Waiting On Wednesday: Isaiah's Daughter

March 29, 2017

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Breaking the Spine. 
Each week offers the opportunity to spotlight an up-and-coming release you are most excited about.

Waiting On:
Title: Isaiah's Daughter
Author: Mesu Andrews
Publisher: Waterbrooke Press
Publication Date: October 3rd, 2017

Synopsis:
From Goodreads
In this epic Biblical narrative, ideal for fans of The Bible miniseries, a young woman taken into the prophet Isaiah's household rises to capture the heart of the future king.

Isaiah adopts Ishma, giving her a new name--Zibah, delight of the Lord--thereby ensuring her royal pedigree. Ishma came to the prophet's home, devastated after watching her family destroyed and living as a captive. But as the years pass, Zibah's lively spirit wins Prince Hezekiah's favor, a boy determined to rebuild the kingdom his father has nearly destroyed. But loving this man will awake in her all the fears and pain of her past and she must turn to the only One who can give life, calm her fears, and deliver a nation. 
Why I'm Waiting:
Can I just say, how excited about this book I am? I have been waiting for the cover to released and it was this past week. Mesu Andrews' writing is amazing. She is able to bring these stories of the Bible to life. I can't wait to read this newest story from her. I'm so very happy to share this beautiful cover this week, for this most anticipated book.


What are you waiting on this week?

Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Authors I Would Like to Meet

March 28, 2017

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. 
Each week features a book related topic that offers the opportunity to spotlight your Top Ten. 

Topic:
Top Ten Authors I Would Like to Meet

1. Becky Wade
2. Mary Weber
3. Dani Pettrey
4. Laura Frantz
5. Lisa T. Bergren
6. Karen Witmeyer
7. Lynn Austin
8. Jen Turano
9. Jocelyn Green
10. Jody Hedlund

Even though all of these authors write in different genres, they all have several things in common, they all write amazing stories!!

Each of these authors has written a story that that has just stuck with me, and has also has a story, or several, that has just popped with it's story telling attention to detail. I would love to meet each of these authors. I would want to ask them writing questions, and just learn what I could from them.


Who would you want to meet?


Review: Promises for You Coloring Devotional by Faithgirlz

March 27, 2017

Title: Promises for You Coloring Devotional: 60 Days Discovering God's Hope & Love
Author: Faithgirlz
Publisher: Zonderkidz
Pages: 128
ISBN: 978-0-310-76119-8
Publication Date: March 7th, 2017

Synopsis:
Take time to enjoy God’s Word and color images from his beautiful world. In this 60-day coloring devotional filled with unique illustrations and patterns, you will read about God’s unchanging promises through NIV Bible verses, paired with detailed line art. Each page is printed on high-quality, thick paper stock that won’t bleed through. And when you’re finished coloring with markers, metallic pens, or colored pencils, you will have a chance to reflect and journal about each promise from Scripture, and find inspiration for every day. Perfect for girls 8-12.
Review:
This book has been fun to review. It is also special, with that fact that I had help with this review. My kiddo was so excited to see this book when it came in. She grabbed it from my hands and spent several days reading and coloring in it. So, she is kindly offering her opinion on this book for me today.

To start off, I will say from my thought of this book, it is perfect for the ages mentioned, 8-12 is a good age for this devotional. The different pictures for each devotional offer enough to color and a time to think of the short passage for the day.

I'm turning over this part of the review now to the kiddo. She is going to give her opinion on the devotional now.

Kiddo:
This devotional helped me learn more about God. I liked how the coloring pages allowed for drawing and coloring. The peacock was my favorite page. The pages were easy to read. I did have to ask a couple of times over a couple of words, but I really enjoyed the coloring. It  helped in talking about the Bible in a way I could understand.

I love when I have something for the kiddo to help me to review. I enjoyed this devotional in that it made wanting to learn the scriptures for her more engaging. She is an artistic kid and this really connected with her.

Too Read
5 out of 5


Thank you to Zonderkidz, I received a copy of this book for free in exchange for an honest review.


Review: The Ellusive Miss Ellison (Litfuse Blog Tour)

March 22, 2017

Title: The Elusive Miss Ellison
Author: Carolyn Miller
Publisher: Kregel Publishing
Pages: 304
ISBN: 978-0-8254-4450-0
Publication Date: February 28th, 2017

Synopsis:
Handsome appearance counts for naught unless matched by good character and actions.

That’s the firm opinion of not-so-meek minister’s daughter Lavinia Ellison. So even though all the other villagers of St. Hampton Heath are swooning over the newly returned seventh Earl of Hawkesbury, she is not impressed. If a man won’t take his responsibilities seriously and help those who are supposed to be able to depend on him, he deserves no respect from her. In Lavinia’s pretty, gray eyes, Nicholas Stamford is just as arrogant and reckless as his brother–who stole the most important person in Livvie’s world.

Nicholas is weighed down by his own guilt and responsibility, by the pain his careless brother caused, and by the legacy of war he’s just left. This quick visit home to St. Hampton Heath will be just long enough to ease a small part of that burden. Asking him to bother with the lives of the villagers when there’s already a bailiff on the job is simply too much to expect.
That is, until the hoydenish, intelligent, and very opinionated Miss Ellison challenges him to see past his pain and pride. With her angelic voice in his head, he may even be beginning to care. But his isn’t the only heart that needs to change.

These two lonely hearts may each have something the other needs. But with society’s opposition, ancestral obligations, and a shocking family secret, there may be too many obstacles in their way.
Fans of Georgette Heyer, Lori Wick, and Julie Klassen will enjoy the spirited exchanges between the bluestocking minister’s daughter and the bruised war hero as they move past pride and presumption to a humbled appreciation of God’s grace and the true strength of love.
Review:
I've come to really enjoy the regency era stories. They are fun and keep the fun of Austin alive with a new spin and new characters. So, it's always fun to read a debut author in the genre.

First I have to say, I love the cover! You can not go wrong with purple. It is such an eye catching cover, and offers a glimpse of the whimsy of the time.

Carolyn Miller's debut novel I thought was a good introduction of her writing. She has a way to tell a good story. Her detail and research for the time shine and emphasis and add to the story.I wish the characters had a little more depth to them. But, the themes of this book really shined. Forgiveness was a big part of this story and I enjoyed that aspect.

Carolyn Miller's debut was fun and I honestly am looking forward to more from her!

Too Read
4 out of 5

About the Author:
Carolyn Miller lives in New South Wales, Australia, with her husband and four children. A longtime lover of Regency romance, Carolyn'’s novels have won a number of RWA and ACFW contests. She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers and Australasian Christian Writers.







Giveaway:
Regency romance fans have another must-read novel to add to their lists: Carolyn Miller's The Elusive Miss Ellison. Enjoy the spirited exchanges between the bluestocking minister’s daughter and the bruised war hero as they move past pride and presumption to a humbled appreciation of God’s grace and the true strength of love. These two lonely hearts may each have something the other needs. But with society’s opposition, ancestral obligations, and a shocking family secret, there may be too many obstacles in their way.

Settle in for a cozy night of reading with a cuppa and a Kindle from Carolyn!

 

One grand prize winner will receive:
 

Enter today by clicking the icon below, but hurry! The giveaway ends on March 22. The winner will be announced March 23 on the Litfuse blog.



Thank you to Litfuse and the Publisher, I received a copy of this book for free in exchange for an honest review.


Waiting On Wednesday: A Fragile Hope

March 8, 2017

Waiting On Wednesday is hosted by Breaking the Spine. 
Each week offers the opportunity to spotlight an up-and-coming release you are most excited about. 

Waiting On:
Title: A Fragile Hope
Author: Cynthia Ruchti
Publisher: Abingdon
Publication Date: April 4th, 2017

Synopsis: 
From GoodReads
Josiah Chamberlain's life's work revolves around repairing other people's marriages. When his own is threatened by his wife's unexplained distance, and then threatened further when she's unexpectedly plunged into an unending fog, Josiah finds his expertise, quick wit and clever quips are no match for a relationship that is clearly broken. 

Feeling betrayed, confused, and ill-equipped for a crisis this crippling, he reexamines everything he knows about the fragility of hope and the strength of his faith and love. Love seems to have failed him. Will what's left of his faith fail him, too? Or will it be the one thing that holds him together and sears through the impenetrable wall that separates them?
Why I'm Waiting:
I have really, really enjoyed Cynthia's previous books. They have such a real feel. You can connect to the characters. You have felt what they felt or know someone who has gone through what they are going through. I can not wait to see what this story brings.

What are you waiting on this week?

Top Ten Tuesday: Must Read YA

March 7, 2017

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish.
Each week features a book related topic that offers the opportunity to spotlight your Top Ten. 

Topic:
The Broke and the Bookish is on hiatus this week, so I'm looking back on previous topics that I haven't done yet. 

Must Read YA

 
 1. Storm Siren by Mary Weber
2. Guilt Hallow by Lorie Langdon
3. Thunder by Bonnie Calhoun
4. Doon by Carey Corp & Lorie Langdon
5. Cinder by Marissa Meyer
 6. Choosing by Rachelle Dekker
7. An Uncertain Choice by Jody Hedlund
8. Angel Eyes by Shannon Dittmore
9. The Princess Spy by Melanie Dickerson
10. Waterfall by Lisa T. Bergren

 I have enjoyed each of these stories! I haven't focused a lot on YA lately, and thought this would be a fun topic to feature. 

What is your favorite YA?

What Top Ten did you decide to feature this week?

Review: For the Record by Regina Jennings

March 4, 2017


Title: For the Record
Author: Regina Jennings
Publisher: Bethany House
Pages: 336
ISBN: 978-0-7642-1142-3
Publication Date: December 6th, 2016

Synopsis: 
Rather Than Wait for a Hero, She Decided to Create One
Betsy Huckabee has big-city dreams, but nobody outside of tiny Pine Gap, Missouri, seems interested in the articles she writes for her uncle's newspaper. Her hopes for independence may be crushed, until the best idea she's ever had comes riding into town.
Deputy Joel Puckett didn't want to leave Texas, but unfair circumstances have made moving to Pine Gap his only shot at keeping a badge. Worse, this small town has big problems, and masked marauders have become too comfortable taking justice into their own hands. He needs to make clear that he's the law in this town--and that job is made more difficult with a nosy reporter who seems to follow him everywhere he goes.
The hero Betsy creates to be the star in a serial for the ladies' pages is based on the dashing deputy, but he's definitely fictional. And since the pieces run only in newspapers far away, no one will ever know. But the more time she spends with Deputy Puckett, the more she appreciates the real hero--and the more she realizes what her ambition could cost him.
Review:
Regina Jennings is an author who popped up on my radar a few years ago, with her debut novel, 60 Acres and a Bride. It was a fun story, set in my favorite era. Ever since, I've kept up with her stories. Her historical fiction, romantic stories are a great mixtures. Not only are the settings detailed and intricate for her characters to live in, but they also have a great message and strong characters.

For the Record is another great addition to this western/ historical romance genre. Betsy is a developed character that just jumped off the page for me. However, what she did is what I would love to do, write stories that get published. Her dreams were similar to mine and made her very relateable. She was a character after my own heart. She was a determined girl, who pursued her dreams and did it to the best of her abilities. I enjoyed reading her story.

Joel is a man who has dealt with a lot of things, but he didn't want to give up the job that was who he was, being a deputy. He is dealing with a lot of things at the new location. The battles of the outlaws is a hard job to deal with. Despite everything, he really wants to pursue his passion despite the risks.

Betsy and Joel, though different in their fields, they each have a drive and with that, have similarities. I thought the two worked well together.

I can't wait to read the next installment from Regina. They are a lot of fun, with a bit of mystery. It's a mix you can't go wrong with.

Too Read
4 out 5

About the Author:
Regina Jennings is a graduate of Oklahoma Baptist University with a degree in English and a history minor. She is the author of A Most Inconvenient Marriage, Sixty Acres and a Bride, and Caught in the Middle, and contributed a novella to A Match Made in Texas. Regina has worked at the Mustang News and First Baptist Church of Mustang, along with time at the Oklahoma National Stockyards and various livestock shows.

She now lives outside Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, with her husband and four children and can be found online at www.reginajennings.com.


Thank you to the publisher, I received a copy of this book for free in exchange for an honest review.

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