Finding the Floor: Games That Teach Kids to Pick Up Their Toys by Cathy Whitford ~ A Review and Giveaway



Cathy Whitford
Nonfiction/Parenting

About the book:

Nothing squelches the warm glow you get from listening to the happy sounds of children playing with their toys faster than thinking ahead to the decidedly unhappy sounds those kids will make when it is time to pick up the toys. Keep the happy sounds (theirs and yours) going with games that make picking up the toys as much fun as playing with them.

If you have a toy-shaped dent in the bottom of your foot because you can't walk across the floor without stepping on something your kids left out, this book is for you. Why rant, rave and nag at your kids to pick up their toys when you can teach them to make tidying up a game? This book provides you with ten fun and easy ways to turn pick up time into play time.Your children will love learning to organize in a more engaging way!

My thoughts:

If you are like most parents you dread the whole pick up the toys dilemma. Getting the kids to clean up after themselves is an important skill for your kids to learn. But it is also a task that could make any normal momma pull her hair out!

What if there were a way to get the job accomplished without all the melt downs? What if there were a way to get the kids to actually clean up and have a good time doing it? Cathy Whitford has come up with ten very clever games that can accomplish the task with a minimum of effort yet a maximum of payoff.

Each game is broken down into steps so that the implementation is easy for the parent. All ten of the games have the same end result . . . a clean space free of toy clutter. Cathy also explains the benefit beyond cleaning of each of the games. For instance, "The Size Game" teaches very young children about the size differences and older children about accomplishment feedback. "The Bossy Game" teaches leadership skills such as delegation and kindness. "The Scavenger Hunt" teaches sorting and reasoning skills.

I can't recommend this little book enough! It is especially wonderful for those of us that have the "It's Just Easier To Do It Myself" mentality. Kids need to be taught at a young age to care for their possessions. (Do we really think that one day they will wake up and suddenly decide to clean up?) Cathy makes the process painless for both the children and the parents. This thoroughly tested group of fun games is a hit!

Purchase a copy for yourself at Amazon.

About the author:


Cathy Whitford lives in Springfield, MO where her seven kids, two dogs, one husband and one granddaughter continue to make messes like the ones that inspired her to create the games in this book.

The Giveaway:

We are pleased to offer one of our readers a copy of the book Finding the Floor: Games That Teach Kids to Pick Up Their Toys. The giveaway is open to U.S. residents and will run through midnight on Monday, July 14, 2014. You must be at least 18 years old to enter. The winner will be contacted by email and will have forty-eight hours to claim the prize. If unclaimed, a new winner will be drawn. The winners’ entries will be verified. Please enter the contest using the Rafflecopter form below. All entries are optional.


a Rafflecopter giveaway


A June Bride by Marybeth Whalen ~ A Contemporary Fiction Review




A June Bride
A Year of Weddings, Book 7
Contemporary Fiction

About the book:

A year's worth of novellas from twelve inspirational romance authors. 
Happily ever after guaranteed.

It takes a reality TV show for Wynne to realize love isn't just a game.

Wynne Hardy never thought she'd get engaged on a reality TV show, but when she met Andy on The Rejection Connection, the two of them hit it off. Now he's asked her to marry him, much to the public's delight and fascination. They're all set to wed on live TV in a seaside ceremony at the height of the wedding season.

But just as Wynne thinks all her dreams are coming true, her ex-boyfriend walks back into her life at the worst possible time. Steve broke her heart years ago, and she's still sorting through her feelings for him. Her heart isn't as clear as her head that it's past time to move on-even though she's engaged to Andy.

At a local TV talk show appearance, Wynne meets Meredith, who won another reality TV show-Marathon Mom-proving herself nothing short of a superhero. As Wynne's beach wedding plans spin out of control, Meredith offers to help, unknowingly stepping on Wynne's secret feelings . . . and exposing some secrets Meredith has been keeping to herself. Can these two reality stars get real about their feelings? Will Wynne go through with her televised wedding and be the perfect June bride the network is looking for?

My thoughts:

Reality TV seems to be all the rage. There are survival shows, cooking shows and the ever-popular dating shows. In A June Bride we get to go behind the scenes of Rejection Connection where Wynne Hardy is the bachelorette looking for a man to replace the one who broke her heart. We join the story right after the show has ended and Wynne has chosen Andy to be her new love. Andy proposed to Wynne on the last episode and she said yes.

Wynne finds herself caught between her real life and her reality show life. Can the two worlds exist together? Can you really be in love with someone that you hardly know? Her family and friends keep cautioning her against it but she just continues to plow ahead. Before she knows it she is on the brink of her storybook wedding. Then she receives a message that changes everything.

The story is fiction of course but it allows us to explore thoughts of what we would do in a similar situation. I enjoyed the unusual theme of this novella. Dating shows and Christian Fiction rarely mix and I thought that Marybeth Whalen did a fantastic job of showing the flaws of  reality TV. When do you reach the point of no return when everyone is watching? Most importantly the story reminds us that no matter what public opinion is we have to be true to ourselves and what we believe.




A Year of Weddings Series

A September Bride by Kathryn Springer
An October Bride by Katie Ganshert
A November Bride by Beth K. Vogt

Appalachian Serenade by Sarah Loudin Thomas ~ A Contemporary Romance Review



An Appalachian Blessings Novella
Contemporary Romance

About the novella:

Delilah Morrissey has always wanted to be a mother, but when she becomes a young widow, that dream now seems farther away than ever. Unable to continue to live alone in Chicago, her only option is to accept her sister's offer to move in with her family back in West Virginia. Will Delilah have the faith to pursue a new dream--even if it means giving up the old?

In this charming novella, debut novelist Sarah Loudin Thomas introduces readers to Wise, West Virginia--a small town nestled in an Appalachian valley where the everyday miracles of life and faith play out in stories of healing, hope, and love.

Includes an excerpt of Miracle in a Dry Season, the first full-length novel in the Appalachian Blessings series--a book New York Times bestselling author Debbie Macomber called, "Wonderful, simply wonderful."

For the present time you can download this novella FREE on AMAZON and BARNES & NOBLE.

My thoughts:

I love a good novella, especially when it sets the stage for a great series. Appalachian Serenade is the story of Delilah and Robert. Delilah is a young childless widow that is forced to move in with her sister and her sister's family in rural West Virginia. Although she is welcome, it is a difficult time to have an extra person in the household. In order to relieve some strain Delilah sets out to find work so that she can contribute to the household.

Robert runs the local dry goods store. It's been in the family forever and Robert enjoys all the interaction with the townsfolk but he begins to think about hiring some help to free him up a bit. Along comes Delilah and before either one of them knows it Robert has offered her a job.  

The job is great but changes are coming that make Delilah consider a home and family of her own. She has always envisioned herself as a mother to several children. She is sure that nothing would make her happier. But what if God has different plans?

Meanwhile, Robert finds himself more and more attracted to Delilah. But Robert has a secret that keeps him from approaching her. He longs to have a wife but can he be content without one if that is what God's plan is?

This is a beautiful story about learning to trust God with everything. His ways are always better and if we will just surrender to what He has for us we will receive so much more than we ever imagined.

I do have a warning for you! At the very end of this novella is an excerpt from the first book in the Appalachian Blessings series, Miracle in a Dry Season. I'm not going to give anything away but I will say that you should be prepared to NEED a copy of this book. No it isn't going to be just a WANT, it will definitely be a NEED!

Connect with the author:

Photo Credit: © Kristen Delliveniri







Dreamtreaders by Wayne Thomas Batson ~ A Young Adult Fantasy Review and Giveaway



Dreamtreaders Trilogy, Book 1
Wayne Thomas Batson
Juvenile Fiction/Fantasy

Back of the book:

SAVING THE WORLD 
ONE DREAM AT A TIME

Fourteen-year-old Archer Keaton is a dreamtreader, one of three people in the entire world destined to defeat evil forces lurking in the Dream. The dreamtreaders' mission is to stop the Nightmare Lord, who terrorizes the dreams of innocent people all over the world. However, Archer's fellow dreamtreaders have gone missing so he's all alone in his fight. And strange sightings in the Dream make Archer think that someone who is not supposed to be there has been trespassing and it's up to him to find and stop the interloper.

But as Archer's adventures in the Dream become more threatening, so too does his waking life. Rigby Thames, the new kid from England, has become popular overnight, and his new group of followers is acting secretive and suspicious. Even Archer's best friend Kara is spending alll of her time with Rigby. Archer can't put his finger on it, but there's more going on with Rigby than meets the eye.

As Archer faces two foes in two worlds, will he be able to quell the nightmares haunting his dreams and reality?

From Jacob's dream of the heavenly stairway in Genesis 28 to angels visiting Joseph's dreams in Matthew 1, dreams have been powerful ingredients of God's plan as revealed through Scripture. This fantasy adventure imagines a whole dream world where God's warriors literally battle evil every night.




My thoughts:

If you have enjoyed C.S. Lewis' Chronicles of Narnia series or Tolkein's Lord of the Rings series, it is probably a fair guess that you are going to like Batson's newest book Dreamtreaders.

In Dreamtreaders we are allowed to explore three different worlds, the Temporal, the Ethereal, and the Dream. The Temporal realm is where all humans dwell during the waking hours. The Ethereal realm is where humanity came from and it is also their ultimate destiny. Finally the Dream realm is the realm between the two.
"Dream is the twilight world intended to remind those dwelling in the Temporal that there is a far better land, a spectacular far-off country, that waits for them in the someday . . . in the plane of the Ethereal."
With the opening scene we are thrust into the Dream with dreamtreader, Archer Keaton. Archer is there just to patch up some breaches but against all directions to the contrary he decides to take on the Nightmare Lord. After a very close call we follow Archer back into the Temporal realm and experience his life with his family, friends and schoolmates.

The story continues to split between the two worlds with action packed scenes filled with important lessons. The characters are fascinating and the switching between the worlds is very plausible in a fantasy type of way. I appreciated how Archer was portrayed. He made mistakes and he fell into temptations of self-will as any typical teenager would. What set this story apart from so many others in the genre, was that Archer corrected and learned from his mistakes. I also appreciated that even though it was a fantasy book it had good Biblical basis that should lead to some great discussions with your middle grade reader.

While science fiction and young adult fiction are not my typical cup of tea, this story kept my attention throughout the entire book. In fact I am looking forward to reading book two when it comes out. I do however, have two areas of caution. First this is a trilogy, so this is not a stand-alone book. You are going to be left hanging at the end so you will need to read the next two books to see this story draw to a conclusion. Secondly, this book is recommended for readers ages eight to twelve. I would have no problem handing this book to my twelve-year-old without pre-reading it. But I'm not so sure about the younger set. There is nothing out-of-bounds about this story (no sex, no cursing, no untoward innuendos) but it does have violent fighting scenes that might be best experienced while reading with an adult.

Connect with the author:



The Giveaway:

We have partnered with Tommy Nelson to offer one of our readers a copy of the book Dreamtreaders. The giveaway is open to U.S. residents and will run through midnight on Tuesday, July 8, 2014. You must be at least 18 years old to enter. The winner will be contacted by email and will have forty-eight hours to claim the prize. If unclaimed, a new winner will be drawn. The winners’ entries will be verified. Please enter the contest using the Rafflecopter form below. All entries are optional.

a Rafflecopter giveaway




2014 Christy Awards Winners


Were you able to catch the Christy Awards live? Me neither! In fact I was in a car driving down the interstate watching the live blog from Tyson Wynn of Wynn-Wynn Media. (By the way they did a fantastic job of making you feel like you had a front row seat.)

It was so exciting to see Davis Bunn emcee the event and then get inducted into the Christy Hall of Fame in honor of his four Christy wins. This is such a well deserved honor for one of my favorite authors.

Here's an interesting bit of information for you:  For the second time in as many years, the Christy for Book of the Year—which debuted in 2013 and showcases the novel that had the greatest impact when placed against a set of criteria that includes literary quality, sales, and life impact—was awarded to a first-time author. The 2014 Christy Book of the Year is Burning Sky by Lori Benton (WaterBrook Multnomah). Benton also received the Christy in the First Novel and Historical categories.

Now on with the rest of the wins!

Contemporary


by Christa Parrish
Thomas Nelson 

A solitary artisan. A legacy of bread-baking. And one secret that could collapse her entire identity.

Liesl McNamara’s life can be described in one word: bread. From her earliest memory, her mother and grandmother passed down the mystery of baking and the importance of this deceptively simple food. And now, as the owner of Wild Rise bake house, Liesl spends every day up to her elbows in dough, nourishing and perfecting her craft.

But the simple life she has cultivated is becoming quite complicated. Her head baker brings his troubled grandson into the bakeshop as an apprentice. Her waitress submits Liesl’s recipes to a popular cable cooking show. And the man who delivers her flour—a single father with strange culinary habits—seems determined to win Liesl’s affection.

When Wild Rise is featured on television, her quiet existence appears a thing of the past. And then a phone call from a woman claiming to be her half-sister forces Liesl to confront long-hidden secrets in her family’s past. With her precious heritage crumbling around her, the baker must make a choice: allow herself to be buried in detachment and remorse, or take a leap of faith into a new life.

Filled with both spiritual and literal nourishment, Stones for Bread provides a feast for the senses from award-winning author Christa Parrish.

Contemporary Romance/Suspense

Dangerous Passage
by Lisa Harris
Revell

She's dedicated her life to ending violence. But has she moved too deep into a treacherous world?

When two Jane Does are killed on the outskirts of Atlanta, Georgia, detective and behavioral specialist Avery North discovers they share something in common--a magnolia tattoo on their shoulders. Suspecting a serial killer, Avery joins forces with medical examiner Jackson Bryant to solve the crimes and prevent another murder. As they venture deep into a sinister criminal world, Avery and Jackson are taken to the very edge of their abilities--and their hearts.

Dangerous Passage exposes a fully realized and frightening world where every layer peeled back reveals more challenges ahead. You'll be hooked from the start.

Contemporary Series

by Susan May Warren
Tyndale House

Darek Christiansen is almost a dream bachelor—oldest son in the large Christiansen clan, heir to their historic Evergreen Lake Resort, and doting father. But he's also wounded and angry since the tragic death of his wife, Felicity. No woman in Deep Haven dares come near.

New assistant county attorney Ivy Madison simply doesn't know any better when she bids on Darek at the charity auction. Nor does she know that when she crafted a plea bargain three years ago to keep Jensen Atwood out of jail and in Deep Haven fulfilling community service, she was releasing the man responsible for Felicity's death. All Ivy knows is that the Christiansens feel like the family she's always longed for. And once she gets past Darek's tough exterior, she finds a man she could spend the rest of her life with. Which scares her almost as much as Darek learning of her involvement in his wife's case.

Caught between new love and old grudges, Darek must decide if he can set aside the past for a future with Ivy—a future more and more at risk as an approaching wildfire threatens to wipe out the Christiansen resort and Deep Haven itself.

First Novel

Burning Sky
by Lori Benton
WaterBrook Multnomah

“I remember the borders of our land, though I have been gone from them nearly half the moons of my life. But who there will remember me? What I have seen, what I have done, it has changed me.

I am the place where two rivers meet, silted with upheaval and loss.

Yet memory of our land is a clear stream. I shall know it as a mother knows the faces of her children. It may be I will find me there.“


Abducted by Mohawk Indians at fourteen and renamed Burning Sky, Willa Obenchain is driven to return to her family’s New York frontier homestead after many years building a life with the People. At the boundary of her father’s property, Willa discovers a wounded Scotsman lying in her path. Feeling obliged to nurse his injuries, the two quickly find much has changed during her twelve-year absence—her childhood home is in disrepair, her missing parents are rumored to be Tories, and the young Richard Waring she once admired is now grown into a man twisted by the horrors of war and claiming ownership of the Obenchain land.

When her Mohawk brother arrives and questions her place in the white world, the cultural divide blurs Willa’s vision. Can she follow Tames-His-Horse back to the People now that she is no longer Burning Sky? And what about Neil MacGregor, the kind and loyal botanist who does not fit into in her plan for a solitary life, yet is now helping her revive her farm? In the aftermath of the Revolutionary War, strong feelings against “savages” abound in the nearby village of Shiloh, leaving Willa’s safety unsure.

Willa is a woman caught between two worlds. As tensions rise, challenging her shielded heart, the woman called Burning Sky must find a new courage--the courage to again risk embracing the blessings the Almighty wants to bestow. Is she brave enough to love again?

Historical

Burning Sky
by Lori Benton
WaterBrook Multnomah

“I remember the borders of our land, though I have been gone from them nearly half the moons of my life. But who there will remember me? What I have seen, what I have done, it has changed me.

I am the place where two rivers meet, silted with upheaval and loss.

Yet memory of our land is a clear stream. I shall know it as a mother knows the faces of her children. It may be I will find me there.“


Abducted by Mohawk Indians at fourteen and renamed Burning Sky, Willa Obenchain is driven to return to her family’s New York frontier homestead after many years building a life with the People. At the boundary of her father’s property, Willa discovers a wounded Scotsman lying in her path. Feeling obliged to nurse his injuries, the two quickly find much has changed during her twelve-year absence—her childhood home is in disrepair, her missing parents are rumored to be Tories, and the young Richard Waring she once admired is now grown into a man twisted by the horrors of war and claiming ownership of the Obenchain land.

When her Mohawk brother arrives and questions her place in the white world, the cultural divide blurs Willa’s vision. Can she follow Tames-His-Horse back to the People now that she is no longer Burning Sky? And what about Neil MacGregor, the kind and loyal botanist who does not fit into in her plan for a solitary life, yet is now helping her revive her farm? In the aftermath of the Revolutionary War, strong feelings against “savages” abound in the nearby village of Shiloh, leaving Willa’s safety unsure.

Willa is a woman caught between two worlds. As tensions rise, challenging her shielded heart, the woman called Burning Sky must find a new courage--the courage to again risk embracing the blessings the Almighty wants to bestow. Is she brave enough to love again?

Historical Romance


Harvest of Gold
by Tessa Afshar
River North

In "Harvest of Gold" (Book 2) the scribe Sarah married Darius, and at times she feels as if she has married the Persian aristocracy, too. There is another point she did not count on in her marriage-Sarah has grown to love her husband. Sarah has wealth, property, honor, and power, but her husband's love still seems unattainable.

Although his mother was an Israelite, Darius remains skeptical that his Jewish wife is the right choice for him, particularly when she conspires with her cousin Nehemiah to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. Ordered to assist in the effort, the couple begins a journey to the homeland of his mother's people. Will the road filled with danger, conflict, and surprising memories, help Darius to see the hand of God at work in his life-and even in his marriage?

A hidden message, treachery, opposition, and a God-given success, will lead to an unlikely bounty.

Suspense

by Ted Dekker
Center Street

The story of how I, Julian Carter, and my precious two-year old son, Stephen, left Atlanta Georgia and found ourselves on a white sailboat, tossed about like a cork on a raging sea off of Australia's northern tip in 1963, is harrowing.

But it pales in comparison to what happened deep in the jungle where I was taken as a slave by a savage tribe unknown to the world. Some places dwell in darkness so deep that even God seems to stay away.

There, my mind was torn in two by the gods of the earth. There, one life ended so another could begin.

Some will say I was a fool for making the choices I made. But they would have done the same. They, too, would have embraced death if they knew what I knew, and saw through my eyes.

My name is Julian and this is my story. But more, it is the story of my son who was born to change the world.

From deep in the impenetrable jungles where New York Times bestselling author Ted Dekker was born and raised, comes OUTLAW, an epic adventure of two worlds that perhaps only he could write. Full of harrowing twists, sweeping violence, and wild love, Outlaw takes us beyond the skin of this world to another unseen.

Visionary

Dragonwitch
by Anne Elisabeth Stengl
Bethany House

Who Will Dare to Face the Dragonwitch?

Submissive to her father's will, Lady Leta of Aiven travels far to meet the future King of the North Country and a prospective husband she neither knows nor loves.

But within the walls of his castle, all is not right. Vicious night terrors plague Lord Alistair. Whispers rise from the family crypt. The reclusive castle Chronicler, Leta's tutor and friend, possesses a secret so dangerous it could cost his life and topple the entire nation.

And far away in a hidden kingdom, a flame burns atop the Citadel of the Living Fire. Acolytes and priestesses serve their goddess to the limits of their lives and deaths. No one is safe while the Dragonwitch searches for the sword that slew her twice...and for the hero who can wield it.



Well there you have it! Some really great reads were nominated and some stellar books were chosen. I hope you get a chance to read several of these titles!

You can always keep up with the Christy's online at www.ChristyAwards.com or on Facebook or Twitter.

Blind Trust by Sandra Orchard ~ A Mystery Book Review



Port Aster Secrets, Book 2
Sandra Orchard
Mystery

Back of the book:

Kate's not sure how deep this deception goes--
but she'll do whatever it takes to find out.

Kate Adams had no idea she was carrying counterfeit money and can't believe that it came from her sweet elderly neighbor. Or that it has landed her in the middle of another of Detective Tom Parker's investigations. Determined to prove her neighbor's innocence, Kate stumbles into a pit of intrigue far deeper than a two-bit counterfeit operation--and one that strikes too close to home for comfort.

As family secrets come to light, her world--and her budding romance with Tom--begin to crumble. To Kate, it's clear that she won't be safe until she uncovers all of Port Aster's secrets. But then will it be too late for her and Tom?

READ AN EXCERPT!

My thoughts:

Stand-alone titles in a fiction series seem to be all the rage. I must admit I like them but I also miss the cliff-hanger endings that leave you anxiously anticipating the next book in the series. Sandra Orchard's Port Aster Secrets has revived that tradition of waiting with baited breath on the next book to come out.

Last year, Deadly Devotion debuted and gave us a thrill ride. There was a murder. There were suspects. The chase was on. The suspect was caught, jailed, tried and convicted. Everything was tied up with a nice big bow . . . well not so fast. 

From the opening pages of Blind Trust we see that what we thought was tied up has come unraveled. Charges have been dropped against the murderer. Kate Adams is livid, but she's also afraid that she will become the target again. What she doesn't suspect is the other looming threats that are surrounding her. She finds out that the people she thought that she could trust were lying to her. Her life is once again in danger but from a different source (maybe). 

Detective Tom Parker continues to have his hands full keeping Kate out of harms way. The biggest obstacle to Kate's safety seems to be Kate herself. When he solves one part of the mystery it seems to only open up more questions about the crime spree that is plaguing Port Aster. 

Once again we are left with more questions than answers. Usually that would drive me crazy but in this instance, the anticipation for the next novel is just delicious. The bad news . . . it doesn't come out until next year. The good news . . . we do have some answers to the questions in Deadly Devotion. But I wonder if everything is as it appears?!! 

Connect with the author:









The Midwife by Jolina Petersheim ~ A Contemporary Fiction Review and Giveaway



Jolina Petersheim
Contemporary Fiction/Mennonite

Back of the book:

THE PAST - Graduate student Beth Winslow was sure she was ready to navigate the challenges of becoming a surrogate. But when early tests indicate possible abnormalities with the baby, Beth is unprepared for the parents' decision to end the pregnancy--and for the fierce love she feels for this unborn child. Desperate, she flees the city and seeks refuge at Hopen Haus, a home for the unwed mothers deep in a Tennessee Mennonite community.

THE PRESENT - As head midwife of Hopen Hous, Rhoda Mummau delivers babies with a confident though stoic ease. Except in rare moments, not even those who work alongside her would guess that each newborn cry, each starry-eyed glance from mother to child, nearly renders a fault through Rhoda's heart, reminding her of a past she has carefully concealed.

Past and present collide when a young woman named Amelia arrives in the sweeping countryside bearing secrets of her own. As Amelia's due date draws near, Rhoda must face her regrets and those she left begind in order for the healing power of love and forgiveness to set them all free.

READ THE FIRST CHAPTER

My thoughts:

I read and enjoyed the author's debut novel The Outcast and I expected to enjoy this book just as much. To say that I enjoyed The Midwife would be a gross understatement. The story just blew me away. If I did not already know that this was only her second novel, I would have never guessed.

I had presupposed that this would be an interesting story about a Mennonite midwife. It was . . . but that was only the tip of the iceberg. The story begins with Beth Winslow. She is a grad student working on her thesis entitled "Solomon's Choice: Finding an Ethical Solution for Remorseful Surrogates". Little did Beth know that she would be living out her thesis. Not only does she become a surrogate, but when the biological parents decide to terminate the pregnancy she's faced with the ethical decision of abortion. 

We next venture into the world of Rhoda Mummau. Many years ago Rhoda converted to the Mennonite lifestyle and eventually became the head midwife at Hopen Hous. Rhoda is a very competent midwife but she has a past that is secret to all but a few and that past has left wounds that go very deep. 

Before long these two seemingly separate lives begin to intertwine and become one. Old wounds are opened and secrets are exposed. There is absolutely no way Beth or Rhoda can come away unscathed. But the interesting thing is that God has a way of exchanging beauty for ashes and the oil of joy for mourning.

I can pretty much guarantee that you will not come away from this novel without lingering thoughts about the situation. You will surely ponder on what you would do in the situations that were presented. Let me leave you with one of my favorite quotes from the book that just continues to resonate with me.

". . . love is not about holding on to someone, but about allowing someone to grow and change and loving them through this never-ending metamorphosis of life that--in the process--sometimes changes us too."

Connect with the author:




The Giveaway:

Let’s be honest . . . a caffeine boost never hurts. For author Jolina Petersheim, it’s especially helpful to have her favorite drink on hand when she’s racing toward a manuscript deadline. In celebration of the release of her sophomore novel, The Midwife, Tyndale’s Crazy4Fiction team would love to enable your caffeine addiction and give you a taste of Jolina’s beautiful prose. For a chance at a $25 Starbucks gift card, an authentic Amish wall hanging, and your choice of Jolina’s novels (either The Outcast or The Midwife), enter through the Rafflecopter widget below.

To hear from Jolina on her go-to caffeine boost, stop by www.crazy4fiction.com.

What about you, readers? What drink of choice kick-starts your creativity and helps you keep moving?

a Rafflecopter giveaway


The Turning by Davis Bunn ~ A Suspense Book Review and Giveaway



Davis Bunn
Suspense

Back of the book:

TAKE THE TURNING
AND WALK THE UNLIKELY ROAD.

A voice. And five dissimilar people knew they were summoned to obey. Against all earthly logic, it carried a divine command--and their unforeseen meeting would result in a challenge to the cultural direction of the nation and wage war against the most powerful and influential industry in North America.

A message. One that asks for a single personal response--a response that can unveil a new realm of moral responsibility and hope. The media frenzy places a spotlight on knowing--and doing--the will of God. How will the group be able to stand against the swelling powers of darkness and greed vying to crush their message of hope?

Can they really hear the voice of God?

Prepare your heart to hear from God; download devotionals and audio teaching at www.TheTurningBook.com.



My thoughts:

One of the central themes of the Gospels is that of hope. Hope that there is more to this life than what is before us. Hope that what we have done in this life can be redeemed for good. Hope that there is life after death. 

But what if you were a non-believer and everything around you screamed that hope was dead? How would you feel? What would it take for you to begin to believe that hope is alive and well?

In his new book The Turning, Davis Bunn explores that very topic. Through the fast-paced style that we have all come to expect we are introduced to Trent Cooper, a virtual nobody who desires to become a somebody. Trent gets his opportunity to dazzle his boss and dazzle he does. His plan is costly but it has the potential to bring the company millions. But what will the true cost be to the company, to society, and to Trent himself?

About the same time Trent is getting his big break, five unrelated people begin to feel the urging of the Holy Spirit. They are each being asked to take an unexpected and in some cases uncomfortable turn in their lives. Each person has a separate story but eventually those separate threads begin to weave together and form a united tapestry. 

Of all the Davis Bunn books that I have read, this is the one that most reminds me of an intense TV drama. The scenes change rapidly and make it where you can't help but turn the page to see what is coming next. Davis has taken the historic theme of good vs. evil and brought it into the modern digital age. His use of all forms of social media and current trends brings to the story a form of reality that is scary. You can't help but see how our world is racing towards this lack of hope. But as with all of his novels, he also provides the answer to the despair that the story encompasses. The answer is hope. Hope in the One that can set you free.

A new aspect with this novel is the follow-up 40 day online devotional and audio files that will help you prepare to hear from God. After reading this thought provoking novel, you can now immerse yourself in learning to discern the voice of God. You will be encouraged to develop a closer relationship and to take the next step of obedience. 

Connect with the author:





The Giveaway:

We have partnered with River North Fiction and Davis Bunn to offer one of our readers a copy of The Turning. If you would like to enter for a chance to win a copy for yourself please use the Rafflecopter form below. The giveaway is open to any U.S. resident age 18 and over.

a Rafflecopter giveaway


Noah and the Mighty Ark by Rhonda Gowler Greene ~ A Children's Book Review


Rhonda Gowler Greene
Illustrated by Margaret Spengler
Juvenile Nonfiction

About the book:

Noah built the mighty ark. Then he called creatures that “crept or crawled or hopped or flew or stomped or tromped, or s-s-slithered too.” Children will love hearing how Noah comforts all the animals on their journey. And parents will easily get into the rhyme and rhythm of this delightfully told Bible story.




My thoughts:

I never get tired of the story of Noah and the building of the ark. It is such an important lesson that we need to teach our children from a very early age. They need to know about God's provision and His promises even in the storms of life.

Rhonda Greene and Margaret Spengler have combined their talents to once again bring this account to life. You are sure to enjoy Rhonda's rhyming verse that explains in detail what took place all those years ago. Margaret's illustrations are bright and colorful and the characters have such sweet facial expressions. 

I appreciated how even the simplest of details about the story were covered. There are details such as the ark being covered in pitch and God Himself shutting the door, that will be important to your children in understanding some of the deeper meanings as they grow older. I can't express how much I love that these things were included and not glossed over. I feel like it is better to teach the story in the correct way from the beginning rather than having to unlearn some things later in life. This is a book that you can trust on the details even though it is a child's storybook.

Connect with the author:



Blog Designed by: NW Designs