Review: Salty Sweets by Christie Matheson (Excerpt)

Salty Sweets: Delectable Desserts and Tempting Treats with a Sublime Kiss of Salt by Christie MathesonHarvard Common Press (August 15, 2009) ~ 144 pages
Non-Fiction / Cooking / Desserts


Edition Reviewed / Special Thanks: Hardback - I received this book from the Amazon Vine review program.
Perfect for : Personal Use, Hostess Gift, Great book for the dessert-lover in your life

In a nutshell: I am one of those people, that if given the choice between a savory appetizer or a decadent dessert I will definitely choose the dessert! And right now, I want nothing more than to make a few of the desserts from Salty Sweets by Christie Matheson. In this book, she has created a collection of 75 classic recipes with a twist of salt. . . many with full page, full color photographs.
Some of the scrumptious recipe titles that I can't wait to try: Salty-Sweet S'mores, Old-Fashioned Kettle Corn, Lemon Sugar Cookies with Zesty Lime Salt, Lavender Fleur de Sel Shortbread (see excerpt below for picture and recipe), Mini Coconut Cupcakes with Coconut Buttercream Frosting, Maple Creme Brule, Watermelon Sorbet, Bittersweet Chocolate Ice Cream

Extended Review:
Content: Acknowledgements, Prelude to a Kiss (of Salt), Salt Primer, Little Treats, Cookies and Bars, Cakes and Cupcakes, Puddings and More, Fruits, Ice Creams and Sorbets, Sauces and Other Good Stuff, Measurement Equivalents, Index
I found some of the notes on techniques and salt types to be very helpful (tempering eggs, fleur de sel, smoked sea salt, etc).

Format: Each section of the book starts with a listing of the recipes and page numbers, as well as a full-page color photograph of one of the recipes. Then, each recipe has a title with how many servings/pieces the recipe makes. This is followed by a description, the ingredients, and the directions. Many of the recipes include full page/color photographs, and some include extra tips at the end of the recipe.

Readability: These recipes are easy to follow, and are often similar to the classic recipes with a few small changes or tweaks to enhance the flavor.

Overall: A very nice book for the dessert lover who likes to create scrumptious and tempting things right in their own kitchen. This would also be a great book for a person who likes to entertain as many of the desserts are elegant in appearance.

About the Book ~ From the Back Cover:

Do opposites really attract? In the case of salty and sweet, you bet they do! Like peanut butter and jelly—itself a classic salty-sweet duo—these tastes were made for each other. Salt helps balance and heighten sweets, transforming ordinary cookies, cakes, and candies into truly special confections. It brings out the complexities of chocolate, highlights the subtleties of fruit, makes nuts really pop, and turns caramel and butterscotch into pure ambrosia. The salty-sweet combination has swept the nation, with chefs, candy makers, and retailers all offering tantalizing sweets complemented with salt.

Salty Sweets is the first cookbook to bring the phenomenon home. Christie Matheson offers 75 delectable ways to enjoy this tasty twosome, proving along the way that salty sweets are not the sole province of fancy chefs and trendy chocolatiers. Seven recipe chapters cover every sort of treat, from little bites to cookies, bars, cakes, puddings, fruit desserts, and even ice creams. Readers can make their own version of those salted caramels found in upscale boutiques, along with such sophisticated fare as Maple Crème Brûlée, Lavender Fleur de Sel Shortbread, Fig and Ricotta Pizza, and Nantucket Sea Salt Ice Cream. Or how about the homey goodness of Old-Fashioned Kettle Corn and Decadent Hot Cocoa? And who could resist Dark Chocolate–Covered Pretzels, Butterscotch Brownies, Peanut Butter Cupcakes with Chocolate Frosting, or Caramel-Fudge Sauce? Tempting color photos will send cooks straight to the kitchen to try these treats for themselves.

An introductory chapter outlines the basics—equipment, ingredients, and techniques—of successful sweet making. The author discusses all kinds of salts—from fleur de sel to Maldon to Hawaiian pink to smoked and more, each with its own distinctive flavor and texture; Matheson encourages readers to sample the wealth of exotic and rare salts available today.

Celebrate the happy marriage of sweet and salt with these irresistible creations. It’s a match made in dessert heaven!

About the Author: (From the publisher's site)

Christie Matheson is the author of Green Chic: Saving the Earth in Style and the coauthor of Wine Mondays, The Confetti Cakes Cookbook, Confetti Cakes for Kids, Tea Party, and Vineyard Harvest. She is a regular contributor to publications including The Boston Globe Magazine, Cooking Light, Boston, Yankee, Body + Soul, Yoga Journal, Continental, San Francisco, and DailyCandy.com. For two years she hosted a weekly television segment called “Trend Tracker” on the UPN Morning Show, and she is a frequent guest on the television show Chronicle as well as on Martha Stewart Radio. Matheson lives in San Francisco, California, and Boston, Massachusetts.

If you have reviewed this book and would like me to add a link to your review, please include a link in your comment!

Tuesday Thinger: Wish Upon a Wish List of Books!

Welcome to another week of Tuesday Thingers! We always love to hear from regular participants as well as new people.

This week's Thinger topic comes from Caite, over at A Lovely Shore Breeze, who was SO wonderful ~ she came up with a suggestion and even helped me understand how it works, so a HUGE Thank You goes out to Caite!! (This post on She Is Too Fond Of Books gave her the idea.)

This week, we have another way to track our ever-expanding Wish Lists! Through the use of "Collections" you can add a book to your Wishlist without adding it to your Library. How do you do this?? Easy!!

1. Go to the tab marked Add Books
2. Type in the Title, ISBN, etc
3. When you see the book listed, click the Edit Book option
4. Just under the section where you can add tags, you will see a Collections topic, click the button that says Show All
5. Un-check Your Library (removes it from your current books), and check the box next to Wishlist
6. Hit Save, and you are done!

So now you ask, "Now What???"

1.Well. . . you can also add where you saw/heard of the book under Private Comments (when editing the book details), which are only viewable by you. (You can even include a link to a review if you want to!)
2. I believe you can share your Wishlist with friends and relatives by posting the permalink online or including it in an email (to do this, go to Your Books, change the Your Library drop down list to Wishlist and scroll to the bottom. There is a little linky that says permanent link, and if you click on that it changes the address and you can copy/paste it wherever you want to put it!!

Questions: Have you explored/used the Wishlist collection on Library Thing yet? If so, have you found it helpful? Do you have any other tips or uses for the Wishlist collection? Any suggestions for next week's topic?

My Answer:
Until Caite had suggested the Wishlist as a topic, I hadn't really explored it very much. I remember when the people at Library Thing made the Collections feature available. . . but other than a glance at it, I haven't really explored it.

This does make for a really nice way to track all those books I end up saying - "I've GOT to read that. . .now where is that pesky list. . . " especially as I read reviews, visit Mailbox Monday posts, read great Teasers, etc. :)

Looking forward to reading everyone's answers!!

~ Wendi

If you are new to Tuesday Thingers: Welcome! The meme was originally created as a way to network with other bloggers and to learn about Library Thing! I'd like to encourage you to join us. If you don't know what Library Thing is - you are in a great place to learn about new things, and if you are an old pro, stick around and share your wealth of information! Visit Library Thing here. To join in, copy the picture and question into your post and link back here so people can read other responses. Make sure you leave a comment here with a link to your post so we can stop by! If you don't have a blog, feel free to leave a comment here!

Teaser Tuesday: The Christmas Bowl by Susan May Warren

TEASER TUESDAYS : are hosted by MizB over at Should Be Reading ~

My Teaser for today:

I admit it - I longed, prayed, pleaded for rain. Or sleet. Or a blizzard the likes of which the county had never seen. [Marianne is getting ready to be the football team's trout mascot as Bud had a heart-attack and the team needed someone to fill his shoes while he was out]

~ p. 57, “The Great Christmas Bowl" by Susan May Warren

If you like the teaser, be sure to stop by my review here!

About the Book (from the LitFuse Book Tour):
Marianne Wallace is focused on two things this holiday season: planning the greatest family Christmas ever and cheering on her youngest son’s team in their bid for the state championship.

Disaster strikes when the team loses their mascot-the Trout. Is it going too far to ask her to don the costume? So what if her husband has also volunteered her to organize the church Christmas tea.

When football playoffs start ramping up, the Christmas tea starts falling apart. Then, one by one her children tell her they can’t come home for Christmas.

As life starts to unravel, will Marianne remember the true meaning of the holidays?

I always look forward to reading everyone's teasers! ~ Wendi

Review and Tour: A Cousin's Prayer by Wanda E. Brunstetter (Excerpt Included)

A Cousin's Prayer (Indiana Cousins, Book 2)
by Wada E. Brunstetter
Barbour Books; 1 edition (September 1, 2009) ~ 304 pages
Fiction / Christian / Romance

Edition Reviewed/Special Thanks: Paperback ~ Many thanks to the author and publisher for sending me a copy to review as part of this WildCard Tour!


Perfect for : Personal reading, book club read

In a nutshell: I have only read a few of Wanda Brunstetter's books, but have always been impressed by the gentle spirit of the books. She writes very convincingly of the Amish community and beliefs and the interactions with non-Amish people and communities. A Cousin's Prayer is the second book in the Indiana Cousins series, following A Cousin's Promise. This book centers around Katie Miller, as she returns to her parents and the Amish community she grew up in after surviving a horrible car accident in which her boyfriend was killed. She has returned home, but suffers from survivor's guilt and panic attacks.

While there, she rekindles her childhood friendship with Freeman, who has been seeing Eunice. A jealous Eunice begins spreading rumors about Katie.

As Katie begins to heal, she finds herself falling in love with Freeman, but can't bear to stay and witness his marriage to Eunice, so she makes the decision to leave. Now she must decide if she is going to stay, and Freeman must decide who will make him happier, the beautiful Eunice who would love to become his wife, or his childhood friend.

One thing I particularly enjoyed while reading this book was the fact that Katie's family ran a stamp store, where she met up with friends to make greeting cards for fun. I also thought it was interesting that Eunice would have home parties with soap and candles, proving that the Amish world and non-Amish world are not as different as I previously thought (I love going to craft parties and home parties too).

It is time for a FIRST Wild Card Tour book review! If you wish to join the FIRST blog alliance, just click the button. We are a group of reviewers who tour Christian books. A Wild Card post includes a brief bio of the author and a full chapter from each book toured. The reason it is called a FIRST Wild Card Tour is that you never know if the book will be fiction, non~fiction, for young, or for old...or for somewhere in between! Enjoy your free peek into the book!

You never know when I might play a wild card on you!

Today's Wild Card author is:

Wanda E. Brunstetter

and the book:

A Cousin’s Prayer

Barbour Books; 1 edition (September 1, 2009)

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Wanda E. Brunstetter is nationally recognized as an expert on the Amish community, and her book sales have topped the three million mark. Her books White Christmas Pie, A Sister’s Hope, and Allison’s Journey topped Publishers Weekly Paperback Religion Bestsellers lists in 2008. Her books have also received other honors, including the 2006 Reader’s Choice Award and the CBD Book of the Week. Brunstetter enjoys an uncommon kinship with the Amish and loves to visit their communities throughout the country.

Visit the author's website.



Product Details:

List Price: $10.97
Paperback: 304 pages
Publisher: Barbour Books; 1 edition (September 1, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1602600619
ISBN-13: 978-1602600614

AND NOW...THE FIRST CHAPTER:

Prologue

Katie Miller’s stomach churned as she read the letter she’d just received from her cousin Loraine:

Dear Katie,

Wayne and I will be getting married the last Thursday of April. I’d like you to be one of my attendants.

Katie’s heart pounded. There was no way she could go to her cousin’s wedding, much less be one of her attendants.

“Who’s the letter from?” Katie’s grandmother asked, taking a seat on the porch swing beside Katie.

“Loraine. She’s getting married in April, and she wants me to be one of her attendants.” Katie almost choked on the words.

“That’s wunderbaar. I’m sure you’re looking forward to going.”

Katie shook her head. “I don’t want to go.”

“Think how disappointed Loraine would be if you weren’t at her wedding.”

Katie’s gaze dropped to the floor. “I can’t go back to Indiana, Grammy.”

“Loraine and Wayne have been through so much. Don’t you want to be there to share in their joy?”

Katie shivered despite the warm Florida breeze. If Timothy hadn’t been killed on their way to Hershey Park last fall, she’d be planning her own wedding right now.

“Katie, did you hear what I said?”

Katie nodded, hoping she wouldn’t give in to the tears pushing against her eyelids. “If I hadn’t freaked out about a bee in the van, Timothy, Paul, and Raymond would still be alive.” Katie drew in a shaky breath. “Jolene wouldn’t have lost her hearing, either, and Wayne would still have both of his legs.”

“You’re not to blame, Katie. It was an accident. It might have happened even if you hadn’t been afraid of the bee.” Grammy touched Katie’s arm. “You need to accept it and go on with your life.”

“I–I don’t know if I can.”

“Timothy wouldn’t want you to continue grieving for him. He wouldn’t want you to blame yourself for the accident.”

“You’ve said that before.”

“Then you ought to listen.” Grammy took hold of Katie’s hand. “Let’s go inside so you can write Loraine and let her know you’ll be at the wedding.”

“I–I’m afraid to go. The thought of traveling alone scares me. I don’t think I can deal with all the painful memories that are there.”

“Will you go to Loraine’s wedding if I go with you?”

“What about Grandpa? Would he go, too?”

Grammy shook her head. “He has things to do here.”

Katie couldn’t imagine what things Grandpa would have to do. He was retired and spent a good deal of his time at the beach.

“What about it, Katie?” Grammy asked. “Will you go to the wedding if I go along?”

Katie sat for several seconds, thinking things through. Finally, she gave a slow nod. It would be easier going back to Indiana with Grammy along, and as soon as the wedding was over, they’d come back here.





Chapter 1


“It sure is good to have you home,” Katie’s father said as they headed down the road in his buggy toward Uncle Amos and Aunt Priscilla’s house. He glanced over at Katie and smiled. “Your mamm said Loraine was real pleased when she got your letter saying you’d be one of her attendants.”

Katie clutched the folds in her dress as she stared out the window. She didn’t know why she felt so edgy. She hadn’t felt like this when she was in Florida. She’d been depressed after Timothy died, but not quivery inside the way she’d been since she’d climbed into Dad’s buggy. She was grateful they didn’t have far to go.

Dad motioned to what was left of the barn they were passing. “Take a look at the devastation from the tornado that hit this past winter. That terrible storm affected nearly everyone around these parts in some way or another.”

“No one was killed, though, right?”

“No, but some were injured, and the damage was great. Many, like Wayne’s folks, lost their homes, barns, and shops. It’s a good thing the house Wayne started building before he lost his leg didn’t sustain any damage from the tornado,” Dad said. “Several of the men in our community finished it for him, and Wayne’s folks have been livin’ in it ever since.”

“Will they continue living there after Loraine and Wayne get married?” Katie asked.

Dad nodded. “At least until their own house is done.”

Katie knew from some of the things Loraine had said in her letters that she and Ada hadn’t always gotten along so well. She wondered how things would be having them both living under the same roof.

“Look at the Chupps’ place.” Dad pointed to the left. “They lost their barn, his buggy shop, and the house. Only those who’ve actually seen the destruction of a tornado like we had here can even imagine such a sight.”

Katie gripped the edge of the seat. “I don’t understand why God allows such horrible things to happen.”

He shrugged his broad shoulders. “It’s not our place to question God. His ways are not our ways.”

Katie clamped her teeth together in an effort to keep from saying what was on her mind. Dad wouldn’t understand if she told him how angry she was with God for taking Timothy. He’d probably give her a lecture and say it was Timothy’s time to die, like he’d said to her on the day of Timothy’s funeral.

“Do you know how long you’ll be helping at Loraine’s?” Dad asked.

“Probably most of the day, since I’m sure there’s a lot to be done before the wedding. You can come by sometime before supper and pick me up, or I can ask someone to give me a ride home.”

“I don’t mind coming back for you. I’ll be here around four, okay?”

“That’s fine, but if we get done sooner, I’ll just ask for a ride home.”

“Sounds good.” Dad guided the horse up Uncle Amos’s driveway and directed him toward the barn. When they stopped at the hitching rail, Dad turned to Katie and said, “Have a good day, and don’t work too hard. You’re lookin’ kind of peaked today.”

“I’ll be fine, Dad.” Katie climbed out of the buggy and headed to the house. She wasn’t fine at all. It seemed strange being back here again. She’d only been gone from home a little over six months, but it seemed a lot longer.

She noticed several people in the yard, pulling weeds and planting flowers, but didn’t see any sign of Loraine or her folks. She figured they must be in the house.

When she stepped onto the back porch, she drew in a shaky breath. She wished Grammy or Mom would have come with her today, instead of going shopping in Shipshewana. Katie figured since Mom and Grammy hadn’t seen each other for several months, they probably wanted to spend some time alone.

Just as Katie lifted her hand to knock on the back door, it swung open. Loraine stepped onto the porch and gave Katie a hug. “It’s so good to have you home! Danki for coming. It means a lot for me to have you and Ella as my attendants.”

“Danki for asking me.” Katie forced a smile. In some ways, it was good to be here, but she felt as out of place as a chicken in a duck pond.

“I just wish Jolene could be here, too.”

“She’s not coming?”

“Huh-uh. Her aunt’s been dealing with carpal tunnel on both of her wrists, and she recently had surgery to correct the problem. Jolene thought it’d be best if she stayed in Pennsylvania to help out.”

“That makes sense. But do you think Jolene will ever come back to Indiana?” Katie asked.

“I hope so.” Loraine opened the door and motioned Katie inside. “Ella and her sister Charlene are in the kitchen. We decided to have a snack before we head out to the barn to help decorate the tables for the wedding meal.”

When Katie entered the kitchen behind Loraine, she saw Ella and Charlene sitting at the table.

Ella jumped up, raced over Katie, and gave her a hug that nearly took Katie’s breath away. “It’s so good to see you! We’ve all missed you so much!”

Katie smiled. “I’ve missed you, too.”

“Would you like a glass of iced tea?” Loraine asked.

Katie nodded and took a seat at the table.

“How about a piece of my sister’s appeditlich friendship bread?” Charlene motioned to the plate of bread on the table.

“I’m sure the bread’s delicious, but I’m not really hungry right now.”

“As skinny as you are, you oughta eat the whole loaf.” Charlene’s eyebrows lifted high. “Are you sure you’re not hungry?”

Katie shook her head.

Ella shot her sister a look of disapproval, but Charlene didn’t seem to notice. She was busy cutting herself another hunk of bread.

“Didn’t you have a birthday last month?” Charlene asked, her mouth full.

Katie nodded. “I turned twenty.”

Charlene grabbed her glass and took a drink. “You’d sure never know it. Why, you don’t look like you’re more than sixteen.” She pointed to herself. “I look older than you.”

Katie groaned inwardly. She didn’t need the reminder that she looked young for her age. She couldn’t help it if she was short, petite, and had the face of a teenager. At least I act more mature than my sixteen-year-old cousin, she thought.

“I got a letter from Jolene last week,” Ella said. “She won’t be coming to Loraine’s wedding because—”

“She already knows,” Loraine interrupted. “I told her about Jolene’s aunt when we were out on the porch.”

“I wonder if Jolene’s using her aunt’s surgery as an excuse not to come home. She might be afraid that she won’t fit in with the rest of us now that she can’t hear,” Charlene put in.

Ella shot her sister another look. “I’m sure that’s not the reason. Jolene would never make up an excuse not to come to the wedding.”

Katie’s shoulders tensed as she shifted her gaze to the window. What would her cousins think if they knew she hadn’t wanted to come home for the wedding? Did they have any idea how hard it had been for her to make the trip? Even with Grammy along, Katie had felt anxious on the bus ride. Every horn honk and sudden stop had sent shivers up her spine. She knew she couldn’t have made the trip home alone. Even though she wasn’t looking forward to riding the bus again, she looked forward to going back to Florida where there were no painful reminders of the past.

Loraine stood. “Would anyone like to see my wedding dress?”

Charlene’s hand shot up. “I would!”

“Me, too,” Ella said.

Katie nodded as well.

“I’ll be right back.” Loraine scurried out of the room.

Charlene nudged Katie’s arm. “What’s it like in Pinecraft? That’s where your grossmudder lives, isn’t it?”

Katie nodded as she fiddled with the edge of the tablecloth. “As you know, Pinecraft is the section of Sarasota where many Plain People have homes or come to rent. It’s a nice community.”

“Is it true that there are no horses and buggies?” Charlene asked.

Katie nodded. “Unless they’re going out of the area and need to hire a driver, everyone either walks or rides a bike.”

“Do you go to the beach very often?” Ella questioned.

“Jah. Grandpa and I go there a lot. We enjoy looking for shells, and Grandpa likes to fish.”

Charlene sighed. “I wish I could visit Florida sometime. I’m sure I’d enjoy being on the beach.”

“Maybe you can visit me there sometime.”

Ella’s eyes widened. “You’re going back?”

“Of course. My home’s in Pinecraft now.”

The room got deathly quiet. Ella and Charlene stared at each other as though in disbelief.

Katie figured it was time for a change of subject. “Who did Wayne choose to be his attendants?” she asked.

“Jolene’s bruder, Andrew, and Freeman Bontrager,” Ella replied. “Wayne and Freeman have become good friends since Freeman and his sister, Fern, moved back to Indiana a few months ago.”

“Freeman opened a bicycle shop,” Charlene added. “Mom and Dad bought me a new bike for my birthday in February.”

“Oh, I see.” Katie stifled a yawn. She’d had trouble falling asleep last night.

“Freeman won’t be helping here today because he has lots of work at the shop.” Charlene sipped her iced tea. “You should see all the bikes he has. I’ll bet he’d do real well if he had a shop in Sarasota, since so many people ride bikes there.”

“Here it is,” Loraine said, sweeping into the room with a khaki green dress draped over her arm. “I’ll wear a full white apron over the front of the dress, of course.” She held it out to Katie. “What do you think?”

With trembling fingers and a wave of envy, Katie touched the smooth piece of fabric. “It–it’s very nice.”

“Are you okay?” Loraine asked with a look of concern. “Your hand’s shaking.”

Katie dropped both hands into her lap and clutched the folds in her dress. “I’m fine. Just a bit shaky because I didn’t have much breakfast.”

“Then you oughta have a piece of this.” Charlene pushed the plate of friendship bread toward Katie. “You’ll blow away in a strong wind if you don’t put some meat on your bones.”

Katie ground her teeth until her jaw began to ache. One of the first things Mom had said to her when she’d arrived home was that she needed to gain some weight. Of course, Dad had mentioned it, too.

“Charlene’s right.” Ella spoke up. “If you’re feeling shaky, then you should eat something.”

“Maybe you’re right.” Katie grabbed a piece of bread and took a bite. Then she washed it down with a sip of iced tea.

Bam! The screen door swung open, causing Katie to nearly jump out of her seat. Walking with a slow, stiff gait, Wayne entered the room. His face broke into a wide smile when he saw Katie. “Wie geht’s?”

“I’m fine.” The lie rolled off Katie’s tongue much too easily. She was getting used to telling people what she thought they wanted to hear.

Wayne moved across the room and stood beside Loraine’s chair. “We’re sure glad you could come for the wedding.”

Katie forced a smile and nodded.

“Would you like to see my new leg?” Before she could respond, Wayne pulled up his pant leg, exposing his prosthesis.

Katie bit back a gasp. “D-does it hurt?” She could hardly get the words out.

“It did at first, but I’ve pretty well adjusted to it now.” Wayne took a seat beside Loraine. “It could have been worse, and I’m grateful to be alive.”

Uneasiness tightened Katie’s chest, and she blew out a slow, shaky breath. Seeing him like this was a reminder of what she’d caused—and what she’d lost.

Wayne reached around Ella and grabbed a piece of bread. “Looks like you’ve been baking again, huh, Ella?”

She nodded. “It keeps me busy when I’m not helping my daed in his business.”

“Those wind chimes he makes are so nice,” Loraine said. “I might buy one soon, to hang on our porch.”

“You won’t have to do that,” Charlene said. “Dad and Mom are planning to give you one of his nicest sets of wind chimes for a wedding present.”

Ella poked her sister’s arm. “It was supposed to be a surprise.”

Charlene covered her mouth. “Oops.”

Loraine poured another glass of iced tea and handed it to Wayne. “How are things going outside?”

“Pretty good. By the end of the day, I think your folks’ yard will look like a park.” He grinned and lifted his glass to take a drink. “This sure hits the spot. It’s getting mighty warm out there. Much warmer than normal for April, I think.”

“That’s fine with me,” Loraine said. “A warm spring day is exactly what I wished we’d have on our wedding day. I hope the weather stays just like it is—at least until Thursday.”

Katie stared out the kitchen window, blinking back tears of envy and frustration. I’d give anything if it were me and Timothy getting married in two days. Oh, Lord, please give me the strength to get through Loraine’s wedding.

For Another Stop on the Tour, Visit:
Ruth at This That and the Other Thing

If you have reviewed this book and would like me to add a link to your review, please include a link in your comment!

Review and Tour: The Great Christmas Bowl by Susan May Warren

The Great Christmas Bowl: One Mother's Hilarious Quest to Serve Up the Perfect Holiday
by Susan May Warren
Tyndale House Publishers (August 17, 2009) ~ 176 pages
Fiction / General / Inspirational / Holiday

Edition Reviewed/Special Thanks: Paperback - Many thanks to the author, publisher, and publicists at the LitFuse Publicity Group for sending me this book to review!

Perfect for : Personal reading, Book club read, Great Christmas book!

In a nutshell: The Great Christmas Bowl is the perfect combination of football and holiday spirit, all rolled up in a nice little family and community. Kevin is the last of Mike and Marianne's offspring still living at home, and this year he is a senior on the football team. Marianne wants to make sure everything is simply perfect this year - from a great football season, to the perfect holiday season with the whole family. Little does she know, her life is about to take a turn. . . for the better??. . . as she is volunteered to lead the church's Hospitality Committee, and her son begs her to fill in as the football team's mascot (a huge trout) when Bud suffers a massive heart-attack. She somehow manages to keep life moving forward while trying to juggle her new duties, all the while learning what God's meaning of hospitality really is, and helping to rally the community and watch her son to grow as a man!

This is an absolutely wonderful book filled with holiday spirit and family. . . I would challenge anyone to read it and not add it to your "favorites" list. This heart-touching story will have you laughing and crying tears of joy, all while experiencing what the holidays are REALLY about. Be sure to add this book to your must-read holiday list this year! Susan May Warren has included a Clam Chowder recipe in the back of the book that sounds wonderful!

About the Book (from the LitFuse Book Tour):
Marianne Wallace is focused on two things this holiday season: planning the greatest family Christmas ever and cheering on her youngest son’s team in their bid for the state championship.

Disaster strikes when the team loses their mascot-the Trout. Is it going too far to ask her to don the costume? So what if her husband has also volunteered her to organize the church Christmas tea.

When football playoffs start ramping up, the Christmas tea starts falling apart. Then, one by one her children tell her they can’t come home for Christmas.

As life starts to unravel, will Marianne remember the true meaning of the holidays?

About the Author: (from the LitFuse Book Tour)
Susan May Warren is the RITA award-winning author of twenty-four novels with Tyndale, Barbour and Steeple Hill. A four-time Christy award finalist, a two-time RITA Finalist, she’s also a multi-winner of the Inspirational Readers Choice award, and the ACFW Book of the Year. Her larger than life characters and layered plots have won her acclaim with readers and reviewers alike. A seasoned women’s events and retreats speaker, she’s a popular writing teacher at conferences around the nation and the author of the beginning writer’s workbook: From the Inside-Out: discover, create and publish the novel in you!. She is also the founder of http://www.mybooktherapy.com/, a story-crafting service that helps authors discover their voice. Susan makes her home in northern Minnesota, where she is busy cheering on her two sons in football, and her daughter in local theater productions (and desperately missing her college-age son!) A full listing of her titles, reviews and awards can be found at: www.susanmaywarren.com

Link to Buy the Book:
http://www.christianbook.com/great-christmas-bowl-susan-warren/9781414326788/pd/326788?event=AFFp=&

The Great Christmas Bowl website: http://thegreatchristmasbowl.blogspot.com/
The website features a note from the author, fun updates from Big Lake Gazette, info on how to host your own Great Christmas Bowl Tea to benefit a local ministry or charity and a fun Recipe Exchange contest!

CONTEST: Be a part of the Great Christmas Bowl recipe exchange!
Susan loves getting recipes from friends, and sharing the delicious cookies, soups, breads and other fun fixings that go with celebrating the Christmas season. More than that, she loves the crazy stories about favorite Christmases – serious, touching, funny…whatever. Find the recipe contest here: http://thegreatchristmasbowl.blogspot.com/2009/07/recipe-exchange.html

Will you share your story and recipe with Susan and the readers of the Great Christmas Bowl? She will post your story and recipe on the FRONT PAGE of the Great Christmas Bowl website, and send you a link when it goes up so you can tell all your friends. Then, at the Great Christmas Bowl party (December 5th, 10am, online! Details TBA) she’ll make the entire cookbook available for download!

For every recipe/story you submit (up to 3), you will be entered in a drawing to receive one of SMW’s collections (Noble Legacy, Team Hope, Heirs of Anton, Deep Haven Series, Josey series, or THE ADVANCED COPY of Sons of Thunder – Susie’s brand new epic World War 2 novel, due out in January 2010!)

Go – run, get your recipe, then come back here and click on the link below to share your Christmas memories!

Blog Tour Schedule!
I hope you will take a minute to go to LitFuse and visit other tour stops by going here: http://www.litfusegroup.com/latest/current-blog-tours/91-the-great-christmas-bowl-blog-tour


If you have reviewed this book and would like me to add a link to your review, please include a link in your comment!

Mailbox Monday

Many thanks to Marcia at The Printed Page for hosting Mailbox Monday every week!

It is so much fun to see what everyone is getting in the mail.

Thanks for taking the time to visit ~ I just love hearing from you! Please let me know if you have read any of these books - I'd love to hear how you liked them!! :)

Here are the books that came into my house last week:

Two books from Sabrina Jeffries' The School for Heiresses Series, for review, courtesy of Nancy Berland Public Relations:

Don't Bargain With The Devil (School For Heiresses, #5) by Sabrina Jeffries ~ Historical Romance

Back Cover: The future of Charlotte Harris's finishing school is in jeopardy when a charming Spaniard -- world-famous magician Diego Montalvo -- arrives to turn the bordering estate into a scandalous pleasure garden. Valiantly ignoring his wicked flirtations, outspoken Lucinda Seton vows to derail his plans and save the school, unaware that Diego's true mission is to spirit the long-lost heiress away to Spain for a handsome reward! But before long Diego's heart is playing tricks on him, and Lucy is falling under the illusionist's spell. How can the Master of Mystery go through with his devilish scheme when all he wants is to make the lovely heiress his own?

Wed Him Before You Bed Him (School For Heiresses, #6) by Sabrina Jeffries ~ Historical Romance

Back Cover: At eighteen, Charlotte Page made a life-altering mistake. She wronged a man in an impulsive act that she came to deeply regret, though it led her to her present life as Mrs. Charlotte Harris, owner of Mrs. Harris's School for Young Ladies. Unbeknownst to her, that man is now her anonymous benefactor, the mysterious "Cousin Michael." His masquerade began as preparation for a devastating revenge, but became a labor of love. Now Charlotte desperately needs his help. Can he save her from disaster as his real self without revealing the ugly secret behind his charade? Or will the mistakes of both their pasts tear them apart forever?

From Hachette Books for upcoming reviews and/or giveaways:

Dark Hunger (Demonborn, #2) by Rita Herron ~ Paranormal Romance / Urban Fantasy

Back Cover: HE'S EVERYTHING SHE FEARS...

Reporter Annabelle Armstrong will go to any lengths to deliver a story, even track down Quinton Valtrez, a man she believes is a coldhearted assassin. Yet the truth about the darkly sensual Quinton is even more shocking...and the overwhelming desire he ignites is one she vows to resist.

SHE'S EVERYTHING HE CRAVES

Quinton has fought his demonic powers since he was a child. Now using his gifts for the good of national security, he can't let himself be distracted by the beautiful, determined Annabelle. But his need for her is sudden, fierce--and could soon cost Annabelle her life. For a wicked enemy is out for vengeance, a demon who wants to draw Quinton into a life of pure evil and is willing to use Annabelle as bait. To save her, Quinton must achieve the near impossible: tame the sinister force that is both his inheritance and his curse before it claims him forever.

Lucan (The Pendragon Legacy, Book 1) by Susan Kearney ~ Paranormal Romance

Back Cover: THEIR LOVE IS FORBIDDEN

Healer and high priestess of her people, Lady Cael is fated to life without a mate. But a mysterious explorer named Lucan Rourke doesn't know her secrets, and his touch makes her crave a future that her extraordinary birthright has forbidden her. . .

BUT DANGER IS NO MATCH FOR DESIRE

Lucan has just one mission on Pendragon: to find the mythical Holy Grail, Earth's only hope for survival. His powerful attraction to Cael is a distraction he can't afford, unless he convinces her to join forces with him. Yet working so closely together only heightens their passion . . . even when the terrifying truth of Cael's heritage threatens to shatter Lucan's every belief-and the galaxy itself.

Seduce Me (The Legend Hunters, Book 1) by Robyn DeHart ~ Historical Romance

From the Publisher: Fielding Grey is the second son of the Marquess of Eldon and fortune hunter by night. He's on a mission for the Legend Hunters--a group of wealthy, titled, and heart-breakingly gorgeous men, each of whom are after the find of the century--he has his eyes set on obtaining the illustrious Pandora's Box. But before he finds it, he encounters an equally alluring treasure--the woman bold enough to look inside.

Esme Worthington can't resist taking the tiniest peek inside when fate drops the real Pandora's Box in her lap. Thus, she unleashes one of Pandora's irresistible curses: the curse of lust. Now, both Esme and Fielding must deal with this passionate curse--or blessing?--before unknown implications of Pandora's Box overpower them both.

The Smart One and the Pretty One by Claire LaZebnik ~ Fiction

From the Publisher: When Ava Nickerson was a child, her mother jokingly betrothed her to a friend's son, and the contract the parents made has stayed safely buried for years. Now that still-single Ava is closing in on thirty, no one even remembers she was once "engaged" to the Markowitz boy. But when their mother is diagnosed with cancer, Ava's prodigal little sister Lauren comes home to Los Angeles where she stumbles across the decades-old document.

Frustrated and embarrassed by Ava's constant lectures about financial responsibility (all because she's in a little debt. Okay, a lot of debt), Lauren decides to do some sisterly interfering of her own and tracks down her sister's childhood fiancé. When she finds him, the highly inappropriate, twice-divorced, but incredibly charming Russell Markowitz is all too happy to re-enter the Nickerson sisters' lives, and always-accountable Ava is forced to consider just how binding a contract really is . . .

Other books:

Century #1: The Ring of Fire by Pierdomenico Baccalario ~ Fiction / Young Adult ~ Received from the publisher via Shelf Awareness

From Amazon: Every hundred years, four kids from four cities must save the world.

Rome, December 29.

A mix-up with their reservations forces Harvey from New York, Mistral from Paris, and Sheng from Shanghai to share a room with the hotel owner’s daughter, Elettra. The four kids discover an amazing coincidence—they all have birthdays on February 29, Leap Day. That night, a strange man gives them a briefcase and asks them to take care of it until he returns. Soon afterward, the man is murdered.

The kids open the briefcase. In it they find a series of clues that take them all over Rome, through dusty libraries and dark catacombs, in search of the elusive Ring of Fire, an ancient object so powerful that legend says even a Roman emperor couldn’t control it.

In the first book of the Century quartet, Italian author P. D. Baccalario begins a mystery that will take four cities and four extraordinary kids to solve.

Fan Mail by P.D. Martin ~ Fiction / Thriller ~ A welcome surprise from the publisher!!

Back Cover: Getting into a killer's mind is both a blessing and a curse for FBI profiler Sophie Anderson. The agent suffers through brutal premonitions in order to save lives. Now a resident of Los Angeles, Sophie is working on a case where fiction has become fatal. A popular crime writer is sexually mutilated, strangled and marked with an eerie lipstick kiss…just like the crime scene in the dead author's last book.

As more writers are punished for their dark imaginations, there is a recurring theme—a chilling fan letter that arrives before each murder. In order to stop the slaughter, Sophie must delve into the writings of the dead authors. But the sinister mind behind the crimes is linked to an unsolved case from Sophie's past. And that person is determined to create a killer ending.

The Ice Chorus by Sarah Stonich ~ Fiction ~ Received a review copy from the author

From Amazon: Liselle never meant to fall in love. When she accompanied her archaeologist husband on a dig in Mexico, she didn’t expect to meet Charlie—a talented, fiercely intelligent painter who sees her in a way that her husband never has. Liselle enters into a brief but intense affair with him that shocks her into living again. Liselle then travels to a remote village on the west coast of Ireland. She gradually becomes acquainted with some of the locals, whose wholehearted charm and colorful stories revive her spirits and inspire her to make a documentary about their interwoven tales of romance. While she explores her fascinating new surroundings, Liselle comes to confront her own tumultuous past and her feelings for Charlie, the Welsh painter who rekindled her passions in Mexico, realizing that to tell the stories of others, she must first reveal her own.

Let's Walk the Talk: Girlfriend to Girlfriend on Faith, Friendship, and Finding Real Love by Danae Dobson ~ Non-Fiction / Youth Interests / Inspirational ~ Received from the publisher for an upcoming WildCard Tour

From the Publisher: As girls, we all need someone to talk to. Someone who’s been where we are, who can offer friendly advice, who gets us. And when you’re a teen, you really need a go-to girlfriend as you face issues like family dilemmas, peer pressure, changing friendships, body image, and all the other things that you might not feel totally comfortable talking to your parents about. That’s where Danae Dobson comes in. In this follow-up to her best-selling book Let’s Talk!, Danae shares her positive, Christ-centered insights on all the stuff that teens encounter today. Speaking girlfriend-to-girlfriend in her trademark “big sister” style, Danae encourages teens on their walk, reminds them they’re not alone, and inspires them to keep the faith.

Pearl Girls: Encountering Grit, Experiencing Grace by Margaret McSweeney ~ Non-Fiction / Christian Living / Practical Life / Women ~ Received from the publisher for an upcoming tour with LitFuse Publicity Group

From Amazon: After experiencing the death of both parents, Margaret McSweeney recognized the importance of community like never before. Through these difficult times in life, she learned how God uses gritty circumstances to conform us to the stunning image of Christ.

McSweeney also realized that she was not at all alone. It is for this reason that she decided to compile essays into an inspiring book: Pearl Girls: Encountering Grit Experiencing Grace. Through this collection, readers will be encouraged by the heartfelt writings that deal with loss and hardship in a real and honest way. Respected authors such as Shaunti Feldhahn, Melody Carson, Debbie Macomber, Robin Jones Gunn and others help remind every woman that they are not alone and that no circumstance is beyond the grace of God.

McSweeney uses the metaphor of a pearl in order to better describe the situations that ail us all. When an oyster takes in a piece of sand in order to create its coveted masterpiece, it is initially painful to the soft flesh of the creature. But after the pain, appears a clean, white symbol of simplicity, purity, and endurance that any woman would be proud to wear. McSweeney believes that each woman is a pearl and together, form a necklace of great worth. In this book, readers will discover community and encouragement: women are alone in neither their pain nor victories in life.

Queene of Light by Jennifer Armintrout ~ Paranormal Romance / Urban Fantasy ~ Another wonderful surprise from the publisher!

From Amazon: An unimagined destiny an undeniable passion.

In a time not long from now, the veil between fantasy and reality is ripped asunder creatures of myth and fairytale spill into the mortal world. Enchanted yet horrified, humans force the magical beings Underground, to colonize the sewers and abandoned subway tunnels beneath their glittering cities.

But even magic folk cannot dwell in harmony and soon two Worlds emerge: the Lightworld, home to faeries, dragons and dwarves; and the Darkworld, where vampires, werewolves, angels and demons lurk.

Now, in the dank and shadowy place between Lightworld and Darkworld, a transformation is about to begin....

Ayla, a half-faery, half-human assassin is stalked by Malachi, a Death Angel tasked with harvesting mortal souls. They clash. Immortality evaporates, forging a bond neither may survive. And in the face of unbridled ambitions and untested loyalties, an ominous prophecy is revealed that will shake the Worlds.

A Sportscaster's Guide to Watching Football by Mark Oristano ~ Non-Fiction / Sports Guide / Football ~ Received for review from Phenix & Phenix Literary Publicists

From Amazon: Want to know what everyone is cheering about? Learn to enjoy and understand the game with the football fanatic in your life. This book is the ultimate football guide for the novice fan. You will get answers to such complex questions as: What is that yellow line on the field and why does it keep moving? What down is it and why do I care? What is a 'T formation'? Laced with hilarious and insightful anecdotes from Mark Oristano's thirty-year career as a pro football sportscaster, A Sportscaster's Guide to Watching Football will turn you into a football-watching pro, or at least, let you fake it. Time Out: I was in the locker room before a game, and I saw an Oilers linebacker furiously drawing on his shoes with a permanent marker. This player, like many, had his ankle tape applied over the outside of his shoes instead of inside, which obviously covered the shoe logo. And he was drawing the logo of his shoe contract on the tape. "Wouldn't it be easier," I asked him, "to get taped inside and not have to do the artwork?" "Yeah, it would," he replied, "but then I'd actually have to wear their damn shoes, and I hate 'em. So I wear the brand I like and do it this way instead."

Touching Wonder: Recapturing the Awe of Christmas by John Blase ~ Non-Fiction / Religion / Holidays and Christmas and Advent ~ Received from the publisher for review and possible tour

From Amazon: This bold retelling of Luke 1-2, based on Eugene Peterson’s Message translation, reads like a novel and invites readers to experience the Nativity with fresh wonder.
To Eugene Peterson’s The Message Bible translation, John Blase adds his own storytelling voice, exploring the familiar events from multiple first-person viewpoints. What emerges is the intimate story of unlikely people—a frightened teenaged girl, a worried carpenter, a collection of senior citizens, a disillusioned young shepherd—meeting up with the divine as they bumble and stumble toward the realization that the little one just born is the One.

This retold story of Word made flesh invites readers to react appropriately—with eyes opened wide in wonder, jaws dropped in amazement, and hearts rejoicing. The beautiful design and Amanda Jolman’s lively line drawings make this book a fitting gift as well as a Christmas tradition that families will treasure for years to come.

What was in your mailbox last week??

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