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Cranberry Spinach Salad by AllRecipes

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon butter
• 3/4 cup almonds, blanched and slivered
• 1 pound spinach, rinsed and torn into bite-size pieces
• 1 cup dried cranberries
• 2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
• 1 tablespoon poppy seeds
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 2 teaspoons minced onion
• 1/4 teaspoon paprika
• 1/4 cup white vinegar
• 1/4 cup cider vinegar
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil

Directions

1. In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. 
2. Cook and stir almonds in butter until lightly toasted. Remove from heat,
3.  and let cool.
4. In a large bowl, combine the spinach with the toasted almonds and cranberries.
5. In a medium bowl, whisk together the sesame seeds, poppy seeds, sugar, onion,
6.  paprika, white vinegar, cider vinegar, and vegetable oil. Toss with spinach
7.  just before serving.

Book of Hours by Davis Bunn

Book Description:  Brian thought he had no future. Now he has the chance to start over...if he can solve the mysteries of the past found inside Castle Keep.

After his wife's death, Brian Blackstone's days and hours had become a meaningless blur. He finally wills himself to go to the English village of Knightsbridge to confront the inheritance he doesn't want to claim. His wife had insisted that Castle Keep was a place of enchantment, and urged him to hold on to the crumbling property. Impoverished and alone, Brian feels only the despair of trying to honor her dying wish.

Then a mysterious letter sends Brian on a search to find the secrets of the ancient estate. And the local doctor, Cecilia Lyons, soon becomes an ally in the fight to save Castle Keep before it can be auctioned off.

Before he comes to the end of his quest, Brian will unearth the crumbling English manor's secrets as well as find his own life in jeopardy. But it is Brian's internal quest that proves the most dificult as he desperately searches for renewal and healing.

My Review:  I love a good mystery.  Not gory, unthinkable yuckiness! But a good mystery with suspense that works the mind.  Davis Bunn is a favorite author of mine and I've read quite a few of his books but, by far, Book of Hours, is one of my most favorite reads.  A mysterious letter is sent to widower and he goes in search of secrets on an ancient estate.  The estate aptly named Castle Keep is in need of someone to save it from destruction.  Brian in his search teams up with the local doctor, Cecilia Lyons.  Brian unearths secrets in the crumbling mansion and finds his own life in jeopardy.  But it's his own journey that proves to be the most difficult as he discovers secrets and treasure.  I also loved finding out about "The Book of Hours."  This is a great read and as always can be found at Amazon for a reasonable price. This may become one of your favorite books to keep!  Love this oldies but goodies!

About the Author:

 Davis Bunn was born in North Carolina but became an international financial expert and worked throughout Europe, Africa and the Middle East.
Bunn is a writer of historical fiction and legal thrillers that are heavily rooted in Christian faith. He has co-written novels with Canadian author Janette Oke, as well as a few with his wife Isabella. He has also written under the penname of Thomas Locke. Bunn has won three Christy Awards for his books Drummer in the Dark, The Great Divide, and The Meeting Place.
Currently, he and his wife, Isabella, live in Oxford, England where he is a Novelist-in-residence at Oxford University.

COTT: Clash Of The Titles . . .COTT Champ Lisa T Bergren

*Guest post by Michelle Massaro

Congratulations, Lisa T. Bergren, author of Waterfall! Lisa's winning excerpt was discovered by COTT's new Talent Scout, Katie McCurdy. You can read Katie's review here. This YA title is being highly-praised by adults and is only the second YA title to win at Clash Of The Titles. Visit Lisa's site to learn more about her.

About the book:
Gabriella has never spent a summer in Italy like this one.
Remaining means giving up all she’s known and loved…
and leaving means forfeiting what she’s come to know…and love itself.

Most American teenagers want a vacation in Italy, but the Bentarrini sisters have spent every summer of their lives with their parents, famed Etruscan scholars, among the romantic hills. Stuck among the rubble of medieval castles in rural Tuscany on yet another hot, dusty archaeological site, Gabi and Lia are bored out of their minds… until Gabi places her hand atop a handprint in an ancient tomb and finds herself in fourteenth-century Italy. And worse yet, in the middle of a fierce battle between knights of two opposing forces.

And thus does she come to be rescued by the knight-prince Marcello Falassi, who takes her back to his father’s castle—a castle Gabi has seen in ruins in another life. Suddenly Gabi’s summer in Italy is much, much more interesting. But what do you do when your knight in shining armor lives, literally, in a different world?
Sounds amazing, doesn't it? No wonder it won! If you're ready to read it, head to Amazon now. You can read Lisa's COTT interview here or check out her excerpt here.
Lisa, welcome to the COTT Hall of Fame. We're very happy to have you join us!
Readers, do you hunger for a well-written convo--one dripping with sarcasm or perhaps laced with unspoken meaning? Maybe you like a quick wit or a character whose comments make you LOL. Wish you could influence the dialogue of the fictional characters you read? This week COTT is hosting a showdown for the Snappiest Dialogue. Hurry on over and let our authors know what you like, and what you long to see, in the spoken interaction between characters. See you there!

* Michelle Massaro is the Assistant Editor for COTT and has a passion for evangelizing through fiction. She writes contemporary inspirational novels with heart-rending themes intended to frame the message of God’s healing love. Michelle has written for Romantic Times, Circle Of Friends, and Pentalk Community, among others. Find her on twitter @MLMassaro, Facebook, or her blog, Adventures in Writing, and join the fun.

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Falls Like Lightning by Shawn Grady

Book Description: 

When hotshot smoke jumper Silas Kent gets his own fire crew, he thinks he's achieved what he's always wanted. But a lightning-sparked fire in the Desolation Wilderness of the Sierra Nevadas has his team in a plane before they can even train together.

Pilot Elle Westmore has been called up to drop the crew into the heart of the forest infernos. A single mother of a mysteriously ill six-year-old, she can't imagine her life getting any more complicated.

It doesn't take long for things to go very wrong, very quickly. A suspicious engine explosion forces Elle to make an emergency landing. Silas is able to parachute to safety but soon discovers his crew can't be trusted. They're hiding something, and now Silas is on a race to save himself and Elle from the flames—and from a more dangerous threat: his own team.

My Review: 

When I picked this book, Falls Like Lightning by Shawn Grady, I wasn't sure what to expect.  I just knew that I wanted to read an exciting adventure.  

Wow!  So, glad I picked this book!  From the first page I was hooked.  I truly enjoyed reading about Silas, Caleb, Elle, and Maddie along with the other crew members.

This is a non-stop action read!  I began it in the late afternoon and was so hooked on the story of fire fighters, smoke jumpers and pilots that I simply couldn't put it down!  It's a great story about those who jump in and try to stop or contain fires, especially raging forest fires.

Learning about Maddie's condition made the read seem very real---another subject that is rarely written about.

Then the story takes a twist and incorporates another story about seekers of a lost gold treasure.  The two stories are interconnected and make for a great adventure!

Then there's the history of romance between Silas and Elle.  Silas is a true gentleman and just wants to take care of Elle.  But Elle has been on her own for awhile and isn't sure since she and Silas parted ways what kind of relationship they can manage.  The romance is not overly done and adds zest to an already grand read!

If you're tired of the same old, same old story line then you need to read Falls Like Lightning because this is a new and fresh twist in the fiction arena!  I'll be looking for more reads by Shawn Grady!

*This book was provided for review by Harvest House Publishing*

About the Author:

Shawn Grady signed with Bethany House Publishers in 2008. He was named "Most Promising New Writer" at the 39th Annual Mount Hermon Writers Conference.

Shawn has served for over a decade as a firefighter and paramedic in northern Nevada. The line of duty has carried him to a variety of locale, from high-rise fires in the city to the burning heavy timber of the eastern Sierras.

Shawn currently lives in Reno, Nevada. He enjoys spending time in the outdoors with his wife, three children and yellow Labrador.

Visit Shawn's website at www.shawngradybooks.com

Cherished {A Novel of Unconventional Love} by Kim Cash Tate

Book Description:  

Kelli London once dreamed of being a songwriter. As crazy as it seemed, she hoped that God would use the lyrics that came to her while she slept. She dreamed about Brian too, that the love that they shared would be a forever kind of love. But choices she'll forever regret upended her hope and turned her dreams to dust. When those dreams come knocking once more, she's forced to deal with the pain of the past.

Heather Anderson's life has spun out of control--first an affair with a married man, then a one-night stand with a drummer of a popular Christian band that left her devastated. Broken and alone, she cried out to the only One who can save her. And He did, but that's just the beginning, because now she must leave behind the only life she has ever known.

Two women with shame-filled pasts form an unlikely friendship. What does God's forgiveness look like for them? Will they ever believe that He loves them...and can still offer them a life where they are cherished?

My Review:  Kelli has drifted away from going to church and from desiring to be with God.  Then Heather feels that God can't love her because she has "misused his good and perfect gift."

Two women whose lives interconnect The men and the friends that "make" them who they are.  The men who care for them and then the men who used them.  They learn that God cherishes them as human beings, women who need to lean on the Savior not a man who wants more than a woman can give.

An interesting story with a twist at the end that leaves the reader with a feeling that all the choices we make in life will and do affect our lives.

The choices the two women make do affect their relationships with others and it also, in my opinion, taints their relationship with God.  This Women of Faith fiction read is also about redemption, His love and forgiveness (forgiving one's self and forgiving others).  

This read was a sad one for me because, unfortunately, so many of today's young women are casting off their virtue and this causes a rift with their Heavenly Father, the One who truly loves and cherishes them!

A contemplative read on how a woman is to be cherished!

*This book was provided by The B & BMedia Group, Inc.*

About the Author:

When Kim graduated from George Washington University Law School she expected to live and practice law in Washington, DC the rest of her life—but God had other plans. Kim moved to Madison, WI where she married Bill and joined a church—which led to a complete “reshaping” of Kim’s identity. After almost a decade as a lawyer Kim resigned her partnership to stay home with her children. Now she’s the author of three books (two fiction, one non-fiction). Kim, Bill, and their two children live in Missouri.

FREE Kindle Books!

Prayers for Today Sampler: A Yearlong Journey of Contemplative Prayer by Kurt Bjorklund (Moody Publishers.)  Note: 30 day sampler.A collection of classic and contemporary prayers, some derived from Scripture and others from the writings of Christian leaders throughout the centuries, invites readers into a daily experience of closer intimacy with God. Each day's entry focuses on one of ten traditional types of prayer: 
Prayers of Thanksgiving, Prayers of Confession, Prayers of Affirmation,  Prayers of Petition, Prayers of Renewal, Prayers of Praise and Adoration, Prayers to Have Christ-like Character, Prayers for Wisdom and Guidance, Prayers of Intercession, and Prayers of Surrender.  Prayers for Today guides readers through a unique kind of spiritual pilgrimage, a pilgrimage toward the very throne room of God. For any reader who's ever wanted more out of prayer or who's ever hungered for a greater sense of God's presence, Prayers for Today promises deepened communion with the One who treasures the words and longings of His people.


The Invitation: A Simple Guide to the Bible by Eugene H. Peterson (NavPress.)  The Invitation features Eugene's thoughtful introductions from The Message. Each passage offers fresh insights that provide a new perspective on timeless truths, while key Scriptures complement each section--all of which is wrapped in Eugene's warm, personable style that encourages and inspires. Readers will encounter a profound overview of the Bible that invites them to delve deeper into God's Word.






Gone to Green (Green (Abingdon Press)) by Judy Christie (Abingdon Press Fiction.)  In Gone to Green, Lois goes from being a corporate journalist at a large paper in the Midwest to the owner of The Green News-Item, a small twice-weekly newspaper in rural North Louisiana. The paper was an unexpected inheritance from a close colleague, and Lois must keep it for at least a year, bringing a host of challenges, lessons, and blessings into her life.When Lois pulls into Green on New Year’s Day, she expects a charming little town full of smiling people. She quickly realizes her mistake. After settling into a loaned house out on Route 2, she finds herself battling town prejudices and inner doubts and making friends with the most surprising people: troubled teenager Katy, good-looking catfish farmer Chris, wise and feisty Aunt Helen, and a female African-American physician named Kevin.Whether fighting a greedy, deceitful politician or rescuing a dog she fears, Lois notices the headlines in her life have definitely improved. She learns how to provide small-town news in a big-hearted way and realizes that life is full of newsworthy moments. When she encounters racial prejudice and financial corruption, Lois also discovers more about the goodness of real people and the importance of being part of a community.While secretly preparing the paper for a sale, Lois begins to realize that God might indeed have a plan for her life and that perhaps the allure of city life and career ambition are not what she wants after all.


 Frontiersman's Daughter, The: A Novel by Laura Frantz (Revell.)  Lovely but tough as nails, Lael Click is the daughter of a celebrated frontiersman. Haunted by her father's former captivity with the Shawnee Indians, as well as the secret sins of her family's past, Lael comes of age in the fragile Kentucky settlement her father founded. Though she faces the loss of a childhood love, a dangerous family feud, and the affection of a Shawnee warrior, Lael draws strength from the rugged land she calls home, and from Ma Horn, a distant relative who shows her the healing ways of herbs and roots found in the hills. But the arrival of an outlander doctor threatens her view of the world, God, and herself--and the power of grace and redemption.
This epic novel gives readers a glimpse into the simple yet daring lives of the pioneers who first crossed the Appalachians, all through the courageous eyes of a determined young woman. Laura Frantz's debut novel offers a feast for readers of historical fiction and romance lovers alike.


 Medical Error by Richard Mabry (Abingdon Press Fiction.)  Dr. Anna McIntyre’s life was going along just fine until someone else started living it. Her patient died because of an identity mix-up; her medical career is in jeopardy because of forged prescriptions; and her credit is in ruins. She thought things couldn’t get worse, but that was before she opened the envelope and saw a positive HIV test with her name on it.Her allies are two men who are also competing for her affection. Dr. Nick Valentine is a cynic who carries a load of guilt. Attorney Ross Donovan is a recovering alcoholic. The deeper Anna digs to discover who’s behind the identity thefts the higher the stakes. Finally, when her life is on the line, Anna finds that her determination to clear her name might have been a prescription for trouble.



Steppin' into the Good Life by Tia McCollors (Lift Every Voice.)   Shelia Rushmore thought she'd be the last woman standing when it was time to fight for her man. Instead Ace, her boyfriend of two years, chose to reunite with his ex-wife, leaving Shelia emotionally devastated. It's a year later when Sheila is convinced that sneaking into their wedding ceremony will put closure on the gaping hole in her heart. But it's on the back pew of the church where a new relationship begins for Shelia. She can't explain the touch she received from God on that day, but she's determined to be a better woman-a woman of faith. Since high school, Shelia has been chasing her definition of the good life - it's left her with no home, no man, and no money. But now that's she's living life for God, things should get better, right? Shelia learns that living a faith-filled life isn't always easy. 
With faith, tough love, and some tough decisions, Shelia realizes that the life she'd been praying for she could have for herself is actually attainable. Being wrapped in God's arms, she decided, was by far the safest place she'd ever been.


A Time to Love (Quilts of Lancaster County Series #1) by Barbara Cameron (Abingdon Press Fiction.)  War correspondent Jennie King thinks she’s just a temporary guest in her grandmother’s Amish community while she recuperates from the devastating injuries sustained in a car bomb attack that changed her world. But when she meets Matthew Bontrager, the man she had a crush on as a teenager, she wonders if God has a new plan for her. Jennie has emotional and physical scars and though she feels she has come home to this man and this place, she's not sure she can bridge the difference between their worlds.

Prices on amazon.com are subject to change at any time.  Please verify price prior to purchase.  

WOW {Warm Oven Wednesday} Easy Crockpot Lasagna

1

pound bulk Italian sausage

1

medium onion, chopped (1/2 cup)

3

cans (15 ounces each) Italian-style tomato sauce

2

teaspoons dried basil leaves

1/2

teaspoon salt

2

cups shredded mozzarella cheese (8 ounces)

1

container (15 ounces) part-skim ricotta cheese

1

cup grated Parmesan cheese

15

uncooked lasagna noodles

STEP 1

• Cook sausage and onion in 10-inch skillet over medium heat 6 to 8 minutes, 
• stirring occasionally, until sausage is no longer pink; drain. 
• Stir in tomato sauce, basil and salt.
•             STEP 2
• Mix 1 cup of the mozzarella cheese and the ricotta and Parmesan cheeses.
• (Refrigerate remaining mozzarella cheese while lasagna cooks.)
•            STEP 3
• Spoon one-fourth of the sausage mixture into 6-quart slow cooker;
•  top with 5 noodles, broken into pieces to fit. Spread with half
•  of the cheese mixture and one-fourth of the sausage mixture. 
• Top with 5 noodles, remaining cheese mixture and one-fourth 
• of the sausage mixture. Top with remaining 5 noodles and remaining
•  sausage mixture.
•            STEP 4
• Cover and cook on Low heat setting 4 to 6 hours or until
• noodles are tender.
•            STEP 5
• Sprinkle top of lasagna with remaining 1 cup mozzarella cheese.
• Cover and let stand about 10 minutes or until cheese is melted. 
• Cut into pieces.
• ENJOY!

Evidence of Mercy {Sun Coast Chronicles} by Terri Blackstock

Book Description: 

The plane crash nearly ended Lynda’s life. Was it an accident or sabotage? Lynda Barrett, a young lawyer, hates to sell her plane, but she can no longer afford to keep it. Enter Jake Stevens: wealthy, arrogant, and interested in buying Lynda’s beloved Piper. Together, he and Lynda embark on a test flight that ends in disaster--hurling them into a terrifying sequence of events. One thing becomes clear: Someone is out to get Lynda . . . someone who will not be satisfied until she is dead. This riveting novel takes the reader on a suspense-filled flight into a world where the dark side of human nature meets with a higher power . . . where love finds root in the midst of hatred’s savagery . . . and where terrifying and uncontrollable circumstances become the unlikely catalysts for forgiveness and faith.

My Review:

Reading books by Terri Blackstock is like eating your favorite meal.  You know there will be a little bit of everything you like!

Evidence of Mercy is all about the mercy of God and how He loves us too much to leave us in our sin.

Lynda Barrett is a somewhat.self.absorbed lawyer with her only "friend" being her secretary.  But she loves her small plane,Solitude.  Now with her dearly departed father's debts hanging over her like a leech that won't let go, she decides that Solitude must be sold.

Jake Stevens is a totally.attidtude.is.all.about.me type of guy.  He decides that he wants to buy Lynda's Piper, Solitude.  He and Lynda meet to discuss the terms of the sale and to test fly Solitude.

This is where the mystery, suspense and mercy begin.

Lynda can't stand Jake's attitude and Jake can't tolerate Lynda so not a great beginning.  However, while in the air Jake and Lynda must learn to survive together.

A great read with a lot of suspense and some romance mixed together to create a grand story!

*This book was provided for review by Zondervan*

About the Author:

Terri Blackstock is a New York Times best-seller, with over six million copies sold worldwide. She has had over twenty-five years of success as a novelist. Terri spent the first twelve years of her life traveling in an Air Force family. She lived in nine states and attended the first four years of school in The Netherlands. Because she was a perpetual "new kid," her imagination became her closest friend. That, she believes, was the biggest factor in her becoming a novelist. She sold her first novel at the age of twenty-five, and has had a successful career ever since.
In 1994 Terri was writing romance novels under two pseudonyms for publishers such as HarperCollins, Harlequin, Dell and Silhouette, when a spiritual awakening prompted her to switch gears. At the time, she was reading more suspense than romance, and felt drawn to write about ordinary people in grave danger. Her newly awakened faith wove its way into the tapestry of her suspense novels, offering hope instead of despair. Her goal is to entertain with page-turning plots, while challenging her readers to think and grow. She hopes to remind them that they're not alone, and that their trials have a purpose.
In 1994 Terri was writing for publishers such as HarperCollins, Harlequin, Dell and Silhouette, when a spiritual awakening drew her into the Christian market. As she was praying about her transition, she went on a cruise and noticed that almost everyone on the boat (including her) had a John Grisham novel. It occurred to her that some of Grisham's readers were Christians, and that if she wrote a fast-paced thriller with an added faith element, she might just find her niche. As God would have it, Christian publishers were showing interest in the suspense genre, so she quickly sold a four-book series to Zondervan. Since that time, she's written over thirty Christian titles, most of them suspense novels.
Besides entertaining her readers, Terri tackles issues that she hopes will change lives. Her recent book, Predator, was inspired by her experiences on Facebook and Twitter, and her concern that people posted too much personal information about themselves. The book deals with an online predator who uses social networks as his playground. She hopes the book will change readers' online habits. Her New York Times best-seller, Intervention, was inspired by her own personal struggles with a daughter on drugs. In the book, a mother hires an interventionist for her drug-addicted daughter. But on the way to treatment, the interventionist is murdered, and the daughter disappears. Barbara, the mother, sets out to search for her daughter. Terri modeled Barbara after herself, and poured many of her own emotions and experiences into that character. As a result, many families experiencing drug addiction have written to thank her for telling their story and giving them hope. Vicious Cycle, Book Two of the Intervention Series, releases February 22, 2011. She's currently working on Book Three.
Other recent books include a stand-alone novel called Double Minds, as well as Last Light, Night Light, True Light and Dawn's Light (from her acclaimed Restoration Series). She is also known for her popular Newpointe 911 Series and Cape Refuge Series. Terri makes her home in Mississippi, where she and her husband Ken are enjoying their empty nest after raising three children.
Terri has appeared on national television programs such as "The 700 Club" and "Home Life," and has been a guest on numerous radio programs across the country. The story of her personal journey appears in books such as Touched By the Savior by Mike Yorkey, True Stories of Answered Prayer by Mike Nappa, Faces of Faith by John Hanna, and I Saw Him In Your Eyes by Ace Collins.