The Dogs of Christmas

The Dogs of Christmas by W. Bruce Cameron
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book made me giggle out loud - hahaaa, some of the situations that Josh finds himself in - babysitting a pregnant dog, dealing with abandoned puppies, and falling into crazy, silly love with a woman from the animal shelter, Kerri, just will crack you up! Josh designs websites for a living, had abandonment issues, and never owned a dog in his life. So, when he is confronted with poor prego Lucy, Josh freaks out but as he gets over his fear, he slowly begins to fall in love this four-legged creature. A wonderful, little, quick Christmas read!

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Lost Cat

Lost Cat by Roger Mader
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Slippers is the name of the adorable cat that graces the pages of this children's fiction. She lives the good life with Mrs. Fluffy Slippers but when the old lady decides to move in with her daughter - amidst all the hustle and bustle of packing and moving, poor Slippers is left behind. Follow the trail of Slippers as she attempts to find a new person to adopt. Beautiful pastels pop off the page and you'll be glad to know that Slippers has a happy, ever-after ending.

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The Scent of Lilacs

Ann Gabhart wrote that this book was her first attempt at inspirational writing and it is the beginning of a series set in a small town in Hollyhill, Kentucky in the 1960s. A much simpler time and way of life but people faced the same distractions, temptations,and problems as now. Jocie, at only 13 and daughter of the local pastor, prays for her sister to return and a pet dog to love. Her father also is a newspaper editor and Jocie hangs out at the shop and helps out by taking pictures of local events and writing stories. They both share their home with Jocie's stern Great Aunt Love, who loves to quote scripture and handout chores. When Jocie was a baby her mother left in the middle of the night, taking with her Jocie's older sister, Tabitha, finally settling in California and never returning. One night at the beginning of summer, the family returns home from church to find someone sitting on the porch in the dark, waiting for them.

The main characters are so well written and your heart will break for sweet Jocie and the secrets that will change her summer and her life.

Solomon's Oak

Solomon's Oak by Jo-Ann Mapson

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Solomon's Oak - the words alone invoke strength and character...photographers come from miles away to capture the beauty of the lovely, huge White oak that sits on Solomon's farm in California, where White Oaks should never grow. Glory Solomon, now a widow, owns the farm where once her and her beloved husband took in foster boys and taught them to be kind, responsible men. Now alone with only her horses and dogs, Glory is faced with the dilemma of possibly losing the farm. On top of all this worry and grief, she is ask to foster a teenage girl, angry, broken 14 year old Juniper McGuire with her own passel of problems and Glory has trouble, even under the circumstances, saying no. When a couple approaches her with a crazy idea of hosting a pirate wedding under the famous oak, Glory runs with it - baking, preparing food, and decorating the small chapel her husband had built - all with a pirate theme. Unlucky for a her, a former policeman (with a body and a mind full of pain), Joseph happens to arrive when the "pirates" are at their worst - with guns and swords drawn! On the other hand, lucky for Glory, he also has his camera and is willing to take photos for Glory of the fun, wild wedding. Will Solomon's Oak shelter and mend all three heartbroken souls?

Real life characters with real, gritty life problems. You will cry with Glory, Juniper, and Joseph, but laugh with Glory's zany friend, store owner Lorna.

You may wonder at the beginning to this novel, but loose threads will be tied in the end.



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Where the Heart Is

Where the Heart Is by Billie Letts

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Wonderful quirky, characters - just like most us of know in real life - make this novel worth reading. Novalee Nation, pregnant and abandoned at Walmart by her boyfriend, tries to make the best of her life. Sleeping in Walmart overnight, meeting new friends by day, Novalee carries bravely on, until the night the baby is born and her new, true friends help. While part of this novel is horribly sad, so much focuses on the goodness and kindness of others and don't we want to believe in that goodness?



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