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Your quick read for the month is a novella by Melody Carlson, an award-winning author who has written over seventy books for all ages. Angels in the Snow is a wonderful tale of love, loss and healing that will lift your spirits and renew your faith in happy endings. Artist Claire Andrews moves into an isolated cabin hoping to hide from the pain of losing her husband and son. She forces herself to perform necessary tasks each day, but her sorrow is so deep she is unable to paint or pray. Two mysterious sets of footprints she discovers in the snow during her daily walks seem to be leading Claire to paint, and to hope, again.

It is usually easy to decide whether or not to include a book in the newsletter review, but I admit I struggled with which way to go on this one. If you are in the mood for a light, feel-good novel, this is not the time for you to read this book. Unsettling as it is, I think this is a book everyone should read as it provides a powerful message. The cover of Angela Hunt's Uncharted reads "Expect the Unexpected," and on the back the story is compared to ". . . A blend of the movies Castaway and The Big Chill. . . thrown together with the biblical story of the beggar Lazarus . . . " Prepare for some serious reflection after you turn the last page.

At the heart of this story are five college friends who are drawn together again two decades later when, David, the sixth member of their group, is killed in a car accident. The five are asked to take a week to finish David's last project, helping to build a Christian school on one of the Marshall Islands. The trip takes a tragic turn when a storm tosses the five one-time friends onto a desolate island from which there seems to be no escape and all of their inner sins are on display. Hunt reminds Christian readers that God judges petty sins the same as heinous ones, and that being a "good person" outwardly often hides an interior life that is far from pure. (Be sure to read "An Interview with Angela Hunt" at the very end of the book.)

Here is the perfect follow-up to Angela Hunt's parable of warning. Check out Max Lucado's 3:16 The Numbers of Hope. One of the first Bible verses we memorize as children, John 3:16, is a cornerstone of the Christian faith. In this book, Lucado examines these 26 words and their simple message of hope: He loves. He gave. We believe. We live. If you are not familiar with Max Lucado, you will be pleasantly surprised by his down-to-earth style of story telling. You won't have to worry about not understanding his point, because he'll come at it again from a different direction. The final third of the book offers a 40-day devotional snapshot of Jesus' life, grounding the verse in the greater context of who Jesus was.

I am a staunch believer in never reading the end of a novel early. However, since this book is nonfiction and you already know what it is about (John 3:16), I will make an exception. Take a few minutes and read the short, four-page conclusion beginning on page 127 and your name will be on the check-out card in no time. This book can be found on the lower nonfiction shelves at 226.5 LUC if it is not on display.

Kay's recommendation for the month is a departure from our regular reviews, but it is certainly timely given the current economic climate. In Financial Peace: Revisited, David Ramsey has updated his tactics and philosophy to show readers how to get out of debt and stay out, how to use the principle of contentment to guide financial decision making, and how the flow of money can revolutionize relationships. Now, more than ever, is it important to take a close look at your finances. This book will help you understand the forces behind your financial distress, create a budget you can stick to, set goals you can achieve and make things right for you and your family--financially, emotionally, and spiritually--for good.

Forevermore by Cathy Marie Hake is Delana's selection from the New Books shelf. Set in 1891, Forevermore tells the story of Hope Ladley, an itinerant cook who roams the Texas countryside seeking work wherever God calls her. When she rides her mule onto the Stauffer farm, Hope knows this is the place the Lord wants her to be. As she quietly brings order to the home of widower Jakob Stauffer, she lovingly cares for his young daughter, Emmy-Lou, and eases the burdens for Jakob's pregnant sister, Annie, who is hiding from an abusive husband. Although Hope is illiterate and often mixes up cliches until they make a strange sort of sense, her compassion and faith are exactly what this home needed.

Nancy said I should definitely review Your Chariot Awaits by Lorena McCourtney and the first book in her new Andi McConnell Mystery Series. In the course of one week Andi McConnell turns sixty, loses her job, breaks up with her boyfriend, and receives an unexpected inheritance from an eccentric rich uncle--a sleek black stretch limousine with bulletproof windows. Although it's completely impractical, the limo has an allure that Andi can hardly resist, until the body of her ex-boyfriend is discovered in the trunk. As she tries to clear her name, Andi joins forces with a former TV private eye in a bumbling and often hilarious attempt to find the killer. The combination of mystery, mishap, and mayhem, reminiscent of the TV series Murder, She Wrote, this a classic whodunit complete with a creepy corpse, multiple suspects and motives, and lively characters.

"In this life, the most average day can take an extraordinary turn; therefore each day should be anticipated and savored as a gift." It's hard to believe it's been a full year since I reviewed Jim Stovall's The Ultimate Gift. Since that time, many of you have enjoyed the story of Jason Steven's yearlong quest to receive his inheritance and learn where life's true riches lie. Stovall does not disappoint his fans in his follow-up story, The Ultimate Life. As Jason steps up to the challenge of running a multibillion dollar trust, he must face another hurdle when his own family takes him to court for control over the balance of Red Steven's estate. In a winner-take-all struggle, Jason must prove to the judge that he not only learned each of the lessons outlined by his grandfather, but that he has the ability to pass the tenets of the Ultimate Gift on to others.

Imagine your life being disrupted by a girl who shows up on your doorstep and claims she is your husband's daughter. This is the situation that confronts Susanne Carlson one rainy afternoon when 13-year old Brianna makes a simple, life-changing statement. "My mama's dead. He's my daddy." In an instant, Susanne is faced with her husband's deceit, a frightened child whose only other relative is abusive, and serious questions about where God is in all of this. Nancy recommends you discover for yourself how this story sorts itself out in The Other Daughter, a debut novel by Miralee Ferrell.

If you are ready for a fun mystery series with a touch of class and a little romance thrown in, check out Ginny Aiken's Deadly Decor Mysteries. In the first book, Design on a Crime, you meet Haley Farrell, an interior designer just starting a new business. When her best friend and mentor is killed, Haley is the prime suspect. She quickly realizes that the only way to prove her innocence is to find the real murderer. Just when you think Haley is in the clear, she stumbles upon another dead body in Decorating Schemes. At least this time she is not a suspect, but Dutch Merrill, the general contractor she enlisted for her latest project, is not so lucky. When Haley shows up to tackle a restoration job on a fabulous Victorian home in Interior Motives, her excitement rapidly dissipates when she hears the words, "Call an ambulance! I think Darlene's dead!" Suddenly it's deja vu all over again.