Southern Lights by Danielle Steel

I have read maybe ten of Danielle Steel’s seventy plus books, and I believe this is one of her better ones.    An easy fast read about the lives of a divorced couple and their child.  The story takes place in the high society life style of Charleston S.C.   This is a story about a bond between a mother and daughter, and a loving father who welcomes his daughter home at last.

A happy ending makes this an enjoyable read. -- submitted by Michelle

Tula Pink's City Sampler

I am a quilter so I was delighted when we got some new quilt books in this spring. They inspired me to begin not one but two quilts. Hopefully they won't take me as long as the last one (5 years of my life).

Tula Pink's City Sampler will get you thinking outside the box of traditional pieced block patterns. Her unique ideas will set your mind in a new direction for that one of a kind modern quilt.



These three scrap quilt books offer bright colorful design ideas to brighten your bed or wall and will help you use up your stash (or just buy more)!

Scraptherapy Scraps plus One! by Joan Ford





Seamily Scrappy by Rebecca Silbaugh




Scrap-Basket Beauties by Kim Brackett

An Invisible Thread: The True Story of an 11 –Year Old Panhandler, a Busy Sales Executive, and an Unlikely Meeting with Destiny by Laura Schroff

This is an inspiring story of how a young panhandler and a busy sales executive become friends for life.  Laura sees 11 year old Maurice begging for money on the streets of New York and offers to buy him lunch at McDonalds.   Poverty and family drug problems are all Maurice has ever known.  This begins a friendship and the beginning of a new and better life for Maurice.

“According to an old Chinese proverb, there’s an invisible thread that connects two people who are destined to meet and influence each other’s live.”  As you read the story you will see how much Laura and Maurice needed each other.  A very touching story about courage, trust and love. -- submitted by Michelle

The Orchardist by Amanda Coplin

A gentle quiet man of solitude (Talmadge) finds himself in the situation of caring for two young girls, both pregnant, that have escaped a horrible life of imprisonment in a whore house. Growing up and living alone on his orchard homestead having lost his mother and then his sister, he patiently waits to gain Jane and Della’s trust but the one thing they need he cannot give.   While the unthinkable happens to Jane, Talmadge never gives up hope for Della’s salvation from her past and the demon’s that still haunt her.  He takes it upon himself to raise Jane’s daughter and is rewarded with a life of sweet contentment until Della reemerges and he tries desperately to bring her home.

I liked this very readable book.  I can just imagine sitting on the cabin porch for hours gazing across the fields of fruit trees.  My father had an apple orchard and while it was a lot of work with some disappointments, it also had its joys and rewards.  One word brought to mind – Parenthood!   

Wool by Hugh Howey

The world's surface is uninhabitable. People live in a many-leveled silo that goes deep underground and have for well over one hundred years. They are ruled by strict laws which if broken they are sent to "cleaning" (a death sentence). No one dares talk about going outside or what happened years ago that put them where they are. Only a few know or are brave enough to ask. Juliette is one.

Wool is the best book I've read yet this year. A gripping adventure, mystery, science fiction all rolled into one. I'm hoping the author is working on a second installment of this story. I highly recommend it!

Demonologtist by Andrew Pyper

Pyper's "Demonologist" is a creepy, scary book. It had me glued to each page. There is talk of this one becoming a movie. However... tell me what you thought of the ending.

Ready Player One by Ernest Cline

This is a United States where there is no gasoline, food is not readily available, and people have moved back into the cities. To house all the people stacks of metal trailers exist.  Wade, a teenager, lives in one of these stacks with an aunt. Everyone lives virtually online even going to school virtually.  A billionaire who grew up in the 80’s and came to own a huge Internet corp. dies and leaves in his will all his money to the first person who can beat a game he created rife with clues from the 80’s pop culture.  There are three keys that have to be found.  Wade and other” gunters” soon find out that the huge OASIS Internet corp. wants the money and will stop at nothing to get it.  Very entertaining!