Life is tough for Savannah "Savvy" Smith. The 15-year old and her family have moved from Seattle to London. Savvy's left behind her friends, family, and an opportunity to work on the school newspaper. With no friends at Wexburg Academy, she's a fish out of water. And is that really English the kids are speaking? After failed attempts in the science and art club, Savvy hopes to break into the Wexburg Times clique by misrepresenting her writing experience. As the title of Sandra Byrd's newest teen fiction book states, Savvy is Asking for Trouble. Savvy tries to plead her case, but the cute Editor, Jack, isn't sure that her American sense of humor and style will reach the students at Wexburg. A chance to write an anonymous column just might give Savvy the popularity she's coveted. Or will it?
Category Archives: Melissa
White Picket Fences
I've been a fan of author Susan Meissner since I read The Shape of Mercy, (review here), so I was excited to have an opportunity to read Meissner's newest book, White Picket Fences. In Fences, the Janviers are the perfect family with the beautiful home and "white picket fence" lifestyle. Neil is a financial advisor who spends his spare time making exquisite furniture that he gives away. His wife, Amanda, is a reading teacher. Their children, Chase and Delcey are All-American teenagers. Yet beneath the perfect facade, secrets are weighing down on Neil, Amanda and Chase. Their family foundation is beginning to crack. Enter Amanda's niece, Tally. Tally's father has disappeared. Amanda agrees to take Tally in to their home, not expecting that the girl's visit will change her family forever. Meissner has crafted another touching ...
Life, In Spite of Me
17-year old Kristen Jane Anderson had had enough. Life just wasn't what she planned. Losing a family member and a friend, then being raped by someone she knew and trusted had all taken their toll. One cold winter night, Kristen decided to end her life. She lay across railroad tracks near her home and waited to wake up in heaven. Instead, she woke up to a nightmare. Life, without her legs. Life, In Spite of Me: Extraordinary Hope After a Fatal Choice is Kristen's story of surviving her suicide attempt and much more. Kristen recounts the events of her life that led her to such drastic measures, and the hope she found as she learned to deal with the aftermath of her choice. Told with brutal (and sometimes quite graphic) honesty, Kristen's story isn't an easy read. It is ...
Never Say Never
I enjoy a book series, because it allows me a chance to really get to know the characters beyond the limits of a single book. Especially when the characters are as endearing as the citizens of Daily. Never Say Never is the third book in Lisa Wingate's series about the small Texas town. I reviewed the first, Talk of the Town, here. I reviewed the second (and equally delightful) installment, Word Gets Around, here. Although they're a series, each book stands alone well. In Never Say Never, Wingate lets one of my favorite characters, Donetta (who reminds me a litte of Truvy in Steel Magnolias), take turns narrating with Kai Miller. Kai is a drifter who crosses Donetta's path as they flee from a hurricane. When Kai lands in Daily and meets Donetta's handsome nephew, Kemp, sparks fly.
Thicker than Blood
C. J. Darlington's debut novel Thicker than Blood burst onto the Christian fiction scene, earning the 2008 Jerry B. Jenkins Christian Writers Guild Operation First Novel contest. After reading it, I completely understand why. This was a book I couldn't put down. The main character, Christy Williams, has a checkered past that's kept her from going home to see the sister she left behind ago after their parents died. May hasn't seen Christy in 15 years, and doesn't even know if her sister is still alive. The sisters couldn't be more different. May has a close-knit set of friends and Jesus. Christy is an alcholic with an abusive boyfriend and buried secrets that are eating her alive. A stolen first edition of an Ernest Hemingway novel is about to force a reunion that neither sister is quite prepared for. Thicker ...
Thrifty: Living the Frugal Life with Style
A couple of years ago, I woke up to the fact that my family was living a life of too much. Too much stuff and too much debt. My husband and I decided it was time to make a change. We started purging our home of unimportant clutter and began working toward paying off the debt. We didn't realize it, but we were preparing for his unemployment. Since we learned my husband would be losing his job, we've worked even harder to be frugal. I've read many books and blogs on that subject. The most recent being Thrifty: Living the Frugal Life with Style by Marjorie Harris. To be honest, most books on frugality are the same. The bottom line is to spend less than you make (something our culture has been slow to learn). Thrifty is different ...
The Familiar Stranger
It's been a long time since I've read a book in one day. But I just couldn't put down The Familiar Stranger by Christina Berry. I had to know how the story would end. Denise and Craig have it all. Two sons, a big house, luxury cars. Craig serves a deacon in their church. Denise is a dutiful wife. Yet underneath, their marriage is crumbling. The story opens with Craig announces that he's skipping church and taking a hike to unwind from the pressures of his career as a dentist. Denise nags, then reluctantly agrees. She's unaware that Craig doesn't plan to come home. During the worship service, she receives a call from the police informing her that there's been a terrible car accident. There are a lot of unknowns about the wreck. At the top on the ...
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Jennifer Donovan
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