What Are You Reading?

Know what I hardly ever get to talk about any more?

The books I'm reading.

Seems odd, doesn't it?  A writer who doesn't get to talk about books enough?

Yeah, something's wrong with that one.

This summer, I thought I'd get to do a whole lot of reading.  After all, God called me away from my teaching job, so the summer was free of yearly planning and summer meetings… except it wasn't.  I still had a couple of meetings.  And I wound up watching my precious nephews.  And we got a new niece. And my daughter's best friend spent a week with us.  And… Bible School.  Wait.  Free time?  Where did you go?

But I did get to dive into some books and thought I'd share some short impressions with you.  Ready?  And start thinking… because I want to hear what you're reading.  I need to refresh the "to be read" pile!

Love Inspired Suspense's "Witness Protection" Series:
I fell into this one by accident.  I tend to read a lot of LIS novels when I'm writing, because it keeps my head in the game. I'm weird. If I'm reading women's fiction and writing suspense, it scrambles my brain.  Anyway, I read the fourth book first, then I had to go back and read the rest to find out what was happening with the illegal baby smuggling/selling/adoption ring. I loved the way the characters flowed among the stories, so we got to see them more than once.  And the suspense… yep.  Caught myself tensing up quite a bit in some of the stories.

 Julie L. Cannon's Scarlett Says:
Julie and I were agent mates, though I did not know her well. It still tilted the world a little when she passed away suddenly before this book was published. Abingdon sent me a copy to read, and it was actually the first book I read this summer.  It took me some time to get into it, largely because I had the wrong mindset going in.  I was expecting it to be something different than it was.  Once I readjusted, I realized Julie had a real talent for making quirky characters come to life.  Joan is different… and real. And you've got to love her in spite of the fact she's not like you and me. Siggy practically stole the novel… I loved him.  And the fun tidbits about Gone with the Wind and Margaret Mitchell re-piqued my interest.

Sarah Sundin's In Perfect Time:

I just finished this one two days ago.  I read it in four days. (I guess I did find some reading time after all…) Of course, I was very low on sleep by the time I turned the last page… Sarah Sundin will do that to you. I have yet to read one of hers that I can't put down.  If you're a fan of WWII novels, go buy her books now.  In Perfect Time is the conclusion of her "Wings of the Nightingale" series about flight nurses during WWII.  This one follows "bad girl" Kay Jobson, who really isn't such a bad girl after all. It's about what happens when your dreams change… and when God gets a-hold of you and turns your whole life around.  It's about who you really are versus who you think you are.  And, of course, it's about Kay and Roger… two people with pasts that haunt their presents.  My favorite book of the summer.  (I say that about all of her books… and it's true about all of her books.)

Now… what were your summer reads?  Any memorable books on your list?

Stitches Thru Time is celebrating its birthday! Leave a comment on any post this month to win a prize pack. Every comment is an entry, so visit often!

Jodie Bailey may or may not need more time to read. She's the author of two Love Inspired Suspense novels and has a novel with Abingdon Press, Quilted by Christmas, releasing in October.  In the same month, she has a novella in the Love Inspired Suspense collection Holiday Defenders.  She's looking forward to the fall and sweatshirt time… and many more good books to read.

It Had to Be You

It Had To Be You . . .

Aside from the fact that I love this song (Are you singing along in your head?) I wanted to talk about a recent novel by Susan May Warren. She’s written an emotional, wintry, frolicking good tale by the same name.

For a northern girl living in the south, this book spoke to me in the deep places which long to wrap a wool scarf around my neck, layer leggings under my pants, pull on wool knee socks, and boots and mittens and a yeti hat. I sometimes wish I could step into sub-zero air again, and feel the metal in my earrings freezing so fast my ear lobes ache. Reading this book took me there. And the temps have been in the nineties all week in Carolina country.

Aside from my love for the setting - Minneapolis - where I lived for the first four years of my marriage . . . the characters rang true. I love that the heroine had a real problem that didn’t feel canned, like one of the same basic problems faced by many heroines out there. (Desperate for love, heartbroken, needs money, etc . . .) The issues were more subtle, but written so well, it’s no surprise the author runs a side business (ha!) called My Book Therapy. She clearly knows what she’s doing. Ahem. I’ve learned reams from her. I'm still learning from her.

Back to the story . . . I loved the setting and the problems. And the hero was . . . wait for it . . . a professional hockey player. Yoo-betcha! In Minnesota-speak, that means “You better believe it!” and “Hooray!” all in one. There’s nothing more Minnesotan than hockey (except maybe wild rice hot dish, but that’s another post altogether). And it was very interesting to take a peek into that professional world with all its pressure to perform . . . very different from your typical stay-at-home-mom/writer life in North Carolina. 

Even if you don’t care anything about hockey, this story carries the reader on a stream of emotional adrenaline. You will grow to care deeply about Eden and Ethan and the J-Hammer. You will love J-Hammer.

For me, It Had To Be You provided a perfect escape from the heat with a fun premise, interesting characters, and a setting very dear to my heart. In fact, my next novel is set in Minneapolis too! J I hope you’ll give it a try.

Are you northern through and through? Or is your blood so thin you need a sweater in seventy degree weather? Do you like to read wintry books in summer? Summery books in winter?

Leave us a comment for a chance to win this week’s giveaway.

Jennifer Fromke is represented by Susan Brower of the Natasha Kern Agency.