Lady Jasmine By Victoria Christopher Murray

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Lady Jasmine by Victoria Christopher Murray

***Note, I consider this a great book with a church setting, moreso than an inspirational novel.

Juicy Jasmine Larson Bush is at it again — battling her past in order to save her future.
With her own lies, she nearly destroyed her marriage to Pastor Hosea Bush. Why, Jasmine was forced to reveal every secret she’d ever kept from her husband, right down to her real age, weight, and shoe size! She thought she had told Hosea everything.

But when Jasmine is blackmailed with a terrible truth from her past that she “forgot” to tell Hosea, more than just her marriage is in jeopardy.

Surprisingly, her first instinct is to tell the truth. Jasmine knows, however, that this is one part of her life that can never be exposed. Determined to keep the life she fought so hard to save, Jasmine is willing to commit any sin — even murder — to leave her past behind her. No one can know the truth about the First Lady of City of Lights at Riverside Church. No one can know that beneath the veneer of a redeemed Christian wife, there lies a sinner — especially not her trusting husband.

When Jasmine Cox Larson’s past comes back to haunt her, in the form of anonymous letters, she wonders what’ll happen to her marriage. Will Pastor Hosea stay married to her when he discovers that she used to be a stripper? When her father-in-law is shot, Jasmine’s husband, Hosea, steps up into the pulpit to fulfill his role as pastor. However, there are those who want Hosea out of the pulpit for various reasons and Jasmine finds herself on a mission, trying to figure out who’s trying to blackmail her and why they’re trying to do it. In the meantime, she’s enjoying her role as First Lady and wants all of the congregation to address her as Lady Jasmine.

I enjoyed this book and like most of Victoria’s novels, this one was a page-turner. My only problem with it was that I wanted to shake Jasmine and get her to stop lying so much! I wished she’d learn to stop lying all the time to cover herself! The characterization of Jasmine is very effective because she’s been through several novels – this is something I don’t see authors do very often, use the same character – as the main character – for several books. Usually when I see the same person in several books, they’re only the main character in one book and then they may be a secondary character in other novels. Having the same main character in several books shows that the person is very well-developed and you feel as if you know them well. Great job in effective characterization.

If you like edgy books in a church setting, then this one is for you.

~Cecelia Dowdy~

Carol Award Finalists!

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Congrats to the following Carol Award Finalists! The Carol Award was formerly known as ACFW’s Book Of The Year Award! The winners will be announced at the ACFW Conference in September!

Debut Author
Bonnie Grove – Talking to the Dead (David C. Cook Publishing)
Liz Jonson – The Kidnapping of Kenzie Thorn (Steeple Hill)
Kirk Outerbridge – Eternity Falls (Marcher Lord Press)
Jill Eileen Smith – Michal (Revell)
Dan Walsh – The Unfinished Gift (Revell)

Contemporary Novella
6 Finalists due to a tie

Barbara Cameron – One Child (Thomas Nelson)
Barbara Cameron – When Winter Comes (Thomas Nelson)
Debra Clopton – A Mule Hollow Match (Steeple Hill)
Susan May Warren – The Great Christmas Bowl (Tyndale House)
Beth Wiseman – A Change of Heart (Thomas Nelson)
Beth Wiseman – A Choice to Forgive (Thomas Nelson)

Historical Novella

Victoria Bylin – Home Again (Steeple Hill)
Vickie McDonough – A Breed Apart (Barbour Publishing)
Vickie McDonough – Beloved Enemy (Barbour Publishing)
Janet Tronstad – Christmas Bells for Dry Creek (Steeple Hill)
Carrie Turansky – A Shelter in the Storm (Barbour Publishing)

Long Contemporary
6 Finalists due to a tie

Christina Berry – The Familiar Stranger (Moody Publishers)
Mary Ellis – A Widow’s Hope (Harvest House Publishers)
Joyce Magnin – The Prayers of Agnes Sparrow (Abingdon Press)
Susan Meissner – White Picket Fences (Waterbrook Press)
Marlo Schalesky- If Tomorrow Never Comes (Multnomah)
Susan May Warren – Nothing But Trouble (Tyndale House)

Long Contemporary Romance

Candace Calvert – Critical Care (Tyndale House)
Denise Hunter – Seaside Letters (Thomas Nelson)
Jenny B. Jones – Just Between You and Me (Thomas Nelson)
Beth Wiseman – Plain Promise (Thomas Nelson)
Cindy Woodmsall – The Hope of Refuge (Waterbrook Press)

Mystery

A.K. Arenz – The Case of the Mystified M.D. (Sheaf House)
Mindy Starns Clark – Under the Cajun Moon (Harvest House Publishers)
Darlene Franklin – A String of Murders (Heartsong Mysteries)
S. Dionne Moore – Polly Dent Loses Grip (Heartsong Mysteries)
Janice Thompson writing as Janice Hanna – Pushing up Daisies (Heartsong Mysteries)

Long Historical

Deeanne Gist – A Bride in the Bargain (Bethany House)
Robin Lee Hatcher – Fit To Be Tied (Zondervan)
Maureen Lang – Look to the East (Tyndale House)
Siri Mitchell – Love’s Pursuit (Bethany House)
Allison Pittman – Stealing Home (Multnomah)

Long Historical Romance
8 Finalists due to a tie

Amanda Cabot – Paper Roses (Revell)
Mary Connealy – Cowboy Christmas (Barbour Publishing)
Mary Connealy – Montana Rose (Barbour Publishing)
Laura Frantz – The Frontiersman’s Daughter (Revell)
Ann Gabhart – The Believer (Revell)
Julie Lessman – A Passion Denied (Revell)
Janice Thompson writing as Janice Hanna – Love Finds You in Poetry, Texas (Summerside Press)
Kathleen Y’Barbo – The Confidential Life of Eugenia Cooper (Waterbrook Press)

Short Contemporary

Debra Clopton – His Cowgirl Bride (Steeple Hill)
Myra Johnson – Autumn Rains (Heartsong Presents)
Vickie McDonough – A Wagonload of Trouble (Heartsong Presents)
Mae Nunn – A Texas Ranger’s Family (Steeple Hill)
Glynna Sirpless writing as Glynna Kaye – Dreaming of Home (Steeple Hill)

Short Contemporary Suspense
6 Finalists due to a tie

Jill Elizabeth Nelson – Evidence of Murder (Steeple Hill)
Sandra Robbins – Final Warning (Steeple Hill)
Virginia Smith – Murder at Eagle Summit (Steeple Hill)
Virginia Smith – Scent of Murder (Steeple Hill)
Jenness Walker – Double Take (Steeple Hill)
Lenora Worth – Code of Honor (Steeple Hill)

Short Historical

Lyn Cote – Her Patchwork Family (Steeple Hill)
Laurie Alice Eakes – The Glassblower (Heartsong Presents)
Laurie Kingery – The Outlaw’s Lady (Steeple Hill)
Lynette Sowell – All That Glitters (Heartsong Presents)
Dan Walsh – The Unfinished Gift (Revell)

Speculative (includes Science Fiction, Fantasy, Allegory)
6 Finalists due to a tie

Kirk Outerbridge – Eternity Falls (Marcher Lord Press)
Donita K. Paul – The Vanishing Sculptor (Waterbrook Press)
Steve Rzasa – The Word Reclaimed (Marcher Lord Press)
Stuart Vaughn Stockton – Starfire (Marcher Lord Press)
Fred Warren – The Muse (Splashdown Books)
Jill Williamson – By Darkness Hid (Marcher Lord Press)

Suspense/Thriller

Terri Blackstock – Intervention (Zondervan)
Colleen Coble – Lonestar Secrets (Thomas Nelson)
Brandilyn Collins – Exposure (Zondervan)
Harry Kraus – Salty Like Blood (Howard/Simon & Schuster)
DiAnn Mills – Breach of Trust (Tyndale House)

Women’s Fiction
7 Finalists due to a tie

Julie Carobini – Sweet Waters (B&H Publishing)
Kathryn Cushman – Leaving Yesterday (Bethany House)
Sara Evans & Rachel Hauck – Sweet By and By (Thomas Nelson)
Rene Gutteridge & Cheryl McKay – Never the Bride (Waterbrook Press)
Deborah Raney – Yesterday’s Embers (Howard/Simon & Schuster)
Deborah Raney – Above All Things (Steeple Hill)
Lisa Wingate – The Summer Kitchen (New American Library/Penguin)

Young Adult

Shelley Adina – Who Made You a Princess? (Hachette FaithWords)
Brandilyn & Amberly Collins – Always Watching (Zondervan)
Jenny B. Jones – I’m So Sure (Thomas Nelson)
Jenny B. Jones – So Not Happening (Thomas Nelson)
Booker T. Mattison – Unsigned Hype (Revell)

~Cecelia Dowdy~

Too Tired To Blog

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I’ve been too tired to blog since we returned from our trip last weekend. I’ll probably get some more energy this coming weekend. I’ve been doing a lot of reading and I have three books to review. I also have a scripture I’d like to discuss and share.

~Cecelia Dowdy~

Terrible Food!

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Me, my husband, and our son are out of town this weekend attending hubby’s high school reunion. It’s a six-hour drive from our home. While on the road, we stopped at a Hardee’s. I ordered chili dog and onion rings, hubby ordered burger and onion rings. I had a cherry Coke and hubby had Coke. Our four-year-old had a strawberry shake. Everything that we ate had an aftertaste! Kind of like the after taste you get when you drink a diet soda. One reason I refuse to drink diet sodas is because of that terrible aftertaste! Yuck! That was the first time I’d tasted that on food instead of diet drinks! They had apple turnovers – 2 for $1.00. We got two. We sat in the car and tasted the turnovers. They had the same aftertaste. Our son’s strawberry milkshake was the only part of the meal that tasted decent. My husband said that it was probably the grease they used to fry the food. The grease probably had that aftertaste.

When we got to our hotel, I was looking through the drawers for Internet access information, and the first thing I saw was The Book of Mormon. I found The Holy Bible in another drawer. I guess The Book of Mormon is being distributed in hotels like the Holy Bible? I didn’t realize this.

We went to breakfast at The Waffle House and on the way back to the hotel I saw a bookstore called Lighthouse Christian Books. The store is closed – out of business. According to the sign, they will reopen for one day only on July 24 to get rid of the merchandise. I peeked into the dark store and it appeared they had a lot of books – a lot of shelf space. It looked like a good-sized Christian bookstore and it’s a shame they’re going out of business, but, I blogged about that here. I think bookstores will be a thing of the past within the next several years.

We’ve got events lined up for the class reunion today and we’re heading home tomorrow. I’m still behind on my book reviews. I’ve got a few books that I’ve read but have yet to post a review. I’ll do that soon.

~Cecelia Dowdy~

Are The Movies Too Loud?

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I took my son to see Toy Story 3 yesterday but we had to leave early. The movies were too loud for him! The loud sound bothered my ears, too, so I’m not sure if I’m getting old, or, if the movies are getting louder! At first, I thought the loudness was due to the fact that they were showing previews, but then the movie came on and the sound stayed up there, at several decibels! My four-year-old son started crying and covering his ears and said he wanted to go home! So, we got up with our jumbo popcorn and soda and I asked for a refund for our tickets. Do you think the movies are too loud nowadays? The movie was also in 3-D, which I thought was cool! I really wanted to see this movie, too, because I enjoyed Toy Story 1 & 2, but I was sure that when I left that theater, my ears would’ve been ringing.

I went to see Avatar in the theater on Mother’s Day weekend and the sound of that movie didn’t bother me. However, it was in an older theater. I paid a reduced price to see it since it was already out on DVD when I saw it in the theater.

I submitted a proposal yesterday. I’m starting to feel kind of antsy since I still don’t have another contract on the horizon! Hopefully, this one will pan into a sale! I’ve been fishing a lot lately, but, so far, no bites! 🙁

I’m still waiting for news. At least I haven’t gotten any rejections with my recent submissions, so, that’s good, I guess…

~Cecelia Dowdy~

This Fine Life By Eva Marie Everson

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This Fine Life by Eva Marie Everson
Product Details
Pub. Date: May 2010
Publisher: Baker Publishing Group
Format: Paperback, 352pp
Sales Rank: 176,399
ISBN-13: 9780800732745
ISBN: 080073274X
Edition Description: Original

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 the answer is waiting for her within the narrow stairwell of her father’s apparel factory, exactly between the third and fourth floors?

In this unique and tender story of an unlikely romance, popular author Eva Marie Everson takes readers on a journey through the heart of a young woman bound for the unknown. Readers will experience the joys of new love, the perseverance of true friendship, and the gift of forgiveness that comes from a truly fine life.

This book surprised me. I thought it started off a bit slow, but, after a little while, I got into the characters and their lives. Mariette has lived a privileged life and after she returns from boarding school as a recent high-school graduate of a presitigous Catholic academy, she doesn’t know what to do with herself. Her parents argue about her future, and she’s unsure about going to college, getting married, etc. She finds her future spouse in the stairwell of her father’s company. Thayne is a mail-clerk and it’s love at first sight for these two. They only share a couple of dates and her parents strong objections before they do the unthinkable.

The story focuses on their lives as they get married young and Thayne follows his dream of becoming a pastor and going to seminary. He feels called to do this, but, Mariette has a hard time understanding what a “calling” really is. How do you have a close relationship with God? She never prays alone, and thinks that God is somebody who is far away, and that we can only speak to him in church on Sunday.

When the couple arrives at the small town of Logan’s Creek for Thayne’s first pastorship, their lives change forever. Most of the town’s women hate Mariette. Also, Logan’s Creek has a dirty, haunting secret that proves traumatizing to one of the residents. Once this secret is exposed, the town is greatly affected.

This story was mesmerizing and you will want to read on to find out what happens between this young couple. Also, there are things that happen that are so totally unexpected, a lot of twists and turns that keep the story interesting. The story was also unique because of the time that it took place. Seldom do you see books out there that take place during the sixties.

I found this book to be a much better read than this one that I read by the same author about a year ago. Although Things Left Unspoken was a fairly good story, I felt this one was much better, more riveting, and it also kept me up late at night reading.

~Cecelia Dowdy~

July Book Giveaway!

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THIS CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED! THE WINNER WAS ANNOUNCED ON THIS BLOG POST!














I’m giving away a box of books. You can see the titles listed above. To be entered into the drawing you must do the following TWO STEPS!

#1. You must join my email list by clicking the link below and filling out your information! If you’re already on my email list, then skip to step #2!

#2. You must leave a comment on this blog post with your email address. I need your email address so that I’ll have a way to contact you if you’re chosen as the winner. If I draw your name and you’re not on my email list, then you won’t be eligible for the drawing!

~Cecelia Dowdy~

Only Uni By Camy Tang

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Only Uni by Camy Tang

Senior biologist Trish Sakai is ready for a change from her wild, flirtatious behavior. So Trish creates three simple rules from First and Second Corinthians and plans to follow them to the letter. No more looking at men as possible dates, especially non-Christians. Second, tell others about Christ. And third, she will persevere in hardship by relying on God. And just to make sure she behaves, she enlists the help of her three cousins, Lex, Venus and Jennifer, the only Christians in their large extended family.

But Trish’s dangerously tempting ex-boyfriend, Kazuo the artist, keeps popping up at all the wrong moments, and her grandmother, who has her eye on his family money, keeps trying to push the two of them back together again. Then there’s Spencer, the hunky colleague at work who keeps turning Trish’s thoughts in the wrong direction.

It just isn’t fair! She’s trying so hard, but instead of being God’s virtuous woman, she’s going nuts trying to stand firm against two hunky guys. Trish thought following her three rules would be a cinch, but suddenly those simple rules don’t seem so simple after all.

I’m afraid I’m doing this review based upon memory since I read this book over a month ago and never got around to blogging about it! The story was entertaining and there were a lot of twists and turns, things that happened that you totally did not expect. Trish has decided to make some changes in her life and to be a better Christian. She even wants to go to divinity school to get her degree among other things. She’s also been assigned a new office mate, Spencer, who’s driving her crazy with his good looks. However, she thinks that Spencer is not a Christian because she’s seen him flirting with female colleagues. Trish is shocked when she discovers Spencer’s true nature. Also, she finds it necessary to join a new church and to become more involved with more ministries. Amidst all this new turmoil in her life, she finds her ex, an artist, has made it his mission to stalk her, begging her to come back. Trish’s grandmother assists Kuzuo, the artist, to win her granddaughter’s affections.

This story was humorous and you’ll also learn a few things about Asian culture. I don’t see many novels in the Christian market with Asian characters. I’d never heard of a K-drama until I’d read this story. It’s an entertaining read that you’ll finish in a few days because it’s written in a way that’ll keep you turning the pages.

I reviewed the first book in the series here.

~Cecelia Dowdy~