Thursday, October 13, 2016

2 Quite Captivating Novels For You To Scoop Up


You know Beth Moore as a popular and beloved Bible teacher.  Her studies are solid and hefty, her Christian living books are best sellers.  Who would have ever guessed that she'd turn out a truly memorable piece of fiction?  

But she has and it's called The Undoing of Saint Silvanus

'A wily house manager and the cast of saints and sinners who live in Saint Silvanus bond together to expose the dark forces that took the life of a father and threaten to drive a final wedge between the mother and daughter left in the wake of his death.'

The birth and death of Saint Silvanus, a former church now reimagined as a cool apartment building {a marvelous inside-the-cover pen and ink sketch brings the shared great room to life}, is subtly interwoven into the story line of a troubled family trying to come to grips with who they could become.  

Read the first chapter here.  Beth's writing is so nuanced and compelling that it's hard to put this book down.  Goosebumps let me know I was hooked after the one paragraph prologue.  Here's a superb selection for your book club.  

And wow ... be sure to sign up for the FREE book webcast coming in January.

I'll see ya' there.


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Lisa Wingate's a new-to-me author ... and I'm telling you that The Story Keeper is another must-read.

'Jen Gibbs is at the top of her game with her new position at Vida House Publishing -- until a mysterious manuscript from an old slush pile appears on her desk.  Turning the pages, Jen finds herself drawn into the life of Sarra, a mixed-race Melungeon girl trapped by dangerous men in the turn of the century Appalachia ...when the trail turns toward the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains, a place Jen thought she'd left behind forever, the price of a blockbuster next book deal may be higher than she's willing to pay.'

Read the first chapter right here.  I promise you'll be drawn in hook, line, and sinker to this pageturner, a super compelling 2-stories-in-1 novel that I found most difficult to put down.  Jot this one down, too, for your book club.

For sure, the next few months will find me grabbing hold of Lisa's creations from the library, one by one.


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What page-turner's keeping you burning the midnight oil?

What's your book club reading these days?




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sharing fine reads with 

51 comments:

  1. Thank you for the recommendations... been needing some good reads since I stopped reviewing books recently! <3 - http://www.domesticgeekgirl.com

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    1. Especially with winter coming slowly but surely ... nothing beats a stack of books just begging to be paged through!

      Hope these fit the bill for you, Gingi.

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  2. Thanks for the great suggestions for these books, they certainly sound very intriguing! :)

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  3. Hi Linda! How interesting that Beth Moore is writing fiction. The topic sounds really interesting too, thanks for showing us your choices for the week!
    Blessings,
    Ceil

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    1. I know ... you could have knocked me over with a feather! But she certainly doesn't disappoint with her first novel. I'm hoping it won't be her last.

      Must be a challenge to be gifted in so many different areas and have to choose what to do with all that ability!

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  4. I heard that Beth had written a fiction book--she is such a wonderful writer and cannot wait to read this! Thanks for the recs!
    Blessings!

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  5. Thanks for these recommendations, Linda! I look forward to reading both in the near future.
    Blessings!

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    1. May this weekend give you quiet pocket of time to curl up with a good book, friend!

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  6. Beth Moore is a favorite, how fun that she's writing fiction now! The 2-in-1 story sounds intriguing. Since I have one in the works reading Lisa's would be good research :) Thanks for the insights, Linda! Hope you're enjoying fall on the coast.

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  7. Linda,
    Thanks for letting us know. I think I've done just about every Beth Moore Bible study...I would be really intrigued to see how she writes as a novelist. May just have to pick up a copy :)
    Blessings friend,
    Bev

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    1. Bev ~ I'd love to hear your thoughts on the novelist vs. the Bible Study leader ...

      Sure hoping she can continue to pen both fiction and non.

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  8. I love Beth Moore's bible studies, hit and miss on her non-fiction books (I've read a couple I really liked) so I was curious about this fiction novel. Glad to hear some good thoughts on it.

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    1. Susan ~ it fascinates me that an author can do several genres so very well ...

      What a gift!

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  9. I loved The Storykeeper. The other books in the series are really good too.

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    1. I'm heading to the library this morning, Jill ... thanks for the thumbs up on the rest of the series!

      ;-}

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  10. I've heard a lot about Beth Moore's new novel, especially how good it is, which I have to admit surprises me! Sounds like I need to give it a try.

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  11. I've always loved Beth Moore's Bible studies and knew that she'd moved into writing her first novel, but knew little more about it than that. I'm so glad you're sharing the first chapter and letting us know about the webcast, Linda. Sounds like a great opportunity. And thanks for all the many book reviews you give us. You keep us well-resourced and cared for in the best kinds of ways, my friend!

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    1. I love that Beth will be doing that webcast in January. Should be lots of fun!

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  12. Thanks for the recommendations. I hadn't heard of either of these. I'll have to check out the sample chapters.

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    1. Sharing a sample chapter is such a great marketing tool, isn't it? I don't know if all authors are doing that these days, but what better way to get a potential reader committed to embrace the book?!

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  13. Oh, Beth Moore is my favorite! I'm so glad to hear another great review of her novel. Thank you for sharing! I have not heard of the other author or book.
    Have a wonderful weekend!

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  14. Thanks for the recommendations. The Storykeeper sounds like something I need to look for!

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    1. I'd love if you'd come back and let me know what you think of it if you end up reading, Tanya!

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  15. They all sound good! Right now my husband and I are reading Priceless together because we love For King & Country and heard it was about a truck driver (which he is too). Trying to finish it before we go see the movie soon. It is a page turner..sucks you in right away in my opinion.

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    1. What better way to enrich your marriage and connect with your spouse at a deeper level! How cool that you're reading a book that's about his world ... too often us wives have our own agenda in the books we want to share with our men.

      I applaud you, Meg!

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  16. Thank you for these recommendations, Linda. I'm always looking for books to read for my church book club that I facilitate! I'm glad to see that you read fiction too! I'm a fiction reader (and writer), and I'm always so blessed to meet other Christian woman who enjoy a great story!

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    1. Oh ... I wish we could shrink the miles between us, Lynn ... I'd love to be able to join you and your gang around a really good book!

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  17. thanks for sharing.. will check them out

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  18. Thanks Linda. I had not heard of either of those books, but sure I will Beth's. I'm going to one of her conferences next month.

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    1. Oh cool! I wonder if she'll talk about how this book came to be ...

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  19. I think you should post a book review once you have read Beth's new book. I'm hesitant to check it out. I find Beth engaging but very long winded when it comes to her ministry, so not sure how she will transition to fiction! Would be great to hear what you think!

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    1. Yep, I loved Beth's first work of fiction, for sure ... and hope it won't be her last. Go ahead and check out the first chapter and see if it resonates with you ... the link is in the post.

      ;-}

      I'd love to hear your take on it, Nicki ...

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  20. Thank you for bringing these books to our attention.

    God bless.

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  21. You picked two fabulous books. I love Lisa Wingate and have been trying to read everything by her. Every book by Lisa has been wonderful. I have Beth Moore's novel on my list. I have heard how good it is. It was described by two other authors as a book with characters you can't get out of your mind. Thanks for sharing!

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    1. Oh I'm so glad to hear that you're a fan of Lisa's, too, Mary! And why am I not surprised?!

      ;-}

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  22. Linda. Thank you for the reccomendations! I love to soak in a good book :)

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    1. Every season brings more sweet invitations to curl up with yet another wonderful pageturner!

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  23. Hi Linda! I have heard a lot about Beth's first fiction novel and am excited to read it soon. Great summary of it!

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  24. I love Lisa Wingate's books and I'll have to check out Beth's :).

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  25. What intrigue's me about Lisa's books is they are a story in a story. There is a dab of romance but not too enchanting and love-storyish to be unreal. Lisa's Prayer Box was an interesting mentoring style story which made me want a prayer box....the character had, I think, 82 boxes.

    Thanks for the Beth Moore suggestion. Next on
    my list...happy reading!!!!!

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    1. I'm with you. Carol. I can do with out the too-over-the-top enchanting stuff. Real life floats my boat.

      82 prayer boxes, huh? Sounds kind of interesting!

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  26. I just finished one of Lisa's recently and got a few more in my Kindle app. I just put this one on my wish list. One thing I loved about the last book of hers I read was the setting, in the Outer Banks of NC. I lived in SC for 20+ years and am in TN now, so stories set in and around the Blue Ridge Mountains appeal to me.

    Just now I am listening to Secrets of a Charmed Life for Susan Meissner, and it has me wanting to stop everything and listen. It's my first book by this author.

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    1. There's nothing like listening to a good book when you're on a very long road trip. The miles disappear, the hours fly by.

      Thanks for visiting here and there today on the blog, Barbara. That means alot to me!

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