New In Stores Today! The Secret of Joy by Melissa Senate

From Melissa's Amazon.com website: My new novel, THE SECRET OF JOY, will be published on November 17th! It's the story of a 28-year-old New Yorker named Rebecca who is shocked to discover, via her father's deathbed confession, that she has a 26-year-old half-sister she never knew existed. With a cache of letters her father wrote--but never sent--to the daughter he turned his back on at birth, Rebecca travels to a small coastal Maine town to meet Joy Jayhawk. She's not exactly warmly welcomed--except by some quirky locals, the women who dub themselves The Divorced Women's Club of Wiscasset, and a very sexy carpenter named Theo. Determined to establish some kind of bond with the only family she has left, Rebecca sticks around, changing more than her own life in the process....

Says New York Times bestselling author Carly Philips: The Secret of Joy made me laugh, cry and smile all at the same time. A don't-miss read!"

I have not yet finished this book and I hope to have a full review for you to read by the weekend. So far, I'm really enjoying this story of Rebecca and her quest to find the sister she's always wanted.

Be sure to check back in with me in a couple of days to read my review. My sincerest apologies for not having it prepared today. Life has kept me busy these past couple of weeks in between hosting a blood drive and experiencing some health issues.

Many thanks to the publisher for providing this book for review. I am an Amazon Associate.

Charlie and Mama Kyna by Diana Rumjahn

Charlie and Mama Kyna is an excellent book for reading time with your small child or one that could be read independently. Charlie runs away from home after breaking his mama's vase, afraid of the trouble he will be in. Along the way, he visits with his friends Leo the lion and Joe the giraffe. After being lonely and realizing he misses his mommy, Charlie asks his friends to come home with him. Of course, Mama Kyna welcomes Charlie, Leo, and Joe with open arms and lets Charlie know that she loves him above the vase.

I love how this book parallels the story of the Prodigal Son in the Bible. I'm not sure that this was the author's intention, however the stories are very similar. This story reminds us that our parents love us unconditionally and want us to stay close to them. It also reminds us of the value of friendship and having friends to be there to guide you along life's difficult way.

The illustrations are also wonderfully done and add a dimension to the book. I love the choice of the vibrant colors in the depictions of this book!

I highly recommend this book and give it 4 out of 5 stars. You can check out the book trailer here.


I am an Amazon Affiliate and by clicking on the link to the book, I will receive a small percentage of the sale should you make a purchase. This review copy was graciously provided by Dorothy at Pump Up Your Book Promotion and the author.