Wife-In-Law

Wife-in-Law
by Haywood Smith

Betsy Callison and Kat Ellis lived across the street from each other and became very best friends even though they were complete opposites. Betsy was very neat, dressed properly, and a great cook and housekeeper. On the other hand, Kat dressed like a hippie, was not a very good cook, and her house was a mess. Surprisingly, even their husbands became friends. Life was good for both families until Betsy’s husband, Greg, wanted a divorce. Of course Kat was there for Betsy to lean on. Then Kat’s husband, Zach, became very ill with ALS, Lou Gehrig’s disease and one year later passed away.

The women’s friendship was tested two years later when Greg moved back to town and started dating Kat. He lied to Kat and let her believe he changed and convinced her into marrying him. Betsy did not want to interfere with their lives so kept her thoughts to herself until a “friend” approached her with proof Greg was cheating on Kat. Betsy was reluctant to approach Kat with the evidence but was pressured into it. The day Betsy decided to tell Kat about Greg turned out to be a fatal mistake and turned both families’ lives around. Betsy wished she had listened to her conscience and never showed Kat the photos of Greg and the other woman.

Rose

Nightwoods by Charles Frazier

Nightwoods
by Charles Frazier

In his latest novel, Charles Frazier returns to Appalachia to tell the tale of Luce, a young woman who takes in her sister's emotionally scarred children. She must then protect them from their abusive, violent father when he comes looking for them. Frazier is an excellent storyteller. As the novel develops, the reader is led into a deeply entangled tale that becomes more menacing with every page. This book will keep you on the edge of your seat to the end.

-Kathy S.

Vera

Vera
(DVD TV Series)

The Vera TV series is based on the novels by Ann Cleeves. The story is filmed in Northumberland, which is on the east coast of England.

Vera Stanhope is Chief Inspector Detective. Her appearance is very disheveled but do not let that fool you. She is very smart and nothing gets past her or her colleague, Sergeant Joe Ashworth. When unraveling a murder, Vera’s techniques are quite different from the norm and she is often quite tactless with the victims’ families, friends, and especially her team.

Vera is very different from the other TV series Midsomer Murders, Inspector Lewis, Murdock Mysteries, etc. but I found the series entertaining.

- Rose

How to Really Love Your Adult Child

How to Really Love your Adult Child
Building a healthy relationship in a changing world.

By Ross Campbell, MD & Gary Chapman, PhD

While most parenting books are aimed at parents of young children, this book is for the parents of young adults. The authors focus mainly on those born roughly between 1980 and 1995 known as Generation Y, the Millennials or Mosaics. Unlike the parents, these children grew up in a less stable and rapidly changing society.

Throughout the book Campbell and Chapman remind the reader that the primary goal of parents is to guide their children toward independent living and maturity. The authors do a great job of helping the parent understand today’s young adult. They give recommendations on how to deal with many topics including when your child is not succeeding, when your child moves back home, conflicts with lifestyle issues and becoming an in-law and/or grandparent.

The common thread through this book is to keep the lines of communication open, make sure you show your love the way your child understands, be a positive role model and to lift your child up in prayer.

Written from a Judeo-Christian worldview, this book would be helpful for parents of any faith.

- Dixie