Merry Christmas!

Our family Christmas is over.  We have had quiet an eventful one.  Long too.  We've had over night guests.  Some are still here!  From Texas and Arizona to Missouri and Oregon.  Our version of Four Christmases included Star Wars, guitar jamborees, football, 5 hour poker games (twice), target practice, a couple of car wrecks, a tiny blizzard, extreme snacking, three babies, Christmas morning in London, and watching the Chiefs snag the playoffs live and in person.  Presents included homemade dishes, appliances, 4 pairs of shoes, and 6 World Series shirts!  It was fun while it lasted but I am glad things are calming down.  Time to think about the birth of our Savior and the impact of his life (and death).  Merry Christmas everyone and Happy New Year!

Going back to Sanctuary

"Rising Darkness" by Nancy Mehl is the third novel in the Sanctuary series.  It also incorporates the Kingdom series.  I love that she decided to write about Sophie from Kingdom.  You remember her.  The weird, hateful girl with the horrible parents.  Sophie has become tired of being that girl from Kingdom and has reinvented herself.  She has a job as a food critic for a St Louis paper, but has dreams of being an investigative reporter.  She has a lead on a cold case of two robbers/killers that may be hiding out in Sanctuary.  She goes undercover to root them out.  Only to discover Jonathan, the love (from afar) of her life has taken up residence there.  Sophie has changed so much, that even Jonathan doesn't recognize her.  Sophie begins a delicate tight walk of finding the story and dealing with the hurt of her past that Sanctuary keeps reminding her of.
Mehl just gets better with each novel.  Sophie is such a great, realistic character.  She wasn't covered deeply in Kingdom, but here we get to know her and her past.  Mehl develops her characters more with each novel.  I give this one 5 stars.  I don't know what I'm going to do with the next one.  Have to readjust my rating scale I guess.  I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review from Bethany House Publishers. 

House at Homecoming Review

"The House at Homecoming Cove" by Ginny Baird begins as a simple romance, but then the ghosts enter the picture.  I would classify this as a romance/mystery/ghost story.  There is a little something for everyone.  Melissa is a pianist that writes music for television shows.  She has writer's block, therefore, she rents a house in Homecoming Cove for a month to set her mind straight.  While there she meets Stone, the caretaker's goodlookin' grandson who does the yard work.  The two have sort of de ja vu thing going on and an instant attraction turns to romance.  Melissa learns of the house's story and the legend of Fiona, the ghost of the house.  As Fiona is haunting the two, the romance is brewing.  When they aren't gazing they are trying to solve the mystery of why Fiona is haunting in the first place. 
Though an experience romance reader might find the story predictable, the younger reader will love it.  It is a sweet romance. Making out, no sex.  I would recommend it for the teen to 30 year old crowd.  Or really any one wanting a little romance and is tired of the "just sex" part.  I received this book from the author through the Sweet Team.