tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-48826639886155561282024-03-14T03:34:35.500-07:00 Amanda's Pile of BooksAmanda Thttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05607472127261642278noreply@blogger.comBlogger551125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4882663988615556128.post-8133827988549808842023-02-04T18:54:00.003-08:002023-02-04T19:03:57.895-08:00A Feeling of Home by Susan Anne Mason (Book 3 in the Redemption's Light series)<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5x053C6TW8EO_ywLG7iAbpi4TCzMbKVFoQdNXfba7qfUA0RUJzEYo4bAV-tLSNt2K01oVsdlb7i3mRL3aRc9p7J_055gnC-v3UT5zHYaNF66FU6f24n0-3KZiGUf-yW3HdBSMUnLXqI9wG5IoTk3t3Bi_F7Juq_QdI8qjvoCbFFf8e7Ew1Y8GPQdA/s740/Screen%20Shot%202023-02-04%20at%203.57.25%20PM.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="740" data-original-width="482" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5x053C6TW8EO_ywLG7iAbpi4TCzMbKVFoQdNXfba7qfUA0RUJzEYo4bAV-tLSNt2K01oVsdlb7i3mRL3aRc9p7J_055gnC-v3UT5zHYaNF66FU6f24n0-3KZiGUf-yW3HdBSMUnLXqI9wG5IoTk3t3Bi_F7Juq_QdI8qjvoCbFFf8e7Ew1Y8GPQdA/w260-h400/Screen%20Shot%202023-02-04%20at%203.57.25%20PM.png" width="260" /></a></div><p></p><p>Susan's new book, <b><u>A Feeling of Home</u></b>, is the third and final book in the Redemption's Light series. This book tells the story of Dr. Mark Henshaw, whom we've seen in the previous books, and introduces us to Isabelle Wardrop. <br /></p><p><b>From the Back Cover:</b></p><p>Can she set aside the pain from the past to embrace a new love?</p><p>Isabelle Wardrop's well-to-do life has completely unraveled. Within months, she's lost both her parents, her fortune, and her home. With nowhere else to turn, she and her younger sister move in with a trusted former servant in an impoverished area of the city. Desperate for work but having no qualifications, Isabelle is forced to accept help from Dr. Mark Henshaw, the very man she blames for her mother's death. </p><p>Mark Henshaw has admired Isabelle for several months, but after the tragic death of her mother, he vows to make amends for the past and help her find her way. But when Mark learns his younger brother has formed an undesirable friendship with Isabelle's sister--one that brings a whole new set of problems into their lives--he doesn't know if Isabelle will ever forgive him. </p><p>When startling developments begin to take place, both within Isabelle's heart and their siblings' relationship, her future looks very different than anything she could have imagined. </p><p><b>My Thoughts:</b></p> This book had an interesting storyline. A fair amount of tragedy happens to the Wardrop family, and the author deals with some pretty big topics--death, cancer, grief, suicide, teenage pregnancy, and poverty to name a few. The story moves along quickly as the Wardrop sisters figure out what to do after becoming orphans. Isabelle shows great strength as she faces her circumstances head-on. Her character changes from a spoiled, wealthy, young lady, to one of compassion who can identify with the working class. <br /><br />I was glad to see that Dr. Mark Henshaw finally got his chance at happiness. This was a great way to end the series. Mark, like Isabelle, also has family issues to work through, and the author did a great job moving both of these characters through situations that helped to change them each for the better. <br /><br />I liked that the book moved quickly, especially toward the last half of the book, and I thought that it was an enjoyable read. <br /><br /><p><b>My Rating: ★★★★</b> <br /></p><h2 style="text-align: left;"><b>About the Author:</b></h2><p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaVce2y_VWwUvdUD_rvsu_CrzWigVBjpPtR2snh0UjSUjT0dcXjg3uK538SW_gM-pR0ZQ-i1TmLw0kbxpEAxgJ5gaBk7gor75jZPVIrKu3b6TVDeJz6R80sl_MVDNGT_aJQ0xbBrnECiCv4FFVD7IB8Tn5JVGcJLn32TThKzCoL1VHcLFP5N0S9mYP/s303/SAM-biopic-v3.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="303" data-original-width="196" height="303" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaVce2y_VWwUvdUD_rvsu_CrzWigVBjpPtR2snh0UjSUjT0dcXjg3uK538SW_gM-pR0ZQ-i1TmLw0kbxpEAxgJ5gaBk7gor75jZPVIrKu3b6TVDeJz6R80sl_MVDNGT_aJQ0xbBrnECiCv4FFVD7IB8Tn5JVGcJLn32TThKzCoL1VHcLFP5N0S9mYP/s1600/SAM-biopic-v3.jpg" width="196" /></a></div>I have always loved to write. As a teen, I wrote my first novel, only to be politely rejected by my publisher of choice.
<p></p><p>Life got in the way – university, marriage and children became the
priority. Then once I had time to start reading again, the writing bug
bit once more.</p>
<p>I enjoy writing both contemporary and historical Inspirational
romances. “Romance sprinkled with faith” describes my writing style. I
love themes of forgiveness and redemption!</p>
<p>I am a member of the American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) and a
former member of the Romance Writers of America. My association with
such amazing groups of people has been the biggest asset toward learning
my craft.</p>
<p>Home for me is Brampton, Ontario, Canada (near Toronto), where I live
with my husband and our two children. My day job is a part-time
secretary at a local church. In my spare time, I like to read and
research our family history online.</p><p>Check out her website: https://susanannemason.net/ </p><p>*** I received this book from the author. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions are my own. </p><p><br /></p>Amanda Thttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05607472127261642278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4882663988615556128.post-83661086914973588632022-12-03T20:29:00.000-08:002022-12-03T20:29:09.196-08:00Worthy of Legend by Roseanna M. White (Book 3 of The Secrets of the Isles series)<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDJQo0KVxk15jNgnQD32Y7Ake62Gex0QmQVUq-aWf9NRDfs3O4R0jLDc7IDzgGPRDQOy0709B5loNjxLa6ZrgZslc9ptmfIBCmLnJOwCkgi6J7u7Q1w9VX0Z0xvLL-fSrFWqqMphzCdzXzHmvfsXBZwjVBP_mDCSv0pvNPEWqdgIDZUKY8jLO-xNzg/s688/Screen%20Shot%202022-11-20%20at%206.53.08%20PM.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="688" data-original-width="436" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDJQo0KVxk15jNgnQD32Y7Ake62Gex0QmQVUq-aWf9NRDfs3O4R0jLDc7IDzgGPRDQOy0709B5loNjxLa6ZrgZslc9ptmfIBCmLnJOwCkgi6J7u7Q1w9VX0Z0xvLL-fSrFWqqMphzCdzXzHmvfsXBZwjVBP_mDCSv0pvNPEWqdgIDZUKY8jLO-xNzg/w254-h400/Screen%20Shot%202022-11-20%20at%206.53.08%20PM.png" width="254" /></a></div><b> </b>The third and final book in Roseanna's Secret of the Isles series<u><b>, </b></u><b><u>Worthy of Legend</u></b>, has released. Finally, Emily and Bram's story is told, but will the mystery of the pirate treasure be solved?<br /><p></p><p><b>From the Back Cover:</b></p><p>1906</p><p>After a summer of successful pirate-treasure hunting, Lady Emily Scofield and her friends must hide the unprecedented discoveries they've made, thanks to the betrayal of her own family. Horrified by her brother, who will stop at nothing to prove himself to their greedy father, Emily is forced to take a stand against her family--even if it means being cut off entirely.</p><p>Bram Sinclair, Earl of Telford, is fascinated with tales of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table--an interest he's kept mostly hidden for the last decade. But when a diary is unearthed on the islands that could lead to a secret artifact, Bram is the only one able to piece the legends together.</p><p>As Bram and Emily seek out the whereabouts of the hidden artifact, they must dodge her family and a team of archaeologists. In a race against time, it is up to them to decide what makes a hero worthy of legend. Is it fighting valiantly to claim the treasure... or sacrificing everything in the name of selfless love?</p><p><b>My Thoughts:</b></p><p>I enjoyed reading this last book in the Secret of the Isles series. Emily and Bram's tale is one filled with evil plots, mystery, and adventure. And with the addition of King Arthur and his knights, the hunt for pirate treasure took on a more thrilling possible outcome. Emily's family stirs up quite a lot of problems for the treasure hunting group, but Emily and her friends are determined to outwit their rivals. The characters in the story were interesting, witty and likeable, and I thought the author did a good job with the growth of the characters as they encountered different difficulties along the way. Overall, it was a good read and a fun ending to the series. <br /></p><p><b>My Rating: ★★★★</b></p><p><b> </b></p><p><b>About the Author:</b></p><p><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUzuSvbegQoYCN-snEFVMVBcd86eD8BzlSgMpuevl0F_l7Wm2aYMvZC-Mu3rpiiGFLxCfd7Ni6WsQY1gjNJJ7TPicMtQP3CmAr-DqUVVda2cOFs7xVwHFDLdEkNpDJujwyI13qCOsMid0wlSFhZXwkU8jFcEMH3ujwx5-vFKPopvrD2VTVe2GYj9HT/s703/Roseanna-2018.webp" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="703" data-original-width="510" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUzuSvbegQoYCN-snEFVMVBcd86eD8BzlSgMpuevl0F_l7Wm2aYMvZC-Mu3rpiiGFLxCfd7Ni6WsQY1gjNJJ7TPicMtQP3CmAr-DqUVVda2cOFs7xVwHFDLdEkNpDJujwyI13qCOsMid0wlSFhZXwkU8jFcEMH3ujwx5-vFKPopvrD2VTVe2GYj9HT/s320/Roseanna-2018.webp" width="232" /></a></b></div><span style="font-size: small;">R<span>oseanna M. W</span><span>hite is a bestselling, Christy Award winning author</span><span> who
has long claimed that words are the air she breathes. When not writing
fiction, she’s homeschooling her two kids, editing, designing book
covers, and pretending her house will clean itself. </span><span>Roseanna
is the author of a slew of historical novels that span several
continents and thousands of years. Spies and war and mayhem always seem
to find their way into her books…to offset her real life, which is
blessedly ordinary. You can learn more about her and her stories at </span><a href="https://draft.blogger.com/%E2%80%9Dhttps://www.roseannamwhite.com/%E2%80%9D">www.RoseannaMWhite.com</a><span>.</span></span><div style="text-align: left;"><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span> </span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span> </span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span> </span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span> </span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span> </span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;">*** I received a complimentary copy of the book from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions are my own. </span><b> </b></p></div>Amanda Thttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05607472127261642278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4882663988615556128.post-57894296296757434472022-07-18T12:56:00.003-07:002022-07-18T13:42:07.092-07:00Long Way Home by Lynn Austin<p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUYuX93DKLwoRIQ_zvrRmctJevRcQa1X3Pc1krU7R9CDwGR4Oyq-fCv-YPfSY539O6FbYFEnjKeq_1Px3t4xQ33PSfefDzBtWkuXDTz8ocaVgRxPsUTjYqhk8EQqlDU8feuOvxScj0V6c0Nw4zNuMwAwiPi-5GvMVCJHE82nB7RtT7hpJn1vT4yqAk/s686/Screen%20Shot%202022-07-18%20at%202.49.25%20PM.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="686" data-original-width="474" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUYuX93DKLwoRIQ_zvrRmctJevRcQa1X3Pc1krU7R9CDwGR4Oyq-fCv-YPfSY539O6FbYFEnjKeq_1Px3t4xQ33PSfefDzBtWkuXDTz8ocaVgRxPsUTjYqhk8EQqlDU8feuOvxScj0V6c0Nw4zNuMwAwiPi-5GvMVCJHE82nB7RtT7hpJn1vT4yqAk/w221-h320/Screen%20Shot%202022-07-18%20at%202.49.25%20PM.png" width="221" /></a></p><p>One of my favorite authors, Lynn Austin, has released a new novel called <u><b>Long Way Home</b></u>. This title is fitting for a novel that is about World War II and the aftermath of veterans dealing with the effects of war on the human mind. </p><p><b>From the Back Cover:</b></p><p>A young woman searches for the truth her childhood friend won't discuss after returning from World War II, revealing a gripping story of courage, friendship, and faith.</p><p>Peggy Serrano couldn't wait for her best friend to come home from the war. But the Jimmy Barnett who returns is changed so drastically by his experience as a medic in Europe that he can barely function. When he attempts the unthinkable, his parents check him into the VA hospital. Peggy determines to help the Barnetts unravel what might have happened to send their son over the edge. She starts by contacting Jimmy's war buddies, trying to identify the mysterious woman in the photo they find in Jimmy's belongings. </p><p>Seven years earlier, Gisela Wolff and her family flee Germany aboard the passenger ship <i>St. Louis</i>, bound for Havana, Cuba. Gisela meets Sam Shapiro on board and the two fall quickly in love. But the ship is denied safe harbor and sent back to Europe. Thus begins Gisela's perilous journey of exile and survival, made possible only by the kindness and courage of a series of strangers she meets along the way, including one man who will change the course of her life.</p><p><b>My Thoughts:</b></p>I've come to appreciate well-written novels that can transport me back in time in order to gain a new viewpoint of a different time period. Lynn Austin's novels always accomplish this for me. She has an amazing way of telling a story that will have you seeing history from a new perspective. In this novel, Lynn takes the reader down the path of two women's stories, one from America and another from Germany. Each has her own hardship that must be overcome to survive. Although compared with each other, the life of the one in America certainly doesn't compare to the life of the other in Germany. The two stories are interesting as they encounter the horrors of war and the lack of understanding of mental health. I appreciated this book and how it helped me empathize with the Jewish people and the veterans of WWII. It can be challenging for us as American citizens to understand all the veterans and Jews experienced since we are so far removed from such atrocities.<br /><br />If you're looking for a good story that will widen your understanding of WWII, pick up Lynn's new book and experience a greater appreciation for all that our veterans have done for our country.<br /><br />***I received this complimentary book from the author. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions are my own. <br /><p><br /></p><p><b>About the Author:</b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-whENNW64yOvKpwUKbFY8Cm6EeQsTDLD0_Pi1knfy2n6uUucpL5IddQqKUG7JQ76SV5uQFsx_gQbudVEXnFY6YRIGt-SpKOUzzFJRzGzh2-MneoK8ed456jP9cxA9pV-oK6X9dR7hv0Gtybn93ScmHwzZrsfotMze9eKgacJgHXo2Jhw23AQwAPPD/s768/lynn-austin-about.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="550" data-original-width="768" height="229" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-whENNW64yOvKpwUKbFY8Cm6EeQsTDLD0_Pi1knfy2n6uUucpL5IddQqKUG7JQ76SV5uQFsx_gQbudVEXnFY6YRIGt-SpKOUzzFJRzGzh2-MneoK8ed456jP9cxA9pV-oK6X9dR7hv0Gtybn93ScmHwzZrsfotMze9eKgacJgHXo2Jhw23AQwAPPD/s320/lynn-austin-about.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Lynn Austin is the bestselling author of nearly thirty novels and was one of the first inductees into the Christy Award Hall of Fame. She and her husband have three grown children and make their home in western Michigan. Visit her online at <a href="http://lynnaustin.org.">lynnaustin.org.</a><br /><p><br /></p>Amanda Thttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05607472127261642278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4882663988615556128.post-54543332473391553282022-06-06T18:52:00.002-07:002022-06-06T19:23:36.665-07:00Master Craftsman by Kelli Stuart<p> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWkEH8RpxRt6H4GITqpOy6X9H6c0D6KXmoDm2z6A_CHCiRz54MBRdZ9FLbYwpssj_mmwOxDPHXpMuHmmAeNjxafDhb4P-FtrNXXB_fDkHsOOvjDqLUwITMGpdWzNzYIQe2CGQFKGvL16fFFtxF2SEJUQAeQWVxlFgD060q8pdS5CkmA-Q4E8cTUX_p/s800/MCCover-527x800.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="527" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWkEH8RpxRt6H4GITqpOy6X9H6c0D6KXmoDm2z6A_CHCiRz54MBRdZ9FLbYwpssj_mmwOxDPHXpMuHmmAeNjxafDhb4P-FtrNXXB_fDkHsOOvjDqLUwITMGpdWzNzYIQe2CGQFKGvL16fFFtxF2SEJUQAeQWVxlFgD060q8pdS5CkmA-Q4E8cTUX_p/w264-h400/MCCover-527x800.jpg" width="264" /></a>Are you familiar with the beautifully crafted Russian Faberge eggs? Have you ever wondered why those special Russian eggs were created? Or who these incredibly talented jewelers were? This new novel, <b><u>The Master Craftsman</u></b> by Kelli Stuart, will take you back in history to an unsettling time period in Russia when the people were struggling, and the monarchy was not meeting the needs of the people they ruled. Yet, in spite of the unrest, there was a group of highly talented individuals that worked for a man by the name of Peter Karl Faberge. And for him, they would create one-of-a-kind masterpieces that we still "ooh and aah" over today.</p><h3 style="text-align: left;"><b>From the Back Cover:</b></h3><p>In 1917, Alma Pihl, a master craftsman in the House of Faberge, was charged to protect one of the greatest secrets in Russian history--an unknown Faberge Egg that Peter Karl Faberge secretly created to honor his divided allegiance to both the people of Russia and the Imperial tsar's family. When Alma and her husband escaped Russia for their native Finland in 1921, she took the secret with her, guarding her past connection to the Romanov family.</p><p>Three generations later, world-renowned treature hunter Nick Laine is sick and fears the secret of the missing egg will die with him. With time running out, he entrusts the mission of retrieving the egg to his estranged daughter, Ava, who has little idea of the dangers she is about to face. As the stakes are raised, Ava is forced to declare her own allegiance--and the consequences are greater than she could have imagined.</p><p> </p><h3 style="text-align: left;"><b>My Thoughts:</b><br /></h3><p>I love it when I sit down to read a book by an author I'm unfamiliar with and walk away thinking, "Wow, I loved that story!" This was my first time reading a book by Kellie Stuart, and now I'm wondering what else has she written. This book was so good! Who doesn't like a good treasure hunt for lost artifacts that involves some danger. The writing, the story line, and the characters were all wonderful. I was fascinated by the history that was shared as the characters hunted for the missing egg. Then, I had to venture online to see what these eggs looked like. This story will definitely pique your curiosity to find out more history about them. Russian history is fascinating to me since my parents were missionaries in Russia for about 10 years, and it was fun reading all of the Russian words the author used in the story. While the story is fiction, the history is interwoven into the story in such a beautiful way. The Master Craftsman is a book you are going to want on your shelf. So make sure to pick up this new book for your summer reading. It will be a great addition to any library!</p><p><b>My Rating:</b> ★★★★★ </p><p>*I received this book from Revell Publishing. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions are my own.<br /></p><h3 style="text-align: left;"><b>About the Author: <br /></b></h3><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZvAo70hPz9uyj8_OMr10tb6xJFwwjPCYc2lKf-siIreptWlAFh397xQWOi7YREL8jVcTbg-LVfymm-aFgYXgzg8ZyFCrCVTEiSqWYmvvgqTvGmlQ1GI2BruWD89AOBMxATLQBvlN94ZDZrQzobtuBuEpk5NsFT2nXnU8vev-6dOj9w5WCTRFvaBu0/s1592/kelliSauthor.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1592" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZvAo70hPz9uyj8_OMr10tb6xJFwwjPCYc2lKf-siIreptWlAFh397xQWOi7YREL8jVcTbg-LVfymm-aFgYXgzg8ZyFCrCVTEiSqWYmvvgqTvGmlQ1GI2BruWD89AOBMxATLQBvlN94ZDZrQzobtuBuEpk5NsFT2nXnU8vev-6dOj9w5WCTRFvaBu0/s320/kelliSauthor.jpg" width="241" /></a></div><p><span style="font-weight: normal;">Kelli Stuart is the author of the Carol Award-winning <u><b>Like a River from Its Course</b></u>, as well as </span><span style="font-weight: normal;"><b><u>A Silver Willow</u></b></span><span style="font-weight: normal;"><b><u> by the Shore</u></b> and <u><b>Life Creative: Inspiration for Today's Renaissance Mom</b></u> (with Wendy Speake). Stuart has written for <u>The Huffington Post</u>, 5 Minutes for Mom, Tonic.com, Disney, American Girl, The MOB Society, Extraordinary Mommy, God Size Dreams, Short Fiction Break, and (in)courage. Kelli is a storyteller at heart, fluent in the Russian
language, and has spent the last two decades studying the Russian and
Ukrainian culture. Kelli lives in Tampa, Florida, with her husband and
five children.</span></p><p><span style="font-weight: normal;">Visit Kelli's website by <a href="http://kellistuart.com/" target="_blank">clicking here</a>.<br /></span></p>Amanda Thttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05607472127261642278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4882663988615556128.post-82528136269446013112022-05-20T20:17:00.004-07:002022-05-20T22:06:12.948-07:00Shadowed Loyalty by Roseanna M. White<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioe8LEt0i31ZCfL0fbw3Bbj6BkDfImzlFyoMjjkLCL8qM1ZzhB6DwphU0pldEljH6gg69tPmbsEzM4EHIjCZ5oxNbWiHq2Vh6zjAyNlgReP3ImEIojSrYN4lSt5eo66VKxw4KrlQf-tS1ouTDd3MXG5f7B9eccRDuMQAmDJ0yZcEaGTOLQzzgiM5HZ/s2560/Shadowed-Loyalty-front-scaled.webp" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2560" data-original-width="1707" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioe8LEt0i31ZCfL0fbw3Bbj6BkDfImzlFyoMjjkLCL8qM1ZzhB6DwphU0pldEljH6gg69tPmbsEzM4EHIjCZ5oxNbWiHq2Vh6zjAyNlgReP3ImEIojSrYN4lSt5eo66VKxw4KrlQf-tS1ouTDd3MXG5f7B9eccRDuMQAmDJ0yZcEaGTOLQzzgiM5HZ/w266-h400/Shadowed-Loyalty-front-scaled.webp" width="266" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;">Who isn't fascinated by the gangs and mobsters of the 1920's? Roseanna M. White's newest release, <b><u>Shadowed Loyalty</u></b>, takes readers back in time to when organized crime was soaring and the mob ruled.<br /></span><p></p><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>From the Back Cover: <br /></b></span></h3><div id="iframeContent"><span style="font-size: medium;">
</span><div><span style="font-size: medium;">
</span><div class="et_pb_column et_pb_column_3_4 et_pb_column_2 et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough et-last-child"><span style="font-size: medium;">Sabina Mancari never questioned her life as the daughter of Chicago’s
leading mob boss until bullets tear apart her world and the man she
thought she loved turned out to be an undercover Prohibition agent. Now
she sees how ugly the underworld can be. Ambushes, bribes, murder,
prostitution—maybe Lorenzo, her straitlaced fiancé, had it right when he
said it is better to stay far removed. And maybe, if she can understand
him and his baffling faith, he will give her another chance.
</span><div id="et-boc"><div class="et-l"><div class="et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_2 et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light"><div class="et_pb_text_inner"><p><span style="font-size: medium;">But Lorenzo isn’t sure he’s ready for that. All his life he has loved
Sabina, only to realize she had never felt the same about him. While
he’s relieved to see her pursuing God, the Prohibition agent is pursuing
her father just as intently, and it falls to Enzo—and his legal
skills—to keep trouble at bay. He wants to believe that Sabina can
change…assuming they can stay alive until their wedding day.</span></p><span style="font-size: medium;">
</span><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><i>Shadowed Loyalty</i>, set amid the glitz and scandal of the
Roaring Twenties, examines what love really means and how we draw lines
between family and our own convictions, especially when following the
one could mean losing the other.</span></p>
</div>
</div></div></div>
</div>
</div>
</div><h3 style="text-align: left;"><b> <span style="font-size: medium;">My Thoughts:<br /></span></b></h3><span style="font-size: medium;">Isn't this cover great?!! I love the retro cover for this book. It fits the story perfectly! This is one period in history that I haven't come across while reading historical fiction books. So, it was fun to take a trip back in history to the Roaring Twenties during prohibition and organized crime. I also found the point of view of this novel to be unique in that the gangster's own daughter was the main character. Often, the viewpoint is seen from the law enforcement side of the situation, and this provides another angle into the family life of a crime boss. Many subjects come up in this novel--alcohol, prostitution, brothels, and murder, to name a few. The author doesn't gloss over the awful details of organized crime.<br /><br />While the beginning of this book opens with a riveting situation of guns drawn and Sabina's world crashing all around her, the rest of the book focuses mainly on Sabina's relationship with her family, the undercover Prohibition agent, and Lorenzo, the boy she's known all her life. Sabina is conflicted inside and the reader feels that as she and Lorenzo go back and forth. It's a little trying at times. I enjoyed reading the background of how things in Italy influenced how the Italian mafia operated here in America. Although, I wish the author would have played up the prominent mobster that shows up toward the end of the story. I think that element wasn't played through to its fullest potential. Overall, it was an interesting story, but not one of my favorites.</span><h3><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span><span style="font-weight: normal;">***I received a complimentary e-book from the author. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions are my own.</span></span></span></h3><p><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>My Rating: ★★★</b></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><b> </b></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">🚩 <b>FYI for parents of teens:</b> </span><span style="font-size: medium;">This book covers some situations that you may want to have a chat about with your teen. The crime boss does have a mistress on the side. Although there isn't anything directly written that is inappropriate, there is an understanding that when the crime boss leaves the house in the evening he is probably with the other woman. Also, one of the characters
has a relationship with a prostitute that leaves no doubt as to what happens after the scene
cuts away. <br /></span></p><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b> </b></span></h3><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>About the Author:</b></span></h3><p><b> </b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi68gG-oD3FlTysqb3QERazx0gt00M_d8FNYKYX0tDbp4KQpppRaSemkAyFUREar_CB9sL6t00RJ8AZQiNytnXAaM3rQf7dhtyAM30MKJ4vXzyIPTh53Erd-BqzKS3Eba_OjaEIrrIsqFbjdqDCdxbifjKF5Bn_gy9ApofQvsi9wJvPk6vLHGTwIKLo/s703/Roseanna-2018.webp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="703" data-original-width="510" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi68gG-oD3FlTysqb3QERazx0gt00M_d8FNYKYX0tDbp4KQpppRaSemkAyFUREar_CB9sL6t00RJ8AZQiNytnXAaM3rQf7dhtyAM30MKJ4vXzyIPTh53Erd-BqzKS3Eba_OjaEIrrIsqFbjdqDCdxbifjKF5Bn_gy9ApofQvsi9wJvPk6vLHGTwIKLo/s320/Roseanna-2018.webp" width="232" /></a></b></div><b><br /></b><p></p><div style="text-align: left;"><h3><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">R</span><span><span style="font-weight: normal;">oseanna M. W</span></span><span><span style="font-weight: normal;">hite is a bestselling, Christy Award winning author</span></span><span><span style="font-weight: normal;"> who
has long claimed that words are the air she breathes. When not writing
fiction, she’s homeschooling her two kids, editing, designing book
covers, and pretending her house will clean itself. </span></span><span><span style="font-weight: normal;">Roseanna
is the author of a slew of historical novels that span several
continents and thousands of years. Spies and war and mayhem always seem
to find their way into her books…to offset her real life, which is
blessedly ordinary. You can learn more about her and her stories at </span></span><a href="https://draft.blogger.com/%E2%80%9Dhttps://www.roseannamwhite.com/%E2%80%9D"><span style="font-weight: normal;">www.RoseannaMWhite.com</span></a><span><span style="font-weight: normal;">.</span></span></span></h3><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span><span style="font-weight: normal;">Buy the Book: <a href="https://www.roseannamwhite.com/product/shadowed-loyalty-signed" target="_blank">Roseanna's Shop </a></span></span></span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span><span style="font-weight: normal;"> or <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Shadowed-Loyalty-Roseanna-M-White-ebook/dp/B09TWNFTRW/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2WWDH6BA9SZSJ&keywords=shadowed+loyalty&qid=1647817664&sprefix=shadowed%2520loyalty%2Caps%2C234&sr=8-1" target="_blank">Amazon</a></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span><span style="font-weight: normal;">Check out Roseanna at any of these social sites:</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Blog: <a href="https://www.roseannamwhite.com/blog">https://www.roseannamwhite.com/blog</a></span></p><span style="font-size: medium;">
</span><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Facebook: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/RoseannaMWhite/">https://www.facebook.com/RoseannaMWhite/</a></span></p><span style="font-size: medium;">
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</span><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Pinterest: <a href="https://www.pinterest.com/roseannamwhite/">https://www.pinterest.com/roseannamwhite/</a></span></p><span style="font-size: medium;">
</span><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/roseannamwhite/">https://www.instagram.com/roseannamwhite/</a></span></p><span style="font-size: medium;">
</span><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/RoseannaMWhite">https://twitter.com/RoseannaMWhite</a></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span><span style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span><span style="font-weight: normal;"> <br /></span></span></span></p></div>Amanda Thttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05607472127261642278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4882663988615556128.post-72749621912319006672022-04-17T19:37:00.001-07:002022-04-17T19:37:41.365-07:00A Rose for the Resistance by Angela K. Couch<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0FRpiNzAV4btwdViKmvyA4HWKNsZ5C2oApjyeF7lig3q6m6cDiIRoIVQUysEAN0vVVZxcI8mE4ivAKjR0DkE654GlHfmettUEmEcMEzNQBH_bsjZ4kE91Vv9Ke_6F6MZcDxA5rO-dO_BUTE6pJzyxHM3QR-6HNRckt5-gO-57jKvElr0U8XgbKsbi/s688/Screen%20Shot%202022-04-17%20at%208.59.03%20PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="688" data-original-width="452" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0FRpiNzAV4btwdViKmvyA4HWKNsZ5C2oApjyeF7lig3q6m6cDiIRoIVQUysEAN0vVVZxcI8mE4ivAKjR0DkE654GlHfmettUEmEcMEzNQBH_bsjZ4kE91Vv9Ke_6F6MZcDxA5rO-dO_BUTE6pJzyxHM3QR-6HNRckt5-gO-57jKvElr0U8XgbKsbi/w263-h400/Screen%20Shot%202022-04-17%20at%208.59.03%20PM.png" width="263" /></a></div>It's the fifth book in the Heroines of WWII series published by Barbour Publishing! <u><b>A Rose for the Resistance</b></u> by Angela K. Couch takes readers to northern France during the time when the French were overtaken by the Nazi war machine, and the underground efforts of the Resistance was a way the French could fight back against the German army.<br /><p></p><p><b>From the Back Cover:</b></p><p>With her father in a German POW camp and her home in Sainte-Mere-Eglise, France, under Nazi occupation, Rosalie Barrieau will do anything to keep her younger brother safe...even from his desire to join the French resistance. Then she falls into the debt of a German soldier--one who delivers a wounded British pilot to her door. Though not sure what to make of her German ally, Rosalie is thrust deep into the heart of the local underground.</p><p>Franz Kafka has survived the war by following orders, but a brush with death and a transfer to Normandy, France, has him questioning the cost of his course. Even as he finds himself receiving a promotion and instructions to seek out the Resistance, his compassion for the French under German occupation can't be ignored--neither can a beautiful young woman often seen riding a bicycle through checkpoints.</p><p>As tensions build toward the allied invasion of Normandy, they both must decide how much they are willing to risk for freedom--and love.</p><p><b>My Thoughts:</b></p><p>This story is a quick read and will have you wondering how things will go for Rosalie's family. The author paints a picture for the reader of the fear and uncertainty gripping the citizens of France as the German army descends on the cities. All Rosalie wants is for her family to keep their heads down and survive until the Allies come and free them. But slowly she understands that even keeping your head down doesn't mean safety. I think that the story conveys the tough choices the French had to make if they were going to fight for the country they loved. There are several themes running throughout the story sacrifice, grief, fear, hatred, forgiveness, and trust to name a few. While there were elements I liked about the story, there were also things that frustrated me. There was an unresolved conflict at the end of the story that didn't seem to have any justice, and it left me feeling sad. Overall, I have mixed feelings about this book. I wanted to like it, but I really didn't like the way the book ended. <br /></p><p><b>Rating: ★★★</b></p><p><b>About the Author:</b></p><p><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh949h89cFA3wyF7bgBE54VORHgphbyXqm4pTHfMKVgjTLCLdyrJ-O_jW2EV9cTyL2QDFXZVGh2qAOP19jN-LEXgE4Icp0qVkXyiQgrbes8E01tInBixTri8xa4zAu4LtIVWz8jWKDCU-M0xQR52fJoMjgzrbyeazi-UovY0HryiVx7-BXw501WXHYZ/s301/angela-k-couch-pic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="301" data-original-width="300" height="301" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh949h89cFA3wyF7bgBE54VORHgphbyXqm4pTHfMKVgjTLCLdyrJ-O_jW2EV9cTyL2QDFXZVGh2qAOP19jN-LEXgE4Icp0qVkXyiQgrbes8E01tInBixTri8xa4zAu4LtIVWz8jWKDCU-M0xQR52fJoMjgzrbyeazi-UovY0HryiVx7-BXw501WXHYZ/s1600/angela-k-couch-pic.jpg" width="300" /></a></b></div><b><br /></b>To keep from freezing in the Great White North, Angela K Couch
cuddles under quilts with her laptop. Winning short story contests,
being a semi-finalist in ACFW’s Genesis Contest, and a finalist in the
International Digital Awards also helped warm her up. As a passionate
believer in Christ, her faith permeates the stories she tells. Her
martial arts training, experience with horses, and appreciation for good
romance sneak in there, as well. When not writing, she stays fit (and
warm) by chasing after four munchkins.<p></p><p><a href="https://angelakcouch.com/" target="_blank">Click here</a> to visit her website.<br /></p><p><strong> </strong></p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>*** I received this complimentary copy from Barbour publishing. I was under no obligation to post a review. All opinions are my own.<strong><br /></strong></p>Amanda Thttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05607472127261642278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4882663988615556128.post-8872603055417800732022-03-26T15:08:00.002-07:002022-04-17T17:57:16.221-07:00Saving Mrs. Roosevelt by Candice Sue Patterson<p> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhXEphpFEnzACcc_FyIPHlARd1duDD1MxV2mGhq4fVNVM8JH6ZH-b1mvwfovDljSBljc_IP9Ocm4TSDvmPd53_K_Jb33ODbTqZ_JGo3u6ozqCZveLdTcVbl4WL2EGxfzjQ0_a5R4SdPTlyU1AASWtGnXyFMaOAZf879oLG-Yzzp1aIE-wCWNkF-CuIa=s690" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="690" data-original-width="450" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhXEphpFEnzACcc_FyIPHlARd1duDD1MxV2mGhq4fVNVM8JH6ZH-b1mvwfovDljSBljc_IP9Ocm4TSDvmPd53_K_Jb33ODbTqZ_JGo3u6ozqCZveLdTcVbl4WL2EGxfzjQ0_a5R4SdPTlyU1AASWtGnXyFMaOAZf879oLG-Yzzp1aIE-wCWNkF-CuIa=w261-h400" width="261" /></a>World War II is always a fascinating time period that lends itself well to plots for novels. It's a time when everyone wanted to do what they could to serve their country and squelch the evil that seemed to be spreading it's empire across the continent of Europe. In this new book, <u><b>Saving Mrs. Roosevelt</b></u> by Candice Sue Patterson, readers will not only get to enjoy a captivating story, but will also learn a little bit about the beginning of women enlisting in the Coast Guard. Their group was called SPARs. <br /></p><p><b>From the Back Cover:</b></p><p><b>The Safety of the First Lady Rests in Shirley's Hands</b></p><p>Shirley Davenport is as much a patriot as her four brothers. She too wants to aid her country in the war efforts, but opportunities for women are limited. When her best friend Joan informs her that the Coast Guard has opened a new branch for single women, they both enlist in the SPARS (Semper Parus Always Ready), eager to help protect the home front.</p><p>Training is rigorous, and Shirley is disappointed that she and Joan are sent to separate training camps. At the end of basic training, Captain Webber commends her efforts and commissions her home to Maine under the ruse of a dishonorable discharge to help uncover a conspiracy against the First Lady. </p><p>Shirley soon discovers nothing is as it seems. Whom can she trust? Why do the people she loves want to harm the First Lady? With the help of Captain Webber, it's a race against time to save Mrs. Roosevelt and remain alive.</p><p><b>My Thoughts:</b></p><p>I enjoyed this book. The story was an easy read, and the plot moved the story along well. I enjoyed learning about the beginning of the woman's division in the Coast Guard and how they were able to help our country right here at home. The plot against the First Lady was an interesting twist to the story that gave Shirley quite a dangerous undercover mission. I appreciated that the author took the time to write in her author's note in the back about which parts of the fictional story were true to history and which were a fun fictional addition. <br /></p><p>This book is part of a book series called the Heroines of WWII being published by Barbour Books.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0d71L339FzzPpv3ldrqpuKjBH_6YTBNgcs22BY6DXfrH-YdYWxgF1N8ak4mMFkwpZBnrFudOMNoVnJHDslIJTQgHUnjhi3HxDD89zebjA7LYuMbFGbmYGa2cYUPuG2yaJkzJhlJJ_betXqHqzpNkgYBc2zG9CE_Ua_dWwDp3RL4spd0Qv588cLubx/s1640/adventure-awaits-in-the-heroines-of-wwii-series.webp" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="924" data-original-width="1640" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0d71L339FzzPpv3ldrqpuKjBH_6YTBNgcs22BY6DXfrH-YdYWxgF1N8ak4mMFkwpZBnrFudOMNoVnJHDslIJTQgHUnjhi3HxDD89zebjA7LYuMbFGbmYGa2cYUPuG2yaJkzJhlJJ_betXqHqzpNkgYBc2zG9CE_Ua_dWwDp3RL4spd0Qv588cLubx/w400-h225/adventure-awaits-in-the-heroines-of-wwii-series.webp" width="400" /></a></div><p><b>Book 1:</b> The Cryptographer's Dilemma by Johnnie Alexander</p><p><b>Book 2:</b> A Picture of Hope by Liz Tolsma <br /></p><p><b>Book 3:</b> Saving Mrs. Roosevelt by Candice Sue Patterson </p><p><b>Book 4:</b> Mrs. Witherspoon Goes to War by Mary Davis <br /></p><p><b>Book 5:</b> A Rose For the Resistance by Angela K. Couch</p><p>If you're looking for a fun quick read and like WWII Historical fiction, pick up Barbour's newest book Saving Mrs. Roosevelt. It's a fun trip back in time, and I look forward to reading the other book from this series.<br /></p><p><b>My Rating: ★★★★</b></p><p><b>About the Author:</b></p><p><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDz6iNDCVgArI-Urq_IC2skVz66hInfRlRnCvxsL3v1f3DcDNTF_cl9qrGa8w2WbNiF8ooNM8RIhEeIAwqzIF8Ae2lkvUwuAcEWZd2mf3aQ7NapA4enoRkiNVGW4svB9AnXqaq5kCVukzZimOTNGcA9fOgdbqAPnOKO2N91GYIXz3prgdQHa8qkVMz/s768/candiceportraits009-xl.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="510" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDz6iNDCVgArI-Urq_IC2skVz66hInfRlRnCvxsL3v1f3DcDNTF_cl9qrGa8w2WbNiF8ooNM8RIhEeIAwqzIF8Ae2lkvUwuAcEWZd2mf3aQ7NapA4enoRkiNVGW4svB9AnXqaq5kCVukzZimOTNGcA9fOgdbqAPnOKO2N91GYIXz3prgdQHa8qkVMz/w213-h320/candiceportraits009-xl.jpg" width="213" /></a></b></div><br /><b> </b><p></p><p>Candice studied at the Institute of Children’s Literature at age
sixteen. She lives in Indiana with her husband and three sons in a
restored farmhouse overtaken by books. When she’s not tending to her
chickens, snuggling with her Great Pyrenees, or sharing her passion for
reading with students as an elementary school librarian, she’s working
on a new story. Candice writes both contemporary and historical
romance—where the past and present collide with faith. </p><p>Learn more at her
website at <b><a href="http://www.candicesuepatterson.com" rel="nofollow">http://www.candicesuepatterson.com</a>.<br /> </b></p><p><b> </b></p><p><b> </b></p><p><b> </b></p><p><b>***</b><b>I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing and was under no obligation to post a review. </b></p><p></p>Amanda Thttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05607472127261642278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4882663988615556128.post-84650927128338815902022-02-18T20:41:00.001-08:002022-02-18T20:45:23.234-08:00God Made it All by Ruthie Godfrey<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgATSn4y4H8UdJ1cYfrF8ra-bPB6KKSiEiVLb5S4SZpZQcpQaoFdq5jXmKNIC_e3rStZ1I9bHB9pjE9lBC5cbpXI6_MUDqaEOIbdcFXcbwv9qJZE6cy7lTNcGhA_ABU0Pvd1ApH2u1na28dOK4F87qB6XpXD-utH1t86n_F_iyTVnBrUJivn5II5yvQ=s520" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="516" data-original-width="520" height="398" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgATSn4y4H8UdJ1cYfrF8ra-bPB6KKSiEiVLb5S4SZpZQcpQaoFdq5jXmKNIC_e3rStZ1I9bHB9pjE9lBC5cbpXI6_MUDqaEOIbdcFXcbwv9qJZE6cy7lTNcGhA_ABU0Pvd1ApH2u1na28dOK4F87qB6XpXD-utH1t86n_F_iyTVnBrUJivn5II5yvQ=w400-h398" width="400" /></a></div><p>A sweet children's book has released by author Ruthie Godfrey called <u><b>God Made It All</b></u>. This book is suggested for children ages 4-10 and focuses on the theme of God as our Creator. The author uses poetry to share all of the wonderful things that God has made. It covers many categories like mountains, weather, animals, food, humans, and our emotions. The illustrations beautifully bring to life what the author has written and will draw your little one's eyes to the page as you read. Each page is a great springboard for talking with your child about all the different aspects of God's creation. </p><p>If you're looking for a new children's book about God as Creator, pick up Ruthie's newest picture book and enjoy pointing out all the ways God has creatively designed us and the things around us.<br /></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>About the Author:</b></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhZ1yZZvLYyJXZb861DWclsegp5inn_RnvPpybfFN-YLuTWehv4zRRzt7Vt2-vaytzGAwO3QXB2MbrRe6Yjt3DreOmAJmB2JTlksfUy4Dr0jtfxf9f3SvcwpRVy8SNJQnG1QOQIfy_zKrTPMdAHTHdkWUk2AqLCx-qy_ybjGJ1fgi884WzfNjTfQETV=s1072" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1072" data-original-width="859" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhZ1yZZvLYyJXZb861DWclsegp5inn_RnvPpybfFN-YLuTWehv4zRRzt7Vt2-vaytzGAwO3QXB2MbrRe6Yjt3DreOmAJmB2JTlksfUy4Dr0jtfxf9f3SvcwpRVy8SNJQnG1QOQIfy_zKrTPMdAHTHdkWUk2AqLCx-qy_ybjGJ1fgi884WzfNjTfQETV=s320" width="256" /></a></div><br />Ruthie is an author and elementary educator. She loves reading and is
devoted to writing stories that make children feel seen, heard, and
understood. She gets many of her story ideas from her observations in
the classroom. And she writes those stories to shed light on important
truths about life.<p></p><p>Ruthie's website: https://www.ruthiegodfreybooks.com/</p><p><br /></p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> *** I received a complimentary book from the author. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions are my own. <br /></p><p></p>Amanda Thttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05607472127261642278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4882663988615556128.post-16465601236663104012022-02-18T13:12:00.002-08:002022-02-18T13:21:33.842-08:00Never Leave Me by Jody Hedlund (Series: Waters of Time, book 2)<p> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi3TGtXIXj2kUy9vNUhNtzvw9PWbZ_49AP_ovGSHlIdCjHTfRJi23_FGzlQSoY8DJhtNKIxF1DPtUtAQ_QMtsBt4DqPyueAuzqjvUOpGKNku5-hCsakUI2UlNZ3dutxfmBRRLcYO3zO00vBaO-MkovSVh4dtc9E_GEZzoVqVuJUTbhb5EhKIiPIKDA6=s692" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="692" data-original-width="456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi3TGtXIXj2kUy9vNUhNtzvw9PWbZ_49AP_ovGSHlIdCjHTfRJi23_FGzlQSoY8DJhtNKIxF1DPtUtAQ_QMtsBt4DqPyueAuzqjvUOpGKNku5-hCsakUI2UlNZ3dutxfmBRRLcYO3zO00vBaO-MkovSVh4dtc9E_GEZzoVqVuJUTbhb5EhKIiPIKDA6=w264-h400" width="264" /></a>Have you ever wondered what it would be like to travel back in time? What would it be like to wake up and have the home and city you live in look very different from our current day? Jody Hedlund has a time-traveling series that will transport you back and forth from current day all the way back to the year 1382. This series is called Waters of Time. The first book, <u><b>Come to Me</b></u>, released last year, and you can read my review at this link. This review is about the second book in the series, <u><b>Never Leave Me</b></u>, which just released at the beginning of this year.</p><h3 style="text-align: left;"><b>From the Back Cover:</b></h3><p>FACING DEATH TAKE COURAGE. FACING LIFE TAKES EVEN MORE.</p><p>In the last stages of a genetic disease, Ellen Creighton has decided to live out her remaining days at the estate of her longtime friend Harrison Burlington. Though he's never allowed himself to get serious in a relationship due to his paralysis, Harrison cares deeply for Ellen and is desperately trying to save her life by finding the holy water that is believed to heal any disease---the same substance Ellen suspects is responsible for the deaths of her father and sister.</p><p>But Harrison is not the only one seeking the holy water. Dangerous criminals are mere steps behind, and Ellen soon learns they will go to any lengths to get the powerful drug---including sending her back into the past to locate it for them.</p><h3 style="text-align: left;"> My Thoughts:</h3><div style="text-align: left;"> This book cover is beautiful! The graphics and colors all work so well together. It's mysterious, and the castle on the front is intriguing. Good covers are the reason I pick books up to read.</div><div style="text-align: left;"> This story picks up right where book one left off. Ellen is still dying and in need of a miracle. She and Harrison's relationship is complicated. There is quite an age gap between them, but Harrison wants this relationship to be more than friends. Ellen, on the other hand, has sworn off relationships knowing that she doesn't have long to live. They are both adept at hiding their feelings from each other; although, others have clearly figured out what is going on between them. The lengths at which they choose to hide their feelings from each other can get a little frustrating for the reader, especially after all they go through in the story. I wasn't a fan of the way their relationship was handled. They go on a vacation together, but only have one hotel room. Then, they fake a romantic relationship to fool others and go to great lengths to prove it by making out. This soured the story for me.<br /></div><p style="text-align: left;">However, I did like that there were characters reintroduced into the story that helped wrap up what I had read in the first book. Also, a new character named Nicholas was introduced. He is a brave and honorable man willing to go to great lengths to do what's right. Definitely, a mystery man to be sure, and I'm convinced most readers are hoping he's in the next book. </p><p style="text-align: left;">Overall, I liked the first book better. I thought this one was good in keeping the pace going, but the relationship between Ellen and Harrison was frustrating. It'll be interesting to see where she goes with the third book. <br /></p><p style="text-align: left;">My Rating: ★★★</p><p style="text-align: left;"> </p><h3 style="text-align: left;"> About the Author:</h3><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_n2_TJIeVRPD-j8OgFQczTdROrxZx0IHtlcs8FLyNHbKo2lUtKcpzxwjQtfPAiduPsE9Mcc5dUSeH8iCN3rB1OxSF3FX1z590ONY9q4b8qNHtH-TljQMOPzfbp_g5kG_z-q-TlmDK3Do/s1024/jodyNo-15.webp" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="744" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_n2_TJIeVRPD-j8OgFQczTdROrxZx0IHtlcs8FLyNHbKo2lUtKcpzxwjQtfPAiduPsE9Mcc5dUSeH8iCN3rB1OxSF3FX1z590ONY9q4b8qNHtH-TljQMOPzfbp_g5kG_z-q-TlmDK3Do/s320/jodyNo-15.webp" width="233" /></a> Jody Hedlund is the author of over thirty historicals for both adults
and teens and is the winner of numerous awards including the Christy,
Carol, and Christian Book Award.</p>
<p>Jody lives in central Michigan with her husband, five busy children,
and five spoiled cats. Although Jody prefers to experience daring and
dangerous adventures through her characters rather than in real life,
she’s learned that a calm existence is simply not meant to be (at least
in this phase of her life!).</p>
<p>When she’s not penning another of her page-turning stories, she loves
to spend her time reading, especially when it also involves consuming
coffee and chocolate.</p>You can find Jody's website<span style="color: #6aa84f;"> <a href="http://jodyhedlund.com/books/come-back-to-me/" target="_blank">by clicking here! </a></span><p style="text-align: left;"> </p><p style="text-align: left;"> </p><p style="text-align: left;">*** I received this complimentary book from Revell publishing. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions are my own.<br /></p><p></p>Amanda Thttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05607472127261642278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4882663988615556128.post-14638465527447251572022-01-29T12:40:00.003-08:002023-02-04T20:00:26.864-08:00To Treasure an Heiress by Roseanna M. White (The Secrets of the Isles, Book 2)<p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhoK655n5BFESxY7AHMyoqeTHccRGXYz0NMqLheAvqcS1T1Tli4W1cBU1I24VQwHPJH2Vt-KguVEsjfNfEzpx6S7p_8QHjUX6fDg8H8T-LbisGyYcWZoLru8QKMUDk3OCuXnmMf7E4G88OK3zuu4fqbsdB-0x6KlKRTQnuVbawxTOBFKy6U7WVbHnJ8=s2546" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2546" data-original-width="1650" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhoK655n5BFESxY7AHMyoqeTHccRGXYz0NMqLheAvqcS1T1Tli4W1cBU1I24VQwHPJH2Vt-KguVEsjfNfEzpx6S7p_8QHjUX6fDg8H8T-LbisGyYcWZoLru8QKMUDk3OCuXnmMf7E4G88OK3zuu4fqbsdB-0x6KlKRTQnuVbawxTOBFKy6U7WVbHnJ8=w259-h400" width="259" /></a></p><p>Are you looking for a new book to add to your "to be read" list for 2022? Then check out this newest book by Roseanna M. White called <b><u>To Treasure an Heiress</u></b>. It's a story takes readers on a wild, treasure hunt filled with mystery and danger. This is Roseanna's second book in her Secrets of the Isles series and shares Beth and Sheridan's story. </p><h3 style="text-align: left;"><b>From the Back Cover:</b></h3><p style="text-align: left;">1906</p><p style="text-align: left;">Beth Tremayne has always been drawn to adventure. During her childhood, she fed that desire by exploring every inch of the Isles of Scilly. Now, after stumbling across an old collection of letters and a map buried on her family's property, she 's found more adventure than she ever anticipated in the hunt for pirate treasure. But in order to discover where the clues lead, she must search alongside Lord Sheridan, a man she finds insufferable.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Sheridan has spent years pursuing whatever archaeological interests pique his imagination. And when he discovers that Beth's search connects with one of his far-removed pirate ancestors, he can't help getting involved. Plus, he finds her irresistible, even though she insists he stole a prized possession of hers.</p><p style="text-align: left;">As they work together following different clues and drawing closer to danger, they start to piece together a story of tragic love and piratical adventure. But which treasure will bring the greatest surprise--the one they find in each other or the one just out of their reach?</p><h3 style="text-align: left;"><b>My Thoughts:</b></h3><p style="text-align: left;">This book was a fun continuation of the Secret of the Isles series! The pirate story Beth has been chasing is definitely intriguing and provides a great adventure for the reader. The interaction between Beth and Sheridan is really quite humorous and adds a comedic flare to the story. In addition to the comedy, there are some historical elements added to this story as well. It's always fun to find historical gems explored in fictional stories, and I love that the author includes an Author's Note section at the end of the book to let the reader know which parts are actual history and which are fiction. I thought that the book was enjoyable as it kept my interest and brought a smile to my face in several places. I would definitely recommend picking up this series.<br /></p><p style="text-align: left;">If you haven't started this series yet, check out the first book in this series called <u><b>The Nature of a Lady</b></u>. You can read my own review of this book by <a href="https://amandaspileofbooks.blogspot.com/2021/05/the-nature-of-lady-by-roseanna-m-white.html" target="_blank"><u><b>clicking here</b></u></a>.<br /></p><h4 style="text-align: left;"><b> My Rating: ★★★★</b><br /></h4><h2 style="text-align: left;"><b>About the Author:</b></h2><p style="text-align: left;"> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgsFdhbdFf_hAc-ZSiAKRJoZv2aUHUNGkblky-pQRBrxZ_VcpP9sNUujscyybnGHp84B-MhoNIFjcYXQCvqyvmWoG_wOzA2txah86ZqlaPkD492axaKDj42AFXrQHqha0hK1ydTRql1wjIVHlTrLo-CoU9GG0q7VH2135LaqVULt0Z6CPJlPJDcOIoo=s703" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="703" data-original-width="510" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgsFdhbdFf_hAc-ZSiAKRJoZv2aUHUNGkblky-pQRBrxZ_VcpP9sNUujscyybnGHp84B-MhoNIFjcYXQCvqyvmWoG_wOzA2txah86ZqlaPkD492axaKDj42AFXrQHqha0hK1ydTRql1wjIVHlTrLo-CoU9GG0q7VH2135LaqVULt0Z6CPJlPJDcOIoo=s320" width="232" /></a></div><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">R<span>oseanna M. W</span><span>hite is a bestselling, Christy Award winning author</span><span> who
has long claimed that words are the air she breathes. When not writing
fiction, she’s homeschooling her two kids, editing, designing book
covers, and pretending her house will clean itself. </span><span>Roseanna
is the author of a slew of historical novels that span several
continents and thousands of years. Spies and war and mayhem always seem
to find their way into her books…to offset her real life, which is
blessedly ordinary. You can learn more about her and her stories at </span><a href="https://draft.blogger.com/%E2%80%9Dhttps://www.roseannamwhite.com/%E2%80%9D">www.RoseannaMWhite.com</a><span>.</span></span></span><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;">Book Buy Links:</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://www.roseannamwhite.com/product/to-treasure-an-heiress-secrets-of-the-isles-book-2" target="_blank">Roseanna's Shop (Signed)</a> <br /></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Treasure-Heiress-Secrets-Isles/dp/0764237195/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1636739176&sr=8-2" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: small;">Amazon</span></a></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/to-treasure-an-heiress-roseanna-m-white/1139650777?ean=9780764237195" target="_blank">Barnes and Noble</a><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.christianbook.com/the-nature-of-a-lady-1/roseanna-white/9780764237188/pd/237188?event=ESRCG" target="_blank">Christianbook</a><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"> </p><p style="text-align: left;"> </p><p style="text-align: left;">*I received this complimentary book from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions are my own.<br /></p>Amanda Thttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05607472127261642278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4882663988615556128.post-27576787645499828712021-12-31T19:20:00.004-08:002021-12-31T19:35:53.764-08:00The Bible Recap Study Guide and Journal by Tara-Leigh Cobble<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgxkquCALw638dLnjbM08j4l6xAe7vW49krkZQ9CGXi8uPrpycFt3OhWQ4GdJs8to290iDRqEi7CIFNyRKt2bhfUSP-bHTNzzROw6JyK0YmZEciGRQytt3I4vxBmYq_Iq8yJeMVA7UEemrUndgyUlDlW6IVm91ga1A-1laXYBcmRLEFO6AAdaAvMHq4=s3447" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2758" data-original-width="3447" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgxkquCALw638dLnjbM08j4l6xAe7vW49krkZQ9CGXi8uPrpycFt3OhWQ4GdJs8to290iDRqEi7CIFNyRKt2bhfUSP-bHTNzzROw6JyK0YmZEciGRQytt3I4vxBmYq_Iq8yJeMVA7UEemrUndgyUlDlW6IVm91ga1A-1laXYBcmRLEFO6AAdaAvMHq4=s320" width="320" /></a></div><p><br /></p>As we close out this year and look to the next, many of us make it a goal to read through our Bibles in a year. This year Bethany House has just published The Bible Recap resources by Tara-Leigh Cobble to help you in your Bible study time. These resources walk you through the entire Bible in chronological order.<p></p><p><br /></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjYTlr-T38MsTC6K6KtDq2SIAQSyFhmb5APsQl77c2hrZuxJGCaQmGWRPVPurgIzx5liJOM0rGektG1bswalY2Fb4_kTex5DH-dsxPzpG08BbL6zFljV-B3kkXocXJHSzuvCHTiMrPtdY0VEQh1anAjINWNHmBkVPUrYZtQlaUF7Da7qc89q7Cs6iTz=s4032" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjYTlr-T38MsTC6K6KtDq2SIAQSyFhmb5APsQl77c2hrZuxJGCaQmGWRPVPurgIzx5liJOM0rGektG1bswalY2Fb4_kTex5DH-dsxPzpG08BbL6zFljV-B3kkXocXJHSzuvCHTiMrPtdY0VEQh1anAjINWNHmBkVPUrYZtQlaUF7Da7qc89q7Cs6iTz=w240-h320" width="240" /></a></p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;">The Bible Recap Journal has a simple format for each page and includes three questions for each day’s reading. The questions are:</p><p>1. Things I loved/learned/noticed</p><p>2. Questions/things I want to research</p><p>3. God shot (This is where you are supposed to list the attributes of God seen in your reading. I’m not wild about the name for this section.) </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhZIKPN0NvvvPA3nVDMGpnPROtCCdvRuIUHoF53RgNpAMAQkGg2hqw_buDV2urdrv1UVjNyf9Fi26Ph1vmuoQysvbtA6SiP3btgmquxDolDtjZdpRg9MQwZsv1bEbfXBXorPvFGEdTkMQSfrsbxXZDorlH49JXg2-i_PIZEVCSjUDNNl53WhJ0sR6v4=s4032" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhZIKPN0NvvvPA3nVDMGpnPROtCCdvRuIUHoF53RgNpAMAQkGg2hqw_buDV2urdrv1UVjNyf9Fi26Ph1vmuoQysvbtA6SiP3btgmquxDolDtjZdpRg9MQwZsv1bEbfXBXorPvFGEdTkMQSfrsbxXZDorlH49JXg2-i_PIZEVCSjUDNNl53WhJ0sR6v4=s320" width="240" /></a></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;">The Bible Recap Study Guide has thought-provoking questions for each day’s reading. There could be as little as 3 or as much as 9 questions for each section’s reading. </span></div><p></p><p><br /></p><p>I like that the journal is simple and great for those who do not have a lot time to do in-depth Bible study, but would like to write down a few thoughts after their reading for the day. I was pleasantly surprised with the quality questions in the study guide. This guide will definitely take more time than the journal, and does ask questions that will require some thought and sometimes research. </p><p> If you’re looking for something to encourage your goal of reading through the Bible this year, The Bible Recap Study Guide and Journal are great resources to check out. </p><p>*I received these complimentary books from Bethany House publishers. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions are my own.</p><p><br /></p>Amanda Thttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05607472127261642278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4882663988615556128.post-15578415596818183762021-11-19T14:40:00.006-08:002021-11-19T15:03:12.942-08:00The Get It Together Planner by Ink & Willow<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0TN_dmvUvifXb3xIB-dBUDH0by34fkAaCbGsxulQ35KvjYJOxrCU-VOUhfQ4fKrjybD4GapWDfLU-D7eJWZusHxJ40ZELCdaU71Dfho3rEenTZnYmM4ZOfjUwh9lG4iDUP2xk4xs53LU/s4032/IMG_2688.HEIC" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0TN_dmvUvifXb3xIB-dBUDH0by34fkAaCbGsxulQ35KvjYJOxrCU-VOUhfQ4fKrjybD4GapWDfLU-D7eJWZusHxJ40ZELCdaU71Dfho3rEenTZnYmM4ZOfjUwh9lG4iDUP2xk4xs53LU/s320/IMG_2688.HEIC" width="240" /></a></div><p>Each year around this time, many people begin looking for a perfect planner for the new year. Did you know that Ink & Willow published a planner this year? The Get It Together Planner came out in June 2021 and might be the product you've been looking for to get your day organized!</p><p>This planner is an undated 52-week planner, so you can start whenever you'd like, and it also includes wonderful tools to help keep you organized during your week like:</p><p> A Yearly Calendar for 2021-2026, A Vision Board, Evaluation Page for the Past Year, Stickers, Budget Tracker and Menu Planner</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIrNcXkaXmrAhjoYrPS5Es9wW3gk8UMGmL4YcDkEzjYef-WXdHNitdOTcjwIcWRgEYFNGEcYGGCIH48m2fuAnw96rDuPplr1InoVPcI9J6us_it6yX7qyCpMUTG0o-pWj_VFSQh3Wehlk/s4032/IMG_2692.HEIC" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIrNcXkaXmrAhjoYrPS5Es9wW3gk8UMGmL4YcDkEzjYef-WXdHNitdOTcjwIcWRgEYFNGEcYGGCIH48m2fuAnw96rDuPplr1InoVPcI9J6us_it6yX7qyCpMUTG0o-pWj_VFSQh3Wehlk/s320/IMG_2692.HEIC" width="320" /></a></div><p> </p><p>This shows the end of the year evaluation page and how each monthly page looks throughout the planner. Below the calendar, there is space to list what your goals are for these categories: Family, Wellness, Relationship Health, Work, Emotional Health, Spiritual Growth and Special Projects.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXDlKg4Tvik1cvnREmYRDreL_KqQWOPYXWRB-pE2bzQw-pk6cI13o-TK7boHbRCbsmyAQ0PdYKcCpbTafGJfIm3QeT5N1WQ105s84pfCJaJZQMYrtcB-J1deCx30ToioCaRuFw4_8Z5Xw/s3798/IMG_2695.HEIC" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2692" data-original-width="3798" height="227" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXDlKg4Tvik1cvnREmYRDreL_KqQWOPYXWRB-pE2bzQw-pk6cI13o-TK7boHbRCbsmyAQ0PdYKcCpbTafGJfIm3QeT5N1WQ105s84pfCJaJZQMYrtcB-J1deCx30ToioCaRuFw4_8Z5Xw/s320/IMG_2695.HEIC" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p> This is the menu planner that is included for each month. I thought this
was a great addition to this planner. I love the layout and the ability
to plan a whole month's worth of meals!</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ9ds6tWAc9YnilXE2zaRpg4G_1WHduAkvTcC9O1f6yJ_SmZ_SF_X6nfrCrORusVIfxBDxvI2R0FXFvA00EVONOcW4cGNL6XcXgfJgMaoKWmBIChMTjBDFc_YOQ_q8FxIUO4qofuWVTQI/s4032/IMG_2696.HEIC" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2934" data-original-width="4032" height="233" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ9ds6tWAc9YnilXE2zaRpg4G_1WHduAkvTcC9O1f6yJ_SmZ_SF_X6nfrCrORusVIfxBDxvI2R0FXFvA00EVONOcW4cGNL6XcXgfJgMaoKWmBIChMTjBDFc_YOQ_q8FxIUO4qofuWVTQI/s320/IMG_2696.HEIC" width="320" /></a></div><p> This is the weekly part of the planner. There is plenty of room to write in the columns for each day, and along the sides there are additional features for tracking daily habits like: prayer, Bible reading, water and recharging. There are also 4 non-titled sections for you to add your own daily habits.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgldARGrXtLlOL0Tvn3WYxpugqAPsK9X_dqfXGOC7YmvdB6aRnXwzfFXUrzqGiKtTZLgPAYTOgOG7u4p3P76fBEaKu3aRW605BIcOlP89haTQ_Y6e6QyCqHZNB8rpn51wjB6Q0eQrmHfhc/s4032/IMG_2700.HEIC" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgldARGrXtLlOL0Tvn3WYxpugqAPsK9X_dqfXGOC7YmvdB6aRnXwzfFXUrzqGiKtTZLgPAYTOgOG7u4p3P76fBEaKu3aRW605BIcOlP89haTQ_Y6e6QyCqHZNB8rpn51wjB6Q0eQrmHfhc/s320/IMG_2700.HEIC" width="240" /></a></div><p> </p><p> There are stickers included in the back of the book to use in your planner. This is the only part that I really was kind of disappointed about. As you can see in the final picture I added below, one of the sticker didn't remove very cleanly from the page. I only removed the month stickers, so I'm not sure if it would happen on any of the others. The stickers didn't seem like they were very high quality. <br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgStZBTAmhZvOcd-t_U4ItP3P4DWGQWd-HTnZdSdPPUPmGCEa2qBodRiZSIrv2Zmi9s8-vgg40q4_f6e99L2WuuTea7BiXPe5rgrCGc6P_Z9pkUNjLjQz8Qfuavey0wJK1jaN24F0c86CE/s4032/IMG_2702.HEIC" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgStZBTAmhZvOcd-t_U4ItP3P4DWGQWd-HTnZdSdPPUPmGCEa2qBodRiZSIrv2Zmi9s8-vgg40q4_f6e99L2WuuTea7BiXPe5rgrCGc6P_Z9pkUNjLjQz8Qfuavey0wJK1jaN24F0c86CE/s320/IMG_2702.HEIC" width="240" /></a></div><p><br /> </p><p>Stickers aside... overall, I thought this was a great product and well laid out. I was impressed with the quality of the paper, and the planning tools they have included to help get you organized for the year. So if you're looking for a new planner for this coming year, check out Ink & Willow's planner and see if it just might be a good fit for you!</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>***I received this planner from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions are my own.<br /></p><p></p><p><br /></p>Amanda Thttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05607472127261642278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4882663988615556128.post-37265177387941786992021-11-19T08:09:00.000-08:002021-11-19T08:09:08.088-08:00The Wish Book Christmas by Lynn Austin<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRvgPD6VJ3L0qLZBUVlvTVsTHrgYkO-ZzcLs25xI4Svy6zdIAjcvlj4AUyXkbKTZ799mSZD08tCIpRk4V_rcbVlYA2rcqAOzsAwgN02J0-QeUmnKzKeBOpOBPDiSy2i0eu17Xi9IlVtr0/s500/unnamed%25281%2529.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="357" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRvgPD6VJ3L0qLZBUVlvTVsTHrgYkO-ZzcLs25xI4Svy6zdIAjcvlj4AUyXkbKTZ799mSZD08tCIpRk4V_rcbVlYA2rcqAOzsAwgN02J0-QeUmnKzKeBOpOBPDiSy2i0eu17Xi9IlVtr0/w285-h400/unnamed%25281%2529.jpg" width="285" /></a></div><p>The Christmas season is almost upon on us; although, I must say, for some of my friends, it is already in full swing. What better way to enjoy this fun, holiday season than by picking up a new, Christmas book to enjoy reading on these cold, winter nights! Lynn Austin's first Christmas book has released! It's a novella that continues the story she wrote in her book published last year called <u>If I Were Yo</u><u>u</u>. (You can check out my review of that book <span style="color: #38761d;"><a href="https://amandaspileofbooks.blogspot.com/2020/06/if-i-were-you-by-lynn-austin.html" target="_blank">by clicking on this link</a></span>.) This sweet story between two friends has some more unexpected twists and turns coming up ahead.<br /></p><p></p><p><b>From the Back Cover:</b></p><p><b>A nostalgic and charming tale that evokes the wonder and miracle of Christmas </b><br /></p><p>Best friends Audrey Barrett and Eve Dawson can't wait to celebrate Christmas in postwar America. They are thrilled about starting new traditions with their five-year-old sons, even daring to hope there might be fresh beginnings for both of them, too. But when the 1951 Sears Christmas Wish Book arrives and the boys start obsessing over every toy in it, Audrey and Eve realize their most task is teaching them the true meaning of the holiday by giving presents, not just asking for them. </p><p>The heartwarming tale that unfolds reminds us all that sometimes the most meaningful gifts are the ones we least expect and often don't deserve. </p><p> <b>My Thoughts:</b><br /></p><p>What a lovely Christmas story Lynn has written. She has penned a story that will bring back the nostalgia of 1951. The author gives us a glimpse of the life Audrey and Eve have carved out for themselves and their sweet boys. All seems well and cheery, but deep down both women have past hurts and regrets they need to forgive and surrender over to God. And it seems as though, two little boys have a lesson to learn, too. I love how each character changes throughout the story, and how the story makes the reader pause to remember the greatest gift ever given to us... Jesus! This book is a delight, so pick one up for your Christmas reading this season!</p><p><b> Rating: ★★★★★</b> <br /></p><p><b>About the Author:</b></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSxnufb8BG9CKLBph7-vVujRfdMJAodVJcMsOyluqCPakc7UWszwX2UZDRaUR4huugd_bvc8F7FrzE_M_TM-HAoKHSu9HWPtmtOVIg2Y5ldMdRo-4RVbFF90qfLadQLIz3EwtM8pXNiSE/s768/lynn-austin-about.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="550" data-original-width="768" height="229" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSxnufb8BG9CKLBph7-vVujRfdMJAodVJcMsOyluqCPakc7UWszwX2UZDRaUR4huugd_bvc8F7FrzE_M_TM-HAoKHSu9HWPtmtOVIg2Y5ldMdRo-4RVbFF90qfLadQLIz3EwtM8pXNiSE/s320/lynn-austin-about.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><div class="entry-content">
<p>I’m often asked if I’ve always wanted to be a writer. The short
answer is, “No.” I was never the type of kid who always had her nose in a
book or who wrote stories in her journal every night by lamplight. I
was too busy living in my imagination all day like the little boy with
the stuffed tiger in the cartoon “Calvin and Hobbes.” I would imagine
wild, dramatic stories wherever I went.</p>
<p>After attending Hope College in Holland, Michigan for three years, I
married my husband Ken, and completed my degree in psychology at
Southern Connecticut State University. Then we set off on a real-life
adventure, living in Bogota, Colombia for two years where I taught 4th
grade in a Colombian school and Ken performed in the symphony orchestra.
With no TV and plenty of time to read, I became an avid reader for the
first time in my life. That’s when I began to dream of writing the kind
of books I loved—books that made me laugh, made me cry, and made
me think.</p>
<p>The demands of our growing family postponed my writing career until
Ken’s work took us to Thunder Bay, Ontario, and later to Winnipeg,
Manitoba. It was during those long Canadian winters at home with my
children that I finally started carving out a few hours of writing
time each day while they napped. The moment I started writing, I
discovered how much fun it was to use my imagination again and create
wonderful characters and stories. I was hooked! As my children grew, I
returned to teaching and learned to squeeze in writing time amid the
busyness of family life. For eleven years, I studied how to craft good
fiction, and endured all the ups and downs of trying to get published.
My first novel was finally published in 1995—and it was the same book I
had started writing during naptime: <a href="https://lynnaustin.org.previewdns.com/book/gods-and-kings/">Gods and Kings</a>. It evolved into a five-book series, <a href="https://lynnaustin.org.previewdns.com/series/chronicles-of-the-kings/">Chronicles of the Kings</a>.</p>
<p>While researching this series, I had a chance to pursue one of my
“bucket list” dreams, volunteering on an archaeological dig. My son
Joshua and I traveled to Israel during the summer of 1989 to take part
in a month-long dig at the ancient city of Timnah. This experience not
only provided background information for the Chronicles, it also
inspired my novel <a href="https://lynnaustin.org.previewdns.com/book/wings-of-refuge/">Wings of Refuge</a>.</p>
<p>In 1992 I decided it was time to resign from teaching to write
full-time. Since then I’ve published twenty-three novels and one
non-fiction book, <a href="https://lynnaustin.org.previewdns.com/book/pilgrimage/">Pilgrimage: My Journey to a Deeper Faith in the Land Where Jesus Walked</a>.
Eight of my novels have won Christy Awards for excellence in Christian
Fiction, and I was honored to be named to the Christy Award Hall of Fame
in 2013.<a href="https://lynnaustin.org.previewdns.com/book/fire-by-night/"> Fire by Night </a>was one of only five inspirational novels chosen by Library Journal for their top picks of 2003, and <a href="https://lynnaustin.org.previewdns.com/book/all-she-ever-wanted/">All She Ever Wanted</a> was chosen as one of the five inspirational top picks of 2005. My novel <a href="https://lynnaustin.org.previewdns.com/book/hidden-places/">Hidden Places</a> has been made into <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0466831/">a movie</a>
for the Hallmark Channel, starring actress Shirley Jones. She received a
2006 Emmy Award nomination for her portrayal of Aunt Batty in the film.</p>
<p>Our children are now grown and I’m experiencing the joy of
grandchildren. Ken and I live in Western Michigan where the woods and
beaches of Lake Michigan inspire me every day.</p>
</div><p> Check out her website: https://lynnaustin.org/ <br /></p><p>***I received this complimentary book from the author. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions are my own.<br /></p>Amanda Thttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05607472127261642278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4882663988615556128.post-69970237519249745582021-11-09T13:19:00.001-08:002021-11-16T19:11:13.033-08:00The Whole Bible Story (Young Reader's Edition) by Dr. William H. Marty and Troy Schmidt<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR_KoKUFcuoo2MPsvoIIw52pjMgPXyZLI15ts1Ggu7fq9VojRP6GJCuLUXrWMV_6AUY5XROsi0JPL-14hS7neyoAEKKj57mX3ivZGksfDukW8q94WV47kMT9X_vV1haYr2p3XCIlwoBTI/s836/Screen+Shot+2021-11-09+at+2.18.52+PM.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="836" data-original-width="538" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR_KoKUFcuoo2MPsvoIIw52pjMgPXyZLI15ts1Ggu7fq9VojRP6GJCuLUXrWMV_6AUY5XROsi0JPL-14hS7neyoAEKKj57mX3ivZGksfDukW8q94WV47kMT9X_vV1haYr2p3XCIlwoBTI/w258-h400/Screen+Shot+2021-11-09+at+2.18.52+PM.png" width="258" /></a></div><p></p><p>As a parent, I like to check out the new Bible resources for my kids from christian publishing houses. Bethany House has just published this new young reader's edition of Dr. William H. Marty's book <u><b>The Whole Bible Story</b><b>: Everything That Happens in the Bible</b></u>. <br /></p><h3 style="text-align: left;"><b>From the Back Cover:</b></h3><p><b>From Genesis . . .<br /></b><b><i>"In the beginning, God created everything out of nothing."<br /></i></b><b><br /></b>What do all the Bible stories actually mean? <br />Will the Bible be too boring for me?<br />Why is the Bible so long? <br /><br />Have you ever asked--or been too embarrassed to ask--any of these questions? This young reader's edition of <i>The Whole Bible Story</i>
will help you understand what the stories in the Bible are actually all
about and how every single one of them fits together to tell one big
story about God and his love for people--including you!<br /><br />Along
with the story of the Bible in words you can easily understand, in every
chapter you will find great bonus material like exciting illustrations,
fun facts and trivia about the Bible stories, simple lists of important
characters and places, and easy-to-follow ways to apply the themes to
your own life.<br /><br />After reading <i>The Whole Bible Story</i>, you will understand what's so exciting about the Bible and why God's Word matters to you!<br /><br /><b>. . . to Revelation<br /></b><b><i>"God has all of history</i></b><b>--</b><b><i> past, present, future</i></b><b>--</b><b><i> in his hands."</i></b></p><h3 style="text-align: left;"><b>My Thoughts: </b></h3><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Like the title says, this book is the young reader's edition of Dr. Marty's book <u><b>The Whole Bible Story</b></u> which was written back in 2011 for adults. This book gives a concise overview of the whole Bible in 19 chapters with a total of three hundred pages. It is for kids ages 9-12 years of age. Each chapter has a Who's Who section that tells all of the main characters for the chapter, a Where are We? section that lists all the main places covered during the chapter, and an Interesting Stuff section that lists interesting facts to know before you read the chapter. The chapter ends with a What's the Point?<b> </b>section that wraps-up the main thoughts from the chapter.<br /></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">There were things I liked about this book and some that I was not thrilled about. First, I liked the fact that the book gives an overview and lays out all the history of Israel for kids in a way that they can understand. I especially enjoyed this with Israel's kings for the northern and southern kingdoms. With so many changes of leadership, it was great to have it all laid out in order.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Now for the things I didn't like... I understand that this book is for 4th thru 6th graders, but I don't believe making the Bible "hip and modern" will draw kids in much more than just telling what the Bible says. </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">For example: In the Who's Who section for the chapter--<b>From Creation to Babel</b>, </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">"<b>God</b> (the Lord)--God creates the world and then his people go and mess it all up</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><b>Adam and Eve</b>--the first couple ever created; they run around naked</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><b>Satan</b>--he shows up and ruins all the fun</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><b>Cain and Abel</b>--two brothers who brought new meaning to 'sibling rivalry'</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><b>Noah</b>--the guy who made the first cruise ship... for animals" (p. 7)</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">I was not impressed with the "funny." I guess when it comes to God's Word, I believe that we should show respect not add to the disrespect that is already prevalent in our culture. I'm all for humor, but not something that borders on irreverent. </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Another issue I had with this book was the writing made it seem like God was caught unaware of what was about to happen, or that He didn't know that beginning from the end. In the story about when Adam and Eve sinned against God and hid from Him, this is what the book said:</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"> "God showed up, wanting to see his favorite creations, and wondered where everyone was." (p. 11) </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">It's subtle, but God never wondered where they were. He is all-knowing and knew exactly what they had done and where they were. One more example is from the times of the kings. On page 157, the author writes this about the evil king Manasseh. </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">"Manasseh even sacrificed his own son to a god and talked to astrologers and people who claimed they talked to the dead. He shed so much innocent blood, God couldn't wait to get him off the throne." (p. 157)</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">It almost implies that God's hands were tied until Manasseh died and then finally He could get someone else on the throne of Israel. I don't know about you, but I don't want my kids to see anything except that God always has a plan, and His plan is always accomplished. Was He pleased with Manasseh's evil deeds? No, but Manasseh was on the throne to accomplish what God had plan for Israel. </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">I think I've probably said enough. The way Scripture is handled matters a great deal to me. And while there were a few things I liked about the material, there was far more that I disliked. So, I would not recommend this book to others. <br /></span></p><h3 style="text-align: left;"><b>Rating: ★</b></h3><h3 style="text-align: left;"><b> </b></h3><h3 style="text-align: left;"><b>About the Author:</b></h3><h3 style="text-align: left;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD8XqmyQ3QmaxmbUZYbnsUr6ccQRiIIkUEH2veeVQ0LT9SNgOcuBj13LY1LNc24cAj9M9EcpeAJtYc55GBgg_cHjETY-ySkLHfxZQMCZ91gx-eeB7I8kSh9N8bVziUCnsuRjPBl63aH3Q/s440/Marty_WilliamH.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="440" data-original-width="248" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD8XqmyQ3QmaxmbUZYbnsUr6ccQRiIIkUEH2veeVQ0LT9SNgOcuBj13LY1LNc24cAj9M9EcpeAJtYc55GBgg_cHjETY-ySkLHfxZQMCZ91gx-eeB7I8kSh9N8bVziUCnsuRjPBl63aH3Q/s320/Marty_WilliamH.jpg" width="180" /></a></div></b>Dr. William H. Marty</h3>
<p><b>Dr. William H. Marty</b> has taught at Moody Bible Institute for
40 years. His main emphasis has been teaching an Old and New Testament
survey to freshman at the Chicago campus, and the fruit of his focus on
teaching the storyline of the Bible has been published in <i>The Whole Bible Story</i>. Dr. Marty has also written <i>The World of Jesus</i> and <i>The Jesus Story</i> and coauthored <i>A Quick-Start Guide to the Whole Bible</i>.
Bill lives in Chicago with his wife, Linda, and they have two children
and two grandchildren. Bill is an active triathlete and has competed at
the national and international levels.</p><h3 style="text-align: left;"><b> </b></h3><h3 style="text-align: left;"><b> </b></h3><h3 style="text-align: left;"><b> </b></h3><p style="text-align: left;">***I received this complimentary book from Bethany House Publishers. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions are my own.<br /></p>Amanda Thttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05607472127261642278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4882663988615556128.post-37973545091035754102021-11-04T19:46:00.002-07:002021-11-04T19:52:27.152-07:00Come Back to Me by Jody Hedlund (Series: Waters of Time Bk. 1)<p> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu2VnjRbwH1xRxV_srFZbt41ogq_FQ_2Q9U-B1Kg7dXcx9D8mv2Q03Dy7QjUdMIgUzPB6hWlhNCvzKcQXHA148yzm2VBJss5VbElz-i94Exv0BEDfV8HCWaYXOmIuXJmawvvYiwni3BZA/s688/Screen+Shot+2021-11-04+at+10.10.41+PM.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="688" data-original-width="450" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu2VnjRbwH1xRxV_srFZbt41ogq_FQ_2Q9U-B1Kg7dXcx9D8mv2Q03Dy7QjUdMIgUzPB6hWlhNCvzKcQXHA148yzm2VBJss5VbElz-i94Exv0BEDfV8HCWaYXOmIuXJmawvvYiwni3BZA/w262-h400/Screen+Shot+2021-11-04+at+10.10.41+PM.png" width="262" /></a>This new series from Jody Hedlund, Waters of Time, is quite the tale. Mystical water, realistic visions, dangerous men and the reality of possible death await you in Jody's exciting, first book, <u>Come Back to Me</u>. <br /></p><p><b>From the Back Cover:</b></p><p><span lang="EN-US">The ultimate cure that could heal any disease? Crazy.</span></p>
<p><span lang="EN-US">That’s exactly what research scientist Marian
Creighton has always believed about her father’s obsession, even if it
does come from a desire to save her sister Ellen from the genetic
disease that stole their mother from them. But when her father falls
into a coma after drinking a vial of holy water believed to contain
traces of residue from the Tree of Life in the Garden of Eden, all of
Marian’s assumptions must be questioned. He’s left behind tantalizing
clues that suggest he’s crossed back in time. Insane. Until Marian tests
his theories herself and experiences strange visions of medieval times.</span></p>
<p><span lang="EN-US">With the help of one of her father’s colleagues,
Marian discovers that she is not the only one interested in his
research. Stalking, break-ins, and a kidnapping convince her that she
must take the plunge and follow her father back to the 1380s or risk
losing him—and her sister—forever.</span></p><p><b><span lang="EN-US">My Thoughts:</span></b></p><p><span lang="EN-US">This book was unlike most I have read. The thought that mystical water could somehow transport the mind back centuries to see visions of the past is a unique story line. I thought it was well written and took readers in a direction they definitely wouldn't expect. The characters are interesting as you learn more and more about each one of them as the story unfolds. The mystery of who is trying to sabotage Marian's father's work definitely increases the intensity of the story, and the author does a good job at keeping you guessing as to who is the real threat. It'll be interesting to see where this story goes in the following book. </span></p><p><span lang="EN-US">Here's a fun book trailer that Revell published for Jody's book.</span></p><p><span lang="EN-US"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ZJfDQAfI3IM" width="320" youtube-src-id="ZJfDQAfI3IM"></iframe></div><br /> <p></p><p><span lang="EN-US"><b>Rating:</b> ★★★★</span></p><p><span lang="EN-US"> <br /></span></p><p><b><span lang="EN-US">About the Author:</span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_n2_TJIeVRPD-j8OgFQczTdROrxZx0IHtlcs8FLyNHbKo2lUtKcpzxwjQtfPAiduPsE9Mcc5dUSeH8iCN3rB1OxSF3FX1z590ONY9q4b8qNHtH-TljQMOPzfbp_g5kG_z-q-TlmDK3Do/s1024/jodyNo-15.webp" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="744" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_n2_TJIeVRPD-j8OgFQczTdROrxZx0IHtlcs8FLyNHbKo2lUtKcpzxwjQtfPAiduPsE9Mcc5dUSeH8iCN3rB1OxSF3FX1z590ONY9q4b8qNHtH-TljQMOPzfbp_g5kG_z-q-TlmDK3Do/s320/jodyNo-15.webp" width="233" /></a></div><p>Jody Hedlund is the author of over thirty historicals for both adults
and teens and is the winner of numerous awards including the Christy,
Carol, and Christian Book Award.</p>
<p>Jody lives in central Michigan with her husband, five busy children,
and five spoiled cats. Although Jody prefers to experience daring and
dangerous adventures through her characters rather than in real life,
she’s learned that a calm existence is simply not meant to be (at least
in this phase of her life!).</p>
<p>When she’s not penning another of her page-turning stories, she loves
to spend her time reading, especially when it also involves consuming
coffee and chocolate.</p><p>You can find Jody's website<span style="color: #6aa84f;"> <a href="http://jodyhedlund.com/books/come-back-to-me/" target="_blank">by clicking here! </a></span><br /></p><p> </p><p> </p><p>***I received a complimentary copy of the book from Revell. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions are my own.<br /></p><p></p>Amanda Thttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05607472127261642278noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4882663988615556128.post-74722210768896460862021-11-03T21:01:00.001-07:002021-11-09T13:41:33.316-08:00Tacos for Two by Betsy St. Amant<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXKN6bJKvaUo-CMNaYoUfHvCBt6tXkGgHNlW4kKANQ7_6YifOvsZMd2GUqYrR5xBQ3LzR3LY_AqnPr0z_qc2csYdLohGVoat-sI6OMparSLhdPtMxHfs1tvCJFkUxBeP6UTQry2npKgIg/s464/Screen+Shot+2021-11-03+at+11.04.22+PM.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="464" data-original-width="306" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXKN6bJKvaUo-CMNaYoUfHvCBt6tXkGgHNlW4kKANQ7_6YifOvsZMd2GUqYrR5xBQ3LzR3LY_AqnPr0z_qc2csYdLohGVoat-sI6OMparSLhdPtMxHfs1tvCJFkUxBeP6UTQry2npKgIg/w264-h400/Screen+Shot+2021-11-03+at+11.04.22+PM.png" width="264" /></a></div>A new contemporary romance has released by author Betsy St. Amant. This is the first book I've read by her, and it was a fun introduction to her writing style. <u>Tacos for Two</u> has a hallmark-like romance that leads your heart along hoping for that fantastic happy ending. <p></p><p><b>From the Back Cover:</b></p><p>Food truck owner Rory Perez may not be able to cook, but she's determined to keep the family business out of the red. An upcoming contest during a food truck festival seems like the best way to do it. The prize money could finally give her solid financial footing, freeing up her time to meet the man she's been talking to via an anonymous online dating site.</p><p>Jude Strong is tired of being a puppet at his manipulative father's law firm, and the food truck festival seems like the perfect opportunity to dive into his passion for cooking and finally call his life his own. If he loses the contest, he'll be back at the law firm for good, so failure is not an option.</p><p>But things are about to get... complicated. Rory's chef gets mono, forcing her to cook after all. And Jude discovers that his stiffest competition is the same woman he's been falling for online. Will they sacrifice the futures they've envisioned for the sake of love? Or will there only ever be tacos for one? </p><p><b>My Thoughts:</b><br /></p><p>I have always had a soft spot for the movie <i>You've Got Mail</i>. My husband and I met overseas and then dated by writing many emails back and forth. So, <i>You've Got Mail</i> was one of the first movies we owned when we tied the knot about a year after we met. <u>Tacos for Two</u> has references to this movie all throughout the story. It was fun recognizing all the famous quotes from <i>You've Got Mail</i> as they came up in the novel. </p><p>Like in so many romances, misunderstanding seems to be the theme for this book. Jude Strong's family is well-known in the community for being quite wealthy, and Rory Perez has to scrimp and save for everything. These two seem to have some assumptions about each other as they interact. Will they let these assumptions cloud their view of each other, or will they stop long enough to see the other person for who they really are?</p><p>If you're looking for a hallmark movie romance, make sure to pick up <u>Tacos for Two</u>, and enjoy a relaxing evening with a fun read.</p><p><b>Rating: ★★★★</b><br /></p><p><b>About the Author:</b></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdeSQdGwjlS8eFJ4v1nYeuuaOgySerIP-aOb1Z5uSeGtn0wt9QrzJs2kp7PUzXfx2fTJ-NfCWjZ3JOo43GLiLCvm7hOTqbyMKjW9DMMO36DwzqbZfoBSjWgN7UjHTdhBOelr04CBAk5Q4/s598/about-author-betsy-st-amant-haddox.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="598" data-original-width="400" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdeSQdGwjlS8eFJ4v1nYeuuaOgySerIP-aOb1Z5uSeGtn0wt9QrzJs2kp7PUzXfx2fTJ-NfCWjZ3JOo43GLiLCvm7hOTqbyMKjW9DMMO36DwzqbZfoBSjWgN7UjHTdhBOelr04CBAk5Q4/s320/about-author-betsy-st-amant-haddox.jpg" width="214" /></a></div>Betsy St. Amant Haddox is the author of over fifteen inspirational
romance novels and novellas. She resides in north Louisiana with her
hero of a hubby, two total-opposite young daughters, a vast collection
of coffee mugs, and an impressive stash of Pickle chips. Betsy has a
B.A. in Communications and a deep-rooted passion for seeing women
restored in Christ. When she’s not composing her next book or trying to
prove unicorns are real, Betsy can usually be found somewhere in the
vicinity of a white-chocolate mocha–no whip. She blogs frequently at<a href="https://www.ibelieve.com" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> www.ibelieve.com</a>, a devotional site for women.<p></p>
<p>Betsy is proud to be represented by Tamela Hancock Murray of The Steve Laube Agency.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>***I received a complimentary copy of the book from Revell. I was not required to give a positive review. All opinions are my own.<br /></p>Amanda Thttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05607472127261642278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4882663988615556128.post-14762002935242402362021-09-03T13:11:00.001-07:002021-09-04T11:52:17.705-07:00Help Your Kids Learn & Love the Bible by Danika Cooley<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrSz0C8KX9b-MC6oDZeKRqT9VpmiEqCjJn_Wm-jFPPJB6aysMcuPx9b68u30Lt7mU10KCP5VflD-DU3QflhEhwixp-lsQFX8rvJ1rrpWiOj31uu6jouUxwO2XzE8kHGI6wXrNhEO_ILss/s4032/0765F324-912F-45F4-886D-6BCF1FFCFA4C.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrSz0C8KX9b-MC6oDZeKRqT9VpmiEqCjJn_Wm-jFPPJB6aysMcuPx9b68u30Lt7mU10KCP5VflD-DU3QflhEhwixp-lsQFX8rvJ1rrpWiOj31uu6jouUxwO2XzE8kHGI6wXrNhEO_ILss/w300-h400/0765F324-912F-45F4-886D-6BCF1FFCFA4C.jpeg" width="300" /></a></div> Are you looking for a great resource to give you ideas of how to teach your kids about the Bible? We know that helping our children grow in a relationship with God should be our primary priority, but when life gets going, it can become a big struggle. And knowing where to start with this important task can be difficult! Danika Cooley has written a new book called <b><u>Help Your Kids Learn & Love the Bible</u></b> to help parents implement family Bible study in their home. <p></p><p><b>From the Back Cover:</b></p><p>As parents, we deeply desire the best for our kids. We look for the right schools, we make them eat right and exercise, and we get them involved in extracurricular activities. We take our job as parents seriously.</p><p>But are we also putting our time and energy into teaching them the Bible? Giving them the life-changing, soul-nourshing words of Scripture is nor only doable, it's an essential part of parenting kids for Jesus. And the good news is, studying God's Word as a family doesn't have to be difficult!</p><p>This book will give you the tools and confidence to study the Bible as a family. It will help you identify and overcome your objections and fears, give you a crash course in what the Bible is all about and how to teach it, and provide the guidance you need to set up a family Bible study habit. </p><div style="text-align: left;">You will finish this book feeling encouraged and empowered to initiate and strengthen your child's relationship with the Lord through his Word. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>My Thoughts:</b></div><div style="text-align: left;">I thought Danika's book was great! This book was such an encouragement to me and gave me some great ideas to help aid me in my job to teach my kids the Bible. I appreciated that she walks through different subjects like:</div><div style="text-align: left;"><ul style="text-align: left;"><li> Making the bible approachable for your kids</li><li>Appropriate reading for the different age groups (toddlers to high school)</li><li>Building a daily routine</li><li>Seeing the bible as a whole</li><li>Exegesis ("...the study of the Bible, searching for the meaning intended by the author."p. 101)</li><li>Asking good questions to facilitate learning</li><li>Memorizing Scripture</li><li>Praying the Word together <br /></li></ul><p> Not only are there some great topics that she discusses, but she also recommends some additional resources to help with your family Bible study. I also appreciated that the author ends her book with a chapter called, "Study the Word When You're Not Feeling It." We all know those days do come here and there, and Danika gives some ideas of what to do when we face those kind of days. </p><p>I would definitely recommend this book as a great resource. It was encouraging to read through as I was contemplating how to implement Bible time into our schedule for our current homeschool year.<br /></p></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span></span><span></span><span></span><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>My Rating:</b></div><div style="text-align: left;">★★★★★</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>About the Author:</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh32m3bt-sGjvxomWgyWW4KrmLaMyFWs5vwWH27QeZKAMEI0A2MP0si9C61F-1A1aSFLyYLAwO1NbDAriFH3Cd8SK7uTYthPCTtz9dURIFyFSdwbCy7Mv86zExm3h4Iq_aFKue2A7w11uc/s459/danika_hs_portrait_sm.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="459" data-original-width="400" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh32m3bt-sGjvxomWgyWW4KrmLaMyFWs5vwWH27QeZKAMEI0A2MP0si9C61F-1A1aSFLyYLAwO1NbDAriFH3Cd8SK7uTYthPCTtz9dURIFyFSdwbCy7Mv86zExm3h4Iq_aFKue2A7w11uc/s320/danika_hs_portrait_sm.jpg" width="279" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;">I hold a degree in Interdisciplinary Visual Art from the University of
Washington, and my background includes working with children with severe
disabilities and volunteer teaching. My children and I love visiting
the zoo, the science museum, and the theater. Hiking, read-alouds,
science experiments, and art projects are frequent activities in our
home.</div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">Check out her blog (<a href="https://www.thinkingkidsblog.org/" target="_blank">https://www.thinkingkidsblog.org/</a>) to learn more about her Bible curriculum: Bible Road Trip and many other products she has for kids. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">*I received this complimentary book from Bethany House publishers. I was not required to write a positive reviews. All opinions are my own.<br /></div>Amanda Thttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05607472127261642278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4882663988615556128.post-39185038655094684632021-06-08T18:43:00.002-07:002021-06-08T19:46:16.348-07:00Chasing Shadows by Lynn Austin<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_1I-ENAUdJbsjk2v3ZDXoq4gA9zNWcp2mBaUtvGx4gSdNnW2zZUJwFxZQFYOaI8yLQXXzfzP-INdMjf8aO62c1BLb7Vy_IH5AYDdN_ZuUGVQr7sFTarkhOg_CEVCaZe-9lNb1RG9u7e0/s1018/Screen+Shot+2021-06-08+at+8.26.26+PM.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1018" data-original-width="684" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_1I-ENAUdJbsjk2v3ZDXoq4gA9zNWcp2mBaUtvGx4gSdNnW2zZUJwFxZQFYOaI8yLQXXzfzP-INdMjf8aO62c1BLb7Vy_IH5AYDdN_ZuUGVQr7sFTarkhOg_CEVCaZe-9lNb1RG9u7e0/w269-h400/Screen+Shot+2021-06-08+at+8.26.26+PM.png" width="269" /></a></div>One of my favorite authors has released a new stand alone novel set during World War II<b>. </b>Find out why<b> <u>Chasing Shadows</u></b> by Lynn Austin should be the next book you pick up for your home library!<br /><b></b><p></p><h3 style="text-align: left;"><b>From the Back Cover:</b></h3><p>The lives of three women change instantly when the Nazis invade the neutral Netherlands, forcing them into a complicated dance of choice and consequence. </p><p>Lena is a wife and mother who farms alongside her husband in the tranquil countryside. Her faith has always been her compass, but can she remain steadfast when the questions grow increasingly complex and the answers could mean the difference between life and death?</p><p>Lena's daughter Ans has recently moved to the bustling city of Leiden, filled with romantic notions of a new job and a young Dutch police officer. But when she is drawn into Resistance work, her idealism collides with the dangerous reality that comes with fighting the enemy. </p><p>Miriam is a young, Jewish violinist who immigrated for the safety Holland offered. She finds love in her new country, but as her family settles in Leiden, the events that follow will test them in ways she never imagined.</p><p>The Nazi invasion propels these women onto paths that cross in unexpected, sometimes-heartbreaking ways. Yet the story that unfolds illuminates the surprising endurance of the human spirit and the power of faith and love to carry us through.</p><h3 style="text-align: left;"><b>My Thoughts:</b></h3><p>I loved this book! I don't think I have ever read a historical fiction World War II story from the perspective of the people from the Netherlands before. This story was fast-paced and hard to put down. I loved reading about the incredible courage of the Dutch people. The sacrifice they made for others was truly remarkable. The main characters were so well written, and each character went through incredible changes as they faced the trials of war. I could identify with these characters... with their fear, mistrust, depression, looking for a glimpse of hope. </p><p>Lynn has so many beautiful passages. Here are just two of the ones that I loved. <br /></p><p><span> </span>"She used to believe that the enemy of faith was doubt, but she'd learned that faith's destroyer was fear. <i>'Let your fear drive you into the arms of God</i>,' her father had said." (p. 9)</p><p><span> </span>"You're wound so tightly, worrying about every little thing, trying so hard to hang on to control, but you were never in control to begin with. It's an illusion. The sooner you realize that, the sooner you'll put everything into God's hands and find some peace and maybe even gets some sleep at night." (p.63)</p><p>This beautiful story that Lynn has crafted is a timely story as we have faced our own battle against fear this past year and half. Covid has struck fear in people's hearts, but this fear should be driving us into the arms of God. We too need to let go and be reminded that we are not in control of our lives. Our lives, as well as the lives of our loved ones around us, are His. </p><p>So make sure to pick up this wonderful book. I can't recommend it enough. I'm sure it will touch your heart as it has mine!!<br /></p><p><b>Rating:</b> ★★★★★</p><p>Lynn Austin's Website: https://lynnaustin.org</p><p><br /></p><p>***I received this complimentary book from the author. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions are my own.<br /></p>Amanda Thttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05607472127261642278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4882663988615556128.post-7354819629939338752021-05-31T23:31:00.003-07:002021-05-31T23:35:40.841-07:00The Nature of a Lady by Roseanna M. White (Book 1 in The Secrets of the Isles series)<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWDmJmJWZ6LUt_DKBFZ7JE5Xle1xhlBHupoJ5jaKwlH39TTfz2NWpZ-9K3628JA1Qvb2xhu34d2DedXbTsav4ysOFEAp7owraBE0_yUSbDPzXSbiPYs96nOqdI_0vdNzgnwky3iYeM-3c/s1018/Screen+Shot+2021-06-01+at+1.45.34+AM.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1018" data-original-width="678" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWDmJmJWZ6LUt_DKBFZ7JE5Xle1xhlBHupoJ5jaKwlH39TTfz2NWpZ-9K3628JA1Qvb2xhu34d2DedXbTsav4ysOFEAp7owraBE0_yUSbDPzXSbiPYs96nOqdI_0vdNzgnwky3iYeM-3c/w266-h400/Screen+Shot+2021-06-01+at+1.45.34+AM.png" width="266" /></a></div><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="color: #3c4858; font-size: small;"><span><span class="il"><span>Roseanna
M. White has a brand new series called The Secrets of the Isles, and the first book has just released. The first book is called <b><u>The Nature of a Lady</u></b>, and this story takes place back in the year 1906 on the beautiful Isles of Scilly. </span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b><span style="color: #3c4858; font-size: small;"><span><span class="il"><span>From the Back Cover: </span></span></span></span></b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="color: #3c4858; font-size: small;"><span><span class="il"><span>1906</span></span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="color: #3c4858; font-size: small;"><span><span class="il"><span>Lady Elizabeth "Libby" Sinclair, with her love of microscopes and nature, isn't favored in society. She flees to the beautiful Isles of Scilly for the summer and stumbles onto the dangerous secrets left behind by her holiday cottage's former occupant, also named Elizabeth, who mysteriously vanished.</span></span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="color: #3c4858; font-size: small;"><span><span class="il"><span>Oliver Tremayne--gentleman and clergyman--is determined to discover what happened to his sister, with the help of the girl now living in what should have been Beth's summer cottage...especially when he realizes it's the curious young lady he met briefly two years ago, who shares his love of botany and biology. But the hunt for his sister involves far more than nature walks, and he can't quite believe all the secrets Beth had been keeping from him.</span></span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="color: #3c4858; font-size: small;"><span><span class="il"><span>As Libby and Oliver work together, they uncover ancient legends, pirate wrecks, betrayal, and the most mysterious phenomenon of all: love. </span></span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="color: #3c4858; font-size: small;"><span><span class="il"><span><b>My Thoughts:</b></span></span></span></span></span></p><div style="text-align: left;"><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: small;">I
loved the setting for this book. I had never heard of these islands
before, so it was fun to learn about a new location. The characters
were enjoyable. I loved Lady Elizabeth's fascination with nature, and
how her view of plant life gives her a different perspective for all of
life. Oliver also has a different view of life from most. While he too
sees the beauty of nature all around him, he also has been touched
deeply through the pain of loss giving him a different perspective. Each
of the characters in this first book, both main and secondary, has
great appeal in their backstories which provides for a great story. But
in addition to the characters, the tales that are being told about long-forgotten pirates and treasure hunting is a fun added mystery. I
enjoyed trying to solve the mystery as I read through the story, and it
was satisfying to see it come together at the end. </span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">My
only complaint is that I usually can read through a book pretty quickly, and this book took me a
lot longer to finish. I wasn't speeding through the pages like I have done before with Roseanna's books. However, I would not let that
discourage you from reading this novel. I think it has a lot to offer,
and I'm looking forward to reading the next book in her series when it
comes out. </span></span></span></p><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Rating: ★★★★</b></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b> </b></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpGFJAoZbBQdx-vglf7V6cR57g2LqaALdJs3fztxs1htcqGuvFsGSXgJhba6W5rF6TNu8EHgpDy7y_Vx8OTuJybKMf6pbwXtJIED2seoIT3XZBSpu94bQE32XTMAXOoJwVgLLCB4kc_5g/s1440/Screen+Shot+2021-06-01+at+2.12.39+AM.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="1182" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpGFJAoZbBQdx-vglf7V6cR57g2LqaALdJs3fztxs1htcqGuvFsGSXgJhba6W5rF6TNu8EHgpDy7y_Vx8OTuJybKMf6pbwXtJIED2seoIT3XZBSpu94bQE32XTMAXOoJwVgLLCB4kc_5g/s320/Screen+Shot+2021-06-01+at+2.12.39+AM.png" /></a></div></b></span><span style="font-size: small;">R<span>oseanna M. W</span><span>hite is a bestselling, Christy Award nominated author</span><span> who
has long claimed that words are the air she breathes. When not writing
fiction, she’s homeschooling her two kids, editing, designing book
covers, and pretending her house will clean itself. </span><span>Roseanna
is the author of a slew of historical novels that span several
continents and thousands of years. Spies and war and mayhem always seem
to find their way into her books…to offset her real life, which is
blessedly ordinary. You can learn more about her and her stories at </span><a href="https://draft.blogger.com/%E2%80%9Dhttps://www.roseannamwhite.com/%E2%80%9D">www.RoseannaMWhite.com</a><span>.</span><b> <br /></b></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b> </b></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b> </b></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b> </b></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b> </b></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b> </b></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b> </b></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b> </b></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b> </b><span style="font-size: small;"><i>***</i>I received this complimentary book from the author. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions are my own. <i> </i></span><b><br /></b></span></span></div><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></span></p></div></div><p></p>Amanda Thttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05607472127261642278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4882663988615556128.post-31821784832995803512021-04-19T21:59:00.003-07:002021-05-31T21:05:46.039-07:00The Indebted Earl by Erica Vetsch and a Giveaway!!!<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOBKGzpC9064cIXuxfJsp3i9WdYKEaShbGj9i-T8aU5ZUuj_WeMLpj0QHi8o_pTAuyaLXGj_a-RYjY3RcWyVqY13R70PswxQeJ9Stja17p4EEp7w01EPPPDEswuMuKGI5bN6uhHadjmBw/s1052/Screen+Shot+2021-04-19+at+3.10.13+PM.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1052" data-original-width="680" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOBKGzpC9064cIXuxfJsp3i9WdYKEaShbGj9i-T8aU5ZUuj_WeMLpj0QHi8o_pTAuyaLXGj_a-RYjY3RcWyVqY13R70PswxQeJ9Stja17p4EEp7w01EPPPDEswuMuKGI5bN6uhHadjmBw/w259-h400/Screen+Shot+2021-04-19+at+3.10.13+PM.png" width="259" /></a></div>The third book in the Serendipity & Secrets series is here! The Indebted Earl tells the story of the Duke of Haverly's sister, Lady Sophia Haverly.<p></p><p><b>From the Back Cover:</b></p><p>Captain Charles Wyvern owes a great debt to the man who saved his life--especially since Major Richardson lost his own life in the process. The major's dying wish is for his love to be relayed to his finacee, and for the captain to look after her needs. But along the way, Charles learns of another obligation that has fallen on his shoulders: due to a death in the family, he is now the Earl of Rothwell.</p><p>His new role includes an estate in need of a leader and a trio of orphaned girls, all wards of the former earl. Wyvern understand war; young ladies and properties he does not. As a solution, Charles proposes a marriage of convenience to the late major's betrothed, the bereaved Lady Sophia Haverly. </p><p>Sophie is surprised to find she isn't opposed to the idea. It will help her care for Richardson's elderly mother, and she's already fallen in love with the wayward girls on the Rothwell estate. This alliance is a chance to repay the captain who has done so much for her care, and a distraction from her grief. When Wyvern returns to his commission at sea, she'll stay behind to oversee his property and wards.</p><p>It sounds so simple. Until the stalwart captain is arrested on suspicion of smuggling, and Sophie realizes how much he's come to mean to her. Now she must learn to fight, not only for his freedom but also for his love.</p><p><br /></p><p><b>My Thoughts:</b></p><div style="text-align: left;">Erica has written another delightful, adventurous tale. The beginning of the book is filled with sadness at the loss of young love, and a Captain's guilt over how it happened. His guilt motivates him in this new life after being stranded on land because of his injuries. And now he must fulfill a promise he made to his friend, Rich, as he died in order to ease his guilt. The Captain is a stern man only accustomed to the sea, but as he wonders how much he must do to ease the guilt he feels, he surprises himself with growing feelings for Sophie. Lady Sophia also goes through her own challenges. When Captain Wyvern arrives on her doorstep, she is faced with forgiving the man who says he is responsible for Rich's death. And even though she just buried her fiancee, her mother is already planning parties for her to meet a prospective mate. How can she grieve, forgive, and go on with life?<br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">It's a good thing the story doesn't stay sad for long. While there is the hint of their grieving Rich, there is also an adventure to the sea that brings more adventure than they were wanting. This was probably my favorite part of the story. There is this growing suspicion that things are not as they seem in the quaint little town of Gateshead village. The very place that Captain Wyvern is now an Earl. And it takes quite a crew to get to the bottom of things! It was a great way to end the book with a climatic ending.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Overall this was a charming series that you should pick up and read for your next reading adventure! You can find out more about the first two books in this series by <a href="http://amandaspileofbooks.blogspot.com/2020/05/the-lost-lieutenant-by-erica-vetsch-and.html" target="_blank">clicking here</a> for book 1-The Lost Lieutenant or by <a href="http://amandaspileofbooks.blogspot.com/search/label/Erica%20Vetsch" target="_blank">clicking here</a> for book 2-The Gentleman Spy.<br /></div><p><b>My Rating: </b>★★★★</p><p>***I received this complimentary book from I Read With Audra book tours. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions are my own.</p><p><br /></p><h1 style="text-align: center;">Information About the GIVEAWAY!!!</h1><p dir="ltr" id="docs-internal-guid-5b0aaf3f-7fff-50e6-1a1c-603fdd102a54" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7qH-IezLV_X8gwdFZtrOq8poWM0bxM5-cj3pks9N-0spAZrgXax9AjTwszFGVTnsh0ClDLkHhId6xujN_VEqJTa7dnNQMhhyphenhyphen4H4IPZqMmqKbucqtxc8JDG0l48Vd5y9ML_eREJzF1Q3k/s598/unnamed.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="598" data-original-width="400" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7qH-IezLV_X8gwdFZtrOq8poWM0bxM5-cj3pks9N-0spAZrgXax9AjTwszFGVTnsh0ClDLkHhId6xujN_VEqJTa7dnNQMhhyphenhyphen4H4IPZqMmqKbucqtxc8JDG0l48Vd5y9ML_eREJzF1Q3k/s320/unnamed.jpg" /></a></div><p></p><h2 style="text-align: left;">Make sure to head over to Erica's website to enter this giveaway by Tuesday, April 20, 2021. <a href="https://www.ericavetsch.com/giveaway.html" target="_blank">Click Here</a> to visit her website!<br /></h2><p dir="ltr" id="docs-internal-guid-5b0aaf3f-7fff-50e6-1a1c-603fdd102a54" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Calibri,sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><br /></span></p><h3 style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGzs_vsRFtG3tvJ-bPd7jfi9UgCX2pVBha6cXdy-klnoNcOhie8UpuZSu6t6WlpT9abVxtu-gBV0thc7NJ9VC45RaZThQ_ndwj8u5BCXoq6ZQz7GHPkm53HMAYTEaArRgm6LVl5HiPwB0/s454/Screen+Shot+2021-04-19+at+4.10.40+PM.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="454" data-original-width="322" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGzs_vsRFtG3tvJ-bPd7jfi9UgCX2pVBha6cXdy-klnoNcOhie8UpuZSu6t6WlpT9abVxtu-gBV0thc7NJ9VC45RaZThQ_ndwj8u5BCXoq6ZQz7GHPkm53HMAYTEaArRgm6LVl5HiPwB0/s320/Screen+Shot+2021-04-19+at+4.10.40+PM.png" /></a></div>About the Author:<br /> </h3><p dir="ltr" id="docs-internal-guid-b4b3c529-7fff-1829-59c8-02a734245f58" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Calibri,sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Erica Vetsch </span><span face="Calibri,sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">is a </span><span face="Calibri,sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">New York Times </span><span face="Calibri,sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">best-selling and ACFW Carol Award–winning author. </span></p><p dir="ltr" id="docs-internal-guid-b4b3c529-7fff-1829-59c8-02a734245f58" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Calibri,sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">She is a transplanted Kansan now living in Minnesota with her husband, who she claims is </span></p><p dir="ltr" id="docs-internal-guid-b4b3c529-7fff-1829-59c8-02a734245f58" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Calibri,sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">both her total opposite and soul mate. </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Calibri,sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Vetsch loves Jesus, history, romance, and sports. When she’s not writing fiction, she’s </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Calibri,sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">planning her next trip to a history museum and cheering on her Kansas Jayhawks and </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Calibri,sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">New Zealand All Blacks. </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Calibri,sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">A self-described history geek, she has been planning her first research trip to England. </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Calibri,sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Learn more about Erica Vetsch and her books at </span><a href="http://www.ericavetsch.com" style="text-decoration: none;"><span face="Calibri,sans-serif" style="-webkit-text-decoration-skip: none; background-color: transparent; color: #0563c1; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">www.ericavetsch.com</span></a><span face="Calibri,sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">. She can also </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Calibri,sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">be found on </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/EricaVetschAuthor/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span face="Calibri,sans-serif" style="-webkit-text-decoration-skip: none; background-color: transparent; color: #0563c1; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Facebook (@EricaVetschAuthor)</span></a><span face="Calibri,sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">, </span><a href="https://www.instagram.com/ericavetsch/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span face="Calibri,sans-serif" style="-webkit-text-decoration-skip: none; background-color: transparent; color: #0563c1; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Instagram (@EricaVetsch)</span></a><span face="Calibri,sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"> and</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Calibri,sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"> </span><a href="https://www.pinterest.com/ericavetsch/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span face="Calibri,sans-serif" style="-webkit-text-decoration-skip: none; background-color: transparent; color: #0563c1; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Pinterest (Erica Vetsch)</span></a><span face="Calibri,sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">.</span></p>Amanda Thttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05607472127261642278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4882663988615556128.post-51836046536465802352021-03-22T10:40:00.002-07:002021-03-22T10:42:56.123-07:00A Sneak Peek of Roseanna M. White’s newest book!<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbeHc1DQeNTikkWIwZ9aQEzBLD1NyLXsKZWAcBeu3R5Nv-fUZoH8yu92upTrMUPlzYgY4kyjRBM34JLHRupZkxYB2I335dA2GxqvG96wis9kmfQA5naz8tRbG0fsBN62SMQBBdaJnYIqA/s1080/B889237D-A64A-4B67-B648-FDCB9C0F8E11.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbeHc1DQeNTikkWIwZ9aQEzBLD1NyLXsKZWAcBeu3R5Nv-fUZoH8yu92upTrMUPlzYgY4kyjRBM34JLHRupZkxYB2I335dA2GxqvG96wis9kmfQA5naz8tRbG0fsBN62SMQBBdaJnYIqA/s320/B889237D-A64A-4B67-B648-FDCB9C0F8E11.jpeg" /></a></div><br /> Want a sneak peek of Roseanna M. White’s newest novel <u>Nature of a Lady</u>? Sign up <a href="https://1a012fea.sibforms.com/serve/MUIEAPAbeiShUew2Y98CcTxkV_jRe2XJ4Fu0A2iB8nhdwa0tL4-eArweyfz3QSwV06ayAxIOawQ__tqSfL1aAMOmdp0YjB7f0NIJ3N-F7XDDU-3Nh7WV_UJ717lRSa5z8UuY8l3WvpJb_ykxVD5cXk1RZF4WYfJWLmG1zwMYO-YZTLY1fVcopNKiSHmdUzo59xIeYxFamR_h__0E?fbclid=IwAR2OFo0yRRnjO0vwmgUrtO-v3UypOdgmDqPEn3s1zm-E4TB1zdrjEWo_It8"><span style="color: #674ea7;">using this link </span></a>to receive your exclusive sneak peek! Sneak peek begins April 1st! <div>@roseannamwhite #thesecretsoftheisles #thenatureofalady #sneakpeek</div>Amanda Thttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05607472127261642278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4882663988615556128.post-36289633726607751672021-03-10T19:14:00.004-08:002021-03-10T19:26:32.755-08:00When Twilight Breaks by Sarah Sundin<p> </p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8X_T1MAw_idpt9Bg5LfjKNqkV2WYGCZPy6AiAzoNzwmANtt3TdKMvEUkB4nvrHvE6f4AoYusPKoxoEbCILzA84Z663HkSyo-n-eTDoWeVrKiJnZE8WTa7tjk7wQE8BirWEoJWsMBz3hQ/s400/whentwilightbreaks.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="259" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8X_T1MAw_idpt9Bg5LfjKNqkV2WYGCZPy6AiAzoNzwmANtt3TdKMvEUkB4nvrHvE6f4AoYusPKoxoEbCILzA84Z663HkSyo-n-eTDoWeVrKiJnZE8WTa7tjk7wQE8BirWEoJWsMBz3hQ/w259-h400/whentwilightbreaks.jpg" width="259" /></a></p><p> </p><p>Sarah Sundin has crafted another wonderful story! <u><b>When Twilight Breaks</b></u> takes readers back in history to the beginning of WWII when tyranny began to reign in Nazi Germany. </p><p><b>From the Back Cover:</b></p><p>Evelyn Brand is an American foreign correspondent determined to prove her worth in a male-dominated profession and to expose the growing tyranny in Nazi Germany. To do so, she must walk a thin line. If she offends the government, she could be expelled from the country--or worse. If she does not report truthfully, she'll betray the oppressed and fail to wake up the folks back home.</p><p>Peter Lang is an American graduate student working on his PhD in German. Disillusioned with the chaos in the world due to the Great Depression, he is impressed with the prosperity and order of German society. But when the brutality of the regime hits close, he discovers a far better way to use his contacts within the Nazi party--to feed information to the shrewd reporter he can't get off his mind.</p><p>As the world marches relentlessly toward war, Evelyn and Peter are on a collision course with destiny.</p><p><b>My Thoughts:</b></p><p>I enjoyed reading this book! I thought the historical information was so interesting and the story really made the history come alive. It really was amazing how the German government could spin stories about one group of people in order to lead others to hate them. </p><p>I enjoyed the characters and all the different layers that were peeled back as time went on throughout the novel. Evelyn is a tough lady trying to make it in a man's world. She seems to hold her own pretty well. I like her spunk! On the other hand, Peter was taken in by all that seemed so good about Germany only to find out things were not as they seemed. I loved that this story was full of spying and action. There were definitely some tense situations. <br /></p><p>If you're looking for a book that will bring the past to life and keep you up to find out what happens next, then pick up Sarah Sundin's newest book! It's definitely a keeper!<br /></p><p>My Rating: ★★★★★</p><p>*** I received this complimentary copy of the book from Revell. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions are my own. <br /></p>Amanda Thttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05607472127261642278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4882663988615556128.post-26354201940397485272021-01-30T09:08:00.001-08:002021-01-30T10:38:09.358-08:00Dreams of Savannah by Roseanna M. White<p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiIhkJ_GUkAClvqbVFvEGoXhDzaFkO5Le1OvD-jYWd4wyw72hzIbitpHt_e7sC1XhShSM0No5eSzSOXs-LUlPFMnknGfg4YRkrPRnlIYDzMO2jeYETbW-LvQmBjWhyphenhyphenFTou3KKuG5iB6hM/s1200/Dreams+of+Savannah.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="800" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiIhkJ_GUkAClvqbVFvEGoXhDzaFkO5Le1OvD-jYWd4wyw72hzIbitpHt_e7sC1XhShSM0No5eSzSOXs-LUlPFMnknGfg4YRkrPRnlIYDzMO2jeYETbW-LvQmBjWhyphenhyphenFTou3KKuG5iB6hM/w266-h400/Dreams+of+Savannah.png" width="266" /></a></div>The Civil War is a dark period in America's history. Slavery is a tough subject for any author to take on, but Roseanna does it with great care and truth. Her newest book, <u><b>Dreams of Savannah</b></u>, is set in the deep south in Savannah, Georgia. The story follows the lives of two main prominent families: the Owens and the Dunns. <p></p><p><b>From the Back Cover:</b></p><p>Cordelia Owens can weave a hopeful story around anything and has long since won the hearts of Savannah's society with her whimsy. Even when she received word that her sweetheart has been lost during a raid on a Yankee vessel, she clings to hope and comes up with many a romantic tale of his eventual homecoming to reassure his mother and sister.</p><p>But Phineas Dunn finds nothing redemptive in the horrors of war. Struggling for months to make it home alive, he returns to Savannah injured and changed. The beliefs he once held about slavery and the entire war have been upended, and he;s all too sure that he is not the hero Delia seems determined to make him.</p><p>When the Confederacy deems Savannah a lost cause and the future wavers, Phin and Delia must both decide where the dreams of a new America will take them---and if they will go there together. </p><p><br /></p><p><b> My Thoughts:</b><br /></p><p>This story courageously confronts the horrors of slavery head-on giving readers a glimpse into the past where people were treated horribly just because of the color of their skin. The reader gets to tag-along as both Phin and Delia's eyes are opened to what they have been taught about the slaves their families own. Many times change doesn't happen overnight, and it is a long steady process of choosing to think about the things we've just obeyed without thought because they have "always been this way." I thought Roseanna did a great job building a story with not only adventure and heroism, but also truth, awakening and change. I would definitely recommend this book. </p><p><a href="http://cdn.bakerpublishinggroup.com/processed/book-resources/files/Excerpt_9780764237478.pdf?1602620587" target="_blank">Click here</a> to read an excerpt from Dreams of Savannah, and head to <a href="http://bakerpublishinggroup.com/books/dreams-of-savannah/404820" target="_blank">Baker Publishing</a> to find out more about this book! Buy the book <a href="https://www.roseannamwhite.com/product/dreams-of-savannah" target="_blank">here</a>.<br /></p><p><b>My Rating: ★★★★★</b></p><p><b>About the Author:</b></p><p><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-2PMzmT8dEc7htmu1U4lTHIR9Dhfcnku7eTV6PciaHVikdEZlzbPHCk1J8smPwHYJ0N68POu9OyEuqnixhzFI0fBrlNYTvUxBNYo3T7C_Y3XPn-HdPz9p75Qxkofi6IClulFKiYOIBOE/s200/White_Roseanna.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="200" data-original-width="145" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-2PMzmT8dEc7htmu1U4lTHIR9Dhfcnku7eTV6PciaHVikdEZlzbPHCk1J8smPwHYJ0N68POu9OyEuqnixhzFI0fBrlNYTvUxBNYo3T7C_Y3XPn-HdPz9p75Qxkofi6IClulFKiYOIBOE/s0/White_Roseanna.jpg" /></a></b></div><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Roseanna M. White</span></b><p></p>
<p>Roseanna M. White <a href="https://www.roseannamwhite.com/" target="_blank">(www.roseannamwhite.com</a>) is a bestselling,
Christy Award-nominated author who has long claimed that words are the
air she breathes. She pens her novels beneath her Betsy Ross flag, with
her Jane Austen action figure watching over her. When not writing
fiction, she's homeschooling her two children, editing and designing,
and pretending her house will clean itself. Roseanna is the author of
numerous novels, ranging from biblical fiction to American-set romances
to Edwardian British series. Roseanna lives with her family in West
Virginia. Learn more at<a href="https://www.roseannamwhite.com/" target="_blank"> www.roseannamwhite.com</a>.</p><p> </p><p>***I received this book from the author. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions are my own. <br /></p>Amanda Thttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05607472127261642278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4882663988615556128.post-14865736566773667942020-11-27T17:55:00.003-08:002020-11-27T17:57:17.432-08:00The Love Note by Joanna Davidson Politano<p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2rLpD5g5A08AYboRCCWEhaLYfBV7LHnoxKHFkaSj_-iVdMZvtgytyS4_HcHlLOI1-CwD9fzIKeuwMCf1QH6yAXeeuLLp1oNgyNn_R-kL6K0AaC19TeQbfahEKS02KGk6HLeiuAIV-_OE/s2048/thelovenote.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1325" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2rLpD5g5A08AYboRCCWEhaLYfBV7LHnoxKHFkaSj_-iVdMZvtgytyS4_HcHlLOI1-CwD9fzIKeuwMCf1QH6yAXeeuLLp1oNgyNn_R-kL6K0AaC19TeQbfahEKS02KGk6HLeiuAIV-_OE/w259-h400/thelovenote.jpg" width="259" /></a></div>Imagine writing a love note that you never delivered, and instead tucked it away and forgot about it. But many years later, someone else discovers this mysterious letter and is determined to solve the mystery of this undelivered love letter. This sweet story, <b><u>The Love Note</u></b>, is about such a letter. A letter that makes it way throughout the house in which it was written making it's mark on each heart. But will it ever be delivered to the intended recipient? <b><br /></b><p></p><p><b>From the Back Cover:</b></p><p><b>A forgotten letter. A secret love. A vast estate.</b></p><p>Focused on a career in medicine and not on romance, Willa Duvall is thrown slightly off course during the summer of 1865 when she discovers a never-opened love letter in a crack of her old writing desk. Compelled to find the passionate soul who penned it and the person who never received it, she takes a job as a nurse at the seaside estate of Crestwicke Manor. </p><p>Everyone at Crestwicke has feelings--mostly negative ones--about the man who wrote the letter, but he seems to have disappeared. With plenty of enticing clues but few answers, Willa's search becomes even more complicated when she misplaces the letter and it passes from person to person in the house, each finding a thrilling or disheartening message in its words.</p><p>Laced with mysteries large and small, this romantic Victorian-era tale of love lost, love deferred, and love found is sure to delight.</p><p><b>My Thoughts:</b></p><p>I loved this story! The idea for the book, a mysterious hidden love note, was so clever. I loved seeing how Miss Willa Duvall's character changes throughout
the story. She's so self-assured and determined that she
doesn't need the love of a man in her perfectly planned out life. Yet,
this letter affects her so much after finding it, that she must find out
who wrote it. I also loved how the note after being misplaced by Willa was picked up by different people affecting each one deeply. "Words have power" is the message throughout this story, and that is certainly the truth. Words do have the power to shape lives for good or for bad, so choose them wisely. This story's mystery is fun to try and solve. The twists and turns are not easily figured out, and the outcome at the end satisfies all curiosity. I have been impressed with Joanna Davidson Politano's writing. Her stories are always interesting and let the reader's mind search and wander as Joanna weaves her tales. Each reader is left fully satisfied at the end for having read a book that exercised their mind and gave them something lasting to think about. She has quickly become a favorite author for me. So make sure to pick up this newest novel and check out her other books too!<br /></p><p><b>My Rating:</b> ★★★★★</p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>About the Author:</b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPps9qcyuOSpJ_PXJc8e_qLBH2t0WdaeMXMO1B9C1wY5VqjG-sqlM9r3NjkAGAjzzgwo-8SPlaFap2b8dI7vGtB-5GUmRDSgsXt_Yjy-ZOztoZI3uX8rP6RMfAWdw2nJQEbtzoELjIq1Q/s934/politano.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="934" data-original-width="768" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPps9qcyuOSpJ_PXJc8e_qLBH2t0WdaeMXMO1B9C1wY5VqjG-sqlM9r3NjkAGAjzzgwo-8SPlaFap2b8dI7vGtB-5GUmRDSgsXt_Yjy-ZOztoZI3uX8rP6RMfAWdw2nJQEbtzoELjIq1Q/s320/politano.jpg" /></a></div><p>I’m a work-from-home mom of two fun and adventurous littles and we’ll
soon be homeschooling. I married my hero Vince, who is my love and my
polar opposite. I write, he tears it up with the red pen. I break cars
and other mechanical things, he puts them back together. He’s nailed the
“speak the truth” thing, and I bring the “in love” part. But the real
spark to our marriage is that he does not like chocolate and I… like it
a normal amount. We love and live from our little house in the woods
near Lake Michigan.</p><div style="text-align: left;">Find the book here: <br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://bakerbookhouse.com/products/39486" target="_blank">Baker Book House </a><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Love-Note-Joanna-Davidson-Politano/dp/0800736893/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1593052586&sr=8-2" target="_blank">Amazon</a></div><p><br /></p><p>***I received this complimentary copy from Revell (a division of Baker Publishing Group). I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions are my own.<br /></p>Amanda Thttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05607472127261642278noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4882663988615556128.post-17406647872971633102020-11-11T19:41:00.004-08:002023-02-04T17:01:40.651-08:00A Haven for Her Heart by Susan Anne Mason (Redemption's Light 1)<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRQU1_38_oeBGDsIfAQBhLXVERWqD1Xlr4MopuZEZ0E8jAKRKavVzdTUUVFnTL0Xs04eGjUd-Oc1Gtaa2JjwWk6KSdcTYM5yxFLIH6lvmHtoX9AWny91EokROWKZdiDmQkJ1hGi7fZLpM/s2048/AHavenforHerHeart.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1324" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRQU1_38_oeBGDsIfAQBhLXVERWqD1Xlr4MopuZEZ0E8jAKRKavVzdTUUVFnTL0Xs04eGjUd-Oc1Gtaa2JjwWk6KSdcTYM5yxFLIH6lvmHtoX9AWny91EokROWKZdiDmQkJ1hGi7fZLpM/s320/AHavenforHerHeart.jpg" /></a></div><p>Imagine finding out a choice you have made has led to a situation that will change your life forever. Susan Anne Mason has written a story about a young woman, Olivia Rosetti, who experiences a life changing situation that leads her down a path that seems insurmountable. Can she overcome the evil she has been dealt? This new series by Susan Anne Mason is called Redemption's Light, and <u>A Haven for Her Heart</u> is the first book in series.<br /></p><p><br /><b>From the Back Cover:</b></p><p></p><p>Upon her release from a woman's reformatory in 1941 Toronto, Olivia Rosetti wants nothing more than to forget the horrors of her time there and return to normal. But with her family unwilling to forgive and employers wary of hiring her, she quickly ends up desperate and homeless--until a chance encounter with well-to-do widow Ruth Bennington. The two discover they share a painful history and together decide to open a maternity home for troubled women.</p><p>Greek widower Darius Reed is determined to protect his daughter from the prejudice that killed her mother and hopes to marry into a prominent Toronto family. But when his employer orders him to persuade Ruth Bennington to sell them her property, Darius soon becomes conflicted over his feelings about the home and his attraction to Olivia.</p><p>Despite finding fulfillment in her work, Olivia must fight not only bitter memories and the community's negative reaction to their mission, but also feelings for the man who is trying to close her home. can love prove stronger than prejudice and societal pressures, or will past mistakes destroy her chance at true happiness?</p><p><b>My Thoughts:</b></p><p>This was an interesting story. I liked how the author had a note at the beginning of the book to share how this book came about and about the real life person, Velma Demerson, that inspired the character of Olivia Rosetti. Who knew that Canada had a law that an unmarried, pregnant woman could be cast into prison? The characters each had their own baggage to work through, Olivia with her family and incarceration, and Darius Reed with the death of his wife from racial violence. Each situation brings about the reminder that one never knows what another is truly facing. Many situations in life are not tied with a neat bow, but are often complex. This story will remind you to look past the outward appearances and to strive to learn more about a person before judging them. While this book isn't a light read, it is a story worth reading. So, take a trip down a road that will show you what life was like 80 years ago in Toronto, Canada where prejudice ran high.</p><p>My Rating: ★★★★<br /></p><p>***I received this complimentary copy from the author and publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions are my own. <br /></p>Amanda Thttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05607472127261642278noreply@blogger.com2