with Dave—how Jim tries to do the right thing to keep Dave accountable, but finds the situation getting worse and worse. It’s also about Jim’s other relationships. Just as he discovers hypocrisy in Dave, Jim discovers his own sins against his wife and daughter.

MY REVIEW: This was a really thinker book for me...made me really think about sin and the confrontation of sin...both my own and of those around me. I found myself asking throughout the book, "How would I have handled that?" and I'll have to admit, I would have been a big chicken! I also thought it was wonderful that the author created a character who was able to uncover his own sins too. Upon completion of the book, I really felt an even stronger desire for Heaven...where there is no sin! lol! I'm making Pete read the book now so we can discuss it. I recommend you read it also!

The Illuminated

This week, theChristian Fiction Blog Alliance

is introducing

Illuminated(Thomas Nelson August 7, 2007)by

Matt Bronleewe

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Matt Bronleewe is a recognized producer, songwriter and author. The former member of the band Jars of Clay, has earned numerous awards producing and co-writing albums that have sold a combined total of over 20 million copies. His songs have recently been recorded by Disney pop sensations Aly & AJ, American Idol finalist Kimberley Locke, and more. Bronleewe has worked with Grammy Award-winning artists such as Michael W. Smith, International pop singer Natalie Imbruglia and Heroes star Hayden Panettiere.

Born in Dallas, Texas, Bronleewe was raised on a farm in Kansas, where he lived until he left for college in 1992. At Greenville College in Illinois, Bronleewe formed the band Jars of Clay with his dorm roommate and two neighbors, and the group soon found success. Though Bronleewe opted to leave Jars of Clay early on to pursue an academic career, he soon found himself in Nashville, co-writing, producing, and playing music professionally.

To add to his list of accomplishments, Bronleewe has expanded his love of story telling beyond music into authorship. He is currently penning a 5 book series for Thomas Nelson Fiction. Illuminated, in stores now, begins the adventurous series about rare manuscripts and the mysteries within.

Bronleewe currently resides in Brentwood, Tenn., with his wife and three children. He continues to write and produce music, and he also volunteers through his church to help disadvantaged youth in the community. Bronleewe enjoys reading, taste-testing good food and watching sports, as well as indulging his interests in art, architecture, design and science.

ABOUT THE BOOK:

IT'S BEEN 500 YEARS IN THE MAKING...PREPARE TO BE ILLUMINATED...
August Adams has failed his family before. He's sacrificed relationships in pursuit of adventure, fame, and money. Now the very lives of those he loves depend on his ability to decipher a centuries-old puzzle encrypted in the colorful hand-painted illuminations that adorn three rare Gutenberg Bibles.

It's a secret that could yield unimaginable wealth, undermine two major religions, and change the course of Western civilization. Two ruthless, ancient organizations are willing to do anything to get their hands on it. And August has the span of one transatlantic flight to figure it out.

If he fails, those he holds most dear will die. If he succeeds, he'll destroy a national treasure.

The clock ticks, the suspense mounts, and the body count rises as August pits his knowledge and his love for his family against the clock, secret societies, and even Johannes Gutenberg himself.

"...this rare breed of suspense thriller combines mysterious hidden clues, secret societies, buried treasure, double agents, and the Knights Templar...if you turned National Treasure into international treasure, traded DaVinci codes for Gutenberg Bibles, married it to Indiana Jones, and added the pacing of 24 you'd be in the neighborhood of Illuminated...on a scale of one to 10, this one goes to 11."
-Aspiring Retail Magazine

My Review:

Excellent book full of unexpected twists and turns. Just as I was thinking that the story would go one way...BAM!...there would be a completely surprising event that would leave me saying "Wow...what a great book!" I've read Dan Brown's Da Vinci Code and found it entertaining, however, here's a book just as thrilling with the same kind of "edge-of-your-seat" writing without all the heresy! Brilliant, brilliant, brilliant!! I give this book 4 flowers(I don't have flowers yet so you'll just have to imagine a line of four flowers! lol!!)...because nothing is perfected until it's in Heaven, ya know!

Safely Home Book Review

Are you able to read your Bible or worship freely? Do you have to hide your Bible? Can you sing praise songs without fear of losing your life? Well, Christians in China don't have the same privileges that a lot of us do and that is terrible.

Of course, those of you that know me know that I love Randy Alcorn's books. I think God has given Mr. Alcorn a great gift and I just am completely convicted when I read his books. Pete and I decided awhile back to include his book Heaven in our G.U.S. Boxes that we send out to families who are grieving the loss of a child. It's a wonderful book for anyone, not just those who have lost a loved one....but let's get back to Safely Home.

This book is about the persecution of Christian in China and really, I was stopped in my tracks several times. I have really taken for granted the fact that I can worship and read my bible freely without fear of being tortured or killed. I have taken for granted the fact that I can even get a bible....that I have several bibles in different translations on my shelf right now. That seems nuts when I think about how there are people in China who are thrilled to be able to copy a chapter or even a few verses from the bible. I am ashamed that I haven't appreciated more deeply my fortune.

Pete is reading this book right now, but when he is finished we are having Nik read it. I want Nik to realize how blessed we are to have the freedoms that we have and I want him to understand how God is completely in control even when it doesn't really look like it to us.

I borrowed this book from our church library, but I certainly want to add it to our home library. So those of you out there taking note of what I want for Christmas, this book is on my list now!

Remembered

This week, the

Christian Fiction Blog Alliance


is introducing

REMEMBERED
(Fountain Creek Chronicles, Book 3)


(Bethany House, 2007)


by


Tamera Alexander

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Tamera Alexander is a bestselling novelist whose deeply drawn characters, thought provoking plots, and poignant prose resonate with readers. Alexander’s books have won multiple awards, including Romance Writers of America’s 2007 RITA® for Best Inspirational Romance, the 2007 Gayle Wilson Award of Excellence, 2007 Bookseller’s Best, and Library Journal’s Top Christian Fiction of 2006.

Her books have received acclaim from Library Journal, True West Magazine and Historical Novels Review, and Rekindled debuted on the CBA fiction bestseller list. She has a professional background in business management and conference coordination. A leader of women's ministries for over twelve years, she is currently active in music ministry, facilitating small groups, and mentoring other women. A graduate of Harding University, Tamera lives with her husband and their two teenagers in Greeley, Colorado.

Her other two books in the Fountain Creek Chronicles are Rekindled (Book 1) and Revealed (Book 2)

To celebrate the release of Remembered, as well as the 3-volume boxed set of Fountain Creek Chronicles (Rekindled, Revealed, and Remembered), Tamera is currently giving away boxed sets in a contest on her website. Check out the contest at http://www.tameraalexander.com/ .

From a Distance, the first book in Tamera’s next historical series (Timber Ridge Reflections) releases in spring 2008.

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Though loss is often marked
in a single moment,
letting go of someone you love
can take a lifetime...

The threat of war--and a final request--send Véronique Girard from France to a distant and uninviting country. In the Colorado Territory, she searches for the man who has held her heart since childhood--her father. Pierre Girard left Paris for the Americas to seek his fortune in fur trading, vowing to send for his wife and daughter. But twenty-five years have passed and his vow remains unfulfilled. Sifting through shards of broken promises, Véronique embarks on a dangerous search for a man she scarcely remembers.

His grief finally healed, Jack Brennan is moving on with life. After years of guiding families west, he is now working as a freighter to the mining towns surrounding Willow Springs. What he doesn't count on is an unexpected traveling companion on his trips up into the mountains, and how one woman's search will cause havoc with his plans... and his life.

"Alexander again delivers a most amazing story. The characters are more than words on the page; they become real people. Though there are French words sprinkled throughout the story, they enhance the emotions rather than distract the reader." --Romantic Times

"...a rich historical romance by possibly the best new writer in this subgenre." --Library Journal

"Alexander has done it again with Remembered, third in the FOUNTAIN CREEK CHRONICLES. She's fashioned characters that are as rich and deep as the mountains and valleys they explore throughout the pages, coloring the story as adeptly as the heroine does her canvas. I was drawn immediately into the ages-old heartaches of both of the main characters, understanding at once Veronique's reticence to make a place for herself in the unknown wilds of America and Jack's uncompromising love for this land that he’s cut a swath through time and again. They both have a series of mountains to overcome in the search for Veronique’s father, but I enjoyed watching their faith and appreciation grow with each turn of the page. And woven adeptly through it all is the encompassing truth of the Lord's sovereignty—that sometimes He takes away, and sometimes He gives us what we need, not what we're looking for.

Anyone's who's read the other Fountain Creek books won't want to miss this one, but it easily stands alone. The characters will take you by the hand and lead you heart-first into their stories, and by the time they release you at the end, you'll feel as though you've taken up residence just across the Creek from them, as surely as they have in your heart." --Roseanna White, christianreviewofbooks.com

"Remembered, the third book in the FOUNTAIN CREEK CHRONICLES, takes us back to Willow Creek and revisits beloved characters from the previous two books in the series, Rekindled and Revealed. Tamera Alexander has the remarkable ability to create places, and characters who endear themselves to us, even those just briefly mentioned. If I had lived in the late 1800s, I would love to have met these people and would surely have been inspired by the way they lived out their faith.
Remembered is a delightful read, well-researched and well-written. I expect to see great things from this author in the future." --Lindsey Freitas, bookloons.com

"Remembered is an absolutely wonderful continuation of the FOUNTAIN CREEK CHRONICLES." --Amanda Schafer, armchairinterviews.com

My Review:
Oh, folks....this was just a really good read. Tamera Alexander's writing is so descriptive and just lovely, that I felt as if I were right there with the characters. I love books that do this. I will certainly be reading her other pieces...hopefully, I will win one of those boxed sets!!

Sushi for One

Ok, folks...I did it! I decided to venture out and read some "new-to-me" genres and let me tell you, I'm glad I did!

Sushi for One by Camy Tang is the very first Christian chick-lit book I've ever read. I'll be honest, I was expecting the book to be blah...ho-hum, but on the contrary, I found that I had a hard time putting it down. I started out wanting to make note of all the interesting or funny quotes from the book. I had good intentions, really...but I found that just in the first chapter alone, I had quite a few marked. To post all the lines from this book that made me laugh, think or shake my head would mean that I would be posting most of the book!

I certainly enjoyed this book and I am looking forward to Only Uni!

Here's a quick synopsis from the CFBA blog:

Lex Sakai’s family, big, nosy, and marriage-minded, is ruled by a crafty grandmother. When her cousin Mariko gets married, Lex will become the OLDEST SINGLE COUSIN in the clan, a loathed position by all single female family members.

Lex has not dated for years.

Grandma homes in on this fact and demands, bribes, and threatens Lex to bring a boyfriend (not just a date) to her cousin’s wedding.

Lex does not want to date ... not since that terrible incident a few years back ... but, Grandma doesn't give her that choice.

Lex's options are slim because she has used her Bible study class on Ephesians to compile a huge list of traits for the PERFECT man (and the more she dates, the more she adds to the list).

The one man she keeps running into (and is completely attracted to) doesn’t seem to have a single quality on her list. It’s only when the always-in-control Lex loses control and lets God take over that all the pieces of this hilarious romance finally fall into place.

Camy Tang is a member of CFBA and is a loud Asian chick who writes loud Asian chick-lit. She grew up in Hawaii, but now lives in San Jose, California, with her engineer husband and rambunctious poi-dog. In a previous life she was a biologist researcher, but these days she is surgically attached to her computer, writing full-time. In her spare time, she is a staff worker for her church youth group, and she leads one of the worship teams for Sunday service.

Sushi for One? (Sushi Series, Book One is her first novel. Her second, Only Uni (Sushi Series, Book Two) comes out in February 2008!



Have you been to Camy's blog yet?? She has the best reviews and is always giving books away! In fact, she has a ginormous contest going on right now for her Yahoo group subscribers...you'll need to check this one out folks!

I would love to send my copy of Sushi for One out into the world so I'm going to be hosting a week long contest over at the *New* Up the Hill Gang! I am going to glue a library envelope in the back of the book where you write your name, e-mail address and a quick review of the book. It's kind of like a controlled BookCrossing thing! lol!! Maybe I'll do a "Where's Sushi for One now?" in my sidebar....ahhh, the wheels are moving folks! lol!