I am in here

The minute I laid eyes on this book I knew I would love it! I'd heard Elizabeth and Virginia's story on one of the special interest news stories a while back. So from the small amount I'd learned from that, I was eager to delve further into their story.
Its such a remarkable story, and sheds so much light on not only what its like for the caretakers/parents of autistic children, but also opens up a window to see the struggles and triumphs and heartaches of those who live within the prison of autism.  This is one of those books I read in one sitting, it was well written and interesting, and even more importantly it gave the reader a (small) understanding of the struggles faced because of autism. I found myself cheering along when Elizabeth had her triumphant moments, and mourning with her mother when she found herself in a setback. The book is incredibly inspiring, and I would highly (Very Highly) recommend it, especially to those who would work with any special needs people. This book opens your mind to so much that I didn't previously understand about this condition.

"Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.
Available at your favourite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group".  

Valley of dreams (wild west wind ~ 1)

This was a fantastic book, very adventurous and suspenseful! I think my only complaint would be that I absolutely hated how it ended! I wanted to know so much more! (thankfully this is only book 1 and I'll have the chance to read more about these characters!!)
The main character is Cassie Lockwood, who has spent her life travelling with her family in a wild west show. She is an accomplished shooter who knows exactly what she's doing in the arena. However because of circumstances not of her own choosing she finds herself having to leave the show and make out on her own. With two unusual companions she strikes out to find the valley that her father had found and dreamed about developing. Along the way they have many adventures, some that were filled with blessings and others that were less that happy.
This was a great read. The characters were well written and while they had extraordinary circumstances/living situations they were still believable (which seems to be quite the challenge!) Like I mentioned I wished the book had gone on longer, it was so good I didn't want the story to stop!!

"Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.
Available at your favourite bookseller from Bethany House, a division of Baker Publishing Group".  

A Lasting Impression

 I
I absolutely loved this book, It was very well written and quite entertaining. There were a few moments of surprisingly funny scene's that cracked me up.
The main character was Claire Laurent, who is an aspiring artist, because of her family and their "careers" she was forced to play a part in creating fraudulent art. However as a talented artist Claire yearns for more than just copying. Seeing her chance she begins a new life in a new state and tries hard to hold onto the precarious balance she has in keeping others from finding out about her past.
I very much liked the main character, she was easy to identify with and quite likeable. There was nothing pretentious about her (which I find to sometimes be a problem especially in Christian fiction when the authors strive to emphasize the 'goodness' of the character) the character was naturally likeable.
I 100% recommend this book, it is well worth the read!

"Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.
Available at your favourite bookseller from Bethany House, a division of Baker Publishing Group".  

The Resolution for Men

"This book is an unapologetic call for men to live courageously for their faith and their families. it is designed to strategically challenge you to become the man God created you to be."
I gave this book a quick read through, and garnered a lot from it, but I'm even more excited to have my husband read through it. I think he'll get so much out of it, I'm not a man and I received so much for it, so I know he'll love it!
I assume the author will receive some flack for this book, it's very much a book about men stepping up and giving direction and leadership in the spiritual lives of their families. (and I 100% agree with the book) our world right now is so much about pushing aside gender "roles" and almost forcing our men to take a back seat while pushing the women to step into roles that some are just not comfortable with.
I strongly believe that right now many churches lack this balance of having masculine leadership in the church (and don't get me wrong, I don't have issues with female leaders or pastors). I  highly recommend this book!

"Book has been provided courtesy of David C Cook and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.
Available at your favourite bookseller from B&H Publishing Group".  

The Resolution for Women

I loved the book "The Love Dare" so when I had the opportunity to read a book that was written (in partnership) with the creators of "The love dare" I jumped at the chance!
The book basically (and this is a very basic description!) focuses on resolving to become "Purposefully feminine, surprisingly satisfied, and faithfully His."
I especially loved the section on being "Purposefully feminine", I'm always a bit weary of books that try to let people know how women ought to behave or live, etc... I'm not the type of person who fits into stereotypes well. Thankfully, this book is absolutely the opposite of that. It isn't telling women what they ought not be doing, but instead is giving "permission" in a way for women to be uniquely themselves. The world seems so set on forcing women to lose their femininity, that if you embrace a traditional type of lifestyle, its almost frowned upon. So I love the fact that this book is opening up the discussions to get women talking about and thinking about who exactly they are in Christ.
I know I'll be sharing about this book with our women's group, and highly recommending it to any woman!

"Book has been provided courtesy of David C Cook and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.
Available at your favourite bookseller from B&H Publishing Group".  

Courageous Living: Dare to take a stand

"We each have a choice: We can be average or exceptional. We can play at church, or we can be radical for Christ. We can base our lives on the worlds's standards of success, or we can dig in the Bible and ask God to show us where He wants us to live and who He wants us to be."
This basically sums up what this book is about, its about living courageously, not just settling for good enough. The book is full of stories of others who have lived courageously, who when given the opportunity to sit back and let life go by they instead took the initiative to live radically the way that Christ calls us to!
I absolutely love this book, it's so inspirational!! I love that the author (Michael Catt) gives us both examples from the Bible of courageous living, as well as modern day stories from real people. i think the book has a great balance of biblical backing, yet is a fascinating read as well!
I highly recommend this book! I think this one will be one of those life changing books, once you've read it you can't just go back to living just that average life!

"Book has been provided courtesy of David C Cook and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.
Available at your favourite bookseller from B&H Publishing Group". 

The Names of God Bible

I am absolutely in love with this Bible, it has now replaced my regular Bible as the one I use for both my personal devotions and Church! I love that it uses the original names (From both Greek and Hebrew) and also gives the meaning of the names of God! I'm finding that I'm garnering so much more insight from my devotions simply because of them using the original distinct names of God in the different passages! I love seeing how the Bible passages open up a new level of understanding when we're seeing the original name of God used. It gives such depth to what we're reading! Plus I also love the "devotionals" (not necessarily your standard devotional, but more like a lesson on God's different names!)

For the past while now I've been on a big kick to learn the different names of God and where in Scripture they're originally used. I had a hard time finding good resources for this. So I was beyond happy to have reviewed this Bible, the language is clear and easy to understand. There are just so many great things about this Bible! I highly recommend it!

"Bible has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.
Available at your favourite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group".  

My Favorite Bible

This is an adorable Bible! First of all the illustrations are well done,  they're colorful and full of "action" it really keeps the kids attention! Also I really loved how clear this Bible is in explaining the Bible stories to children. Its in an easy to understand language, and presents the Word of God in a straightforward and simple way!
I think my favorite part though is at the very end of it. Where it out lines salvation to the reader. As someone who works within a children's ministry I think that the materials for explaining salvation in simple terms is horribly lacking. This book I think is not only going to be interesting for the small kids to read, but it's a valuable resource for those who are teaching as well!!
Highly Recommend!

"Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.
Available at your favourite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group".  

Nearing Home: Life, Faith, and finishing well

I am such a huge fan of Billy Graham, he is one of the few evangelists who manage to stay on course once they begin to garner a large amount of the public's attention. In a time where many public evangelists are not living what they're preaching, its such an encouragement to see him remaining so faithful and faith-filled! I've read many of Billy Graham's books and immensely enjoyed them, so I had some pretty big expectations when I started this book! In his book "Nearing Home" Billy Graham seems to be using a more conversational tone, which  I really enjoyed. Reading this book was very much like sitting down seeking advice with a beloved friend! As a younger adult (can being in my 30's still be considered a younger adult? lol) I'm not in the dilemma that parts of the book speak about. However I found the advice still to be so insightful and tactful. He lovingly suggests ways to be respectful to those who are at the nearing home time of their lives, and he gives insights on how we can still help take care of them without taking over them.
I loved this book, its a message that I think our younger generations need to take to heart.
I highly recommend!!

"Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.
Available at your favourite bookseller from Bethany House, a division of Baker Publishing Group". 

Journey to Christmas

 I have to confess, I'm a giant nerd, especially when it comes to anything that even resembles a documentary! This movie (to me) felt much more like a documentary than a Bible study, (which was one of the reasons I liked it so much!) I love Bible studies that are full of knowledge (by all means, I think we need the emotional/how to apply to our lives type Bible studies, and I do enjoy them every once in a while) where reading them or seeing them helps me to leave knowing more than when I started. I have to confess something else here too, I planned on reviewing it over a few days, but ended up watching the entire thing in one day. I loved it, the scenery was stunning, the quality of this film is fantastic!
This film takes us on the journey of five "modern day explorers" Who travel to the Holy land to learn more about Jesus' birth. One thing I very much loved about this Bible study is that it gives us so many different perspectives! I loved hearing what each of the five explorers thought or how they interpreted personally what they were seeing and learning.
It's a little too late in the year for me to share this with our ladies group this year, but I know what our Bible Study will be for next year! Fantastic!!

Remembering Christmas

I don't think I can even begin to describe how much I truly enjoy and love the books that Dan Walsh writes. I make it a point when I visit book stores to keep a look out for his books, they're just that good!!
And this book doesn't disappoint either, it was fantastic! It was a bit unusual for a Christmas book in the way that it doesn't start out with your typical settings or characters (but that however is one of the reasons I love his books!!)
The main character is Rick Denten who is "forced" to return home when his step-father is rushed to the hospital with a stroke. His mother needs someone to run the family store, and Rick is the only one she is able to turn too. Rick is a lawyer for a large and growing firm, and while he grew up with some church upbringing, he's walked away from that (in a way) for the temptation of power and wealth.
There are so many twists and turns in this book, nothing is what you'd expect from a Christmas novel! I highly recommend this book!!

"Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.
Available at your favourite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group".  

The Christmas Shoppe

I'm struggling with this book, while it was well written and I adore Melody Carlson's books, this was far too much like Stephen Kings "Needful things" book (Minus the sinister element of course). The shoppe is opened by a woman resembling a bag lady who seems to be trying to run a second hand shop, and resembles nothing of Christmas, or a shop that would sell Christmas items. However as time goes on the town begins to find that the shoppe holds a special item for each of them, and their faith is increased and their pasts forgiven.
I really do want to give this a great review, and for the most part it was so well done. Melody Carlson is an author I've read many times and her books are wonderful, full of sentiment and so heartwarming. A perfect book for Christmas! However I just can't get past the idea that this book wasn't as "original" as her books tend to be. (and don't get me wrong, I highly recommend this author, she is a wonderful writer and her books are fantastic.) But for those who haven't read "needful things" they'll probably thoroughly enjoy the book. (And I did enjoy it despite of some of my misgivings.)

"Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.
Available at your favourite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group".  

A Lancaster County Christmas

I search and snatch up any and every Suzanne Woods Fisher books I can find, she's the author I read when I was first introduced to Amish fiction, and it was love at first read!
Mattie Reihl is struggling with issues of fertility and while at a doctor's office her son befriends another woman in the waiting room. What at first seemed like a mismatch of personalities, the women (after a few unfortunate circumstances) find that they are both exactly what the other one needed! When forced to spend time together the women form a bond and a strong friendship develops. As the story goes on we're able to see both women grow in their faith (and into faith) .
With their simple faith and simple ways, I was reminded again why I love reading about the Amish so much.
I highly recommend this author and her books!

"Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.
Available at your favourite bookseller from Bethany House, a division of Baker Publishing Group"

Wonderland Creek

I adored this book, it had absolutely everything in it that I love reading about. I love reading about strong female characters and reading a story with a good adventure. (Especially if its in a unusual circumstance.)
Again, Lynn Austin is one of the authors that I enjoy reading, her books are just the type of story that really hits home with me!
The lead character in this book is Alice Ripley, a laid off librarian who unwittingly takes the trip of a lifetime when she decides to volunteer to drop off donated books to a poor mining town in Kentucky. As she arrives she finds that nothing is how she expected it, from the librarian to the rest of the town. Having to stay for at least a few weeks she tries to make the best of the situation. However when the librarian is shot, she is forced to take on way more responsibility then she was prepared too, along with the care of an elderly woman.
This book was fantastic, it was full of adventure and intrigue, I think my only complaint would be that it ended way too soon! I so wanted to read more about the characters in the book!!


"Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc. 
Available at your favorite bookseller from Bethany House, a division of Baker Publishing Group"

Love on the line

I had read Deeanne Gist's book "Maid to match" a while back and thoroughly enjoyed it, so I was pretty excited to have a chance to review another one of her books! I've found with Gist's books that while they do have that "romantic" aspect to them they are also filled with adventure and humor, so it's a very well rounded book for a picky reader!

The book focuses on one of the main characters Georgie Gail who is very much a feminist in a time where its not too popular to be one. She works as a telephone switchboard operator and has a passion for birds!  Her life hits an exciting moment when the train she is riding on is robbed by a famous criminal who seems too good to be true. An undercover officer (unbeknownst to Georgie) shows up to fill the position of lineman and from then on Georgies life begins to take some wide turns. From having to work with a man who doesn't necessarily agree with her feminist ideas to fight her growing admiration and attraction for him, Georgie finds herself struggling.

I enjoyed this book, it was witty and humerus, which I always appreciate, plus it was very well written. 

"Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.
Available at your favourite bookseller from Bethany House, a division of Baker Publishing Group"

The Love & Respect Experience A Husband-Friendly Devotional that Wives Truly Love

I loved the book from first sight, (even without reading it!) the book looks gorgeous!! When I started reading (on my own at first) the book, I already found myself hooked before I even showed my husband! The language of the book is simple to understand, the author uses the "everyday" kind of language and seem to actually be trying to help enrich couple's rather than trying to prove their own intelligence! Since (especially in this kind of genre) most books seem to struggle with that, I very much appreciate the straight forward approach of this one! I love that it's a 52 section devotional, I don't feel pressure in that I need only to find time once a week to read with my spouse.
Now, when I first showed it to my husband, he was  hesitant, we're book opposites, especially when it comes to what we like. However after I convinced him to even just read the info, he was ok with sitting down with me and going through the book. We both are enjoying it (I've read ahead through it on my own, just so I knew what the book was about before trying to do a devotional with my husband!!) as time goes on. Plus I'm finding that now that I'm going through it a second time, I'm garnering even more from it!
I really recommend this book!!

"Book has been provided courtesy of Thomas Nelson and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.
Available at your favourite bookseller from Thomas Nelson"

Whole

 I received this book from Tyndale Media Center for the purpose of reviewing it, My reviews are based solely on my opinion and I am not required to give a good review!

 This book came at a real opportune time for me, I think we all go through those times where we feel that we have a significant "hole" missing or that something that ought to be there isn't. I honestly didn't have really big expectations for this book, I've read too many that give simple cop outs as to why the reader doesn't measure of and is there for "missing" being whole. I'm glad however to know that this book was so much more than that. Lisa Whittle showed a lot of vulnerability in what she wrote about her personal life struggles, and I'm very impressed that she was willing to get that vulnerable in order to connect with the reader.
As someone who is involved with leadership in churches (My husband is a Pastor) I am really weary about books that like to point out all the ways that the church has "failed" them. I tend to feel defensive about this, as I feel that while churches do try to work towards helping people and being there for people, we are also human and there for imperfect. So when I started reading about the way that her (Whittle's) church "Failed" her I was rather weary and a bit defensive at first. However, that feeling didn't last. Whittle was honest in her approach, and while acknowledging where the church fell short, she didn't play the blame game and belittle/criticize her leadership.
I like this book a lot, and in fact have recommended it for our leadership in the church. I think it will be a valuable resource for our leadership team, as well as a great tool for our congregation!

Deadly Pursuit

I love reading series, so I'm always excited to get a book from an author I know, and then to find out that I can read more about the characters after the first book is done!
I enjoy Irene Hannon's books, they're thought provoking, fully of mystery and suspense, and also hold a strong element of faith. Her books promote her characters' faith without coming across as preachy or self-righteous, and even though it's a work of fiction I was glad to see that she had some good theological idea's presented in the book!
The book is about Alison Taylor and her struggles after being involved in a very serious car accident, struggling to heal, and then struggling to return and do well at a job she loves. After helping a young mom and her son leave a dangerous situation Alison suddenly finds herself the focus of some very dangerous unwanted attention. After receiving mysterious phone calls and frightening packages Alison brings in her two brothers (Who happen to be federal agents) to help her out. With their help comes the help of a new agent, who Alison finds herself spending more and more time with.
I enjoyed this book, it was well written, had great flow and was full of suspense! It was one ofthose books that you struggle to put down until the end!

"Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.


Available at your favourite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group".

The measure of Katie Calloway

 This book is exactly the type of book I love reading, anything that has a historical element to it is right up my alley! Plus with this book being set in an almost "frontier" type setting and showing the struggles of everyday life I found myself very intrigued!
Pretty much the book focuses on Katie Calloway, and her attempt to save herself and her younger brother from her abusive and mentally unstable husband. After an extremely frightening incident Katie finally decides to find a way away from her husband and into a relatively safe situation.
After a series of events she finds herself brought on as a cook for a logging group deep in the woods (which suits her fine, since she was still hiding from her husband). Throughout the book we read about her struggles as she learns to cook for a large group of strangers, the struggles she has to get along with other "staff" and the friendships that develop in the midst of it all.
I loved this book, it was fantastic and thoroughly believable! I would highly recommend it!!

"Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.


Available at your favourite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group".

A Necessary Deception

 This book had a great quality to it, I was easily able to identify with the main character and her struggles of feeling like what she's done and is doing isn't good enough, and that she has to work to make up for her past mistakes. I think that's a theme that many women struggle with and this book really brought them out in an identifiable and compassionate way!
Lady Lydia Gale is struggling to make up to her deceased husband for not being the wife she thought she should have been. So upon a letter written to her from him, she uses one of her last "remembrances" from him to purchase the freedom of a french prisoner. Upon his release she finds herself thrown into a world that she never wanted a part of, and has no idea how to get out of! In the midst of this she is also struggling to please her father who had not wanted her to marry her former husband, and is trying to win back his approval.
This book was a fantastic read, it was well written and had a great flow, which made the reading of it enjoyable. But also, it was realistic in the way that what the characters were feeling was something that most women can identify with!
I highly recommend this book!

"Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.


Available at your favourite bookseller from Chosen, a division of Baker Publishing Group".

Behind the veils of Yemen

 This book was so different from what I had expected! I had expected Shelby's story to be typical of other missionary biographies, which seem to me are full of exaggerated accomplishments and share absolutely none of their struggles (other than the once in a while mundane worry, but nothing life effecting!)
I'm so glad that I was given a chance to read this book and that it held none of what I had expected it to hold! Shelby's story wasn't just about what she accomplished while in Yemen, but shared her struggles, (Physical and mental), sometimes her crises of faith, and just the daily struggle it was to walk in faith in a land that punishes that faith!
I really liked this book, it wasn't typical of the missionary biographies you see out there, it not only encouraged others in their faith, shared with them in their struggles, but it also really painted a strong picture of the "humanness" of missionaries.

"Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.


Available at your favourite bookseller from Chosen, a division of Baker Publishing Group".

Miracles are for Real

 This is one of those books that not only is it well written and intelligent, but it's life changing as well. I think all of us struggle with the idea of miracles at times. Whether its that we're doubting that miracles could happen for us, or struggling with the idea that God's answer to our pleas for miracles aren't always what we want or expect.
There are times that books of this type (dealing with a specific aspect of our faith, and something that many struggle with) tend to take on an accusatory tone or take a simple way out by blaming the reader rather than providing any level of knowledge or insight. I'm so glad to see that this book stayed well away from that kind of tone! While the authors didn't shy away from the hard questions, they also answered them with compassion and insight instead of taking the "easy way out" and passing the blame onto the reader.
This is one of those few books that will hold a special place on my book shelf, and has already become well read! I will be recommending this book to anyone and everyone I meet!!

"Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.


Available at your favourite bookseller from Bethany House, a division of Baker Publishing Group".

House of Secrets

 I really enjoyed this book, it wasn't so much of a romance (Which I appreciated, lol, although it did have "romantic" aspects to it at times) and actually had quite a bit of depth. Its something that I really appreciate about this author, that she has this ability to really give dept and a very believeable personality to her characters! I love reading books by Tracie Peterson!
Basically this story revolves around Bailee Cooper and her two sisters who she is sharing a very serioious secret with. After he father asks the family to meet at their old cabin, she assumes all the secrets will be coming to light. Dealing with the burden and effects of keeping such a serious secret all these years, we read about Bailee's struggles as she faces a new relationship and new circumstances!
This was a pretty great story, I enjoyed it and found it to be really though provoking and challenging! (which is exactly the type of book I love to read!) I appreciate it when a good book (especially a good fiction book) offers a challenge to their readers! Even though the story was fiction, it was still full of life lessons for the reader!
I highly recommend this book!

"Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.


Available at your favourite bookseller from Bethany House, a division of Baker Publishing Group".

The Christmas note

I love these type of books, Heartwarming stories that seem to bring out the best in people, and it's perfect for the Christmas season!
The book focuses around Gretchen McCray and a young woman name Melissa, Gretchen moves into an apartment complex to be close to her elderly mother and meets her new neighbor Melissa, who seem either uncaring or horribly shy! After Melissa's mother passes away Gretchen offers to help her clean out the apartment, but no one is prepared for what happens next!!
While the book is a really heart warming book, I also enjoyed that it had bits of suspense and mystery! The writing was well done and the book had a great flow! I would highly recommend this book!!

NO wonder they call Him Savior

I love reading books by Max Lucado, he has some fantastic insight into the Scriptures and nature of God. I always come away feeling encouraged, empowered, and faith filled!
This book was no exception and one of those books that I'll be picking up for friends and new converts at our church. It was such a good book that really gets to the heart of why Jesus deserves our devotion, and admiration and love. We get taken on a journey of Jesus from the cross to the ressurrection, we see Jesus' stark honesty in the the Garden of Gethsemane and celebrate his ressurection in the tomb! Really this book meant so much to me, as Christians, (especially long time Christians) sometimes our faith tends to get stale and we forget the gloriousness of what Jesus did for us. We forget how absolutely astonishing and wonderous Jesus truly is. This book reminds us of that.
I love this book, I highly recommend it!!

Stuck

I loved the idea of this Bible study when it was first offered up for review, as someone in leadership in our women's ministry, I like to check out new resources and find that I'm really enjoying the dvd based studies. They not only give the information, but when paired with the work book give us a chance to apply it to our lives and have it open to discussion.
I like this Bible study, I found it really easy to follow and it was interesting (which I find sometimes many of these "group" type studies lack).  All of us have struggles in our lives and moments where we find ourselves stuck in those places. The Bible studies in this series not only acknowledge the fact that we can and will experience these times, but it almost gives us the freedom to not feel condemned for feeling them! But more than that, it also gave easy to use and valuable tools to get out of those stuck moments in your life! I loved this Bible study, I learned so much from it!! I highly recommend it!!

"Samplers of the Book and DVD have been provided courtesy of Thomas Nelson and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc. DVD-Based Study available October 2011 at your favourite bookseller from Thomas Nelson".  

A Confident heart

I usually start out these reviews for devotional/self help books by saying how I normally don't like them, but I'm thinking I may just have to eat my words, lol. The last few books I've read have been fantastic, and this book "A confident heart" was no exception!
I think in this day an age when there's so much confusion about religion and who we are in Christ that books like this are so important!
I really enjoyed reading this book, but more than that, I found myself really benefiting from the read as well. What I appreciated most I think is that the author didn't try to give a specific "formula" or mold that people needed to fit into in order to be living "God's way". I tend to have a personality that is nothing like the proverbs 31 woman, so I struggle often trying to understand how I and my personality work within my Christian walk. I loved that the author gave us the freedom to know that our personalities are God-given too, and left it open enough that there wasn't a feeling of having to assimilate in order to be "right". But also, we weren't (in the book) allowed to use that as an excuse to not move forward in our walk, or to become more like the person Christ wants us to be. I loved the concept she introduced of seeing beyond who you are to who you are becoming in Christ. How powerful!!
Again, this will be a book I'll be recommending to my women's group! I think so many will benefit from reading this book!!

"Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.


Available at your favourite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group".

The Colonel's lady

I love historical novels especially when they have a strong female as a lead character, so this book was right up my alley!
I've read a few other Laura Frantz novels and have enjoyed every one of them, so I had big expectations for this one as well!
The book is about Roxanna Rowan and after circumstances necessitate it for her to join her father in a remote Kentucky fort, she travels and faces danger at every turn only to find that her father has been killed. With no where else to go she is forced to remain on at the fort and find ways to keep herself and the women she travelled with busy. As she makes friends with many at the fort, she also finds herself drawn to the Colonel, who is hiding a secret that could devastate her.
I really enjoyed this book, it was well written and had a really easy style to read. The Characters in the book had a lot of depth to them, which I really appreciate And over all it was very entertaining. It didn't read like a "romance" novel but contained enough adventure and danger to make it appeal to a wide range of readers!!
I highly recommend it!!
"Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.


Available at your favourite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group".

Amish values for Your family

I love reading about the Amish, so I figured I would really enjoy a book that shows us what we can learn from their simple lifestyle!
I very much respect the way that the Amish raise their children, it isn't often you hear of Amish children getting into too much trouble. I enjoyed reading about how much they value their family time, not just the quantity of it, but also the quality as well! One thing I really appreciate was how they are determined to follow God and place that example before their kids. By being so determined to follow what they believe is the lifestyle God has for them, they are setting a great example of faith, integrity and hard work for their children.
There was so much in the book that is easily adaptable into the general population (the non-Amish)
There were some great ideas and concepts presented that while they should be common sense, it seems like too many overlook them. (Like spending time with your children. If your not spending time with them and helping mould them, then someone else will!)
Great book that I highly recommend!!

"Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.


Available at your favourite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group".

A most Unsuitable match

I LOVED this book. IT was not at all what I had expected when I picked it up! I had figured most of it was just be a story of blossoming romance between two unlikely figures. But it was so much more! The book was full of adventure, suspense and humour. The main character was written well and I found her while sometimes naive to also have strength of character and a willingness to adapt. I really enjoyed reading this book, my favorite types of books are historical fiction, and especially ones where people are traveling to more "frontier" type places.
This book was great, well written, excellent flow and very entertaining! I'd highly recommend this book, regardless of what type of books  you like to read, this has something in it for everyone!!

"Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.


Available at your favourite bookseller from Bethany House, a division of Baker Publishing Group".

Out of Control

While I enjoyed the book and found it quite entertaining I had a really difficult time liking one of the main characters. Julia Gilliland (The female main character) was too flippiant for me. I found her character (While was written in depth and the author gave her a form of "depth) was a little too shallow in her behavior. I know at the time that the book was set in, it was a very difficult time for women to have any form of respect and rights. So I understand the reasoning behind the characters actions. But I also found her too self-centered and flippiant about the danger she put others in, or the pain she was causing them by her wants and actions.
However like I said I really enjoyed the book still (Which I think is a great indicator of a good book. When you can dislike a character but still have a book that is entertaining and enjoyable)
It was a great book, and I would without a doubt recommend this!!

"Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.


Available at your favourite bookseller from Bethany House, a division of Baker Publishing Group".

Everything the Bible says about Heaven

I liked the idea of this book right when I heard about it. There are so many misconceptions out there about heaven and people tend to take the topic of heaven and "Develop" it on feelings rather than actual fact or looking into God's word to see what it says. So right away, I was glad that someone came out with a book that would let people know exactly what the Bible DOES say about heaven.
I enjoyed the book. I found it quite informative and just really like how nicely all of it was laid out. The Scriptures given paired with the commentary really helped to clarify and give an easier understanding of what the Bible does say about heaven.
I think eveyone should read this book, Christian or non-Christian, the book clears up misconceptions and lays out in easy to understand way exactly what the Bible does say about heaven. This will be one of those books that I'll be recommending our church pick up to give out to new believers. It will be a great tool in both the church and personal life.

"Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.


Available at your favourite bookseller from Bethany House, a division of Baker Publishing Group".

Jesus, My Father, the CIA, and me

The book was not really what I expected, and I'm torn a bit on liking it or not. I enjoyed Cron's humour throughout the book, I think he took a really rough life situation and has used it to reach out to others, which I really respect. The part however that bothers me is how much "blame" (I don't like to use that word, but can't think of one that aptly fits) he puts on his father for his problems in adulthood. I'm a big believer that regardless of upbringing we are all responsible for our own actions and choices. And that to blame others is a cop out.
I did enjoy the book in the sense that I do like Cron's writing style and humour, its a style that I enjoy reading. I hate to say it "entertained me" just because it was a book of some one's painful memories, but I did find the writing entertaining in a sense. For that reason I probably would recommend this book to others. It was quite well written and had great flow. And again, I really enjoyed the humour of the author.

"Book has been provided courtesy of Thomas Nelson and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.


Available at your favourite bookseller from Thomas Nelson".

Project Dad

I"m not ususally a huge fan of self help books, I find them to often be too unrealistic in their approach or they use just common sense ideas that everyone ought to know already. Fortunately this book was nothing like that! I actually really enjoyed reading this book and then passed it on to my husband to read. Both of us thouroughly enjoyed the book and got a lot out of it! I found that the book wasn't so much of a "This is how you ought to parent" type books, but more of a book encouraging fathers to be the best they can be. I loved the section talking about the impact of a father's word on their children. I thin its such an important thing, and am really glad that the book addressed it!!!
I would truly recommend this book for anyone looking to improve their relationship with their children. (Even if you're not a Dad, I think that Mom's would get so much out of this book too!!!

"Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.


Available at your favourite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group".

The Queen

This is the second book I've read by Steven James in the Patrick Bowers series and I'm beginning to become a fan!

The book was full of suspense and a really great read! Patrick Bowers is leading a team trying to find the killer (or killers) of a small town family. Suddenly what looked like an easy case starts taking some big twists and those who they initially thought were guilty seem to be the innocent ones!

This was fantastic! I was guessing straight till the end of the book and was on the edge of my seat till the last page! (Seriously I stayed up till 2 in the morning to finish this book, lol, I just couldn't put it down)

"Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.

Available at your favourite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group".

Have a new teenager by friday

 

I don't have a teenager but boy did I find this book helpful!!! I have a 9 year old son and some days I think he's aged a few years and straight into the the whole teenage attitude!

Dr. Leman gave so many  useful insights and tool to connect to your kids and begin to get them to see the need and use for showing respect. I loved so much of what was written, I found most was just common sense that although we "should" know it, we tend to forget! I loved how willing he was to just be forthright and completely unshy about getting into the really gritty areas of parenting!

I enjoyed this book and once I finished reading it I handed it straight over to my husband, lol, it had some great advice for how parents are treating each other as well as their children!!
I very much recommend this book!!!

"Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.

Available at your favourite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group".

Grace for the good girl

I surprisingly found myself really enjoying this book! I get weary of a lot of the self-help books out there that seem to be more about excusing lifestyles/behaviors than truly helping someone live a grace filled and glorifying life in God. This book however was filled with some great insight and practical and useful ways to apply Biblical principles to your life.

I think as women we seem to fall into that "Proverbs 31" mentality that we need to do it all in order to be the kind of women that God wants. (And I don't fit into that mold, lol).  Freeman essentally gives scripture and insight and releases women from this trap of not only trying to keep everything together but also doing it with a bright smile and sunny disposition. We're given the right to know that we don't have to have everything together, it's ok if we're a bit of a mess (or even a large mess, lol). We have grace and we have a God who loves us no matter where we are in our lives!

I loved this book and will be recommending it to our ladies group and pretty much any woman I meet, it was that good!!

"Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.

Available at your favourite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group".

Wings of a dream

I LOVED this book, I love historical books so I was qutie eager to be reading this one as well! The book had a great flow, and enough suspense and twist that it kept me quite entertained right to the end.
the book focuses on Rebekah Hendricks, when Rebekah learns of her aunt falling ill she sets out to take care of her for a short while. When she gets there she's suprised to find that her aunt is caring for a group of children who's father is away in war and who's mother passed away. Rebekah takes on the responsibility of caring for the children until their father is home and begins to settle in to the little family.
I really enjoyed this book, while it had some romance aspects to it, it wasn't overly in there and it wasn't corny either so I vey much liked reading this! I highly HIGHLY recommend it!

"Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.


Available at your favourite bookseller from Bethany House, a division of Baker Publishing Group".

The doctor's lady

In all honesty, I'm a little torn on this book. There were many parts I liked and all in all it was a highly enjoyable book. However one of the main characters (the Doctor) I had a hard time liking him! I found him arrogant and condescending a lot of the time. But I also realize that those kinds of attitudes towards women were quite common to the time so the author stuck quite true to the historical period I suppose!
The novel focuses on Priscilla White and her desire to become a missionary and serve in India. When she's told by the missions board that she'll need to be married in order to become a missionary she finds herself forced to marry into somewhat of a "business arrangement". We read all about her struggles and the difficulties of being among the first women to make their way into the west.
Over all I did like the book and look forward to reading more from this author!

"Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.

To have and to hold

I've read books by both Tracie Peterson and Judith Miller before so I had some high expectations for this book and I was glad it didn't disappoint!
The story mostly centers around Audrey Cunningham and her father who moved back to their ancestral home on  Bridal veil island. Unbeknownst to them their Aunt had fallen behind on her taxes and Audrey's father kept this to himself till it seem too late. With a large debt looming over them and the prospect of loosing the family home Audrey readies herself for work. With a few twists of events and a sale of a portion of the island they find a way to keep their Island and bring in extra money. When someone on the island starts sabotaging the buildings it begins to put everyone involved on the project in danger.
The book was full of twists and quite enjoyable. I very much enjoyed this and would highly recommend it!

"Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.


Available at your favourite bookseller from Bethany House, a division of Baker Publishing Group".

The Relms thereunder

I have to start out by saying, that I was rather unsure of this book at first. I found the first few chapters rather confusing and hard to follow. However once I picked up on the flow and layout of the book I was really able to enjoy it! By the end of the book I was absolutely in love with it and Cannot wait to read any sequels!
The story begins with two friends who stumble into a secret world while on a class trip. They end up spending almost a year struggling through this new world in order to find their way out again. Then we catch up to them later in life and again see these events of this secret world unfolding before them!
I thought the book was fantastic, it was kind of a mixture of "lord of the rings" and a Frank Paretti novel. It was quite entertaining, and really thought provoking as well.
I highly recommend!

The Boy Who Came Back from Heaven

I really enjoyed "The boy who came back from heaven", which is a true story about Kevin and Alex Malarkey and Alex's journey (Not only back to health, but his spiritual one which led him {Temporarily} to his Savior's side).
The book focuses mainly on Alex and the accident he was in with his father, where he physically died for a little while and could see and describe exactly what was going on outside of the small area he was in. Plus he spent time in Heaven with Jesus, and was scripturally accurate in what he described.
The book was quite well written, and faith filled. I found it so encouraging to read all that God was doing for this family and through this family. They have an amazing story of many miracles, angelic visits, and prompted prayers that lead to healings! I would really recommend this book to anyone wanting to increase/encourage their faith.

God's love letters to you

When I first saw this book, I loved the very idea of it. I think people today don't quite understand God's unending, unconditional love. And I have to say once I read the book, I loved it even more!
We're taken on a 40 day journey by Dr. Crabb to experience and begin to understand the amazing love our God has for us! The letters are formatted in the way that it is made to look like they come directly from God Himself. I thought this book was fantastic, it brought me into a deeper understand of God and His love and it really got me back into reading the Scriptures! I think Crabb did a wonderful job showing the heart of God in this book. This is something that I WILL be purchasing for new converts in our church, or just as a gift for others! I would highly recommend this book!

The Blessed

I'd previously read the book "The Seeker" By Ann Gabhart and very much enjoyed it, so I was thrilled to receive another book written by her! I've found (From the few books of her's that I've read) that her books not only are an interesting story but there is so much to learn in them! (I love not only enjoying a good read, but to also walk away knowing something new!)

The blessed focuses around Lacey and the circumstances she faces when she's first forced into a marriage she doesn't want, and then made live in a shaker village as well. As she struggles to not only live by the many rules imposed on her, she is also dealing with the heartbreak of being separated from a child that is in many ways her own.

The book was so well written, I read the entire thing in one sitting  once I picked it up I just couldn't put it down!

This is so typical of Gabhart's books, I am definitely a fan of hers! Highly recommend it!

My Life and Lesser catastrophes

I'd actually heard about this book before I received it to review, so I was very excited to see this in my review pile!

The book fully lived up to my expectations, Christina Schofield's struggles, and her ability to maintain her faith through these trials really blew me away! Even when facing some really horrific circumstances she was able to trust and look to God to be her strength and hope. This book was very encouraging to me and really spoke to me in my own walk. (not that I've faced anything close to what she did, but it put me to shame to see her level of faith in the big things, when the small things get me quaking!) 

I loved this book and it will be one I'll be recommending to the rest of my church! I enjoyed and learned so much from the spiritual journey that Christina takes us on!

"Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc. 
Available at your favourite bookseller from Chosen, a division of Baker Publishing Group".

Pattern of Wounds

One of my favorite things when reviewing is getting to read a sequel to books I've review previously, so I was quite happy to see a new Roland march Mystery up for review!

I enjoyed the last book very much so I had some high expectations for this one as well! I'm glad to say that this didn't disappoint at all! The book was full of twists and turns and kept me on the edge of my seat till the last page! 

The story focuses on Roland March's attempt to try and find what appears to be a serial killer, not only that but one who he (thought) he had sent away long ago! As he struggles to find out if the killer is a copy cat or if he sent the wrong man to prison March is taunted by the killer.

This really was an enjoyable read, the story moved well and was very well written! I highly recommend it!

"Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc. 
Available at your favourite bookseller from Bethany House, a division of Baker Publishing Group".  

Lion of Babylon

To be perfectly honest, I found the beginning of this book horribly confusing, there were so many Characters and changes in the story that at first I found it hard to follow. The book however did turn out to be a very good one, and once I got all the characters figured out it was easier to follow!

The story follows Marc Royce and his travels to try and find a missing CIA agent and three others. We're able to follow his struggles as he tries to get through government agencies to find out what happened to these four people and hopefully rescue them! I enjoyed reading about the other cultures in this novel, (and although I don't know much about the Baghdad culture, it seemed quite realistic to me.

For the most part I really enjoyed the story, it was pretty fast moving and had a lot of suspense in it! This is something that I would really recommend to pretty much anyone!

"Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc. 
Available at your favourite bookseller from Bethany House, a division of Baker Publishing Group".  

Falls like lightning

I Loved this book! My favorite kinds of books are the Christian suspense/ mystery type books, so I was super excited when I saw this book up for review!

The book was very well written, it was quite fast paced and kept momentum throughout the story! I think the only small complaint I could have (and it's a very small one) was the moments of seemingly unrealistic solutions to their problems. 

The book is mostly focusing around a smokejumper named Silas and his pilot (and ex girlfriend) named Elle. When facing a very large fire with few resources Silas and Elle are forced to work together, after the engines blow, Silas and Elle are both struggling to survive and find that the crash was not the biggest danger they'd be facing!

I enjoyed this book, it was a noticeably Christian book, without a preachy feel, which makes me really comfortable to recommend it to non-believers. I highly recommend!

"Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc. 
Available at your favourite bookseller from Bethany House, a division of Baker Publishing Group".  

A great catch

To be a bit  honest here, I was expecting the story to be a bit too cutesy and quirky for my tastes (I'm not too into the whole "Corny" feel many romance stories have). Thankfully I've re-learned that lesson to not judge a book by its cover! This turned out to be a fantastic story! And while it did have it's moments of romance (And really, it was a historical romance, so I guess it had to have been in there, lol) it was actually very intriguing and though provoking!
The story focuses around Emily Graham, she's not only in the midst of the suffragist movement, she's leading her own little local pack! As she struggles to prove that women deserve the same rights as men, she also is dealing with some meddlesome family members, and to top that all off she meets a local ball player and finds herself in a whirlwind of romance vs. obligations!
The story was cute, but it also had a lot of "bones" to it, so I very much enjoyed this one!

"Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.


Available at your favourite bookseller from Revell

Chasing sunsets

This book started out fairly rough (in an emotional way), we start the beginning of the story in the midst of the personal struggles of Kimberly Tucker. Her marriage has fallen apart and she is now struggling with raising two son's and trying to find ways to work with their father while at the same time keeping the peace. After facing a great deal of time alone during the summer she decides (or is convinced, lol) to spend some time at her family's cabin at Ceder Keys. While there she discovers not only who she is again, but also begins to find that love that she once thought was lost. We meet some great characters (including an elderly next door neighbor who I thought was fantastic!) and learn some great lessons throughout the book.

"Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.


Available at your favourite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group".