Tuesday, July 31, 2012

Summer Giveaway Hop


Welcome to the Summer Giveaway Hop!

This hop is hosted by:
I Am a Reader, Not a Writer and Forever Young

There are over 150 blogs participating and each has their own entry rules and geographic limits, so be sure to read the rules for each one. This giveaway is open Int. This hop starts August 1st and runs through August 7th at midnight.

Enter to win an Amazon egift card...
a Rafflecopter giveaway


Check out the other blogs for more chances to win!

River's End by Melody Carlson


In the final story of The Inn at Shining Waters, Anna Larson's granddaughter Sarah is beginning to find her independence. But her relationship with her parents suffers as a result and she travels away from all that is familiar.

While the solace of the river calls Sarah back, surprises await upon her return. Three generations of family heartbreak and disappointments converge at Shining Waters as Sarah finds God right in the center of it all.

My thoughts...

The story begins with Anna determining to get through the day which happens to be her granddaughter, Sarah's, 18th birthday. After shedding a few tears she sees a boat coming, not expecting any deliveries or guests she walks down to the dock and who does she see? Sarah. And she's looking thin and shabby.

Sarah immediately tells her she does not want to see her mother, Lauren, who happens to work at the Inn so Anna takes her to an empty cabin where she can hide out and rest. Sarah has been living in a commune and struggles to fit in with her family and the outside world.

Lauren discovers she's there and eventually Sarah runs away after an argument with her mother. The rest of the book is pretty much about their search for Sarah. It's predictable and slow moving in areas but overall not a bad read. It's nice to see how this saga ends. I give it 4 out of 5 stars.

I received an ecopy of this book free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Thursday, July 26, 2012

Ten Girls To Watch


Dawn West is trying to make her way in New York City. She’s got an ex-boyfriend she can’t quite stop seeing, a writing career that’s gotten about as far as penning an online lawn care advice column, and a small hometown in Oregon that’s her last recourse if she can’t make next month’s rent.
So when Dawn lands a job tracking down the past winners of Charm magazine’s “Ten Girls to Watch” contest, she’s thrilled. Not only is she being paid to interview hundreds of fascinating women, but she’s also sharing office space with “Secret Agent Romance,” Charm’s resident dating columnist, and he just happens to be giving her butterflies.

As Dawn gets to know the life stories of these former winners, she’ll discover that success, love, and friendship can be found in the most unexpected of places. And even more importantly, she’ll find that though those who have gone before us can be role models, ultimately, we each have to carve our own way.

Both an insightful look at the trajectory of female experience over the past fifty years and a witty coming of age story, Ten Girls to Watch introduces an unforgettable new voice in women’s fiction.

My thoughts...

There are things I liked and disliked about this book. The main character has just graduated college and accepts a position working on the The Girl To Watch feature. She is feeling pressure to be successful. Interviewing hundreds of successful women she discovers most aren't happy.

The characters really aren't interesting, there's no depth to them. As Dawn interviews the women they are saying the same things over and over. I kind
of lost interest but did continue reading. The plot was a good one.

I give the book 3.5 stars out of 5. I received an ecopy of this book free from Simon and Schuster in exchange for an honest review.

Lazy Days of Summer Giveaway

Welcome to the Lazy Days of Summer Giveaway Hop!

This hop is hosted by:
I Am a Reader, Not a Writer and Colorimetry

There are 200 blogs participating and each has their own entry rules and geographic limits, so be sure to read the rules for each one. This giveaway is open Int. This hop starts July 27th and runs through August 1st, midnight.

Enter to win an Amazon egift card...

a Rafflecopter giveaway


Check out the other blogs for more chances to win!

Son of A Soldier


Son of a Soldier is the powerful story of how God used one unlikely, country girl to change the course of history. It seemed impossible to believe that an eighteen-year-old girl from the middle-of-nowhere, Tennessee would have any real significance in the history of our nation…that is until God chose her to make a Godly man out of a flawed, military hero’s stubborn son.

Hailey was a small town, farm girl who had never left her home state of Tennessee. She was a naïve tomboy who possessed an unassuming charm, the power of which she could not comprehend.

Grant was a rebellious Army brat who had seen the world. Glib, sarcastic and self-destructive, he was a loner lost in a world he had never felt he fit into.

They seemingly had little in common, but when two hearts collided, two worlds became one; while Hailey embarks on a beautiful journey of self-discovery in this unique coming-of-age story, Grant travels a winding, dirt road that helps him rediscover a lost innocence and discover a renewed purpose.

My thoughts...

Starting out I was glued to this book! This is the story of 7 yr old Grant, a brilliant child who has lived in more countries than most, is fluent in several languages, and has private tutors whose classroom is the world. Grant's father is military and wants his son to follow in his footsteps. His mother, Nora, is a sweet woman whose desire is to move back home to North Carolina where her family is. Which eventually does happens.

In NC, Grant grows into a troubled teen, vandalism and arson are just a few of the troubles his family has gotten him out of. Then something happens which causes Jack and Nora to separate and Nora to take Grant and his cousin home to Tennessee where her mother lives, they end up staying with Jack, her boyfriend from high school and his daughters. Turns out Grant and Hailey have met before... thus the trouble begins!

The public school they attend has 25 students so all their classes are together. I found the way the author depicted the characters in the small town offensive. They were portrayed as ignorant and stupid... Grant's classmates were so dumb they didn't understand anything he talked about in class... they didn't even know what the word "arson" meant and one girls' clothes were described as exactly like Mary Ann of Gilligan's Island. The boys wore overalls and had names such as Joe John and Billy Wayne.

As Hailey and Grant's relationship grew she kept referring to herself as not very smart. I don't know why the author felt she had to make the townspeople such uneducated dummies, this is a good story and could've been much better. Brown is a talented writer, the book is fast paced, and it did keep me wanting to know what happens between Hailey and Grant at the end despite the stereotyping. I've lived in the south for 15 years, I can honestly say I've never met anyone that fits the descriptions of the characters in this book.

I received a copy of this book free from ABG Tours in exchange for an honest review.


Aiken Brown graduated summa cum laude from Spring Hill College in Mobile, Alabama. She is the author of In a Brother’s Eyes: the Brant McLachlan Story (2005), For Such a Time as This (2007) and Son of a Soldier (2012).

Aiken’s books are available at all major booksellers and in Kindle, Nook and other ebook formats! Learn more about Aiken Brown’s books at www.aikenbrown.blogspot.com.

Get your copy on....

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

To learn more about Aiken, go to her website.

Like Aiken Brown on Facebook.

Wednesday, July 25, 2012

Cruel Harvest

About the book:

Get out here, now, or I'm gonna kill you!" he hollered.

Little girls are hardwired to hold their daddies in high esteem, so it comes as a shock the first time a daughter feels the back of her daddy's hand across her face . . . or watches him punch and kick her mother to within an inch of her life.

How could this be? Her older sisters teach her how to survive, even when he comes for her in the night.

A girl learns to become invisible, to look the other way, to say nothing when a curious stranger asks if she's okay. To lie. To expect nothing, not even from relatives.

To cry without tears.

To pray silently.

When she is fourteen, and weary, a girl begins to wish she were dead. Cruel Harvest is the compelling story of how she lived instead.

My thoughts...

Oh my goodness, this woman's story is horrible. I can't imagine the abuse she and her siblings suffered at the hand of their father and other relatives. One of them didn't survive. I'm so glad to know what happened to everyone else at the end of the book.

Frances endured physical, sexual, and verbal abuse from her father. Starvation, dehydration, and much more. Broadus was a drinking man with a devil of a temper, There were suspicions from other migrant workers, school officials, and police that the girls were being abused. Why it took so long for someone to finally do something is beyond me. I guess in those days it just wasn't talked about. I wondered why God didn't answer the girls prayers and take them out of that situation.

This is a heartbreaking story, I'm sure it's helped many abuse victims. Definitely worth the read.

I received a copy of this book free from Booksneeze in exchange for an honest review.

CFBA presents The Kingdom



This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
The Kingdom
Crossway Books (June 30, 2012)
by
Brian M. Litfin




ABOUT THE AUTHOR:



Bryan earned a bachelor’s degree in print journalism from the University of Tennessee as well as a master’s degree in historical theology at Dallas Theological Seminary. From there he went to the University of Virginia, taking a PhD in the field of ancient church history. He is currently professor of theology at Moody Bible Institute in downtown Chicago, where he has been since 2002. He teaches courses in theology, church history, and Western civilization from the ancient and medieval periods. He is the author of Getting to Know the Church Fathers: An Evangelical Introduction (Brazos, 2007), as well as several scholarly articles and essays. Bryan has always enjoyed epic adventure stories as well as historical fiction, but most of his reading these days is taken up by academia.



Today Bryan lives in downtown Wheaton in a Victorian house built in 1887. He and his wife Carolyn are parents to two children. For recreation Bryan enjoys basketball, traveling, and hiking anywhere there are mountains. The Litfins attend College Church in Wheaton, where Bryan has served on the Board of Missions and as a deacon. He also helped start Clapham School, a Christian primary school in Wheaton using the classical model of education.



ABOUT THE BOOK



Book Three in the Chiveis Trilogy



War and disease have destroyed the modern world. Centuries later, feudal societies have arisen across Europe. No one can remember the ancient religion of Christianity—until an army captain and a farmer’s daughter discover the Sacred Writing of the one true God.

As Teo and Ana encounter the forgotten words of the holy book, they realize its message is just what their kingdom needs. Though exiled from their homeland, they join their hearts in a quest to return. But now an ancient pact has united the enemies of the Christian faith into a dark alliance that threatens to consume the known world. Racing to stay one step ahead of their enemies, Teo and Ana must battle heinous villains, stormy seas, and the powers of the underworld itself. As armies begin to mass for a final battle, the odds favor the forces of evil. Can Teo and Ana bring divine truth to Chiveis—or will the Word of God fade from the earth forever?



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









My thoughts...

Litfon concludes the Chiveis Trilogy with The Kingdom. I haven't read a fantasy novel in quite a while and after reading this one I remember why... it's just not my cup of tea. This book wasn't bad, I think fantasy fans will enjoy it.

It's the story of good versus evil and two young people's battle to defeat evil by getting the news about the forgotten God out to the world. Europe has reverted to a midevil existence after years of wars and mankind is almost nonexistent. A great battle ensues. There is intrigue, romance and if you've read the first two novels, questions answered.

Tuesday, July 24, 2012

The Last Minute

About the book:

Sam Capra must commit an impossible assassination--or he will lose the only person in the world who matters to him . . .

Sam Capra has one reason to live: to rescue his baby son from the people who abducted him. An ex-CIA agent, Sam now owns bars around the world as cover for his real mission-working undercover for a secret network as mysterious as it is powerful, while using his skills to find his child.

Now the kidnappers have offered a deadly deal: they'll surrender Sam's child...if Sam finds and murders the one man who can expose them. Teaming up with a desperate young mother whose daughter is also missing, Sam tracks his prey-and his son-across the country in a dangerous race against time, and must unravel a deadly conspiracy if he's to rescue the only person in the world that matters to him.

My thoughts...

The second book in the series, Abbott has written a great thriller with lots of surprising twists. You won't be able to put it down! Some of the things Sam Capra does cannot be accomplished by any other. We learn Mila's story, she's one of Sam's CIA bosses. Kind of a story within a story. A wild ride for sure. The ending will surprise you.

In His Time ~ a devotional

Sometimes life comes to us wrapped in an unpleasant package. In it we miss out on the 'beautiful' because we are hoping to just find it 'bearable'. We lose sight that not only is God willing to help us through our circumstance, but He is completely able!

In this 366 day devotional, Betty McCutchan encourages you to reach for God's outstretched hand and to walk with Him. As you do, you will find that nothing occurs in life that is coincidental, how God is in every detail, and how He never leaves or forsakes us.

Leave behind the bearable and enter into the beautiful! Take all you hold dear and place it in God's hands, and simply let go! When you do, you will see that In His Time, God Makes All Things Beautiful.

My thoughts...

Inspirational. Relevant. It's like have a daily conversation with the author. There's scripture that fits into your life and ways to apply it to your everyday life in such meaningful ways.
The pages are dated with only the month and date so it can be used over and over. Appealing cover. I give it 5 out of 5 stars.

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Saturday, July 21, 2012

Free ebook from Ann Lee Miller

About the book:

Stuck in sleepy New Smyrna Beach one last summer, Raine socks away her camp pay checks, worries about her druggy brother, and ignores trouble: Cal Koomer. She’s a plane ticket away from teaching orphans in Africa, and not even Cal’s surfer six-pack and the chinks she spies in his rebel armor will derail her.

The artist in Cal begs to paint Raine’s ivory skin, high cheek bones, and internal sparklers behind her eyes, but falling for her would caterwaul him into his parents’ life. No thanks. The girl was self-righteous waiting to happen. Mom served sanctimony like vegetables, three servings a day, and he had a gut full.

Rec Director Drew taunts her with “Rainey” and calls her an enabler. He is so infernally there like a horsefly—till he buzzes back to his ex.

Raine’s brother tweaks. Her dream of Africa dies small deaths. Will she figure out what to fight for and what to free before it’s too late?

For anyone who’s ever wrestled with her dreams.


Download free:
Here's the link to download your free copy of Kicking Eternity: http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/161225.

From Lee Ann:
Please pass on the free link to your friends. This will actually help my wacky advertising plan. [An easy way to let your friends know I'm giving away a book is to join the Facebook event "FREE E-BOOK FROM ANN LEE MILLER."]

Digital Winter

Prophecy expert Mark Hitchcock and award-winning novelist Alton Gansky provide a suspenseful and fast-moving story of life after a massive cyber attack.

Twenty-two-year-old savant Donny Elton can’t tie his shoes, but his computer skills are unsurpassed. Egged on by a shadowy figure only he can see and hear, Donny creates an evolving computer virus that knocks out satellites, power grids, and communication systems. The world is thrown back into a lifestyle it hasn’t known for a hundred years. Surgeons find themselves operating without electricity. The military can’t use its computers…

This gripping story of darkness and heroism highlights prophetic themes and the very real danger of a cyber attack.

My thoughts...

I've read books like this one before and the thought is frightening...what would happen to us if we lost all power? Anything with computer chips would stop working...no transportation, no way to get medications for the sick, and our food supply dwindling. Total darkness. It would be scary!
It was interesting to see how our nation and the world was affected by the cyberattack.

Digital Winter was a bit boring, I felt it would've been better if the author had focused on what the people did to survive instead of what our government did. Their goal was to save the well educated, healthy people and let everyone else die. Too much military jargon, meetings, and conversations were just uninteresting to me.

It's funny how surgeons kept operating and a select few had power and transportation, just wasn't realistic to me. I give it 4 out of 5 stars.

I received an ecopy of this book free from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

One Good Friend Deserves Another

Dhara, Kelly, Marta & Wendy have been the closest of friends since college, so close, in fact, that after a series of communal romantic disasters, they bond together to create rules of relationships meant to keep their hearts safe.

Now, at the far side of thirty-five, those rules seem to have worked for them—country-club Wendy, a curator of a small local museum, is due to marry a longtime boyfriend in an over-the-top wedding; Marta, a high-powered Latina partner in a white-shoe law firm, is living in luxury with a sexy Cuban entrepreneur; Kelly, the tech-geek computer programmer, seems happy in her introverted singlehood.

Only Dhara, an Indian-American cardiologist, is struggling after the abrupt end of a long-term relationship. When she suddenly decides to agree to a traditional arranged marriage, her girlfriends gather in the hopes of stopping her from making a terrible mistake.

As old relationships crumble and dangerous new ones emerge, the girls begin to realize that the rules that they made to keep their hearts safe may have also shielded them from the risky possibilities of true love.

My thoughts...

A light read filled with the charm of college aged characters instead of the mid 30's that they are. Each of them have hurdles to overcome and the way they stand up for each other is refreshing. Good storyline but I would've liked it better without all the sexual premises, I prefer more of a clean read. So this one gets 3.5 out of 5 stars from me.

I received a copy of this book free from the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

Nursing Second Chances with Giveaway!



About the book:

Kiersten Hart left Honey Creek the minute she graduated high school and never looked back. When her sister Jeanine is widowed and left to raise two children alone, Kiersten moves back on a temporary basis. When Charles steps in and sweeps her off her feet, she has to decide if the wounds from her childhood can be mended.

After his wife died, Charles Webber swore he’d never love anyone again. He buried himself in his work and didn’t look up until he found out his son was sick. Moving to Honey Creek was supposed to make things easier.

Kiersten does little to help keep things simple. Though he is taken with her, he soon realizes the casual relationship they agreed on is turning serious. As their expiration date approaches, Charles must decide if Kiersten is worth the risk.

My thoughts...

Kiersten left her job at a big city hospital to be with her sister whose husband has died. She takes a job as an elementary school nurse. Her first day on the job she calls the father of a diabetic student who isn't feeling well. Charles insists on coming to get his son and taking him home to rest. There is instant attraction between the two.

Kiersten makes sure he knows she won't be staying around much longer yet they're flirting heavily each time they see each other and their relationship comes together quickly. I found the story to be sweet but there wasn't enough depth. It didn't let me get to know the characters very well nor the details of their lives. It left me with unanswered questions such as why Kiersten ran away from her past... and I wonder why she took the job as a school nurse if she's leaving soon.

Nursing Second Chances is a clean read, which I liked. However, it just didn't hold my interest. I felt there needed to be more to the story. I give it 3.5 out of 5 stars.

I received an ecopy of this book free from ABG Tours in exchange for an honest review.

Here's your chance to win!

Leave a comment on this post to be entered, a winner will be chosen on August 1st. Each stop is a new chance to be entered, so make sure you stop off at each host and give them (and me!) a little love. What can you win? A gift basket full of tea, honey, bath products, and few extra surprises. I'll ship it wherever you are, so don't worry about needing to be domestic. Make sure you leave me an email address so I can reach you. I hate trying to stalk people on the web to give them stuff.

You can find the schedule for the rest of the tour here

Nursing Second Chances is available from
Turquoise Morning Press
Barnes & Noble
Amazon

Thursday, July 19, 2012

Vacation Reads Giveaway Hop!


Welcome to the Vacation Reads Giveaway Hop!

This hop is hosted by:
I Am a Reader, Not a Writer and The Bookish Mama

There are over 90 blogs participating and each has their own entry rules and geographic limits, so be sure to read the rules for each one. This giveaway is open to US only. This hop starts July 19th and runs through July 25th, midnight.

Enter to win this book...


a Rafflecopter giveaway



Check out the other blogs for more chances to win!

Wednesday, July 18, 2012

Love's Tangled Web

A picture-perfect marriage.

A little harmless flirting.

Two sisters, with lifelong resentments.

The ultimate betrayal.

Bridgette’s life, on the sun-drenched west coast of Australia, appears perfect – married to a successful lawyer, Joel, with two beautiful daughters and a leadership position in church. She even has herself fooled into thinking she’s got it all together. But there’s a perfect storm brewing, a wave of events that will sweep away Bridgette’s superficial world forever.

Joel is harboring frustrations which his self-centered wife won’t acknowledge, and Bridgette’s sister is nursing an old grudge against her. When dangerous passions erupt between the two, Bridgette is blind-sided and humiliated. As destruction falls on everyone she loves, Bridgette must finally get real with herself… and with God.

In the aftermath, an attractive younger man offers her his heart, but can Bridgette build a new life and a stronger love amid the rubble? Or is it possible to forgive the unforgivable? Keren Franklin spins a gripping, cautionary tale about the tangled web we weave when first we practice to deceive… ourselves.

My thoughts...

Oh my goodness, this one left me with mixed emotions. Bridgette comes home to find her husband and sister together. Her reaction was just as anyone would expect. There has always been tension between Bridgette and Piper, it seems Piper feels she is the bad daughter and sees Bridgette as the good one. She does everything she can to cause her sister grief and this one tops the list!

The members at Bridgette's church react terribly for the most part, I would definitely not want to be a part of that one. Gossip spreads, Bridgette is told this probably wouldn't have happened if she had been the wife she was supposed to be.

She meets a college student who thinks she's hot and they begin a friendship that is flirtatious and things happen that I couldn't believe she would do. You'll have to read it yourself to see what happens!

Love's Tangled Web is a well written fast paced novel that will keep you turning pages, I read it in two days and hated to see it end. Bridgette's life is too busy (as is most everyone's these days). I certainly don't blame her for Joel's cheating, it was his choice. The author made me stop and think about how I would react throughout the book.

I liked this novel and would like to read more by this author. To me, the cover wasn't one that would draw my attention but I'm glad I read it.

I give it 4 out of 5 stars.

Paperback: 192 pages
Publisher: Deep River Books (May 1, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1937756076
ISBN-13: 978-1937756079

I received a copy of this book free from the publisher through TLC Book Tours in exchange for an honest review.

The Bet by Darlene Panzera

America’s most beloved author Debbie Macomber opened her heart and turned a page in publishing history last winter when she empowered Avon Books, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers, to host the “Make Your Dreams Come True” writing contest, which would give one very special, prize-winning aspiring author the chance to break into publishing by having her cozy romance published alongside the classic Macomber novella, Family Affair, with a special re-issue that goes on-sale 6/26/12. Family Affair was first published as a novella in the Purrfect Love anthology more than a decade ago, and was released last year as a special holiday gift-sized hardcover. This new version is the only edition to include the prize-winning novella The Bet.

Macomber had selected Darlene’s novella, The Bet, from three finalists submitted to the author for review. The names were removed from the three manuscripts submitted to the bestselling writer—but here’s the kicker: Darlene Panzera is a local writer from Macomber’s own Washington State, who had been honing her craft for years. Both were members of the same Romance Writers of America chapter! “Darlene reminds me a lot of myself when I was attempting to get published many years ago,” relates Macomber, “eager and energetic, willing to sacrifice to pursue her dream. I am honored to have played a small part in her success.”

My thoughts...

What a delightful story! I enjoyed every minute of it, a quick read full of chuckles, suspense, and romance. Jenny dropped out of medical school to take over the ranch when her father died in a fire. Late on payments the bank sets a deadline and she has no way of paying it.

At a local cafe there is a lot of betting taking place, bets were placed on which of the men could get Jenny to marry him. Nick Chandler, a stranger in town, walks in and bets $10,000. Jenny happens to be in the cafe giving the men heck when she overhears the bet and is fit to be tied. Returning home her uncle introduces her to their new ranch manager, Nick Chandler!

I won't give anything else away but the sparks fly and it isn't always for the good. A well written, fun story with great characters that will keep you turning the pages and not wanting to see the end. I give it 5 out of 5 stars.

I received a copy of this book free from the publisher through TLC Book Tours in exchange for an honest review.


About the Author:

A graduate of the Writer's Digest Advanced Novel Writing School and The Christian Writer's Guild apprentice program, Darlene is an active member of Romance Writers of America's Greater Seattle and Peninsula Chapters. She's attended numerous conferences and classes, served five years on the board of RWA's Peninsula Chapter and in 2011 served as chapter president.

Darlene is the winner of the "Make Your Dreams Come True" contest sponsored by Avon Books which led her novella, THE BET, to be published with Debbie Macomber's FAMILY AFFAIR released June 2012. She received a second contract with Avon Books, a division of HarperCollins, for the full length manuscript of THE BET, and is currently working on her next novel.

She's also published several short stories and A Look of Love was a top finalist for Writer's Digest Popular Fiction Awards Contest.

Born and raised in New Jersey, Darlene now lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband and three children. When not writing, she enjoys camping, hiking, photography, horseback riding, crafts, music, and lazy days at the lake.

Find Darlene at her website, www.darlenepanzera.com. You can also connect with Darlene on Facebook and Twitter.

The Company ~ Litfuse Blog Tour

A meteor explodes into the planet. Massive earthquakes rock the land as giant tsunamis engulf the coasts. Sleeping volcanoes violently erupt, filling the sky with clouds of suffocating ash, and soon, the world is shrouded in darkness. Last Day has come, bringing death, destruction, and despair. Yet hidden in a mountain valley, the Brigons manage to survive, but with no power and little food or water, their hope is fading into the eternal night. Then a voice calls out in the darkness and offers to bring them light.

This is the story of Sam Mitchell, an engineer with one of the power managers in Brigos Glen. Seventy years have passed since light was restored to the village. Few remember the time before Last Day or the strangers who helped them in their time of need. But Sam has heard the stories and, with the guidance of his friend, seeks to help others as he goes about his seemingly unimportant, routine existence. That is, until he receives an ominous order from beyond the mountains that will change his life forever.

For centuries mankind has sought God . . . not simply to find Him, but to understand Him. This quest has left many struggling in a maze of contradictions-one God but a Father, one God but a Son, one God but a Spirit-leading them to the ultimate question: Who is the Trinity? The answer is revealed in The Company by Chuck Graham, a clever allegory, carefully woven with surprising revelation of who God is, who we are before Him, and our calling to love and encourage each other.

My thoughts...

A well written allegory with wonderful characters, mystery, and hope. In a world of darkness, after a meteor hits the earth, only the Brigons are left, they are near despair when a voice calls out of the darkness... "do you need help?" Frightened the elder asks the voice to show himself. Instead the voice is heard from the other side..."do you need help?".

After agreeing to accept help, the plan is explained and they agree to follow it exactly. Seventy years pass and things are not as they should be, there are those who stray from the plan, whose greed overtakes them. And there are a very few who understand but do not do all they can do. Judgement is coming.

Graham is a wonderful story teller, this book was very enjoyable and an easy read, I give it 5 out of 5 stars.

I received an ecopy of this book free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

About the author:

Chuck is the founder and executive director of Ciloa, an international ministry of hope and encouragement, and for more than thirty-one years practiced law, representing Christian ministries, churches, and individuals around the world. He is the author of Take the Stand, the Year of Encouragement series, and A Note of Encouragement, a weekly issue of Ciloa Ministries.

Tales of the Not Forgotten ~ Litfuse Blog Tour with review and giveaway

Follow these real-life stories as they take you on a journey to faraway lands and unknown faces. Travel through their challenges and see the hand of the great Storyweaver writing endings you’d never imagine!

Joel dares to ask for what he can’t have. Seraphina sacrifices what she can’t afford to give. Ibrahim looks for an answer buried out of reach. Christiana, saved by a mission, searches for her own.

These are the tales of the ones the world doesn’t see . . . the tales of the not forgotten.

In this collection of four real-life stories written for preteens, a compelling storyteller paints a picture of God’s dynamic movement in four foreign cultures, inspiring children to trust that God is weaving a story in their lives as well.

This resource will shrink the macro picture down to approachable, individual stories of real children and teach about fundamental survival issues. The stories address some of the challenging questions that kids have and weave God's promises to orphans into each one.

The Tales of the Not Forgotten Leader’s Guide is a 6-session kids' missions resource (sold separately) that walks adults through an easy-to-follow guide for making the abstract real and for designing an action plan to help others.

Preteens will be challenged to answer the questions:
How do I pray? What can I give? Where can I go? Who will I serve?

My thoughts...

What is more important than showing the love of Jesus to others? Tales of the Not Forgotten is a great tool for teaching children about that love and compassion. Through the stories of four children, Beth shows readers the challenges these children face every day just to live. This is a wonderful way to teach your children about missions and how they can serve.

Heartbreaking and yet heartwarming, Beth introduces us to Joel in Mexico, Seraphina in Haiti, Ibrahim in Nigeria, and Christiana in India, children in need of the basic necessities of life and in need of the hope we have in Jesus Christ.

The reading level is age 8 and up and it is an easy read with attention grabbing graphics and photos. You'll find statistics and scripture throughout. The book has 6 lessons and a companion Leader's Guide on CD-rom. A very inspiring book, I highly recommend it. Tales of the Not Forgotten gets 5 out of 5 stars from me.

I received a copy of this book free from the publisher through Litfuse in exchange for an honest review.

Celebrate with Beth by entering her Kindle Fire Giveaway and connecting with her during the Author Chat Party on 7/31!


Find out what readers are saying here.




One winner will receive:

  • A Kindle Fire with Wi-Fi
  • A Tales of the Not Forgotten small group kit (books and DVD)
Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on July 30th. Winner will be announced at the "Not Forgotten" Author Chat Facebook Party on 7/31. Beth will be hosting a book chat, testing your trivia skills (how much do you know children around the world?) and giving away some great prizes!



So grab your copy of Tales of the Not Forgoteen and join Beth on the evening of the July 31st  for a chance to meet Beth and make some new friends. (If you haven't read the book - don't let that stop you from coming!)



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Don't miss a moment of the RSVP today. Tell your friends via FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning. Hope to see you on the 31st!

Tuesday, July 17, 2012

Faithful to Laura

Laura’s Amish faith requires her to forgive, but she can only think of revenge.

Laura Stutzman leaves her Kentucky community for Middlefield, Ohio, with one purpose: to find Mark King, the man who pledged his love to her, then left. She can’t move on with her life until he explains why.

Sawyer Thompson is a Yankee who spent his teen years in an Amish home. Now an adult, he has to make a decision—go back to the life he knew as a child or join the church. Having suffered loss at a young age, he understands Laura’s anger, but is determined to follow God’s will and forgive. As their friendship grows, Laura begins to let her guard down.

New information about Sawyer’s past threatens the couple’s budding relationship. Both Laura and Sawyer will need to release the anger they’re storing in their hearts and forgive the people who’ve harmed them. As Laura struggles to trust God, will Sawyer do whatever it takes to remain faithful to Laura?

My thoughts...

Laura left the Tennessee Amish community to follow Mark, the man she once loved. The problem is, he doesn't love her and she wants to know what changed . She is also wanting him to pay for the scars he left on her face when he tried to kill her. Not to mention trying to steal her family's money. She knows she's supposed to forgive, that has been taught in the church all her life but what about revenge?

Sawyer was born to an english family, was orphaned and abused in foster care until he was adopted by an Amish family where he found love and a sense of belonging. He is at the age where he must decide to join the church or go to the outside world to get an education. Then an awful thing happens, his grandmother shows up and isn't nice to say the least!

A nicely written novel about forgiveness and grace, well paced with good characters, it will keep you turning pages. I give it 4 out of 5 stars.

I received an ecopy of this book free from BookSneeze in exchange for an honest review.

The Bride Wore Blue

The youngest Sinclair, the family “baby”, is moving from Maine to Cripple Creek, Colorado and joining Kat, Nell, and Ida. But Vivian is a young woman with a will of her own, and made some decisions back in Portland that have begun to haunt her. Will she be able to live up to the expectations of her three perfect and now happily-settled sisters?

My thoughts...

Vivian Sinclair has just arrived in Cripple Creek where her three sisters reside. One of the first people she meets is the sheriff of Cripple Creek, the train that brought her here was robbed and she must give a description of the bandits. They have their disagreements but she falls for him anyway, however, she discourages his advances because she feels so unworthy of him due to her past.

Her goal is to become a fashion designer but there isn't much use for one in Cripple Creek. Unable to find a job of any kind she has no choice but to take the only thing available, one that definitely isn't for a lady of her stature. She becomes a hostess at a bordello. Danger strikes when the bandits arrive in town.

This is a delightful story, well paced and eventful, the characters are fun and friendly.I give it 5 out of 5 stars.

Angels, Miracles, and Heavenly Encounters: Real-Life Stories of Supernatural Events

There's more going on in the world than meets the eye.
There is an unseen spiritual realm, and occasionally God allows us glimpses of it. Angels, Miracles, and Heavenly Encounters offers a fascinating look at the supernatural world. It includes more than forty true stories of miraculous provision, encounters with angels and demons, near-death experiences, and incredible rescues.

You'll marvel at how God and His angels are working behind the scenes to protect and guide us. And you'll be comforted by glimpses of the peace that awaits us in heaven. The God who pulled back the curtain for a moment in the lives of these writers is the same God who works all things together for our good.

Whether you're simply curious about the supernatural world or longing for a fresh experience of God's presence, these amazing stories will touch your heart and strengthen your faith in the God of miracles.

My thoughts...

If you are interested in getting a peek into the supernatural this book is a good place to start. Miracles, angels, and demons fill the pages, definitely something to think about. I enjoyed reading these stories and especially liked the opening one. A young boy is with his dying grandfather in the hospital. The boys mother tries to prepare him by getting him to say goodbye to grandpa because he could go at any minute. The boy tells her it isn't time, that he will get to say goodbye. Sure enough, he does get to say goodbye while staring at the ceiling as he watches his grandfather being lifted up by glowing hands.

There are many more uplifting stories in this mostly inspiring collection. Each chapter is an encounter with God (or demons) experienced by various people and is only 3-4 pages in length. Near death experiences and miraculous rescues are only a few of the topics in this heartwarming book. There are also demonic encounters such as seeing horrific creatures.

Definitely an interesting read! I received a copy of this book free from Bethany House in exchange for an honest review.

Reunion by Lauraine Snelling

Keira Johnson, a 50-year-old mother of two grown sons, believes she lives a good Christian life without secrets-- until she discovers a life-jarring fact her late mother kept hidden all her life. Kiera was born out of wedlock, and the man she had always known as her father had adopted her as an infant.

Meanwhile, Keira's beloved 17-year-old niece, Kirsten, has just discovered an unwanted pregnancy. Her boyfriend, Jose, is bound for college and Kirsten does not know what to do. As the family comes together for a reunion, Keira and Kirsten struggle with their fractured pasts and jumbled present. Will truth and honesty be the catalysts that allow the entire family to find peace?

Inspired by events in Lauraine Snelling's own life, REUNION is the author's finest novel to date.

My thoughts...

Snelling is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors, her books have such depth. As tough as an unwanted teen pregnancy is I thought she handled it wonderfully. Emotions ran high but family members gave Kirsten the love and support she needed. I loved that about this family and the fact that they kept telling her how much God loved her.

What I didn't like was the way Kirsten treated the baby's father, she acted like he had no say in the matter. She was rude and her behavior was immature.

Kirsten's father pastored a church and upon finding out about his daughter's pregnancy he renders his resignation. In the end things work out well. I definitely enjoyed the book and give it 4 out of 5 stars.

I received a copy of this book free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Monday, July 16, 2012

Almost Amish ~ A CFBA Tour

This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
Almost Amish
Bethany House Publishers (July 1, 2012)
by
Kathryn Cushman

ABOUT THE BOOK

Proving the Simple Life Isn't So Simple After All

Overcommitted and overwhelmed, Julie Charlton is at the breaking point. She knows she should feel blessed as a mother and wife--but she just feels exhausted. And then, the miraculous happens. Her sister-in-law Susan, a Martha Stewart-in-training, lands the chance to participate in a reality TV series about trying to live like the Amish and needs another family to join her. It's just the break Julie needs.

But the summer adventure in simple living soon proves anything but simple. With the camera watching every move, Susan's drive for perfection feels a lot like what they left behind, while Julie suddenly finds herself needing to stand up for slowing down. Whether it's cooking, cleaning, or dressing differently, each new Amish challenge raises new complications...and soon each woman learns unexpected lessons about herself and her family.

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

My thoughts...
Susan's career depends on the success of the reality tv show, "Almost Amish". She is the perfect homemaker...cook...baker...you name it! She talks her sister in law, Julie, into being a part of the series, after all, it will only be for the summer. Julie agrees though her two children aren't happy about it. They leave California and arrive in Tennessee, their destination a small run down farmhouse. Their assignment... live like the Amish do...with a few exceptions.

Their personalities are as different as night and day. Susan is a perfectionist, always on schedule. Julie is anything but perfect. With two families in the same house there are plenty of conflicts.

An enjoyable read, the characters are fun. Though not Amish fiction, it's a well-written novel that encourages readers to slow down, enjoy your life, and spend time with family. I give it 5 out of 5 stars.

I received a copy of this book free from the publisher through CFBA in exchange for my honest review.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Kathryn Cushman is a graduate of Samford University with a degree in pharmacy, but all her life she knew that she wanted to write a novel “some day”. For her, “some day” came in 2003, when she started writing and never looked back.

Her first two manuscripts remain firmly ensconced in the back of her closet (the dust bunnies tell her they really are terrific!). Her third attempt became her first published novel.

A Promise to Remember and Leaving Yesterday were both finalists for the American Christian Fiction Writers Carol Award, and Waiting for Daybreak was a finalist in Women’s Fiction for the Inspirational Reader’s Choice Award.

On the homefront, she has been married to the wonderful and handsome Lee for nearly twenty-five years now, and their two daughters are currently braving the worlds of high school and college.

They’ve lived in Santa Barbara for over twenty years. It’s a beautiful place and Kathryn feel blessed to be there (although a seventy degree Christmas still leaves her dreaming of a white one—or at least a colder one!)

When she's not writing or reading or braving seventy degree holidays, you’ll find her trying her best to keep up with her daughters in their various theater, softball, dance, and filled-with-activity lives.

On The Island: An AToMR Tour with Giveaway!

Two people stranded on an island struggle to survive—and slowly fall in love—in the runaway New York Times bestseller, now available with a reading group guide and a letter from the author

Anna Emerson is a thirty-year-old English teacher desperately in need of adventure. Worn down by the cold Chicago winters and a relationship that’s going nowhere, she jumps at the chance to spend the summer on a tropical island tutoring sixteen-year-old T.J.

T.J. Callahan has no desire to go anywhere. His cancer is in remission and he wants to get back to his normal life. But his parents are insisting he spend the summer in the Maldives catching up on all the school he missed last year.

Anna and T.J. board a private plane headed to the Callahan’s summer home, and as they fly over the Maldives’ twelve hundred islands, the unthinkable happens. Their plane crashes in shark-infested waters. They make it to shore, but soon discover that they’re stranded on an uninhabited island.

At first, their only thought is survival. But as the days turn to weeks, and then months, the castaways encounter plenty of other obstacles, including violent tropical storms, the many dangers lurking in the sea, and the possibility that T.J.’s cancer could return.

My thoughts...

Heading to an island with the high school boy she will be tutoring for the summer, Anna says goodbye to John leaving him wondering if she will marry him even though he doesn't want children. It's her greatest desire. The trip was a disaster from the beginning--a late flight, their reservation lost, then a charter flight pilot who dies of a heart attack over the ocean. The plane crashes and the rest of the story is predictable.

A quick read, it's simple and reads like a debut novel, no depth, and did I say predictable? I give it 3.5 out of 5 stars.

I received an ecopy of this book free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you for participating in the ON THE ISLAND Event! This week in addition to reviews and posts, select blogs are hosting a word from the author's favorite quotes in the book as a Scavenger Hunt! There is one quote from Anna and one from T.J. Visit each stop this week to find the hidden words (they will be numbered for order) and after July 22nd, submit your answer to the quotes here! Random winners for books and swag will be chosen and notified by July 29th.

Also, next week July 23-27, there will be even more events and chances to win the book and swag!


Monday, July 23 at 8:00 pm CST - Chat with the author Tracey Garvis Graves! We will be chatting with the author on Savor Chat Come join us! (You can sign in with twitter or facebook)

Each day look at #ontheisland on twitter for random shout outs to win books and swag! @Tale_of_Reviews
ON THE ISLAND releases in bookstores Tuesday, July 17th! If you see the book in stores or 'in the wild' take a picture. Please tweet it and use hashtag #ontheisland. Or you can post it to facebook! Please submit twitter and facebook links of your post/tweet here!

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Thursday, July 12, 2012

WINNER!! Summer Reads Giveaway Hop

Congratulations to #89 Dee Dee, winner of the $10 Amazon egift card! Enter to win in the Summer Lovin' Giveaway Hop.

Wednesday, July 11, 2012

Annie's Truth

Annie Beiler seems to have it all—a loving family in a tight-knit Amish community and the affections of an attractive and respected young man. But when she learns that she was adopted after being found as an abandoned newborn, she sets out on a journey to find out who she is.

Her father is strongly against her decision to leave, as it could mean Meidung, or excommunication from the community and even her family. But Annie knows she must find “the path that has her heart.”

As Annie’s search brings her into the fast-paced world of modern life, she is confronted with all of the temptations she was warned of. Can she make her way back to the order and security of her family? Or will she remain an outsider—torn between her two worlds?

My thoughts...

Annie and Hanna Beiler are looking through their hope chests and Annie discovers the actual day of her birth is missing from the Bible her parents gave her. Annie questions her parents and learns she was adopted. Shortly after, against the advice of her parents and the elders, Annie sets out to search for her birth mother. Annie's mother helps her by giving her money and arranging for her to stay with the Glicks, former friends who had been shunned from Annie's very own community. She leaves behind the man she loves and is expected to marry promising she will return one day. College student Rudy Glick assists Annie with her search and starts to have feelings for her. When Annie's search seems to end without results he talks her into staying longer. She is enjoying the things he is showing her and the places he takes her.

When Annie learns the circumstances of her birth she is struck with feelings of uncleanness and unworthiness. She cannot go home and marry John knowing she is unworthy. To make matters worse, when she arrives home she finds her sister and John have been seeing her each other.

What bothers me about the book is when Annie returns home she is expected to do penance for going against the elders. While the Amish believe in forgiveness without questioning the reasons why it struck me as odd that the elders and her own family would hesitate to forgive Annie and judge her by wanting to pronounce punishment.

A delightful read, I finished this book in one day and give it 4 out of 5 stars.

I received a copy of this book free from Charisma House in exchange for an honest review.

Tuesday, July 10, 2012

Summer Lovin' Giveaway Hop

Welcome to the Summer Lovin' Giveaway Hop!

Enter to win $10 Amazon egift card

This hop is hosted by:
I Am a Reader, Not a Writer and Tifferz Book Review

There are over 100 blogs participating and each has their own entry rules and geographic limits, so be sure to read the rules for each one. My giveaway is open internationally. This hop starts July 11th and runs through July 17th, midnight.

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Follow the links to enter to win!

The Widow of Saunders Creek

Corrie Saunders grew up in a life of privilege. But she gave it all up for Jarrod, her Army husband, a man she knew was a hero when she vowed to spend her life with him. She just didn’t expect her hero to sacrifice his life taking on an Iraqi suicide bomber.

Six months after Jarrod’s death, Corrie retreats to the family home her husband inherited deep in the Missouri Ozarks. She doesn’t know how to live without Jarrod—she doesn’t want to. By moving to Saunders Creek and living in a house beloved by him, she hopes that somehow her Jarrod will come back to her.

Something about the house suggests maybe he has. Corrie begins to wonder if she can feel Jarrod’s presence.

Jarrod’s cousin Eli is helping Corrie with the house’s restoration and he knows that his dead cousin is not what Corrie senses. Eli, as a believing man and at odds with his mystically-oriented family members, thinks friendly visits from beyond are hogwash. But he takes spirits with dark intentions seriously. Can he convince Corrie that letting go of Jarrod will lead to finding her footing again— and to the One she can truly put her faith into?

My thoughts...

War widow Corrie Saunders has had enough of living with her wealthy parents. She can't take the pretending that everything is fine, holding back the tears and playing a role to please her mother. Her husband, Jarrod, died six months ago and she hasn't properly grieved, she would do anything to see his smile again. Corrie decides to move to the Ozarks and live in the house her husband had inherited hoping she will feel closer to him.

Once in the house Corrie senses a presence and believes her husband is trying to contact her from the afterlife. Strange things begin to happen -- chairs rocking, doors slamming, things being knocked over-- she tells her handyman, Jarrod's cousin Eli, about it and he is very concerned. There has been a presence in that house since he was a child. As he tries explaining to Corrie about the presence being evil she doesn't believe him. His aunt Trudy is a medium and conducts a seance and things escalate. I won't give away what happens next.

This is a quick-paced read with a good plot, good characters, some eeriness, and romance. I give it 5 out of 5 stars. I received an ecopy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

The Last Hunger Season

About the book...

At 4:00 am, Leonida Wanyama lit a lantern in her house made of sticks and mud. She was up long before the sun to begin her farm work, as usual. But this would be no ordinary day, this second Friday of the new year. This was the day Leonida and a group of smallholder farmers in western Kenya would begin their exodus, as she said, “from misery to Canaan,” the land of milk and honey.

Africa’s smallholder farmers, most of whom are women, know misery. They toil in a time warp, living and working essentially as their forebears did a century ago. With tired seeds, meager soil nutrition, primitive storage facilities, wretched roads, and no capital or credit, they harvest less than one-quarter the yields of Western farmers.

The romantic ideal of African farmers––rural villagers in touch with nature, tending bucolic fields––is in reality a horror scene of malnourished children, backbreaking manual work, and profound hopelessness. Growing food is their driving preoccupation, and still they don’t have enough to feed their families throughout the year. The wanjala––the annual hunger season that can stretch from one month to as many as eight or nine––abides.

But in January 2011, Leonida and her neighbors came together and took the enormous risk of trying to change their lives. Award-winning author and world hunger activist Roger Thurow spent a year with four of them––Leonida Wanyama, Rasoa Wasike, Francis Mamati, and Zipporah Biketi––to intimately chronicle their efforts.

In The Last Hunger Season, he illuminates the profound challenges these farmers and their families face, and follows them through the seasons to see whether, with a little bit of help from a new social enterprise organization called One Acre Fund, they might transcend lives of dire poverty and hunger.

The daily dramas of the farmers’ lives unfold against the backdrop of a looming global challenge: to feed a growing population, world food production must nearly double by 2050. If these farmers succeed, so might we all.


My thoughts...

The Last Hunger Season follows the lives of farming families in Western Kenya in 2011, showing their struggles to feed their families. A tough book to read but very enlightening on the subject of global hunger.

The One Acre fund, founded by Andrew Youn, the son of Korean immigrants to America, provides seeds and fertilizer along with training to show farmers how to become income generating, to grow enough food to feed their families every day. There are successes and failures, hurdles to overcome, and plenty of plain old hard work. Thurow tells of the struggles to save enough maize to sell when the prices go up in order to send their children to school or buy medicines. Malaria is prevalent during the rainy season.

Thurow gives us a greater knowledge about hunger and the solutions to it, the perseverance of farmers to continue during the greatest challenges which are many for the people of Kenya. Most of the farming is left to the women and their desire is to feed their families and give their children opportunies and hope.

I highly recommend this book and give it 5 out of 5 stars.

I received a copy of this book free from The B&B Media Group in exchange for an honest review.

Sunday, July 8, 2012

Submerged by Danni Pettrey

A sabotaged plane. Two dead deep-water divers.

Yancey, Alaska was a quiet town...until the truth of what was hidden in the depths off the coast began to appear.

Bailey Craig vowed never to set foot in Yancey again. She has a past, and a reputation--and Yancey's a small town. She's returned to bury a loved one killed in the plane crash and is determined not to stay even an hour more than necessary. But then dark evidence emerges and Bailey's own expertise becomes invaluable for the case.

Cole McKenna can handle the deep-sea dives and helping the police recover evidence. He can even handle the fact that a murderer has settled in his town and doesn't appear to be moving on. But dealing with the reality of Bailey's reappearance is a tougher challenge. She broke his heart, but she is not the same girl who left Yancey. He let her down, but he's not the same guy she left behind. Can they move beyond the hurts of their pasts and find a future together?

My thoughts...

Pettrey's writing style is exciting. Well developed characters that seem so real. Submerged is action, adventure, mystery, and romance all rolled into one. Throw in the message of redemption and you have excellent Christian fiction.

Due to a tragedy Bailey Craig must return to the small Alaskan town where she grew up, for years she has ran from her past, a past filled with drunken parties and the like. She fears no one will understand her new relationship with Christ.

One of the first people she runs into is Cole McKenna, whom she does not want to see! As it turns out, he has also become a Christian and the two end up spending a lot of time together when they discover a murder has taken place.

A great summer beach read. I give it 5 out of 5 stars.

I received a copy of this book free from Bethany House Publishers in exchange for an honest review.

Saturday, July 7, 2012

Globequake by Wallace Henley

From globalization to the digital revolution, secularization to the great recession, change has never happened so fast and wide and deep as we have seen in recent years. The nature of information and the speed with which it travels is unparalleled, and it is changing our world in seismic ways that reach into every crevice of our lives. It's as if the tectonic plates of society and culture are being torn apart and reshaped right under our feet. We are living through a cultural "GLOBEQUAKE."

How should we respond as families? In business? Through our churches?

With the hope and stability found not on this shifting ground but in the one who created the heavens and earth, says pastor and best-selling author Wallace Henley. Drawing from his experiences in politics and journalism plus his deep biblical knowledge, Henley's analysis is clear, insightful, and thought provoking. There is no alarmist agenda here. Globequake is a well-reasoned guide to navigating the spheres of our lives in a godly manner, even as those spheres wobble on their axes.

My thoughts...

Globequakeis an informative source on what's going on in the world today and Henley backs it up with scripture. Americans are turning their backs on God. He explains how the church can remain calm during the turmoil if we stay in the Word and trust in the Lord. Never give up hope!

Henley tells us how to have confidence in our leadership and gives a plan of action for protecting our children and talks about the effect the church has in the world.

Though I had a hard time getting into the book I give it 4 out of 5 stars.

I received a copy of this book free from The B&B Media Group in exchange for an honest review.

Friday, July 6, 2012

Winner!

Congratulations to mamabunny13 on winning Shelter in the Freedom to Read Giveaway Hop!




Come on over and enter to win a $10 Amazon Gift card in the Summer Reads Giveaway Hop!

Thursday, July 5, 2012

Summer Reads Giveaway Hop

Welcome to the Summer Reads Giveaway Hop!

Enter to win $10 Amazon gift card

This hop is hosted by:
I Am a Reader, Not a Writer and Rex Robot Reviews

There are almost TWO hundred blogs participating and each has their own entry rules and geographic limits, so be sure to read the rules for each one. This hop starts July 6th and runs through July 12th, midnight.

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Visit these blogs for more chances to win!

Tidewater Inn by Colleen Coble


Welcome to Hope Beach

Where the sea breeze is fresh, sun sparkles on sand . . . and trouble appears with the force of a hurricane.

Inheriting a beautiful old hotel on the seaward shore of Hope Island could be a dream come true for Libby. The inn cries out for her restorer’s talent and love of history. She’s delighted to learn of family she never knew she had. And the handsome Coast Guard lieutenant she’s met there on the island could definitely be the man of her dreams.

But Libby soon realizes that only way she can afford the upkeep on the inn is to sell it to developers who are stalking the island. The father who willed her the inn has died before she could meet him, and her newfound brothers and sisters are convinced she’s there to steal their birthright. Worst of all, her best friend and business partner has been kidnapped before her eyes, Libby’s under suspicion for the crime, and her handsome lieutenant clearly doubts her innocence.

Libby’s dream-come-true is becoming a nightmare. Can she find her friend and establish her innocence? Must she sell Tidewater Inn and lose her family again? Or can she find a home for her heart on the beautiful shores of Hope Island?

My thoughts...

Partners Libby and Nicole come to Hope Island to restore several historical building. While there Libby inherits Tidewater Inn from her biological father that had abandoned her. She also learns she has siblings!

Nicole is abducted by two men and the sheriff believes Libby has murdered her, a hurricane hits the island, finances may cause Libby to sell the Inn, and of course a romance, lots of twists and turns in the book that will hold your attention.

Coble writes a good book with strong characters, mystery, adventure, and faith. I give it 4 out of 5 stars.

I received a copy of this book free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Tuesday, July 3, 2012

The Next Best Thing


At twenty-three, Ruth Saunders headed west with her seventy-year-old grandma in tow, hoping to be hired as a television writer. Four years later, she’s hit the jackpot when she gets The Call: the sitcom she wrote, The Next Best Thing, has gotten the green light, and Ruthie’s going to be the show-runner. But her dreams of Hollywood happiness are threatened by demanding actors, number-crunching executives, an unrequited crush on a boss, and her grandmother’s impending nuptials.

Set against the fascinating backdrop of Los Angeles show business culture, with an insider’s ear and eye for writer’s rooms, bad behavior backstage and set politics, Jennifer Weiner’s new novel is a rollicking ride on the Hollywood rollercoaster and a heartfelt story about what it’s like for a young woman to love, and lose, in the land where dreams come true.

My thoughts...

Ruth Sanders wants to be a television writer so she sets off to Hollywood with her grandmother beside her hoping to make it big. It takes a few years but she does get the green light on a sitcom she has written and she is in charge. What she finds on the set is that it's so hard to remain professional while dealing with executives and irate actors. Ruth gets very frustrated with the actors and has a crush on her boss.

This book has steamy love scenes, there's some comedy thrown in. Weiner's characters are a bit on the odd side, not very enjoyable. I wasn't impressed with the plot, the characters, or the steam. I thought it could've been so much better. I give it 2 out of 5 stars.

I received a ecopy of this book free from Simon and Schuster in exchange for an honest review.

Monday, July 2, 2012

Nothing To Hide

This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
Nothing to Hide
Bethany House Publishers (July 1, 2012)

by
J. Mark Bertrand




ABOUT THE AUTHOR:




J. Mark Bertrand lived in Houston, where the series is set, for fifteen years, earning an MFA in Creative Writing at the University of Houston. But after one hurricane too many he left for South Dakota. Mark has been arrested for a crime he didn't commit, was the foreman of one hung jury and served on another that acquitted Vinnie Jones of assault. In 1972, he won an
honorable mention in a child modeling contest, but pursued writing instead.

ABOUT THE BOOK


A grisly homicide. An international threat.
The stakes have never been higher for
Detective Roland March.


The victim's head is missing, but what intrigues Detective Roland March
is the hand. The pointing finger must be a clue--but to what? According
to the FBI, the dead man was an undercover asset tracking the flow of
illegal arms to the Mexican cartels. To protect the operation, they want
March to play along with the cover story. With a little digging, though, he
discovers the Feds are lying. And they're not the only ones.

In an upside-down world of paranoia and conspiracy, March finds himself
dogged by injury and haunted by a tragic failure. Forced to take justice into his own hands, his twisting investigation leads him into the very heart of darkness, leaving March with nothing to lose--and nothing to hide.


If you would like to read the first chapter of Nothing to Hide, go HERE.


My thoughts...

Roland March is investigating a murder, the book opens at the scene where the decapitated body was dumped. No skin on the hands and no marks on the body leave identifying the corpse impossible. His partner is a former nemesis. The two set out to find the missing head. They begin in the direction one of the victim's hands was pointing.

The investigation leads to more questions than answers. Eventually an FBI agent informs March that she knows who the victim is but cannot release his identity as it could lead to the murder of another agent. The rest of the story is for the readers to discover.

With a complicated plot I found the book to be a bit confusing with all the details and police procedures going on way too long, still it was full of secret agents and double agents, action, and adventure with a shocking end.

I give it 4 out of 5 stars.

I received a copy of this book free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Veil of Pearls by MaryLu Tyndall

Be swept away to Charleston of 1811, a city bustling with immigrants like Adalia, who is a runaway slave so light-skinned that no one guesses her past.

Terrified her secret will be discovered, she settles into a quiet life making herbal remedies for a local doctor. But when Morgan, the handsome son of a prominent family, sweeps her into his glamorous world—a world in which the truth about Adalia’s heritage would ruin them both—suspicions and petty jealousies are aroused.

What will Morgan do when he discovers that the woman he has fallen in love with a runaway slave?

My thoughts...

Another great book I've read this week! I loved the characters, especially Adalia. She has such spunk and says what she feels which sometimes brought a chuckle.

I wanted things to work out between her and Morgan so badly, there were many things that kept them apart but he never stopped pursueing Adelia. Many people tried to end their relationship, some in ways that were totally humiliating and degrading to Adalia, but love prevailed!

Tyndall's strong characters came alive, her writing style let me feel the emotions of each. I recommend this book and give it 5 out of 5 stars.

I received an ecopy of this book free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.