The Secret life of a Fool

The Secret Life of a Fool
Andrew Palau
Worthy Publishers
April 2012

He is in a club downtown Boston. Music and lights overwhelming his senses. With his family and past on the other coast, it's not possible somebody would know him here. So then who was this guy asking him if he was a believer?
Feeling strangely comforted that another was insinuating they may be spiritual brothers, he decides to tell him yes, he is a believer. Instantly the man grows excited, " I knew it, you're a follower of Satan, right?"
Trying to scream "No!" to the man who is now laughing as he walks away, Andrew Palau races through his memory, trying to find what is was this man saw that would have caused him to believe he followed Satan.
But if given time to reflect, he knows, it won't be hard to see what events may have led up to this mystifying encounter. Blowing up cars in his fraternity days, taking liberties with women, harassing helpless bums, and hitchhiking through Europe are only a few of the antics that color his past most unflattering.
It wasn't until he ventured into Jamaica's Blue mountains, that he began to see what is was he was missing. That the very thing he longed for, was the very thing he had spent most of his life running from. Making amends with his past, he moves into his future. One full of grace, and an everlasting love.


I enjoyed this book. It was a quick read, but full of insight. I believe his story will be one many can relate to. It will show those, who have a past laden with mischief, that they are still very worthy of being loved and pursued by a merciful God. He proves that you don't have to have a clean slate in order to move forward, and become the person you were truly called to be. I definitely recommend this book!

This book was given to me by the author for review. It is also posted on bookgateway.com and amazon.com

The Summer My life began

The Summer My Life Began
Shannon Greenland
Speak
May 2012

For Elizabeth Margaret, graduating high school would not mean a summer full of parties and the possibility of a short lived summer romance. No, it would mean an internship at her dad's law firm. What else could be expected of the senior class valedictorian, whose every step of her life has been meticulously laid out for her, just like her wardrobe.
But a letter arrives in the mail from an unknown aunt, begging Elizabeth to come summer with her in the Outer Banks, NC. Elizabeth- 'Em', begins to feel that this may be the ticket out of the mundane that she has been desperately longing for! She only needs to convince her parents to feel the same way.
Leaving her sister behind and making a promise to spend the last half of her summer in the law firm, Em finds herself right in the middle of paradise. Surely she had no idea it would be this grand! Finally, she has been given the chance to be herself. Em starts to see her dreams become possibilities and new worlds open up to her, ones she had only dreamed about. But she also stumbles upon some buried family secrets, will they threaten to ruin her newfound happiness and put her back on the path she just left?
Surrounded by sunsets, exquisite cuisine, new friends made and boys that make her heart flutter, this is sure to be 'The summer her life begins.


I thought this book was really cute. As a teenager, I would have loved everything about it. It was a quick read, but perfect in length, I think, for the age demographic it is set to reach. I really enjoyed the light hearted feel of the writing. I think the author did a great job! I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this to any teenage girl, or any woman for that matter, who wants to go back in time and remember the youthfulness of setting out, following dreams, and falling in love.
I also post all my reviews on amazon.com and bookgateway.com
This book was provided from the publisher for review.

The Sausage Maker's Daughters
Ags Johnson
Bibliofile Press
February 2012

Leaving the sunny shores of California behind, Kip Czermanski steps off the plane into bitter cold and is accosted with all the reasons she vowed she would never come back to small-town Wisconsin, her hometown. But somehow in her sister's pleadings, she had agreed to come home for a family emergency. As her sister trudges towards her holding her old, ratty coat from college, she begins to question whether this was a good idea.
Not even a week later, she is confused and angry as she finds herself contained in the local jailhouse. Spending her recent years as a front row voice for numerous counter-culture movements, she had thought she left her years as a scapegoat behind. Never could she have imagined when she gave her ex-lover up for dead that she would become the prime suspect in his untimely death years later. In her attempt to solidify her innocence, she makes very startling discoveries about her family- discoveries that could make or break her case.
Trapped by a family steeped in dysfunction, surrounded by a town that won't let memories die, Kip finds herself having to put her trust in those who have never given her a chance. Will this time be different for her? Will the revelations she makes about herself be enough to clear her name? Kip is in the fight of her life, and there's only one thing that can free her. The truth.


I decided to read this book in an attempt to broaden my reading horizons, as I wouldn't generally pick one like this off the shelf. I still believe it isn't my favorite genre, but I can say that it was very well written. The author does a great job with character development, and has a writing style that will easily suck you in. When you are not absorbed in the intricacies of the well-thought-out story line, you will be racking your brain trying to solve the case. She paints a very vivid picture of some very real life events which will draw you in with emotion. I know this will be a much read book!
his book was provided free from the publisher for review. I also post all my reviews on bookgateway.com and amazon.

The Last Plea Bargain

The Last Plea Bargain
Randy Singer
Tyndale House
March 2012


Jamie Brock, assistant DA for Milton County, ex-work out junkie, and victim of a crime that ripped her family apart is seeking justice and means to avenge her mother's killer. She follows her father's footsteps into the court room, shows no mercy, and never plea bargains!
Already hard at work trying to keep Antoine Marshall (her mother's killer) behind bars and on death row, Jamie is shocked when Caleb Tate, the lawyer responsible for much of her families grief during the proceedings, is now himself being accused of murder in the first degree. When Jamie finds out that her boss, DA William Masterson, will be taking the case, she begs to be his second hand. How sweet would her revenge be if she could see two of her most hated nemeses undergo the needle.
But things aren't going as planned. Shortly after Tate serves a few days in jail, the courtroom proceedings begin to take a mysterious turn. Prisoners begin rejecting deals- deals they would have jumped on, not even a week ago. The prisons are becoming crowded, the judges are having to rule with a relaxed gavel, and the only inmates brave enough to try for a plea bargain end up in danger.
Overwhelmed, Brock and her comrades are against the clock as they try to uncover the problem that is clogging up the court systems. But in her search, she finds out some very unsettling information about her family. Meanwhile, she begins to have cryptic messages delivered to her that cause her to question everyone she trusts.
It's now up to Jamie to decide what and how much information she has learned in order to set free those who are innocent. Will she have to go against everything she ever thought she stood for? And who can she rely on to help her?
As the tables turn from friend to foe, everyone must choose whose side they are on and how far they will go to seek justice.

I liked this book. I can't say I loved it. The story was well written, as his books usually are, but for me it didn't seem quite as exciting as I was expecting. I was surprised at the ending, which to me says a lot about the writer's skills, as he didn't make the conclusion too obvious. He does a good job with character development and made it easy for someone who doesn't generally read courtroom thrillers to understand what was happening in the court proceedings. All in all, it's worth a read.

Beyond Molasses Creek

Beyond Molasses Creek
Nicole Seitz
Thomas Nelson Publishers
January 2012

Almost peeking into the cockpit as she boards the plane, Ally Green has to remind herself that she won't be serving drinks on this flight. She is a passenger today. Her stewardess days are well behind her, as are the chances she might have recognized the pilot. No, today she is headed home. Leaving her exotic locations behind to pick up the pieces after her father's death.
But being home makes her restless. She has never been known to stay put. She's a wanderer. And now here of all places, where she can stare across the river at Vessey Washington's house. Oh, Vessey. Her heart flips just thinking his name. What happened back then? Will she be able to pick up those pieces as well? Will her father's mysterious notes left behind force them to tell each other the truth?
On the other side of the world, Sunila Kunari pounds her chisel into her latest statue. His latest statue- her boss, 'the cruel man'. Working day after day, she and her parents obediently callousing their hands in order to pay off an illusive debt owed him, until the day Sunila gets her chance. Her big break. And she takes it. Throwing aside Caste, her position in this world, she wanders the streets of Nepal, in search of the man who once offered her hope.
Does she have the strength to leave behind what she must to finish her task? What surprises will she learn about herself and the only world she has ever known?
Stretching over miles and ocean, two women, forced to face their pasts, come to terms with their future.

I LOVED this book. This is my first book read by this author, but it will not be my last. I have to say, I was very pleasantly surprised. I've come to expect a certain writing style from a good portion of the Christian fiction I read. Hers, however, was very different. It very much reminds me of some of my favorite European modern fiction writers. It's that writing which got me hooked on the first page. And then the story developed. What a story teller she is. She did a fantastic job weaving real situations, and real emotions, all into one beautiful tapestry full of hope. Very down to earth and comfortable. I think it should go without saying, but, I highly recommend this book! And quite honestly, I'm thankful it's a boo I could also recommend to a non-christian fiction reader.
This book was provided by the publisher, free for review. I also post all my reviews on amazon.com and bookgateway.com

Nearing Home

Nearing Home
Life, Faith and Finishing Well
Billy Graham
Thomas Nelson Publishers
December 2011


Spoken in Billy Graham's beloved simplicity, here is a book full of hope, advice, experience and insight into a life long lived. Having lived into his 92nd year, much longer than he anticipated, Graham Offers wisdom to the young, and reaches out to the elderly in a sense of kinship. He graces these pages with much wisdom to be gleaned by all generations.
What must it be like to have seen the world 90 years ago, and see what it has come to be today. How has technology changed things? Cars? Are relationships different? Has society rejected or embraced God's teachings? Graham has extracted much insight and shares the blessings and aches of this time, and more specifically, his current time here on earth.
What are we living for? Do we have our hearts set on eternity, or are we living for the moment, never caring what our future holds? These are questions he addresses in his attempt to secure your place in front of the pearly gates. True to form, Graham speaks with gentleness, simplicity and peace, but not without urgency.
In this semi-autobiographical work, he shares about the loss of his much loved wife, his rigorous Evangelistic work schedule and cherished friends he met along the way. He encourages the old to love the young,and the young to treasure the old. He shares what it's like to grow in age. But most of all, he shares his passion and love for Jesus Christ. And his zeal doesn't stop in his own relationship, he extends and invitation to share what he has spent his life teaching about.

I thought this book was simple and peaceful. An easy read to provoke thought. And while I, as a young person, I don't particularly like the idea of growing old, much less reading about it, he did well in presenting the idea of growing old gracefully. I will say, this book did not wow me, but I can't say that's what I was looking for in it either. Billy Graham is like and old favorite sweater, always cozy and warm. I I can think of many people who would really enjoy this book.

The big book of American trivia

The Big Book of American Trivia
J.Stephen Lang
Tyndale House Publishers
2012

What make of car was named for a chief of the Ottawa tribe? What popular toy, launched in 1960, was a plastic box filled with aluminum powder? What historic masked parade takes place in Philidelphia on New Year's Day? And, what Northern "rust belt" state, leads the narion in the growing of Christmas trees?
The answer to these questions and three thousand more can all be found, dancing across the pages of this entertaining and factual book. World records, Hollywood cinema, Presidents, facts about your home state and a plethora of other interesting subjects will arrest your atntion as you learn share and enjoy these facinating facts in America's history!
Have fun teaching your children, stumping your friends and expanding your own knowledge. Fun for road trips, fireside,educational settings and more, this book will keep you entertained for hours. Who knew learning could be so fun?! And just in case you still don't believe this informational book can be amusing, ask yourself this, What men-only contest started by Carnival cruise line is now a feature of every cruise ship? A. The Mr. Hairy Chest contest, of course!

This book is put together really well. All of the trivia questions are sorted by category, and the answers are easily found on the next page. This book is fun and educational. I even found the size and feel of the pages to be optimal. A much reccomended book to anyone who enjoys learning... You never know when random tid-its of knowledge will come in handy!
I received this book free from the publisher for review.