February 21, "Deeper Water" by Robert Whitlow

The Tides of Truth novels follow one laywer's passionate pursuit of truth in matters of life and the law.

In the murky waters of Savannah's shoreline, a young law student is under fire as she tries her first case at a prominent and established law firm.  A complex mix of betrayal and deception quickly weaves its way through the case and her life, as she uncovers dark and confusing secrets about the man she's defending -- and the senior partners of the firm.  How deep will the conspiracy run?  Will she have to abandon her true self to fulfill a higher calling?  And how far will she have to go to discover the truth behind a tragic cold case?

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 March 27, "The Help" by Kathryn Stocket

Four peerless actors render an array of sharply defined black and white charagers in the nascent years of the civil rights movement.  They each handle a variety of Southern accents with aplomb and draw out the daily humiliation and pain the maids are subject to, as well as their abiding affection for their white charges.  The actors handle the narration and dialoge so well that no character is ever stereotyped, the humor is always delightful, and the listener is led through the multilayered stories of maids and mistresses.  The novel is a superb intertwining of personal and political history in Jackson, MS in the early 1960's, but this reading gives it a deeper and fuller power.

 April 24, "Ctching Moondrops" by Jennifer Erin Valent

It's the summer of 1938, and in the rural town of Calloway, VA, something is brewing -- something that 18 year old Jessilyn Lassiter has felt before.  Amidst romance in the air and the brilliant colors of summer sunsets, Jessilyn and her best friend Gemma know racial tension is on the rise.  Six years ago, that tension exploded with burning crosses and white-robed Klansmen.  Their hate-filled, public displays were reduced to a simmer since then, but the two best friends -- one white, one black -- knew it was about to bubble over again.  When a black doctor sets up shop in Calloway's "colored" district, he fans the flames of the Klansmen's hatred, setting in motion a series of events that will change the people of Calloway and leave 2 mothers grieving for their sons.  Jessilyn knows how it feels to be in love, because Luke Talley stole her heart when she was 13 and never let go.  She knows the joy of friendship, because she and Gemma are as close as sisters, and it never mattered to her that Gemma was black.  She knows hate, because she's come face to face with it more than once since Gemma's parents died and the Lassiters took her in.  But Jessilyn does not know the love and grace of God.  Nor does she understand why all the people she loves most in the world worship a Savior who allows bad things to happen and forgives those who mistreat them.  That kind of faith remains a mystery.  Jessilyn and Gemma first meet Tal Pritchett, a young, black doctor, after their friend is beaten up by some white guys in town.  By the time the doctor is done tending to the young man's wounds, his interest in Gemma is clear to Jessilyn.  There is no doubt that Gemma has feelings for the doctor as well.  While Tal and Gemma inch into their romance, Luke is finally admitting his love for Jessilyn.  The two share moments so tender and touching that it will make your heart swell with emotion.  Soon enough, Tal and Gemma are married, but the joy of love is overshadowed by a cloud of hate as the Klansmen beat and hang a young boy who is a friend to all the main characters.  The murderers then turn their attention to the doctor, angry that he treated a white woman, even though it was at her request.  That anger boils over one evening when Jessilyn leaves Gemma's house and heads home.  Something evil is lurking in the woods, and Jessilyn soon finds herself the prey of a white-robed predator.  As he gains on her, she fears for her life not knowing that Gemma and Tal are in the hands of the Klan as a wooden cross burns in front of their house.  What God does with this hate-filled, terror-filled situation will open Jessilyn's heart and change a town that seemed hopelessly destined to oppression at the hands of the Klan.  CATCHING MOONDROPS, the final book in a trilogy that began with FIREFLIES IN DECEMBER and followed with COTTONWOOD WHISPERS, is without a doubt one of the best books I've ever read, period.  I could write endlessly about the clever dialogue, colorful imagery and unique voice.  And I certainly can't leave out the depth and attitude of the characters, the compelling plot, or the way the book takes you on an emotional rollercoaster ride.  Yet none of this does justice to the novel or its gifted author.  Jennifer Erin Valent possesses writing talent that will surely have her name on bestseller lists for years to come.

 May 22, "A Man of Faith:  The Spiritual Journey of George W. Bush" by George Bush and Aikman

More than any other world leader in recent times, George W. Bush is a man of faith. . . a conservative Christian who has brought the power of prayer and the search for God's will into the Oval Office. His faith has proven to be a bedrock of strength and resolve during two of the most tumultuous years in our nation's history.  According to Newsweek magazine, "This presidency is the most resolutely faith based in modern times.  An enterprise founded, supported and guided by trust in the temporal and spiritual power of God."  David Aikman, skilled journalist and former senior correspondent for TIME magazine, pens this dramatic and gripping account of Bush's journey to faith.  Based on interviews and behind-the-scenes stories, you'll learn how. . .

• His life changed after a conversation with Billy Graham on the beach at Kennebunkport
• He walked away from alcoholism toward a new destiny
• The events following 9/11 caused many to view him as God's chosen man for this critical time in history
• His decision to go to war with Iraq became the ultimate test of faith

 June 26, "Let's Roll" by Lisa Beamer

The best-seller that has brought comfort and hope to millions in the wake of 9/11 is now available in softcover!  Let's Roll - the moving, behind-the-scenes story of United Flight 93 hero Todd Beamer and his widow, Lisa - is so much more than a tribute.  A message of character, courage, and undeniable faith in the face of horrifying tragedy, it encourages anyone who reads it to live real life right now . . . and to have confidence and hope for the future.

 July 24, "Painted Dresses" by Patricia Hickman

In this story of sisterhood and unexpected paths, Gaylen Syler-Boatwright flees her unraveling marriages to take refuge in a mountain cottage owned by her deceased aunt.  Burdened with looking after her adult sister, Deliah, she is shocked to find a trail of family secrets hidden within her aunt's odd collection of framed, painted dresses.  With Delia, who attracts trouble as a daily occupation, Gaylen embarks on a road trip that throws the unlikely pair together on a journey to painful understanding and delightful revelations.

Steeped in Hickman's trademark humor, her spare writing voice, and the bittersweet pathos of the South, Painted Dresses powerfully captures a woman's desperate longing to uncover a hidden, broken life and discover the liberty of living authentically, even when the things exposed are shrouded in shame.

 August 28, "On Hummingbird Wings" by Lauraine Snelling

Snelling (One Perfect Day) strikes a blow for family values in a story about a family that is not close either geographically or emotionally.  Gillian Ormsby is a New York corporate executive returns to her California home to take care of her mother Dorothy, who appears to be physically healthy but who won't do anything but sleep.  Gillian's sister, Allison, the preferred child who stayed close to home, is being less than helpful.  When Gillian arrives after crossing the country, she finds her mother's once beautiful garden as wilted as its caretaker.  She is aided in her efforts by her mother's dapper friend, Enzio, who brings killer pastries when he visits, and her mother's neighbor Adam, who owns a dog and a garden store and happens to be handsome.  The narrative hits some true notes:  Dorothy's passive depression will strike those caring for elderly parents as familiar.  Off-notes include Allison, who needs more characterization, and Gillian's generic corporate career.  The tale is uneven, but Snelling can certainly charm.

 September 25, "Unlocked" by Karen Kingsbury

Before You Take a Stand. . . You Got to Take a Chance.  Holden Harris is an 18 year old locked in a prison of autism.  Despite his quiet ways and quirky behaviors, Holden is very happy and socially normal -- on the inside, in a private world all his own.  In reality, he is bulied at school by kids who only see that he is very different.  Ella Reynolds is a part of the 'in' crowd.  A cheerleader and star of the high school drama production, her life seems perfect.  When she catches Holden listening to her rehearse for the school play, she is drawn to him. . . the way he is drawn to the music.  Then, Ella makes a dramatic discovery - - she and Holden were best friends as children.  Frustrated by the way Holden is bullied, and horrified at the indifference of her peers, Ella decides to take a stand against the most privileged and popular kids at school.  Including her boyfriend, Jake.  Ella believes miracles can happen in the unlikeliest places, and that just maybe an entire community might celebrate from the sidelines.  But will Holden's praying mother and the efforts of Ella and a cast of theater kids be enough to unlock the prison that contains Holden?  This time, friendship, faith, and the power of a song must be strong enough to open the doors to the miracle Holden needs.