Glamorous Illusions... & the Intriguing Grand Tour

There isn't much more I can say after such an intriguing book trailer as that! Let me just say that Lisa Bergren's "Glamorous Illusions" totally swept me away. I loved it! The book isn't as predictable as most--there were many twists and turns I definitely didn't expect. The "Grand Tour of Europe" backdrop is also interesting; it's something I've heard bits and pieces about but I've never really researched it or read an entire series devoted to it.

The main character, Cora, is very likeable, flaws and all. She's a beauty who is swept from simple farmlife into grand European style.  She's trying to find herself in the midst of a quickly changing future, and she's finding God at the same time.  The faith in this book doesn't come across as fluffy or fake; it's real and genuine.

I am so captivated by Cora's story!  My only regret is that I have to wait months for the next book in the series! Thank goodness time flies. I can't wait to see what new and exciting twists and turns of adventure Miss Bergren has up her sleeve for the next two books in The Grand Tour Series.

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

"Peril in the Palace" from Adventures in Odyssey is AWESOME Kids History!

"Peril in the Palace" grabbed our interest from the first and it's full of great cliff-hangers!

This book takes place in 13th century China and is actually the 3rd book in the Imagination Station series from Focus on the Family. This book is about real-life explorer Marco Polo and Chinese emperor Kublai Khan.  The cover itself  gives an accurate description of the book: 2 kids, Beth and Patrick, end up going back to around AD1200 and getting mixed up in a perilous  adventure. "Peril in the Palace" delves into the Mongol history of China, the golden tablet of Kublai Khan and so much more... but you'll have to read it to find out the "more"!

You can get any of these books at Amazon.com for $4.99.  And if you're a mom, you can sign up for Amazon Mom for free and you'll get a complimentary, totally free subscription of Amazon Prime (that's free 2-day shipping on every order no matter how small)!   

You can also get Imagination Station books for free by participating in Tyndale's Summer Reading Program!

Unplanned: An Amazing, True-life Story of God's Grace & Faithfulness

Unplanned, written by former Planned Parenthood leader Abby Johnson, is an absolutely amazing true story! You might have heard bits and pieces about Abby on the news in the past, but her story is so much deeper than any news snippet.

In Abby's words:

"What I have told people for years is a lie. What if I'd known... and what if I'd told all those women?"  As a Planned Parenthood leader, Abby Johnson thought she was helping women in crisis.  She was about to learn the truth.  And facing the secrets of her past would be the toughest truth of all.

Unplanned is a pro-life story that will touch your heart!  The realities this book talks about are tough truths, but if Abby faced them, so can we.  It's very eye-opening and touching.  In the movie, those "tough truths" are surrounded by God's obvious intervention in Abby's life, truly amazing graced, and heart-rending stories of change. I believe every American, especially every American woman, should see!  Unplanned is also a DVD.  I've watched it and shared it with numerous people.  If you don't have time to read the book, I definitely recommend the movie.  It's very, very powerful.

Beyond Hope's Valley: Last in an Inspiring Amish Trilogy

Beyond Hope's Valley is an honest and thought-provoking look at Amish life which takes place in Indiana, not far from my own hometown.  The simplicity of the Amish has always captivated me and I've read enough books about them to understand how they differ from Protestant Christians.  This book is the final in the Big Sky trilogy by Tricia Goyer.  It was my favorite of the 3 books and it isn't necessary to read the first 2 to enjoy this one thoroughly (I did read the 2nd book, but not the 1st one).

In Beyond Hope's Valley, Marianna has recently come to saving faith--she now knows Jesus as her Father, her Savior, and her confidant.  She has just returned from Montana, where she had lived for the last year, and hopes to be able to share her new found faith with her old friends.  At the same time, she is living out a love story as she tries to decide between 2 men, one of which has helped her to realize what a close relationship with God can be like.  I have to admit, both of Marianna's guys were very likeable but there was one I liked more than the other... and I was happy when she chose him. 


You can read the beginning of Beyond Hope's Valley at Amazon.  Please do--I think you'll be captivated with the story and the characters.  The book has a wonderful message, is written beautifully, and I highly recommend it!

WIN IT!
Celebrate with Tricia and enter to win a custom-made Amish Wall hanging in the colors of your choice ... and much more! 

Enter Today - 5/2-5/20!

One fortunate winner will receive:

• Custom Amish Wall Hanging {You choose the colors!}
• An Amish Doll {Sweet.}
• Amish-made basket {It’s picnic season!}
• Doilies, potholder and an Amish cookbook {All items form Bird-in-Hand, PA!}
• Three book Big Sky Amish series {Be swept away by this captivating series.}

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on May 20th. Winner will be announced at "All Things Amish" Author Chat Facebook Party on 5/21. Tricia will be hosting an author chat (on Facebook and Live from her website) and giving away books, gift certificates and more!

Also, check out these lovely videos about Marianna's continuing story:





This book was provided for me by the awesome people at Litfuse in exchange for a thoughtful and honest review.

The Founders Key: Every American Should Read!

Maybe you've read the title and you're wondering "What is the founders key?" From the book:

The genius of the United States of America may be found in the cooperation of all the causes that bring government into being.  There is a set of principles that locate man in his place in nature, above the beasts and below God. There is a people, living upon a vast land, responding to the call of those principles to form the first self-governing nation in history.  There were some statesmen, aware how unusual were their capacities, determined to use them for the rights of all.  They wrote a Constitution that the people adopted to become the most enduring and successful in history.  Because all these causes must cooperate to produce freedom and justice that we have enjoyed for so long, all of them must be preserved or all of them will be lost. 


Because the principles that our country serves , and the institution by which is serves them, have a beauty hardly matched in all history, they sound a call that all can answer.  In their attraction and in our response is the hope for a free people.  That is the Founders' key.

The Founders Key, the book, is a short, important read on "the divine and natural connection between the Declaration and the Constitution and what we risk by losing it."  The book itself is only 123 pages and goes into depth about:

• Man's proper place in nature, above beasts and below God
• Explains (better than I've ever read it explained before!) what "all men are created equal" really means.
• Provides a definition of "rights" and their origin.
• Recognizes that the Declaration and Constitution are born of the same principle, and why we need them both together.
• Reveals the origins of the Progressive intellectual movement and how it actually threatens our liberty

Part II of the book includes foundational documents every American should read: The Constitution, The Declaration, and a selection of The Federalist Papers.  Definite must read!

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

Where Lilacs Still Bloom

Jane Kirkpatrick's Where Lilacs Still Bloom is based on the true story of German immigrant, Hulda Klager, who made new varieties of apples and lilacs using plant hybridization in the late 1800s, early 1900s.  I read another of Miss Kirkpatrick's based-on-a-true-story books, The Daughter's Walk, and thoroughly enjoyed it so thought this one might also capture my interest.

If you've read many of my book reviews or know me, you'll know I like a wide variety of books.  I love both fiction and non-fiction, science fiction, classic literature, children's stories, modern fiction like The Hunger Games, and pretty much any genre you can narrow a book down to.  However, I regret to say I didn't like this book.  I tried to like it (I must admit, even though I don't have to give a good review for any book I receive for free, I'm grateful to the company's who give them to me and appreciate them--I try to like their books but if I don't, I can't lie). 

I waded through 91 pages of boring.  There is no other word for it.  The only good thing that came from discovering this book is that I'd love to visit Hulda Klager's home and garden in Woodland, Washington.  It's worth googling it, and worth visiting if you live near the area. Perhaps if you love gardening or find a great interest in plant hybridization, you'd like this book.  Read a bit on Amazon.com here if you feel so inclined. 

Thanks to the super cool people at Waterbrook Press for providing me with this book to review.

God Gave Us You: Now a Board Book!

I love all of Lisa Tawn Bergren's picture books and now you can get 2 of them as board books: God Gave Us You and God Gave Us Love.  These books are so sweet and special, the perfect gift for your baby or for a baby shower.  I'm giving them to a friend who is having her first baby this summer.  I know she's going to love them!

God Gave Us You is very well-written.  Because of the sweet, eternal message it has, reading it to your baby or toddler will be sure to bond you 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. Remember, this specific copy of the book is meant for babies and toddlers--it is in a board book format.

I highly recommend this book and am so glad I had the opportunity to review it!  I also recommend the others I've read in the series: God Gave Us Love and God Gave Us Two. You can read my reviews of them by clicking their titles.  Or you can read excerpts from each of them at Amazon. : )

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.

God Gave Us Love

I love all of Lisa Tawn Bergren's picture books!  We began with God Gave Us You continued on with God Gave Us Two, and have just finished reading the new boardbook God Gave Us Love for the first time.

My children love to read and, even though they can read themselves now, having me read a picture book to them is special.  Some of my fondest memories were when my brother and I would spend the night at my Grandma's house.  From elementary through high school, she'd read picture books to us at bedtime. That's not something you ever outgrow!

God Gave Us Love is very well-written.  Because of the sweet, eternal message it has, reading it to your children will be sure to bond you 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. This one is meant for babies and toddlers--it is in a board book format.

I highly recommend this book and am so glad I had the opportunity to review it!  I also recommend the others I've read in the series: God Gave Us You and God Gave Us Two. You can read my reviews of them by clicking their titles.  Or you can read excerpts from each of them at Amazon. : )

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.

Sweeter Than Birdsong

Music offers Kate sweet refuge from her troubles . . . but real freedom is sweeter.

 
I love the book Sweeter than Birdsong not simply because it's an inspirational romantic story, but because it is based on the lives of real people: Kate Winter, who was the first American woman to receive a college diploma (from Otterbein College in Ohio, to be precise) and Ben Hamby, who was a songwriter and abolitionist before the Civil War.

A stirring novel of hope and faith inspired by real events.

The author, Rosslyn Elliott, wrote a captivating story which kept me hooked.  I loved and admired her characters.  The heroine, Kate, changes very much throughout the story; she overcomes both severe shyness (which I've struggled with in my own life and could relate to) and she realizes she can do so much more to bring people to freedom than she ever realized.  When life opens Kate's eyes to a great need, she doesn't turn away from it like so many people sadly do--she faces it head-on.  The decisions and the sacrifices she makes to bring slaves to the freedom she knows is touching and powerful.

Kate can no longer deny the need to find her courage-and her voice-if she is to sing a new song for their future.

This book made me want to delve further into the true stories of Kate Winter and Ben Hamby, and it gave me a better understanding of the  Underground Railroad.  Sweeter than Birdsong was a fast, easy read, but it was by no means purely entertainment.  It is something very much worth reading and I highly recommend it!

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

Mary Jane, Her Book: Classic Children's Literature

Mary Jane - Her Book is the first book in the Mary Jane series which was written in the early 1900s by Clara Ingram Judson, a popular American childrens author of the time.  It recounts the happy, wholesome adventures of five-year-old Mary Jane and her family as she helps her mother around the house, goes on a picnic with the big girls, plants a garden with her father, learns to sew and more!

Salem Ridge Press also publishes the next book in the series Mary Jane - Her Visit.  You can read the first chapter of each here and here. 

 The Mary Jane books are recommended for children from ages 6 - 10 and are perfect books for children just beginning to read chapter books.  Children of even younger ages also love hearing them read aloud.  

The Mary Jane books are just 2 of many wonderful classic books which have been reprinted by Salem Ridge Press.  They do their best to find and publish wholesome books for younger readers as well as older readers which I why I think they're an asset to any homeschooling parent!  

 

Salem Ridge Press provided us with this book in exchange for a thoughtful and honest review.

Everything Romance: A Celebration of Love for Couples

I've been married to my husband for almost 11 years now.  We have a great marriage and are best friends, but I'm always looking for new ideas to inspire me in our romance.  You can get a bit complacent the longer you're married so we like to find things to break the monotony and bring us a little bit of excitement once in awhile in the midst of everyday everythings!

Everything Romance is a small, coffee-table style book. It'd be a great wedding or engagement gift for someone actually, or a great anniversary gift. It's got all kinds of quick to read tidbits that are along the lines of a devotional.  It includes:

• Creative Tips for romancing the love of your life
• Gift Ideas for anniversaries and special occassions
• Inspiration for memorable romantic dates
• Love Letters to warm your heart 
• Special Recipes for special times
• and Quotes (which were probably my favorite part of the book) 

Some of my favorite quotes from Everything Romance are these ones (and they show you the wide variety of the style of this book!)

Brevity is the soul of lingerie.  -Dorothy Parker

Put your hand on a hot stove for a minute and it seems like an hour; sit with a pretty woman for an hour and it seems like a minute.  That's relativity.  -Albert Einstein

Love is friendship set to music.  -Joseph Campbell

If you absolutely must have the last word in all marital spats, how about making it, "Sorry."  -Rev. Robert St. John

We are most alive when we're in love.  -John Updike

This book lives up to its subtitle: A Celebration of Love for Couples.  I definitely recommend it for anyone who's married, will be soon, or hopes to be someday!  Of course, you can read an excerpt here and see for yourself.

A special thanks to the wonderful people at Blogging for Books for providing me with this book for review!

This Thing of Ours: How Faith Saved My Mafia Marriage

This Thing of Ours is an amazing true story of a young woman married to a powerful mobster. I was entirely captivated by it!  Before it even came in the mail, I was researching Cammy Franzese & her husband Michael, notorious mobster-turned-redeemed-Christian. 

Cammy's writing style is personal.  She writes the way a woman would talk to her friend.  This Thing of Ours is, essentially, a testimony of what she and her husband have experienced and how God has pulled them through, redeeming their own hearts as well as their marriage.

Here's a short synopsis:

Cammy Franzese didn’t expect to raise her children alone while Michael served hard time. And she certainly didn’t anticipate what would happen when he finally made the stunning decision to turn his back on “the life” and become a devout Christian. Now Cammy shares the details of her painful and joyful journey, including:
--How, as a Christian, she met and married Michael when he was an unbeliever and a high-profile mobster
--The high life she lived in their first year of marriage when she had more money than she knew what to do with
--What it was like being under law-enforcement scrutiny, dealing with death threats, harassment from the FBI, and having to move several times to protect their family
--How she stayed faithful to Michael and raised their children on her own while he was locked up for eight years
Readers will learn why Cammy stayed in a marriage loaded with so much heartache and struggle. With painful honesty, she speaks about restoration, miracles, and the confidence we can have knowing God prepares us for the challenges and obstacles we will one day have to face.

Google Cammy and Michael Franzese--you'll be amazed at their story! You can also read the first few pages of the book on Amazon. I can almost gurantee that, if you do, you'll want to get your hands on this book!

A special thanks to the wonderful people at Thomas Nelson for providing me with this book in exchange for a thoughtful and honest review.

When the Soul Mends

When the Soul Mends is sweet Amish fiction that makes nice, light reading.  This is the first book I've read by Cindy Woodsmall; the characters and their stories quite captivated me.  I read it quickly.  If you're interested in the Amish people, of the way they live, believe, and in the differences between Amish and Mennonites (it's all very interesting, I think!) then you'll like this series. 

Yes, this book is actually third in a 3-part series entitled Sisters of the Quilt.  While I didn't read the first two books in this series, I wasn't at all lost in this one.  The author gave the perfect amount of backstory. 

In When the Soul Mends, the heroine, Hannah, is torn between the Amish world and the "Englisher" world.  For heart-breaking reasons that were completely out of her control, she had been shunned years earlier.  Something brings her back and she finds forgiveness and healing.  Honestly, at many points in this book, I didn't exactly like her.  She had her flaws, like all of us do, and at the end of the story, she changed into someone I admired. She also chose the man I wanted her to choose, so that raised her up in my estimation.  ; )  If you like light, inspirational reading, I wholeheartedly recommend When the Soul Mends.

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

Just in Case You Ever Wonder: A Picture Book

I knew this picture book by Max Lucado would be great because everything he writes for both children and adults is always wonderful!

Just in Case You Ever Wonder is a book both my children and I enjoyed.  It's a sweet book to read aloud to them and teaches them that their father in Heaven and you, their mom or dad, will always love them no matter what.... just in case they ever wonder.

"As you grow and change, some things will stay the same. I'll always love you. I'll always hug you. I'll always be on your side. And I want you to know that ... just in case you ever wonder."

The illustrations are colorful and the story is short and sweet... though not too short.  You can see an excerpt here.  This book would make a wonderful Christmas gift!

The wonderful people at Booksneeze provided us with this book in exchange for a thoughtful and honest review.

Bible Stories for Preschoolers

Tyndale Kids just came out with this great new bible--Bible Stories "for the wiggly, giggly preschooler in your life!"  Each story has three sections:

• Talk: Simple questions and discussion questions to get little kids talking about the bible story.
• Do: Fun games & activities that kids can do over and over.
• Remember: Key bible verses (from actual bible translations) that kids can tuck away in their hearts.

I like Bible Stories for Preschoolers for very little kids, though it's a little bit too cartoonish for my 4 year old.  I like bible story books to have more realistic pics because it makes the bible seem more real.  I recommend this particular bible storybook for 1-3 year olds.  I do love the bible activities that are included with each story & will be using those ideas for my Sunday school preschoolers & for my 4, 6, & 7 year olds at home along with their regular bible time.

Today we read the story of Jacob's Ladder.  The story was good & well-explained for little ears.  At the end, the activity it suggested was to make a ladder out of popsicle sticks & to draw pictures of places your kiddos go on index cards.  Then, they can thank God for going with them to that place.  The memory verse goes perfectly with the activity:

I am with you, and I will protect you wherever you go.  Genesis 28:15

Bible Stories for Preschoolers is complete with 49 important bible stories, great memory verses, and unique activities.  I definitely recommend it to any parent of preschoolers!  It also has a section on "Preschoolers and Salvation" that I thought was very important and wasn't something I'd seen in other children's bibles.

I received this book from Tyndale in exchange for a thoughtful and honest review.

A Lasting Impression Book Tour & Contest

A fake. A forger. More than anything, Claire Laurent longs for the chance to live an authentic life, to become the woman she wants to be. And she'll be given that choice. But will it come at too costly a price?

Tamera Alexander's most recent release, A Lasting Impression, definitely left a lasting impression with me!  The heroine's story was so intriguing and there was so much mystery that my attention was well held throughout every page.  Claire is an artist who is forced to paint replicas of famous artwork... and to sell them as originals.  After a murder, she is forced to run away... and then her story really begins.  A dashing man, a beautiful mansion, a dash of mystery, and circumstances that open the eyes of someone who sees herself as a forgery but who ends up finding Truth all make for a wonderful story.

Nearing the end, I wasn't sure how A Lasting Impression would end... this is one of those not-at-all-too-predictable books!  And I have a terrible confession to make--I turned to the last page to read it & satisfy my curiosity!  I very rarely do that, but I could hardly help myself.  I went back and read everything I had missed to fill in the little blanks and still thoroughly enjoyed it all.

As Historical fiction goes, this book was spectacular.  As Christian fiction goes, it wasn't as fulfilling as other Christian Historical fiction by authors like Francine Rivers & George MacDonald (whose standards are very high to live up to, I'll admit).  It was great entertainment and I doubt it will challenge you spiritually but I recommend it, nonetheless, for its great story & encouraging message.

Enter to win one of Tamera's fabulous prizes and RSVP for her Facebook Party on 11/15!

This book was provided to me by the wonderful people at Litfuse.

Along Wooded Paths: Enchanting Amish Fiction

Along Wooded Paths is an honest and thought-provoking look at Amish life which takes place in beautiful Montana.  The simplicity of the Amish has always captivated me and I've read enough books about them to understand how they differ from Protestant Christians.  Watching a story unfold that seems as true as fiction comes, reading a story in which a beautiful Amish girl struggles to find her place in the world as she discovers God's grace, was so heart-warming!  The main character, Marianna, lives out a love story as she tries to decide between 2 men, one of which has helped her to realize what a close relationship with God can be like.  I have to admit, both of Marianna's guys were very likeable but there was one I liked more than the other... and he was the one she didn't choose in the end.  Still, this book is not really "the end" so my hopes have not quite been dashed yet! 

My only concern is that I have to wait until the last book in the series comes out in 2012 to find out what "the end" really is!  I'm afraid I almost didn't read this book because I knew I'd be hooked on the story and characters and wouldn't be able to actually read the last book 'til next year... but I did agree to post a book review this week & my word is gut (Amish for "good")!

You can read the beginning of Along Wooded Paths at Amazon.  Please do--I think you'll be captivated with the story and the characters.  The book has a wonderful message, is written beautifully, and I highly recommend it!

WIN IT!
The author, Tricia, is celebrating the release of Along Wooded Paths with a Fabulous Facebook party on October 18th. She'll be giving away prizes and a sneak peak at the next book in the Big Sky series (which I cannot wait to read!!)  You can sign up by clicking the button on the left sidebar.

For now, check out these lovely videos about Marianna's continuing story:





This book was provided by me by the awesome people at Litfuse in exchange for a thoughtful and honest review.

America: The Last Best Hope

I discovered the very talented historian William J. Bennett when I found a hardcover edition of "The Book of Virtues for Young People" at a used bookstore.  If that book is "a treasury of great moral stories for children," then "America: The Last Best Hope" is a treasury of our country's great moral history for grown-ups.

But America: The Last Best Hope is not dry history (which is something I ardently detest!)  It's incredibly interesting and will instill a greater love in you for our country.  Our foundations and beginnings make us a country different from any other.  The book I received for review is the last book in the series.  It tells the historical story of America that includes most of the time I've been alive in it, so that made it very significant to me.

Whatever your political opinions or bent, this book is worth reading!  "A great piece of work" "adults will find refreshing and enlightening," commentators say.

The back cover explains it all so much better than I can:

American began to breathe easy at the close of the Cold War and loosened its grip on the fear of nuclear confrontation for the first time since World War 2.  Peace was palpable, but in retrospect the years between 1988 and 2008 were as rocky as they were uncertain.  Turbulence, not tranquility, marked the turn of the century... Bennett captures this recent chapter in the American story with piercing insight and unrelenting optimism.


This book was provided to me by the awesome people at Thomas Nelson in exchange for a thoughtful and honest review.

The Perfect Love: Intensely Personal, Overflowing, Neverending...

I wanted so much to read The Pefect Love because it had so many amazing reviews.  Woman after woman talked about how this book was her favorite "after the bible."  So much Christian living writing fails to grasp me.  So much of it seems empty and falls short of giving me a closer glimpse into who Jesus is.  This book isn't like that.  It really will show you "where to find the kind of love you really need."  Whether you're searching for that kind of love or just want more of it, this book is definitely for you.

According to the book's forward, there are 3 main reasons why people have difficulty believing that God really loves them:

• They see God more as a judge than as their father.
• They don't see God meeting their expectations and desires.
• They don't take the time to cultivate the depth of relationship with God that love requires.

I love the way Ruth Myers weaves timeless hymns together with God's Word & her own experiences as she's loved Him over the years in order to show us the kind of deep relationship we can have with Him.  The Perfect Love is a book that you can come back to again and again to read slowly and prayerfully as God changes your heart and draws you closer to Him than you have ever been before... or than you have been for a long time.  I haven't yet finished this book, but I'm reading it slowly and I'm grateful that the wonderful people at Blogging for Books provided for me to review!

You can begin reading The Perfect Love at Amazon via their "look-inside feature."  You'll be glad you did!

This book was provided by the wonderful people at Blogging for Books for review purposes.

Life of John Newton... writer of Amazing Grace

Amazing grace! How sweet the sound
That saved a wretch like me.

We all know those words and many of us, because of the movie Amazing Grace, know a little about John Newton, who wrote them later in his life.  But do we know how truly "wretched" he was?  His wretchedness gives such hope to me!  He was terribly rotten, denied God numerous times, participated in the slave trade while he was a strong Christian (did you know that?!) and thought nothing was wrong with it, and God continued to draw Him closer, to save him, to change his life & to change his mind. 

Was blind, but now I see.

Surely John Newton was still blind in many ways even for years after giving his life to God.  When we read about his life, about the "dangers, toils and snares" through which he "came," it give the song Amazing Grace so much more depth & meaning.   This book is short, only 141 pages, and it only just begins to go into the "Life of John Newton."  It's a wonderful starting point and a beautiful book itself.  Originally published in 1831 just 24 years after Newton's death, it's been republished by Attic Books to look much like the original book.  The edges of the pages are ridged, the typeface is old-fashioned, and it feels like reading an old book... except for the smell.  If they could include that wonderfully musty smell of old books, it'd be perfect!  Life of John Newton makes me want to know even more about him, even though now I understand so much more of what God brought him through.  I can hold to the words he held to:

'Tis grace hath brought me safe thus far
And grace will lead me home.

The Lord has promised good to me
His word my hope secures;
He will my shield and portion be,
As long as life endures.

Yea, when this flesh and heart shall fail,
and mortal life shall cease,
I shall possess within the veil,
A life of joy and peace.

When we've been there ten thousand years
Bright shining as the sun,
We've no less days to sing God's praise
Than when we've first begun.

--John Newton, 1773

This book was provided to me by the wonderful people at New Leaf Publishing in exchange for a thoughtful and honest review.

Fyodor Dostoevsky... Russian, Revolutionary, Christian

I've always been amazed by Russia... it's fascinating history, it's beautiful architecture, it's haunting stories of royal intrigue.  And I love biographies.  They've got something fiction doesn't have.  Fiction can inspire, but biographies of real people with real flaws who were nevertheless used by God in extraordinary ways... those are truly inspiring!

I first read a bit about Fyodor Dostoevsky when he was mentioned in The Russians historical fiction series by Judith Pella (my favorite book series in the whole wide world--read it if you haven't!)  I was eager to read more about him in the Christian Encounters series. 

Fyodor Dostoevsky was a Russian writer and thinker who lived right before the Russian Revolution.  Born in 1821, he grew up during a time of political unrest, uncertainty, and talk of revolution.  There were many noteable Russian writers during this time in history, but Fyodor Dostoevsky was one of the few who didn't approve of Socialism and Marxism that were slowly building up a foothold in Russia.  Dostoevsky is most well known for writing the famous Crime and Punishment, but when he was banished to Siberia, he wrote Notes of the Underground which influenced many, many people. 



19c St. Petersburg in Winter



The story of Dostoevsky's banishment to Siberia is all-God!  He was supposed to be killed by firing squad on a wintry morning.  He actually walked toward the firing squad in St. Petersburg but suddenly, it seems almost miraculously, it was decided he would not be killed but would be banished to Siberia.  God obviously spared his life so that he could fight "for the common people and for truth."  After reading so much Russian history, it's exciting to discover more about the life of a Russian revolutionary who lived for Jesus and devoted his life and writings to Him.  You can begin reading the story here. 

I'd like to read all the Christian Encounters books.  Don't bury yourself in fiction!  It has it's place and I'm very fond of it, but nothing besides God's word will change your life like the biography of an ordinary person who did extraordinary things for the only One worth living for!

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

The Family Illustrated Bible

As a little girl, my first introduction to the bible was The Children's Illusrated Bible.  It was big and blue with drawings that drew me into the story.  I remember sitting in the waiting room of General Motors as my parents negotiated for hours, buying a new car.  I sat there and read that illustrated bible.  I may have even read the whole thing.  Either way, I read a lot of it and I was introduced to the story of God and His love for me.

The Family Illustrated Bible is pretty amazing!  My favorite parts of it are the amazing 2 page photographs of places like the Sea of Galilee, the Jordan River, and Jerusalem.  It also includes classical artwork and photos of archaelogical artifacts.  It ends with great picture dictionaries of People of the Old Testament & People of the New Testament, and a thorough Index.

My only qualm with The Family Illustrated Bible is that it's called a "bible."  Honestly, it's not any type of interpretation of the bible.  If anyone uses this as their "bible," they're going to be missing out on God's word.  This is a book of bible stories, but not an actual bible.  It's an amazing resource, yes, and one I think would be a great addition to any bookshelf but should not substitute your time in God's Word.


This book was provided to me by the wonderful people at New Leaf Pub. in exchange for a thoughtful and honest review.

Right From the Heart

Right from the Heart is a 365 day devotional and it's a pretty good one.  I think it would be especially good for a new Christian or someone with a lot of doctrinal questions because it deals with things that are unfamiliar to a lot of newer believers.  It's also encouraging and enlightening for those older Christians, as well.  Usually, I prefer to write my own devotionals and, when I do seek someone else's devotionals I like to be able to skip around.  I don't like to be confined to just 1 page or 1 topic or a date at the top right corner.  This book is meant to be savored for a year and is a bit rigid if you follow the guidance.  I don't.  I find a topic that sounds like what I need to read and I read it.  I like this book that way, and wouldn't like it if I stuck to the daily scheduled reading. 

Each daily devotional in Right from the Heart begins with a verse and then 3-4 paragraphs that expound on it and offer insight.  This book isn't meant to replace your bible or prayer time, but it's a good starting point to your time with Jesus.  You can read the first few pages of it here.

I definitely recommend Right from the Heart, especially if you're a new Christian or someone who's been a Christian for awhile but is finally starting to get serious.  Besides that, it's a pretty book and would make a good coffee table decoration.  Maybe a friend or family member will thumb through it and get inspired!

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

My Awesome God Bible Storybook

I get pretty excited about new bibles and the My Awesome God Bible Storybook from Discipleland is definitely awesome.  The illustrations are nice and colorful.  It includes a great index at the end so you can easily find stories associated with a theme you want to teach your little ones from like "Who God Is," "What God is Like," and "What God Does."  Each bible story is just a couple of pages and includes:

• Character Traits about God like "God is generous," ""God strengthens us," "God is awesome," and lots more.
• Big Ideas that explains how the Bible story reveals God's character.
• Questions that encourage kids to talk about bible truths.  My little guy is very excited to have his "own" bible.  He had a "baby" bible but he's taken it a step up with this one. 

One thing I noticed and loved right away about this bible is that it includes a lot of great stories you don't usually find in children's bibles.  For example, it tells about Gideon, Joash, Hezekiah, and Josiah, along with a lot of very important people who did awesome things for God.  This little kids bible actually inspired me to dig deeper into God's word and to write my latest devotional story, Jochebed's Baby.

The people who created My Awesome God Bible Storybook wrote it so that "your kids will delight in knowing more and more about the Lord of the universe."  That's pretty awesome!