Friday Book Pick: ALONG WOODED PATHS by Tricia Goyer

If you need to get away from the Black Friday Madness, is there a better escape than into the simplicity of Amish fiction? Amish stories are in high demand among readers of Christian fiction and it's no wonder. Our lives are filled with busyness, struggle, and crisis. Many readers long for the purity and clarity that the Amish lifestyle suggests.

In Tricia Goyer's latest novel, Along Wooded Paths, Marianna discovers that her simple life has become much more complicated. Living in a small community comprised of both Amish and "Englischers," Mari discovers that a close walk with God isn't solely dependant on one's traditions. When her old friend Aaron Zook arrives from Indiana, bent on convincing her to marry him, she tumbles into indecision. Return to Indiana with the man she has adored since childhood or stay in Colorado and pursue a forbidden relationship with Ben (an Englischer) who has taught her a deeper knowledge of God? Mari knows that she is not only choosing a husband, she is choosing between her Amish traditions and her new life among the Englisch.

I loved several things about Along Wooded Paths. First, I kept turning the pages late into the night because I actually could not figure out which man Mari was going to choose. Generally, with a romance novel, it is obvious which man is the "hero" and which one will be left behind. In this novel, I literally could not figure out which direction Goyer was going to take it. I knew which way I wanted Mari to choose, and I had knot in my stomach through much of the novel, agonizing that I was going to hate the ending. I didn't. Hopefully, I kept these comments vague enough that I didn't spoil anything for you!

Another thing that I appreciated was that Englischers were not portrayed as bad and Amish as good. Goyer did a fantastic job of pointing out the benefits and failings of each community and I was pleased to see how the two groups were able to pull together to help each other in times of need.

Along Wooded Paths is the second novel in the Big Sky series, the first being Beyond Still Waters. I read this second book without having read the original and had no difficulty getting "into" the story, but I imagine I might have enjoyed it even more if I had. Book three, Beyond Hope's Valley, arrives on shelves on April 1, 2012. I have also enjoyed many of Tricia Goyer's other books. Check out these book picks from the past:

• Praying for Your Future Husband
• Blue Like Playdough
• Love Finds You in Lonesome Prairie, Montana

My nine-year-old was playing with our magnetic letters the other day and said, "I wonder what's the longest word you could make with these?" It tickled my word-fascinated brain and I decided I had to figure out the answer.

We brainstormed for a few minutes before turning to Google. Thanks to "Fun With Words," we discovered that dermatoglyphics, misconjugatedly, and uncopyrightable each qualify for the longest English word (at 15 letters) using each letter only once. Several other websites suggest that uncopyrightables would beat them at 16 letters, but there seems to be much debate--among people who have the time/energy to dispute such things--as to whether or not it's a legitimate word.

Here are some other fun words:

Cabbaged and fabaceae are the longest words that can be played on a musical instrument.

Strengths is the longest English word which only contains one vowel. That could be useful in Scrabble, right?

Facetiously, eleven letters long, is the shortest word in the English language that contains all six vowels in alphabetical order.

Want to read some more? Check out Fun With Words.

Do you have a favorite word? I particularly like bamboozled and flabbergasted. And my favorite thing to say to my kids (next to "I love you," of course) is "Well, you're in a pickle, aren't you?"

Friday Book Pick: Love Finds You in Sunset Beach, Hawaii

Do you remember that old Reese's Peanut Butter Cup commercial where a person eating peanut butter collides with someone eating chocolate?

You got peanut butter on my chocolate!

You got chocolate in my peanut butter!

Two great tastes that taste great together.

When I first heard about Love Finds You in Sunset Beach, Hawaii by Robin Jones Gunn, I scratched my head--is it a good idea to merge two popular series? Robin Jones Gunn wrote twelve young adult novels about her teenage character Sierra Jensen. Summerside Press authors have written over 40 "Love Finds You" titles since the series launched in October 2008. Now the two were ready to meet, and it was time to see if the match blended as well as a Reese's Peanut Butter Cup.

Here is the book description, courtesy of Summerside Press:

Sierra came to Sunset Beach for relaxation—not for world-class surfing and certainly not for romance! When a wealthy friend offers Sierra Jensen a vacation at an oceanfront beach house, she envisions a quiet retreat where she can plan her next move. Instead, she arrives at the start of the noisy surfing competitions and is surprised to learn that her friend had an ulterior motive—namely, introducing Sierra to Jordan Bryce, the tenant staying below them. Jordan is a photographer whose lens and attention are focused on the surfers, and he is not willing to let anyone get in his way of landing the next cover shot for Surf Days magazine. Sierra and Jordan came to Sunset Beach looking for different things. But as the surf pounds the North Shore, will they discover something better than either of them had imagined?

I can't speak for the die-hard Sierra Jensen fans (being only marginally familiar with Sierra's story) but as Christian romance fan, I thoroughly enjoyed Love Finds You in Sunset Beach, Hawaii. Robin Jones Gunn has a gift for making places come alive so that feel like I'm on an exotic vacation every time I open one of her novels. This one was no exception. I could feel the ocean breezes, smell the tropical flowers and enjoy the rush of the surfing competitions. I even marveled at Jordan's photography skill--without even being able to see his photographs. The romance that blossoms between Sierra and Jordan was sweet and gentle--and clearly a "God-thing" as Sierra calls it.

As good as a peanut butter cup? Hmmm. I'd better go raid my kid's Halloween stash and do a little more research. Mmmm. Yep, two tastes do taste great together!

What's Your Pressure Relief Valve?

I walked out of my house this morning with my emotions tied up in knots. The kids were bickering, I was scolding, feelings were hurt-- the morning was a disaster. By the time I had dropped them off at school, tears stung my eyes. In the silence of the car ride home, I began to sing softly to myself. Another song followed. And another. I bounced from modern praise songs back to old hymns and back. Sometimes I just sang one line of a song and then let my voice wander into something else.

I hoped no one was watching (or listening) from nearby cars as I drove down the road. But the act of singing was healing my spirit.

Last night, some friends and I went to see Footloose (a remake of the 1980s original). In one scene, the main character, Ren McCormack--frustrated by the world around him--lets off steam by secluding himself in an old warehouse and dancing, tumbling, doing gymnastics and (ahem) breaking stuff. The intense physical activity was healing to his spirit.

For the main character in my book, First Impressions, it's drawing. When Laurie's tied up in knots, she sketches out the things that are bothering her. Putting them to paper gets them out of her head and onto paper where she can better manage them. My hero,Daniel, walks down to the waterfront and hurls rocks into the water--the physical activity creating a release.

What heals your spirit? What unties your knots?

Gardening? Painting? Yelling? Prayer?

Will you share it with me? I'd love to hear from you. Maybe it can help with a future character.

FREE on Kindle: Titles by Tricia Goyer and Lauraine Snelling

There are some fantastic freebies over on Amazon right now and you won't want to miss them. I love being able to add new kindle books by my favorite Christian authors. This week's treats? Two of the best authors in Christian fiction--Tricia Goyer and Lauraine Snelling.

I have read several of Tricia Goyer's books, but not these two, so I'm excited to zip on over and grab my copies these WWII historical romances,  Love Finds You in Victory Heights, Washington and Songbird Under a German Moon.

Lauraine Snelling has gained legions of devoted readers with her tales of the Bjorklund family as featured in four different book series: Red River, Return to Red River, Daughters of Blessing and Home to Blessing. This free Kindle title, A Measure of Mercy, is the first book in this final series.

Better go charge up that battery, right? If you don't have a Kindle, you can still read these books on your computer by downloading the free Kindle Reader application for your computer, smartphone, blackberry or iPad (look for the menu on the left side of the Amazon screen). Happy reading to you!