Sparkle Abbey creates wild fun with Pampered Pet Mystery Series

If you love pets and mysteries, you'll fall in love with the Pampered Pet Mystery Series by Sparkle Abbey (aka Mary Lee Woods and Anita Carter). With delightful characters, priceless pets and tony Laguna Beach, CA as the setting, you're in for a treat.

The first book in the series, "Desperate Housedogs," introduces Caro Lamont. She's feisty and determined and finds herself in a little bit of a pickle - a murder investigation. You can read my review here.

Volume two, "Get Fluffy," focuses on Caro's cousin Melinda Langston. She's every bit as wacky as Caro and just as prone to trouble. You'll find that review here.

The two books bring murder and family relationships into humorous focus. Great summer reading!

Book review - 'The Bricklayer's Helper' by Amy Corwin

"Mistaken identities, murderous secrets and a years-old mystery set the stage for Amy Corwin’s Regency novel, 'The Bricklayer’s Helper.'

Young Samuel Sanderson prides himself on his skillful work as a bricklayer’s helper. He has grown in the job for thirteen years, since a tragic fire killed his family and left him a homeless orphan. Ingratiating himself to bricklayer Mr. Hawkins, he found a home of sorts and a profession. Now Hawkins was ready to wed his daughter to Sanderson and help him open a branch office of the business in London. There’s just one problem with the plan – Samuel is a girl and someone is trying to kill her."

Learn more here.

Book Review - 'Small is big: Unleashing the big impact of innentionally small churches'

"There are two movements going on in America today in terms of church growth. One is the trend toward mega-churches and multi-site churches, where congregants from one service may not know any of the congregants from other services. The second movement is toward smaller, home-based churches. This second trend comes under discussion in 'Small is big: Unleashing the big impact of intentionally small churches.'

Church planters Tony and Felicity Dale teamed with George Barna to examine the effect that these small churches have on the growth of Christianity in America."

Read more here.