Book Banter Café

The Christmas Promise Plot Summary Charlotte Moore is an artist who lets her dreams die after her boyfriend leaves, weary of her pursuits not paying the bills. Charlotte now has a steady job working for her friend, Troy Wallace, at one of Boston's finest art galleries.  Troy recently promoted her to lead buyer, but Charlotte fears she has failed him when she buys a $3,000 painting at an auction that comes with no information, other than the artist's initials and a date of December 24, 1919.  The painting features a ring on a beach, a lighthouse, and a sunset. The painting will be featured at Troy's annual gala, and the proceeds from its sale will help fund a local museum and his gallery.  The best way to earn top dollar for the painting is to include the artist's name and a backstory to go with it. A clue sends Charlotte to Seabreeze, New Hampshire.  Charlotte lodges at the cozy Cove Hill Inn while she attempts to research the painting's history.  It

Whether you're a parent, grandparent, or merely an alarmed patriot shocked at the state of American culture, Battle for the American Mind:  Uprooting a Century of Miseducation will explain how we got to this societal low point and what we can do to fix it. Battle for the American Mind Provides Historical Insight into Our Current Educational Crisis It might seem like today's classrooms have taken a sudden hard left turn into cultural Marxism within the last few years, but Battle for the American Mind reveals that the strategic overhaul of American education has been in the works for more than a century. Terms like critical race theory, diversity, equity, inclusion, environmentalism, social justice, and gender fluidity have appeared seemingly out of nowhere and highjacked American culture, but radical cultural Marxists have been stealthily chipping away at the very bedrock of our Western civilization for much longer than we realize. Even if you are raising your children in the

The Magic of Sea Glass Plot Summary   Lauren Sutton's wedding event planning business, Sugar and Lace, is so wildly successful that it's the subject of a reality TV show.  After losing her fiancé, Mason, in a car accident, Lauren can no longer cope with happy couples and wedding celebrations--she is too overwhelmed with grief. Mason's dream had been for the two of them to move to the Outer Banks of North Carolina where they would enjoy an amazing life and send everyone postcards that read, "Wish You Were Here."  With that in mind, Lauren sells her half of the business to her partner, accepts a job as a seasonal assistant to an innkeeper in Rodanthe, and tries to escape her old life. Mary Everett, the widowed innkeeper of the Tide and Swallow, is struggling to stay afloat.  Her inn can't compete with the modern lodging accommodations in the area--at least until Lauren starts planning updates and investing in the inn.   As a welcome gift, Mary gives Lauren an ex

The Christmas Bookshop Plot Summary   When the retail shop where Carmen works closes, she has no education, skills, or motivation to help her land a new job.  She moves back in with her parents, but it's not long before a new opportunity comes her way.  Carmen's super successful sister, Sofia, is an attorney with a new home in Edinburgh.  With baby number four on the way and her husband out of town on business, Sofia could use an extra hand, even though she doesn't relish the thought of dealing with her contrary sister. As luck would have it, one of Sofia's clients, Mr. McCreedie, is about to lose his beloved bookshop.  He's an eccentric man with little people or business skills, and his shop is dirty, outdated, and failing.  Sofia convinces Carmen to work temporarily for Mr. McCreedie and help him turn things around to see if the shop can be salvaged. Carmen resents her sister's success, never feeling like she can measure up, and she has no interest in her ni

Not Your Typical 2023 Reading Challenge When you're a voracious bookworm, a new year means a fresh start on tackling your TBR list.  We somehow think this is the year we will mark every book as read and finally reach the end of our list, knowing the lofty goal will always remain a dangling carrot of vain pursuit.   With renewed vigor and time on our hands in the colder months, we also accept reading challenges to expand our literary horizons.  Like many New Year's resolutions, our enthusiasm quickly wanes when we fall further and further behind, and the challenge becomes more like a tedious chore than something to savor. Let's change that in 2023! Reading should always be a rewarding, worthwhile experience.  Life is busy, so when you can squeeze in time for reading, it should be like sitting down with your best friend--a fun and unhurried time of delightful engagement.   Challenges that include specific books, themes, or genres that don't interest you or ones that tax y

Is the End of the World Near?  When you watch the news and read the headlines, it seems our world is hurtling towards disaster.  Christ followers are taught to be ready for His Second Coming, although no one knows the day or the hour He will return. The Bible is filled with prophetic passages to give us clues about what to expect in the end times leading up to the apocalypse; however, unless you're a Biblical scholar, many of these scriptures may seem cryptic.   In The Book of Signs , Dr. David Jeremiah shares deep insight into complicated Biblical prophecy to make it digestable and easy to understand.  Your eyes will be opened, and the meaning behind familiar scriptures will be revealed  like never before.   How The Book of Signs is Structured The Book of Signs is a comprehensive manual that breaks down end time prophecies into manageable chunks over the course of 31 chapters: PART 1:  International Signs Chapter 1:  Israel Chapter 2:  Europe Chapter 3:  Russia Chapter 4:  Babylo