With Love, Libby (Coming Home to Brewster Series) by Roxanne Henke

With Love, Libby is the fifth and final book in the Coming Home to Brewster Series. Roxanne Henke isn't just an author, she's a teacher. Each book in this series has a specific life lesson that we can all learn from.

The first book After Anne is about friendships of women and breast cancer. Finding Ruth is about finding contentment. Becoming Olivia deals with clinical depression. Always Jan teaches us about aging. The final book With Love, Libby is about purpose. I recommend that you read these books in order, each books builds on the one before.

With Love, Libby centers around the lives of three women. Olivia Marsden (Libby), Vicky Johnson and her daughter Angie. Libby and Vicky are struggling with many of the same issues in this book. Libby is a little older than Vicky. Libby's children are in college, Vicky's are in high school getting ready to go to college. Both have dreams for their children that don't always come true. Both are at a point where their day to day lives are pretty routine and boring.

Libby is a struggling author trying to get her first novel (After Anne) published. Her son brings home a girl who doesn't fit into Libby's mold of the perfect girl for her son. At the same time her daughter won't give the time of day to a boy who (in her mother's opinion) is the perfect match for her. Libby has to learn that God's timing and plans are often different and always better than hers.

Vicky has always lived in Brewster, got married at a young age and bought a small cafe there. She has big plans for her daughter to go to college and do all the things that she never had the opportunity to do. Her daughter Angie has plans of her own. Plans which shatter her mother's dreams, heart and their relationship.

Jeremiah 29:11 sums up this book and possibly the whole series. "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." This final book touches on the major events during the 10+ years time span of the Coming Home to Brewster series and shows how each event whether joyous or heartbreaking fits perfectly into God's plan for the characters in this series.

With Love, Libby, Coming Home to Brewster Series #5 By Roxanne Henke / Harvest House Publishers

My Review of Storm Surge by Rene Gutteridge

This is the third book in Rene Gutteridge's Storm Series. All three books revolve around storm chaser Mick Cline. This book has a little bit of everything in it; murder, arson, a death row inmate, the FBI, the bureau of ATF, a hurricane, romance and a last minute rescue. Rene takes all of these things and blends them together with just the perfect mix of mystery, suspense and romance.

If you've not read any of this series you'll find that the author did not write them in chronological order. As written they are The Splitting Storm, Storm Gathering and then Storm Surge. The chronological order is Storm Gathering, The Splitting Storm and then Storm Surge. It would be an interesting question to ask of the author why she chose to write them as she did.

A Little About Myself and This Blog

For starters this is my first attempt at blogging. I'm so excited that I've figured out how to place a list of favorite authors in my side bar. Not too bad for just starting out.

I am a born again Christian. I attend a 1500+ member Baptist church and am involved in the women's ministry, congregational nursing ministry and our church library.

In my free time I love to read and surf the web looking for info about more books to read. I choose to primarily read Christian books. Fiction is my love, but I have a goal to read more non-fiction books this year. I am currently reading two non-fiction books, Made to Count by Randy Singer and Bob Reccord and Believing God by Beth Moore. Both are very good and just what I need at this moment in my life.

Why do I choose to primarily read Christian Fiction?

I read Christian Fiction for several reasons.

My first reason is to be obedient to God's Word.

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable- if anything is excellent or praiseworthy- think about such things. Philippiansns 4:8 (NIV)

Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God-this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will-is his good, pleasing and perfect will. Romans 12:1-2 (NIV)

We don't live in a vacuum. Our minds must be fed and nourished on the right kind of materials for the Holy Spirit to bring about the renewal which allows us to be transformed rather than conformed to this world. The right kind of material includes things such as reading and studying the word of God, listening to sermons, Christian books, magazines, music, radio, prayer and the list goes on. We've all heard the saying garbage in equals garbage out. Our minds are just like that. If we fill our minds with garbage, ie.. crude language, sex, violence, sinful behavior, etc., the end result will be garbage out.

Second, is because of the spiritual truths and insights I receive from reading Christian Fiction books. God can speak through Christian Fiction authors as well as Christian Non-Fiction authors. Often a bible passage or general theme in the book will speak directly to an issue that I am facing or dealing with or it will reinforce a topic I have heard in bible study or a recent sermon. Not all, but many of these books deal with current, controversial and emotionally charged topics. Angela Hunt's site has a great list of books by topic. http://alifeinpages.blogspot.com/2006/01/christian-fiction-on-cutting-edge.html . I enjoy reading about these issues and seeing how they are dealt with from a Christian perspective.

My third reason is there are so many good Christian Fiction books available on the market that I don't have time to read anything else. As my favorite author list keeps growing I don't know how I'm going to find time to read all the great books that are out there.

Just finished "Even Now" by Karen Kingsbury

I have just finished reading Karen Kingsbury's latest book Even Now. Wow, what a good read!

Don't pick this book up and start reading unless you have plenty of time. Once you start reading this book dinner, housework, exercise or whatever will just have to wait because you won't be able to put it down. Tissues are also a necessity. I don't know about you, but I have probably cried more reading Karen Kingsbury's books than any other authors' books that I read and this book is no exception.

I was hooked from the very first page. This book deals with many issues: teenagers, teen pregnancy, parent/teen relationships, consequences of sex outside of marriage and how God can use all circumstances for good.

This is one of those books that you can't wait to finish and find out what happens, but then you're sad that the story has ended. I can't wait for Karen Kingsbury's next book, which I think is due out middle of March.

The next book in my stack is With Love, Libby by Roxanne Henke. I'll let you know what I think.

Happy reading to all!!