A Heart for Words

Cooper and Me and the Military - Review

2012-02-10T15:47:00.000-08:00

In this book, you will meet Trooper, Cooper's best friend, and learn how he was adopted by Gracie and Joe and their parents, who both serve in the military. You will learn how they stay close when so much distance separates them. If you have or know anyone in the military with children, this is a wonderful book. Since it was written by young girl, it is very much from a child's perspective.

For more information you can go to these sites:
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*I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Song of My Heart

2012-02-07T09:36:00.001-08:00

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing Song of My Heart Bethany House (February 1, 2012) by Kim Vogel Sawyer

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Kim Vogel Sawyer is the author of fifteen novels, including several CBA and ECPA bestsellers. Her books have won the ACFW Book of the Year Award, the Gayle Wilson Award of Excellence, and the Inspirational Readers Choice Award. Kim is active in her church, where she leads women's fellowship and participates in both voice and bell choirs. In her spare time, she enjoys drama, quilting, and calligraphy. Kim and her husband, Don, reside in central Kansas, and have three daughters and numerous grandchildren.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Sadie Wagner has always been devoted to her family. So when her stepfather is injured and can't work, she decides to leave home and accept a position as a clerk at the mercantile in Goldtree, Kansas. Goldtree also offers the opportunity to use her God-given singing talent--though the promised opera house is far different from what she imagined. With her family needing every cent she can provide, Sadie will do anything to keep her job.

Thad McKane comes to Goldtree at the request of the town council. The town has been plagued by bootlegging operations, and Thad believes he can find the culprit. After he earns enough money doing sheriff work, he wants to use it to pay for his training to become a minister.

Thad is immediately attracted to the beautiful singer who performs in Asa Baxter's unusual opera house, but when he hears her practicing bawdy tunes, he begins to wonder if she's far less innocent than she seems. And when Sadie appears to be part of the very crimes he's come to investigate, is there any hope the love blossoming between them will survive?

If you would like to read the first chapter of Song of My Heart, go HERE.

Christmas in Sugarcreek

2011-11-20T13:55:00.001-08:00

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing Christmas In Sugarcreek Avon Inspire (October 25, 2011) by Shelley Shepard Gray

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Since 2000, Shelley Sabga has sold over thirty novels to numerous publishers, including HarperCollins, Harlequin, and Abingdon Press. She has been interviewed by NPR, and her books have been highlighted in numerous publications, including USA Today and The Wall Street Journal.

Under the name Shelley Shepard Gray, Shelley writes Amish romances for HarperCollins’ inspirational line, Avon Inspire. Her recent novel, The Protector, the final book in her “Families of Honor” series, hit the New York Times List, and her previous novel in the same series, The Survivor, appeared on the USA Today bestseller list. Shelley has won the prestigious Holt Medallion for her books, Forgiven and Grace, and her novels have been chosen as Alternate Selections for the Doubleday/Literary Guild Book Club. Her first novel with Avon Inspire, Hidden, was an Inspirational Reader’s Choice finalist.

Before writing romances, Shelley lived in Texas and Colorado, where she taught school and earned both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in education. She now lives in southern Ohio and writes full time. Shelley is married, the mother of two children in college, and is an active member of her church. She serves on committees, volunteers in the church office, and currently leads a Bible study group, and she looks forward to the opportunity to continue to write novels that showcase her Christian ideals.

When she’s not writing, Shelley often attends conferences and reader retreats in order to give workshops and publicize her work. She’s attended RWA’s national conference six times, the ACFW conference and Romantic Times Magazine’s annual conference as well as traveled to New Jersey, Birmingham, and Tennessee to attend local conferences.

Check out Shelley's Facebook Fan page

ABOUT THE BOOK

Judith Graber has always been the obedient daughter. When her older brother Josh struggled with his love life, she offered wise counsel. When her younger brother Caleb flirted with the idea of leaving their order, she firmly told him he was wrong. Over the years, she’s watched her younger siblings, helped around the house, and worked in her family’s store during her spare time. Judith feels overworked, overlooked, and underappreciated this holiday season.

But everything changes when her father hires Ben Knox.

Ben Knox is the “bad boy” of Sugarcreek. Though he’s never considered jumping the fence, he’s certainly never tried to be anything close to dutiful. Two years ago he left Sugarcreek under a cloud of shame. Rumors circulated that his rumspringa had been filled with more than the usual harmless explorations.

Now he’s back and working side by side with Judith.
As the chaos of the holiday season threatens to sap all joy, sparks fly between Ben and Judith. But Judith steels herself to ignore her infatuation. The last thing she wants to be is just one more girl who falls under Ben’s spell. Ben, on the other hand, wants Judith to realize there’s more to him than his bad reputation. When he fled Sugarcreek, he was running from a disruptive home life. Now that he’s back, he wants a fresh beginning.
Could this Christmas season bring love and a new life for the unlikeliest pair in Sugarcreek?

If you would like to read the first chapter of Christmas In Sugarcreek, go HERE.

Maggie's Journey

2011-11-02T11:35:00.000-07:00

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing Maggie's Journey Realms (October 4, 2011) by Lena Nelson Dooley

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Award-winning author, Lena Nelson Dooley, has more than 675,000 books in print. She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers http://www.acfw.com/ and president of the local chapter, DFW Ready Writers. She’s also a member of Christian Authors Network, CROWN Fiction Marketing, and Gateway Church in Southlake, Texas.

Lena loves James, her children, grandchildren, and great grandson. She loves chocolate, cherries, chocolate-covered cherries, and spending time with friends. Travel is always on her horizon. Cruising, Galveston, the Ozark Mountains of Arkansas, Mexico. One day it will be Hawaii and Australia, but probably not the same year. Helping other authors become published really floats her boat, with fifteen signing their first book contract after her mentoring. Three of her books have been awarded the Carol Award silver pins from American Christian Fiction Writers and she has received the ACFW Mentor of the Year award at their national conference. The high point of her day is receiving feedback from her readers, especially people whose lives have been changed by her books. And she loves chocolate, especially dark chocolate.

Her last release is Love Finds You in Golden, New Mexico, from Summerside Press recently won the Will Rogers Medallion Award for excellence in publishing western fiction. Lena is currently under two 3-book contracts with Charisma House/Realms.

In addition to her writing, Lena is a frequent speaker at women’s groups, writers groups, and at both regional and national conferences. She has spoken in six states and internationally.

Lena has an active web presence on Shoutlife, Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads, and with her internationally connected blog where she interviews other authors and promotes their books. You can check out her books and find out more about her on her blog.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Near her eighteenth birthday, Margaret Lenora Caine finds a chest hidden in the attic containing proof that she's adopted. The spoiled daughter of wealthy merchants in Seattle, she feels betrayed by her real parents and by the ones who raised her. But mystery surrounds her new discovery, and when Maggie uncovers another family secret, she loses all sense of identity. Leaving her home in Seattle, Washington, Maggie strikes out to find her destiny. Will Charles Stanton, who's been in love with her for years, be able to help her discover who she really is?

If you would like to read the first chapter of Maggie's Journey, go HERE.

The Mighty Macs - Review

2011-10-21T11:49:00.000-07:00

The Mighty Macs - In Theaters Now

ABOUT THE MOVIE:

It's 1971. Cathy Rush is a woman ahead of her time ... and she's about to embark on an adventure for the ages. A new era is dawning in the country and in collegiate athletics, where a national champion will be crowned for the first time in women's basketball.
In the lead up to this historical season, major universities are preparing their game plans to win that first title. Meanwhile a tiny all-women's Catholic college in Philadelphia has a more modest goal: find a coach before the season begins. Providentially, Cathy Rush is about to find Immaculata College.
Recently married, Cathy is dealing with the aftermath of a truncated playing career. While cultural norms would have her staying at home, she's willing to do the hard work necessary to help her new team reach their goals—or perhaps she's just trying to achieve her unfulfilled dreams through them.
From the beginning, her challenges are as imposing as the big-school teams Immaculata will face on the court. Cathy learns there is no gymnasium on campus, she receives little support from the school's Mother Superior, and the school is in dire financial straits. To top it off, she may not even have enough players to field a team!
While it appears the Macs don't have a prayer, all hope is not lost. With the help of Sister Sunday—a spunky assistant coach—and the support of a booster club of elderly nuns, Coach Rush creates a new game plan that just might bring the team—and the school—together.
Will this pioneer buck cultural norms and spur her rag-tag team to unexpected heights? Or will her hard-driving ways create a wedge between the coach and everyone around her? One thing's for certain: there's never been anyone like Cathy Rush at Immaculata!

My Thoughts:

I was so thrilled when I was contacted to review this movie. I am so extremely picky about what I allow my family to watch and am always on the look-out for good, clean movies. It's a real plus when there are moral lessons to be had too. I was asked by Propeller to preview this movie online and give my honest opinion. This movie is wonderful. So encouraging, teaching kids they can "do all things". Serious, humorous, action, basketball, and God...what more could you ask for. Everyone should go see this movie, take your family, take a friend!! The best way to get more movies like this, is to support it. Definite 5 stars out of 5 stars!!

A Wedding Invitation

2011-10-12T11:23:00.000-07:00

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing A Wedding Invitation Bethany House (October 1, 2011) by Alice Wisler

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Alice was born in Osaka, Japan in the sixties. Her parents were Presbyterian career missionaries. As a young child, Alice loved to walk down to the local stationer's store to buy notebooks, pencils and scented erasers. In her room, she created stories. The desire to be a published famous author has never left her. Well, two out of three isn't bad. She's the author of Rain Song, How Sweet It Is, Hatteras Girl and A Wedding Invitation (all published by Bethany House).

Alice went to Eastern Mennonite University after graduating from Canadian Academy, an international high school in Kobe, Japan. She majored in social work and has worked across the U.S. in that field. She taught ESL (English as a Second Language) in Japan and at a refugee camp in the Philippines. She also studied Spanish at a language institute in San Jose, Costa Rica.

She has four children--Rachel, Daniel, Benjamin and Elizabeth. Daniel died on 2/2/97 from cancer treatments at the age of four. Since then, Alice founded Daniel's House Publications in her son's memory. This organization reaches out to others who have also lost a child to death. In 2000 and 2003, Alice compiled recipes and memories of children across the world to publish two memorial cookbooks, Slices of Sunlight and Down the Cereal Aisle.

ABOUT THE BOOK

After returning home from teaching English at a refugee camp in the Philippines, Samantha Bravencourt enjoys her quiet life working at her mother's clothing boutique in Falls Church, Virginia. When she receives an invitation to a wedding in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, she looks forward to reconnecting with her college friend. Instead her life collides with Carson, a fellow teacher and the man who broke her heart, and a young Amerasian refugee named Lien who needs Samantha and Carson's help to find her mother before Lien's own wedding. When the search for Lien's mother reveals surprising secrets from the past, Samantha must reevaluate her own memories and decide whether to continue to play it safe or take a risk that could change her life.

If you would like to read the first chapter of A Wedding Invitation, go HERE.

Watch the book trailer:

Happy Reading!!
Angel

House of Secrets

2011-10-07T19:00:00.001-07:00

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing House of Secrets Bethany House (October 1, 2011) by Tracie Peterson

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Tracie Peterson is the bestselling, award-winning author of more than 85 novels.

She received her first book contract in November, 1992 and saw A Place To Belong published in February 1993 with Barbour Publishings' Heartsong Presents. She wrote exclusively with Heartsong for the next two years, receiving their readership's vote for Favorite Author of the Year for three years in a row.

In December, 1995 she signed a contract with Bethany House Publishers to co-write a series with author Judith Pella. Tracie now writes exclusively for Bethany House Publishers.

She teaches writing workshops at a variety of conferences on subjects such as inspirational romance and historical research.

Tracie was awarded the Romantic Times Career Achievement Award for 2007 Inspirational Fiction and her books have won numerous awards for favorite books in a variety of contests.

Making her home in Montana, this Kansas native enjoys spending time with family--especially her three grandchildren--Rainy, Fox and Max. She's active in her church as the Director of Women's Ministries, coordinates a yearly writer's retreat for published authors, and travels, as time permits, to research her books.

ABOUT THE BOOK

When her father orchestrates a surprise trip to the summer house of her childhood, Bailee Cooper is unprepared for what follows. What is intended to be a happy reunion for Bailee and her sisters, Geena and Piper, quickly becomes shrouded by memories from the past.

Together again, the three sisters sift through their recollections of fifteen years ago...of an ill mother, and of their father making a desperate choice. They vowed, as children, to be silent--but one sister believes the truth must now be revealed. Yet can they trust their memories?

Mark Delahunt arrives in the wake of this emotional turmoil. Determined to win Bailee's affection, Mark becomes the strong fortress for her in this time of confusion, and what was once a tentative promise begins to take root and grow. Caught between the past and an uncertain future, can Bailee let God guide her to heal the past and ultimately to embrace love?

If you would like to read the first chapter of House of Secrets, go HERE.

2011-10-05T20:08:00.000-07:00

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing The Mercy Bethany House (September 6, 2011) by Beverly Lewis

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Beverly's first venture into adult fiction is the best-selling trilogy, The Heritage of Lancaster County, including The Shunning, a suspenseful saga of Katie Lapp, a young Amish woman drawn to the modern world by secrets from her past. The book is loosely based on the author's maternal grandmother, Ada Ranck Buchwalter, who left her Old Order Mennonite upbringing to marry a Bible College student. One Amish-country newspaper claimed Beverly's work to be "a primer on Lancaster County folklore" and offers "an insider's view of Amish life."

Booksellers across the country, and around the world, have spread the word of Beverly's tender tales of Plain country life. A clerk in a Virginia bookstore wrote, "Beverly's books have a compelling freshness and spark. You just don't run across writing like that every day. I hope she'll keep writing stories about the Plain people for a long, long time."

A member of the National League of American Pen Women, as well as a Distinguished Alumnus of Evangel University, Lewis has written over 80 books for children, youth, and adults, many of them award-winning. She and her husband, David, make their home in Colorado, where they enjoy hiking, biking, and spending time with their family. They are also avid musicians and fiction "book worms."

ABOUT THE BOOK

Rose Kauffman pines for prodigal Nick Franco, the Bishop's foster son who left the Amish under a cloud of suspicion after his foster brother's death. His rebellion led to the "silencing" of their beloved Bishop. But is Nick really the rebel he appears to be? Rose's lingering feelings for her wayward friend refuse to fade, but she is frustrated that Nick won't return and make things right with the People. Nick avowed his love for Rose--but will he ever be willing to sacrifice modern life for her?

Meanwhile, Rose's older sister, Hen, is living in her parents' Dawdi Haus. Her estranged "English" husband, injured and helpless after a car accident, has reluctantly come to live with her and their young daughter during his recovery. Can their marriage recover, as well? Is there any possible middle ground between a woman reclaiming her old-fashioned Amish lifestyle and thoroughly modern man?

If you would like to read the first chapter of The Mercy, go HERE.

Watch the book trailer:

My Review:

Beverly Lewis did it again. I am a huge fan of Amish fiction and especially Beverly Lewis. What a JOY it is to get to review her books.

In The Mercy, Beverly completes the story of Rose and her family. As with any family, there are sad times and happy times, ups and downs, relationships that are working and relationships that need work. She does a wonderful job of bringing their stories to life. I sometimes want to join them on their farm, sit at their table and enjoy the wonderful food, walk the paths to neighbors houses, attend a singing, and last but not least cook with the ladies or attend a canning or quilting bee. Oh the JOY!! Someday I will visit the land I have read so much about in Beverly Lewis' books!!

I highly recommend this book and if you haven't read the first two in the Rose Trilogy, they are a must. If you love Amish fiction, this is the one, if you have never read Amish fiction, you can't go wrong with any Beverly Lewis book.

Thank you CFBA for the complimentary copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

Happy Reading!!

Angel

Naomi's Gift

2011-09-23T20:47:00.000-07:00

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing Naomi's Gift Zondervan (September 12, 2011) by Amy Clipston

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

From Amy:

A native of New Jersey, I’ve been writing for as long as I can remember. I often joke that my fiction writing “career” began in elementary school as I wrote and shared silly stories with a close friend.

In 1991, I graduated from high school, and my parents and I moved to Virginia Beach, Virginia. My father retired, and my mother went to work full-time. I attended Virginia Wesleyan College in Norfolk, and I graduated with a degree in communications. I met my husband, Joe, during my senior year in college, a few days after my father had a massive stroke. Joe and I clicked instantly, and after a couple of months we started dating. We married four years later.

After graduating from VWC, I took a summer job with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Norfolk District, which turned into an eleven-year career. I worked in the Public Affairs Office for four years and then moved into Planning as a writer/editor.

One day while surfing the Internet for a professional editor’s group, I accidentally found a local fiction writing group, Chesapeake Romance Writers. I attended a meeting and I met writers in all stages of their careers. The group helped me realize that I did want to be an author, and it was my dream to see my name on the cover of one of my novels. Through Chesapeake Romance Writers, I learned how to plot, write, and edit a novel, and I also learned how to pursue an agent. I signed with Mary Sue Seymour at the Seymour Agency in 2006, shortly before Joe and I moved my parents and our sons to North Carolina.

My dream came true when I sold my first book in 2007. Holding my first book, A Gift of Grace, in my hands was exhilarating and surreal.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Take a trip to Bird-in-Hand, Pennsylvania, where you'll meet the women of the Kauffman Amish Bakery in Lancaster County. As each woman's story unfolds, you will share in her heartaches, trials, joys, dreams ... and secrets. You'll discover how the simplicity of the Amish lifestyle can clash with the 'English' way of life---and the decisions and consequences that follow. Most importantly, you will be encouraged by the hope and faith of these women, and the importance they place on their families. Naomi's Gift re-introduces twenty-four-year-old Naomi King, who has been burned twice by love and has all but given up on marriage and children. As Christmas approaches---a time of family, faith, and hope for many others---Naomi is more certain than ever her life will be spent as an old maid, helping with the family's quilting business and taking care of her eight siblings. Then she meets Caleb, a young widower with a 7-year-old daughter, and her world is once again turned upside-down. Naomi's story of romantic trial and error and youthful insecurities has universal appeal. Author Amy Clipston artfully paints a panorama of simple lives full of complex relationships, and she carefully explores cultural differences and human similarities, with inspirational results. Naomi's Gift includes all the details of Amish life that Clipston's fans enjoy, while delivering the compelling stories and strong characters that continue to draw legions of new readers.

If you'd like to read the first chapter of Naomi's Gift, go HERE.

Happy Reading!!

The Shunning DVD - review

2011-09-19T20:44:00.000-07:00

About the Author:

Beverly Lewis, born in the heart of Pennsylvania Dutch country, is The New York Times bestselling author of more than eighty books. Her stories have been published in eleven languages worldwide. A keen interest in her mother's Plain heritage has inspired Lewis to write many Amish-related novels, beginning with "The Shunning," which has sold more than one million copies. In 2007, Lewis' "The Brethren" was honored with a Christy Award.

Lewis has been interviewed by both national and international media, including Time magazine, the Associated Press, and the BBC. Lewis lives with her husband, David, in Colorado.

About the Movie:

Before she succumbs to cancer, the dying wish of Laura Mayfield-Bennett is to be reunited with the daughter she never knew. Unfortunately, that daughter, Katie Lapp, is a member of the Amish order. Katie is about to be married, but uneasy about the path ahead. Now she discovers the secret her parents have kept from her: she's adopted.

The film is based on the celebrated first novel of the best-selling "The Heritage of Lancaster County" book series from author Beverly Lewis. Stars Danielle Panabaker & Sherry Stringfield.

For more information, visit these sites:

Website: http://hallmarkchannel.com/theshunning

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/TheShunningMovie

Trailer: http://hallmarkchannel.com/microsites/video.aspx?simscode=OWN_891400000000000&pageid=2607&pn=PN147958&tabIndex=2&pnlist=pn147958|

My Review:

First of all I have to say I love Beverly Lewis. I have read all her books and was so excited when I heard about this movie based on her book “The Shunning”. I loved the book so anxiously anticipated the movie.

The movie was good, but I would probably have liked it better had I not read the book first. I thought the story line was a little off from the book which was a little disappointing to me. As for the movie alone, I enjoyed it. We watched it as a family which is always a wonderful thing. Unfortunately there aren’t many good clean movies out there so we have a hard time finding movies to watch. This one fit all our parameters.

Katie, an amish girl, engaged to be married to the town Bishop and in love with her childhood sweetheart who she thinks drowned years back. He tugged at her interests in the outside world, music, guitars, the Englisher way of life. The Bishop, however, is a widow with children who need a mama. In the midst of all this, an English woman comes looking for Katie’s mama, who becomes afraid of past secrets being revealed.

This movie is full of twists and turns, suspense, love, and trouble. The only thing this movie is missing is a sequel which I will be looking for.

"Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services

mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Theo - Teaching Children God's Word DVD - review

2011-09-14T08:15:00.000-07:00

I will first say, I was expecting this to be full length like most other kids DVD’s, 20-30 minutes at least. I was a little disappointed when after 5 minutes for one and 9 for the other, they were over. The content was great, just short. I will say for my younger kids it is perfect. They loved them and will watch them over and over.

As mentioned above, there are two episodes, Saving Faith which was about having faith in the right things and Good News which was about salvation. Theo is a grandfather type guy and he talks straight to the kids in terms my kids can understand. I love Theo, you might remember him from McGee and Me and Adventures in Odyssey. There are also two mice who are quite funny, but I would have liked to see them more. Although, in such short stories I think they added a great touch.

I think overall most parents would be somewhat disappointed at the length if purchasing just for pleasure but if used in homeschool, as a teaching tool, they would be fabulous. Also, with us being Children’s Ministry Consultants, I can see these short Theo episodes being a great “go to” tool to reinforce something already being taught. They do have a Children’s Church curriculum available from LifeWay Christian stores and I will be recommending it to our children church contacts for use in their preschool classes.

If you would like more information about the Theo DVD, you can visit:

Theo’s website theopresents.com

Theo’s facebook page here

Theo can be purchased from Amazon here

Church Curriculum from LifeWay here

Also, there is nothing better than watching your kids play and learn about God’s word at the same time, there is even a free iPhone/iPad app http://www.theopresents.com/

And last but definitely not least, Whitestone Media and Child Evangelism Fellowship is offering The Buy 1 - Give 1 Campaign!! For every Theo DVD purchased, they will send a child in need their very own copy of Theo.

You just log onto TheoPresents.com after making your own purchase, and select the region of the world you would like another copy of Theo to be sent.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Happy Reading!!

Wings of a Dream

2011-09-13T12:08:00.000-07:00

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing Wings of A Dream Bethany House (September 1, 2011) by Anne Mateer

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

While I have been writing for what feels like my whole life, I began seriously studying the craft in 2000. Since then I have completed five novels, had several pieces published in local periodicals, attended six writing conferences and managed to final in ACFW's Genesis contest in 2006, 2008, and 2009. My first historical novel, Wings of a Dream, will be released in September 2011, with another historical novel to follow in 2012. But writing is only a piece of my life.

I am mostly just a woman trying to live her life in a manner pleasing to the Lord. That involves being a wife to Jeff and a mother to my three teenagers--neither role coming easily but both roles stretching me, requiring me to press in closer to Jesus. And because of this, Jesus has taken an insecure, fearful, sometimes angry girl and is turning her into a more trusting, peaceful, grace-filled woman. At least some of the time. There is still such a long way to go!

ABOUT THE BOOK

Rebekah Hendricks dreams of a life far beyond her family's farm in Oklahoma, and when dashing aviator Arthur Samson promised adventure in the big city, she is quick to believe he's the man she's meant to marry. While she waits for the Great War to end and Arthur to return to her so they can pursue all their plans, her mother's sister falls ill. Rebekah seizes the opportunity to travel to Texas to care for Aunt Adabelle, seeing this chance to be closer to Arthur's training camp as God's approval of her plans.

But the Spanish flue epidemic changes everything. Faced with her aunt's death, Arthur's indecisiveness, and four children who have no one else to care for them, Rebekah is torn between the desire to escape the type of life she's always led and the unexpected love that just might change the dream of her heart.

If you would like to read the first chapter of Wings of A Dream, go HERE.

Happy Reading!!

Angel

The Survivor - review

2011-09-01T12:37:00.000-07:00

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing The Survivor Avon Inspire; Original edition (August 30, 2011)

by Shelley Shepard Gray

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Shelley Shepard Gray is the beloved author of the Sisters of the Heart series, including Hidden, Wanted, and Forgiven. Before writing, she was a teacher in both Texas and Colorado. She now writes full time and lives in southern Ohio with her husband and two children. When not writing, Shelley volunteers at church, reads, and enjoys walking her miniature dachshund on her town's scenic bike trail.

Check out Shelley's Facebook Fan page

ABOUT THE BOOK

One of today’s most beloved authors of inspirational Christian fiction, Shelley Shepard Gray completes her acclaimed Families of Honor series with The Survivor—a poignant and beautiful story of love and faith in a small Amish community. Delving once more into the lives of these devout and fascinating folk, as she did in her popular Sisters of the Heart and Seasons of Sugarcreek novels, Gray tells the story of a young Amish woman who has survived the ravages of cancer, but now longs for the love of the one man who can heal her lonely heart. Like Beverly Lewis, Wanda Brunstetter, and Cindy Woodsmall, Shelley Shepard Gray introduces readers to characters they will never forget as she masterfully depicts a world of simple living, abiding faith, and honest emotions.

If you would like to read the first chapter excerpt of The Survivor, go HERE.

My Review:
From the beginning to the end, this book had me. I always love a good amish story but get a little stuck on the same authors. I've only read a couple of Shelley Shephard Gray's books and she is definitely moving up the ladder of favorite Amish authors.

I love how she made clear the struggles of being Amish, the struggles of wanting what the Englishers have. We all know even the Amish are only human with the same struggles anyone else has, lies, deceit, babies out of wedlock, losing spouses, desease... Shelley covers it all. The question is do the Amish handle those issues like I do? Do they turn to God of guidance? Do they give in to the temptations? You'll have to read this one to find out.

Happy Reading!!

Sweet Sanctuary Review

2011-08-25T14:57:00.000-07:00

Book Description

This is a story about a mother and her son, a theme very close to my heart. I think it’s one of God’s greatest gifts to us to help us see our lives and find healing through the honesty and faith of our children. God has used my son, Christian many times to help me see things about my heart and my past that I didn’t want to look at for who can resist the simple but profound honesty of a child.

As Cindy Martinusen-Coloma and I sat down with Amy McConnell from Thomas Nelson Fiction to plan out the themes and story line for this book, we discovered that although our lives look different on the surface, at a heart and faith level we are deeply connected as women and as mothers. The fruit of our ongoing friendship is this book, Sweet Sanctuary. I love this book. I love the way it presents the grace and mercy of God which redeems every broken moment of our story…perhaps not in the way we would have imagined but in the way only God could do.

In tiny Cottage Cove, on the coast of Maine, Wren Evans is raising her gifted
son, Charlie. A single mom, she’s fought hard to give Charlie a stable, secure home life.
When a prestigious music academy in Boston expresses interest in Charlie’s talent,
Wren is willing to move them again to make his dreams come true.
But Wren doesn’t know that Charlie has been praying for her. And the answer to
her son’s prayers will change both of their lives. As Wren plans their move to Boston,
life in Maine begins to fall apart. Her job is threatened with budget cuts, and Wren’s
grandmother, Ruth, arrives unannounced, with an outlandish request.
Ruth wants the family gathered together one last time, at the summer home
where, years before, an accident shattered Wren’s peaceful childhood. In the tumult,
Wren finds a friend in a handsome, kind-hearted local, Paul Callahan.
When the family gathers in Cottage Cove, old wounds will be healed, new love
will blossom, and the innocent prayers of a child will be answered in a most
unexpected way.

My Review:
Sheila Walsh and Cindy Martinusen-Coloma did a fabulous job writing this book. From beginning to end I was captured and felt a part of this story. From the moment I met Wren and her son Charlie, I felt like I knew them or at least wanted to. I loved the setting, Cottage Cove, and I loved that Grandma Ruth came knocking with her own party planned.

With my own life story and the strained relationships in my family, it was definitely an encouragement. Knowing that with prayer and diligence there is always hope for not only restoration but true loving relationships. I absolutely loved following Wren and Charlie and would LOVE a sequel.

Thank you to the Book Sneeze program for the complimentary e-book!! I truly enjoyed it.

Happy Reading

A Most Unsuitable Match

2011-08-12T18:32:00.000-07:00

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing A Most Unsuitable Match Bethany House; Original edition (August 1, 2011) by Stephanie Grace Whitson

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

A native of southern Illinois, Stephanie Grace Whitson has lived in Nebraska since 1975. She began what she calls "playing with imaginary friends" (writing fiction) when, as a result of teaching her four homeschooled children Nebraska history, she was personally encouraged and challenged by the lives of pioneer women in the West. Since her first book, Walks the Fire, was published in 1995, Stephanie's fiction titles have appeared on the ECPA bestseller list numerous times and been finalists for the Christy Award, the Inspirational Reader's Choice Award, and ForeWord Magazine's Book of the Year.

Her first nonfiction work, How to Help a Grieving Friend, was released in 2005. In addition to serving in her local church and keeping up with two married children, two college students, and a high school senior, Stephanie enjoys motorcycle trips with her family and church friends. Her passionate interests in pioneer women's history, antique quilts, and French, Italian, and Hawaiian language and culture provide endless story-telling possibilities.

ABOUT THE BOOK

An unlikely attraction occurs between two passengers on a steamboat journey up the Missouri River to Montana...

She is a self-centered young woman from a privileged family who fears the outdoors and avoids anything rustic. He is a preacher living under a sense of duty and obligation to love the unlovable people in the world. She isn't letting anything deter her from solving a family mystery that surfaced after her mother's death. He is on a mission to reach the rejects of society in the remote wilderness regions of Montana. Miss Fannie Rousseau and Reverend Samuel Beck are opposites in every way... except in how they both keep wondering if their paths will ever cross again.

If you would like to read the first chapter of A Most Unsuitable Match, go HERE.

Happy Reading!!

2011-05-18T09:40:00.001-07:00

Hidden Affections

2011-05-13T20:05:00.001-07:00

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing Hidden Affections Bethany House (May 1, 2011) by Delia Parr

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Delia Parr, pen name for Mary Lechleidner, is the author of 10 historical novels and the winner of several awards, including the Laurel Wreath Award for Historical Romance and the Aspen Gold Award for Best Inspirational Book. She is a full-time high school teacher who spends her summer vacations writing and kayaking. The mother of three grown children, she lives in Collingswood, New Jersey.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Betrayed by her husband, Annabelle Tyler wears the burden of legally being a divorcee, a difficult position for an upstanding young woman to find herself in.

While attempting to start a new life for herself, an unexpected turn of events once again has Annabelle married--this time to Harrison Graymoor, the most eligible, yet elusive, bachelor in Philadelphia. Harrison assures her that he will secure an annulment immediately, unaware that the constable has sent word of the marriage to the press in Philadelphia. And here things continue to go awry.

Harrison's past, a philanthropic cousin with his eye on Annabelle, and the appearance of Annabelle's ex-husband threaten the tentative relationship growing between Harrison and his "wife." For two individuals set against marriage, there are certainly a lot of second thoughts regarding the one forced upon them.

If you would like to read the first chapter of Hidden Affections, go HERE.

The Judgement

2011-05-02T22:23:00.000-07:00

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing The Judgment Bethany House (April 5, 2011) by Beverly Lewis

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Not until her own children were well into middle school did Bev seek to publish her work, first in magazines such as Highlights for Children, Dolphin Log, and Guideposts for Kids. Her first book followed in 1993—Mountain Bikes and Garbanzo Beans—presently retitled Big Bad Beans (book #22 in the popular CUL-DE-SAC KIDS series of chapter books—see list of Bev's children's books).

Beverly's first venture into adult fiction is the best-selling trilogy, THE HERITAGE OF LANCASTER COUNTY, including The Shunning, a suspenseful saga of Katie Lapp, a young Amish woman drawn to the modern world by secrets from her past. The book is loosely based on the author's maternal grandmother, Ada Ranck Buchwalter, who left her Old Order Mennonite upbringing to marry a Bible College student. One Amish-country newspaper claimed Beverly's work to be "a primer on Lancaster County folklore" and offers "an insider's view of Amish life."

Booksellers across the country, and around the world, have spread the word of Bev's tender tales of Plain country life. A clerk in a Virginia bookstore wrote, "Beverly's books have a compelling freshness and spark. You just don't run across writing like that every day. I hope she'll keep writing stories about the Plain people for a long, long time."

A member of the National League of American Pen Women, as well as a Distinguished Alumnus of Evangel University, Lewis has written over 80 books for children, youth, and adults, many of them award-winning. She and her husband, David, make their home in Colorado, where they enjoy hiking, biking, and playing with their three grandchildren. They are also avid musicians and fiction "book worms."

ABOUT THE BOOK

Rose Kauffman is engaged to Silas Good, a well-liked Amish fellow, so why does she still pine for Nick Franco, the former foster son of the bishop? Especially now that Nick has left the Amish community under a cloud of suspicion after the death of the bishop's biological son? Will Rose marry Silas, even while struggling with romantic feelings for Nick? Meanwhile, Rose's older sister, Hen, has returned to live at her parents' farm with her young daughter. Hen and her modern husband, Brandon, are separated by mutual agreement, although he is threatening to sue for custody of their daughter if Hen does not return soon. Will the judge rule in Brandon's favor? Is there any way Hen can reestablish her place among the People without sacrificing her marriage?

If you would like to read the first chapter of The Judgment, go HERE

Watch the book trailer:

My Review:

I am always so thrilled when asked to review a Beverly Lewis book!! She is one of my all time favorites!! I haven't finished this one completely, but so far she is true to form!! Beverly never ceases to amaze me. She has such a great grasp on Amish fiction!! I would recommend this or any of her books!!

Thank you CFBA for this book in exchange for my honest opinion!!

Abigail,s New Hope

2011-04-27T20:40:00.000-07:00

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing Abigail's New Hope Harvest House Publishers (April 1, 2011) by Mary Ellis

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

A word from the author:I grew up close to the eastern Ohio Amish community of Geauga County, where my parents often took me to farmers’ markets and woodworking fairs. My husband and I now live within the largest population of Amish in the country–a four-county area in central Ohio. We love to take weekend getaways to purchase farm produce and other goodies, stay with Amish families in bed and breakfasts, attend country auctions and enjoy the simpler way of life.

This is my first series of novels set in the Amish community.

I would love to hear from readers of Christian novels. Please leave me a post at my blogsite.

ABOUT THE BOOK

As an Amish midwife, Abigail Graber loves bringing babies into the world. But when a difficult delivery takes a devastating turn, Abigail is faced with some hard choices. Despite her best efforts, the young mother dies—but the baby is saved.

When a heartless judge confines Abigail to the county jail for her mistakes, her sister Catherine comes to care for her children while Daniel works his fields. Catherine meets Daniel’s reclusive cousin, Isaiah, who’s deaf and thought to be simple minded by his community. She endeavors to teach him to communicate and discovers he possesses unexpected gifts and talents.

While Abigail searches for forgiveness, Catherine changes lives and, in return, finds love, something long elusive in her life. And Isaiah discovers God, who cares nothing about our handicaps or limitations in His sustaining love.

An inspirational tale of overcoming grief, maintaining faith, and finding hope in an ever-changing world.

If you would like to read the first chapter of Abigail's New Hope, go HERE.

Watch the book trailer:

He Said She Said - review

2011-04-20T20:17:00.000-07:00

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing He Said, She Said Lighthouse Publishing (February 14, 2011)

by Eddie Jones and Cindy Sproles

ABOUT THE AUTHORS:

Eddie Jones and Cindy Sproles are the cofounders of Christian Devotions Ministries. Their He Said, She Said devotions are syndicated in a number of newspapers across the eastern seaboard and they host the weekly He Said, She Said Radio, Friday nights at 6:00 p.m. est. on Blog Talk Radio. Eddie and Cindy are popular speakers and teachers at Writers Conferences across the country.

Eddie is the author of five non-fiction books and his newest fiction release, The Curse of Captain LaFoote, a middle grade book. While Cindy is the author of one non-fiction and two compilations.

Together they teach writing with WritersCoach.us. Eddie and Cindy have been writing the He Said, She Said devotions since 2008, taking one scripture weekly and looking at it from two perspectives--His and Hers, with the idea that learning more about scripture from two perspectives helps one to delve deeper in God's word and know Him better.

ABOUT THE BOOK

He Said, She Said: A Devotional Guide to Cultivating a Life of Passion, or How Newlyweds, Couples and Singles Can Draw Closer to God and Their Mate Through Daily Devotions

Do you sense something vital missing from you relationship with your spouse, children and God? Are you easily distracted by the busyness of life and left feeling drained, bored, and discouraged? Do you sense you were meant to enjoy the richness of life, but spend your days feasting on crumbs? This heart-warming collection of stories (54 in all) will inspire you to reach for the true source of joy: a life lived for and through God.

These deeply personal (and sometimes humorous) devotions offer biblical insights and spiritual truths from the unique perspective of one man and one woman. Learn to cultivate a life of passion. Perfect for your quiet time, these moments of meditative reflection illustrate the importance of allowing God to work within you and speak through you. No matter if you are newlyweds or newly retired, this book of devotions will help you put the spark back into your love life and explore the precious relationships God desires for you. He Said, She Said touches the heart, tickles the funny bone and brings you to your knees in worship.

If you would like to read an excerpt from He Said, She Said, go HERE.

Watch the book video:

Cindy and Eddie are not only good friends of mine, but a regular source of my spiritual renewal. It's a great idea, the he-said/she-said concept and I always enjoy their devotionals. Both are not only grounded spiritually, and super nice people but they both keep me laughing. It's that humor and heart that makes the spiritual more relatable in the most practical sense.

~Gina Holmes, author of Crossing Oceans~

I've know Eddie Jones and Cindy Sproles for a few years. Each has a way of tickling my funny bone, so I wondered what a devotional book by them would be. I can heartily recommend it. The humor is there, but it's coupled with deep truths that go straight to the heart of the problem. You'll find a path that winds closer to God through He Said, She Said.

~Ane Mulligan, Editor of Novel Journey~

My Review:

I was so excited to get this devotional. I have pre-read the majority of it and absolutely love it, not only for my marriage and my family, but as something I can pass on to someone else to glean wisdom from. I love the humor and I love that you get male and female perspective. Can't wait to dig into it again with my hubby!!

Thank you CFBA for the complimentary copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion!!

Happy Reading!!

Blood of the Prodigal - review

2011-04-15T08:20:00.000-07:00

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing Blood of the Prodigal Plume; Reprint edition (September 28, 2010) by P.L. Gaus

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Paul took an interest in writing fiction in 1993, and with the advice and encouragement of author Tony Hillerman, he began writing mystery novels set among the Amish in Holmes County, Ohio. The first of Gaus's mysteries, Blood of the Prodigal, An Ohio Amish Mystery, was published by Ohio University Press in June of 1999, and a total of six novels have appeared in this series: Broken English, 2000, Clouds Without Rain, 2001, Cast a Blue Shadow, 2003, A Prayer for the Night, 2006, and Separate from the World, 2008. A seventh novel in the series is in preparation.

All of Paul's stories have now been republished by Plume (a division of Penguin Group USA) as The Amish-Country Mysteries, and these editions have been embraced by Christian retailers such as CBD.com, Family Christian Stores, and LifeWay. Future mysteries in the series will still first be published in hard cover editions, as The Amish-Country Mysteries by Ohio University Press, with Plume bringing out the soft cover editions some time later.

Paul and his wife Madonna still travel frequently in Holmes County. He lectures widely about Amish culture at libraries, bookstores, literary societies, and the like, and his books have been featured at Book Expo America and similar professional shows around the country. Paul's novels have been reviewed in prominent journals and newspapers, for instance, Kirkus Reviews, ForeWord Magazine, Publishers Weekly, Library Journal, Booklist, Ohioana Quarterly, and the New York Times Book Review.

ABOUT THE BOOK

For Jonah Miller, shunned by his Old Order sect and cast into the wider world, the summer begins with his decision to kidnap his ten-year-old son from the home of the bishop who had exiled Miller a decade earlier. In his desperation to retrieve the boy, the bishop appeals for help to the only "English" men the sect would ever approve.

Professor Michael Branden and Pastor Caleb Troyer had been looking forward to the kind of sleepy rural summer they had enjoyed as boyhood friends growing up in the small college town of Millersburg. Instead, they plunge into the normally closed Amish culture to find the boy. When the kidnapping leads to murder, they can no longer keep the case from the law. Working sometimes at cross purposes with his friend Sheriff Bruce Robertson, Professor Branden digs through the past to uncover truths that many would prefer to leave undisturbed. Little does he suspect that even the anguished bishop, torn by an insoluble moral dilemma, tragically does not tell everything he knows about the case. Suddenly the vast tangle of Amish and Mennonite settlements that sprawl among several thousand small farms and homesteads seems less bucolic than unknowable and impenetrable.

As they inquire delicately among the peaceful ones, Branden and Troyer learn that the troubles of Jonah Miller began far earlier than the kidnapping, with his Rumschpringe - the customary wild year before taking Amish vows. But his grand Rumschpringe had exploded into a decade of drugs, whiskey, and women, in the company of people no Amish person should meet.

In the tradition of Tony Hillerman, P. L. Gaus depicts a culture that successfully stands outside the mainstream yet interacts with it in complex and fascinating ways, a culture that is every bit as susceptible to the undertow of the human spirit as any we might know.

If you would like to read the first chapter of Blood of the Prodigal, go HERE

My Review:

I am a lover of Amish books, but this was my first Amish mystery and my first Amish book by a male author. I have to say, it was so different from any other Amish book I have ever read. It was a true mystery for sure, full of suspense, and the outcome was not at all what I expected. Love it when I don’t figure out the end before I get there. I would recommend this book!!

Thank you CFBA for the complimentary copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

Happy Reading!!

Tea for Two - review

2011-04-13T20:32:00.000-07:00

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing Tea For Two Harvest House Publishers (April 1, 2011) by Trish Perry

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

A word from our Author: I started writing short stories—pretty bad ones. And I started taking creative writing courses to round out my degree. So I was in classes full of people just like me—lousy writers. But we were learning!

Then the Lord led me to a local writers' group, Capital Christian Writers, and the contacts and friends I made through CCW enriched my personal life and my writing life more than I can measure. Through CCW and through reading just about every book and magazine ever published by Writer's Digest, I started catching on. Now I'm writing full time and man oh man do I love it.

Before the writing began, I worked for attorneys in Washington, D. C. I worked for the Securities and Exchange Commission. And I was a stockbroker. A horrible stockbroker. How do people do that? Take responsibility for other people's financial futures? Yikes. I'm perfectly happy to take responsibility for the amount of time any one person wants to spend reading my books. If you enjoy the experience, then know that we both enjoyed it together. I love that about books.

In the midst of all that fretting over other people's money and writing about other people's lives, I racked up a few personal experiences myself. Some good, some bad, but all part of God's plan. Now I'm an empty nester living in Northern Virginia. My brilliantly funny son is in college. I have a savvy, gorgeous grown daughter, a charming son-in-law, and an amazing grandson.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Zack Cooper tries his best to raise his children, but he's losing his grip on them in their teen years. They've both had scrapes with the local law.

Tea Shop owner Milly Jewel has the perfect woman in mind to help Zack. Counselor Tina Milano meets weekly at the tea shop with her women's group. Milly encourages Zack and Tina to work together to draw the teens back before they get in even hotter water. Milly never thought things might heat up between Zack and Tina. Or did she?

Tina's connections with the Middleburg police department prove a mixed blessing for Zack and his kids. Both her best friend and old boyfriend are officers on the force.

And when Tina's women's group gets wind of her personal pursuits and clashes, they want to help. The group's meetings at the tea shop take on a slightly different flavor. Tina wonders who, exactly, is counseling whom.

Although heroine Tina Milano and her women's group are mentioned in The Perfect Blend (the first book in this series), Tea for Two is where we meet her and hero Zack Cooper. I knew I would write this book while I wrote the first, so it was fun to plant a passing mention of Zack and Tina while I wrote Steph's story in The Perfect Blend. By the time I was able to write Tina and Zack's story, I was eager to unfold their lives, conflicts, and love. I hope readers will be eager to experience what happens to them!

If you would like to read the first chapter of , go HERE.

Watch the Book Video:

My review:

I love, love, love this book. Love the story, love the setting, love the characters. What more could you want in a book...I would love to live in a little town like this and enjoy tea at Milly's on a daily basis!! Trish Perry did a fabulous job on this book. She really makes you want to be a part of it all.

My first Trish Perry book, but I will definitely be looking for more.

Thank you CFBA for the complimentary copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

Happy Reading!!

Life Without Limits - Review by Drew

2011-04-07T08:11:00.000-07:00

About The Author:

Nick Vujicic is a motivational speaker and the director of the nonprofit organization Life Without Limbs. A long-time resident of Australia, he now lives in southern California.

Back Cover:

Born without arms or legs, Nick Vujicic overcame his disability to live an independent, rich, fulfilling life, becoming a model for anyone seeking true happiness. Now an internationally successful motivational speaker, Nick spreads his central message: the most important goal for anyone is to find their life’s purpose despite whatever difficulties or seemingly impossible odds stand in their way.

Nick tells the story of his physical disabilities and the emotional battle he endured trying to deal with them as a child, a teen, and a young adult. “For the longest, loneliest time, I wondered if there was anyone on earth like me, and whether there was any purpose to my life other than pain and humiliation.” He shares how his faith in God has been his central source of strength and explains that once he found his own sense of purpose – inspiring others to make their lives and the world better – he found the confidence to build a rewarding and productive life without limits.

Nick offers practical advice for realizing a life of fulfillment and happiness by building trust in others, developing supportive relationships, and gaining strength for the journey. He encourages the reader by showing how he learned to accept what he could not control and focus instead on what he could.

My Review:

At any time in your life, have you just wanted to throw up your hands and say, why me? Or, maybe you just have never felt adequate. If so, then this is a book you need to read. Personally, I believe this is a great book, everyone should read. He makes you find the joy in life, even at times where it seems impossible.

His life without limbs is something I could never fathom having to deal with, and he had his hard times, just like everyone does. However, he has great compassion for people in need, or in times of struggle, and encourages us to stop comparing each others hardships, because unless you have been in the other persons shoes you have no clue how hard their life really is.

As he tells his amazing story, he will take you on an emotional roller coaster. In some chapters I laughed, and in some chapters I cried, but no matter what the circumstances, or stories, he brings it all back to God. This book is filled with simple steps, and values we can apply to our lives to make life so much more worth living.

In the end, I guess the most important thing I got from this whole book is just because something is hard, or does not seem fun at the time, do not give up. God has a plan, and whether you know it right now or not, He will somehow turn it into something amazing. This is exactly what happened with Nick, he was born without limbs, and still he did not give up. He made the best of it, and has used his life and testimony to help others, and expand the kingdom of God.

This book has inspired me, and I believe it will inspire you as well.

Thank you to the Blogging for Books program for the complimentary copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

Happy Reading!!

Rebecca St. James CD Review and Giveaway

2011-04-04T18:58:00.000-07:00

At the age of 12—a time when most young girls are just beginning idyllic dreams of ‘what I want to be’—a young Australian girl prayed a simple prayer. “God, I give you my gifts. Use my life to make a difference and change the world.”

Rebecca St. James has since taken an unparalleled course in Christian music. As the industry’s innovative ‘new voice’ as a teen in the mid-90’s, she blazed a trail in the contemporary Christian genre for many other talented female artists to come. She has received countless industry awards, including the prestigious GRAMMY®, garnered number one singles and has consistently topped both radio and sales charts, with career album sales in the millions of album units. She has also authored eight books – her ninth due out this Fall – and received acclaim for her touring worldwide. As an artist spokesperson for child advocacy organization, Compassion International, she has, through her concerts, globally helped find sponsorship for more than 30,000 of the world’s neediest children.

On the wings of a prayer at age 12, Rebecca St. James has become one of the most influential young women of her generation.

Set to release on April 5, 2011, Rebecca charts yet another new course with I Will Praise You, a new collection of worship songs she terms “her most personal worship recording to date.”

My Review:

I was so excited when I was asked to review this CD!! After several years of not recording, Rebecca St. James has a new CD coming out tomorrow, April 5th. I love praise songs and I have to say she has outdone herself. This is a great CD. It is very soft and easy to listen to. Ten beautiful songs to our Lord and Savior. The kind of songs you will want to be singing or humming all day!!

Giveaway:

The other exciting news is, they have offered me a CD to give away!! For chances to win leave me a comment for each point

One chance if you follow this blog.
One chance if you leave me a comment telling me if you have ever listened to Rebecca’s music in the past.
Become her fan on Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/rsjames
Two chances if you post about this give away on your blog
Two chances if you post about this give away on your facebook or twitter

If you would like to hear part of the CD, you can go to Rebecca’s Listening Party - http://rsjames.com/listeningparty

You can also learn more about Rebecca on her website - http://www.rsjames.com

You can purchase her CD on Amazon - http://amzn.to/gqOroA

“Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally

and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Happy Singing!!

Vicious Cycle

2011-03-25T20:14:00.001-07:00

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing Vicious Cycle Zondervan (February 22, 2011) by Terri Blackstock

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Terri Blackstock is a New York Times best-seller, with over six million copies sold worldwide. She has had over twenty-five years of success as a novelist. She sold her first novel at the age of twenty-five, and has had a successful career ever since.

Besides entertaining her readers, Terri tackles issues that she hopes will change lives. Her recent book, Predator, was inspired by her experiences on Facebook and Twitter, and her concern that people posted too much personal information about themselves. The book deals with an online predator who uses social networks as his playground. She hopes the book will change readers’ online habits. Her New York Times best-seller, Intervention, was inspired by her own personal struggles with a daughter on drugs. In the book, a mother hires an interventionist for her drug-addicted daughter. But on the way to treatment, the interventionist is murdered, and the daughter disappears. Barbara, the mother, sets out to search for her daughter. Terri modeled Barbara after herself, and poured many of her own emotions and experiences into that character. As a result, many families experiencing drug addiction have written to thank her for telling their story and giving them hope. Vicious Cycle, Book Two of the Intervention Series, releases February 22, 2011. She’s currently working on Book Three.

Other recent books include a stand-alone novel called Double Minds, as well as Last Light, Night Light, True Light and Dawn’s Light (from her acclaimed Restoration Series). She is also known for her popular Newpointe 911 Series and Cape Refuge Series. Terri makes her home in Mississippi, where she and her husband Ken are enjoying their empty nest after raising three children.

Terri has appeared on national television programs such as “The 700 Club” and “Home Life,” and has been a guest on numerous radio programs across the country. The story of her personal journey appears in books such as Touched By the Savior by Mike Yorkey, True Stories of Answered Prayer by Mike Nappa, Faces of Faith by John Hanna, and I Saw Him In Your Eyes by Ace Collins.

ABOUT THE BOOK

When fifteen-year-old Lance Covington finds an abandoned baby in the backseat of a car, he knows she's the newborn daughter of a meth addict he's been trying to help. But when police arrest him for kidnapping, Lance is thrust into a criminal world of baby trafficking and drug abuse.

His mother, Barbara, looks for help from Kent Harlan---the man whom she secretly, reluctantly loves and who once helped rescue her daughter from a mess of her own. Kent flies to her aid and begins the impossible work of getting Lance out of trouble, protecting a baby who has no home, and finding help for a teenage mother hiding behind her lies.

In this latest novel of suspense and family loyalty, bestselling author Terri Blackstock offers a harrowing look at drug addiction, human trafficking, and the devastating choices that can change lives forever.

If you would like to read the first chapter of Vicious Cycle, go HERE.

Watch the Book Video:

The Caregiver

2011-03-17T11:59:00.000-07:00

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing The Caregiver Avon Inspire; Original edition (March 8, 2011) by Shelley Shepard Gray

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Two lives converge one stormy night on a train headed to cleveland

Lucy is traveling by herself via train to Jacob's Crossing to help care for her cousin Mattie, recently diagnosed with breast cancer. Trying to overcome the sudden death of her husband, she's glad to get away and focus on someone else for a while.
The only other Amish people on the train are Calvin Weaver and his little sister, Katie. When their train breaks down outside of Cleveland, Calvin and Lucy band together to face the outside world. But Calvin also carries the weight of past hurts. When an altercation brings both their wounds to light, they question whether they can trust each other.
Once in Jacob's Crossing, Lucy is occupied with caring for Mattie, while Calvin does his best to run his family's farm. But they can't stop thinking about those special hours spent together. Will the bond they formed last? And will Lucy and Calvin be able to put away the pain in their pasts to recognize the happiness that is suddenly in their grasp?

If you would like to read the first chapter of The Caregiver, go HERE.

Hearts Aglow

2011-03-09T12:56:00.001-08:00

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing Hearts Aglow Bethany House (March 1, 2011) by Tracie Peterson

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

The future should be bright for Deborah Vandermark, who is now pursuing her interest in medicine alongside Dr. Christopher Clayton, who is courting her. But the lumber town is resistant to the idea of a woman physician, and she feels thwarted at every turn.

A more devastating blow occurs, however, when Christopher breaks off their relationship to return home to his troubled family. Despite her own love life going awry, Deborah is still intent to be a matchmaker for both her widowed mother and her brother, who has caught the eye of the spit-fire daughter of the local pastor.

But what will Deborah do when faced with the truth about Christopher's family? Is there hope for the two of them...or will Jake Wyeth's attentions finally catch Deborah's eye instead?

If you would like to read the first chapter of Hearts Aglow, go HERE.

A Bond Never Broken - review

2011-03-04T13:19:00.000-08:00

I agreed to review this book, A Bond Never Broken, the third book in the Daughters of Amana series, with mixed emotions!! So excited because I had read and loved the first one in the series, really sad because I had never had the chance to read the second. I decided to review it anyway knowing that if I loved it as much as the first one, I would definitely be reading the second one. Verdict is in and I will be reading the second.

Ilsa Redlich, the daughter of hotel owners, living in the Amana Community. She spends her days helping her parents run the hotel. She has had a peaceful life in the Amana Community but this all comes to a halt when the United States enters the Great War. Her brother enlists and is sent to fight, and her, used to be good and accepting, neighbors become suspicious and unfriendly.

Jutta Schmidt is the daughter of bakery owners who are former Amana Community resident. They left the Amana Community several years ago and now live a short train ride away. Their life has also been peaceful and they are very accepted in their new community until the war. Unfortunately, members of the Council of National Defense show up with accusations and threats. Their solution is to send Jutta back to the Amana Community to spy of her old neighbors.

Jutta ends up at the hotel in South Amana and begins her job eavesdropping and noting any and everything she can report to keep her parents safe. She is extremely torn between her friendships, what she knows God wants her to do, and her strong desire to keep her family safe. Will she deceive her new friends, will she become as disloyal as those who have turned on her and her family? Well you will just have to read this wonderful book to find out.

I highly recommend not only this book, but the whole series.

Thank you Christian Fiction Blog Alliance and Judith Miller for the complimentary copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

Happy Reading!!

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing A Bond Never Broken Bethany House (March 1, 2011) by Judith Miller

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: A Word from Judith:

Most readers want to know how authors 'got started' writing. My first novel, Threads of Love, was conceived when I was commuting sixty miles to work each day. I wanted to tell the story of a pioneer girl coming to Kansas and the faith that sustained her as she adjusted to a new life. When the book was completed, I tucked it away. I had absolutely no idea how publication of a book occurred and had given no thought to the concept. However, through a co-worker, I was directed to Tracie Peterson who, at that time, worked down the hall from me. Having never met Tracie, I was totally unaware of her writing career, but God intervened. The rest is, as they say, history...

With a graciousness that continues to amaze me, Tracie agreed to read my story, directed me to a publisher, and gave me information on a Christian writers conference. Since that first encounter many years ago, I have been blessed with the publication of numerous books, novellas and a juvenile fiction book. Joyously, Tracie and I had the opportunity to develop a blessed friendship. In fact, we have co-authored several series together, including The Bells of Lowell, the Lights of Lowell and The Broadmoor Legacy. In addition, I have continued to write several solo series.

ABOUT THE BOOK

For many years, Ilsa Redlich has helped her parents run a hotel in South Amana, but as the United States enters the Great War, she can feel her world changing. The residents of the towns surrounding the Amana Colonies used to be accepting of their quiet, peaceful neighbors, but with anti-German sentiment running high, the Amana villages are now plagued by vandalism, threats, and insults.

Things get even worse when Ilsa finds out her family won't be allowed to speak German in public--and that Garon, the childhood friend she's long been smitten with, has decided to join the army. Jutta Schmidt is shocked when several members of the Council of National Defense show up on her family's doorstep. Sure, the Schmidts once lived in the Amana Colonies, but that was years ago. She's even more surprised when the council demands that she travel to Amana and report back on any un-American activities.

Not daring to disobey the government agents, Jutta takes a job at the South Amana hotel, befriends the daughter of the owners, and begins to eavesdrop every chance she gets. When Jutta hears Ilsa making antiwar remarks and observes Garon assisting a suspicious outsider, she is torn at the prospect of betraying her new friends.

But what choice does she have? And when Garon is accused of something far worse than Jutta could imagine, can the Amana community come to his aid in time?

If you would like to read the first chapter of A Bond Never Broken, go HERE.

Words

2011-02-18T20:54:00.001-08:00

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing Words B&H Books (February 1, 2011) by Ginny Yttrup

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Ginny Yttrup is an author, freelance writer, and writing coach. As she writes, speaks, and coaches, her prayer is that God will use her words to replace the lies so many believe about themselves with the truth of His unconditional love and grace. To see someone grasp, perhaps for the first time, the truth of God's love, is truly an honor. Through a relationship with the Truth, Jesus Christ, the bonds of shame are loosed and freedom abounds!

When Ginny is not working, she loves spending time with her two college-age sons or with friends. She is surrounded by the most amazing people--each a gift in their own way. If she can spend time outdoors with those she love, it's even better. And she thoroughly adores her dog, Bear. He's a book lover too.

She has two grown sons and lives near Sacramento, California. Words is her first novel.

ABOUT THE BOOK

"I collect words. I keep them in a box in my mind. I'd like to keep them in a real box, something pretty, maybe a shoe box covered with flowered wrapping paper. Whenever I wanted, I'd open the box and pick up the papers, reading and feeling the words all at once. Then I could hide the box. But the words are safer in my mind. There, he can't take them."

Ten-year old Kaylee Wren doesn't speak. Not since her drug-addled mother walked away, leaving her in a remote cabin nestled in the towering redwoods-in the care of a man who is as dangerous as he is evil. With silence her only refuge, Kaylee collects words she might never speak from the only memento her mother left behind: a dictionary.

Sierra Dawn is thirty-four, an artist, and alone. She has allowed the shame of her past to silence her present hopes and chooses to bury her pain by trying to control her circumstances. But on the twelfth anniversary of her daughter's death, Sierra's control begins to crumble as the God of her childhood woos her back to Himself.

If you would like to read the first chapter of Words, go HERE.

Watch the book trailer video:

Lone Star Intrigue

2011-02-16T18:40:00.001-08:00

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing Lone Star Intrigue Avon Inspire (February 1, 2011) by Debra White Smith

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Debra White Smith is a seasoned Christian author, speaker, and media personality who has been regularly publishing books for over a decade. In the last twelve years, she has accumulated over 50 books sales to her credit with over 1 million books in print. Her titles include such life-changing books as Romancing Your Husband, Romancing Your Wife, The Divine Romance: Developing Intimacy with God, the The Lonestar Intrigue fiction series, and The Jane Austen fiction series.

As a woman of God, Debra is committed to the highest standards of integrity and to spending hours a week being still before the Father, staying in tune with Him, and listening for His voice of direction in all she does. This commitment to romancing the Lord, coupled with her lifestyle of devouring, analyzing, and dissecting the Word of God has allowed God to bring about a miracle of deliverance and healing in Debra's spirit, mind, and soul. For you see, Debra holds a double Ph.D. from the toughest schools in the world. The first Ph.D. from the "School of Hard Knocks" and the second, from the "School of Very Hard Knocks." Aside from that, she holds an M.A. in English from the University of Texas.

Along with Debra's being voted a fiction-reader favorite several times, her book Romancing Your Husband was a finalist in the 2003 Gold Medallion Awards. And, her Austen Series novel First Impressions was a finalist in the 2005 Retailer's Choice Awards. Debra has been a popular media guest across the nation, including Fox TV, The 700 Club, ABC Radio, USA Radio Network, and Moody Broadcasting. Her favorite hobbies include fishing, bargain-hunting, and swimming with her family. Debra also vows she would walk 50 miles for a scoop of German Chocolate ice cream.

ABOUT THE BOOK

In the small town of Bullard, Texas, the Mansfield brothers seem to have everything in order . . . except for their love lives. Jack is the lonely police chief still pining after Charli, his college girlfriend. Younger brother Sonny keeps busy on the road as a private investigator, and a secret from his past prevents him from finding someone to settle down with. But all that is about to change...

Read the two stories...

In Texas Heat, Charli is wrongly accused of a terrible crime. Now Jack must arrest the one woman he's ever loved and risk everything to prove her innocence and save her life.

In Texas Pursuit, a single mother is a target of a relentless stalker—and Sonny finds himself both the only man who can protect her and the one who inadvertently leads danger back into her world.

Page-turning novels of romance and suspense, the Lone Star Intrigue series will give you faith in the power of love, and remind you that having faith in a God who redeems our mistakes is the greatest love story of all.

If you would like to read the first chapter of Lone Star Intrigue, go HERE.

Promises to Keep

2011-02-11T15:28:00.001-08:00

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing Promises to Keep Bethany House (February 1, 2011) by Ann Tatlock

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Ann Tatlock is the author of the Christy Award-winning novel All the Way Home. She has also won the Midwest Independent Publishers Association "Book of the Year" in fiction for both All the Way Home and I'll Watch the Moon. Her novel Things We Once Held Dear received a starred review from Library Journal and Publishers Weekly calls her "one of Christian fiction's better wordsmiths, and her lovely prose reminds readers why it is a joy to savor her stories." Ann lives with her husband and daughter in Asheville, North Carolina.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Eleven-year-old Roz (Rosalind) Anthony and her family have just moved to Mills River, Illinois, to escape an abusive situation. Only days after settling into their new home, they are surprised to find the previous owner, Tillie Monroe, on their front porch reading the newspaper.

Though her sons have sold the house and sent her to a facility for the aged, she is determined to die in the place she lived her life, and somehow manages to find her way "home" day after day. Feeling sympathy for the elderly woman, Roz's mother allows Tillie to move back in.

Mara Nightingale becomes Roz's first friend in Mills River. In spite of their many differences, the girls discover they have something in common that binds them together--both are hiding secrets. So they make a promise--"cross my heart and hope to die"--never to tell anyone else. When danger stalks the Anthonys, Tillie exhibits unimaginable courage and selfless love in her determination to protect the family she has adopted as her own.

If you would like to read the first chapter of Promises to Keep, go HERE.

Watch the book trailer:

Another Dawn - Review

2011-02-09T16:39:00.000-08:00

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing Another Dawn Bethany House (February 1, 2011) by Kathryn Cushman

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Kathryn Cushman is a graduate of Samford University with a degree in pharmacy. After practicing as a pharmacist, she left her career to marry and begin a family and has since pursued her dream of writing.

Other books by Kathryn, A Promise to Remember was a finalist for the American Christian Fiction Writers Book-of-the-Year in the Women’s Fiction category, and Waiting for Daybreak was a finalist in Women’s Fiction for the Inspirational Reader’s Choice Award.

Leaving Yesterday, her third novel, was a finalist for the ACFW Carol Award.

Now her fifth book, Another Dawn, has arrived in stores, and I’m very excited about it!

On the homefront, Kathryn has been married to Lee for over twenty years now, and their two daughters are currently braving the worlds of junior high and high school. They’ve lived in Santa Barbara for the last nineteen years. It’s a beautiful place and Kathryn feels blessed to be there (although a seventy degree Christmas still leaves her dreaming of a white one—or at least a colder one!)

ABOUT THE BOOK

Grace Graham is back in Tennessee with her four-year-old son on a short unpaid leave from work, helping her father recover from surgery and spending time with her sister.

Shoal Creek seems more backward than ever after her years in California, and it's hard to find organic food anywhere. When the unthinkable happens and her son is diagnosed with measles, Grace's fears over modern medicine take a dangerous turn.

Worse, the town has fallen into quarantine and its residents focus their anger and blame on Grace. She is alone and scared, until one brave woman chooses to reach out a hand of forgiveness and mercy. But when the outbreak takes a life-threatening turn, will Grace be able to forgive herself?

If you would like to read the first chapter of Another Dawn, go HERE.

My Review:

Another Dawn is a great story that deals with a real issue, to immunize your children or not. Is the risk of side effects greater than the risk of disease. This is a dilemma Grace finds herself in with her son. Not only is she dealing with the consequences of that decision, she is in the middle of a broken engagement, she is harboring unforgiveness towards her father, and she is a runner. Running from anything and everything that makes her uncomfortable. She feels she has been given the short end of the stick so many times and she doesn’t believe that will ever change. When everything around her starts falling apart, she realizes she is going to have to quit running and make some life changes or she is going to lose everything.

I received Another Dawn from Kathryn Cushman through Christian Fiction Blog Alliance in exchange for my honest opinion. I would recommend this book to everyone. There is lots in it we can all learn from.

Happy Reading

Unplanned - Review

2011-02-06T14:00:00.000-08:00

About the Author:

Abby Johnson quit her job in October 2009. That simple act became a national news story because Abby was the director of a Planned Parenthood clinic in Texas who, after participating in her first actual abortion procedure, walked across the road to join the Coalition for Life.

About the Book:

Unplanned is a heartstopping personal drama of life-and-death encounters, a courtroom battle, and spiritual transformation that speaks hope and compassion into the political controversy that surrounds this issue. Telling Abby’s story from both sides of the abortion clinic property line, this book is a must-read for anyone who cares about the life versus rights debate and helping women who face crisis pregnancies.

Facts about Abortion in the United States

Unless otherwise noted, statistics are from the Alan Guttmacher Institute1 (AGI):

1. 22 percent of all pregnancies (excluding miscarriages) end in abortion.2

2. Over 50 million abortions have taken place in the United States since 1973.3

3. Abortion is one of the most common medical procedures undergone by women aged 15–44 in the US.4

4. An abortion takes place every 24 seconds. Over 3,600 abortions occur each day in the United

States.5

5. Planned Parenthood reported 305,310 abortions and 4,912 adoption referrals during 2007.6

6. In 2008, one-third of Planned Parenthood funding came through government grants from United

States tax dollars.7

7. 31 percent of all abortions in the United States are paid for by tax dollars through Medicaid.8

8. In the United States, 78 percent of women report a religious affiliation at the time of their abortion.9

9. One-third of women in the United States will have an abortion before the age of 45.

10. About 61 percent of abortions are obtained by women who have one or more children.10

11. In the United States, 49 percent of all African-American pregnancies end in abortion—three times

the ratio for white pregnancies.11

1“Facts on Induced Abortion in the United States,” May 2010,

http://www.guttmacher.org/pubs/fb_induced_abortion.html

2 Jones et al., 2008, cited by AGI

3 based on yearly estimates from AGI

4 Jones, et al., 2008

5 based on yearly estimates from AGI

6 Planned Parenthood Annual Report, 2007–2008, http://www.plannedparenthood.org/files/AR08_vFinal.pdf

7 Planned Parenthood, Annual Report, 2007–2008, http://www.plannedparenthood.org/files/AR08_vFinal.pdf

8 AGI, Characteristics of U.S. Abortion Patients, 2008, http://www.guttmacher.org/pubs/US-Abortion-Patients.pdf

9 AGI, An Overview of Abortion in the United States,

http://www.guttmacher.com/media/presskits/2005/06/28/abortionoverview.html

10 Jones et al., 2010, cited by AGI

11 U.S. Center for Disease Control, MMWR Surveillance Summaries, Nov. 2006,

http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/ss5511a1.htm

My Review:

This is a great book. When Abby describes the ultrasound that changed her life, it gave me chills. I have always been pro-life, I have always believed that you are pregnant with a baby not tissue from day one and it does my heart good to see the changes God made in this ladies life. The diligence of the Coalition for Life is tremendous. Day after day, week after week, year after year, standing at the fence praying and believing. At times losing hope, getting frustrated, but sticking with it to the end and seeing results from their diligence. A true testament to standing up and firm for what you believe.

I would recommend this book to anyone but, I truly believe every person considering abortion, male or female, should have to read the first chapter.

If you would like to read the first chapter go here!!

Happy Reading!!

The Rhythm of Secrets

2011-01-28T19:50:00.000-08:00

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing Rhythm of Secrets Kregel Publications (December 22, 2010) by Patti Lacy

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Patti Lacy, Baylor graduate, taught community college humanities until God called her to span seas and secrets in her novels, An Irishwoman's Tale and What the Bayou Saw. She has two grown children and a dog named Laura. She and her husband can be seen jog-walking the streets of Normal, Illinois, an amazing place to live for a woman born in a car. For more information, visit Patti's website at www.pattilacy.com, her blog at www.pattilacy.com/blog, and her Facebook daily Artbites.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Sheila Franklin has masqueraded as the precocious daughter of avant-garde parents in colorful 1940s New Orleans, a teen desperate for love and acceptance, and an unwed mother sent North with her shame.

After marrying Edward, Sheila artfully masks her secrets, allowing Edward to gain prominence as a conservative pastor. When one phone call from a disillusioned Vietnam veteran destroys her cover, Sheila faces an impossible choice: save her son and his beloved…or imperil Edward’s ambitions.

Inspired by a true story, The Rhythm of Secrets intermingles jazz, classical, and sacred music in a symphony trumpeting God’s grace.

Endorsements:

“A vibrant journey across time in search of the greatest truth of all: grace.”—Tosca Lee, author of Havah: The Story of Eve and Demon: A Memoir

“No longer a ‘well-kept secret,’ Patti Lacy is a master storyteller who speaks to the soul with a powerful and unique rhythm, weaving a tale so emotionally rich that story and reader become one.”—Julie Lessman, author of The Daughters of Boston series and A Hope Undaunted

“Patti Lacy pens another beautifully written story in The Rhythm of Secrets. I couldn’t put it down!”—Melanie Dobson, award-winning author of The Black Cloister

“The Rhythm of Secrets is a stirring story of faith and endurance that will keep readers turning the page until every last secret is revealed.”—Tina Ann Forkner, author of Ruby Among Us and Rose House

If you would like to read an excerpt of Rhythm of Secrets, go HERE.

Happy Reading!!

Digitalis - Review

2011-01-26T18:12:00.000-08:00

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing Digitalis Barbour Publishing, Inc.(January 1, 2011) by Ronie Kendig

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Ronie has been married since 1990 to a man who can easily be defined in classic terms as a hero. She has four beautiful children. Her eldest daughter is 16 this year, her second daughter will be 13, and her twin boys are 10. After having four children, she finally finished her degree in December 2006. She now has a B.S. in Psychology through Liberty University in Lynchburg, VA. Getting her degree is a huge triumph for both her and her family--they survived!!

This degree has also given her a fabulous perspective on her characters and how to not only make them deeper, stronger, but to make them realistic and know how they'll respond to each situation. Her debut novel, Dead Reckoning released March 2010 from Abingdon Press. And her Discarded Heroes series began in July 2010 from Barbour with the first book entitled Nightshade.

This is the second book in the series.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Step into the boots of a former Marine in this heart-pounding adventure in life and love. Colton “Cowboy” Neeley is a Marine trying to find his footing as he battles flashbacks now that he’s back home. Piper Blum is a woman in hiding—from life and the assassins bent on destroying her family. When their hearts collide, more than their lives are at stake. Will Colton find a way to forgive Piper’s lies? Can Piper find a way to rescue her father, trapped in Israel? Is there any way their love, founded on her lies, can survive?

If you would like to read an excerpt of Digitalis, go HERE.

My Review:

This was my first Ronie Kendig book and with it being the 2nd book in the Discarded Heroes series, I was afraid I would be lost. I have been pleasantly surprised, but would also love to go back and read the first book. This book is definitely action packed and a real page turner. I would highly recommend it.

Thank you CFBA for the complimentary copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

Happy Reading!!

Angel Harp

2011-01-21T12:13:00.000-08:00

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing Angel Harp FaithWords (January 26, 2011) by Michael Phillips

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Michael Phillips has been writing in the Christian marketplace for 30 years. All told, he has written, co-written, and edited some 110 books. Phillips and his wife live in the U.S., and make their second home in Scotland.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Widowed at 34, amateur harpist Marie "Angel" Buchan realizes at 40 that her life and dreams are slowly slipping away. A summer in Scotland turns out to offer far more than she ever imagined! Not only does the music of her harp capture the fancy of the small coastal village she visits, she is unexpectedly drawn into a love triangle involving the local curate and the local duke.

The boyhood friends have been estranged as adults because of their mutual love of another woman (now dead) some years before. History seems destined to repeat itself, with Marie in the thick of it. Her involvement in the lives of the two men, as well as in the community, leads to a range of exciting relationships and lands Marie in the center of the mystery of a long-unsolved local murder. Eventually she must make her decision: with whom will she cast the lot of her future?

If you would like to read the first chapter of Angel Harp, go HERE

Happy Reading!!

Serendipity

2011-01-14T07:19:00.000-08:00

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing Serendipity Bethany House (August 1, 2010) by Cathy Marie Hake

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Known for surfing across the kitchen on a dropped dill pickle slice, waterskiing on sea anemone spit, and using Right Guard® as hair spray; she considers herself living proof that God does, indeed, possess a healthy sense of humor.

Cathy loves classical music, romantic getaways with her husband, and Diet Pepsi Free®. "I need chocolate to survive, love my friends, and enjoy a deep personal relationship with the Lord. Although an extrovert, I'm very conservative on a personal level."

In her writing, Cathy attempts to capture a unique glimpse of life and how a man and woman can overcome obstacles when motivated by love. In her inspirational pieces she enjoys the freedom of showing how Christ can enrich a loving couple's relationship.

Cathy Marie Hake is a registered nurse who worked for many years in an oncology unit before shifting her focus to perinatal care. The author of over twenty novels, she lives with her husband and two children in Anaheim, California.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Todd Valmer should have known better. A farmer who's been through several disasters, he travels to Virginia to fetch his widowed mother to cook and help him around his Texas farm...or that was the plan until she keels over on the train and they get kicked off.

Maggie Rose barters for a living and also makes soaps, lotions, and perfumes with a special rose recipe passed down from mother to daughter for generations. She hasn't wanted to marry...until that handsome Texan shows up.

Her heart skips a beat, and when he proposes, a hasty marriage follows. What ensues, however, is a clash of culture and a battle of wills--and it's clear they both mistook instant attraction and infatuation for love. As their marriage loses its sparkle and fills with disillusionment, Todd and Maggie must determine what is worth fighting for. He dreams of a farm. Maggie wants to fulfill the family tradition with her rose perfumes.

Todd's mother, however, has entirely different plans for her son that do not include Maggie. In light of their hasty marriage and mistaken dreams, is there any hope of recapturing their love and building a future together?

If you would like to read the first chapter of Serendipity, go HERE.

Happy Reading!!

Unto the Hills - Review

2011-01-12T13:14:00.000-08:00

Book Description

The classic 365-day devotional from Billy Graham, now back in print.

No matter your place in life, this classic collection of devotional readings is designed to bring you daily to that special place of renewal— to help you pause and gaze "unto the hills" for help and inspiration.

Each of the 365 daily readings in this inspiring collection offers a carefully chosen passage of scripture, a brief, thoughtful message from Dr. Graham, and a heartfelt prayer composed especially for this book. Distilled from a lifetime of study and ministry, these devotionals supply daily food for thought about living fruitfully and joyfully in an often fretful world.

Simple, direct, encouraging yet challenging, this book offers itself as a heartening companion for your daily walk in the valley. This collection is a gentle but constant reminder that we can find help for all our needs as long as we remember to look up . . . unto the hills but especially unto the Lord.

My Review:

I never had the privilege of reading the first “Unto the Hills”, but after growing up in the Bible belt and living with my Nanny who absolutely loved Billy Graham, I was so excited to be allowed the chance to review this new edition. I am a devotional lover anyway and have definitely been thrilled with this one. Billy Graham has such a peaceful way of dealing with and explaining things.

As with most devotionals, this book is broken down into daily tid bits. Little pieces of knowledge, comfort, joy, hope, and inspiration as well as strength to deal with suffering, discouragement, and selfishness. This book, if used as intended, will be a great tool in any life, family, and marriage.

I know we will be keeping it around and leaving it out to pick up and read as need and to offer to friends and family. I would recommend this devotional to everyone!!

Thank you Thomas Nelson and the Booksneeze program for the complimentary copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

Happy Reading!!

Courting Miss Amsel - review

2011-01-12T09:35:00.000-08:00

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing Courting Miss Amsel Bethany House (January 1, 2011) by Kim Vogel Sawyer

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Edythe Amsel is delighted with her first teaching assignment: a one-room schoolhouse in Walnut Hill, Nebraska. Independent, headstrong, and a strong believer in a well-rounded education, Edythe is ready to open the world to the students in this tiny community. But is Walnut Hill ready for her?

Joel Townsend is thrilled to learn the town council hired a female teacher to replace the ruthless man who terrorized his nephews for the past two years. Having raised the boys on his own since their parents' untimely deaths, Joel believes they will benefit from a woman's influence. But he sure didn't bargain on a woman like Miss Amsel.

Within the first week, she has the entire town up in arms over her outlandish teaching methods, which include collecting leaves, catching bugs, making snow angels, and stringing ropes in strange patterns all over the schoolyard. Joel can't help but notice that she's also mighty pretty with her rosy lips, fashionable clothes, and fancy way of speaking.

When Edythe decides to take her pupils to hear Miss Susan Anthony speak on the women's suffrage amendment, the town's outcry reaches new heights. Even Joel isn't sure he can support her newfangled ideas any longer. And if he can't trust her to know how to teach the boys, how can he trust her with his heart?

If you would like to read the first chapter of Courting Miss Amsel, go HERE.

My Review:

Kim Vogel Sawyer's Courting Miss Amsel was truly an enjoyable book for me. As a homeschool mom, I always enjoy books that include a one room school house. Miss Amsel has such a love for teaching and for the kids. I love how she handles the sweetness of some students and the pranks of another. As with all of us, there are times when we need to learn or relearn to give God complete control and let Him guide us through life. This was such a refreshing book, an easy read, a page turner.

Thank you CFBA for the complimentary copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

Happy Reading!!

The Girl in the Gatehouse

2011-01-07T10:11:00.000-08:00

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing The Girl in the Gatehouse Bethany House (January 1, 2011) by Julie Klassen

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Julie says: My background is in advertising and marketing, but I am blessed with a dream job—working as an editor of Christian fiction. I have been writing since childhood, but Lady of Milkweed Manor was my first novel. It was a finalist for a Christy Award and won second place in the Inspirational Reader's Choice Awards. My second novel, The Apothecary's Daughter, was a finalist in the ACFW Book of the Year awards. I am currently writing one novel a year.

I graduated from the University of Illinois and enjoy travel, research, BBC period dramas, long hikes, short naps, and coffee with friends.

My husband and I have two sons and live near St. Paul, Minnesota.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Miss Mariah Aubrey, banished after a scandal, hides herself away in a long-abandoned gatehouse on the far edge of a distant relative's estate. There, she supports herself and her loyal servant the only way she knows how--by writing novels in secret.

Captain Matthew Bryant, returning to England successful and wealthy after the Napoleonic wars, leases an impressive estate from a cash-poor nobleman, determined to show the society beauty who once rejected him what a colossal mistake she made.

When he discovers an old gatehouse on the property, he is immediately intrigued by its striking young inhabitant and sets out to uncover her identity, and her past. But the more he learns about her, the more he realizes he must distance himself. Falling in love with an outcast would ruin his well-laid plans. The old gatehouse holds secrets of its own. Can Mariah and Captain Bryant uncover them before the cunning heir to the estate buries them forever?

If you would like to read the first chapter of The Girl in the Gatehouse, go HERE

Happy Reading!!

Under the Overpass - review by Dan

2011-01-05T08:18:00.000-08:00

About Mike and Sam:

Mike and his wife Danae live in Vancouver, B.C. with their dog, Elliott, and are both studying for their Masters of Christian Studies (MCS) degrees at Regent College. Their passions include backpacking, hiking, running, tea, growing veggies, good books, and connecting with people of all sorts. Mike serves on the board of directors for World Vision US and the board of advisers for Kilns College. He and Danae just released a new book called Zealous Love: A Practical Guide to Social Justice.

Sam Purvis just married lovely Christine on Sept 21. 2010. Sam and Christine both work at a coffee bar called BARISTA in Portland, OR. They are involved in a small house church community seeking to live out a belief in God, a love for each other and a commitment to the city they live in. Outside of work Sam and Christine enjoy life in Portland, the variety of people, food, music and art that comes with a city enamored with thought, culture and design.

Seven years post-travel with Mike, Sam's ideas about living in relationship with those in obvious physical need have been forever changed and are still being shaped. If you were to ask Sam today if he feels like he has found a place where the more privileged life that he leads as a result of color and generational privilege has collided with the lives of those lacking these temporal privileges, he would tell you that he still feels caught in between and is trying to grow in to a way of living where he is walking in obedience to Christ's heart for those less fortunate.

Under the Overpass Specific Bio:

Several years ago Mike Yankoski took off a semester from college between his

Sophomore and Junior years to do something a little uncanny.

He was homeless. For five months, in six different American cities, Mike and a friend

named Sam intentionally ate from trash cans and Rescue Missions, slept under bridges,

and panhandled in order to survive. They chose to do this not only in order to better

understand the plight of the American homeless, but more specifically to observe how the Church and Christians were interacting with this despised corner of American society.

Mike's book Under the Overpass: A Journey of Faith on the Streets of America

(Multnomah, 2010) captures his journey on the streets and relates the people and

experiences that forever changed his life during that five month journey. Today, Mike

has a passion to push Christians to live an active and out loud lifestyle of faith, directed

by God's will, centered on His Word, and engaged with the surrounding world. He is

excited to use the story of Christ's love and calling in his life to captivate and motivate

Christians into deeper faith and bolder action.

Living in Vancouver, B.C., Mike and his wife Danae are studying for their Masters

Degrees at Regent College. When they aren't buried in books or writing papers, their

hobbies include running, hiking, and backpacking. Their new book, Zealous Love: A

Practical Guide to Social Justice (Zondervan, 2010) helps readers respond to eight areas of global need in light of Christ's great love.

Mike also serves on the Board of Directors of World Vision US and the Advisory Board

of Kilns College.

About the Book:

After meals from garbage cans and dumpsters, night after night Mike and Sam found their beds under bridges and on the streets. They were forced to depend on the generosity and kindness of strangers as they panhandled to sustain their existence. For more than five months, the pair experienced firsthand the extreme pains of hunger, the constant uncertainty and danger of living on the streets, exhaustion, depression, and social rejection—and all of this by their own choice. This is their story. Through Mike’s firsthand account, Under the Overpass provides important insight into the truths of the street and calls the younger generation of believers to take great risks of faith to bring Christ’s love to the neediest corners of the world.

Dan’s Review:

Mike Yankowski answers God's call on his life and takes a daring road-less-traveled approach to experience and understand firsthand the realities of a life on the street. Through his personal experiences he gains a more thorough understanding of God's call to serve all people regardless of their social status or outward appearance. His own internal struggles and revealing of the church's shortcomings are a strong reminder where we lack application of what Jesus taught his disciples and us through his lessons in the Word.

Christians as-a-whole grossly lose focus of what is important in our lives by focusing on our own personal comforts and desires rather than attending to the real needs of those around us. Mike shares a couple of examples of real people that no matter how meager their possessions, they have the heart to serve their fellow homeless people in need. Hopelessness is an ever-present theme in many homeless people along with mental illnesses, addictions and physical challenges. Mike helps the reader see the homeless as people with names. This is something he refers to in the book that he gives as an example of how people are able to ignore those in need that they encounter by not even acting like they are people with names.

Mike and his partner on the street, Sam, while learning the hardships, simple joys and experiencing the relational loneliness of life on the street, find a way after their experiences to apply what they learn to be a better Christian witness with their own lives.

I did enjoy this personal account of life on the street and know Mike was holding back some of the even more brutal realities of his experience but I believe this book does a great job of challenging us to come back to the basics of serving God's people in need.

I want to thank Waterbrook Multnomah Publishers and the Blogging for Books program for the complimentary copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

Happy Reading!!

Paradise Valley - review

2011-01-04T09:18:00.000-08:00

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing Paradise Valley Bethany House (January 1, 2011) by Dale Cramer

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Dale Cramer was the second of four children born to a runaway Amishman turned soldier and a south Georgia sharecropper's daughter. His formative years were divided between far-flung military bases, but he inherited his mother's sense of place—

He took on small construction projects at night to help make ends meet— "and to preserve the remainder of my sanity," he says. While building an office in the basement of a communications consultant, a debate over labor/management relations turned into an article on mutualism which found its way into an international business magazine. It was Dale's first published article, and he liked the feel of it. He bought books, studied technique, and began participating in an online writers' forum, writing during the boys' naps and after they went to bed at night. Before long he was publishing short stories in literary magazines and thinking about writing a book.

Three storylines vied for Dale's attention when he finally decided to write a novel. His first two choices were commercially viable secular stories, and a distant third appeared to be some kind of Christian saga about a broken-down biker. The process of determining which novel to write was settled by a remarkable encounter with his youngest son, a lost set of keys, and God. His sense of direction was suddenly clarified. In 1997, Dale began work on Sutter's Cross, which was eventually published in 2003.

His second novel, Bad Ground (July 2004), while it is not autobiographical, contains a great deal of material drawn from his own experience as a construction electrician.

He and his wife and two sons make their home in northern Georgia.

ABOUT THE BOOK

An Amish settlement in Ohio has run afoul of a law requiring their children to attend public school. Caleb Bender and his neighbors are arrested for neglect, with the state ordering the children be placed in an institution. Among them are Caleb's teenage daughter, Rachel, and the boy she has her eye on, Jake Weaver. Romance blooms between the two when Rachel helps Jake escape the childrens home.

Searching for a place to relocate his family where no such laws apply, Caleb learns there's inexpensive land for sale in Mexico, a place called Paradise Valley. Despite rumors of instability in the wake of the Mexican revolution, the Amish community decides this is their answer. And since it was Caleb's idea, he and his family will be the pioneers. They will send for the others once he's established a foothold and assessed the situation.

Caleb's daughters are thrown into turmoil. Rachel doesn't want to leave Jake. Her sister, Emma, who has been courting Levi Mullet, fears her dreams of marriage will be dashed. Miriam has never had a beau and is acutely aware there will be no prospects in Mexico.

Once there, they meet Domingo, a young man and guide who takes a liking to Miriam, something her father would never approve. While Paradise Valley is everything they'd hoped it would be, it isn't long before the bandits start giving them trouble, threatening to upset the fledgling Amish settlement, even putting their lives in danger. Thankfully no one has been harmed so far, anyway.

If you would like to read the first chapter of Paradise Valley, go HERE.

My Review:

I have heard a lot about Dale Cramer’s book Levi’s Will but have never had the chance to read it or anything by him. I am a huge Amish fiction fan, so I was excited, yet a little skeptical, when given the opportunity to read a story about an Amish girl written by a man. I was extremely thrilled with the outcome though. From beginning to end Dale did a fabulous job. He is a very talented author and completely keeps your interest from beginning to end.

I love how he took the unfortunate events of the 1920 Ohio Amish community and turned it into such a great story. I really enjoyed how he weaved fact with fiction and told the story of one Amish family who chose to leave the US in search of freedom. I enjoyed the family adventure and the love that always blooms in spite of the situation.

I would recommend this book to anyone. It was an easy read and thoroughly enjoyable.

Thank you CFBA for the complimentary copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

Happy Reading!!

Two Tickets to the Christmas Ball - Review

2010-12-10T13:38:00.000-08:00

About the Author:

Donita K. Paul retired early from teaching school, but soon got bored! The result: a determination to start a new career. Now she is an award-winning novelist writing Christian Romance and Fantasy. She says, “I feel blessed to be doing what I like best.”

She mentors all ages, teaching teenagers and weekly adult writing workshops.

“God must have imprinted 'teacher' on me clear down to the bone. I taught in public school, then home schooled my children, and worked in private schools. Now my writing week isn’t very productive unless I include some time with kids.”

Her two grown children make her proud, and her two grandsons make her laugh.

Be sure to see Mrs. Paul's testimony page.

About the Book:

Can mysterious matchmaking booksellers bring two lonely hearts together in time for Christmas?

In a sleepy, snow-covered city, Cora Crowder is busy preparing for the holiday season. Searching for a perfect gift, a fortuitous trip to Warner, Werner, and Wizbotterdad’s (a most unusual bookshop) leads to an unexpected encounter with co-worker Simon Derrick. And the surprise discovery of a ticket for a truly one-of-a-kind Christmas Ball.

Every year, the matchmaking booksellers of the Sage Street bookshop host an enchanting, old-fashioned Christmas Ball for the romantic matches they’ve decided to bring together.

This year, will Simon and Cora discover a perfect chemistry in their opposite personalities and shared faith? Or will the matchmakers’ best laid plans end up ruining everything this holiday?

My Review:

What a wonderful story!! I was so excited to get to read, Two Tickets to the Christmas Ball. I was wanting a light, feel good, Christmas story to read and boy did I ever find it. This book was fun and whimsical yet and lots of little life lessons we can all learn from.

In the story, Cora, a new believer with a very dysfunctional family, works for Simon, an seasoned believer who cherishes and takes complete care of his loving family both receive a ticket to the Christmas Ball. Neither can find out many details of the ball, neither really want to attend. Through the tickets and Simon’s sister, the two find a common bond and a desire to attend the ball. Unfortunately, life gets in the way and they have to work through to find where they belong.

It’s a modern day fairy tale with a wonderful God twist. A fun Christmas story. I would recommend this book to anyone!! I will be saving it and reading it again over the years!!

Thank you WaterBrook Multnomah and the Blogging for Books program for the complementary copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion!!

Happy Reading!!

First Things First - Dan's review

2010-12-02T08:02:00.000-08:00

About the Authors:

Kurt and Brenda Warner met when she was a divorced mother of two, living on food stamps and putting herself through nursing school, and he was a college student. Kurt and Brenda married in 1997 and Kurt adopted Brenda's two children. Since then, they have added 5 more children to their family. After graduating from Northern Iowa in 1994, Kurt was signed by the Green Bay Packers, but was cut during training camp. He returned to Northern Iowa to work as an assistant football coach, working the night shift at a local Hy–Vee grocery store to support Brenda and her two kids, until he was signed by the St. Louis Rams in 1998. Kurt went on to lead the Rams in two Super Bowls, winning two NFL MVP awards (in 1999 and 2000). In 2008, Kurt joined the Arizona Cardinals, and led the franchise to their first playoff appearance in 10 years, and their first Super Bowl appearance. Kurt and Brenda are strong Christians, and the founders of First Things First, a foundation that promotes Christian values, helping the less fortunate, and encouraging others to put faith and family first. They live in Phoenix, Arizona.

About the Book:

Kurt Warner is the two-time NFL MVP–winning quarterback of the Arizona Cardinals. Brenda Warner is an ex-Marine turned stay-at-home mom who collects coats for low-income kids and rocks babies to sleep at a hospital for chronically-ill infants. Together they’re the parents of seven, going into their 12th year of marriage, and founders of a foundation that helps disadvantaged children and families. Their formula for success? They put First Things First—family, faith, and giving to others—it’s their family motto, and it drives everything they do. First Things First is an honest, insightful, and entertaining look at life inside the Warner household. Kurt and Brenda speak candidly about their marriage, the values they are working to instill in their kids, things they’ve done right, mistakes they’ve made, the importance of giving back, and the legacy they hope to leave behind. Includes a 16-page full-color photo insert.

Dan’s review:

First Things First by Kurt and Brenda Warner is a very real, grounded look at

the Warner's family and how they approach life together.

This book, while written by a renowned NFL Quarterback and his wife, is not a

sports book, but rather a refreshing view of a life of normalcy, even within

that celebrity reality. Sure some of what they have gotten to do may be on a

grander scale than the common family, but that is never the focus, nor should it

be, of this book.

Their openness and the unapologetic stands they take for their family is

extremely uncommon, in today's society, and is exciting to read about. I

particularly like the style of the authors viewpoints of the same life together

contrasted within each chapter.

Kurt and Brenda both possess a drive for making a difference in the lives of a

others and attempt to successfully blend the rest of the families' desires with

their own.

Many writers write about the high highs or the low lows in their lives, but this

book shows both with the positive payoff of making the reader appreciate and

hopefully applaud their efforts and cheer for their continued success in the

future.

Whether you adopt some of the rules their family lives by or not, the real goal

after having read this book is that you find a way to leave a legacy of love for

your spouse, family and others all because that is what Jesus modeled for us to

do.

Thank you Tyndale Publishers for the complimentary copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion!!

Happy Reading!!

Emily of Deep Valley - review

2010-12-01T09:41:00.000-08:00

Oh my what a book!! This is definitely one of my favorite reads this year. It is so full of life. Love, friendship, family, hard times, good times, history...

In Maud Hart Lovelace’s book, “Emily of Deep Valley” we find Emily, a orphaned girl about to graduate from high school. She is feeling so torn. She knows she has to take care of her grandpa, who has taken care of her since her parents and grandmother passed, but she also has a strong desire to go to college with all her friends. She stays with grandpa though and gets pretty creative continuing her education. She makes new friends, yet maintains her old friendships. She finds new love even though she struggles with letting go of her high school crush. She learns and she teaches.

Emily is such a giving person. She has a servants heart that illustrates what Jesus wants us all to have. She definitely puts others first and in the end is such a better person because of it.

I would recommend this book to everyone, it is a classic we will keep around. We are a family that enjoys reading together and this book will be added to our list of books to read.

I want to thank Christian Fiction Blog Alliance for the complimentary copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing Emily of Deep Valley Harper Perennial Modern Classics; Reprint edition (October 12, 2010) by Mitali Perkins

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

A word from Mitali: Who In The World Is Mitali Perkins?

That's a good question. I've been trying to figure it out myself, spending most of my life crossing borders.

I was born Mitali Bose in Kolkata (Calcutta), India, and always tried to live up to my name—which means “friendly” in the Bangla language. I had to! Because my family moved so much, it was the only way I could make new friends.

By the time I was 11, I'd lived in Ghana, Cameroon, London, New York and Mexico before settling in California just in time for middle school. Yep, I was the new kid again, in seventh grade, the year everybody barely makes it through.

My biggest lifeline during those early years was story. Books were my rock, my stability, my safe place as I navigated the border between California suburbia and the Bengali culture of my traditional home.

After studying political science at Stanford and public policy at U.C. Berkeley, I taught in middle school, high school and college. When I began to write fiction, my protagonists were often—not surprisingly—strong female characters trying to bridge different cultures.

Mitali Perkins is the author of several books for young people, including SECRET KEEPER (Random House), MONSOON SUMMER (Random House), RICKSHAW GIRL (Charlesbridge), and the FIRST DAUGHTER books (Dutton).

ABOUT THE BOOK

Often cited as Maud Hart Lovelace’s (of Betsy-Tacy fame) best novel, Emily of Deep Valley is now back in print, with a new foreword by acclaimed young adult author Mitali Perkins and new archival material about the characters’ real lives.

Emily Webster, an orphan living with her grandfather, is not like the other girls her age in Deep Valley, Minnesota. The gulf between Emily and her classmates widens even more when they graduate from Deep Valley High School in 1912. Emily longs to go off to college with everyone else, but she can’t leave her grandfather. Emily resigns herself to facing a “lost winter,” but soon decides to stop feeling sorry for herself. And with a new program of study, a growing interest in the Syrian community, and a handsome new teacher at the high school to fill her days, Emily gains more than she ever dreamed...

In addition to her beloved Betsy-Tacy books, Maud Hart Lovelace wrote three more stories set in the fictional town of Deep Valley: Winona’s Pony Cart, Carney’s House Party and Emily of Deep Valley. Longtime fans and new readers alike will be delighted to find the Deep Valley books available again for the first time in many years.

If you would like to browse inside Emily of Deep Valley, go HERE.

Happy Reading!!

Divine Appointments

2010-11-24T20:08:00.000-08:00

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing Divine Appointments WaterBrook Press; Reprint edition (September 21, 2010) by Charlene Baumbich

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Charlene Ann Baumbich is the author of the previous three books in the Partonville series. A popular speaker, journalist, and author, for several years she has lectured to women’s groups and retreats. Baumbich is also an award-winning journalist whose work has appeared in the Chicago Tribune, Today’s Christian Woman, and numerous other publications. She is the author of six nonfiction books of humor and inspiration.

Charlene says: For over two decades of writing and speaking, my passionate pursuit to entertain and rejuvenate using humor (I love to laugh-especially at myself), uncommon wisdom, and passionate insights has been affirmed through countless calls, letters, and evaluation sheets. A reader recently e-mailed, "There is so much depression and sadness in this world. I applaud you for reminding all of us to treasure the moments in our lives, and for encouraging us to find joy in the little things. What you do helps so many to rise above the heaviness of life and live, and laugh, and face another day, so thanks!!!!" That is exactly why I keep doing what I do.

I am a firm believer in the power of story (short or book-length, funny or insightful, real or fiction, on stage or page) to accomplish my purpose, which is to remind you: Don't Miss Your Life! Whether you're tuning into me live or in print, fasten your seatbelt. I promise you a wild, fun, provocative, heart-warming ride.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Josie Brooks, at the age of 47, thought she was leading an enviable single life. A successful consultant, she calls her own shots, goes where the money is, and never needs to compromise. But her precisely managed world begins to falter during a Chicago contract when an economic downturn, a bleeding heart boss, and the loyalty and kindness between endangered employees ding her coat of armor.

Throw in hot flashes, a dose of loneliness, a peculiar longing for intimacy, an
unquenchable thirst—not to mention a mysterious snow globe with a serene landscape, complete with a flowing river and lush greenery that seems to be beckoning her in—and Josie’s buttoned-up life is on the verge of coming completely undone.

Maybe her solitary existence isn’t as fulfilling as she has convinced herself to believe. It will take a few new friends, a mystical encounter, and an unexpected journey to set Josie on her own path to “right-sizing” and making the life changes that really matter. Filled with laugh-out loud moments and a gentle dash of inspiration, Divine Appointments is another heartwarming charmer from a master storyteller.

If you would like to read the first chapter of Divine Appointments, go HERE.

Happy Reading!!

The Silent Order

2010-11-19T09:45:00.000-08:00

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing The Silent Order Summerside Press (November 1, 2010)by Melanie Dobson

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Melanie Dobson is the award-winning author of The Black Cloister; Love Finds You in Liberty, Indiana; and Together for Good.

Prior to launching Dobson Media Group in 1999, Melanie was the corporate publicity manager at Focus on the Family where she was responsible for the publicity of events, products, films, and TV specials. Melanie received her undergraduate degree in journalism from Liberty University and her master's degree in communication from Regent University. She has worked in the fields of publicity and journalism for fifteen years including two years as a publicist for The Family Channel.

Melanie and her husband, Jon, met in Colorado Springs in 1997 at Vanguard Church. Jon works in the field of computer animation. Since they've been married, the Dobsons have relocated numerous times including stints in Virginia, Tennessee, North Carolina, Colorado, Berlin, and Southern California. These days they are enjoying their new home in the Pacific Northwest.

Jon and Melanie have adopted their two daughters —Karly (6) and Kinzel (5). When Melanie isn't writing or entertaining their girls, she enjoys exploring ghost towns and dusty back roads, traveling, hiking, line dancing, and reading inspirational fiction.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Rural America - 1928. After the murder of his partner, Detective Rollin Wells hides away in an Amish home near Sugarcreek, Ohio, to find out who in the police force is

collaborating with Cleveland’s notorious mob. While Rollin searches for answers to his partner’s death, he befriends an elusive young Amish woman named Katie and her young son. As Rollin learns about Katie’s past, he’s shocked at the secret Katie is hiding - a secret that has haunted Rollin for eight years.

If you would like to read the first chapter of The Silent Order, go HERE.

Happy Reading!!

Long Time Coming - review

2010-11-16T12:53:00.000-08:00

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing Long Time Coming Abingdon Press (November 1, 2010) by Vanessa Miller

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Vanessa Miller of Dayton, Ohio, is a best-selling author, playwright, and motivational speaker. Her stage productions include: Get You Some Business, Don’t Turn Your Back on God, and Can’t You Hear Them Crying. Vanessa is currently in the process of turning the novels in the Rain Series into stage productions.

Vanessa has been writing since she was a young child. When she wasn’t writing poetry, short stories, stage plays and novels, reading great books consumed her free time. However, it wasn’t until she committed her life to the Lord in 1994 that she realized all gifts and anointing come from God. She then set out to write redemption stories that glorify God.

To date, Vanessa has completed the Rain and Storm Series. She is currently working on the Forsaken series, Second Chance at Love series and a single title, Long Time Coming. Vanessa believes that each book will touch readers across the country in a special way. It is, after all, her God-given destiny to write and produce plays and novels that bring deliverance to God’s people. These books have received rave reviews, winning Best Christian Fiction Awards and topping numerous Bestseller’s lists.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Two women from different worlds find hope together.

Faithful Christian Deidre Clark-Morris is a professional career-minded woman with a loving husband, but no children. Kenisha Smalls has lived in poverty all her life. She has three children by three different men and has just been diagnosed with inoperable cervical cancer.

While the meeting between these two women appears accidental, it becomes their catalyst of hope. Neither woman expects the blessing that God has in store for her. While Deidre will guide Kenisha on the path to eternal life with Jesus Christ, Kenisha will teach Deidre how to stand strong against the hard-knocks of life.

If you would like to read the first chapter of Long Time Coming, go HERE

Watch the book video:

My Review

Vanessa Miller did an excellent job with this book. I was hooked from the beginning. Loved reading and finding out how life would play out for these women, both with struggles, both with doubts, both with fears. Loved how she wove their lives together even though they were so different, one from the projects and one middle class. Love how what started out as a bad situation ended with Deidra becoming such a wonderful friend.

This book is not only enjoyable, it is motivational. It really makes you want to find your “Kenisha” and make a difference in her life. It makes you think about the blessings you have and how you can use those to impact someone else, not only physically but spiritually. It really helps you to remember why we are here!!

She does a great job addressing the issue of what appears to be “unanswered prayers”. God’s timing is “on time”, it just may not be our time.

I really enjoyed the emotional roller coaster this book took me on. The ups and downs, the laughter and the tears. I would recommend this book to everyone. Definitely one of the best I have read/reviewed this year!!

Thank you Christian Fiction Blog Alliance for the complimentary copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

Happy Reading!!

Angel

Amy Inspired

2010-11-12T13:37:00.000-08:00

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing Amy Inspired Bethany House; Original edition (October 1, 2010) by Bethany Pierce

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

After completing a master's in Creative Writing and working as a visiting instructor at Miami University in Ohio, Bethany Pierce now lives with her husband in Charlottesville, Virginia, where she is a member of the McGuffey Art Center and continues to write. Her first book, Feeling for Bones, was one of Publishers Weekly's Best Books of 2007.

ABOUT THE BOOK

With rejections piling up, she could use just a little inspiration...

Amy Gallagher is an aspiring writer who, after countless rejections, has settled for a career as an English professor in small-town Ohio just to pay the bills. All her dreams suddenly start to unravel as rejections pile up--both from publishers and her boyfriend.

But just as Amy fears her life is stuck in a holding pattern, she meets the mysterious, attractive, and unavailable Eli. She struggles to walk the fine line between friendship and something more with Eli, even as staying true to her faith becomes unexpectedly complicated.

When secrets, tragedy, and poor decisions cause rifts in Amy's relationships, she must come to terms with who she's become, her unrealized aspirations for her life, and the state of her faith. Can she dare to hope that she will find love and fulfillment despite it all?

If you would like to read the first chapter of Amy Inspired, go HERE.

Happy Reading
Angel

Letters to Ethan - review

2010-11-11T15:30:00.000-08:00

About Tom McQueen

Tom McQueen died shortly after he was born. Apparently God wasn't expecting such a quick trip home so He returned Tom to his parents, Joe and Marie McQueen.

The enlightenment of that journey from birth to death and back to life again permanently colored Tom's world as a Christian therapist, consultant to Fortune 500 companies,personal coach, and author. His inspirational workshops and seminars have touched the hearts of audiences throughout North America.

Tom is the president of the American Family Foundation,Inc., a not-for-profit organization whose mission is to enrich the lives of children and families in the United States.

An avid Tampa Bay Lightning hockey fan, Tom celebrates the blessings of his family, friends, and colleagues on Florida's beautiful west coast. And one of his very first gifts to Ethan was, of course, a miniature hockey stick.

Other Books by Tom McQueen:

◦ Near-Life Experiences: Discovering New Powers for Personal Growth

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◦ The Customer is WHY! Six Steps to Creating Legendary Service in Your Organization

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◦ Passion at Work: Ten Things Legendary Leaders Do To Improve Performance, Productivity, & Profit

◦

◦ BayCare Coaching: Helping Our Team Members Learn, Grow, and Develop

Have you ever thought about writing letters to your children or grandchildren as a lasting legacy?

Tom is starting a national campaign to encourage parents and grandparents to write letters to the next generation.

Please visit: www.legacynationusa.com to read letters from others and to begin work on your legacy.

Letters To Ethan:
A Grandfather's Legacy of Life & Love

Dear Ethan:

Like the rest of us, you didn't come with an owner's manual. You'll probably wonder – more than once – why you're here. What is your life's purpose? How will you face the adversity your life will surely bring?

Despite appearances, no one's life is ever simple. We have our parents and our friends to learn from; they have much to teach us. And you'll hear a lot from, and about, public figures – athletes, newscasters, actors, politicians, artists…celebrities of every kind.

But making sense of the world we live in is something each one of us struggles with. The truth is, life is complicated. It's wonderful; it's awful; it's a thrill; it's a bore. And it can feel almost unbearable at times. Almost.

Fortunately, you're blessed with a family that loves you. Your grandfather, Tom McQueen, wrote you this book. No one has all the answers, but he's already faced many of the challenges you'll encounter.

Even those of us who've been around awhile can learn a thing or twelve from your grandpa. He's helped a lot of folks as a therapist; he's inspired audiences with his seminars; and he's shared his thoughts in several other books.

In these letters to you, Ethan, your grandpa reveals the mistakes and miracles that have shaped his life. Anyone can give advice, but true wisdom is hard-won. And the book you're holding contains plenty of it.

Sincerely,
Coach Lou Holtz

My Review:

I really enjoyed Letters To Ethan. Being a grandma, it has given me the desire to leave something similar to my grandkids. This book is full of good advice, principles/morals to live by, and just plain fun. To leave a legacy to our grandkids to help them deal with the issues of life and to also teach them to have fun and find the JOY in all things is wonderful. I would recommend this book to anyone with kids and/or grandkids. It would also be a good starting place for leaving your own kid/grandkids a piece of who you are and how you lived your life.

Happy Reading

Hatteras Girl - review

2010-11-10T08:12:00.000-08:00

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing Hatteras Girl Bethany House; Original edition (October 1, 2010) by Alice Wisler

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Alice J. Wisler is an author, public speaker, advocate, and fundraiser. She has been a guest on several radio and TV programs to promote her self-published cookbooks, Slices of Sunlight and Down the Cereal Aisle. She graduated from Eastern Mennonite University and has traveled the country in jobs that minister to people. Alice was raised in Japan and currently resides in Durham, North Carolina.

Facts about Alice
* Born in Osaka, Japan and lived in Japan for 18 years
* Went to Kyoto International School and Canadian Academy
* Majored in Social Work and graduated in 1983 from Eastern Mennonite University
* Worked at a group home for disadvantaged kids outside of Philadelphia
* Taught English and Culture Orientation at a refugee camp in the Philippines
* Taught English as a Second Language in Japan
* Speaks and teaches on Writing the Heartache
* Has three kids on earth, and one in Heaven
* Recently got married to Carl on 2/7/09

ABOUT THE BOOK

There are two things twenty-nine-year-old Jackie Donovan asks God for: an honest, wonderful man to marry, and to own a bed-and-breakfast in the Outer Banks region. In the meantime, Jackie works for Lighthouse Views magazine, writing articles about other local business owners, and intrepidly goes on the blind dates set up by her well-meaning but oh-so-clueless relatives.

There's one specific property Jackie dreams of purchasing: the Bailey Place, a fabulous old home where Jackie spent many happy childhood afternoons, a place that has now fallen into disrepair because of its outrageous price tag.

When Jackie meets handsome Davis Erickson, who holds the key to the Bailey Place, Jackie is sure God has answered both her prayers. But as Jackie learns some disturbing details about Davis's past, she begins to question her own motivation. Will she risk her long-held dreams to find out the truth?

If you would like to read the first chapter of Hatteras Girl, go HERE.

My Review:

When I first started Hatteras Girl, I had a hard time getting into it. The first few chapters seemed somewhat slow. However, I am glad I stuck with it because I ended up really enjoying this book. It is full of life. Love, death, family, friends, and JOY!! It is a story of dreams come true. All Jackie wants in life is to own the Bailey House and to find a good man. I have always loved staying at a Bed and Breakfast, and would love to own one someday, so seeing how Jackie goes about it was fun. I also really enjoyed all the quirkiness of the characters. I would recommend this book to anyone. It is a fun, light read.

Thank you CFBA for the complimentary copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

Happy Reading

Grace review

2010-11-05T19:23:00.000-07:00

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing Grace Avon Inspire; Original edition (October 26, 2010) by Shelley Shepard Gray

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

It's Christmastime at the Brenneman Bed & Breakfast, and everyone is excited about closing down for the holiday.

Anna and Henry will be celebrating their first Christmas as a married couple, and for Katie and Jonathan Lundy, it's their first Christmas with baby Stefan. Winnie and Samuel Miller plan to stop by as well for a wonderful two weeks of family and rest.

But when two unexpected visitors show up, hoping to stay for Christmas, the family must test their commitment to hospitality. Levi is a widower who lost his wife four years ago and can't bear the thought of another Christmas alone. And Melody is a young pregnant woman who won't open up about how she ended up on her own at Christmas at almost nine months pregnant.

Anna, who knows a thing or two about keeping secrets, doesn't trust her, and strives to find out the truth about these two strangers who have disrupted their holiday. But as the Christmas spirit descends on them all, as well as snow that traps them in the inn, a healing and hopefulness takes over, allowing new relationships to be built, and the boundaries of family to be extended.

If you'd like to read the first chapter of Grace, go HERE.

My Review:

This is my first Shelley Shepard Gray book. Although I didn’t feel it was a gripping, edge of your seat, page turner, I did really enjoy it. It was a very relaxed read. A story that makes you feel good. A story full of JOY and hope.

I think spending the holidays tucked away at an Amish Bed and Breakfast for the Christmas season, learning to let go of past hurts, sounds like an amazing time. Add that to the beautiful snow and the simpler way of life, and it makes me want to be there.

But will what started out as an unexpected and somewhat unwanted situation turn into a beautiful Christmas, or will it be a disaster for all involved. Will Melody get back home before the baby comes? Will Levi deal with his hurt and anger? Will Katie and the family make the best of the holidays with their guests?

This book is definitely worth reading!! Light a fire, grab a blanket and a cup of coffee, and enjoy this feel good book!!

Thank you CFBA for the complimentary copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion!!

Happy Reading

Within My Heart - Review

2010-10-19T11:34:00.000-07:00

About the Author:

Tamera Alexander is a bestselling novelist whose deeply drawn characters, thought-provoking plots, and poignant prose resonate with readers. Having lived in Colorado for seventeen years, she and her husband now make their home in Tennessee, where they enjoy life with their two college-age children and a Silky named Jack.

Tamera invites you visit her Web site at www.tameraalexander.com.

About the Book:

Sometimes the greatest step of faith is taken neck-deep in fear.

Determined to fulfill her late husband's dream, Rachel Boyd struggles to keep her ranch afloat with the help of her two young sons. But some days it feels as though her every effort is sabotaged. When faced with a loss she cannot afford, she's forced to trust Rand Brookston, the one man in Timber Ridge she wishes to avoid. And with good reason. He's a physician, just like her father, which tells her everything she needs to know about him. Or so she thinks....

Dr. Rand Brookston ventured west with the dream of bringing modern medicine to the wilds of the Colorado Rockies, but the townspeople have been slow to trust him. Just as slow in coming is Rand's dream to build the town a proper clinic. When a patient's life is threatened, Rand makes a choice—one that sends ripples through the town of Timber Ridge. And through Rachel Boyd's stubborn heart.

From the beloved, bestselling author of From a Distance and Beyond This Moment comes an unforgettable story about faith in the face of fear, about tarnished hopes and second chances, and ultimately about the resilient courage and tenacity of hearts broken——and mended——by love.

My Review:

After losing her husband, Rachel Boyd is trying to fulfill his dream for her and their boys. Living out on land by themselves and trying to keep their ranch afloat while her heart and love is really in the medical field. The twist, her dad was a doctor and her experience growing up in his home left her with a bad taste in her mouth towards physicians. Along comes Dr. Rand Brookston, not only to treat her, but to treat her dear friend. Can she handle the feelings she has toward him because he’s a doctor? Can she handle the feelings she is developing for him even though he’s a doctor? Is he really different than her dad?

This was my first Tamera Alexander book. After getting past the beginning, which I felt had some unnecessary content, I loved the book. It was full of life, love, and health. A grieving widow, some little boys trying to find themselves, and the complications associated with life in the 1800’s.

Thank you Bethany House for sending me a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

Happy Reading!!