Have you ever felt unsettled?
That no matter how much you try.
How much you pray.
That the unsettled feeling just doesn't go away?
That there's something more.
Something else.
Something you quite can't grasp.
Out there?
And if you find it, will it be enough?
Will you want more?

Will the winds of change help?
Blowing in unknown directions.
Taking you to a place
That may be home.
To be settled.
Home.

Review of eye of the god by Ariel Allison

Abingdon Press sent me this book to review and I was sucked in by the first page. What a great book full of suspense. It was hard to put down right up to the very last page. Even the very last sentence makes you say, "WHAT??? Wait a minute!" It leaves you wanting more.
Here is a short blurb about the book:

Alex and Isaac Weld, the most lucrative jewel thieves in the world, are on a quest to steal the Hope diamond, which according to legend was once the eye of a Hindu idol named Rama Sita. When it was stolen in the 17th century, it is said that the idol cursed all those who would possess it. That won't stop the brilliant and ruthless Weld brothers. However, they are not prepared for Dr. Abigail Mitchell, the beautiful Smithsonian Director, who has her own connection to the Hope Diamond and a deadly secret to keep. Abby committed long ago that she would not serve a god made with human hands, and the "eye of the god" is no exception. Her desire is not for wealth, but for wisdom.

Part of the book is held in the past, explaining the history of the Hope Diamond, but interweaves with the present to tie the story together. The author does a great job blending past and present to make a great book.

I would definitely read this authors books again as her writing is truly captivating.

I'm finding I don't have much time anymore. I miss my husband. I miss my kids. Working full (plus) time takes a lot out each day. I'm learning to cherish Friday's and Saturday's as Sabbath days as Sunday's are considered a work day. Ahhhhhh the joys of being in the ministry. :) As someone reminded me last night at the football game (whom I had just met) that this is a season. I know I need to learn from it what I can as it won't be forever.

So I am looking forward to Thanksgiving. A 3 day weekend, day of work and then another day off. We'll be by ourselves this year for Thanksgiving (first time ever) but it sure won't make me less thankful. Just have to bust my toosh the next four days so I can enjoy the three days off.

And the weather on Thanksgiving? Rain! The weather the past weeks....rain.
The forecast for the next week. Rain.
I never thought I'd say it, but, I miss snow.

Review of The Swiss Courier by Tricia Goyer and Mike Yorkey

Revell Books sent me this novel to read and review.

It is August 1944 and the Gestapo is mercilessly rounding up suspected enemies of the Third Reich after an attempt on Hitler's life. Gabi Mueller is a young woman working for the newly formed American Office of Strategic Services (the forerunner to the CIA) in Switzerland. When she is asked to put herself in harm's way to safely "courier" a German scientist who is working on the atomic bomb out of enemy territory, the fate of the world hangs in the balance.


I reread the back cover after finishing the book and have to say that the above quote (from the back cover) is only a snippet of what happens in the book. There were so many twists and turns, unexpected spies and undercover agents.

I was hooked by the second chapter. Getting into the first chapter was a bit difficult weeding through the German and Swiss names of people and towns. There were several characters in the book to keep track of, but the "list of major characters" given at the beginning of the book helped.

There were some squeemish parts, but I know they didn't compare at all to what took place in real life during the war.

A great read right to the very end.

Available October 2009 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.

A Review of Green by Ted Dekker

I was so fortunate to snatch up Green from Thomas Nelson for their blog reviews. Here's a little snippet of the inside flap:

Green brings full meaning to the Circle Series as a whole, reading as both prequel to Black and sequel to White, completing a full circle. This is Book Zero, the Circle Reborn, both the beginning and the end. The preferred starting point for new readers . . . and the perfect climax for the countless fans who’ve experienced Black, Red, and White.

I haven't read Black, Red or White, so this was the starting point for me. It took a couple chapters in to figure out who was who and what different characters symbolized. There were actually three stories going on, but all merged into one as the book read on. Ted Dekker is not a flowery author. There was lots of blood, slaying and at some points, disturbing scenes. He painted the characters so well you could smell the skin disease that covered the bodies of the evil ones.

Once in to it, I couldn't put it down. Definitely a great read. Will I read the next three? Not sure yet, but I would definitely recommend this to anyone with a bit of morbid curiosity and who enjoys a great, descriptive author/storyteller.