Hope for your Fears

Life is filled with fears.  Dr. David Jeremiah takes a look at these fears as well as providing strong Biblical teaching on how to overcome these fears.  There are 10 types of fear that are discussed.  These fears are:  disaster, disease, debt, defeat, loneliness, disapproval, danger, depression, death, and God.  These are things that everyone deals with in themselves or in other people that touch our lives.  The hope and practical wisdom provided is motivating. 

I know this book will be a great reference tool to be used throughout my life.  Working with people on a daily basis will put these principles into practice.  I look forward to sharing this wisdom with the people in my life.

My heartfelt thanks to Netgalley and Tyndale House Publishers for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.

Cinderella meets Ruth in Once Upon a Prince by Rachel Hauck

This is a fun romantic "Cinderella" story.  There is a touch of the Bible woven in that reminded me of the story of Ruth.  All girls would love to find a true prince to marry and this was a fun read.
Susanna thought she had her life figured out.  She was going to marry her high school sweetheart.  After all she had waited 12 years for him, on the night of her "proposal" he tells her he has fallen for someone else.  Deep in her heart Susanna knows that this is the right thing, but what will her life look like now?!

Susanna runs into Nate after being dumped.  Things do not seem to go right, but Nate takes her to her family restaurant, where he is put to work scrubbing bathrooms.  Little does the family realize that he really is a prince.  Susanna and Nate form a friendship before Nate has to return to his duties as a prince.  Eventually the family finds out Nate's royal bloodlines.

Nate has to return home and take over the family business.  Susanna tries to start her own landscaping business, but that doesn't work out the way she had planned.  Everything seems to be falling apart for her when an invitation from Prince Nathaniel arrives to attend his "crowning ceremony".  Susanna and her sister arrive for the festivities.  Nate's family thinks that this is just a short lived romance, but as any good romance goes, Susanna gets her prince.  Lessons are learned along the way and once again we see how God does care about our lives.  His higher ways are always the best ways, so we learn to relinquish our trust to Him once again.

I loved this fun fast paced story.  I loved being reminded of how God does care for each of us.  Our lives tend to take unexpected turns that we can only understand in reverse. 

My thanks to Netgalley and Zondervan for giving me the opportunity to read this story.  Rachel Hauck is an author I look forward to reading more from in the future.

Favorite author for a reason

  Bryce Bishop, owner of Bishop Chicago an old coin dealership, is bored with his life.  Little does he know that his life is about to become very complicated and busy.  Enter Charlotte Graham, who gets a nod of approval from Paul Falcon, Chicago's director of the FBI.  Charlotte sets up a new store filled with old coins and tells Bishop that he has a week to decide if he wants to buy all the coins or she opens her store and puts Bryce out of business.  Having no other choice, Bishop buys all the coins and begins to understand that there are alot more coins to buy and sell at a profit for his business.

As Bryce and Charlotte build their business relationship, their friendship begins as well.  Bryce learns that Charlotte was a part of Chicago's most famous kidnapping case.  Charlotte has built a new life for herself, things from her past still need to be dealt with, but she remains mute on the subject.  Find out how an unsolved murder case will bring full closure to Charlotte's kidnapping case.

This complex and compelling story captured my attention from the very first page.  I love how Henderson weaves together her characters.  It is like meeting up with old friends.  Charlotte's struggle with God is heart wrenchingly honest.  The reader can empathize with her and thus the characters become three dimensional and take on a life of their own.  These are real life struggles that do not have easy answers.  I love that the readers feel these struggles and hurt right along side all of her characters.  To me this is life, it isn't easy and sometimes gets messy and complicated.  This book is a book that needs to be read multiple times in order to understand the rich story line each time it is read. 

My thanks to Bethany House publishers and Netgalley for the free e-copy to read and review.

The Perfect Concoction for a First Time Author

  Five Days in Skye by Carla Laureano

Andrea Sullivan: rising executive on the verge of Vice President of sales for her company.  Suddenly she finds herself in the doghouse in Scotland.  Scotland where it's "cold, it's miserable, and the food is horrible."

James MacDonald: world famous celebrity chef from Scotland.  He owns six restaurants, written four cookbooks and has his own cooking show.  He loves a challenge.  When he meets Andrea Sullivan in one of his pubs, he doesn't disclose who he is.  Andrea reveals her aversion to Scotland, and James takes it as a challenge to change her opinion of his beloved homeland.  He only has five days to change her mind.  Can he accomplish his task?  How long will Andrea have to put up with the selfish celebrity or is that just the image that has been woven for the public?  Read Five Days in Skye and get lost in the beauty of the story.

A mythically beautiful setting with authentic characters.  This was a delightful read.  I loved getting lost in the Scottish highlands.  First time author, Carla Laureano,  does a brilliant job.  I am eager to read more of her work.

Thank you to Netgalley and David C. Cook publishers for the complimentary eBook copy to review.

Vanished by Irene Hannon

  Vanished by Irene Hannon is the second book in her Private Justice Series.  I like that this book is a stand alone title, meaning I do not have to read the first book in the series to understand this book.

A teen age runaway meets a friendly gentleman at a homeless shelter during a snowstorm.  Her half sister hires a Private Investigator to find her.  In the process of investigating, feelings develop between the two.  They make a decision not to pursuit a romance until the missing girl is found.  Will this girl be found alive or will she be dead?  Read Vanished to find out the answer.

Irene Hannon once again does a masterful job with the second installment of her Private Justice Series.  As I said you do not have to read the first book to understand the second book.  Each book tells the story of one of the Private Investigators from the PI firm Phoenix Foundation.  Characters from the previous book have minor roles in this story, so you do not feel confused.

The story was well paced, but when you hit the climax of the story you want to finish the story as fast as possible to find out how everything ends.  I found myself holding my breath because the action was so intense and compelling.  Hannon does a superb job weaving a suspenseful story with a hint at romance.  The story focuses on the job that needs to be done-- find the missing teen.  Then the story wraps up with a bit of romance for the "icing on the cake".  This was a fantastic thriller.

My thanks to  Netgalley and Revell publishers for the complimentary e-book to review.

Chasing Hope and Chasing Dreams

Chasing Hope by Kathryn Cushman

Brandy Philip is a natural born runner, but she is chasing trouble.  The only running she does well is out running the police that are chasing her.

Sabrina Rice is a driven college student chasing her dream to land the perfect internship at a prestigious company in Atlanta.

God brings these two young women together to learn from each other.  The story reveals how Sabrina was a well known runner in high school, but due to health issues had to give up her running dreams.  Sabrina agrees to coach Brandy and turn her into a long distance runner.  Along the way, Sabrina learns that some of the dreams God gives us may not be fulfilled in ways we understand or expect.

 This book spoke to me in a very special way.  I am just like Sabrina, finding how God continues to mold and shape my dreams in ways that I do not understand or expect.  This book made me take a look at my relationship with God to see that I am still harboring some anger with God for not doing things according to "my plan".  Cushman has a great message that comes to the reader in a gentle voice.

My thanks to Bethany House publishers and Netgalley for providing me with the complimentary e-book copy to review.

Made to Last by Melissa Tagg

  Miranda, Randi, Woodruff star of her own home improvement show "From the Ground Up" is in trouble.  Randi has felt abandoned all her life.  Her missionary parents sent her back to the U.S. to be raised by her grandparents.  Her fiancee left her and she is stuck hoping that he might return someday.  Her show is in jeapordy of being cancelled, so her manager comes up with a couple of publicity stunts to save the show and her career.

Matthew Knox  is a political reporter that has taken chances with his career and lost.  Matt continues to take chances on "lead stories" but  continues to lose.  Matt is offered a "fluff" job as a blogger who follows the life of celebrity, Miranda Woodruff.  This isn't his style of writing, but he takes the job to help pay for cochlear implant surgery for his niece.  Miranda Woodruff also happens to be his niece's favorite celebrity.  So he figures he can't mess up on this story, or can he?

Tagg builds beautiful characters with real life issues.  The story was built with a satisfying conclusion. There were some knots along the way.  Randi works on the issues in her life while keeping up a fake marriage and hoping to keep the personal shadow, Matt Knox, in the dark.  Find out how a relationship can be "Made to Last" in Melissa Tagg's debut novel.  I loved this simple story.  The life issues gave a sense of reality.  Sometimes things in life take on a life of their own before we know think about consequences.  I look forward to hearing more from this talented writer.

My thanks to Bethany House publishers and Netgalley for providing me with a free e-copy of the book to review.

Fifteen Minutes by Karen Kingsbury

I just finished Fifteen Minutes by Karen Kingsbury.  She stopped time for me as I read this insightful story about a young man by the name of Zack who goes onto a singing show much like American Idol.  Zack is a very strong Christian who says that going after a chance to sing on the TV show Fifteen Minutes won't change him.  He is going to honor God with every chance he gets.  Zack is hoping to win it all in order to save his parents horse farm.  Little does he know that the production of a television show will cost him some things that are very important to him.  God is watching out for Zack and you can see God's hand in Zack's career in ways you do not expect.

As I said earlier, Kingsbury stopped time for me.  What I mean is that she pulled me into the story so completely that as I was reading I had no idea how much time had passed.  Kingsbury brings up some good questions in the book about how we all think that life will not change us.  Yet as time goes by we see the little compromises we make here and there, only to see just how we have changed.  Sometimes we have people that speak into our lives to help us see the changes so we can correct things.  Sometimes the changes cost us things we weren't expecting.  As Christians, we want to do things that glorify God.  Some of the roads that we travel will end up pulling us away from God.  Zack found that this was happening in his life, but God also had people in his life to pull him back to God.  All he had to do was listen.  The same goes for us, God is constantly calling to his children back to himself.  There is a price to pay and Zack had to pay that price, but was it too high for him?  Read Fifteen Minutes to find out if the price for fame is too high.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with a free ebook to read and review.

Into the Whirlwind by Elizabeth Camden

Set against the Great Chicago fire, this book blazes from start to finish.  Mollies runs a watch company and Zack is a lawyer for the famous Harman's Department Store in Chicago.

Mollie grew up learning how to make beautiful watches from her father, when he passed away she took over the company.  The 57th watch company employs about 40 people, most of whom are Civil War Vets suffering from various forms of PTSD.  Mollie is proud to provide work for the men who would otherwise be unemployed.

Zack is a no nonsense lawyer who has secretly admired Mollie for 3 years.  He wanted to date her, but because of their work relationship he felt he couldn't mix the two worlds.  His boss also had some rules against mixing business and pleasure.

The fire brings Mollie and Zack together in a way that only a disaster can and helps them to form a friendship.  As Chicago begins to rebuild, Mollie and Zack work at rebuilding their personal and professional lives.  This couple discovers that their personal lives do not mesh as well as they first thought.  Read Into the Whirlwind to find out if Mollie and Zack will ever be more than business associates.

The opening scene of the book is Chicago burning down to the ground and the action and pace of the book doesn't slow down until you finish it.  Mollie and Zack learn about business, life and love.  This is a great adventure.  You learn a little bit of Chicago's history and there is a touch of God.  I enjoyed the adventure, but was hoping for more than a hint of God in the book.  I love learning about history through stories, so this book hit the spot.

Stealing the Preacher by Karen Witemeyer

  Crocket Archer  is on his way to a preaching engagement to land his first church.  Archer is on a train when it is held up and he is taken prisoner!  The elderly train robbers take Archer back to a young lady for her birthday.  Joanna Robbins told her dad she wanted a preacher, but little did she know that her father would resort to kidnapping.

Witemeyer weaves a delightful tale about the life of a preacher and a reformed train robber.  Archer's life is altered by circumstances that are out of his control, but he trusts God to work out the details of this new twist in life.  Through this story we can grab onto the same hope that Archer has that God is in control.  We see how God can change the direction of someone's life and bring about good.  Archer gets a church, falls in love with Joanna, and helps to bring about a change in his kidnapper's life. 

I enjoyed this book because I could relate to how God sometimes changes our life plan.  When He does this we can accept the twist and trust that He knows best or we can get mad and complain.  Witemeyer keep the story light.  Her love triangle was humorous and not overly drawn out.  The dramatic confrontation came at the end of the story and was not overly drawn out.  This was an enjoyable read and a great getaway on a summer afternoon.

Thank you to Bethany Books for providing me with the free e-book to read.

Jennifer An O'Malley Love Story by Dee Henderson

A missing piece to Jennifer's story was filled in.  Reading this short book will make you want to read the rest of the O'Malley series once again.

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Harvest of Gold by Tessa Afshar

All that glitters is Tessa Afshar's newest book Harvest of Gold. This is a continuation of Sarah and Darius's love story that began in Harvest of Rubies. The story begins with a summons to the King's court. Darius and Sarah rush to arrive on time to the King's summons. During their travel they are set up by thieves. Darius barely escapes with his life, and Sarah discovers a man with tattoos on his head that reveal instructions about an upcoming attempt to assassinate the King. Sarah's uncle, Nehemiah is granted his wish to rebuild the walls around Jerusalem. Darius is charged with finding who wants the King dead. Sarah doesn't wish to be separated from her husband for more than a year, so she keeps a secret from her husband. Keeping secrets from her husband was something she had promised to never do again, but her fears win the battle. When Sarah's secret is discovered through a tragedy, Darius once again shuts her out of his life. We see God's amazing grace in a strange twist of fate for Sarah, but will this be enough to bring Darius back to Sarah? Will Darius learn how to take down his walls protecting his heart and open it fully to his wife? Will Nehemiah be able to overcome the opposition to having Jerusalem's walls rebuilt?

I am so grateful that I was granted the privilege of reading an advanced e-copy of Harvest of God through Netgalley. I loved the continuation of Sarah and Darius's story. Afshar has a unique talent for weaving together a story that makes Biblical history come alive. Harvest of Rubies focused on the female psyche, while Harvest of Gold gives insight in the male psyche. Many marriages could learn a few things from this story on how fears can take over and bring problems without it being someone's original intent. The baggage each of us carry is shared with such care and insight. All of us need a Nehemiah in our life to help us see the walls we have built that need to be taken down, while learning which walls need to be built to protect us. This is why this book belongs on everyone's favorite shelf. I know that I will read this book again and again.

A Nobel Groom by Jody Hedlund

A Nobel Groom is a story about a German immigrant settlement in Michigan in 1881. A young widow, Annalisa Werner, has a daughter to care for another baby on the way and six months to raise the funds to pay off her land debt. These are overwhelming tasks for someone so young. Annalisa's father knows that she needs a husband, so he sends for a distant cousin from the old country to come and marry his daughter. When Carl shows up with a letter in hand, people think she is the long awaited cousin. Carl has to scramble to avoid being forced into marriage. The community finds out that he isn't the long awaited cousin, but someone from the "Old Country" that is willing to help out until the cousin arrives. Carl carries a secret that he is not a poor teacher, but a nobleman. He had to leave his homeland after escaping from prison. He was falsely accused of murder. After a life of ease, the life of an immigrant proves there are many things to learn and some secrets to keep. Will the crops get in on time, will the land go to the evil man, Ward, who threatens Annalisa on different occasions?

This book captured my attention from the beginning. I wanted to find out about Annalisa and her little girl. Could they survive alone in the frontier on their own? The book has some german sprinkled throughout the book that add to the flavor of the story. I only wish I knew German to understand the words. The struggle of farming in the 1880s came alive under Hedlund's pen. I found myself holding my breath--- hoping the next page would bring the long awaited rain for the crops. The murder mystery brought about a surprising resolution. I am so glad that Hedlund continued the story after the murder was solved. It was a complete story that comes full circle and ends with a satisfying resolution.

Thank you to Bethany House Publishers for this free e-book to read.

A Cast of Stones by Patrick Carr

Errol Stone, an orphan and town drunk, is tapped for an adventure that changes his life. Errol is asked to deliver a message to a priest in order to gain enough coin to pay for the ale he so desperately craves. Errol soon finds himself running for his life. People and creatures are attacking him wanting to end his life and he doesn't know why. Errol soon learns to defend himself not with the sword, but the stick. With the patience and precision of a warrior, he soon learns how to defend himself and best some of the best swordsmen in a traveling merchantman's caravan. Follow Errol on this grand adventure to learn how he ends up impressing and defending a king.

This high fantasy is written in the style of Tolkien's The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. I found this book to be like a train pulling out of a station, it slowly gathered steam until it was roaring down the tracks at full steam. I wish that I had the second installment of this story to read right now. The cast of characters is long and detailed. I loved how Carr was able to introduce so many characters and bring the reader to understanding and wanting to learn more at the end of this book. I loved the action that he brought about with a simple flick of the word and sword. I was taken by surprise with some of the attacks just as a warrior might be taken by surprise. The details of the story helped to move the action along. I loved how the final battle came to a stunning conclusion and then wrapped up with the reader asking questions about who will take the throne when the king dies. This book was a great adventure and I want to read more.

Thank you to Bethany House Publishers for providing me with this book to read and review.

Love finds you in Glacier Bay, Alaska by: Tricia Goyer and Ocienna Fleiss

A friend of mine asked me if I would read her book and write a review on my blog. I was happy to do it and loved the book.

Two love stories are intertwined in a beautiful way. We start out meeting an up and coming singer, Ginny Marshall, who is on the verge of becoming the new "it" girl in the music industry. She is living the life in Los Angeles when thoughts of a old boyfriend send her to Glacier Bay, Alaska. Ginny goes to this quiet, remote town to talk to the only person that has ever gotten to know the real Ginny, former fiancee Brett Miller. Ginny survives the culture shock of this small town and learns to love these simple, joy-filled people. Brett's grandma gives Ginny some intriguing love letters to read. While Ginny gets caught up in these letters, she rediscovers her heart's desire to serve the Lord and love for the special man God placed in her life a few years ago.

I must admit that I was swept into the story the love letters brought as well as the lessons Ginny was learning about in her own life. The authors did a beautiful job of interweaving the letters into the story in a way that the reader was never confused. I like how the letters were italicized so you could tell instantly you were reading a letter. The characters and their struggles felt real. Hearing about this quaint small town makes me want to travel to Glacier Bay and get to know the people there. This was a great read and I look forward to reading more from Tricia Goyer and Ocienna Fleiss.