Black 'n' Gold Girl's Book Spot

It is time for a FIRST Wild Card Tour book review! If you wish to join the FIRST blog alliance, just click the button. We are a group of reviewers who tour Christian books. A Wild Card post includes a brief bio of the author and a full chapter from each book toured. The reason it is called a FIRST Wild Card Tour is that you never know if the book will be fiction, non~fiction, for young, or for old...or for somewhere in between! Enjoy your free peek into the book! You never know when I might play a wild card on you! Today's Wild Card author is: Karen Witemeyer and the book: A Tailor-Made Bride Bethany House (June 1, 2010) ***Special thanks to Karen Witemeyer for sending me a review copy.*** ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Karen Witemeyer holds a master's degree in psychology from Abilene Christian University and is a member of ACFW, RWA, and the Texas Coalition of Authors. She has published fiction in Focus on the Family's children's magazine, and has written several articles for o...

As you may know our cat Penny died recently, well the neighbor who we got Penny from just happened to have a litter of kittens who were ready for new homes. While it still seems a little soon to me for a new cat, my little brother quickly became attached to a tiny all black, with just a spot of white under her neck, kitty. Well needless to say my dad said he could take her home so I'm introducing you to Oreo (named by my little brother)! As you can see from the pics she already gets along with our dog Coco. Click the pics for a better view :-) "Ohhh this is a soft bed!" "What? I want to sleep! No more pictures!!" "Dogs make nice beds but laps are still the best places to reeelaaaax!"

Spring's Renewal (Seasons of Sugarcreek, Book 2) by Shelley Shepard Gray Copyright 2010 HarperCollins 310 pages ISBN: 9780061852367 Contemporary Fiction From the publisher : Tim Graber arrives in Sugarcreek to help his aunt and uncle with spring planting. At first, Tim doesn't fit in with his many cousins and their crowded lifestyle. But when he meets Clara Slabaugh, the local school teacher, he understands why the Lord brought him to Sugarcreek. Clara is shy and quiet. Scarred from a fire when she was small, Clara has resigned herself to living alone and caring for her mother, who tells her that no man will ever see past her scars, and that Clara needs to keep teaching in order to make ends meet. Her father passed away years ago, and her mother depends on her. But the scars mean nothing to Tim. He appreciates her quiet nature and her wonderful, loving way with children. Yet Tim has a sweetheart back home in Indiana. As these two hearts struggle to determine their path, traged...

She Walks in Beauty by Siri Mitchell Copyright 2010 Bethany House Publishers 400 pages ISBN: 978-0-7642-0433-3 Historical Fiction From the publisher: During New York City's Gilded Age... The game is played amid banquets and balls. The prize is a lifetime of wealth and privilege. The rules will test friendships and the desires of a young woman's heart. Clara Carter is the social season's brightest star... but at what cost? For a young society woman seeking a favorable marriage, so much depends on her social season debut. Clara Carter has been given one goal: secure the affections of the city's most eligible bachelor. Debuting means plenty of work--there are corsets to be fitted, dances to master, manners to perfect. Her training soon pays off, however, as celebrity's spotlight turns Clara into a society-page darling. Yet Clara soon wonders if this is the life she really wants. Especially when she learns her best friend has also set her sights on Franklin De Vries. Wh...

My cat Penny has been missing since Thursday and today our neighbor who had just returned from vacation found her in his yard. It looked as if she had been there for a few days. Unfortunately my dad couldn't really look at her to determine how she died because the weather has been warm and rainy and the odor that accompanies decomposition was too strong. We are all heartbroken including Coco who was Penny's BFF. It's also doubly sad because our other cat, Mia disappeared about the same time last year never to be found. We will miss you Penny!

Love is Monumental (A Walk in the Park, Book 2) by Annalisa Daughety Copyright 2010 Barbour Books 320 pages ISBN: 9781602606944 Fiction/Christian/Romance From the publisher : Discover the Washington Monument along with park ranger Vickie Harris who loves her job. But while life in the District of Columbia is exciting and fun, shy Vickie has resigned herself to the likelihood of being single forever. She’s never been head-over-heels in love. . .not even really been kissed! But when a handsome professor asks the reserved, research-loving ranger for assistance on a project, will Vickie agree? Will she come out of her shell long enough to discover that Love Is Monumental? My Review: I have a BA in history but unfortunately none of my professors were Thatcher Torrey's...maybe that was a good thing, one less distraction in class right? Well anyways I love this book and one of the reasons is the hero, who if you haven't guessed, is Thatcher Torrey, a hunky history professor. Did I al...

see more dog and puppy pictures

I just thought I would let you all know in advance that next month I will be holding TWO giveaways! Both will be for newly released Christian fiction! Be sure to stop by and if you're not a follower become one so you will receive updates whenever I post the giveaways! Tell your friends too! :-) Thank you so much everyone for your love and support! You guys make it fun for me to offer great giveaways!

A Tailor-Made Bride by Karen Witemeyer Copyright 2010 Bethany House Publishers 352 pages ISBN: 978-0-7642-0755-6 Historical Fiction From the publisher : When a dressmaker who values beauty tangles with a liveryman who condemns vanity, the sparks begin to fly! Jericho "J.T." Tucker wants nothing to do with Coventry, Texas's new dressmaker. He's all too familiar with her kind--shallow women more devoted to fashion than true beauty. Yet, except for her well-tailored clothing, this seamstress is not at all what he expected. Hannah Richards is confounded by the man who runs the livery. The unsmiling fellow riles her with his arrogant assumptions and gruff manner while at the same time stirring her heart with unexpected acts of kindness. Which side of Jericho Tucker reflects the real man? When Hannah decides to help Jericho's sister catch a beau--leading to uproarious consequences for the whole town--will Jericho and Hannah find a way to bridge the gap between them? My ...

Jill over @ Breaking the Spine hosts a weekly meme that features one book that you can't wait to be released! Be sure to visit Jill's site to see what she and other readers can't wait to get their hands on. This week my pick is Autumn's Promise, Seasons of Sugarcreek, Book 3 by Shelley Shepard Gray! I don't normally like a lot of Amish fiction but this series is really good so far. Maybe because each book has an English family, the Allens as well as an Amish family, the Grabers and is not solely centered around the Amish. I liked Winter's Awakening, (my review here ) Book 1 in the series but Spring's Renewal (review to come) was a lot better and from the Goodreads blurb for Autumn's Promise I can tell it's going to be even better! If you'd like to see for yourself I've included the blurb below! Let me know what you think about this series if you've read it or want to read or what you think about Amish fiction in general! From Goodreads...

Sixteen Brides by Stephanie Grace Whitson Copyright 2010 Bethany House Publishers 350 pages ISBN: 978-0-7642-0513-2 Historical Fiction From the publisher: In 1872, sixteen Civil War widows living in St. Louis respond to a series of meetings conducted by a land speculator who lures them west by promising "prime homesteads" in a "booming community." Unbeknownst to them, the speculator's true motive is to find an excuse to bring women to the fledgling community of Plum Grove, Nebraska, in hopes they will accept marriage proposals shortly after their arrival! Sparks fly when these unsuspecting widows meet the men who are waiting for them. These women are going to need all the courage and faith they can muster to survive these unwanted circumstances--especially when they begin to discover that none of them is exactly who she appears to be. My Review: Mail order bride stories are definitely some of my favorite, I got this book thinking it was going to be about just th...

This Fine Life by Eva Marie Everson Copyright 2010 Revell Publishers 352 pages ISBN: 978-0-8007-3274-5 Contemporary Fiction From the publisher : It is the summer of 1959 and Mariette Puttnam has just graduated from boarding school. When she returns to her privileged life at home, she isn't sure where life will take her. More schooling? A job? Marriage? Nothing feels right. How could she know that she would find the answer waiting for her in the narrow stairwell of her father's apparel factory, exactly between the third and fourth floors? In this unique and tender romance, popular author Eva Marie Everson takes you on a journey through the heart of a young woman bound for the unknown. Discover the joys of new love, the perseverance of deep friendship, and the gift of forgiveness that comes from a truly fine life. My Review: I have been waiting for a book set in the late 50s/early 60s for a long time and this did not disappoint. It was also my first book by Eva Marie Everson and...

The name chosen by random.org as the winner of my six book giveaway is... The winner has 48 hours to respond to my email or another name will be drawn. Please stop back often, you never know when I might post a new giveaway! ;-)

Okay I should have probably posted this on Monday or something for all you ladies who may be stressing at work but I think this site can be enjoyed ANY day of the week ;-) Hot Guys Reading Books CLICK HERE TO ENJOY!

It is time for a FIRST Wild Card Tour book review! If you wish to join the FIRST blog alliance, just click the button. We are a group of reviewers who tour Christian books. A Wild Card post includes a brief bio of the author and a full chapter from each book toured. The reason it is called a FIRST Wild Card Tour is that you never know if the book will be fiction, non~fiction, for young, or for old...or for somewhere in between! Enjoy your free peek into the book! You never know when I might play a wild card on you! Today's Wild Card author is: Martha Rogers and the book: Morning for Dove Realms (May 4, 2010) ***Special thanks to Anna Coelho Silva Publicity Coordinator, Book Group Strang Communications for sending me a review copy.*** ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Martha Rogers is a former schoolteacher and English instructor with experience writing both fiction and nonfiction including Not on the Menu, a part of Sugar and Grits, a novella collecti...

Only two more days till Friday! Yay! Well Friday's for me are a bit different than when I was a kid. I remember gathering around the TV with the fam watching TGIF! I know a lot of you are a little bit younger than I am so you probably don't remember some of the great shows that I looked forward to watching on Friday nights! So to give you a taste of what you missed or to bring back fond memories for you "older" folks like me, here are some clips of my favorite TV shows. Most were on ABC Friday nights at some point and some weren't but they are still faves of mine! Family Matters : A clip featuring my favorite character, Steve Urkel! Step by Step : Clip featuring sisters Dana, Karen, Al, their brother Mark, and the ever hilarious Cody! Teen Angel : Does anyone else remember this show? It only lasted for 1 season but I loved it! Clueless : This episode of Clueless featured 'NSYNC!!!! I loved them and think I can still sing every song fro...