Dollars & Uncommon Sense By Steve Repak, CFP

I received this book as a new release and was very impressed with the way the author Steve Repak lays out the guidelines for getting your finances in order. most of us live from paycheck to paycheck and have any where from 2 to 5 credit cards that we are trying to juggle. the author shows you how to pay off your credit in less time and save in interest. although i have just started to put it into practice so far it is relatively easy. at the end of the book he talks about investments and i found that very hard to understand and grasp but i guess if i keep on track that will be the next chapter of my life. well written and easy to read.

The Crossing By Serita Jakes

A school bus, loaded with high school kids heading home after an evening game, anxious to get something to eat and call it a day..

BJ Remington cheer leading coach shot by an unknown masked assailant when the bus stops at a railroad crossing in a small town in Texas.

The secret she carries with her has determined the awful fate of that night that never seems to end for Claudia a student and a close friend of hers and Casio a football player and proposed hero in the middle of the chaos.

Throughout the story BJ talks to us as she lay there dying covered in blood trying to connect with the loved ones by her side. Trying to make amends. Trying to grasp at what is important now that only seconds remain. Wishing, wondering if things could have been different if only she’d had made a different choice.

As a result of that fateful night, Claudia and Casio struggle throughout there lives. Claudia with her marriage to a district attorney Vic and Casio with his girlfriend Harper and his father an ex-cop who dropped the investigation ten years earlier. Vic and Casio hook up together to try to solve the murder of BJ and to bring in the killer in order to put an end to the nightmare for Claudia and Casio.
Opening up the case that had been closed for over ten years turns out to be more than they bargain for. Secrets unfold, skeletons are uncovered and those who you would least expect become suspect to a horrendous crime.
All the characters in the book are intertwined to a point that proves that each decision we make however small can have a massive effect on more people than we think. What an excellent example of how complicated our lives can become when we choose to live for ourselves and neglect to care about the feelings of our neighbors.

The Harvest of Grace By Cindy Woodsmall

This adventure is about several young Amish people who eventually become entwined in each others lives.

There is Sylvia, who is the eldest daughter of a dairy farmer, whose love for dairy farming outweighs the desire to be married. When her beau asks her, she wants to postpone their big day wanting more time to be able to discover who she is. Taking her answer as  a "no", her beau secretly plans to marry Sylvia's sister. Heart broken and unable to leave the farm she tries to endure her feelings of rejection and betrayal. When one day she is caught off guard with her now brother in law, he kisses her and she returns the kiss. Feeling shame and guilt Sylvia leaves and begins working for a couple on the Blank's dairy farm where she meets their son, Aaron which leads her down a whole new road to adventure.

There is Cara, who has a young daughter named Lori whose father died when she was little. Cara left New York because of the fear of someone stalking her. and traveled to Dry Lake because of some memories from her childhood. After seeking refuge in Ephriam's barn she is taken in and falls in love with him. When Cara finally gets comfortable in her surroundings she is given a challenge she feels is far beyond her power alone to conquer.
Then there is Lena. She is recovering from an accident and has a bluish purple birth mark on her face. She falls in love with Grey who was married to the Blank's daughter. Grey is now a widower and is made to wait the required time of mourning until he can court Lena. Grey also has a secret that he carries with him that he feels could destroy their relationship if Lena only knew.
Will these young couples be able to work through the challenges that God has allowed in their lives or will they give up and play it safe? Find out how each of these couples face their challenges both separately and together.

Prophecy By Deborah A. Jaeger

The Prophecy by Deborah A. Jaeger was given to me through the early reviewers giveaway. Before i even opened it i thought it was a book on biblical prophecy. Although that is a fascinating subject imagine my surprise to find a tale of two young adults given a task to perform that was greater than anything you or i could imagine someone going through today. The author did an excellent job of both drawing me in with the suspense of what was next and the imagination of what the next move was going to be. although it was a re-tell of one of the greatest story's on earth she made it believable as to what it might be like to have the virgin birth happen today instead of long ago. I do believe it ended abruptly but this also leaves it open for the author to write a sequel(s) of how the world would react to a holy child today. Just an idea Deborah? Anyway i loved the book and would even read it again. great work.!

Too Rich To Be A Bride - By Mona Hodgson is a story about two characters who's lives are full of dreams and responsibilities yet who are both very much alone. The first, a lovely independent woman named Ida. Sinclair from Maine determined to follow her dream of being a business owner. While taking business classes in the hopes of some day running a business of her own. Ida. thinks she has met her equal in her professor only to find that his intentions are not what she imagined. She is offered a position with him only to find that he values her as a mistress not a business partner proving to her she may have a much tougher time of being a women in a man’s world of business than she thought. Disappointed by his advances she decides to venture out west to Cripple Creek Colorado where two of her sisters live with their husbands landing her an interview with the most successful  business woman in Colorado.

The second character is a handsome young traveling preacher named Tucker Raines who leaves his calling to go to Colorado to take care of his ailing father and run the family ice business while he settles his father’s affairs. Through struggling with trials of his own and seeking to do the will of the Lord, Tucker finds that God has a much different plan for his life than the one he would have chosen. Ida has her sights set on high society while Tucker knows Ida is way out of his grasp for any future together yet they seem to keep crossing each others paths in the most awkward circumstances. It seems that fate and Hattie, the owner of the boarding house where Ida. is staying seem to have more hope of what the future holds for Ida. and Tucker then do they. Read more to find out how a tall and handsome stranger comes into Ida's life almost causing her to lose all she holds dear and how that encounter shows her just how perfectly matched to Tucker she is.

Secrets To Parenting Your Adult Child - By Nancy Williams

i received this book as an early reviewer from author Nancy Williams. one of the first things that struck me is the statement, "successful parenting  means you have helped your children become the persons God wants them to be". to me this is the utmost goal of a Christian parent. yes it is nice if your child is handsome or rich or owns their own business but what good is all that if they have no relationship with the God who created them? in order to accomplish this goal there must be some key ingredients such as communication, trust, honesty, openness and prayer. prayer is perhaps more important than any of the others. the author starts right at the beginning with talking about what to expect from being a parent. she talks to her readers in a coaching mentoring style which makes it really easy to take in the information she feeds you even when it is a tough subject or something you don't agree with. she covers all stages and situations that a parent with an adult child might find themselves in including a section of parents of handicap and military children. there is a section also on grandparenting and how to become more involved in the lives of your grandchildren. there are Biblical verses throughout the book that are a real help in that they are something to hold on to. in my opinion this is an easy book to read full of wisdom and advice. definitely a must have for your library or anyone getting to go through the "empty nest" syndrome.

The Iron Wagon - By Al & Joanna Lacy

This book is the third in the "Return of the Stranger" series which continues in the lives of the family of John Brockman, a U.S Marshall, who has a reputation as a sharp shooter. In the beginning, Beanna (his wife) has had a serious accident and is having to relearn how to walk. The story especially revolves around Paul who follows in his father's footsteps and proves that he can measure up to his father who is a well-known legend, by showing wisdom beyond his years and an abundance of courage. Although Paul loves his job, he finds an emptiness inside his heart. Paul asks God to send him a woman in which to share his life and while on a mission, (where he comes into possession of the title namesake's, Iron Wagon), in which he transports five evil outlaws to Yuma prison. he meets up with a beautiful woman named Lisa Martin whom he rescues. She accompanies Paul on the trip to Yuma falling deeply in love with him. When they return to Denver, Paul's hometown, they announce their engagement and plan a double wedding with Paul's sister and fiance'. I am sure if you read this book in context, it would be even more powerful, but it can stand alone as well. The gospel story is told in several way on several occasions in this book and is very clear and concise.