Sweet Sanctuary Review

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

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!!

Hidden Affections

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

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

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

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

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

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

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!!