Books to Read: 2010 Carol Awards Finalists

ACFW 2010 CAROL AWARD FINALISTS

DEBUT AUTHOR

Talking to the Dead - Bonnie Grove (David C. Cook Publishing, Nicci Hubert - Editor)
The Kidnapping of Kenzie Thorn - Liz Johnson (Steeple Hill, Elizabeth Mazer - Editor)
Eternity Falls - Kirk Outerbridge (Marcher Lord Press, Jeff Gerke - Editor)
Michal - Jill Eileen Smith (Revell, Lonnie Hull DuPont - Editor)
The Unfinished Gift - Dan Walsh (Revell, Andrea Doering - Editor)

CONTEMPORARY NOVELLA - 6 FINALISTS DUE TO A TIE

One Child - Barbara Cameron (Thomas Nelson, Natalie Hanemann - Editor)
When Winter Comes - Barbara Cameron (Thomas Nelson, Natalie Hanemann - Editor)
A Mule Hollow Match - Debra Clopton (Steeple Hill, Krista Stroever - Editor)
The Great Christmas Bowl - Susan May Warren (Tyndale House, Karen Watson - Editor)
A Change of Heart - Beth Wiseman (Thomas Nelson, Natalie Hanemann - Editor)
A Choice to Forgive - Beth Wiseman (Thomas Nelson, Natalie Hanemann- Editor)

HISTORICAL NOVELLA

Home Again - Victoria Bylin (Steeple Hill, Melissa Endlich - Editor)
A Breed Apart - Vickie McDonough (Barbour Publishing, Rebecca Germany - Editor)
Beloved Enemy - Vickie McDonough (Barbour Publishing, Rebecca Germany - Editor)
Christmas Bells for Dry Creek - Janet Tronstad (Steeple Hill, Tina James - Editor)
A Shelter in the Storm - Carrie Turansky (Barbour Publishing, Rebecca Germany - Editor)

LONG CONTEMPORARY - 6 FINALISTS DUE TO A TIE

The Familiar Stranger - Christina Berry (Moody Publishers, Paul Santhouse - Editor)
A Widow's Hope - Mary Ellis (Harvest House Publishers, Betty Fletcher - Editor)
The Prayers of Agnes Sparrow - Joyce Magnin (Abingdon Press, Barbara Scott - Editor)
White Picket Fences - Susan Meissner (Waterbrook Press, Shannon Marchese - Editor)
If Tomorrow Never Comes - Marlo Schalesky (Multnomah, Julee Schwarzburg - Editor)
Nothing But Trouble - Susan May Warren (Tyndale House, Karen Watson - Editor)

LONG CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE

Critical Care - Candace Calvert (Tyndale House, Jan Stob/Lorie Popp - Editors)
Seaside Letters - Denise Hunter (Thomas Nelson, Ami McConnell/Jessica Alvarez - Editors)
Just Between You and Me - Jenny B. Jones (Thomas Nelson, Natalie Hanemann/Jamie Chavez - Editors)
Plain Promise - Beth Wiseman (Thomas Nelson, Natalie Hanemann - Editor)
The Hope of Refuge - Cindy Woodsmall (Waterbrook Press, Shannon Marchese - Editor)

MYSTERY

The Case of the Mystified M.D. - A.K. Arenz (Sheaf House, Joan M. Shoup - Editor)
Under the Cajun Moon - Mindy Starns Clark (Harvest House Publishers, Kim Moore - Editor)
A String of Murders - Darlene Franklin (Heartsong Mysteries, Susan Downs - Editor)
Polly Dent Loses Grip - S. Dionne Moore (Heartsong Mysteries, Susan Downs - Editor)
Pushing up Daisies - Janice Thompson writing as Janice Hanna (Heartsong Mysteries, Susan Downs - Editor)

LONG HISTORICAL

A Bride in the Bargain - Deeanne Gist (Bethany House, David Long/Julie Klassen - Editors)
Fit To Be Tied - Robin Lee Hatcher (Zondervan, Sue Brower/Leslie Peterson - Editors)
Look to the East - Maureen Lang (Tyndale House, Stephanie Broene - Editor)
Love's Pursuit - Siri Mitchell (Bethany House, Dave & Sarah Long - Editors)
Stealing Home - Allison Pittman (Multnomah, Alice Crider - Editor)

LONG HISTORICAL ROMANCE - 8 FINALISTS DUE TO A TIE

Paper Roses - Amanda Cabot (Revell, Vicki Crumpton - Editor)
Cowboy Christmas - Mary Connealy (Barbour Publishing, Rebecca Germany - Editor)
Montana Rose - Mary Connealy (Barbour Publishing, Rebecca Germany - Editor)
The Frontiersman's Daughter - Laura Frantz (Revell, Andrea Doering - Editor)
The Believer - Ann Gabhart (Revell, Lonnie Hull DuPont - Editor)
A Passion Denied - Julie Lessman (Revell, Lonnie Hall DuPont - Editor)
Love Finds You in Poetry, Texas - Janice Thompson writing as Janice Hanna (Summerside Press, Rachel Meisel - Editor)
The Confidential Life of Eugenia Cooper - Kathleen Y’Barbo (Waterbrook Press, Jessica Barnes - Editor)

SHORT CONTEMPORARY

His Cowgirl Bride - Debra Clopton (Steeple Hill, Krista Stroever - Editor)
Autumn Rains - Myra Johnson (Heartsong Presents, JoAnne Simmons - Editor)
A Wagonload of Trouble - Vickie McDonough (Heartsong Presents, JoAnne Simmons - Editor)
A Texas Ranger's Family - Mae Nunn (Steeple Hill, Melissa Endlich - Editor)
Dreaming of Home - Glynna Sirpless writing as Glynna Kaye (Steeple Hill, Melissa Endlich - Editor)

SHORT CONTEMPORARY SUSPENSE - 6 FINALISTS DUE TO A TIE

Evidence of Murder - Jill Elizabeth Nelson (Steeple Hill, Emily Rodmell - Editor)
Final Warning - Sandra Robbins (Steeple Hill, Tina James - Editor)
Murder at Eagle Summit - Virginia Smith (Steeple Hill, Krista Stroever - Editor)
Scent of Murder - Virginia Smith (Steeple Hill, Krista Stroever/Tina James - Editors)
Double Take - Jenness Walker (Steeple Hill, Emily Rodmell - Editor)
Code of Honor - Lenora Worth (Steeple Hill, Patience Smith/Tina James - Editors)

SHORT HISTORICAL

Her Patchwork Family - Lyn Cote (Steeple Hill, Tina James - Editor)
The Glassblower - Laurie Alice Eakes (Heartsong Presents, JoAnne Simmons - Editor)
The Outlaw's Lady - Laurie Kingery (Steeple Hill, Melissa Endlich - Editor)
All That Glitters - Lynette Sowell (Heartsong Presents, JoAnne Simmons - Editor)
The Unfinished Gift - Dan Walsh (Revell, Andrea Doering)

SPECULATIVE (INCLUDES SCIENCE FICTION, FANTASY, ALLEGORY) - 6 FINALISTS DUE TO A TIE

Eternity Falls - Kirk Outerbridge (Marcher Lord Press, Jeff Gerke - Editor)
The Vanishing Sculptor - Donita K. Paul (Waterbrook Press, Shannon Marchese - Editor)
The Word Reclaimed - Steve Rzasa (Marcher Lord Press, Jeff Gerke - Editor)
Starfire - Stuart Vaughn Stockton (Marcher Lord Press, Jeff Gerke - Editor)
The Muse - Fred Warren (Splashdown Books, Grace Bridges - Editor)
By Darkness Hid - Jill Williamson (Marcher Lord Press, Jeff Gerke - Editor)

SUSPENSE/THRILLER

Intervention - Terri Blackstock (Zondervan, Sue Brower/Dave Lambert - Editors)
Lonestar Secrets - Colleen Coble (Thomas Nelson, Ami McConnell - Editor)
Exposure - Brandilyn Collins (Zondervan, Rachelle Gardner/Sue Brower - Editors)
Salty Like Blood - Harry Kraus (Howard/Simon & Schuster, David Lambert - Editor)
Breach of Trust - DiAnn Mills (Tyndale House, Karen Watson - Editor)

WOMEN’S FICTION - 7 FINALISTS DUE TO A TIE

Sweet Waters - Julie Carobini (B&H Publishing, Karen Ball - Editor)
Leaving Yesterday - Kathryn Cushman (Bethany House, Dave Long - Editor)
Sweet By and By - Sara Evans & Rachel Hauck (Thomas Nelson, Ami McConnell - Editor)
Never the Bride - Rene Gutteridge & Cheryl McKay (Waterbrook Press, Shannon Marchese - Editor)
Yesterday's Embers - Deborah Raney (Howard/Simon & Schuster, David Lambert - Editor)
Above All Things - Deborah Raney (Steeple Hill, Krista Stroever - Editor)
The Summer Kitchen - Lisa Wingate (New American Library/Penguin, Ellen Edwards - Editor)

YOUNG ADULT

Who Made You a Princess? - Shelley Adina (Hachette FaithWords, Anne Goldsmith Horch - Editor)
Always Watching - Brandilyn & Amberly Collins (Zondervan, Barbara Scott - Editor)
I'm So Sure - Jenny B. Jones (Thomas Nelson, Natalie Hanemann/Jamie Chavez - Editors)
So Not Happening - Jenny B. Jones (Thomas Nelson, Amanda Bostic/Jamie Chavez - Editors)
Unsigned Hype - Booker T. Mattison (Revell, Andrea Doering - Editor)

Check out ACFW here.

Brad Paisley - Little Moments

Countdown to Brad Paisley!!! 15 days!!!

Brad Paisley - Water

The countdown begins....20 days until Rachel Hauck and I go see Brad Paisley in concert!!!

Local Author - Rachel Hauck in the Hometown News

Read the article here.

Be sure and pick up Rachel's latest book, The Sweet By and By, a project worked on with country music artist, Sara Evans.

Book Review: Lonestar Sanctuary by Colleen Coble

Allie Siders and her daughter Betsy have experienced several tragedies in their lives. They need to escape a danger that threatens them and the only person who can help them is at the Bluebird Ranch in Texas hill country. Little did Allie know that she would discover so much more at the Bluebird Ranch than just assistance and a sanctuary. And even in such a beautiful sanctuary, Allie could not escape the danger. Rick Bailey, the ranch foreman and the one person who can help Allie and Betsy, was in for a surprise when Allie and Betsy showed up at the ranch. He was forced to reconcile his past and make good on a promise.

Even though this story is dubbed a Western Romance, Colleen Coble has added an element of danger and suspense to the story line. At times, the suspense had me on the edge of my seat and even a little scared.

I would have liked to have seen more development of the storyline reference Allie's past and her connection to the Bluebird Ranch. Once it was realized, I wanted to dig deeper into that aspect of the story. Also, while I understood Allie and Rick's relationship was thrown together out of necessity, I never quite believed in the realness the relationship took as the story progressed.

Overall, Lonestar Sanctuary was a good read and I have really enjoyed the Colleen Coble books I have  read. Colleen adds the element of suspense to the Christian Romance genre that most authors do not have and so it makes her stories stand out a bit from the crowd.

Book Review: This Time by Rachel Hauck (e-book)

This Time is an e-book written by Rachel Hauck from the early days of her writing career. It is one of my favorite stories written by Rachel. The story is about a love lost from years gone by that has been given a second chance...but will it be different this time around? Retired NFL player Burke Benning returns home and is reunited with his first love, Belle Jamison. For Belle, his return uprooted her life and made her confront feelings she has buried for years. After all, he inflicted the ultimate pain, something not so easily forgiven or forgotten.

This story made me feel hope that all wrongs can be righted and that something you believe is gone forever can come back to you. Rachel created good characters in Belle and Burke. When reading their stories, you feel a comfort when they are together and look forward to the next time they meet up or run into each other knowing that each time they do, a little more of the wall is chipped away that looms between them.

I recommend anyone who has an e-reader of some sort to purchase this book and enjoy the story of Burke and Belle as they discover what this time around holds for them. You can purchase a copy here.