COTT {Clash of the Titles} Youth Fiction With a Timely Message

For all those who need to unplug from our high tech world, Clash of the Titles presents a novel about reconnecting with those dearest to us, about turning off the cellphone and living in reality. Although written from the perspective of a new teen, Edna in the Desert applies to all ages.

About Edna in the Desert:

Edna is a precocious trouble-maker wreaking havoc at her Beverly Hills school. Her therapist advocates medication, but her parents come up with an alternative cure: Edna will spend the summer in the desert with her grandparents. Their remote cabin is cut off from cell phone service, Internet and television. Edna's determined to rebel until she meets an older local boy and falls in love for the first time. How can she get to know him from the edge of nowhere?

PURCHASE:

Amazon

Barnes and Noble

Electio Publishing

What readers have to say:

*  "Maddy Lederman is a 21 st Century Judy Blume"

* "The author displays literary maturity in her subtle, nuanced and patient treatment of Edna's movement from self-centered to other-centered.I recommend this book to all - not just the YA group & I hope to read other books from this author."

* "Loved this book, brought up so many things I think about in terms of kids, technology and our materialistic society."

About the author: 

Maddy Lederman's writing has appeared in The Huffington Post, The Los Angeles Times and The Sun 

Runner, a magazine about California deserts. Maddy has an MFA in Acting from Brooklyn College. After school she discovered what it's like to wait around at auditions all day, and so she did not pursue an acting career.Edna In The Desert is Maddy's first novel.

Q&A with Maddy:

What has drawn you to writing for the YA market?

I wanted to write a warm, amusing story about how a modern teenager would react to being totally unplugged. Some of my friends’ kids don’t even look up from their phones to say hello, and I wonder where this is taking our culture. My character, Edna, is thirteen, so the YA market was naturally drawn to my book, but I wasn’t drawn to a particular market. I’ve found that adults enjoy Edna In the Desert as much as teens.

What is the quirkiest thing you have ever done?

I’ve done many quirky things, a lot of them in the desert! I took a “sound bath” at The Integratron. I hiked up a mountain in 110 degrees on a first date and eventually married the guy. My job in film and TV creates endless quirky opportunities, for example, covering Adam West, TV’s Batman, in creamed corn. We met years later in Palm Springs and laughed about it.

How can readers find you on the Internet?

On Facebook and my website, MaddyLederman.com.

Visit Clash of the Titles for the latest in Christian fiction!

*taken from Amazon reviews

A cozy fireplace because . . .

Healing Grace {Book 3, Touch of Grace} by Beth Shriver

Book Description:  Can Abby overcome the pain caused by her father and find acceptance among the Amish? Abby finds more than love and safety when she meets Mose, as she struggles with the faith she left behind after the death of her mother. After time spent with Mose and his family she knows she has to make a choice. Will Abby stay with Mose or go back to her sick father who needs her. 

My Thoughts:  Healing Grace is the third book in the Touch of Grace trilogy.  I haven't read the first two books but I found that this is a stand alone read even though there may be references to others that I wouldn't know about.  Just in case you haven't read any of these books either this description may help: *The Touch of Grace trilogy series is about three faithful women who, when faced with three separate hardships, are torn between the men they love and staying true to themselves. Grace saves. Even in a world where retribution is almost expected, the Amish demonstrate that all can be pardoned, by following their vow of no resistance which shows the deep-rooted forgiveness within them. *amazon description*

Abby finds that she may not be alone in trying to keep the family horse farm afloat…Mose Fisher, an Amish man, filled with love and faith enters her life.

Abby's dad is a mean, hard man but now very ill . . .  Abby must make decisions but from an abusive father she hasn't known love. 

However, through the love and giving of the Amish community Abby learns about forgiveness and true love.

A "different" kind of Amish read that deals with more than just the Amish community.  This read deals with how the Amish incorporate love into their daily lives.

A new and great read about an "Englischer and an Amisher."

*This book was provided for review by Bookteria/Realms*

• Series: Touch of Grace (Book 3)
• Paperback: 304 pages
• Publisher: Realms (October 1, 2013)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1621362973
• ISBN-13: 978-1621362975

WOW {Warm Oven Wednesday} Oatmeal Craisin Cookies

Oatmeal Craisin Cookies

Yay!  It's cookie season!  

I found this yummy cookie recipe just in time for Christmas baking!

       Ingredients:  

• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups quaker quick-cooking oats ( not instant)
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
• 3/4 cup dried cranberries ( Craisins)
  

    Directions: 

1. Preheat Oven to 375°F.
2. In a large bowl with an electric mixer combine, sugar, brown sugar and butter and mix well.
3. Add in egg and vanilla and mix until combined.
4. Add in cinnamon, baking soda, salt and flour and mix well.
5. Fold in by hand the oatmeal, walnuts, and dried cranberries making sure that all ingredients are uniformly distributed.
6. Roll dough into 1-inch balls and place 3-inches apart onto a greased cookie sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes, just until the edges are lightly golden.
7. Remove from oven and let cool for 2-3 minutes on the cookie sheet.

An Amish Miracle by Beth Wiseman, Ruth Reid & Mary Ellis

Book Description:  Always Beautiful by Beth Wiseman

Becky Byler is eighteen and overweight. She is overwhelmed by the embarrassment she feels when comparing herself to other girls her age. Having lost all hope, she considers taking her own life. As she stands before rushing water, unable to swim, Becky begs God for a miracle. In just several months, Becky sees her prayers answered as food and temptation lose their hold over her. She’s finally pleased with how she looks, but does she like the person she has become? And has the man she has dreamed of been right beside her all along, loving her exactly as she is?

Always His Providence by Ruth Reid

Widow Rosa Hostetler has one month to pay her delinquent taxes before the county auctions her farm. She’s prepared to sell whatever is necessary to pay the lien, but she isn’t willing to request money from the community’s widow fund. She’s embarrassed and refuses to admit she needs help. Rosa depends on income from selling eggs, but when that income is threatened, only a miracle can help Rosa accept the kindness of a neighbor.

Always in My Heart by Mary Ellis

Hope Bowman believes God is punishing her for giving up her firstborn son when she was a teenager. She’s hidden this secret from her husband, who is thankful for their daughters but longs for a son. Hope prays desperately, but the son God sends her isn’t a new baby but the fifteen-year-old boy she gave up years ago.

My Thoughts:  An Amish Miracle  is a great read with three Amish novellas.

Always Beautiful by Beth Wiseman is about Becky.  Poor Becky so insecure because she compares herself to other young women her age.  Becky is pudgy and feels like lit just isn't worth the effort.  She feels hopeless.helpless but after praying for God's help begins to overcome the temptations of foods.  However, Becky's problems seem to be internal because even as she loses weight and looks great she can't seem to accept herself.  A good lesson for all that our worth doesn't come from how we look but from our heart . . . always beautiful!

Always His Providence by Ruth Reid is about Rosa.  A tragic barn fire and Rosa becomes a widow.  Rosa's husband went into Adam's burning barn to save Adam.  Rosa's husband lost his life but Adam is saved.  Adam has a lot of guilt because Rosa's husband died and he lived.  But even more so because Rosa is left with debts and only has the income of selling eggs.  This short story brings tragedy to triumph because of He always provides!

Always in My Heart by Mary Ellis is about Hope.  Hope is a married Amish woman with a husband and three girls.  She has always wanted to give her husband, Stephen, a son.  Hope has also carried a deep secret for years.  Will this secret make or break their marriage? And as she gives birth to her fourth child, another baby girl, Hope realizes that her son has always been in her heart.  A story of forgiveness and God's grace.

Also included in this book are a Reading Group Guide and Old-Order Amish Recipes.

This book would make a great present for that Amish reader on your Christmas list!

*This book was provided for review by BookSneeze*

• Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: Thomas Nelson (December 3, 2013)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1401688705
• ISBN-13: 978-1401688707

The Dawn of Christmas: A Romance from the Heart of Amish Country by Cindy Woodsmall

Book Description:  Sadie enjoys her freedom away from home and her mission trips to Peru, but after four years, her Old Order Amish family insists it’s time to come home and settle down. Levi, a bachelor who distrusts women after a family heartbreak, also has no desire for romance. To keep their families from meddling in their lives, Sadie and Levi devise a plan—but soon discover that the walls around their hearts are breaking down. Can they let go of their prejudices, learn to trust each other, and embrace a future together?

My Thoughts:  There's just something exciting about receiving a pretty hardbound book.  So, when I received this book, The Dawn of Christmas, I felt like Christmas had come early to my house.  

Not only is this a nice book but the content is wonderful, too.

The story of a young lady, Sadie.  Four years earlier Sadie "caught" her intended groom, Daniel and Aquilla, "cheating on her.  Oh!so!sadly Sadie runs off "the laughter of their future children silenced." (p.3)

Sadie's parents with Sadie's consent decide that this would be a great time for her to go on a mission's trip with the Mennonites.  

Sadie has been away for four years when her parents decide that it's time for her to come home and get married.  oh!joy!

This is a great read . . . the betrayal, the romance, the Amish way of life, the hardened bachelor . . . well, I could go on and on but why don't you just read this grand story for yourself? {enjoy!}  

This book makes a wonderful gift, too, for that romantic Amish reader on your list.  {smile}

*This book was provided for review by Waterbrook Press*

• Hardcover: 176 pages
• Publisher: WaterBrook Press; Reprint edition (October 15, 2013)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0307732134
• ISBN-13: 978-0307732132

COTT {Clash of the Titles} The Winner of Our September / October New Releases Clash

A hearty congratulations to Mary Ball, author of Stone of Destiny!

And a special thank-you to these authors for entering their great new releases:

Bonnie Doran, author of Dark Biology
Laura V. Hilton, author of Awakened Love
Maddy Lederman, author of Edna in the Desert
Julie Cantrell, author of When Mountains Move

About Stone of Destiny:

Taylor has given up on everything but her work. After becoming the youngest CEO of Mugful’s Beverage Company, she believes life is complete--until her grandmother asks her to oversee the renovations of the family home, in addition to searching for a missing heirloom.

Her first contact with what she believes is an insignificant ring, lost for fifty years, sends her life spinning. Taylor experiences strange. Unexpected feelings surface that she doesn't understand. Thoughts that should remain unspoken are voiced. Taylor’s emotional journey begins, testing a heart as cold as the ring itself and forcing her to question everything she believes. Is this a fairytale, or simply her soul reaching out for a different world--a life she can only find through faith and a divine trust in God?

What Voters Had to Say:

**Mary L. Ball, I am looking forward to reading Stone of Destiny! The story sounds amazing.

**Mary, your title sounds interesting. I like the idea of following the trail of an heirloom.
Stone of Destiny is one I look forward to reading.

**Mary does such great work. What a mind ! I have been looking forward to her new book ever since I first heard about the storyline.

**Mary Ball's Stone of Destiny excerpt takes a Christian believer out of the box.

**Mary Ball is an excellent author. I am looking forward to her next book.

**Stone of Destiny is good reading. You'll love it.

**To to a wonderful beautiful lady Mary L. Ball keep on writing you are the best and your books are wonderful.

About the author, Mary Ball:

She is a member of ACFW and lives in North Carolina between the wondrous mountains and beautiful beaches. When she’s not writing, Mary enjoys supporting her husband’s ministry,singing, fishing, and reading a good novel.

For more about Mary visit her athttp://MaryLouwrites.weebly.com
Find her on Twitter at @inspires4mary
and Facebook,

Reviews for Stone of Destiny
Stone of Destiny by Mary L. Ball is a wonderful story of romance and one finding their way back to God through faith and trust. Taylor Harrison is the youngest CEO at the Mugful Beverage Company and she feels that her life is complete. With great trepidation she agrees to oversee the renovation of

her grandmother's family home. Fifty years earlier, a sapphire ring was lost in the house and Granny Kay wants Taylor to search for the ring as the renovations are being made. After finding the ring, Taylor begins to have strange dreams and she is even making phone calls in her sleep at night.

Brent Roberts is the nephew of Granny Kay's best friend and he has been hired to do the renovations to the house. When he and Taylor meet, she is definitely not impressed even though she thinks he is the most handsome man she has ever seen. Brent is very much in tune with what God wants him to do with his life. His faith and the way he shares his knowledge of God cause

Taylor to start questioning some of her beliefs. She soon realizes that she can only find happiness through a true faith in God.
The development of the plot, the characters, the dialogue, and the description of all the scenes were done in an excellent manner. The characters were so real that at times I wanted to shake Taylor and would not have minded if Brent gave me a hug. Granny Kay is the kind of grandma that everyone would love to have and her love for Taylor was a very important part of the story. All the action taking place in the book was so well done

that in my mind I was struggling right along with Taylor as she worked to make her decisions and I was pulling for Brent to win Taylor's heart. I really appreciate the way that the author handled the romance in the story and how Taylor regained her faith in God and finally trusted Him with her life. Searching for the missing ring added a little suspense to the story.

Would she find the ring or would it be lost forever?
I highly recommend this book. If you like a wonderful story with lots of romance, a little bit of suspense, and a story in which faith in God plays a big part, then this is the book for you.
***********************
Mary Ball has written a book that people must read. I have watched a lot of Nicholas Sparks movies and this book ranks up to the top of a Nicholas Sparks love story.
********************
This is the second book by Mary Ball that I have read. The first one was a mystery/suspense that had me guessing all the way to the end. This one had me intrigued and wondering all the way to the end what path Taylor was going to choose. This story starts out with a bang, literally, and I was wondering how I was going to put this book down to sleep that night.
I love decorating and watching HGTV so I was especially interested in Mary's description of how this old house was being renovated by our very special hero. This book also takes place over a period of time so it is not an insta-love, but one that grows. Though sometimes I did get aggravated with Taylor for some of the choices she was making that would have resulted in a very lonely life.

Brent, our hero, was very patient, knew what he wanted, and pursued Taylor by not be overbearing or controlling. The dreams Taylor would have added an air of mystery to the whole plot and kept me turning the pages just to find out with Taylor why she was having them and what they meant. This book was provided to me by the author and the opinions are my own.

Buy the book!:

Amazon

Barnes and Noble

All Romance Ebooks
Prism Book Group

Thank you everyone for another fun clash. And welcome to the family, Mary! =)