September in Review

I tell ya, I had a good September with some great books!  Just when I think that I've read the best stuff available, I usually always find a nice surprise along the way.  :o)

Here's a rundown of what I managed to read last month:

Where My Heart Belongs by Tracie Peterson; click here for my review

This was a good book, but not my favorite by Tracie Peterson.  I have to confess that I found myself comparing this one quite a bit to Return to Me by Robin Lee Hatcher.  Return to Me is a similar story about a prodigal child returning home after they've made a mess of their life.  Where My Heart Belongs felt too rushed in some parts, and then too redundant in others.


Choosing to SEE by Mary Beth Chapman and Ellen Vaughn; click here for my review

Anyone who is a fan of Steven Curtis Chapman needs to read this book.  It was great to read some of the stories about his early years as a musician, as well as some "behind the scenes" moments with his marriage and family.  While it wasn't an easy book to read, it will make you laugh as much as cry.  Have your tissue box handy, though...you may go through half the box before you finish the book.



The Vigilante's Bride by Yvonne Harris; click here for my review

This book didn't really impress me all that much.  I struggled to finish it.




For Time and Eternity by Allison Pittman; click here for my review

I cannot say enough good things about For Time and Eternity.  Allison is such a talented author, and she's really outdone herself with this new series.  I just hate it that I won't know the next part of the story for 9 months!!  Be watching next week for an incredible interview that I had the privilege to do with Allison, along with a giveaway of this book.

The Bride Blunder by Kelly Eileen Hake; click here for my review

This was the third and last book in the Prairie Promises series by Kelly Eileen Hake.  If you're looking for a sweet series set out west with very likable, and somewhat quirky characters, then I suggest you check this series out.  The Bride Blunder wasn't my fave, but it was a nice ending to the series.

One other plug for this book...  If you've not checked out NetGalley yet, then you're missing a great opportunity to read all sorts of new books.  I was able to read both The Bride Backfire (book 2) and The Bride Blunder through NetGalley.  Some Christian Fiction publishers that have books available are Barbour, B&H, Moody, and Abingdon Press, with new publishers arriving quite frequently.

Fighting for Bread and Roses by Lynn A. Coleman; click here for my review

A good friend of mine recommended this book to me a couple of years ago, and I finally got around to reading it.  Trust me, it was very good!  I had never heard of this particular point in history before reading this book.  It's set in 1912, and most people associate that year with the sinking of the Titanic, but you'll remember it for a whole different reason after picking up this book.

Making Waves by Lorna Seilstad; click here for my review

This was the perfect end-of-summer read, and just flat-out, loads of fun!  I'm anxious to see what will happen next on the shores of Lake Manawa!




The Seeker by Ann Gabhart; click here for my review

This book released earlier this year.  At the time of the blog tour, I was really having difficulty plodding through it.  My review shared that I could not finish it, which is not my nature at all.  I'm so OCD about completing every book I start, but this one was so difficult.  I picked it back up last month, and a few pages at a time, I managed to finish the story.  My opinion of it did not change, but I did like having a resolution to the story.

A Hope Undaunted by Julie Lessman; click here for my review

Next to Her Daughter's Dream by Francine Rivers that also released last month, A Hope Undaunted was my second, most-anticipated novel of 2010.  If you've never had the chance to read any of Julie's books, you are missing out on a real treat!  While this was not my favorite of Julie's novels, it's still a great book, and a great continuation of the O'Connor family saga.  If only the wait wasn't sooooooo long to read the next book featuring Sean and Emma!  I've been wanting to read Emma's story since she was first introduced in the Daughters of Boston series.

Judgment Day by Wanda L. Dyson; click here for my review

Wanda Dyson is another very talented author, and her specialty is suspense.  Judgment Day was only my second opportunity to read one of her novels, and it let me know that I need to get my hands on her back-list of books.  This was a fast read with a good story that reminded me a little bit of the movie Taken with Liam Neeson.  The subject is different, but the similarities to what's traded on the black market is scary.  Highly recommended!

The Dead Rise First by Ragan/McLaughlin; click here for review

This book was a detour for me from what I normally read, but a good story nonetheless.  I'm not sure at this point if I agree with everything presented, but it definitely gives food for thought. 


So, there we go!!  11 books for the month of September, and that was even with a hubby in the hospital for a day to get his appendix removed!  I foresee some great books coming up in October, and probably a lot of them, too, since I plan to participate in the 24-hour Read-a-thon next weekend.  I did that for the first time last October, and what a great load of fun it was!  I didn't make it the full 24 hours by a longshot, but I think I managed to read either 4 or 5 books.  If I can get that many read this Saturday, too, that would be a very good thing.  Interested in joining the Read-a-thon?  Check it out over here.