After the Leaves Fall Giveaway

Julia can’t wait for her life to begin. After her mother leaves when Julia is nine years old, she’s raised by an unassuming, gentle father and a saintly, matriarchal grandmother until her father dies just as Julia is becoming a young adult.

After the leaves fall... it's not over--everything is just waiting for spring.

On the cusp of womanhood, Julia feels jaded by her circumstances and longs for a new identity. College seems like the perfect place to start over. But when Julia makes a mistake that will change her life forever, she returns to her grandmother’s farm, defeated and convinced of her own worthlessness. Only through the gentle prodding of her loving grandmother does Julia begin to accept the imprint her childhood has left on her life and look for hope in a loving God who longs to make all things new.

Beautifully written... This book will touch your heart. -Angela Hunt, best-selling author 

Giveaway!
Enter below by May 9th.  I'll choose a winner the next morning via Random.org.
In the meantime, check out all of the other excitingness at our main blog The Traveling Sisterhood.   

Special thanks to Tyndale Rewards, who makes it possible for me to give this book away. 
  

Journey to Riverbend Historical Christian Romance FREE From Tyndale!

I must admit, I held off on ordering and reviewing this book because the cover seems quite steamy!  I got desperate for a new read, though, so I ordered it from Tyndale Rewards.  It turned out to be a great story (not too steamy, at all--it's Christian fiction, I promise).  The story was very interesting and I really liked it.  This book is an award winner, and I could see why.

With a budding romance behind him and a dangerous rescue ahead of him, he sets out on the trail, determined to complete his journey no matter the cost.

Michael Archer is nothing if not a man of his word. Though he was unable to save Ben Carstairs, Michael is determined to carry out Ben’s dying wish: to be reconciled with his father. Unfortunately, Sam Carstairs, one of the most ruthless businessmen on the frontier, has no use for his own son, much less a man of God seeking reconciliation.

Soon after arriving in Riverbend, Michael meets and falls for the stunning Rachel Stone while waiting for Sam to return from a business trip. Beautiful yet guarded, Rachel seems to be running from a past as dark as Michael’s...

Get it Free from Tyndale Rewards!
Sign up using the promo code 2v1v-27qt-7lck-gzzr and get 25 free points!

Chronicles of Narnia Audio Drama 3-CD Set Giveaway!

My children and I love this audio CD set so I'd like to send one to one of my readers, too.  We listen to audiobooks often while taking long drives up to the mountain or on road trips... or sometimes when we're simply taking a short drive to the grocery store.  This audio CD is a drama with more than 100 actors, cinema-quality sound design, & music.

 
Upon entering an enchanted world called Narnia, four ordinary children learn extraordinary lessons in courage, self-sacrifice, friendship, and honor.

About The Last Battle: 
A powerful script and stellar cast mark thisacclaimed Radio Theatre adaptation of C. S. Lewis’s most famous work. What begins as a self-serving scheme by an evil ape quickly turns deadly, as the fierce Calormenes invade Narnia and claim that their god, Tash, and the Great Lion Aslan are one and the same. Young King Tirian and his comrades must fight for the survival of Narnia. The Last Battle, though the conclusion of the series, is also a beginning—with a timeless message that listeners will treasure.

You don't need to have read the other Narnia books to enjoy this audio CD, but I do recommend them.  They're an incredible series and you can always find them at used bookstores or on Paperbackswap for free or cheap (check out the sidebar to the right if you're interested in Paperbackswap--I love it!)

Giveaway!
Enter below by May 5th.  I'll choose a winner the next morning via Random.org.
In the meantime, check out all of the other excitingness at our main blog The Traveling Sisterhood! 

RPM: A Cool Boy's Racecar Series!

  
Currently at Tyndale Rewards, you can get 2 books from the boy's RPM race car series: Checkered Flag and Overdrive.   This race car series sounds really awesome for boys (and possibly girls, if they've got an interest in race cars--there is a girl main character).  My kiddos and I haven't read the books in this series yet b/c they're recommended for ages 10 and up.  However, they're published by one of my very favorite book publishers and I've been wanting to have a giveaway geared towards my readers sons and grandsons.  So here you have it! 

About "Checkered Flag"
Tim Carhardt is drifting through life with one goal: survival. Jamie Maxwell believes she can become—no, will become—the first female winner of the Cup. But life isn’t always as easy as it seems. What happens when dreams and faith hit the wall? You don’t want to miss a second of the action. In the trademark page-turner style used by Chris Fabry in the Left Behind: The Kids series, these fast-paced books will keep even reluctant readers on the edge of their seats. Go behind the scenes of America’s most-watched sport to see what it’s like inside a 200-mph racecar as engines rev and lives collide.

About "Overdrive"
Tim Carhardt is drifting through life with one goal: survival. Jamie Maxwell believes she can become—no, will become—the first female winner of the Cup. But life isn’t always as easy as it seems. What happens when dreams and faith hit the wall? You don’t want to miss a second of the action. In the trademark page-turner style used by Chris Fabry in the Left Behind: The Kids series, these fast-paced books will keep even reluctant readers on the edge of their seats. Go behind the scenes of America’s most-watched sport to see what it’s like inside a 200-mph racecar as engines rev and lives collide.

Get it free from Tyndale!

The First Gardener Novel Giveaway, A Southern Tale of Loss, Love, and Living

A Southern tale of loss, love, and living, The First Gardner reminds us that all of life is a gift, but our heart is the most valuable gift of all.

This book captured my heart from the first page!  I especially loved the southern setting.  I lived in the south for just one year, but I wish I could've lived there longer.  The writers way of talking about Magnolia trees and sweet tea definitely took me back.  The book is a very moving read and I feel blessed to be able to offer it as a giveaway to one of my readers.

The main character, Mackenzie, and her husband, Governor Gray London, struggled for ten years to have a child and are now enjoying a sweet season of life—anticipating the coming reelection and sending their precious daughter, Maddie, off to kindergarten—when a tragedy tears their world apart. As the entire state mourns, Mackenzie falls into a grief that threatens to swallow her whole.

Though his heart is also broken, Jeremiah realizes that his gift of gardening is about far more than pulling weeds and planting flowers. It’s about tending hearts as well. As he uses the tools that have been placed in his hands, he gently begins to cultivate the hard soil of Mackenzie’s heart, hoping to help her realize what it took him years to discover.  

Giveaway
Enter below by May 5th.  I'll choose a winner the next morning via Random.org.
In the meantime, check out all of the other excitingness at our main blog The Traveling Sisterhood! 

Skip Rock Shallows, Sweet Historical Romance

Tyndale Rewards currently has this sweet book for free.
Skip Rock Shallows is about a woman named Lilly who has just graduated from medical school in Boston during the last 1800s.  Her fiance Paul, is doing his residency in Boston and can’t understand why Lilly would choose to work in a backwater town over an exciting, growing city. But having grown up in the mountains, Lilly is drawn to the stubborn, superstitious people she encounters in Skip Rock, KY—a town where people live hard and die harder and where women know their place. Lilly soon learns she has a lot to overcome, but after saving the life of a young miner, she begins to earn the residents’ trust.

As Lilly becomes torn between joining Paul in Boston and her love for the people of Skip Rock, she crosses paths with a handsome miner—one who seems oddly familiar. Her attraction for him grows, even as she wrestles with her feelings and wonders what he’s hiding.

I enjoyed this book.  It's got very likeable characters and a good storyline.  There's also a bit of mystery and a few twists and turns that surprise the reader.  Perfect summer reading! 

London Confidential Teen Fiction: 2 Book Giveaway

London Confidential is a new series for young girls. In the series, British fashion, friendships, and guys collide as an all-American teen girl learns to love life and live out her faith. The series follows Savvy’s entertaining attempts to fit in during her first year at a new school in a new country.  I skimmed these books on-line and instantly knew that I would've loved this series while I was in high school.  One of my blog readers will receive the first 2 paperback books in the series.

More about the books...
Flirting With Disaster
In a shocking turn of events, all writers for the Wexburg Academy Times will cast their votes for next year’s editor—and it looks like Savvy’s vote will be the tie breaker! She must choose between a nasty-girl-turned-nice, with a sudden interest in letting Savvy get what she wants, and the prickly Hazelle, who promises nothing at all. Savvy then finds herself wrapped up in a new, seemingly innocent but potentially dangerous activity. It’s all at risk in this book: her position on the paper, the boy she likes, the ministry she wants to go well. At a critical moment, Savvy must figure out how to rely on God rather than luck and to overcome temptation before it is too late.

Don't Kiss Him Goodbye
Now established in her quirky British village, Savvy works hard to get an article with her own byline published in the school newspaper. When an attractive and mysterious boy asks her for help with his school work, Savvy is slowly pulled into his circle and soon finds out that the wrong set of friends—boys and girls—can influence her own behavior. Following her own advice to cut ties with a charming bad boy would mean abandoning her dearest wishes, and it just doesn’t seem as wrong as it feels. Is it? Read on for surprise twists throughout the book!

GIVEAWAY!
Enter below by 4/30 at 11pm anyone's time.  I'll choose a winner the next morning via Random.org. In the meantime, check out the other teen girl book giveaway for "Dating Mr. Darcy" at our main blog here.

Miss Lang's "The Gilded Legacy" Series, An Enchanting Historical Fiction Giveaway

All in Good Time is the newly released 2nd book in Maureen Lang's "Gilded Legacy" series.  I really enjoyed Bees in the Butterfly Garden and couldn't wait to read this one!

The main character, Dessa, is incredibly stubborn and has a very hard time being submissive and patient.  Flaws and all, she's incredibly sweet and likeable.  She's got a dream and though she doesn't wait for God to step in and help her out, He does so anyway.  All in Good Time is a wonderful picture of the way God redeems our failures when we screw things up royally.  It's a quick read with a fast-flowing storyline that will keep you on the edge of your seat, wanting to find out exactly how all the pieces are going to fit together in the end.
  
Dessa Caldwell has a dream: to open Pierson House, a refuge for former prostitutes in Denver’s roughest neighborhood. But after exhausting all charitable donations, Dessa still needs a loan, and nearly every bank in town has turned her down. Her last hope hinges on the owner of Hawkins National Bank.

Henry Hawkins has a secret: though he owns the most successful bank in town, his initial capital came from three successful raids on Wells Fargo coaches. Now he’s the most eligible bachelor in Denver, but to protect his criminal past, he’s built a fortress around his heart. Not even the boldest matchmaking mother can tempt him... until the day Dessa Caldwell ventures into his bank requesting a loan.

Though he’s certain her proposal is a bad investment, Henry is drawn to Dessa’s passion. But that same passion drives her to make rash decisions about Pierson House... and about whom she can trust. One man might hold the key to the future of her mission—but he also threatens to bring Henry’s darkest secrets to light. As the walls around their hearts begin to crumble, Henry and Dessa must choose between their plans and God’s, between safety and love.

GIVEAWAY!
Because I've got some extra points in my Tyndale Rewards account, I'm going to choose one reader to receive the first book in The Gilded Legacy series.  Enter below by April 22nd.  I'll choose a winner the next morning via Random.org. In the meantime, have a blessed week and a beautiful Spring season!

Special thanks to Tyndale for providing me with these books to review!

Ransomed Dreams: FREE from Tyndale

You can get Ransomed Dreams totally free by signing up for Tyndale Rewards!

I just finished reading this book and was captivated by it.  The characters seem like real, flawed people who just want to do what's right but are thrust into the middle of a situation that seems impossible.  The setting is a small, cozy town in Mexico.  It's an intriguing story and I loved the characters... well, most of them.  The main character, Sheridan, is living with a husband who is not at all the man she married and finds herself in love with someone else.  The reader really doesn't know what choice she'll make until she actually makes it.  A poignant, touching read.
 
From the back cover:
Sheridan Montgomery leads a charmed life as the wife of Eliot, U.S. ambassador to Venezuela. But an attack on their lives cripples Eliot, and they retreat to a remote Mexican village. As Sheridan quietly cares for her husband, she sees her dreams slipping away. Luke Traynor shatters their reverie when he arrives to tell Sheridan of her father’s heart attack and the evidence implicating him in a conspiracy. Sheridan returns to Chicago to untangle the web of her father’s past and is forced to confront her feelings for Luke, a trail of deceit, and the truth about her marriage.

All for a Song... Roaring 20s Historical Fiction

Allison Pittman is one of my favorite authors and writes intriguing stories about the real struggles we face. Her characters are flawed but likeable, the kind of people you'd like to be friends with.  All for a Song is actually the second in a series of books that take place during the flapper days after World War II.   ("Lilies in Moonlight" is the first in the series but they don't need to be read in order--they feature only the same time period; not the same characters or even the same setting.) I've been reading good historical Christian fiction for about the last 7 years but had never read anything that took place during the 1920s... and it was such an exciting time period for our country!  So, yeah, I was excited. 

The book goes back and forth between present day and the past.  The heroine, Dorothy Lynn Dunbar, is an immediately likable character, flaws and all.  She's a talented musician in a small country town where women are not encouraged to exhibit those kinds of talents on stage. She's a preacher's daughter set to marry the new preacher, and it seems that the rest of her cozy little life is all mapped out for her.  Still, she "yearns for life beyond these lines."  God answers that honest yearning and she ends up on an adventure and, also, in a predicament.  Dorothy's love interests (yes, interests) in the book are both very charming.  I saw what she liked in each of them and understood the struggle she faced in deciding which life (and which man) she would choose.

The author definitely weaves a wonderful story that grips the reader from the first chapter.  You feel Dorothy's pain as she yearns for more than what she has and struggles to do what she sees as God's will.  Morality and ideas were changing so quickly during that time in our history and you can really grasp the struggle people went through as they tried to find their place in a world that was very different than the one they grew up in.

Another important character in the book is real-life Amy Semple McPherson who began the Four Square Church in the 1920s.  She's a very interesting person, quite a phenomena, and I was intrigued to know more about her.  She certainly did great things in her lifetime, though much of her life was quite colorful, to say the least.

I highly recommend this book as well as Lilies in Moonlight!

This book was provided to me by the publisher to facilitate an honest and thoughtful review.

God Gave Us Easter

I love all of Lisa Tawn Bergren's picture books and so do my kiddos.  We started with God Gave Us You and God Gave Us Love.and were so excited to read God Gave Us Easter.  These books are very sweet and special, the perfect way to introduce the wonderfulness of Jesus to children. 

"God loved us so much he wanted us to always be with him too. That's why God knew he'd need to give us Easter."

Because of the sweet, eternal message the book has, reading God Gave Us Easter to my little ones bonded us even closer together.  The illustrations are beautiful.  The story itself is something special along the lines of Margaret Wise Brown's The Runaway Bunny (which is a classic in children's literature you should definitely read if you haven't already!)  I have to admit, I like this story even better than the famous Miss Brown's because of the inspirational message within its pages.

I highly recommend this book and am so glad I had the opportunity to review it!  Check out the cute video about it and you'll probably fall in love with the series, too.

The wonderful people at Waterbrook Multnomah provided me with a complimentary copy of this book for the purposes of this review.  All views presented are my own.

A Kingsbury Collection

Early last year, a friend let me borrow her book A Moment of Weakness.  With that story, I was introduced to Karen Kingsbury.  What especially captured and impressed me was the way Kingsbury looks at today's issues in such a real, genuine way.  She tackles things that many other Christian women seem to be afraid to discuss: things like abortion, politics, sex before marriage, and depression, and even when it seems to the characters that God is nowhere to be found, we see that He's working out both their bad and wise choices and turning them around for good.  It's the same for us.  We don't always see His plan or understand His ways, but He's there just the same, weaving our lives into a beautiful story... and Karen Kingsbury's stories reflect that truth.  

A Kingsbury Collection is a good starting point if you've never read Kingsbury before because you get 3 novels in one, especially b/c the price is very good for 3 new books.  It's a thick book, though (almost 800 pages) and didn't make for the coziest book reading experience.  I would encourage you to buy her books separately if that might bother you. 

Here are the books included in A Kingsbury Collection:

Where Yesterday Lives

Ellen Barrett is a Pulitzer prize-winning journalist with an uncertain marriage, a forgotten faith, and haunting memories of her picturesque hometown and the love she left behind. The eldest of five siblings, she longs for the time, long ago, when they were a happy family. Now Ellen’s beloved father is dead, and she returns to her childhood home to make peace–with the people who still live there, with the losses and changes that time has wrought, and with the future God has set before her.

When Joy Came to Stay

Maggie Stovall is one of the golden people. She has it all together...at least on the surface. Ben Stovall is a godly husband and successful attorney. He has no idea of the darkness about to overtake his life. Amanda Joy is a child of society–abused, broken, thrown away. But her trust in God is still alive. When Joy Came to Stay is the heart-wrenching story of one woman’s descent into the shadows of depression, her husband’s search for understanding, and a precious child’s unwavering faith.

On Every Side

Faith Evans is an up-and-coming newscaster, a woman of honor and integrity who must take a stand against the one man she never imagined would be her enemy. A beloved, hundred-year-old statue of Jesus stands in a small-town park–but some say it’s a clear violation of separation of church and state that must come down. Jordan Riley is a powerful attorney fighting for human rights and against God, but still reckoning with bitter boyhood losses. Amid political intrigue, social injustice, and personal conflicts, will love be enough when the battle rages on every side? 

Special thanks to the wonderful people at Multnomah for providing me with this book to review!

Band of Sisters, Ellis Island, and Human Trafficking

I discovered my new favorite author last month and her newest book didn't disappoint. The reader is swept away from the first page.  Cathy weaves a gripping story with very real characters.  You'll smile and you'll definitely cry as you read their touching story. 

The theme of Band of Sisters is living out what Jesus would have us do in every aspect of our lives.  The author refers often to a classic 1890's book called In His Steps which is now next on my to-read list.  Cathy spins a thought-provoking story, and woven through it all is Jesus, the author of our lives who weaves everything perfectly together to create a masterpiece.




Between the pages of Band of Sisters, the lives of women from very different backgrounds entwine... 

An Angel By Her Side: A Heaven on Earth Novel

I so loved this book!  It was a very different take on Amish fiction.  It included endearing Amish life along with angelic intervention.  Angels seem to be a theme for me lately seeing that I recently blogged about an angel picture book for children.  You can still win a copy of that book here.

This book features our heroine, Katie Bender, whose fiance died in a tragic accident along with her hope of ever again finding love.  She has a gift of teaching so she embraces that with all her heart.  Things seem to be going along for her, nice though monotonous, until one day when there is a tornado in her little town of Hope Falls.  A handsome stranger comes to her rescue and then the real story begins....

I very highly recommend An Angel by Her Side, along with the Heaven on Earth Novels by Ruth Reid.  It was an enchanting, feel-good read, and I really liked the deeper spiritual meaning behind the characters choices.

You can pick it up at Amazon for about $10--the cost of a movie but much longer entertainment value.  ;)  And you can read an excerpt of the book here.

Thanks to the awesome people at Booksneeze for providing me with this book to review!

Isle of Shadows and an Ancient Wonder

Colossus of Rhodes

Living Under the Shadow of Colossus, Ancient Wonder of the World

It is 226 BC.  Tessa, a slave who is as beautiful as she is clever, lives in Rhodes where numerous gods, including Colossus, are worshiped.  Before she becomes a Christian, Tessa feels that her entire life is wrapped around the magnificent statue of Colossus.  His shadow hovered over her as her mother sold her into slavery at a young age.  His shadow seems to call to her in her darkest moment when she decides to take her life.  She runs to his statue even as a Christian who grasps for not only spiritual freedom, but bodily freedom as well.

I love historical fiction and thought there was much promise in Isle of Shadows.  The good characters were likeable, the evil characters were detestable.  Tessa herself was very interesting.  She was a courtesan to Rome's political leaders (the highest bidder seemed to own her; when the book begins she is owned by a very powerful man, Glaucus) Interestingly, Tessa actually advised on political affairs.  Reading about a woman like her made me want to find out if any women slaves truly did have such a voice.  The book seems to ask the question: Is Glaucus powerful only because of Tessa?  Or is he truly wise via his own merits?

The entire book leads up to the historical Rhodes earthquake, which stood for 56 years until 226 BC, when the earthquake hit and significant damage was done to large portions of the city, including the harbor and commercial buildings, which were destroyed. The statue, which was actually at the harbor, snapped at the knees and fell over on to the land.  In the book, Tessa was there when it happened. Afterward, the Rhodians were afraid that they had offended Helios, and they declined to rebuild it. All of these events worked in Tessa's favor.

This book was a quick read but it definitely whetted my appetite for more Roman history.  You can read the first chapter on Amazon here.

If ancient Rome interests you like it does me, I also recommend Francine Rivers' Mark of the Lion series.  It's amazing!  But unlike this one, it's not a quick read.  More like deep and thought-provoking.  If I were you, I'd read them all.  ;)

Special thanks to the awesome people at Tommy Nelson for providing me with this book for review!

The Memory Jar

A memory jar is a bit like a journal except that, instead of words, it houses tiny treasures that will bring back your favorite memories. Reading Tricia Goyer's new book The Memory Jar inspired me to start my first one. I've always written a journal to keep my memories fresh and remind me of where God has brought me from and through, but I'd never heard of a memory jar before. Like Sarah from between the pages of the book, I plan to start a new memory jar each year.

Like the memories she carries in a jar along with the small items connected to them, Sarah carries around her emotions instead of allowing them to penetrate deep into her heart. One of the most touching stories I've read in a very long time, I often cried both tears of joy and tears of sadness for Sarah.



The Memory Jar was such a powerful and touching read! Heartwarming, inspiring, romantic, sweet, and unpredictable, it had pretty much everything a good book should have. I've just discovered Tricia Goyer this year but each of her books has touched my heart. Unlike many authors, her stories seem to always be something fresh and new. Her books move at the perfect pace--never boring, captivating my interest, and not tempting me to read the last page.

If you like Amish fiction you'll love this or, gosh, if you've never tried it, let this be your first!  


Special thanks to the wonderful people at Litfuse for providing me with this book to review.

Life With Lily: Amish Fiction for Kids!

I was so excited to see that there's now Amish fiction for children!  I had the opportunity to review Life With Lily, the first book in a new series.  The author, Suzanne Woods Fisher, grew up Amish and based the books off of her own childhood.  I thought this would be the perfect way to help my children to understand the Amish. I've been reading it to my children at bedtime.  Since it say for ages 8 and up and Lily is only 6 years old, I was a bit surprised that the book is so long (almost 300 pages) and it's not really something most early elementary children would read.  Since Lily is in first grade, I expected these books to be more like the shorter Imagination Stations series we've been reading and perhaps with more and larger pictures inside (there a few small illustrations).

Perhaps in the future, Miss Fisher will write something that a younger audience can read themselves.  We are enjoying it, though, in our own way.  :)

Lily is six in this story, just starting first grade in a one-room schoolhouse in upstate New York. Her parents are busy building a farm, and soon animals join the family—Jenny the cow and Chubby the miniature horse. A baby brother arrives, too, which Lily has mixed feelings about. (She wanted a sister!) Aside from a mischievous friend like Mandy Mast, Lily is happy at school and even happier at home. 

Trouble is brewing at the schoolhouse and change is on the horizon for Lily and her family.



 
Special thanks to the wonderful people at Litfuse for providing me with this book for review! 

At The Feet of Jesus

I was drawn to the devotional book At the Feet of Jesus because it called out to us Mary's in a Martha world.  As moms, wives, and Christians we get so caught up in the busyness of life. Even when we want to make time for God, we get distracted.  God has called us for more than just serving Him as Martha did, but He wants to know us, too, as Mary did.  That's what this devotional is all about.


You were made for more than serving God; you were made to know Him.

Next Thursday, Nov. 8th, the author is having a Facebook Party to celebrate her release of At the Feet of Jesus. It will be an evening of encouragement, laughter and a Q&A with the author. There will also be gift certificates and books given away to participants. You can enter and RSVP by clicking the pic below.  The winner will be announced at the party on 11/8. 

One blessed winner will receive:

• An iPad
• The Year in Bethany Trilogy (Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World, Having a Mary Spirit and Lazarus Awakening 
• At the Feet of Jesus for YOU and Five of your friends.

If you win, stop by here and let me know so that I can be happy for you! 

The Fantasy Fallacy & 50 Shades

Once upon a time (oh, about four years or so ago) I began looking for a book that would challenge and inspire me as a woman who loves to have fun, has (I'll confess) been considered a flirt in the past, has always been more comfortable with guys than girls, who likes to be real, and who has had a hard time trying to find the balance between being "myself" and being who I'm supposed to be as a woman of God.  Obviously, God made me who I am... but sometimes it's kind of hard knowing exactly who that is after growing up in a culture that tells you certain things are right when they're wrong, and certain things are wrong when they're right.  I tried a certain book (the title of which shall remain nameless) two years in a row and ended up trashing it both times.  I decided I'd just stick with the bible until God gave me something in addition to it.

And then last year I stumbled upon Shannon Ethridge's book "Every Woman's Battle", a book that had me excited from the first chapter--it was just what I'd been looking for for three years!  Shannon addresses topics most authors and Christian woman speakers seem to be afraid to address--how to wisely navigate male/female relationships outside of marriage, how to to have a richly rewarding sex life the right way, and now she addresses fantasy in light of the recent "Fifty Shades of Gray" craze with her new book "The Fantasy Fallacy".  

She begins by pointing out common misconceptions that people have about sex and builds off of them throughout the book.  All of the below are false:

• The Sexual Revolution of the past forty-plus years is all about sex.
• The church does an adequate job of teaching Christians how to appropriately assess and discuss the topic of sexual fantasy.
• All fantasy is inappropriate, unhealthy, and sinful. 
• Sexual fantasy and lust are always the same thing.
• Christians control their sexual thoughts and actions better than others.
• Sexual fantasies provide a road map to the sexual fulfillment we crave.
• Sexual fantasies are better left unspoken and unexplored.
• Sexual fantasy is really just the brain's way of driving us to do evil things.
• Anxiety, confusion, or fear over sexual fantasies is not a common issue.
• Interpreting sexual fantasies isn't going to solve any of the world's problems.

Shannon doesn't, like some speakers I've heard, believe that all fantasy is sinful.  God was incredibly creative and we're made in His image, after all.  He can use fantasy for His glory: "The Chronicles of Narnia", for instance, but in our sex lives, too.
 
I love the way Shannon writes because she's real, she's honest about her own failings and temptations, and she is not writing about something she knows nothing about.  She writes with a heart for her reader, whether you're into this "Fifty Shades of Gray" thing or not.

Consider that...

• to fantasize about where to go to college and what to study means we are intelligent.
• to fantasize about getting more out of our careers means that we are ambitious.
• to fantasize about getting physically fit means that we are health conscious.
• to fantasize about getting more out of our sex lives, well, that means we must be lustful, perverted, sick, and twisted.

Of course, that last statement is simply not true.  It is normal and healthy to want the most out of our sex lives, and sometimes fantasy is the best way to achieve that goal--to envision what you might find pleasurable and especially to envision what kind of pleasurable acts you would enjoy offering to your spouse.  -S.E.

If you are into "Fifty Shades", if you're just wondering what all this sexual fantasy is about, if you've struggled with inappropriate fantasy in the past, or if you'd like more fulfilling sex in your marriage, please read "The Fantasy Fallacy"! It's something I believe God put on this woman's heart in His always-perfect timing.  You can read an excerpt by clicking any of the hyperlinks in this post.  ♥


This book was provided to me by the awesome people at Booksneeze in exchange for a thoughtful and honest review!

Bride's Pocket Bible ♥

As you can see, I needed a new pocket bible sooo badly!  My old Air Force one was quite falling apart... but I love having a bible that will fit into my purse, so I jumped at the chance to review Thomas Nelson's new KJV Bride's Bible. Of course, I haven't been a new bride for 11 years but once a bride, always a bride, right?  I think so.  It's pretty with a lacy cover and silver edged pages.  My daugthers ooed and ahhed over it asking, "Mommy, when can we have a beautiful bible like that?"

This is the perfect bible.  I absolutely love it.  It's thin and lightweight, thin enough to tuck into your purse, briefcase, backpack, or glove compartment, yet large enough for easy readability. It's the perfect gift for a soon-to-be bride or for (ahem) yourself. It includes a few features, too, like:

*A Presentation Page
*Self-pronouncing Text
*Special Photograph Pages
*Words of Jesus in Red
*Concordance
*Full-color Maps

The cover is soft imitation leather and it seems to be a bible that will hold up very well for years, even with everyday use.  ♥  If you get it, you'll love it!

 Special thanks to Thomas Nelson for providing this book for review!

Be Still My Soul: Sweet, Mountain Historical Fiction

 
Be Still My Soul is a sweet love story of Lonnie, who lives in a small Appalachian Mountain town. She reminded me much of Cinderella--her family life was terrible, her father very cruel, but she loved God in spite of her surroundings, and she sought to do the right thing no matter the cost.  Hers was a character I could admire: she was the perfect example of meekness.  And no, meekness doesn't mean "weakness."  It means "power under control."  Lonnie exemplified that to a t. 

Forced to marry a man who was nothing less than a womanizer and a selfish jerk (Gideon's super cute but that's about all he's got going for him), Lonnie is forced on a journey by foot far away from her home.  Gideon won't even give her a bite of breakfast at one point.  I wanted to reach through the pages and... well... But God was with this imaginary character through every page, overshining Lonnie and her husband's seemingly-hopeless circumstances.  The way all ends were tied up was perfect.  I highly recommend this book if you're looking for a heart-warming read!



Thanks to the wonderful people at Waterbrook Press for providing me with this book to review!

Promise Me This: Titanic History, WWI, and a Voyage to America... Simply Amazing!

Promise Me This is such an incredible story!  The reader is swept away from the first page.  Michael and Annie, the two main characters of the story, begin the book's pages in their early teenage years.  Neither of them are much to admire. However, God sees things in people that we don't always see...

Let me first say that I rarely find current authors I can truly admire because, well, because most of them don't write much better than I do. "Well then, why don't you write a book?" you ask.  Trust me, I'm workin' on it. ; ) The only person I can begin to compare Cahty Gohlke to is Francine Rivers.  The way these women write is a cut above most other modern authors.  They capture you, you're in another time, you're a starving child with a terrifying uncle, you watch as the Titanic is built and then filled, and suddenly you're a stowaway on board "the ship not even God Himself could sink."  And then you're seeing the Titanic go down and feeling the panic of the people around you, you're hearing the last songs the musicians played as the ship sunk, you're feeling the weight of the tragedy as people jump to their deaths because there's no escape, and then you're rescued... a stowaway who didn't deserve the sacrifice one man made for you, not to mention the grace of God.  And later, you're in Germany on a grand tour when World War I suddenly breaks out.  You're English, stranded in a foreign country where the citizens hate you.  You're on a train taken over by Nazi's who force you to leave it and then you're marching on foot to France and then going on to England.   This story is gripping!  And woven through it all is "Sweet Jesus," the author of our lives who weaves everything perfectly together (even the tragic) to create a masterpiece.

Reading Promise Me This feels like reading "Gone With the Wind."  Just like that book, this is one that I'll want to read every few years.  I recommend it more than any other book I've read in the last two years.  Read it... promise me this!

Almost Amish: A balm of truth filled with heartwarming conviction

One woman's quest for a slower, simpler, more sustainable life...

I ❤ this book! I borrowed Almost Amish from a friend last week and, though fiction it may be, I couldn't put it down! The message of the book is both purely Christian and purely green. No, those two are not incompatible; quite the opposite! After all, we're living on God's beautiful, amazing creation. Shouldn't we cherish it? 

Almost Amish is a simple, realistic guide to becoming “almost Amish” in whatever areas of life you choose. Reading it brought some heartwarming conviction to my soul, and didn't leave me there (thank goodness!). The author gives numerous, doable examples of changing your life and the lives of those around you for the better. 

Almost Amish isn't pushy but is a helpful balm of truth that centers on these ideas:

Homes: Homes are simple, uncluttered, and clean; the outside reflects the inside.

Technology: Technology serves as a tool and does not rule as a master.

Finances: Saving more and spending less bring financial peace.

Nature: Time spent in God's creation reveals the face of God.

Simplicity: Small and local leads to saner lives.

Service: Service to others reduces loneliness and isolation.

Security: The only true security comes from God.

Community: Knowing neighbors and supporting local business build community.

Families: Family ties are lifelong; they change but never cease.

Faith: Faith life and way of life are inseperable.

The author, Nancy Sleeth, has a delightful, personable writing style. Besides all the tips that she's gleaned from her own lifestyle changes, she's also included some of her favorite recipes. I especially can't wait to try the Homemade Cinnamon Rolls recipe. This morning as I scrambled eggs and bacon, my hubby asked me, “Aren't you going to make those Amish cinnamon rolls, too?” Too bad we're out of yeast! ; )

I was inspired to read this book as part of Tyndale's Summer Reading Program which runs through August 31st.  There's still time for you to join up and earn a free book or 2!

Joel Rosenberg's "Implosion": Can America Recover from its Economic and Spiritual Challenges in Time?

My hubby and I discovered Joel Rosenberg last year when someone recommended his book Epicenter: Why the Current Rumblings in the Middle East will Change Your Future.  Epicenter was an amazing read!  It made me want to read everything Joel Rosenberg has written!

Implosion is non-fiction but it is incredibly intriguing and definitely a page-turner.  If Joel Rosenberg's name sounds familiar, you may have seen him on Fox News or heard him on Talk Radio.  They often interview him with issues pertaining to Israel and the Middle East.  He's a political expert who's very gifted by our Creator with great understanding of world events, not to mention with the gift of writing. 


This book tackles the intriguing question:

Is America an empire in decline or a nation poised for a historic Renaissance?

Implosion helps readers understand the economic, social, and spiritual challenges facing the United States in the 21st century through the lens of biblical prophecy.  It's very up to date, having been released this summer. It's a very, very timely book.  You can read the first few chapters at Amazon here.

If you can't afford to invest in a new book, I urge you--check out Joel Rosenberg's blog at http://flashtrafficblog.wordpress.com!  There are so many articles there that will give you wisdom and make you think about important issues.  If you want to better understand what's going on in this crazy, uncertain world we live in, check it out!  Oh, and by the way, you can get this book for free by participating in Tyndale's Summer Reading Program through the end of August!