Books, Movies, and Chinese Food

Satisfying End The saga of the Freeman family comes to a close with this book. Lanie Freeman's father was put in jail unjustly. Her sister runs off to California to find the woman who can set him free. Lanie has the chance to become a published author with the help of a fellow writer who is vying for her attentions. Her relationship with the doctor is still unresolved. She has to leave everything in God's hands and put her trust fully in him. I felt that this was the best book of the series. A lot of the characters came around full circle in this book. I really liked the change in Maeva the best. She started off as a really rebellious character who hated being tied down and told what to do. Then she changed and even brought along one of the town's misfits with her. Her conversion is not dramatic or unrealistic. It is a gradual change which is more believable. Many loose ends are tied up in this book. Lanie's father for example finally is released from priso...

All I need is a miracle Lanie's family needs money more than ever with the depression going on and their father in jail. The Satterfield kids come up with the idea to having a rolling store - a store in a truck. Meanwhile Maeva is becoming friends with the son of the town's bootlegger. Lanie meets a famous writer who's come to Fairhope to get inspiration while still being courted by Roger. Cass is getting ready to give birth with potential husbands lined up. Cody's still out to preach the rest of the world to "turn or burn." Dr. Owen befriends the new widow in town only to have her turn on him and accuse him of improper activities. To top all this Lanie's dad has a serious tumor that will require surgery. It'll take a miracle for the family to get through all these tough times. This book was a little better than the last one. I did like how Logan Satterfield's character began to change. Mavea also has stopped being really rebellious and sh...

The Cats Rule the House There's a cat show in town and Cleo's an entrant. Jacques is wondering why the judges just give him the prize automatically. Kate is trying to juggle between relationships with Bev and Jake. Jake is now guardian to his best friend's estranged rebel daughter. Ocie has become a Christian and is eager to tell the world about it. Rhiannon's grandfather is very ill and needs a new heart. In the midst of all this, with the cat show in the background, someone keeps stealing all the cats! Ok the last time I reviewed a book in this series, my main gripe was that Jake was an annoying character. He was very chauvinist, rude and insensitive. He would always look down on others for not agreeing with him and pretty much keep making snide remarks at Kate. However in this book, he lessens up on all that almost making him likable. He finally comes through in this book with not being snobby, controlling or forcing others to give up non quality food. I re...

Lights, Camera, Meow! A movie is being filmed in White Sands and Kate, Jake, Jeremy and the cats are all involved! They soon find out that the Hollywood lifestyle isn't all that it's cracked up to be. When the acting double of an old flame of Jake's turns up dead, everyone's a suspect. From the nasty producer that everyone hates to the costar to wants a bigger role to even Jake himself, the small town becomes shaken by the murder. But when a second killing happens just days later, the only ones who can solve the case have four paws and a tail. It's up to Jacques and Cleo to come to the rescue again! I thought that this book was lots better than the first book in the series. The cats get more talking time and a bigger role in this book. They even get to star in the movie! I liked how Jacques and Cleo have more conversations and more opinions on their owners. I think that they are smarter than Kate and Jake in regards to their relationship. There are more new...

Cat lovers unite! Kate and her son Jeremy have discovered they have inherited a house in White Sands, Alabama which would mean a better life for the two of them. The catch is they have to share the house with another person plus take care of the many animals that already live there. Jake's not too thrilled about sharing the house with Kate and Jeremy plus their two cats Jacques the Ripper and Cleo. He doesn't like animals period and the cats share his same affection about them. The trio begin to adapt their new life together where all seems to be going well at first. Then a murder happens that affects them and it's up to the cats to save the day to find the killer. This is a new genre for Morris, he's written several mysteries before but none quite like this. What I found very different about this book was the use of pop culture and modern slang. I never would have thought I would have read the words Dr. Dre or 50 Cent in a Gilbert Morris book! Kate's and Ja...

This is definitely a Gilbert Morris book! Not quite grown up Lanie Freeman is still taking care of her siblings while her father sits his sentence in jail. Along to help her is feisty over ninety Aunt Keiza who's lived so long she knows everything. Lanie's siblings are starting to grow up and she's put to the test of trying to keep them in stride. Cody becomes a zealous Christian while Maeva keeps testing Lanie's limit by being a teenager. Meanwhile Louise Langley is jealous of Lanie while her brother is taking an interest in her. The town doctor seems to be vying for her attention as well even though he's engaged to Louse. A pregnant girl is taken in by the family because she has no where else to go. Then to top it off there's a new preacher in town, one who wears jeans and rides a motorcycle. Fairhope is shaken up with his arrival, changing the lives of everyone who lives in the town. Since I'm an avid Gilbert Morris reader, I picked up this book. I...

Wild Wild West Jori Hayden's family has lived a comfortable lifestyle. She herself is pretty much a Daddy's girl, getting everything she's wanted. But then due to an economic depression, her father loses all his money forcing the family to have to move out west. To find their way on the Santa Fe Trail, the family must have a guide. Jori finds one in Chad Rocklin, a prisoner she bails out of jail. The two clash over everything but the Haydens must listen to him if they want to survive in the harsh conditions of the road West. As much as I enjoyed this book, why do I feel deja vu when reading it? Is it because I've read this plot in several of Gilbert Morris's other books? I guess after over 200 books things start to blend together. I am 100% certain there have been characters named either Praise God or Revelation that go around asking people if they are believers in Jesus in other Morris books. And I know that the story about the guy who can't read, the wom...

End of an era The House of Winslow series finally comes to an end with the story of Luke Winslow in "The White Knight". He's a pilot fighting in the Spanish Civil War when his girlfriend's family is killed by German bombers. Feeling depressed he returns home to his family only to become a drunk who mopes around all the time. When one of his war buddies offers him a job, Luke attempts to sober up for it but finds he can't. This mistake costs the life of his friend, which Luke feels responsible for. Ironically Luke finds himself later employed by his friend's sister, who he has kept his identity a secret from. The two fall in love but under false pretenses. When Joelle finds out Luke is in danger of losing her forever. Then Pearl Harbor happens and when Luke feels the call to go into war, he must decide how to prove that he has to be true to himself. I felt this book was an improvement over the last few that have come out in the series. Luke and Joelle ...

Don't forget to enter the book giveaway to win a copy of Ashes and Ice. Click here to enter . I'll pick a name and announce the winner on Tuesday. The Winslows during Pearl Harbor Alana is a widow with three boys living during the Great Depression. Her husband died during an accident in the mine that he worked in. She has to find a way to support to her family by working in a factory. Along the way she meets Oscar Moran, a rich older man who she decides to marry after he shows that he can support her and her family. However the marriage is one of convienience and not love, and Alana finds herself drawn to Oscar's younger brother Jason. The feelings are mutual between the two but they don't act on it due to Oscar's jealousy. Then Jason joins the military right before Pearl Harbor and everything in the lives of the three changes. I have read almost all of Gilbert Morris's books and every single book in the House of Winslow series. I love this series becaus...