I hope you are all stuffed to the gills, and enjoying some after-Thanksgiving relaxation. If you're anything like me, you're ready to sleep off all the food. Before I head to bed, though, I thought you all might want to know about the extra-special blessing I got for the holiday - the baby girl we've been planning to adopt was born on Tuesday night! We were a little shocked, since she's not due for another 3 weeks, but she's beautiful and healthy. She weighs 6 lbs. 7 oz. and is 20 inches long. Because this will be a closed adoption, I can't give you too many specifics, and I feel like I shouldn't post pictures here, but I wanted to tell you all my good news.

I will be out of town until next week, so I won't be posting any reviews. I'll be reading, of course, and will post when I can. Thanks for your patience :)

This year, I am especially thankful for all of my friends (online and off), my family and the many, many blessings I receive from God. I truly don't deserve a life this good!

If you're dying to get a glimpse of the Virgin River magic without signing on for the whole tour, then A Virgin River Christmas is the book for you. Of course, you will be depriving yourself if you don't begin at the beginning, but this one works well as a standalone. If you have read the first 3 books, you will be happy to know that plenty of VR folk make an appearance in this novel, but they stay mostly in the background. The starring roles belong to Marcie Sullivan, a stubborn redhead, and the equally bullheaded Ian Buchanan.

When the story opens, Marcie is on a mission: She's determined to find the Marine who saved her husband's life in Fallujah. To other people, it probably didn't look like much of a life - Bobby lived in a vegetative state for more than three years - but Marcie thanked God for every extra minute she got to have with her high school sweetheart. Now, that Bobby's dead, Marcie wants to find Ian Buchanan, the hero who saved her husband. She knows only that he lives somewhere in the mountains of Northern California. Maybe it's one of those needle-in-the-haystack kind of things, but Marcie knows she can't move forward until she finds Ian. She has things she needs to give him, questions she needs to ask. Her family thinks she's crazy, and maybe she is, but Marcie has to find Ian, has to know why a man Bobby so admired would abandon her husband when he most needed attention.

Marcie's search turns up very little, until she hits the small town of Virgin River. The folks at Jack's Bar don't recognize Ian's picture, but recommend that she search out some of the remote cabins in the woods. Lo and behold, she finds a mountain man who vaguely resembles the Marine in her picture. Despite a grizzly reception, Marcie refuses to leave the property until Ian speaks with her. Camping out in her car has taken a toll on the feisty redhead, and she soon falls ill enough that the crusty Marine has no choice but to take pity on her. As he nurses Marcie back to health, the two form a tentative friendship, one that rides on never discussing the war. Can Marcie get through to Ian, or will he kick her out before she's able to say her piece? Why did Ian hide away in the mountains, avoiding his ill friend? Can Marcie penetrate Ian's hard-as-flint exterior, and find the hero Bobby worshipped? Or is that man gone forever? Will Marcie find what she's looking for, finally enabling her to move on with her life?

If you've read any Robyn Carr, you probably already know how the story will end. I won't spoil it for you, just in case, but it's definitely predictable. The funny thing is, with these books, I really don't mind. Who cares if I know what's going to happen, I just want to spend the time enjoying my good ole' Virgin River friends, you know? So, anyway, A Virgin River Christmas is pretty standard Carr. I have to admit, this book is my least favorite in the series, probably because Jack doesn't have a starring role. Ian Buchanan did capture my interest - he's a complex, interesting character - but Marcie drove me absolutely nuts. So. Irritating. However, she differed from Carr's previous heroines in an important way - although she had suffered in her life, her troubles hadn't broken her, and she didn't come off as "damaged" somehow. She took her sorrows as they came, and let them mold her into a strong, determined woman. So, I liked that about her. Personality-wise, though, I wanted to strangle her. Despite that, I think A Virgin River Christmas is a sweet, hopeful novel that sets a nice mood for the holiday season. If it wasn't for that darn Marcie, I'd give it a solid A, but she kind of soured the book for me. Luckily for me, I just so happen to have a copy of Second Chance Pass nearby, and all the kids are sleeping soundly ... I just might need a little Jack to send me off to sleep with sweet dreams ...

Grade: B+

Of the many generous authors out there, I have to give a shout-out to M.J. Rose, who gave me 2 copies of each of her books to give away (plus 1 copy of each for myself). I haven't read her first novel, The Reincarnationist, yet, so I'll give you the synopsis from the back of the book:

As Josh recovers, his mind is invaded with thoughts that have the emotion, the intensity, the intimacy of memories. But these are not his memories. They are ancient ... and violent. There's an urgency to them he can't ignore - pulling him to save a woman named Sabina ... and the treasures she protects.

But who is Sabina?

Desperate for answers, Josh turns to the world-renowned Phoenix Foundation - a research facility that scientifically documents cases of past life experiences. He is led to an archaeological dig and to Professor Gabriella Chase, who has discovered an ancient, powerful secret that threatens to merge the past with the present. Here, the dead call out to the living, and murders of the past become murders of the present.

Also up for grabs is the next book in the series, The Memorist. Although I had some trouble connecting with the characters, I still enjoyed the read. You can see my review in the post below this one.

So, like I said, I have 2 copies of each book up for grabs. You can enter to win both books. All you have to do is this:

For 1 entry: Leave a comment on this post. Since Rose's books are all about reincarnation, we're going to have some fun - in your comment, please tell me who (or what) you would have like to have been in a past life or who you would like to be on your next go round. If you know about your past lives, by all means, tell me about it! Remember, this is just for fun, so go crazy.

For 2 entries: Post about this giveaway on your blog.

That's it - easy cheesy, as my kids would say. I will pick 4 winners on December 7. Thanks for entering, and thanks to M.J. for offering her books for this giveaway!

Although many of the world's religions hold reincarnation as a sacred tenet, skeptics abound. Chief among them is 31-year-old Meer Logan, heroine of M.J. Rose's new novel, The Memorist. Despite the fact that Meer, a memory specialist working at the Natural History Museum in New York, has experienced "the dreads" - disturbing images from a bygone era invading her mind - since she was a child, she refuses to believe her father's supposition that what she's seeing are actually suppressed memories from a past life. Meer adores her dad, a treasure hunter who has been dubbed the "Jewish Indiana Jones," but unlike him, she's a pragmatist. She's also tired of being the guinea pig for him and his fellow reincarnationists. As haunting as her "visions" are, Meer knows they are simply false memories. Period. End of story.

So, today was my 4-year-old's birthday - *sigh* - I'm getting so old! The good news is that one of you lucky ladies is going to get a present, too. The winner of A Life Well Read, the gorgeous gift box from the folks over at A Life Unplugged is ...

This is it - the last day to enter my awesome giveaway for this beautiful gift box:





You can get all the details on the box and the contest here. I will draw the winning name tomorrow. It's my son's birthday, so I probably won't pick someone until around 10:00 or so. So, you have until then to enter. There's still time to get double entries - just post about the contest on your blog. Hurry - and good luck!

Remember a few months ago when I decided to up and move to Grace Valley, California? The fact that there's no such place didn't deter me for a second. After reading Robyn Carr's trilogy set in the cozy town, I wanted to live there. Yes, I did say "wanted," as in past tense. Now, I'm looking for real estate in Virgin River, another cozy little town just up the road from Grace Valley. You guessed it - the town plays a major role in Carr's newest series. The author promised me that if I liked the Grace Valley books, I would love the Virgin River novels. Guess what? She was right. Now, I just need to find a good real estate agent ... I'm thinking I need a little property right across from Jack's bar ...

Virgin River, the first book in the series, begins with the arrival of nurse/midwife Melinda Monroe. Tired of her career as an E.R. nurse in the city, she thinks she's more than ready for the quiet life of small-town nursing. That is, until her Beemer gets stuck in the mud on a lonely road; the "adorable little cottage" (15) she's been promised turns out to be a collapsing hovel; the elderly doctor she's supposed to be helping growls in her citified face; and she realizes there is no Starbucks to be found. Anywhere. Suddenly, she's ready to pack it in and high-tail it back to L.A.

As much as she wants to flee, there a few things stopping her: (1) She knows only sorrow waits for her back home; (2) a newborn appears on the doorstep of the doctor's office, and (3) Jack Sheridan, the handsome owner of a homey bar, is starting to grow on her. She still plans to leave, but not until the baby has found a proper home. In the meantime, she's called on to deliver babies, check on homebound patients, and even deal with emergencies that have her careening down narrow country roads in the back of Doc's pickup. It's medicine as Mel has never experienced before. Challenging. Exciting. Fulfilling. It also becomes dangerous when she runs into Virgin River's nastier elements. Although she's been warned about "growers" hiding in the hills, nurturing their marijuana crops, Mel can't resist trekking into their territory when she knows someone needs her.

Before she realizes it, Mel has become firmly enmeshed in the little town. As she gets to know the townsfolk with all their quirks, mysteries and passions, she begins to forget the hurts of her own past. But that doesn't mean they aren't still there. Can she set aside her own sorrows long enough to embrace the cozy little town, the cranky old doc and the one man who can love her through her pain?

The second installment in the series, Shelter Mountain, focuses on my favorite character, John "Preacher" Middleton. Looking like "Jesse Ventura with attitude" (VR 34), Preach is a big guy with an even bigger heart. Loyal to Jack on the battlefield and off, he has stuck by his friend for years. Together, they run Jack's Bar. While Jack plays bartender, counselor, and people pleaser, Preacher works his magic in the kitchen. The situation works perfectly for the gentle giant, who prefers cooking to speaking any day.

One rainy night, when Preacher's about to close up the bar, a young woman and a toddler come straggling in. He notices the bruises she's tried to hide with makeup, and the split lip that can't be covered. It doesn't take a genius to figure out her sad story. Even though the woman - Paige - is desperate to get as far away from her abusive husband as possible, Preacher convinces her to stay the night in Virgin River, where she can rest up and get medical attention from Doc and Mel. A night stretches into a week, then a month. The longer Paige stays under Preacher's protective gaze, the more comfortable she becomes. Her husband still haunts her thoughts, but there's something about the town and its big-hearted cook that gives her strength.

Paige isn't the only one finding refuge in Virgin River. After tragedy strikes Mike Valenzuela, Jack and Preacher's Marine buddy, he holes up in the town. Physical therapy, the closeness of friends, and time, seem to be help, but will he ever be the same? Will he ever find the kind of contentment that Jack has? Ricky, to whom Jack is like a father, will also need the town's support when he faces a crisis of his own. And then there's Mel, whose baby seems to be coming a little too fast, a little too soon. Helping neighbors comes naturally to folks in Virgin River, but lately, lending a hand's becoming a full-time job. Can the people band together to protect their own? Will a raging ex-husband threaten Preacher, Jack and their friends? Or will he learn the lesson so many have before - nobody messes with Virgin River boys or their women.

A brutal rape shatters the Sheridans' peaceful life in Whispering Rock, the third novel in the series. The victim is Jack's beloved younger sister, Brie. A prosecuting attorney in Sacramento, she worked tirelessly to bring down a serial rapist, only to watch him walk when witnesses refused to come forward. Now, she's laying in a hospital bed, bruised and battered by the very man she tried to incarcerate. Jack rushes to her side, as does his Marine buddy, Mike Valenzuela. Still recovering from a gunshot wound, Mike has taken up residence in peaceful Virgin River. He's recouping, slowly, and not too keen to jump back into police life. But, this is Brie - beautiful, smart, spunky Brie - he'll call in his old contacts if it means bringing her attacker to justice. And, okay, he wouldn't mind getting closer to the pretty prosecutor.

As Mike helps Brie recover from the trauma, he finds himself transforming. He's healing, although his below-the-belt wound makes him wonder if he'll ever be the Cassanova he once was. Still, being around Brie makes him happy in ways he's never imagined. Of course, Jack's not too pleased about the romance, and Brie's too hurt to notice Mike's growing feelings for her. He does have his work to keep his mind off her - as the new town constable, he's finding that even quiet little towns like Virgin River have their ugly underbellies.

Mike's not the only one of Jack's Marine buddies having trouble - Preacher and Paige are battling infertility while Paul's tortured over his attraction to his best friend's wife. Mel's no Marine, but she's got her hands full with the town's moms-to-be. When several teenage girls appear at the clinic, whispering date rape, Mel vows to find the perpetrators. With Mike's help, she uncovers some disturbing goings-on among the valley high schoolers.

Even with all the disturbance, life in Virgin River chugs along. Jack's building Mel her dream house; Newcomer Tom is besotted with the gorgeous Brenda; Lily Anderson gets troubling news; and Preacher's a little too vocal on ovulation day. It's just another year in the peaceful little town, where neighbors help neighbors through whatever comes, be it a happy birth, a shocking death, or a newfound love.

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With the Virgin River series (which is a long way from finished, by the way), Robyn Carr works the same magic that drew me into her Grace Valley books. She starts by creating a town - beautiful, quaint, charming - the kind of place where no one locks their doors and folks settle their debts with fish and homemade jam. Then, she fills it with people - characters who are quirky enough to be interesting, but familiar enough to be believable. They're gentle folks, good folks, the kind of people who watch each other's backs. Then, because little towns with little action don't make for good fiction, she stirs things up a bit. Finally, Carr steps back and gives her characters room to do what comes naturally - love, grieve, live, die. Through it all, they lean on their friends, love their families and protect their town. It's not a perfect world - after all, the woods hide some serious pot farms, and violence exists even in the quietest of towns - but Virgin River comes pretty close to ideal.

Female readers will fall hard for the Virgin River boys - big, strong ex-Marines who would sooner die than see a woman hurt. They hunt, fish, cook and cradle babies with equal ease. Sure, they're a little too good to be true, but who cares? They work hard, love passionately, and protect their own. I think I'm in love with all of them.

So, is there anything I don't like about the series? Well, it's pretty predictable, and there's a lot more (and detailed) sex than there was in the Grace Valley books. The novels are basically PG/PG-13, but there are some definite R moments. Beyond that, what can I say? I love these books. They exude such warmth that I just want to crawl between the covers and curl up in the pages. Yeah, I'm a dork, but the story really is that good. Come for a visit - I give you 10 pages before you, too, are hunting down a realtor.

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Obviously, I love me some Robyn Carr. I'm stoked that I've got the next two books in the Virgin River series sitting on my shelf. My review of A Virgin River Christmas should be up in a few days, but you'll have to wait for my thoughts on Second Chance Pass (it doesn't come out until February, so I can't review it 'til next year). If you just can't get enough of Jack and the boys, be sure to check out Robyn's website for more Virgin River news. She just added a gorgeous video you're going to want to see. Go on, get clicking. I have me some Robyn Carr to read.

Everybody knows Sir Lancelot was the greatest knight in Camelot, but did you know that he liked to indulge in an afternoon nap ... or two ... or three? Did you further know that his superior skills actually kept him from competing in jousts? If this is news to you, you'd better head to the library and check out The Adventures of Sir Lancelot the Great by Gerald Morris. The novel, geared toward the 10 and under set, introduces readers to a talented, but lazy man who somehow managed to make himself a legend.

The story begins when Lancelot leaves France bound for England. He has only one goal: To become one of King Arthur's knights. Almost as soon as he steps onto English soil, Lancelot meets throngs of knights wanting to challenge him. Of course, he's triumphant, but the knights keep coming and, darn it, all these skirmishes are getting in the way of his precious afternoon naps. First, he has to contend with a damsel in distress whose trickery gets him stuck in a tree, then he's caught by 4 queens who threaten to throw him in the dungeon if he can't decide which one to marry, then he gets hit in the rump with a - well, you'll just have to see. Suffice it to say, his life's getting a little too active for his liking.

When Sir Lancelot decides to chuck it all for the quiet life, things soon get out of hand. Will the knight ignore his true calling in favor of long afternoon naps? Or can he be brought out of retirement to save Camelot? The reluctant hero will have to make the ultimate choice to save the kingdom and its queen.

As you can probably tell, The Adventures of Sir Camelot the Great doesn't contain a lot of substance. It's a quick, silly read that will keep kids engaged. It's not necessarily going to teach them much, but they will definitely enjoy it. My 10-year-old son whipped through it in about an hour and thought it was hilarious. I laughed a bit myself. Don't get me wrong - the book's not going to win a Newbery any time soon. Still, it's a pretty fun read. I recommend it, especially for reluctant readers who just want something quick and enjoyable.

Grade: B

The winner of Red Sea by E.A. Benedek is ... drumroll, please ...

It's official - the holidays have begun. Sure, Costco has had Christmas decorations since July 4th, but now that I hear carols on the radio, I know it's really time to begin thinking about The Big Day. Well, if you have a book lover on your list this year (psst - there's nothing wrong with putting a little somethin' somethin' for yourself under the tree), you are going to thank me, because I have found The. Perfect. Gift. Introducing ... drumroll, please ... A Life Well Read: