One of my new favorite authors--and why you should read The Solitary Tales!

So, I read a lot. I had quite a few dry years as far as books were concerned...having 3 babies in 2 years and working full-time plus being a church youth director will do that to a person. But, one of the joys of working the night shift in a 19-bed hospital in the middle of Nowhere, Texas, is that you have time to read...a lot. This past year, thanks to this job and my kindle, I have been reading. A lot. One of my favorite things to do is to check out the free kindle books on Amazon and read them. (Free is my favorite). I have discovered a few authors I had never heard of before this way, and have some new favorites. I hadn't had my kindle long when I downloaded this book called Solitary, mostly because it had a cool cover and sounded like something I would like since it was about a teenager, and I am a youth-ministry sorta person. It was also put out by a Christian publisher, so I was good with that too. I read it in one night and had a hard time putting it down. When I realized it was part 1 of a series, I was so excited to see book 2, Gravestone was already out, so of course, I immediately downloaded it and read it the next night. You could say I was hooked. The Solitary Tales books are narrated by the main character, Chris Buckley, a teenager who is new to the town of Solitary, NC. He and his mother come to live there from Chicago, on the heels of his parents' divorce. What unfolds in this crazy and sinister town with an even scarier cast of characters leaves you laughing, crying, confused, captivated, and curious. (wow, that was almost an alliteration!) There are more twists and turns and unsolved mysteries than can be described here, but suffice it to say, there is an obvious battle going on between good and evil, and Chris finds himself right in the middle of it. There is romance, there is brokenness, there is humor, and there is hope. Book 3, Temptation, is set for release in April, but because I have a librarian friend who I guess has some sort of connections, I was able to get an advance copy and read it in its entirety last night. Wow. What a ridiculously, stinkin' amazing continuation to this series. I don't want to spoil anything, but let me say, it did not dissapoint. We continue to follow Chris through summer school in Solitary and the beginning of his Senior Year in high school, and some of the mysteries begin to unravel...and I stress "begin"--there is still much of the story to be told, I suspect, in book 4, and I hope, many questions which will still be answered. Temptation answers just enough questions to satiate the curiosity of the building questions, but leaves plenty yet unresolved and even brings up new questions. Book 4, Hurt is due out in January of 2013 (aaahhhh!!!! That would be an exasperated scream because that sure does seem like an awful long time to wait to hear the rest of the story!) I will write a legit-review on Temptation when it becomes available on Amazon, but for right now, this is my recommendation to read Solitary, Gravestone and Temptation! Of course, since I had many months to wait between Gravestone and Temptation, I set about to read more of Travis Thrasher's books, because well...they are just so good! I have now read everything of his that is available on the kindle and looking forward to what is next. I love his stories, because they are not predictable, and no two of them is alike...not even close! He is a believer, and thus writes from the vantage point of a believer, yet does it without being preachy, in-your-face, or cheesy. Cheesy seems to be pretty dominant in Christian entertainment, and that just drives me nuts. Travis Thrasher's stories are refreshing, because they are pretty much cheese-free. There are some crazy-funny parts in just about all of his books too, which is a big deal, because humor is a part of real life. The Solitary books, as serious, scary and suspensful as they are are laced throughout with some really, really funny stuff. It is also not lost on me that, like me, Mr. Thrasher is a child of the 80s with young kids, specifically twins. I think I just "get" some of what he writes because I identify with so much of it. So, for now, that is my recommendation, if you are looking for some good reads by a consistently engaging author. I have a couple of more I have discovered that I will share about in the weeks to come, but Travis Thrasher is my new favorite. You will not be dissapointed if you read his books, and the stories will stick with you--especially the Tales from Solitary!!
http://www.amazon.com/Temptation-Novel-Solitary-Travis-Thrasher/dp/1434764176/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1329875531&sr=8-8

Book Review: Shadows on the Sand

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005707OHU/ref=cm_cr_mts_prod_img

Shadows on the Sand by Gayle Roper was an entertaining read, even if at times it became a little predictable, even bordering on a little cheesy sometimes. That being said, once I began, I couldn't put it down as I really was drawn into the story and the characters. Carrie, the main character and her sister Lindsay are well-known around the town of Seaside for the dining establishment owned by Carrie, called Carrie's Cafe. The story is told of how Carrie and Lindsey escaped a very dysfunctional and abusive childhood home at a very young age to begin life in the community of Seaside, and goes on to tell the story of a whole cast of memorable characters who are a part of the town. Greg, who frequents the cafe is Carrie's love interest...and it makes for an interesting story to see their relationship develop as they both work through the emotional baggage of their past. Also woven into the story is the connection of some of the characters to a dangerous cult. The twists and turns that unfold really do keep you reading.I enjoyed the book, even though at times I found myself shaking my head when I saw something coming. It was a fun read that kept me engaged, and I would recommend it.I received this book free from the publisher Waterbrook Multnomah to read and review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 55

Book Review: Essentials of the Heart; by Susan Weagant

Essentials of the Heart is a great and practical little book that truly does get to the "heart" of the matter. It is an easy read, yet full of powerful nuggets of truth from God's Word. All of this is interwoven beautifully with Susan's own personal testimony of the Lord's redemption. I read this book in a short time and was captured by Susan's unfolding story and also had many "aha" moments which really hit home. Perhaps my favorite thing about Essentials of the Heart is its practicality. It is not simply a run-down of theological ideas (although there are plenty of them), but rather a practical guide of how to live these ideas out in daily life. I recommend this book without reserve to anyone wanting a time of refreshment and renewal from the Lord, His Word, and the testimony of one of His faithful.

I had the pleasure of working with Susan during the summer of 1994 when I served as a counselor for summer camp at Camp Peniel in my hometown of Marble Falls. She is a sweet lady and now I also know, a terrific writer with a passionate heart for Jesus. Thanks for the chance to read and review your book, Susan!

You can obtain a copy of it, from among other sources, at Amazon by clicking here: http://www.amazon.com/Essentials-of-the-Heart-ebook/dp/B004E8N3Y4/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1325645738&sr=8-2