Reviews from the Heart

American Sniper: The Autobiography of The Most Lethal Sniper in US Military History

2012-02-14T00:01:00.000-08:00

He is the deadliest American sniper ever, called “the devil” by the enemies he hunted and “the legend” by his Navy SEAL brothers . . .

From 1999 to 2009, U.S. Navy SEAL Chris Kyle recorded the most career sniper kills in United States military history. The Pentagon has officially confirmed more than 150 of Kyles kills (the previous American record was 109), but it has declined to verify the astonishing total number for this book. Iraqi insurgents feared Kyle so much they named him al-Shaitan (“the devil”) and placed a bounty on his head. Kyle earned legendary status among his fellow SEALs, Marines, and U.S. Army soldiers, whom he protected with deadly accuracy from rooftops and stealth positions. Gripping and unforgettable, Kyle’s masterful account of his extraordinary battlefield experiences ranks as one of the great war memoirs of all time.

American Sniper: The Autobiography of The Most Lethal Sniper in US Military History by Chris Kyle

I received this book for my review only with no monetary interest provided by William Morrow, a division of Harper Collins Publishers for my written expressed review.

American Sniper is one story of just one man who had an incredible journey during the war in Iraq/Afghanistan. While I am so honored and proud of Chris Kyle defending not only Americans in Iraq and the surrounding areas, but other military members as well. I can’t help but read between the pages to see see his wife struggling to raise their first child by herself. With Chris contemplating a second tour and re-enlisting for another 4-5 years of being deployed back to Iraq, his Wife is left with a feeling of loss and anger towards her husband for not putting his wife and family first. Chris has done some amazing things by being a SEAL! Things that many of us Americans could not even fathom having to deal with. Chris has my utmost respect and admiration for helping to protect the American ideals that make our country great. What I don’t particularly like is how he put his country over his wife and children when coming up on his 2nd tour. With a wife and child at home and another on the way, he decides to re-enlist for another dangerous deployment that could end his life and leave his wife without a husband and his children without a father.

I have to take the side of his wife after his first tour that he should not have re-enlisted to be with his wife and family. He served his country with honor and saved many lives, while at the same time killing so many terrorists that threatened any type of life in Iraq. After his first tour however, he was plagued by thoughts of not being their for his fellow soldiers that he forgot the most important rule in life. To be a loving father and husband, for that is what is truly will be remembered by the ones you love and whom you will depend on in life. Yes he has many memories as a sniper and has remained very close to other SEAL’s throughout his life, but it is his wife and children that will make him the man that he is.

I would rate this book a 3 out of 5 stars. I would rate this book higher, but I felt that his patriotism truly leads his life over his family. God, family, country is how it should be. Thank you Chris Kyle for your service and your pride for America. Now take the time to have a happy and fulfilling relationship with your wife and children. God Bless you!

Sixty Acres and A Bride

2012-02-13T10:38:00.000-08:00

Prejudice is still the order of the day in the small town of Lockhart, Texas in 1878, especially when you're a Mexican woman. It doesn't even matter if you married into a prominent family because the women and men already have formed their own personal opinion of you. Not only that, women for the most part are still considered second class citizens by some men of the town, but gentlemen however still exist.

When Rosa Garner returns with her mother-in-law Louise back to their ranch that they left more than five years ago and now learn that the previous renters never paid the taxes or rent on the land. Checking with the courts, they learn they have three months to come up with $166.00 or the land will be sold at auction. Three months hardly seems like enough time, but Louise believes God will provide for the widows just like He has in the past.

When Weston Garner returns to his land, he is trying to find a way to resolve the guilt he's been carrying around since his wife, Cora died unexpectedly and he feels responsible. Not knowing what awaits him back at his ranch, he believes that God will provide Him a second chance at a new life and that he can find a way to let go of the past. What he doesn't expect is to fall in love again, this time with the new help at Louise's farm.

I received Sixty Acres and A Bride by Regina Jennings compliments of Christian Fiction Blog Alliance for my honest review. This is a debut novel for Regina and I think she did a fantastic job! This book teaches the reader through the story of Weston and Regina how God can repair anything in someone's life and ultimately provide a new chance at life, if they are willing to be open to let go of guilt that isn't theirs to carry and are willing to forgive. This also teaches the dangers of letting pride get in the way. For fans of western romances, this will hit home for you! I personally rate this one a 5 out of 5 stars!

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing Sixty Acres and a Bride Bethany House (February 1, 2012) by Regina Jennings

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

A Word from Regina:

See me laughing. That’s what I do when someone calls me an author. Yes, it’s always been my dream, but I still can’t keep from giggling over it.

Other things I am – a Christ-follower, a wife, a homeschooling mother of four, a graduate of Oklahoma Baptist University, and a voracious reader.

Getting reading time isn’t easy. Seems like my family does more than our share of traveling. My husband is an insurance adjuster (I know, save the hate mail) and travels with the catastrophe team often. That’s allowed us to see a lot of the United States. True many times it’s in the middle of a hurricane or blizzard, but after spending three weeks in a hotel room with six people, you’ll brave anything to get out and see the sights – no matter how damaged they might be.

We also serve on the Missions Team at an amazing church, so we break out the passports frequently. Highlights include singing at a leper colony in India, holding church inside a Mexican prison and showing the Jesus film to a tribe in Senegal who’d never heard the gospel.

But I don’t have to go far away for unusual. My family provides plenty of colorful material with their love for practical jokes, pithy observations and strong agricultural roots. Because of the family business, a significant chunk of my life has been spent at sale barns and auctions – often behind the scales where I weigh pigs. I like to think of myself as a “redneck bluestocking” but I brought an entire marketing team’s discussion to a screeching halt when I said those words, so you didn’t hear it from me.

When I have spare time I love to talk books and quirky characters (real and fictional).

ABOUT THE BOOK

With nothing to their names, young widow Rosa Garner and her mother-in-law return to Texas and the family ranch. Only now the county is demanding back taxes and the women have only three months to pay.

Though facing eviction, Rosa can't keep herself from falling in love with the countryside and the wonderful extended family who want only her best. Learning the American customs is not easy, however, and this beautiful young widow can't help but catch wandering eyes. Where some offer help with dangerous strings attached, only one man seems honorable. But when Weston Garner, still grieving his own lost love, is unprepared to give his heart, to what lengths will Rosa go to save her future?

If you would like to read the first chapter of Sixty Acres and a Bride, go HERE.

The Art of Falling In Love

2012-02-12T20:00:00.000-08:00

What if someone told you that love could be guaranteed? Would you think it was an outlandish promise? Impossible to ensure? Well, marriage and love expert Joe Beam shares four tried-and-proven, concrete steps to falling in love, staying in love, and renewing lost love in his novel, The Art of Falling in Love.

They are attraction, acceptance, attachment and aspiration. Joe Beam walks the readers through what he defines is the love path and everyone can attain that elusive "love" that most seek so desperately. Working with various couples in different stages in love or even falling out of love, Joe tries to take the readers through where some couples make critical mistakes at simply not understand the basic needs we all have. For example in the chapter on attraction, Joe tells readers that there are four different kinds of attraction and the more a couple connects in all four, the better the chances are that they can move into the next stage of the love path, acceptance.

The four types of attraction are physical (body), intellectual (mind), emotional (heart), and finally spiritual (soul). Now each person may not find all these things in the person they are attracted to, for example some one may be fair good looking but have a great intellectual mind that inspires an attraction for someone. Yet attraction in any of these areas is the first step to finding a lasting love.
The author also walks the reader into first coming to love themselves if they ever hope at finding love. Then he takes you through the steps to change the things you don't like about yourself so you can be more attractive to those around you.

While the author uses real life examples of how he has worked to help couples rekindle their romance and love even after years of being married and strives to make some great points, I question some of the ideas he suggests in the book. I don't necessary believe that all people fall into the Love Path as he suggests but everyone is different and people come into relationships with different ideas of what they want out of love or possibly marriage. I've read several books on love and restoring it when it's lost in a relationship and think so of his ideas are similar. The best part is that if it works, then it's a great book however for me, I found it lacking some connection with the reader.

I received this book compliments of Howard Books, a division of Simon and Schuster for my honest review and have to rate this one a 3 out of 5 stars. However some readers might connect to the writing style of Joe Beam and if it works to restore their love and marriage than it's worth trying. For more information on this book, the author and where to purchase this book, please click on the link below:

The Art of Falling in Love by Joe Beam

Bond Girl - Giveaway and Review

2012-02-12T09:01:00.000-08:00

You know you've read an excellent book when you can wait to tell someone about it and all the best parts of the book. Only in this one, the entire book is filled with the best parts. Bond Girl by Erin Duffy is the story of Alex Garrett, who has dreamed of a career in the finance industry since she was eight, following in her father's footsteps. Only this is a predominantly male industry and not that many women find the success she is hoping for.

She finally attends college hoping that the business and finance classes will be enough to help her understand what it takes to get her foot in the door of Cromwell Pierce, one of the top leaders in Wall Street, also a fierce competitor of her father's company. When she finally is offered the position, she soon finds just how difficult it will be beginning her journey as a Junior, which is the grunt level in the bond trading sector. She has been told she will do whatever is asked of her without complaint and that's where the story gets interesting. I found this book to be a blend of the Devil Wears Prada only in a male dominated finance industry and for an extremely difficult boss named Ed Ciccone or "Chick" as he insists she refers to him.

It's just how far Alex is willing to go that makes the story that much fun. Seeing it as working in an office with 40 men and one other woman, she is forced to deal with all the inside jokes one would expect from having to fetch coffee and pizza whenever the team is hungry or in need of a caffeine boost or being the blunt of practical jokes when the days prove boring and slow. Yet in the end, it shows how much drive and perseverance Alex has to prove her worth at her job.

I received Bond Girl by Erin Duffy compliments of William Morrow, a division of Harper Collins Publishers for my honest review and LOVED it! It was definitely a book I could relate to, when I begin a career in the wireless industry as one of the first women technicians and how to go about proving my self worth in a male dominated field. So my hats off to girls like Alex who can put up with the best of them and not take it personally. A fun-filled 5 out of 5 stars!

For more information on this book, the author and where to purchase a copy of this book, please click on the link below:

Bond Girl by Erin Duffy

Thanks to the generous folks at Harper Collins and William Morrow, they are providing a giveaway copy of this book to one lucky follower of my blog, Reviews From The Heart. Here are the details:

1. Be a resident of the US or have a US shipping address.

2. Be a follower of my blog Reviews From The Heart.

3. Like my Facebook page at Reviews From The Heart by clicking here.

4. Leave me a comment telling me why you would love to win a copy of this book. Don't forget to include your email address. You can use the words (at) and (dot) instead of the symbols.

The giveaway will end on February 21st and I will notify the winner by email.

No Mark Upon Her

2012-02-10T00:01:00.000-08:00

Looking for a great Scotland Yard mystery that will keep you guessing just who did it til the very end and keep you turning pages faster and faster until you finally know who did it? Then look no further. In her latest book, No Mark Upon Her, Deborah Crombie takes her readers in depth into a rowing missing persons crime initially which will later prove that a murder has taken place. One by one the pieces of the puzzle seem to fit seamlessly together until you realize that not all pieces that fit together form the perfect picture and you have it all wrong.

I thought I had this one down pat until about 7/8ths of the way through the book and realized that I had been going on a wild goose chase and not everything was adding up the way it should have been. I guess in my opinion that's what makes for an excellent murder mystery is if the author can keep the identity hidden til the very end. Masterfully done and this is my first book review for Deborah Crombie but definitely will not be my last. Love her characters, dialogue and her writing style. A perfect blend in my opinion and well rated at 5 out of 5 stars. I received this book compliments of William Morrow, a division of Harper Collins Publishers for my honest review.

For more information on this book, the author and where to pick up a copy of this book, please click on the links below:

No Mark Upon Her by Deborah Crombie

Book Synopsis:

New York Times bestselling author Deborah Crombie makes her mark with this absorbing, finely hued tale of suspense—a deeply atmospheric and twisting mystery full of deadly secrets, salacious lies, and unexpected betrayals involving the mysterious drowning of a Met detective—an accomplished rower—on the Thames.

When a K9 search-and-rescue team discovers a woman's body tangled up with debris in the river, Scotland Yard superintendent Duncan Kincaid finds himself heading an investigation fraught with complications. The victim, Rebecca Meredith, was a talented but difficult woman with many admirers—and just as many enemies. An Olympic contender on the verge of a controversial comeback, she was also a high-ranking detective with the Met—a fact that raises a host of political and ethical issues in an already sensitive case.

To further complicate the situation, a separate investigation, led by Detective Inspector Gemma James, Kincaid's wife, soon reveals a disturbing—and possibly related—series of crimes, widening the field of suspects. But when someone tries to kill the search-and-rescue team member who found Rebecca's body, the case becomes even more complex and dangerous, involving powerful interests with tentacles that reach deep into the heart of the Met itself.

Surrounded by enemies with friendly faces, pressured to find answers quickly while protecting the Yard at all costs, his career and reputation on the line, Kincaid must race to catch the killer before more innocent lives are lost—including his own.

More Than Words Can Say

2012-02-09T00:01:00.000-08:00

Once in a blue moon you come across an exceptional book that leaves you in awe of just how great the story is and how emotionally connected to it you are. I have found such a treasure in the latest book from Robert Barclay, More Than Words Can Say, and to say if you haven't read it, you'll want to pick this one up and completely set aside some time to get lost in the characters and the story.

The premise of the story takes place at a lakeside cottage tucked away in the Adirondack mountains where Chelsea Bartlett has been left with her grandmother, Brooke's lakeside cottage and the contents of the home in her grandmother's will. The stipulations of the will state that Chelsea can do whatever she wants with the cottage after she visits there and locates the contents of a small tin, her grandmother has hidden beneath the floorboards of the guest bedroom.

Chelsea takes her grandmother's advice and heads to the cottage sure she will sell it once she sees it, but once she arrives, she feels a sense of peaceful tranquility that can't be explained. No one has lived in the cottage for 60 years and is has been carefully looked after by a French couple who were hired by her grandmother's attorney.

Chelsea finds her grandmother's journal and some old photographs hidden in a tin box that will take her back to a summer of 1942, that her grandmother spent at the cottage shortly after the war began and just recently married to Bill. The time at the cottage for Chelsea and reading the contents of the journal will change her life forever in profound and never expected ways as she finds herself transported back to a simpler time during one summer in 1942.

I received More Than Words Can Say compliments of William Morrow, a division of Harper Collins Publishers for my honest review and was so sad to reach the end of the book. I could perfectly imagine myself sitting on the porch overlooking the lake, hearing the waves lap upon the shore and the smell of pine trees blowing in on the summer breeze as Chelsea spends time with her grandmother in a very special and unique way that will bond them together in a life changing way. If you're a fan of Nicholas Sparks, then meeting Robert Barclay's characters and writing style will be a literature lottery of sorts. An exceptional read and one you WON'T want to miss. I am HIGHLY RECOMMENDING this one and awarding it 10 out of 10 stars! Trust me, once you read this one, you'll want more!

For more information on this book, the author and where to pick up a copy of this book, please click on the link below:

More Than Words Can Say by Robert Barclay

Blue Moon Bay

2012-02-08T00:01:00.000-08:00

Heather Hampton has felt she has accomplished much in her life since leaving the town of Moses Lake and working as a successful architect in Seattle. Just when she is about to finally get her dream project, her family throws a wrench into her plans to acquire the property from her family surrounding Moses Lake. This will enable many people to finally find work in a small town that hasn't grown much over the years since she has left. Only now on the verge of signing the papers, her mother tells her that they are considering another bidder on the property.

Feeling a bit more than frustrated, she flies home in hopes of talking some sense into her mother, and expediting the sale of the property. When she arrives in Moses Lake, she is in for a huge surprise. First she is delayed on her flight into Texas and has to relying on the kindness of a dentist she meets that is rushing home for his anniversary and offers her a ride. Second, she leaves her purse behind on the bus and with it her identification, her Iphone that she can't live without, and all her money and credit cards. Third, a phone call at the airport to her boyfriend Richard, leaves her with the impression that her relationship with him is in jeopardy especially since she leaves just days before his birthday with no idea she was missing it. Last, going back to Moses Lake isn't something she ever wanted to do again since it held so many bad memories for her.

Now that she arrives in Moses Lake, a lot more than just a little needy, she soon learns that her family has other plans for what to do with the property and that will completely upset the life that Heather had hoped for and her plans for a better life.

I received, Blue Moon Bay Lisa Wingate compliments of Christian Fiction Blog Alliance for my honest review and have to say I could find myself transported back to Moses Lake with Heather. That to me is a sign of a great book if I can feel myself in the setting and walking in the characters shoes. I rate this one a 5 out of 5 stars! The story is definitely believable and one worth a look at!

For more information on this book, the author and where to pick up a copy of this book.

Blue Moon Bay by Lisa Wingate

Three Free Sins

2012-02-07T00:01:00.000-08:00

"When Christians get to the point where they read only Christian books, go only to Christian movies hang out only with other Christians, eat only Christian cookies, and wear only Christian underwear, it's time for a reality check. That's sick, and it is a sickness unto death.

Once we are free from the need to defend, protect and hide, we have the freedom to show up in places where proper Christians don't go for fear of getting dirty. And it is in our showing up that the authenticity of who we are becomes the "flavor" that attracts others to the ice cream maker." (pg 192).

In the latest book by Steve Brown, Three Free Sins, is an exceptional read that for once, frees Christians and non-Christians alike from the stereotype that in order to live once saved, we have to walk a perfect and holy life. Do you really think that's possible? God knows we can't be perfect and nothing we do will pay for the gift of our salvation in Christ, so we need to stop being weighed down by the fact, we will all fall short sometimes. We need this to be about what God thinks, than what the world thinks and start living a life worthy of God.

In this book, Steve admits he crosses into uncomfortable territory is not acting or even sounding like your typical preacher, because after so many years of being like that, he realizes that isn't what people want when they want to know God. They need to know the walk will be difficult and that God doesn't always seem to play fair, especially when things happen to good people and if we are truly honest with ourselves and who we really are deep down inside, then people can be changed.

"If you're a Christian, you probably have, as I have winced at the revelations of the horrible sin of some of our leaders. Every time a Christian leader falls morally, runs a Ponzi scheme on unsuspecting brothers and sisters in Christ, builds a mansion, or buys a Mercedes from the tithe money from Social Security recipients, or creates an empire that begins to crumble, the rest of us want to run away and become Buddhists. Every time the curtain rolls back, and we see the hypocrisy, the greed, and the shallowness of the church, we are embarrassed and are less arrogant bout the church against which Jesus said, " the gates of hell shall not prevail." (Matthew 16:18). It's hard to be triumphant with that much dirty underwear hanging out in public.

Listen up! Don't waste the dirt! Don't hide the sinners! They're ours. Do you think God is doing something in our midst that we've all missed. Everybody who is reading this has secrets, and if those secrets were publicly revealed, you would flee in embarrassment from friends, neighbors and fellow church members. God, for his own reasons, has revealed a few of the dirty secrets of a few of us. But that is only the surface. A mother lode of secrets has already been uncovered; but I fear that, if we don't start getting this thing right, God won't just stop with them." (pg 180).

I received Three Free Sins compliments of Howard Books, a division of Simon and Schuster Publishers for my honest review and feel a breath of fresh air has come. What a wonderful insight into the way God planned for us to live and for us to treat others. I applaud Steve Brown for being willing to step over the threshold and cause a few to be a bit uncomfortable, but in the end, there is a freedom waiting for us that can not be explained until you live it! A perfect 5 out of 5 stars!

For more information on this book, the author and where you can pick up a copy of this book, please click on the link below:

Three Free Sins by Steve Brown

General Mills Whole Grain First Ingredient Prize Pack Giveaway

2012-02-06T10:57:00.000-08:00

Ringing in the New Year often means new eating habits. We know whole grain is important to you, and the Dietary Guidelines recommend choosing products with a whole grain listed as the first ingredient. Now every cereal with the white check has more whole grain than any other single ingredient with the same great taste. You will see "whole grain" as a part of the first ingredient on the ingredient list, indicating that whole grain is the first and most prevalent ingredient.

According to Dr. Travis Stork, emergency room physician and host of "The Doctors," identifying whole grain products can be challenging. Shoppers can look for nutritional cues on the front of the box, but they need to read the ingredient list to know if they are getting enough whole grain. Ingredient lists detail ingredients in order of prevalence, and if the words "whole grain" are followed by a grain like wheat or oats, it means the food contains more whole grain than any other single ingredient. Here´s how to determine if your cereals have whole grain as a first ingredient:

With all the health messages facing grocery store shoppers, it can be confusing to translate what appears on food labels into nutritional needs, and hard to determine which foods have a meaningful amount of whole grain. Dr. Stork has some additional recommendations to help you include whole grain easily into your diet. They include:

Start Early! The Dietary Guidelines recommend people get at least 48 grams of whole grain in their daily diets. Get a jump-start on the day´s nutrition by incorporating whole grain into your morning routine. For instance, when choosing cereal make sure whole grain is listed as the first ingredient. One easy choice is cereal with the white check, which have more whole grain than any other single ingredient.

Make Simple Swaps. Choose whole grain versions of the foods you love. Great options include whole wheat pasta and whole wheat bread or even whole grain crackers. Also, try different types of whole grain. Use brown rice instead of white rice as a side dish at dinner or popcorn, which is a whole grain, for a snack.

Don´t Judge a Food by Its Cover. The front of food packages provide good nutritional cues, but don´t forget to read the ingredients and check the nutrition label and side labels for additional health information. Cereals with the white check even include the amount of whole grain per serving on packaging.

To help with choosing products with whole grain, General Mills developed "Fast Lane for Whole Grain," an online educational game. Consumers can navigate virtual grocery store aisles and identify products that have whole grain as the first ingredient, with the option to enter a sweepstakes to win one of each of the 50 cereals with the white check. Make a commitment to add more whole grain to your diet by simply pouring a bowl of cereal with the white check including Cheerios^®, Lucky Charms^®, Cinnamon Toast Crunch^®, Honey Nut Cheerios^® and Total^®. For more information on the importance of whole grain and a chance to enter the "Fast Lane for Whole Grain" sweepstakes, visit www.WholeGrainNation.com .

Now comes the fun part and a way for you to win a prize pack of 5 General Mills Whole Grain Cereals with the white check mark and here's what you need to do:

1. Be a follower of my blog Reviews From The Heart.

2. Be a resident of the US or have a US shipping address. Please No P.O. Boxes!

3. Leave me a comment telling me which of your favorite General Mills cereals with the white check will you kick start your morning this New Year? Please include your email address so I can notify you if you're the lucky winner of this giveaway. You can use the words (at) or (dot) instead of the symbols.

4. The giveaway will end on February 13th and I will notify the winner at that time.

"Disclosure: The prize pack, information, and giveaway have been provided by General Mills through MyBlogSpark."

Song of My Heart

2012-02-06T00:01:00.000-08:00

It's always a privilege when one of your favorite authors comes out with a new book and you get so excited because you just know it's going to be great! Song of My Heart by Kim Vogel Sawyer is no exception. Taking the reader right back into the heart of Dalton, Indiana in 1895, we find ourselves in the home of the Wagner family, where their father has suffered a terrible accident and is now trying to recover. Feeling the financial burden of having their father out of work, Sadie is relieved when a letter arrives as an answer to their prayers.

Her cousin Sid has found work and a new life in Goldtree, Kansas and has sent word to Sadie that he has secured employment for her as well as a clerk in the General Store as well as an audition for a singer in the Opera House. A dream come true for Sadie and even more so, when her parents agree to let her go to help them out until her father can get well enough to return to work.

So Sadie sets out for what she hopes will be a life-changing experience in the heart of a small town of Goldtree! Arriving on the dirt filled streets, worn and weary she meets up with her cousin Sid, who introduces her to Melva and Shelva Baxter, the elderly twin ladies who run the General Store. It is their brother Asa who wants her to audition for a singer in the Opera House which is located just beneath the mercantile due to construction costs. But that's not all that's buried beneath the town of Goldtree as the new sheriff is about to discover.

Thad McKane has been hired to find out about an illegal bootlegging operation that threatens to undermine the growth of Goldtree and that's something the mayor does not want to see happen. Thad feels he has to make amends for his father's reputation and offers to take the job in hopes of saving the town, but will God have other plans in store for Sheriff McKane?

I received Song of My Heart by Kim Vogel Sawyer compliments of Christian Fiction Blog Alliance for my honest review and LOVED it, right down to the dust covered streets and the wild bunch of characters found between the pages. This is a western romance with a twist that shows that nothing we can do short of asking God for forgiveness will make things right. It's a story about God's grace and mercy set in the heart of a western Kansas town. This one will make your heart sing with a 5 out of 5 star rating.

For more information on this book, the author and where to purchase a copy of this book, please click on the links below:

Song of My Heart by Kim Vogel Sawyer

You can also find her on Facebook by clicking here.

Still: Notes On A Mid-Faith Crisis

2012-02-05T00:01:00.000-08:00

In her critically-acclaimed memoir Girl Meets God, Lauren F. Winner explores her religious identity as she made the transition from Judaism to Christianity. A thought-provoking glimpse into 21st century religion, Winner was praised as "insatiable, and dauntless, in her search for religious truth at whatever the personal cost" by the New York Times.

In Still: Notes on a Mid-Faith Crisis, Lauren offers readers a quietly powerful and fiercely honest exploration of love, loss and what it means to land at the "middle stage" of the spiritual life. Taking her spiritual quest even deeper, she navigates difficult new terrain as she confronts the spiritual aftermath of personal tragedy.

At a time of crisis - grieving her mother's death, navigating a painful divorce - Lauren finds that she is mourning her faith as well. She hasn't lost sight of God entirely, but she's watching him gradually fade away. She offers us a "picture of the end of darkness, of the stumbling out of the darkness into something new."

I received Still: Notes on a Mid-Faith Crisis compliments of Authors On The Web for my honest review and have to say, no matter where we are at in our religious beliefs, we've all come to a place where we find ourselves in the middle. Whether we are waiting on answers for prayer, looking for water in the desert when we find ourselves parched and searching, we all hit our dry spells. This is just the point that Lauren takes the readers into her personal life. Between experiencing the newness of finding God and the moment when we find ourselves just accepting life as it is, until we can find our way back to God at some point. An interesting look at something most Christians don't share in their walk with others this is a refreshing look at things from a different perspective not often talked about and for that reason I rate this a 4.5 out of 5 stars.

For more information on this book, the author and where to pick up a copy of this book, please click on the link below:

Still: Notes on a Mid-Faith Crisis by Lauren F. Winner

The Land Beyond The Portal

2012-02-04T00:01:00.000-08:00

It's a dark, snowy night when Laura awakens at the bottom of the staircase with a horrible headache and no idea how she got there. To make matters worse, she is alone in the house, snowed in by a blizzard, with no way to call for help. While exploring the house in a desperate attempt to trigger the return of her memory, she discovers a small room beneath the basement. She steps inside, and an unknown force instantly transports her to a mysterious, pastoral land.

She finds a quaint village that at first glance seems like a peaceful place; but Laura soon learns that peace is merely an illusion. Why are terrible rumors circulating about the village's leader? Why do the villagers worship a sinister deity who bears no resemblance to her own powerful and loving God? Most importantly, will she ever remember who she is and find her way home? In her quest for answers, she uncovers a myriad of forbidden secrets that might keep her trapped in The Land Beyond The Portal. (excerpt back cover).

In the debut novel from J.S. Bailey, The Land Beyond The Portal, she eloquently weaves a magical story that draws the reader into the land beyond the portal, to that of Sparkling Falls. Here she finds that she is living in a different time frame and one that appears to be from the past. Laura is befriended by a two small children who find her wandering alone in the forest. Still not knowing who she is, she finds comfort in the Owens family who offers her a place to stay in their home. The Owens family are considered the nobility of the town and thus are still dealing with a tragic loss of their younger son who wandered away one night.

Now the town learns of rumors being spread that the Owens family wants the number of children limited to just two in each family, and people wonder if their younger child was killed or murdered by their father. Laura can't accept the rumors and stands to defend the family against those that want to remove him from power in the town. The one thing she isn't expecting is the one person the town worships, who goes by the name of Litchfield, is about to make her life very difficult since coming to Sparkling Falls. She will have to learn to trust God to help her figure out just what sinister evil is lurking beyond the borders of this land.

I received this book compliments of J.S. Bailey for my honest review and was completely drawn into the fantasy world she created in her debut novel. I wasn't quite sure where this was going, or how it would wind up and found myself second guessing the outcome before I got to the end. Boy was I ever wrong. She keeps the reader wondering just how this will all tie together before the book ends and keeps them engaged in the story and characters til the end. My only disappointment, is that I finished it. Now I'll definitely be looking for more from J.S. Bailey in the future. If you love a bit of Science Fiction and Fantasy to your reading genre, then this is not one to be missed. A perfect 5 out of 5 stars!

For more information about this book, the author and where to pick up a copy of this book, please click on the links below:

The Land Beyond The Portal by J.S. Bailey

You can also find her on Facebook by clicking here.

Far From Here

2012-02-03T00:01:00.000-08:00

Danica Greene always hated flying, so it was almost laughable that the boy of her dreams was a pilot. She married him anyway, and together, she and Etsell settled into a life where love really did seem to conquer all.

When opportunity to spend three weeks in Alaska helping a pilot friend presents itself, Etsell accepts and their idyllic world is turned upside down. It's hit dream, he reveals, and Danica knows that she can't stand in the way. Etsell is on his last flight before heading home when his plane vanishes shortly after takeoff, leaving Danice in a free fall. He's gone, but what exactly does gone mean? Is she a widow? An abandoned wife? Or will Estell find his way home to her?

Forced to search for the truth in her marriage, Danica grapples with the impossible questions about her husband's mysterious disappearance. And when she learns that Ell wasn't flying alone, the bits and pieces of the careful life that she constructed for them take to the wind...

I received Far From Here by Nicole Baart compliments of Howard Books, a division of Simon and Schuster for my honest review and found this story hard to comprehend. I don't know what I would do if my husband went missing, with no sign of a crash and no remains of a plane, just a big opened ended question much like what Danica is faced with in the book. Not quite knowing what to do or where to begin, she struggles with taking advice from her dysfunctional family who means well and from her surrogate mother-in-law who offers to help her get her life back on track by any means possible. There's even a kind pastor/neighbor who offers to get her mind off things by helping her maintain her lawn without bringing up her missing husband.

This really hits home in so many ways because the struggle by Danica to figure out what to do is very real. She deals with how long does she wait before she must realize he isn't coming back, how does she cope with being alone, and how does she deal with the truth that her marriage wasn't all she thought it was. A very compelling read and one I could not put down until the final page was turned. A believable and well-written story about a tragic loss and how one woman will weather the storm. For that I rate this story a 5 out of 5 stars.

For more information about this book, the author and where to purchase a copy of this book, please click on the link below:

Far From Here by Nicole Baart

The Road Trip

2012-02-02T00:01:00.000-08:00

Liz always felt God beside her, but she never thought she would be in his passenger seat! In this humorous, heartfelt adventure story, God invites an ordinary woman to travel with him on a life-changing road trip. Along the way, they encounter fantastic beings, heavenly houses, and extraordinary communities that Liz could never have imagined. But this is no vacation. Liz soon realized there was a lot she didn't understand about God, the world, and her role as a Christian.

God has a lot to teach Liz, and underneath all the whimsy is a deeper spiritual message with real-life applications. Will she be able to comprehend all this new wisdom - and will she have the courage to accept the challenging mission God charges her with? Buckle up and join God and Liz on a journey of a lifetime.

I received The Road Trip compliments of Shelton Interactive for my honest review and found this an interesting way to explain all the concepts of a Christian life as a road trip taken with God. From what it means to be saved, to producing fruit in our lives to tithing, this is such a phenomenal book that does just that through the telling of a road trip God invites Liz on. As each story is told, the concept is explained along with scriptural references to those passages within the Bible.

My favorite chapter is probably It's the Pits. In it God takes Liz on her last stop on their road trip to the Kingdom of Its. We've all been there, no matter where we are at in life and we all think we are the rulers. Yet in reality they don't have one. See if you've heard these lines before, "Oh, what is it? Where can I get it? How much is it? I've gotta have it and I need it!" How many times do you go to the store for milk and bread only to come back with more than just milk and bread because you had to have something? Welcome to the Kingdom of Its!

God doesn't mind us acquiring its as long as they are what God wants for you in your life. Things that are pure, without requiring us to take out a second mortgage on our home or working a second job or putting in crazy hours just to pay for that 'it!' The reality is if you've ever wondered how Christian principles fit into your life and need a simple way of getting to the point, then this is the perfect book for you! This one rates a stellar 5 out of 5 stars!

For more information on this book, the author and where to pick up a copy of this book, please click on the link below:

The Road Trip by Jo Lynn Crozier

In Too Deep

2012-02-01T00:01:00.000-08:00

I couldn't wait to read this one when I found out Book 2 of the Kincaid Bride series was out by Mary Connealy, In Too Deep. This time the story picks up right where Book 1 left off. The Kincaid brothers have just narrowly escaped death after a tracker was sent to locate Wendell Gillilan who has stolen some money from Jasper Henry. Unfortunately Wendell died before revealing the whereabouts of what he stole and where he hid it, but the only clue was it's deep, too deep for anyone to find.

Now that the tracker is in jail, Jasper Henry isn't about to give up. He's sent someone to find out where his money is and now he knows that Audra Gilliland is still alive with two children and believes she alone knows where it is. Only now she has gotten married to Ethan Kincaid to help protect her on his ranch and Ethan will soon discover that even though this was a marriage of convenience, he soon grows to love Audra and the children as his own and isn't about to let anything come between them.

Audra isn't too sure that marriage was a grand idea but the prospect of keeping her two daughters safe was worth saying, "I Do!" for. However when an unexpected fire comes to the Kincaid ranch and leaves Ethan badly burned, the men come looking for Audra and the children. Will she find the strength she believes she is lacking to save her children and Ethan, or will the curse of her late husband consume her once and for all?

I received In Too Deep compliments of Christian Fiction Blog Alliance for my honest review and LOVED it! I missed hanging out with the Kincaid brothers and love how seamlessly Mary transitioned between both books so we feel like we picked up right where we left off. I applaud Audra's courage in the face of adversity and where she finds the strength to weather any storm that comes between her and the Kincaid family! She finds strength in God when she needs it the most! Well worthy of 5 out of 5 stars and can't wait to see where the conclusion of this story will leave. Hurry back Kincaid family!

For more information about this book, the author and where to pick up a copy of this book today, please click on the link below:

In Too Deep by Mary Connealy

Ruth's Redemption

2012-01-31T00:01:00.000-08:00

Sometimes reading about the mistakes of America's past can be difficult especially when it happened over 200 years ago but it doesn't minimize the impact it would have on you reading about it. Take for example the recent book I just read, Ruth's Redemption by Marlene Banks about the horrors of the slavery conditions that happened in the early 1800's. Even though the story is a fictional account it was still based on true events. This one centered around the Nat Turner Rebellion in Tidewater, Virginia and is where the story begins.

It shows how the differences in peoples mind's about slavery between those in the North and those in the deep South. The North had begun to accept that slavery should be abolished but the progress was slow in getting people to come to terms with equality among all men and women. Bodine Peace was left free when his master died and left him adequate land to begin a life for himself. He finally found that deep within himself that all along, owning slaves had been wrong. He made sure that the terms for freeing Bodine Peace was upheld by his sons. Bodine Peace, or Bo as he was called was a man of God who believed that despite how long it was taking for God to bring about justice to all men, He would eventually free them all.

Bo used his land to help other slaves become free as well. Asking that all they had to do for freedom was work off the price he had to pay for them by working on the land Mr. Maitland had given him. He would teach them a fair trade, educate them and when a year's time was up, he had legal papers drawn up to provide them their freedom. It was during this time that Bo came across a woman who called herself Ruth. He was in town to purchase slaves as he felt led by God and when Ruth's determined actions cause her owner to beat her in public, Bo felt he had God's answer.

Yet it would take time to heal the hatred in Ruth's heart towards all men and especially to heal her bitterness and resentment towards God. Ruth had been sold into slavery primarily for breeding based on her good looks which she saw as a curse from God since there wasn't anything she could do about that. So she remained determined to do whatever she could to find freedom even if that meant using her looks to her advantage.

I received Ruth's Redemption by Marlene Banks compliments of Christian Fiction Blog Alliance for my honest review and really loved how well the characters of Ruth and Bo were developed by Marlene so that the reader would be immersed in their lives and could see things from their eyes, how cruel the world could be, and how not everyone believed people should be treated like livestock. This one rates a 5 out of 5 stars in my book and shows just how much God's plan will work for those who LOVE Him despite the outward circumstances.

For more information on this book, the author and where to purchase a copy of this book, please click on the link below:

Ruth's Redemption by Marlene Banks

The Face Thief

2012-01-30T00:01:00.000-08:00

The perfect criminal is one who can read the body language and facial features of their victim and that is just the premise for the latest book from Eli Gottlieb, The Face Thief.

The book revolves around the lives of three people involving a series of circumstances with a common thread. The more you know about a person, the better it enables you to gain the upper hand. If you can define someone simply by how they carry themselves and what their face tells you that their words don't can be very beneficial if you know how to read them.

Margot is a promising up and coming journalist who wants to gain the advantage in the business world in learning to read faces and define the subtle movements our body language portrays. She hopes it may give her the advantage she will need to climb the corporate ladder in the competitive world of journalism where being a female may be the disadvantage. So when she signs up to take a course designed by the expert in reading body languages and faces, she gets more than she ever thought she would.

Lawrence Billings has made a name for himself as a best selling author and successful business man now leading seminars discussing The Physique of Finance: The Art of Face Reading and Body Language for Professional Advantage. He always had unique gift of seeing things others missed and now it was paying off in a big way at fifty three and still married to Glynis even after his indiscretions. Life was perfect until Margot showed up in his class. Things were about to change and not in the way he would have expected.

John Potash has finally struck gold. When Janell Styles of Greenleaf Financial calls and offers him the best investment opportunity of a lifetime, one he's been waiting for his whole life, he takes a chance after his initial investments have returned better than expected returns. Now just when his personal life has finally settled down after a recent divorce, he plans to invest in their future in a very big way. However life isn't always what we expect despite how we may think we have it all figured out.

I received The Face Thief by Eli Gottlieb compliments of William Morrow, a division of Harper Collins for my honest review. This book really does have quite a few twists and turns and until about half way through I didn't realize what was happening with the three different story lines in the book, however now looking back I could see how it all played out. As a reader, keeping that in mind, it will make the book much more enjoyable knowing that when you begin and throughout the book, you will find the pattern that shows how they all interconnect without realizing it. I would rate this book a 4 out of 5 stars for that reason. It deals with preying upon peoples trust and weakness to make a fast buck no matter what the cost and having the best tools on hand can make it that much easier.

For more information on this book, the author and where to pick up a copy of this book, please click on the link below:

The Face Thief by Eli Gottlieb

Not In The Heart

2012-01-29T12:41:00.000-08:00

What would you do to save the life of your child? For most of us parents, the answer is an easy one. There isn't anything we wouldn't do. However for a man like Truman Wiley that answer has been a struggle. A difficult internal struggle at that. Being married to Ellen and having two children, Aiden and Abigail, he has spent his whole life trying to measure up to what he believes they expect and want from a husband and father. When he comes up short, he turns to his only addiction, gambling. Whether it's online or visiting a local casino or horsetrack, Truman finds that when he wins, he feels like he's on top of the world, able to meet the obligations to his family he feels they are owed, but when he loses as is often the case, he turns and runs. Runs away from the very thing he swore to protect and love, his family. This is where we find Truman as Not In The Heart begins by Chris Fabry.

Truman Wiley was once at the top of his game in journalism, over turning rocks to bring to light the slime of the world's worst whether they were in politics or in the lime light. He felt it was his true talent to not be afraid of the truth and be willing to report it, no matter how often his life was threatened. Until no one wanted to work or hire Truman any longer. Then he found that gambling provided the control he needed to maintain in his life. His personal life was a wreck.

His only son Aiden since he was young was diagnosed with a heart defect that would place their family under enormous financial and physical pressure. Not knowing from one day to the next if this was in fact their last time with Aiden, they lived on the edge. Ellen maintained the burden of caring for the children and family while Truman tried to find a way to make ends meet. When he failed, he ran. Ran away from the family that needed a husband and father more than a paycheck, but he couldn't see past that. He felt like a failure and until he could rise above once again, he would stay away. Better to do that than show himself to be a failure to those whose opinions mattered the most.

When Truman learns that there might be a way to save Aiden through an heart transplant of a man waiting on death row, he is curious how he could possibly help. When Ellen explains the wife, Helen Wright has one request that he write her husband's story of transformation from murder to reformed man since finding God in his life and is willing to pay him to do it, Truman takes the bait. What he learns in working through the evidence on the case, is that an innocent man may in fact be put to death. How can he is good conscience report the truth if it means his son may die if he doesn't get this heart transplant?

I received Not In The Heart by Chris Fabry compliments of B & B Media Group for my honest review and found it difficult not to relate to the characters Chris brings to life within the pages of his novel. From the internal struggle happening within Truman, it's easy to see how a man can judge his worth by what he brings to the table and how often he finds it's easier to give up rather than push forward when the challenge becomes to hard. Truman is forced to come to terms with all his past mistakes and it's hard to watch how often he will turn away from his family to work towards the goal of saving his son, but in the process is missing opportunity to connect with him while he wants to spend time with his dad.

I have known my own Truman in my personal life, with addictions to jobs. I can see how easy it would be to justify working long hours and missing personal time with your family for the reward of a paycheck because you think it justifies the time being away. It has taken me years to see that in life, there is a cost to everything, and not everything is worth the cost it takes on your personal life and family, we just need to see it. For this reason, this book will speak to hearts everywhere and shine the light of truth inside us all and for that, I rate this one a 5 out of 5 stars. Chris Fabry's writing style will touch your heart in ways you never thought imaginable and I can't wait to read the next one!

For more information on this book, the author and where to purchase a copy of this book, please click on the links below:

Not In My Heart by Chris Fabry

You can also find Chris on Facebook by clicking here.

Raylan: A Novel

2012-01-26T00:01:00.000-08:00

If your a murder/mystery fan, than I have the perfect book for you!

Raylan: A Novel by Elmore Leonard is a great collection of crime stories all linked around the central character of U.S. Marshall Raylan Givens. The novel begins with a new kind of crime being committed and the rewards for the criminals are worth taking that risk. Seems lately the drug lords have found a new commodity to deal, human body parts. Seeing as an entire human body when parted out can net close to a million dollars, there are loads of people just ripe for the picking. When they begin simply by taking the kidneys out of wealthy people and then selling them back to the victims, they begin to see other opportunities to make money faster than raising marijuana.

This is where U.S. Marshall Givens is called in to investigate. When he starts to get too close to the actual criminals, Givens is about to discover that he may in fact be the next victim. Will he be able to solve the crime before he becomes the next revenue source on the black market?

In the book, Raylan: A Novel by Elmore Leonard, the reader is taken on the journey into a series of criminal cases the U.S. Marshall Raylan Givens is in the midst of solving from human body part trafficking to coal mine operators looking for a bigger piece of the pie when it comes to company profits, and finally closing on a college student who is running the tables at poker to make a fast buck.

I received this book compliments of William Morrow, a division of Harper Collins Publishers for my honest review. The writing style for me was a bit choppy and there is a fair amount of profanity and sexual content. However, for those that expect this in their crime novels to make it more realistic, then this book will work for you. I would rate this one a 3.5 out of 5 stars in my opinion. I love the ideas behind the different crimes but I couldn't connect to the story the way I would have liked. The details were fuzzy and vague and it kept moving at a rapid pace. I would have liked to seen the writer spend more time in writing three separate books on these crimes instead of trying to get them all to fit into one.

For more information on this book, the author or where you can purchase a copy of this book, please click on the link below:

Raylan: A Novel by Elmore Leonard

Love Blooms In Winter

2012-01-25T00:01:00.000-08:00

It's 1892 in the small town of Dwadlo, North Dakota just as winter is beginning to set in. When I refer to Dwadlo being a small town, it is just that. All the buildings in town from the post office, general store, bank and the residents homes are all within a few short blocks either way. The train station literally ends at Dwadlo and here is where we find the setting of our story and meet the characters from Love Blooms in Winter, book 1 in the Dakota Diaries series by Lori Copeland who is fast becoming a personal favorite writer for me.

Here we meet Mae Wilkey who runs the post office within the general store and helps out when she can with the customers who come in for various supplies. Mae is also the sole provider for both herself and her younger brother Jeremy, who is 13, but mentally acts like 9 due to issues with his birth. Mae's parents died and now she cares for Jeremy as well as Pauline, a 92-year-old woman who needs constant care to due her age and mental capability. She lives alone caring for all the towns stray animals who are constantly finding their way to Pauline's home. Mae fears that once she marries Jake, the local well-to-do lawyer, there will be no one left to care for Pauline.

So Mae takes it upon herself to find out of Pauline has any living relatives who might be able to care for her. While cleaning out Pauline's desk, she uncovers the name and address of Tom Curtis, but the problem is, Pauline in her moments of clarity can't remember if he's related to her or not. So Mae sends a letter explaining the circumstances in hopes that Tom is in fact related to Pauline and can come care for her in the time she has remaining.

When Tom Curtis receives Mae's letter, he thinks it's a practical joke being played on him by one of the railroad employees. However, when a second letter arrives, Tom makes arrangements to check out the details of the letter and arrives to pay Mae a visit. What he doesn't plan on, is that his so-called routine life is about to get the biggest upheaval he will ever know.

I received Love Blooms in Winter compliments of Christian Fiction Blog Alliance for my honest review and was captured in Mae's story. Not only in caring for her mentally challenged younger brother Jeremy, but also for her neighbor Pauline. Mae is a true do-gooder with a heart for everyone. She tries her best to be the best she can, even though she has been waiting six long years for Jake to ask her to marry him. She is by far, my favorite character in the book, because she is always putting everyone else's needs above her own. I can't wait to read the next book in this series as Lori Copeland writes her stories so well, you feel like you're part of the action! I rate this one a 5 out of 5 stars.

For more information on this book, the author and where to purchase a copy of this book, please click on the links below:

Love Blooms in Winter by Lori Copeland

The Accidental Bride

2012-01-24T11:20:00.000-08:00

If you've never read a Big Sky Romance novel by Denise Hunter, you are truly missing out. Denise writes her characters so well, you can't help but feel as though they are truly real people. In her latest, The Accidental Bride, Shay Brandenberger has experienced a life time of pain. First, her childhood love, left her standing at the altar when fear got the best of him and he simply headed west. Promising herself to never fall for another man again, Shay did the unthinkable and fell hard again.

Maybe as a way to prove to herself and the town of Moose Creek, Montana, that she wasn't hopeless failure after all, she married Garrett, against her common sense. Now the mother of a new daughter, Olivia, Shay realizes that she never loved Garret and that he doesn't fit into her ideal dream of a cowboy running a busy family ranch, now in her care. Divorced and a single mom, Shay vows to commit her life to simply raising her daughter as best as she can, and try to find a way to keep Yellowstone River, her family ranch from being foreclosed on by the bank.

When she volunteer's to play the part of the bride in a wedding reenactment in a Founder's Day ceremony, she is hoping to finally put all the past behind her. Only when she arrives at the altar, Shay is more than surprised and shocked to see the man she almost married, Travis McCoy is the groom. Can she pull her emotions together to get through the ceremony or will she once again be the talk of the town?

I received The Accidental Bride by Denise Hunter compliments of Thomas Nelson Publishers and B and B Media for my honest review and LOVED IT! Once again, Denise captivated my heart and emotions as I truly felt for both Shay and Travis in their relationship. Trying to find a way to deal with their feelings and the pain of getting hurt, they both decide to trust God to handle things and the gossip and rumors that any small town is bound to have. This one rates a perfect 5 out of 5 stars in my book and can't wait to pick up all the Big Sky Romances!

For more information on this book, the author and where to purchase a copy of this book, please click on the links below:

The Accidental Bride by Denise Hunter

You can also find Denise on Facebook by clicking here.

The Coming Revolution

2012-01-22T10:25:00.000-08:00

This book comes at the perfect time for me teaching my 7th grade daughter about the American Revolution in History! We know that history bears lessons of both success and failures of what we've gone through as a country and just where we have fallen short even now. What this leads me to believe is that our country is sitting on the cusp of another Revolution in America.

Just how have we missed the mark? The things that are happening now are becoming the new accepted norm, redefinition of marriage, our educational system is failing and we're dumbing down our standards for our children, as well as accepting things our founding fathers would be appalled over. The 2010 election was a watershed. It was in effect a firewall against further encroachments and further legislative destruction from the Left. It was a good start, but it was just a start. Those who would like to undermine our form of government, our traditional values and beliefs, and our way of life haven't gone away. They're just waiting for the opportunity to strike again. That's one of the reasons why author, Dr. Richard G. Lee has written the book, The Coming Revolution, as a warning and a wake-up call to every citizen to stand up, speak up, and become engaged in the contest for America's future.

Make no mistake; we are in a contest to see what this nation will be for the next two hundred years. Will we uphold the values of the Founders, who were dedicated to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness? Will we defend the moral and ethical values our forefathers fought and died for? Or will we stand by silently, like the dazed and defeated citizens of a half-dozen fallen empires of the past, and watch this nation sink into the swamp of socialism, totalitarianism, and anarchy, ultimately leading to collapse? This is choice we have to make, and it is one contest we can't afford to lose.

We live in a significant time of change. But the change Washington imagined - and promised - has failed; leaving many Americans disenchanted, disappointed, and angry. With the masses stirring restlessly under the current leadership, the potential for a revolution is great. But what, exactly, would God have us do?

I received the book The Coming Revolution by Dr. Richard G. Lee, compliments of Thomas Nelson Publishers for my honest review. I personally think this is a book every single person who lives in the United States should read. Lee examines with conviction and mastery the social and religious elements that propelled American into the First American Revolution and opens discussion for the idea that this generation may also be seeking "a new freedom" is startlingly similar ways as our ancestors. This book will encourage readers to find their voice and join the countless men and women who are taking a stand against the direction America's leaders are taking them. Lee challenges us to follow our deeply held convictions and the promptings of faith to lead once again to new personal and national freedoms. This one rates a 5 out of 5 stars in my opinion!

Fore more information on this book, the author and where to purchase a copy of this book, please click on the link below:

The Coming Revolution by Dr. Richard G. Lee

The Starlite Drive-In

2012-01-21T00:01:00.000-08:00

I wasn't there when they dug up the bones at the old drive-in theater, but I heard about them within the hour. In a small town, world travels like heat lightning across a parched summer sky. Irma Schmidt phoned Aunt Bliss and delivered the news with such volume that her voice carried across the kitchen to where I was sitting.

After hanging up the receiver, Aunt Bliss peered at me through her thick bifocals. "With all those farms around there, they could be the bones of some animal."

I picked up the coffee mug, drained it, then set it on the worn Formica table. "They could be."

Pursing her lips, she stared hard at me. "I know what you're thinking, but more than one person disappeared that summer."

"Yes," I said reflectively, "that's true." But my heart was beating faster. (pg 1).

And so begins the story of The Starlite Drive-In by Marjorie Reynolds. Called Anne Benton knows the identity of the victim who mysteriously disappeared thirty-six years ago. In sweltering summer of 1956, when a handsome drifter named Charlie Memphis arrives at the Starlite to help Callie Anne's injured father run the theater. Both she and her mother, Teal, fall for Memphis's rugged style and gentlemanly manners, but Callie Anne's father - bitter in his role as caretaker for the rural drive-in and his agoraphobic wife - doesn't like the drifter's increasing interest in Teal.

A disastrous turn of events change their lives forever, and it's up to the grown up Callie Ann to unlock the secrets of the decades-old mystery.

I received The Starlite Drive-In compliments of Harper Collins Publishers for my honest review. In my own personal childhood memories I can still picture the sights and sounds of those long-forgotten classic drive-in theaters and Marjorie Reynolds does such an exceptional job at bringing the reader back to a much simpler time as we journey along with Callie Anne's memory of what happened so long ago. I absolutely loved this book and can't wait to read more from Marjorie Reynolds. Her writing style flows so well that it takes the readers back in time and you actually become part of the story, which I love. For that reason I rate this one a 5 out of 5 stars!

For more information about this book, the author and where to pick up a copy of this book today, please click on the link below:

The Starlite Drive-In by Majorie Reynolds

The Mulligans of Mt. Jefferson

2012-01-20T00:01:00.000-08:00

Cal, Harlan, and Buddy grow up together in a small Virginia town in the years before the second World War. United by age, proximity, and temperament, they get into and out of all the trouble that boys manage to find. They even earn a nickname from a local restaurateur who gives the boys their first jobs and plenty of friendly advice. Uncle Vic calls them the Mulligans, because they always seem to find a way through a thicket of trouble family problems, girls, college, war to success. Cal and Harlan and Buddy have been blessed with second chances. Now it's 1959, and police lieutenant Buddy receives an early-morning phone call: his friend Harlan, a store owner, has been shot in a break-in. Cal, now a preacher, meets Buddy at the hospital, and together, as professionals and as friends, they begin to unravel what might have happened to Harlan.

I received The Mulligans of Mt. Jefferson by Don Reed compliments of Christian Fiction Blog Alliance for my honest review and have to say it's quite unique from other books I've read. The author takes the reader into each of the characters lives both past and present day so you gain an insight unlike most novels. For example the reader first is introduced to the present day situation where Harlan has been shot and how the three interact in dealing with the circumstance, Harlan the victim, Buddy works for the police department and Cal is the local pastor.

Beginning with Harlan, the book toggles back and forth in each subsequent chapter going back into Harlan's past when he was a boy growing up and then flashing forward to present day, then back to the past again, until we learn all about Harlan's upbringing. Then the next segment of the book walks us through Cal's life and finishes up with Buddy so you can see how they have all arrived at where the book begins and just how Harlan has wound up in the hospital now shot. While it wasn't a favorite for me, due to all the changes in past and present between character, I'm sure other readers will enjoy this book. For me this one rated a 3 out of 5 stars.

Here's even more information on this book, the author and where you can get a first chapter sneak peek:

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing The Mulligans of Mt Jefferson David C. Cook (January 1, 2012) by Don Reid

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Don is one of the original members of the STATLER BROTHERS, the most award-winning act in the history of country music. He and his brother and two friends began singing in their hometown of Staunton, Virginia when Don was only fourteen years old. Working all over their home and neighboring states as a part time group, they were discovered in 1964 by Johnny Cash and given their first record contract. By the time Don was 20 years old, the STATLERS had their first major, world-wide hit record with FLOWERS ON THE WALL, which started a string of hits that generated a career in the music industry that lasted for four decades. The STATLERS have been recipients of multiple industry awards:

It wasn’t until the STATLER BROTHERS decided to retire from traveling in 2002 that Don pursued his writing career to another level. Having songwriting and scriptwriting under his belt, the next obvious step was to write a book. And that book was the scripture based HEROES AND OUTLAWS OF THE BIBLE published in June of 2002 by New Leaf Press. He has since written two other non-fiction books and in 2008 saw another dream come true for Don when he released his first novel, O LITTLE TOWN. Novel number two came in the form of ONE LANE BRIDGE, and THE MULLIGANS OF MT. JEFFERSON, is a sequel to O LITTLE TOWN.

Don is the father of two sons. Debo and his wife, Julie, and daughters Sela Mae and Adra, live within a stone’s throw. You may have seen Debo’s name on many songs written with Don on albums over the years.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Cal, Harlan, and Buddy grow up together in a small Virginia town in the years before the second World War. United by age, proximity, and temperament, they get into—and out of—all the trouble that boys manage to find. They even earn a nickname from a local restaurateur who gives the boys their first jobs and plenty of friendly advice. “Uncle” Vic calls them the Mulligans, because they always seem to find a way through a thicket of trouble—family problems, girls, college, war—to success. Cal and Harlan and Buddy have been blessed with second chances.

Now it’s 1959, and police lieutenant Buddy receives an early-morning phone call: his friend Harlan, a store owner, has been shot in a break-in. Cal, now a preacher, meets Buddy at the hospital, and together, as professionals and as friends, they begin to unravel what might have happened to Harlan.

If you would like to read the first chapter of The Mulligans of Mt Jefferson, go HERE.

The Lens and the Looker

2012-01-19T08:53:00.000-08:00

THERE’S HOPE FOR THE FUTURE,
BUT WHAT ABOUT THE PAST?

It’s the 24th century and humans, with the help of artificial intelligences (A.I.s) have finally created the perfect post-dystopian society. To make equally perfect citizens for this world, the elders have created History Camps, full sized recreations of cities from Earth’s distant pasts. Here teens live the way their ancestors did, doing the same dirty jobs and experiencing the same degradations. History Camps teach youths not to repeat the mistakes that almost caused the planet to die. But not everything goes to plan.

In this first of a trilogy, we meet three spoiled teens in the year 2347. Hansum almost 17, is good looking and athletic. Shamira, 15, is sassy, independent and an artistic genius. Lincoln, 14, is the smart-aleck. But you don’t have to scratch too far beneath the surface to find his insecurities.

These three “hard cases” refuse the valuable lessons History Camps teach. But when they are kidnapped and taken back in time to 1347 Verona, Italy, they only have two choices; adapt to the harsh medieval ways or die. The dangers are many, their enemies are powerful, and safety is a long way away. It’s hardly the ideal environment to fall in love – but that’s exactly what happens. In an attempt to survive, the trio risks introducing technology from the future. It could save them – or it could change history.

About Lory Kaufman

“I write Post-Dystopian fiction. After society’s collapse, which is imagined in so many great dystopian stories, humans will either fade into history, with the dinosaurs, or, if it learns the right lessons, society will go on to construct a civilization to last tens of thousands of years. History Camp stories are the exciting adventures of young people doing the latter.” -Lory Kaufman

On the artistic side of Lory’s career, he’s written, acted and directed children’s theatre and musical theatre. He enjoys art, especially sculpture. He loves science fiction and historical fiction and he has been deeply involved in the green movement all across North America. All this shows through when you read his work. Lory has three grown children and works and lives in Kingston, Canada.

To find out more about Lory visit www.history-camp.com

My Review:

I absolutely loved the concept of this novel for young adults, and being a huge fan of history, Mr. Kaufman does a fine job at keeping the reader as immersed in the time period as possible. What starts off as punishment for those three young teens for being a little too rowdy and cocky in their own classrooms as know-it-alls and practical jokes. Knowing that their A.I.'s can't physically harm them when they act up in class, they are sentenced to hard time in History Camp. Hansum knows the ins and outs because he has relatives that are enactors (people who are acting in the time period as characters) and have told him exactly the inside secrets of history camp.

However while attending the camp for two weeks is a premise, they soon learn once they arrive that they are there for a whole lot longer than they expected and they will have to adapt and learn the trades of old, for any chance at survival. It will take all their skills of working together to enable them to survive.

I received The Lens and The Looker compliments of Pump Up Your Book for my honest review and think it's a perfect way to incorporate a love of learning about history and still keeping it fun for young readers. I would easily rate this one a perfect 5 out of 5 stars. For more information on the author, the book and where you can pick up a copy of this book, please click on the link below:

The Lens and The Looker by Lory S Kaufman

The Shadow of Your Smile

2012-01-18T00:01:00.000-08:00

The Hueston family is dealing with the loss of Kelsey, who at 17, was the victim of a robbery in which she was killed in the process. Each of them is trying to move forward but from outsiders looking in, they don't seem to be moving forward at all. More like avoiding the subject and pretending at times that it didn't really happen.

For Eli Hueston, he personally feels the responsibility of the loss as the father who should have been able to prevent this tragedy from claiming his daughter. Had he simply ran the plates of the teenager he stopped that fateful night, he would have learned that there was a Beyond On The Lookout for the boy who was speeding. Instead he simply let him off with a warning to slow down.

Noelle is dealing with the loss as only a mother can. Spending the first three months not being able to learn how to live, she dove deeper into despair and depression. Her and Kelsey shared an unbelievable closeness that really seemed like best friends and soul mates. She had a difficult time learning how to deal with things especially when Eli packed up all her stuff and moved it to storage without her knowledge. Now her and Eli have spent the last three years more apart as roommates than as husband and wife. He has been sleeping in the den and spending every available moment out fishing in the woods.

For Kyle, the oldest son, he's had to endure watching his family literally fall apart. Besides losing his only sister, he's also had to watch his parents lose sight of who they were together. Now it seems like the only thing he can do is find a way to make sure nothing like this happens while he is working for the sheriff's department again. He has moved out and is struggling with his own grief of watching his family fall to pieces and not knowing how to pull them together again. When he finds Kelsey's best friend Emma, he learns that she too is dealing with the loss of her best friend whom she feels she had a hand in killing. Had she not switched shifts with her that fateful night, Kelsey would still be here and so would her dad, the deputy that confronted the teen that night.

When an accident at a truck stop coffee stop leaves Noelle with a concussion and temporary memory loss of the last 25 years of her life, the family sees this as a way to deal with their loss again as a family in helping her to remember and in the process enabling them all to heal.

I received The Shadow of Your Smile compliments of Litfuse Publicity for my honest review and LOVED this one. The Shadow of Your Smile by Susan May Warren is the beautifully written story that shows how loss affects everyone not just the person who died but everyone who was connected to them. It shows how people deal with things internally instead of turning to God who can help them heal through the grieving process when they are ready. He shows that they are never alone and He can mend all things and restore broken hearts again in time, we simply have to be willing to turn to Him for help. I rate this one a 5 out of 5 stars!

For more information about this book, the author and where to purchase a copy of this amazing book, please click on the links below:

The Shadow of Your Smile by Susan May Warren

You can also find Susan on Facebook by clicking here.

Come Back to Deep Haven and Win a $200 Visa Card from @SusanMayWarren!

Sometimes love requires a little forgetting ... Come back to Deep Haven and find out what's been happening in your favorite quaint hamlet. If you're new to the Deep Haven series - this is the perfect book to start with - each book in the series is a stand alone story.

Susan is celebrating the release of The Shadow of Your Smile by giving away a prize pack worth over $200 from 1/9-1/28.

One grand prize winner will receive:

A $200 Visa Gift Card (Use that to rekindle a little romance, treat yourself to a spa day, snap up those shoes you’ve been eyeing, or purchase a few great books!)

The entire set of Deep Haven Books

The winner will be announced on 1/30/12 on Susan’s blog, Scribbles! Just click one of the icons below to enter and tell your friends about Susan's giveaway on FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning.

Graveminder

2012-01-17T00:01:00.000-08:00

All they need is three things if they were born in Claysville, just food, drink and words. If she could get to them before they would awake she could make sure they remained where they were. Provide a sense of peace they expected. If they awoke, it was her job to find them. Her job to lead them back and prevent them from wandering. She was the Graveminder.

Rebekkah Barrow was a blood relative of Maylene, but considered her to be the closest thing to a grandmother should would ever know. Spending time with her in Claysville seemed so right. Just crossing over the city limit sign seemed to put her mind and body at ease. Never understanding why until she got a fateful phone call telling her that Maylene was dead and she needed to return as soon as possible. Since it was a town tradition to not embalm their dead, the funeral and burial would need to take place within 3 days, which left Rebekkah little time to get back to Claysville.

Picking her up at the airport was the only man she fell in love with but tried so hard to forget, Byron Montgomery. After being gone for the past ten years she thought she had put enough distance and time between them to avoid having any feelings for Byron. Being the son of the town's Undertaker, Byron felt it was his place to make sure Rebekkah made it to Maylene's house safe and to explain that Maylene didn't just die. She was brutally murdered.

Graveminder by Melissa Marr is a dark gothic fantasy of a role that the town of Claysville entered a long time ago ensuring a complete safe place to live, providing that the town kept the Graveminder and Undertaker doing their jobs. While growing up, Rebekkah watched as Maylene performed the same unusual ritual at every funeral: three sips from a small silver flask followed by the words, "Sleep well, and stay where I put you." Now it seems in Claysville, the worlds of the living and the dead are dangerously connected - and beneath the town lies a shadowy, lawless land ruled b the enigmatic Charles, aka Mr. D. From this dark place the deceased will return if their graves are not properly minded. And only the Graveminder, a Barrow woman, and the current Undertaker, Byron, can set things right once the dead begin to walk.

I received Graveminder by Melissa Marr compliments of William Morrow, a division of Harper Collins Publishers for my honest review. Growing up a fan of shows like Night Gallery and the Twilight Zone, this book found the perfect place for those that like a little suspense thriller in their novels. I have to say that this is a wonderful storyline and one that you think you might have figured out, until the very end when you are completely caught off guard. Melissa Marr is a talented writer who has crafted such a well written story that provides you with just enough to keep you turning pages until the very end. I have to rate this one a 5 out of 5 stars.

For more information on this book, the author and where to pick up a copy of this book, please click on the links below:

Graveminder by Melissa Marr

You can also find about more on Facebook by clicking here.

A Mile In His Shoes - DVD Giveaway and Review

2012-01-16T00:01:00.000-08:00

One of the most exciting things this year has been to be able to view some incredible family films and today is no exception. Based on a true story, Dean Cain and Luke Schroder star in movie based on the book, The Legend of Mickey Tussler.

A Mile In His Shoes tells the story of a failing baseball coach Arthur Murphy (Dean Cain) who is trying to find a way to salvage his minor league teach, The River Rats. Taking a drive to interview a prospective candidate who may just turn out to be the next big thing, Murphy has a minor accident while trying to find his way into town. When he seeks the aid from a young boy, Mickey Tussler searching for his lost pig, Oscar to use a phone, he soon discovers God has bigger plans in store for Murphy and Tussler.

Watching Tussler 'smash apples' as he's feeding the pigs, Murphy discovers the boy can deliver the heat in his accurate pitches to throw apples into a tin barrel. Sensing a bright spot in both their lives, Murphy must convince the Tussler family of Mickey's potential at pitching baseball. However he discovers that Mickey has Asperger's syndrome, which is a form of autism that can overwhelm his sense if he is surprised or confused. They relent to allow Mickey to try out and soon discover that all roads lead to where God will call those who are willing to listen.

I received this DVD, A Mile in His Shoes compliments of Propeller, Thomas Kinkade and Nasser Group North for my honest review. This was is sure to be a homerun for fans of baseball, under dog stories of determination and the love of friendship and family and is also a movie from the director of Angels in the Outfield. I just know that you're going to love this film as much as my family did and that's why this one rates a 5 out of 5 stars in my opinion.

For more information on this film please click on the links below:

A Mile In His Shoes Website

Dove Foundation Review

You can also find out more about the movie on Facebook by clicking here.

Now the exciting part. Thanks to Propeller and Nasser Group North, they are providing a giveaway copy of this DVD to one lucky reader of this blog. Here's all you need to do to enter to win:

1. Be a follower of my blog, Reviews From The Heart.

2. Leave a comment on my Facebook page, Reviews From The Heart and "like" this review once you find it.

3. Be a resident of the US or have a US shipping address. Please No P.O. Boxes.

4. Leave a comment telling me why you'd love to win a copy of this movie in the comment box below along with your email address. You can use the words (at) or (dot) instead of the symbols. I will notify the winner of this giveaway when it ends on January 23rd.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements of Testimonials in Advertising."

Archon: The Books of Raziel ~ Giveaway and Review

2012-01-15T00:01:00.000-08:00

By Blood, by Fire, by Air, By Earth
By Water, by Life, by Death, by Birth
By Sun, by Moon, by Sky, by Sea
I offer what is precious to me, my Dreams,
That portion of Death I see, and now your Spirit
Bound by the leash of my Will shall be…

There are some things worse than Death.

Angela Mathers, with her stain of dark red hair and alabaster skin – a freak, a monster, a blood head, and perhaps the possible fulfillment of a horrific prophecy, remains haunted by angels. One in particular with beguiling blue eyes and magnificent bronze wings who seduces her dreams. Her only escape from the nightmares is her paintings that depict the dark visions that have possessed her mind for years.

Newly freed from the mental institution she spent the last two year of her life in, Angela is hopeful that attending Westwood Academy, the Vatican’s exclusive univerisity, will bring her peace and will finally provide and explanation for the dreams and visions that plague her mind. The university is a school for students, specifically blood heads that possess super-natural powers, and among them is one special blood head that is more powerful than them all: the Archon, the human reincarnation of the dead angel Raziel. When the Archon arises as is foretold in the prophecy, they will rule over the supernatural universe.

Angela, already struggling with her own life and its sense of normality, has no desire to conquer the supernatural universe, but the choice may not be her own. Torn between the man she loves and her obsession with the beautiful angel who haunts her dreams and paintings, she must choose what is best for her and for the world, for she is the key to Heaven and Hell. Both will stop at nothing to have the Archon on their side of this battle between their worlds.

Sabrina Benulis, author of Archon: The Books of Raziel, has really put a fascinating spin on her own unique and complex version of Paradise Lost; of heaven, hell, and life on earth, how and why the angels fell in the first place, and the impending apocalypse prophetically called the Ruin.

I would recommend this book to young adults and those comfortable with a Gothic style genre as well as the supernatural. I received this book compliments of Harper Collins Publishers for my honest review and would rate this book a 5 out of 5 stars. For more information about this book, the writer, and where to purchase a copy, you may click and follow the link I have provided below:

Archon: The Books of Raziel by Sabrina Benulis

Here's the best part, thanks to the folks at Harper Collins, they are offering a giveaway copy to one lucky follower of this blog. Here are your details:

1. Must be a follower of my blog, Reviews From The Heart.

2. Leave a comment on my Facebook page, Reviews From The Heart.

3. Be a resident of the US or Canada or have a shipping address in the US or Canada. Please No P.O. Boxes.

4. Leave me a comment telling me why you'd love to win a copy of this book. Along with the comment, please include your email address so I can contact you if you're the lucky winner. You can use the words (at) or (dot) instead of the symbols.

The giveaway will end on January 27rd and I will notify the winner at that time.

Sisters of the Quilt: The Complete Trilogy

2012-01-14T18:45:00.001-08:00

The best part about reading Amish fiction is that you really come to love a series of characters, in this case the Lapp family from Owl's Perch. In this wonderful collection from Cindy Woodsmall, The Sisters of the Quilt is a complete novel containing three books in one and makes for a wonderful novel.

When the Heart Cries begins the story of the Lapp family with the oldest daughter Hannah spending much of her time working at an Mennonite farm just down the way from her farm. She has come to fall in love with Paul, the grandson of the women she is caring for. Yet she is caught between knowing what to do about it. Being only 17, she is in the middle of her rumspringa, and if she chooses to pursue the relationship with Paul, it might mean being shunned by her family or Paul having to lose his. When she decides to let God handle the details, she is forced into a car while walking home and is raped. This is considered an unmentionable by the Amish and one that may prove to be a shame to the community. Will Paul be able to handle the truth if Hannah can manage to tell him or will her family have Hannah sent away in shame?

When The Morning Comes deals with the Hannah Lapp being rejected not only by her entire family but even the man she loves turns his back on Hannah. She has no choice but to follow her heart and head to Ohio to find the aunt that was shunned many years ago by her father. Hannah will now learn to let her heart heal and learn how to put the pieces of her broken heart back together doing what she loves, learning about medicine and helping the Amish women out as a midwife. But has Hannah truly left her old past behind in Owl's Perch or will her past find a way to bring all the pain back to her new life?

When The Soul Mends is the final book in the Sisters of the Quilt series and now Hannah is on the brink of accepting her new life when a phone call late one night from her sister Sarah warrants an urgent return home. Seems like someone has been setting fires in Owls Perch and Sarah senses she is the one doing it. Now her best friend Matthew and his brother David have been injured in the fire and Hannah knows she has to be there for Matthew. Will that mean that the life she left behind in Ohio will be forgotten or will Hannah finally see that she can't outrun the mistakes from her past and finally reconcile with God?

I received Sisters of the Quilt series complements of WaterBrook Multnomah Publishers for my honest review and I have to say, I LOVED this idea. So many great Amish authors have such amazing series and to read them back to back really does create a seamless transitions between books. The strength of Hannah's character can teach us all that God will use any situation to bring about good in our life even though at the time, we may not be able to see it. Now you can see how Hannah's life is brought to a complete circle and see just how mighty God's healing hand can be. This one rates a 5 out of 5 stars and hope more Amish authors do the same with their series.

For more information on this book, the author and how to purchase a copy of this book, please click on the links below:

Sisters of the Quilt Series: The Complete Trilogy by Cindy Woodsmall

You can also find Cindy on Facebook by clicking here.

The Demi-Monde: Winter - Giveaway and Review

2012-01-14T00:01:00.000-08:00

The Demi-Monde:

1. A subclass of society whose members embrace a decadent lifestyle and evince loose morals.
2. A shadow world where the norms of civilized behavior have been abandoned.
3. A massive multiple-player simulation technology that re-creates in a wholly realistic cyber-milieu the threat-ambiance and no-warning aspects of a hi-intensity, deep-density, urban, Asymmetric Warfare Environment.
4. Hell.

Welcome to the Demi-Monde, the ultimate in virtual reality - a military training ground and vivid, simulated world of cruelty and chaos run by psychopaths, madmen and fanatics. If you die here...you die in the Real World.

In the year 2018, the Demi-Monde is the most sophisticated, complex, and unpredictable computer simulation ever created, devised specifically to train soldiers for the nightmarish reality of urban warfare. A virtual world of eternal civil conflict, its thirty million inhabitants - "Dupes" - are ruled by cyber-duplicates of some of history's cruelest tyrants: the fanatical Nazi butcher Reinhard Heydrich; Stalin's arch executioner Lavrentii Beria; the torture-loving Grand Inquisitor Tomas de Torquemade; the Reign of Terror's bloodthirsty mastermind Maximilien Robespierre.

But something has gone horribly wrong inside the Demi-Monde, and the U.S. president's daughter Norma, has been lured into this terrifying shadow world, only to be trapped there. Her last hope of rescue is Ella Thomas, an eighteen-year-old jazz singer and very reluctant heroine. But when Ella infiltrates the Demi-Monde and begins her hunt for Norma, she soon discovers the walls containing the evils of this simulated environment are dissolving - and the Real World is in far more danger than anyone knows.

I received The Demi-Monde Winter by Rod Rees compliments of William Morrow, a division of Harper Collins for my honest review and what I discovered between the pages was a very intense novel combining fantasy and science fiction coupled with an epic adventure that holds a very real possibility considering where our gaming industry is headed. Blending a darker version of an Avatar like environment set in the mid 1870's, the world worst criminal minds now run one of five different districts in order to recreate the world most chaotic training environment for the military. Only when those men are captured along with the president's daughter and the last remaining portal remains the only way in, an unlikely heroine is offered 5 million dollars to go on a search and rescue mission to bring her back no matter the cost. I rate this novel a 4.5 out of 5 stars for some strong language used by the characters.

For more information about this book, the author and even where to purchase a copy of this book, please click on the link below:

The Demi-Monde: Winter by Rod Rees

Here's the best part, thanks to the folks at William Morrow/Harper Collins, they are offering a giveaway copy to one lucky follower of this blog. Here are your details:

1. Must be a follower of my blog, Reviews From The Heart.

2. Leave a comment on my Facebook page, Reviews From The Heart.

3. Be a resident of the US or Canada or have a shipping address in the US or Canada. Please No P.O. Boxes.

4. Leave me a comment telling me why you'd love to win a copy of this book. Along with the comment, please include your email address so I can contact you if you're the lucky winner. You can use the words (at) or (dot) instead of the symbols.

The giveaway will end on January 23rd and I will notify the winner at that time.

The Keeper - Review and Giveaway

2012-01-13T00:01:00.000-08:00

The Lapp family needs more help than they are willing to admit. Amos Lapp is slowly dying and with that, he is the last parent Julia has to rely on for help. Being the oldest, she has been trying to run the families produce stand, take care of the house and farm and raise her siblings, Sadie, Mary Kate and their special needs brother Menno. Amos has a bad heart and despite trying to heal from a recent heart attack, his heart isn't mending like he would have thought, and he's resolved to accept God's will that his life is now limited.

Julia Lapp was hoping for her wedding in November but since the arrival of the Bee Man, it seems as though all the eligible promised men are now having a change of heart and reconsidering the long term commitment marriage offers. Now her plans to wed Paul are being postponed for yet a second time. While Julia tries to think up a way to win back Paul's affections, she has many more personal problems dealing with her family and farm. There simply doesn't seem to be enough time in the day to take care of all their needs, not to mention dealing with her Uncle Hank who borders on childlike whims whenever he feels like it. This may be the very reason that Paul has called off the wedding. Who would want to marry Julia knowing what lies in their future dealing with her family?

The Bee Man, whose real name is Roman Troyer, has dedicated his life to roaming the Amish communities offering the services of his bees to help the farmers with their crops. His lonely life as some see it, offers very little in the way of putting down roots and having a real home, but its one that he loves. Little does anyone know the real reason behind while he travels so much, but as long as he stays on the move, he won't have to face his past. That is, until it shows up in the most unlikely of places on the Lapp farm. His past is now coming around full circle.

In the newest novel by Suzanne Woods Fisher, The Keeper is the first in the Stoney Ridge Series and a delightful way to introduce some amazing characters. Julia is the oldest and therefore all the responsibility is weighing heavily on her shoulders, even though she desires love and a family all of her own. Then there is Roman Troyer who finds that running from his problems will eventually catch up to him, no matter how far he goes. This is such a delightful book that shows that God can use any circumstance to bring about good, it just takes a matter of perspective to see things from His vantage point.

I received The Keeper compliments of Litfuse Publicity for my honest review and anxiously await the second book in this series to come. It feels like the Lapp family is one we'd all love to get to know and be willing to become a part of their lives. I rate this one a 5 out of 5 stars and love the message found between the pages, that sometimes we can't always see things when we are too close, sometimes we simply need to take a couple steps back and see it from God's eyes.

For more information about this book, the author and where to purchase a copy of this book, please click on the links below:

The Keeper by Suzanne Woods Fisher

It’s a “Honey of a Giveaway” from Suzanne Woods Fisher!

Suzanne is hosting a "honey of a giveaway"during the blog tour for The Keeper! During 1/3-1/17 you can enter to win an iPad2 from Suzanne and connect with her on January 17th at The Keeper Facebook Party!

During the giveaway one Grand Prize winner will receive a Prize Pack valued at $600:

A brand new 16 KB iPad 2 with Wi-Fi

A $25 gift certificate to iTunes

A copy of The Keeper

But wait there's more! Just click one of the icons below to enter, then on 1/17 join Suzanne for The Keeper Facebook Party! During the party Suzanne will announce the winner of the "Honey" of an iPad Giveaway and host a fun book chat and give away some fun "honey" inspired prizes - It'll be 'sweet"!

RSVP early and tell your friends!

Don't miss a moment of the fun. RSVP today and tell your friends via FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning. Hope to see you on the 17th!

His Steadfast Love

2012-01-12T00:01:00.000-08:00

Imagine if you will, being in Texas just on the Gulf. It's the spring of 1861 and Amanda Bell is the oldest of four sisters and a brother she is helping to raise along with her father, Pastor Ezekiel Bell on their southern plantation. Her mother passed away and left Amanda tasked with raising her siblings until they are old enough to fend for themselves.

However with the rivalry between the North and the South, the stirrings of a Civil War is on the horizon and Amanda's only brother Daniel is willing to go to war to defend the South's position on slavery. What he doesn't seem to understand is even though they treat their slaves well, they are still not free. However Pastor Bell provides his blessing over Daniel as he heads off to war along with his childhood friends and Amanda is helpless to stop him.

When Amanda meets Captain Kent Littlefield during a church service, she finds her heart pulled in a way she hadn't expected. Now that the war has begun, Captain Littlefield has been called to duty fighting for the North, which now puts her at odds with the man she loves from the North, going to war with the brother she loves from the South. Will either of them return home from the war? Or will this war keep her love at a crossroads she can never hope to cross battle lines?

In the latest novel by Golden Keyes Parsons, His Steadfast Love, shows the horrors of what men, fathers, sons and families had to endure when our own country went to war against itself. In the end, lines were drawn and even when the war ended some feelings would never be resolved over what men had witnessed during their time of war. This is a chilling, fictional account of the Civil War that was waged in regards to the issue over men's freedom within our own country and along the way, God and love will prevail.

I received His Steadfast Love compliments of Christian Fiction Blog Alliance for my honest review and was amazed at this fictional account of one of our countries bloodiest battles on our own soil and the amount of lives that were lost in the war. Amanda Bell is a strong woman character I could relate to, who was willing to put aside her feelings of duty to her family and learn to listen to her heart and God's word. I rate this one a 5 out of 5 stars and would recommend this to anyone who loves historical romance!

For more information about this book, the author and where to pick up a copy of this book, please click on the link below:

His Steadfast Love by Golden Keyes Parsons

Nickels

2012-01-11T00:01:00.000-08:00

Niki Turner thought she had life all figured out. When God took her parents and her brother Jack, she felt that if she just didn't keep anyone close, she wouldn't lose anyone else or have to deal with the grief that has bound her personal life for the last 8 years.

She has vowed to just remain friends with her room mate Marcy and focus the remainder of her time at her job, Hamilton Production Solutions, as a software engineer. But Marcy had a goal this year, and that was to make sure that love found it's way into Niki's life. After all , all work and no play, makes for a very dull and boring life. She vowed to make it her New Year's resolution to find Niki a man who would love her, fall in love and live the proverbial "happily ever after" life!

However when a dream job at Heliotronics is offered to Niki, she sees this as a confirmation that she's been on the right track her whole life. However when Kyle Jacobs is assigned to work with her, she begins to question God's sense of humor after all. Kyle Jacobs, Marcy's older brother, has been the person she dreaded her entire four years of high school. He made it his mission to torture her no matter what opportunity presented itself and now here she was, stuck at her dream job with her worst enemy. But Kyle is a changed man, one both physically and spiritually, and now he has to find a way to prove to Niki that the past is really in the past.

In the newest novel from Karen Baney, Nickels, is her first contemporary fiction about second chances and seeing what God's plan is for us in life instead of what we perceive it's all about. I received this wonderful eBook compliments of Karen Baney and was more than delighted with this wonderfully, well-written story of dealing with the loss of loved ones and finally finding a way to move forward. The journey isn't an easy one but teahttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifches us the value of God's unconditional love for us and the meaning of having friends along the way. I rate this book a full 5 out of 5 stars and am so excited to be able to share this review with my readers. This is one you won't want to miss out on. Well done again Karen!

For more information about this book, the author and where to purchase a copy of this book, please click on the links below:

Nickels by Karen Baney

You can also find Karen on Facebook by clicking

The Captive Heart

2012-01-09T09:46:00.000-08:00

The latest novel, The Captive Heart is the second book in the Daughters of Caleb Bender series by Dale Cramer and could easily be read as a stand alone book as well. The first chapter is dedicated to an overview of just how the Bender family arrived in Mexico after leaving Ohio. They were facing a lot of persecution from the local government and school board for being Amish and adopting the Amish ways of life in regards to the education and raising of their children. Faced with jail time unless they were willing to change, the Bender family opted to move to Mexico for a new chance at living the life they have come to love without any interference from outsiders. The land was also cheap to purchase and ripe for a new start.

Now in the midst of the Mexican Revolution, the Bender family is having to deal with renegade bandits who will rob the family, kill their livestock and take the women because no one has stopped them up to this point. With the exception of Domingo, a Mexican farm hand her father has hired, the Amish community is at a loss for how to deal with this situation since the family does not believe in violence or even carrying weapons except for hunting.

However when the renegade group of bandit lead by El Pantera insist on provoking the Amish community to the point of kidnapping one of the women, they wonder if God will really be the answer to their prayers and protect them. Will Miriam find a way to fall in love with Domingo despite the fact he isn't an Amish man or will God have other plans for her?

I received the book, The Captive Heart by Dale Cramer compliments of Christian Fiction Blog Alliance for my honest review and was so excited to discover that this was the next book following Paradise Valley! This was a bonus for me and the excitement that is unfolding in each chapter keeps the reader flipping pages as fast as they can read just to see what will happen next. I could not put it down until I finished the final page in under four hours, and for me, that makes this an exceptional novel well worth 5 out of 5 stars.

Here's even more information regarding the author, the book and even a first chapter sneak peek below:

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing The Captive Heart Bethany House (January 1, 2012) by Dale Cramer

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Dale Cramer spent his formative years traveling the world as an Army brat, then settled in Georgia at the age of fifteen when his father retired.

After high school he became an electrician, a job that took him to places as diverse as power plants, stadia, airports, high-rise office buildings and a hard-rock mining operation.

Twenty-five years of experiences in the trades provided him with the wealth of characters, stories and insights that populate his novels.

When he married his childhood friend, Pam, in 1975 he had no way of knowing they would not have children until fifteen years later.

In his early forties, when Dale left his job to become a stay-at-home dad, he suddenly found himself with time on his hands, so he pursued a lifelong dream and taught himself to write.

Using an online writer’s forum as a training ground, he wrote his first short stories in 1996. As his writing skills improved he turned to novels, publishing his first book, Sutter’s Cross, in 2003.

Since then, Dale has published four more novels and garnered a measure of critical acclaim with two Christy Awards, a listing among Publisher’s Weekly’s Best Books of 2004 and numerous other Best lists. Dale and his wife Pam live in Georgia with their two sons.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Bandit troubles intensify as Caleb Bender's family tries to settle into their new life in 1920s Paradise Valley. When El Pantera kidnaps Rachel and leaves her brother, Aaron, for dead, Jake Weaver and the Mexican native Domingo pursue the bandit leader to his mountain stronghold in a hopeless rescue attempt. Jake and Domingo manage to escape with Rachel, with the bandits hot on their trail. In a desperate attempt to avoid recapture, Domingo puts himself squarely in harm's way, giving Jake and Rachel time to get away. This is not the quiet life Caleb Bender envisioned when he led his family out of Ohio. What is a father to make of his daughter's obvious affection for a man outside the fold? And how will a pacifist Amishman like Caleb respond to the events that threaten his family and their way of life?

If you would like to read the first chapter of The Captive Heart, go HERE

Sometimes He Whispers, Sometimes He Roars

2012-01-08T14:28:00.000-08:00

What do we do when someone tells us that they need our prayers? Do we simply acknowledge their request and hope we'll remember to lift up their needs in prayer before the end of the day, or do we stop and send the prayer up right away?

Most of us have been asked to pray for someone in the course of our lives but very few have dedicated themselves to become a prayer warrior. Not just praying for the needs of people they know, but to go so far as to pray for people they don't know, states away, even for entire countries or the world. Yet in the book, Sometimes He Whispers, Sometimes He Roars, author Marilynn Chadwick was called to begin her journey into world wide prayer when 9/11 happened.

Inside the book she details her own experiences with prayer and how effective prayers can be achieved in a deeper level. She chronicles her own stories of what prayer has done in her lives and in the lives of those she has prayed for and in the end, you'll have a vision of just what your prayers can become.

I received the book, Sometimes He Whispers, Sometimes He Roars compliments of Howard Books compliments of Simon and Schuster for my honest review. When I agreed to review this book, I was looking for insight into enriching my own personal prayer life. Sometimes it seemed that my prayers lack a personal touch, a real connection between me and God and I needed help.

In this book, I learned some skills to really evaluate what I am praying for and how I need to become more effective. How to set aside some personal time and really get in touch with God during quiet time. I learned how Elijah, Peter, Paul and Jesus used prayer in their communication to God. We need to be alert, be specific and pray with authority as a believer in Christ and child of God. There are so many great tips on how to become an effective prayer warrior that anyone looking for help in this area of their lives, should get this book. I would rate it a 5 out of 5 stars and will be a resource book for me during the remainder of my own life as well as assisting others in their own prayers.

For more information on this book, the author and where to purchase a copy of this book, please click on the link below:

Sometimes He Whispers, Sometimes He Roars by Marilynn Chadwick

One Perfect Word

2012-01-07T00:01:00.000-08:00

I've been reading a book that just came out from one of my favorite authors, Debbie Macomber, called One Perfect Word. It's about focusing the entire year on just one word and making that your personal focus for the year. Praying on it, seeking God's will for that in your life and just studying it.

The book is really eye opening in that Debbie is very honest and forth coming on her journey to becoming a writer. Prior to having her books published, she wrote in journals a lot about her struggles and thoughts. Looking back at her own writing, she can see where God has taken her through each year and thus the reason why the personal focus on the "one word" has come into play.

She shares some of those word years with the reader in the book and encourages us to do the same. Along the way she shares with you how to go about picking your word of the year. Maybe it's something that keeps coming across your prayers, conversations and Bible study. Perhaps you should talk to friends and see what they believe it should be. She offers some interesting ways to go about seeing how that word will play out during the year as well from having it engraved in stone, carrying a reminder with you to pray about it during your days or having it written on a card or plaque.

I think the idea is beautiful and can help us to focus on smaller things, not bigger ones like committing a chapter or verse to memory each week but rather learn to see how God is working on your life through one simple word. Along with the fourteen words that Debbie shares with you in this book along with personal stories, are also scriptures, her written prayers from her journals, and even some practical tips on how to make the word come alive in a different mediums. This book is going to be an exciting journey for me this year and one I am so happy to be able to share with my readers.

I received this book compliments of Howard Books, a division of Simon and Schuster for my honest review and think it's a must read for anyone looking to enhance their Bible Studies! I rate this one a perfect 5 out of 5 stars and have started my own personal journey this year with the word TRUST! For more information on this book, the author and even where to get a first chapter sneak peek, please click on the links below:

One Perfect Word by Debbie Macomber

You can also find Debbie at her website by clicking here or on Facebook by clicking here.

Wayward Son

2012-01-06T00:01:00.000-08:00

For centuries it seems the devil has been using our own personal guilt to keep us bound in our own prisons. Things we have done in our past serve as countless reminders he uses to keep us from the forgiveness and freedom that is ours to enjoy.

In the novel, Wayward Son, by Tom Pollack along with Jim Alves and John Loftus, the three will take the reader into an unexpected journey through the history of time. Beginning with Amanda Jones, who is a gifted linguist who works for the Getty Museum having a huge history in archeological digs, she finds herself at the disposal of Juan Carlos once more. He has requested her presence in Italy at what is slated to be the biggest find since the Dead Sea Scrolls. Apparently a recent earthquake has created a crack in the earth surfaces that has revealed a set of bronze doors that only she can reach and decode with her knowledge of ancient languages.

What she isn't expecting is to gain the ultimate lesson in history since the beginning of time by unlocking the doors long buried since the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius. Now Amanda will journey through the biblical history with a discovery that she has found Cain, the reported child of Adam and Eve in the Genesis chapter of the Bible. Seeing history through his eyes, she gets an idea of what lies hidden behind the doors and just who will stop at nothing to make sure that she doesn't get out of the chamber alive.

I received Wayward Son compliments of Glass Road Public Relations for my honest review and LOVED it. Being a huge fan of not only biblical history but also world history, this book chroniciles the history of Cain's murder of his brother Abel and the guilt that has followed him and the curse he felt God has placed on his head since he was discovered. It was such a fantastic journey through history, I forgot I was reading a novel and was so completely immersed in the story as seen through the eyes of Cain. This is by far one of the most exceptional books I have had the pleasure to review and thus think it truly deserves 5 out of 5 stars. For anyone who loves biblical or world history, this is the perfect novel for you with a bit of Indiana Jones suspense action thrown in to keep you reading til the final page.

For more information about this book, the author, a sneak peek into the book itself and where to pick up a copy of this book, please click on the link below:

Wayward Son by Tom Pollack, Jim Alves and John Loftus

The Rose of Winslow Street

2012-01-04T10:24:00.000-08:00

Libby Sawyer is well loved by the children of Colden, Massachusetts. She breathes life into her paintings capturing the flowers and plants in such detail they almost seem to be real. She can visualize the paint colors in such detail she can have them mixed without knowing what goes into them. That's good because Libby can't read. She's spent her childhood trying to learn with countless tutors and teachers but no one has been able to help. Her father doesn't think highly of her at all and has made sure to keep Libby's self esteem as low as possible when it suits him. Being a creative inventor, he has asked Libby to document his inventions so he has a record of his progress but he doesn't see her talents behind his own personal needs.

Michael Dobrescu has moved his entire family from Romania in search of a home left to him in a will from his late Uncle Constantine when he moved to America. When he arrives to Massachusetts, he finds the house in great condition, locked and at one point apparently lived in. However Michael is confident that once he gains possession of the property, he will allow the courts in the US decide whether the property is really his. It's easier to defend a property once you are in it. So he moves his two young boys, his ailing sister and his friends into the home to stay.

Only when the residents of Colden learn that the Dobrescu family has claimed the Sawyer home while they are on summer vacation, this is where the story will get interesting. Within Libby and Michael's lives they are both maintaining secrets that have brought them to a crossroads at the Sawyer home and will ultimately change not only their lives but the lives of every single person who crosses their paths.

I received The Rose of Winslow Street by Elizabeth Camden compliments of Christian Fiction Blog Alliance for my honest review and truly LOVED this heart-felt story set in the 1900's as families were beginning to come to America in hopes of a great life. This is such a great story that showcases the beauty of what is inside us all if we are simply willing to embrace the way God has created us instead of trying to be something we aren't. It teaches us about simplicity and unconditional love through the pages of this novel and once again, Ms. Camden does an exceptional job at transporting the reader to a different time and place! Another wonderful 5 out of 5 stars!

Here's even more great information about the book, the author and even a first chapter sneak peek!

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing The Rose of Winslow Street Bethany House (January 1, 2012)

by Elizabeth Camden

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

A research librarian and associate professor, Elizabeth Camden has a master’s in history from the University of Virginia and a master’s in library science from Indiana University. She has published several articles for academic publications and is the author of four nonfiction history books. Her ongoing fascination with history and love of literature have led her to write inspirational fiction. Elizabeth lives with her husband in central Florida.

ABOUT THE BOOK

The last thing Libby Sawyer and her father expected upon their return from their summer home was to find strangers inhabiting a house that had been in their family for decades. Widower Michael Dobrescu brought his family from Romania to the town of Colden, Massachusetts with a singular purpose: to claim the house willed to him long ago. Since neither party has any intention of giving up their claim, a fierce legal battle ensues between the two families.

When important documents go missing from the house, Libby suspects Michael is the culprit. Determined to discover the truth behind the stolen papers, Libby investigates, only to find more layers of mystery surrounding Michael and his family. Despite their rivalry, Libby finds herself developing feelings for this man with the mysterious past.

As a decision about the house looms in the courts, Libby must weigh the risks of choosing to remain loyal to her family or give her heart to a man whose intentions and affections are less than certain.

If you would like to read the first chapter of The Rose of Winslow Street, go HERE.

The Confession

2012-01-03T00:01:00.000-08:00

Once again Charles Todd takes his readers into a deeply woven mystery that will leave you completely second guessing yourself to the very end. In his latest novel, The Confession, once more we follow Scotland Yard's Ian Rutledge as he meets with a strange man who confesses that he's dying of stomach cancer and wishes to leave his conscience clear. He reveals that his name is Wyatt Russel, and that he has killed his long time friend Justin Fowler.

Before Rutledge can question Wyatt Russel any further, he gets a report that he is found murdered, floating in the Thames River just hours after talking to him. As Rutledge begins his investigation into Russel's hometown of Furnham, he learns that there is more to the town than meets the eye, and it's residents want to be sure to keep it that way.

This is my second novel from Charles Todd, and I can honestly say, he writes so well you have a difficult time setting the book down to accomplish anything except to pick it back up again to solve the mystery. I received this book compliments of William Morrow, a division of Harper Collins Publishers for my honest review and now consider myself a true fan. What I mean by that statement is that I will read anything that has his name on it because he has sold me on his amazing writing talents so I know it will be a great book! This one rates a 5 out of 5 stars and is sure to be a hit of anyone who loves a great mystery!!

For more information on this book, the author and where to purchase a copy please click on the links below:

The Confession by Charles Todd

The Maid of Fairbourne Hall

2012-01-02T00:01:00.000-08:00

Being a young woman in the early 1800's left very little in the way of choice for love and marriage. Most of the time, you were expected to find not only an eligible man but one of some means to provide for you and the family you were expected to bring into the world. However when Margaret Macy learns of her stepfather, Sterling's plans to marry her off to his nephew when he learns that when she turns 25, she will inherit a vast fortune of her own. When Margaret politely tells Marcus she isn't interested in him, Sterling reminds him to do whatever it takes to make the marriage happen, even if it means soiling her reputation.

Nathaniel Upchurch has returned from helping his father with their sugar plantation in Barbados and also from leaving London when Margaret Macy rejects his marriage proposal while her heart beats for his brother Lewis, a lifelong flirt who has no hopes of marrying anyone. Has the time being gone for these few years helped heal the wound in his heart or will he find a new way to win Margaret's heart once more?

In the latest novel by Julie Klassen, The Maid at Fairbourne Hall is a reverse Cinderella story at heart. Margaret Macy leaves her home and turns to the life of a maid hoping to hide from Sterling and Marcus who are searching all over London for her. While earning her keep at Fairbourne Hall, she learns that she has been hired to work for the Upchurch family. Will she be able to keep her disguise or will she try and convince Lewis and Nathaniel of her stepfather's plot to marry her for her money?

I received this novel compliments of Christian Fiction Blog Alliance for my honest review and loved it. Taking me to the early 18oo's in London, the reader gets an insiders look at what the life of hired help was like working for rich families and how they find the delight in the simplest of pleasures, that the rich take advantage of. This is a must read for fans of Jane Austen and who love the romance that comes from the time period. I rate this one a 5 out of 5 stars and can't wait to read more novels by Julie Klassen!

For more information about this book, the author or where you can purchase a copy of this book, please click on the links below:

The Maid at Fairbourne Hall by Julie Klassen

The Ultimate Prescription

2011-12-30T09:00:00.000-08:00

We all know the signs of a heart attack and how we should seek medical care immediately when the symptoms present themselves, but is it possible that everything we have been doing in our lives have been leading us down the wrong path, heading for heart issues, cancer and disease?

In the latest book by Dr. James L. Marcum, M.D., The Ultimate Prescription: What the Medical Profession Isn't Telling You is perhaps the best eye-opening book on biblical health care that I've had the opportunity to read. Dr. Marcum is a leading cardiologist at the prestigious Chattanooga Heart Institute who believes there are two paths in life we can all walk, one that will lead us to a healthy life and one that will lead us to disease and health issues.

He takes us into the first book of the Bible, Genesis for the biblical foundations to great health, beginning with what he calls the Eden Plan. This is God's formula for what our lives should be about. Instead of popping pills for everything from stress, sleeplessness, weight loss, and medications for most preventable health issues, he guides the readers through the Bible to show you how you can achieve a more healthy, relaxed and peaceful life for the believer in Christ.

He exposes the lies the media and medical professions have been telling us about the dangers of food additives, high fructose corn syrup and hydrogenated oils and the most simple guide to a healthier inside, just adding water to our day. We all take showers to clean the outside of our bodies, yet so many of us are ignoring our internal care with stopping for convenience of fast food meals and things we can eat while we are on the go. Technology made have made things easier but at this rapid pace, we are literally killing ourselves while the pharmaceutical companies, medical professionals and the media are making profits of our preventable deaths. This book is one that every single person should read for a simple formula to get back to health, through God's Word.

I received The Ultimate Prescription compliments of Tyndale House Publishers for my honest review and have made some personal changes in my own health and that of my family. I never considered the Bible to have the formula for a healthy physical life before and believe that everyone will truly benefit from reading these profound words. I rate this one a 5 out of 5 stars and it's just the perfect book to begin your New Year's resolutions with.

For more information on this book, the author and even where to purchase a copy of this book, please click on the links below:

The Ultimate Prescription by Dr. James L. Marcum, M.D.

You can also learn more from Dr. Marcum's website by clicking here.

The Accidental Bride

2011-12-23T11:46:00.001-08:00

If you've never read a Big Sky Romance novel by Denise Hunter, you are truly missing out. Denise writes her characters so well, you can't help but feel as though they are truly real people. In her latest, The Accidental Bride, Shay Brandenberger has experienced a life time of pain. First, her childhood love, left her standing at the altar when fear got the best of him and he simply headed west. Promising herself to never fall for another man again, Shay did the unthinkable and fell hard again.

Maybe as a way to prove to herself and the town of Moose Creek, Montana, that she wasn't hopeless failure after all, she married Garrett, against her common sense. Now the mother of a new daughter, Olivia, Shay realizes that she never loved Garret and that he doesn't fit into her ideal dream of a cowboy running a busy family ranch, now in her care. Divorced and a single mom, Shay vows to commit her life to simply raising her daughter as best as she can, and try to find a way to keep Yellowstone River, her family ranch from being foreclosed on by the bank.

When she volunteer's to play the part of the bride in a wedding reenactment in a Founder's Day ceremony, she is hoping to finally put all the past behind her. Only when she arrives at the altar, Shay is more than surprised and shocked to see the man she almost married, Travis McCoy is the groom. Can she pull her emotions together to get through the ceremony or will she once again be the talk of the town?

I received The Accidental Bride by Denise Hunter compliments of Thomas Nelson Publishers and Net Galley for my honest review and LOVED IT! Once again, Denise captivated my heart and emotions as I truly felt for both Shay and Travis in their relationship. Trying to find a way to deal with their feelings and the pain of getting hurt, they both decide to trust God to handle things and the gossip and rumors that any small town is bound to have. This one rates a perfect 5 out of 5 stars in my book and can't wait to pick up all the Big Sky Romances!

For more information on this book, the author and where to purchase a copy of this book, please click on the links below:

The Accidental Bride by Denise Hunter

You can also find Denise on Facebook by clicking here.

The Way Back To Mayberry: Lessons From A Simpler Time

2011-12-21T08:16:00.000-08:00

Most of us have grown up at some point in time watching The Andy Griffith Show or have at least heard about it. Some of us, like myself, are still searching for their version of Mayberry, a town where people truly care about one another, family values are more important than the gossip, and where life just seems a whole lot more simple.

Joey Fann, is the author of a new book entitled, The Way Back To Mayberry: Lessons from A Simpler Time, a unique look into the episodes of the classic Andy Griffith show that when mirrored with scripture from the Bible, gives us a modern day look at just how to apply those to our lives. Here are just a few of the tidbit's I gleaned much wisdom from:

"I've learned that bad things will happen to us in this life, but the issue is not the tragedy itself; it's how we respond. To some extent, we do have a choice. We can choose to get bitter or to get better. This is from an episode "Andy Forecloses", and relates to an episode in which Lester Scobey has fallen on hard times and Andy is asked by the rental manager to evict the family. Seems like a life lesson we can all learn from even today. The scripture reference to this particular chapter is from Matthew 17:20 "I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you."

Each chapter is dedicated to a specific episode that opens first with Biblical Scripture. Perhaps it's one you've read for quite some time, but when placed next to an episode from the Andy Griffith Show, you can see how it can be taken quite literally. Along with the chapter comes the authors own personal experience in how this has worked in his own life and what he has taken away from it.

These episodes can still be found on YouTube for free but the book is now used in Bible Study's in churches all over to teach the valuable lessons we can all learn from. Even reading this last night, I found myself watching the show and seeing how the author ties it all together so well. Even my husband and I laughed watching the simplicity of the characters on the show, from fun-loving Barney Fiff, to the compassionate sheriff Andy who always had the love for his fellow man close at hand, something we can all learn from even today.

I received this book compliments of B & H Publishing Group courtesy of Net Galley for my honest review and really loved the wholesome message that is contained in each chapter along with pictures of the characters we've have come to love and adore from the show. This really would make a great Bible Study for small groups and even teens who are getting an opportunity to see these episodes with new eyes in this generation. I rate this book a family-filled 5 out of 5 stars! For those of you that love television with a great message, this book is the perfect companion.

For more information about this book, the author and even where to pick up a copy of this book today, please click on the link below:

The Way Back To Mayberry: Lessons From A Simpler Time by Joey Fann

You can also find out more about Joey Fann by clicking on his website Barneyfife.com and learn more about how to incorporate this study's into your church group!

An Amish Wedding

2011-12-20T19:28:00.001-08:00

Here's a great twist from three fabulous authors who have collaborated their finest writing talents in one sensational book, An Amish Wedding by Kelly Long, Kathleen Fuller, and Beth Wiseman. Taking a journey into an upcoming wedding of Priscilla and Chester who truly believe that perhaps with all the bad things happening to them just prior to their wedding, that perhaps it may be a sign that they shouldn't be married after all. From her younger sister Sara Mae, who takes Priscilla's wedding dress that she's been working on and makes clothes for her doll as well as a blanket and hammock, just weeks before the big day, while Chester's been busy planning on the perfect home for them is experiencing setbacks of his own, from electrical that needs to be rewired to pass inspection, a roof that unexpectedly leaks and issues with his current employer. Is it a sign after all that they should wait?

Each of the three authors takes a turn putting this wedding together in three separate parts of the book, The Perfect Secret, The Perfect Match, and The Perfect Plan. While each of them works on a different set of characters through the story, they are magically woven together seamlessly so the reader gains insight into each of the couples involved in the mini stories.

The Perfect Secret involves Rose and Luke who are engaged to one another, but despite some secrets that each of them has, they begin to wonder if they truly really know one another at all, especially to be married. In the Perfect Match, Naomi has been asked to help set up Margaret with the perfect man, Zeke, who arrives in time for Priscilla and Chester's wedding. Yet instead of falling for Margaret, he falls for Naomi, who is dealing with past hurts that may prevent her from ever accepting the gift of true love from anyone. These stories wrap up with The Perfect Plan in which all attend Priscilla and Chester's wedding.

What happens is a perfect blend of perfection with the hope and promise that all things work for the good of God in the end. I received this eBook compliments of Thomas Nelson publishers for my honest review courtesy of Net Galley and being a huge fan of Amish Fiction and Christian Romance, this one hits a home run with a 5 out of 5 stars! The best part is the recipes for some delicious Amish treats at the end.

For more information on this book, the authors and where to purchase a copy of this book, please click on the link below:

An Amish Wedding by Kelly Long, Kathleen Fuller, and Beth Wiseman

Box of Books Giveaway # 3

2011-12-18T09:18:00.000-08:00

By now, I have had the rare opportunity to read almost 365 books this year alone, thanks to some great publishers, blog book tours, and just friends who have gifted me with books this year. To pay it forward I am offering a weekly Surprise "Grab Bag" or in this case, Priority Box Grab until the end of the year.

Here's what your entering to win. I will select as many books as I can carefully pack into a Priority Mailbox and the surprise part comes in you won't know what you'll be getting! I may be able to get 8-11 books in each box and I'll be giving away a box load until the end of this week. This is the last giveaway of my Box of Books so please make sure you tell everyone and enter again if you haven't won yet!

So if you are interested in participating, here's what you need to do to enter.

1. Be a follower of my blog, Reviews From The Heart.

2. "Like" my Facebook Page, Reviews From The Heart and leave a comment there!

3. Tell others about it, blog about it, tweet it, post it to Facebook and come back and let me know what you did. If you can leave a link, you get an extra entry.

4. Be a resident of the US or have a US shipping address! Please No P.O. Boxes!

5. Leave me a comment telling me your favorite types of books. This may inspire me to fulfill your wish list as best as I can.

6. Along with your comment make sure to include your email address since that is how I will be able to get in contact with you that you've won! Please don't forget this as I have had many giveaways go unclaimed because I can't locate the winner.

This giveaway will end on Friday, December 23th and I will be contacting the winner via email at that time. Don't worry if you don't last week cause you can still enter again for another chance to win!

13 Little Blue Envelopes

2011-12-18T00:01:00.000-08:00

Ginny Blackstone, a 17 year-old-girl has always admired her eccentric Aunt Peg, who has traveled all over the world, experiencing life on a whim and just going with the flow of things. When she learns that Aunt Peg has died of a brain tumor without being able to say goodbye, Ginny learns of an unexpected plan that her Aunt Peg hatched in her moments of clarity. She receives a letter from Aunt Peg with $1000 cash and instructions to get a passport, purchase a ticket to London and take only what she can fit in a backpack. She can't take any electronic devices like cell phones, lap top or even any extra cash or ATM card. She is also not allowed to browse the internet before she leaves to gain any travel information about London.

There is one stop she must make before heading to the airport, she has to stop at the 4 Noodles in New York and retrieve a package. She can not open the package until she is on the plane. So Ginny does what most of us might do, she carries out the instructions and heads for New York to retrieve the package. While in route to London, she learns the package contains a letter and 13 little blue envelopes. The letter is once again from Aunt Peg who instructs her that each of these envelopes contain a task for her to complete. Once she completes the task, she can open the next envelope until she reaches the end. What Ginny learns through completing these series of tasks is that she gets to spend time with her Aunt Peg even though she isn't around and in the process learns a lot about herself along the way.

I received 13 Little Blue Envelopes by Maureen Johnson as a Free Kindle Ebook and am so glad I did. Even though this book is written for the Young Adult audience, it's truly got a message tucked within the pages of this book that everyone needs to read. So the question is what if you received a message containing $1000 and instructions to obtain a passport and ticket to London, would you go? Trust me, you're going to love this book and now my 18-year-old daughter is planning on reading this one right after me. I would rate this adventure a true 5 out of 5 little blue envelopes!

For more information on this book, the author and even where to purchase a copy of this book, please click on the link below:

13 Little Blue Envelopes by Maureen Johnson

Lonestar Angel

2011-12-17T00:01:00.000-08:00

Clay Larson had a job that kept him away from his new wife Eden and at times put his own life at risk as a photo journalist in the drug lord filled jungles in Columbia. When their only infant daughter Brianna is suddenly kidnapped and a ransom offered, the Larson's marriage will be put to the ultimate test. Feeling this has something to do with his job, Clay is more than willing to put up the ten-thousand dollar ransom demand. However in the process of delivering the money to the drop site on a rain slick road, Eden rear ends the car with her daughter and the kidnappers inside causing the car to plunge into the icy river and no one survived.

Now torn between their grief, the Larson's can't seem to put their marriage back together. Eden feels responsible for the loss of their daughter, and Clay feels that his job put them at risk in the first place. Now five years later, the Larson's have moved on, without each other. Eden believes she has been divorced from Clay but when he suddenly shows up claiming their daughter may still be alive, will God have other plans for Clay and Eden?

In the novel, Lonestar Angel by Colleen Coble, we see how grief can tear a marriage apart but ultimately God will have other plans as both of them are now united in a search for their missing daughter, Brianna who could be 5 now if she is in fact alive. Will the Larson's discover the glue that binds marriages together or will they be torn more by reliving their grief once again?

I received this novel compliments of Thomas Nelson Publishers and Net Galley for my honest review and absolutely loved the story of love torn apart and God revealing Himself in the midst of a parents worst nightmare. This is a story about faith, hope and love, the three greatest gifts God has to offer anyone who believes in Him. I rate this one a 5 out of 5 stars for those that love western modern day romance stories with suspense thrown in to add some spice.

For more information about this book, the author and even where to purchase a copy of this book, please click on the links below:

Lonestar Angel by Colleen Coble

You can also find Colleen Coble on her website, by clicking here.
You can follow her on Facebook by clicking here.

Interview with Author Stephen Schochet of Hollywood Stories

2011-12-16T00:01:00.000-08:00

Author Stephen Schochet (pronounced Show-het) is a professional tour guide in Hollywood who years ago began collecting little known, humorous anecdotes to tell to his customers. His new book Hollywood Stories: Short, Entertaining Anecdotes About the Stars and Legends of the Movies! The book contains a timeless treasure trove of colorful vignettes featuring an amazing all-star cast of icons including John Wayne, Charlie Chaplin, Walt Disney, Jack Nicholson, Johnny Depp, Shirley Temple, Marilyn Monroe, Marlon Brando, Errol Flynn, and many others both past and contemporary. Tim Sika, host of the radio show Celluloid Dreams on KSJS in San Jose has called Stephen, “The best storyteller about Hollywood we have ever heard.”

1) Let’s get right to some vintage Hollywood. Tell the story of Jane Russell agreeing to co-star with Marilyn Monroe, in Gentleman Prefer Blondes (1953).

Director Howard Hawks wanted levelheaded Jane Russell to star alongside Marilyn Monroe in the 1953 comedy Gentlemen Prefer Blondes. Twentieth Century Fox head honcho Darryl Zanuck told Hawks to forget it; Russell was unavailable. The filmmaker asked the mogul if he could borrow his phone. Fourteen years earlier, Howard had discovered the eighteen-year-old buxom brunette Russell working in a dentist’s office, making ten dollars a week. When he reached Jane at home, the loyal actress immediately agreed to do the picture then asked, “Do you think I could get fifty thousand?”

Hawks eyed Zanuck then replied into the phone, “Nope, try again.”

“Seventy-five?” asked Russell.

“You’re being unreasonable,” replied Hawks.

The conversation continued for another few minutes, then Howard put his hand over the receiver and said excitedly to Zanuck, “Great news. I got her down to two hundred thousand.”

Darryl agreed to pay Russell’s fee, and the comic pairing of Monroe and Russell onscreen proved to be priceless.

2) Another famous blonde, Veronica Lake, had a reputation for turning in great performances but being difficult, is that correct?

That’s right, she did:

Rising star Veronica Lake continued her pattern of infuriating co-workers at Paramount Studios on the set of the 1941 film Sullivan’s Travels. The blonde actress, famed for her “peekaboo” hairstyle that covered her face, was constantly late and did not bother to learn her lines. Her resentful leading man Joel McCrea was forced to do tons of retakes in their scenes together. The twenty-two-year-old also lied to writer/director Preston Sturges about not being pregnant; he had to restrain himself from hitting Veronica when she confessed the truth. A tramp’s outfit and careful camera angles hid her growing belly. The completed movie about a filmmaker who lives like a hobo was a challenge for the Paramount marketing people; they decided to make Lake the main selling point. Unaware of her antics, cinemagoers were once again drawn to Veronica’s sexy screen presence and she was praised for her fine performance.

3) Please tell that story about the misunderstanding on the set of The Hunchback of Notre Dame in 1939.

William Dieterle when he directed The Hunchback of Notre Dame in 1939. Up to now, the German filmmaker’s instructions were being carried out flawlessly. In blistering Los Angeles’ heat, covered in tons of make-up, Charles Laughton was wonderful as the deformed bell ringer. Playing the gypsy Esmeralda, Maureen O’Hara was excellent in her dialogue and dance scenes. And hundreds of costumed extras were performing without a hitch. The mammoth production had gone smoothly until that day; there were a bunch of chimpanzees, orangutans, and gorillas running around their seventeenth-century Paris set. Dieterle, who always wore white gloves to protect himself from germs, demanded to know what these smelly, noisy creatures were doing there. It turned out that a hard-of-hearing assistant misunderstood the director’s request for some more monks.

4) You have a pretty big bibliography; why was David Niven a better source for lore than history?

In my opinion David Niven was the greatest Hollywood raconteur:

British actor and raconteur David Niven never let the facts get in the way of a good yarn. In his wonderful 1975 book about Hollywood, Bring on the Empty Horses, Niven described Christmas in 1947 when he convinced his neighbor Tyrone Power to dress up as Santa Claus at a party for Niven’s children. At the last moment, Power came down with a bad bout of stage fright and tried to back out of his promise; only after downing a great deal of Scotch did he stumble into the backyard as St. Nick. Like most actors, once Tyrone got into character, he began to enjoy himself. At one point, the inebriated matinee idol put Gary Cooper’s daughter Maria on his knee. “Ho, Ho, Ho, little girl. You tell your old man Santa enjoyed watching him in High Noon. And ask him to get that pretty Grace Kelly’s phone number for me while you’re at it. Ho, Ho, Ho.”

High Noon was released in 1952, five years after Tyrone supposedly put on the white whiskers.

5) It took Ingrid Bergman a while to become a fan of Casablanca, correct?

Yes, I think the years gave her some perspective; I think a lot of actors realize after a time that if people have a favorite role that you did it is a compliment, not a knock on their talent:

Throughout the filming of Casablanca in 1942, leading lady Ingrid Bergman felt she was working on a loser. The unfinished script gave her no clue as to which of her leading men she was supposed to be in love with: Humphrey Bogart, playing her ex-fiancé that she jilted in Paris, or Paul Henreid, as the husband she mistakenly thought was dead. Play it in between, she was told. Bergman felt very little connection to Bogart; that Casablanca won the Academy Award for best picture made little impression on her. Other roles meant more, and for years Ingrid lamented that all anybody wants to talk about is “that thing I did with Bogart.” But in the late 1960s, Bergman was invited to a college retrospective of her films; she watched Casablanca with an enthusiastic young crowd. After the screening, Ingrid walked up to the podium and seemed surprised as she smiled at the audience and said, “Wow, that was a really good movie!”

6) Speaking of Bogie, he had a tumulotous third marriage didn’t he?

Yes, but sometimes her toughness came in handy:

The five-foot-eight Humphrey Bogart (1899-1957) was so convincing as a tough guy on screen that it sometimes landed him in trouble. One time he was dining out with his third wife, Mayo Methot (1904-1951), when an idiot walked up to his table. “So you’re Mr. Tough Guy, Humphrey Bogart. You don’t look so tough to me! Why don’t we step outside?”

Bogart sighed. “Sit down, pal. Have a drink.”

“No, I don’t want a drink. I told my friends at the bar I could beat you.”

The man kept badgering until the weary star turned to his wife. “Hey, Mayo. Take care of him.”

Mayo took off her shoe and beat the hell out of him.

7) Now Fred MacMurray and Cary Grant were a bit frugal weren’t they?

Their thriftiness was the stuff of legends:

Cary Grant and Fred MacMurray were both millionaires many times over, raised lots of money for charitable causes and were known for being two of the biggest cheapskates in Hollywood. One possibly apocryphal tale involved the two film legends meeting for an expensive dinner at a popular Beverly Hills restaurant. Both men seemed to enjoy each other’s company greatly and the conversation went well. When the last course was finished, the check was placed between them, but neither Cary nor Fred made any effort to pick it up. As they slowly ate their desserts, the trendy eatery began to clear out. The oblivious stars drank coffee and smoked cigarettes, while their small talk continued. Their waiter stayed on well after all his colleagues went home. After a time, he approached the two actors and politely inquired if they wished to see the breakfast menu.

8) Harold Lloyd and Douglas Fairbanks were big inspirations for a pretty famous fictional character weren’t they?

Yes, their on screen personas helped to create a dual personality:

One of Douglas Fairbanks’ contemporaries, Harold Lloyd (1893-1971), had struggled to gain traction in silent films. Lloyd’s friend and fellow actor Hal Roach (1892-1992) inherited some money in 1915 and produced some short comedies featuring Harold. After two years, Roach suggested that his pal needed a disguise; he was too handsome to be funny. Lloyd remembered seeing a film about a mild-mannered, bespectacled clergyman who became a he-man in dangerous situations. The young comedian purchased a pair of cheap glasses at a dime store and transformed himself into an all-American boy next door. Cinemagoers totally identified with this new, go-getting character who maintained his pluck in perilous situations. In 1938, Harold’s onscreen persona became the inspiration for the comic book character Clark Kent, while Fairbanks’ gravity defying Robin Hood helped bring forth the creation of Clark’s alter ego Superman.

9) Judy Garland got some clever coaching during the making of The Wizard of Oz, correct?

Sixteen-year-old Judy Garland had a tough time taking her job seriously in the 1939 MGM musical The Wizard of Oz. The character of Dorothy was actually much younger in L. Frank Baum’s book causing some at Metro to push for the unavailable ten-year-old Shirley Temple for the part. Director Richard Thorpe had Judy running around in a blonde wig and baby-doll make-up giving a campy performance. It was hard for the fun-loving teenager not to laugh at some of her hammy co-stars dressed up in their ridiculous costumes. Thorpe’s job was deemed inadequate and George Cukor replaced him. The new director, who left after three days to begin making Gone with the Wind, told Garland to lose her childish get-up and be herself. From then on, the Minnesota-born actress played her farm-girl role with sincerity, and for generations audiences believed that she believed in the wonderful Land of Oz.

10) Where can people go to get more information about you and your book?

Hollywood Stories: Short, Entertaining Anecdotes About the Stars and Legends of the Movies!

(ISBN 9780963897275)

Available at Barnes & Noble, Amazon or wherever books are sold.

http://www.hollywoodstories.com

The Scroll

2011-12-15T00:01:00.000-08:00

One last dig. One final descent into the twisted tunnels on ancient Jerusalem. Will the truth be found among the treasures that lie beneath the holy city?

Dr. David Chambers, leading archaeologist, has spent his professional career uncovering the facts in the artifacts. His work sets the standard for biblical research in the Holy Land. But surrounded by the evidence. David has sunk into an abyss of doubt. A painful experience with a seemingly unresponsive God has left him without hope. The Old Testament scriptures that used to fill his mind with wonder now drive him to frustration. His unanswered questions have ripped him from both his academic pursuits and the love of his life, his fiancee' Amber.

An old friend and mentor reaches out to David, enticing him with the riches described in the enigmatic Copper Scroll. Losing ground with his peers, his love, and his faith. David Chambers has a choice to make. Will he undertake one final dig to unlock a secret that could alter the course of history? Do the mysteries of the Old Testament hold the key to the political turmoil of the Middle East?

In a world where faith has been eclipsed by the allure of doubt. The Scroll by Grant R. Jeffrey and Alton L. Gansky offers a different journey: a gripping adventure to find truth worth dying for. In a time in the near future, this book plays out with your typical Biblical expedition to unearth another artifact while those who want it for their own purpose will attempt to get it at all costs. Along the way of searching for this artifact, Dr. Chambers is lacking his faith in God and will soon discover that God has been with him all along.

A fantastic journey into an action-packed adventure with countless murders, foiled plots and the most amazing weapons ever imagined will bring this story to a heart-stopping climax. I received this book compliments of WaterBrook Multnomah Publishers for my honest review and would have to rate this one a 4 out of 5 stars. There are times when the story fails to captivate the reader and keep them engaged in the plot, but overall the premise is well supported with some amazing characters along the way.

For more information about this book, the author and where to purchase a copy of this book, please click on the link below:

The Scroll by Grant R. Jeffrey and Alton L. Gansky

Great FREE Book - Click Here for Details

2011-12-14T11:21:00.000-08:00

The difference between vampires and angels? Angels are real.

Here's an early Christmas present for your readers! Angel in the Shadows, Book 1 by Lisa Grace, a young adult supernatural, is free on Amazon only from Tuesday December 13th - Thursday, December 15th.

This is such an exciting new series that I know you're going to love. It's a young adult series set in a high school setting where a battle is taking place between angels and demons and the teens that attend there. It goes to show that not everything is as it appears.

I reviewed the first two books in the series which you can read my original reviews by clicking on the appropriate titles and coming up is the 3rd book in the series next year. You won't want to miss out on this series and now you can get the first novel free through the link at Amazon below but only until tomorrow, December 15th, so please spread the word to all your family and friends.

Angel in the Shadows - Free at Amazon through December 15th, click here.

My Reviews on Lisa Grace's books:

Angel in The Shadows - Book 1
Angel in The Storm - Book 2

Waking Hours

2011-12-14T00:01:00.000-08:00

If you are looking for a great book that will grab you from the first page and keep you glued until you finally finish inhaling it in one sitting, then Waking Hours by Lis Wiehl is the novel for you, especially if your a huge fan of mystery suspense thrillers.

In this book, the reader is engaged in the first book in the East Salem Trilogy where an ancient evil has been awakened and a ritual murder appears to have happened amid horse farms and wealthy homes of northern Westchester County, New York. A high school party happened the night before the murder and the suspects are a group of teenagers with something to hide.

Investigating the murder is Danielle Harris, a local forensic psychiatrist who is working with the police attempting to figure out just what really happened. The only evidence so far is a boy's cell phone found at the murder site and a group of teens that have apparently passed out with no knowledge of what happened.

Dani Harris has teamed up with Thomas Gunderson, the local boy turned private investigator after a fatal accident made him give up his professional career in football. When an elderly woman sets of his burglar alarm on the night of the murder, mumbling words in Latin, and then attacks him with supernatural strength, he believes the two may be linked to one another.

I received Waking Hours by Lis Wiehl compliments of Thomas Nelson Publishers and Net Galley for my honest review and LOVED it. I could NOT put this one down because in all honesty I couldn't figure out who did it and toss in some creepy supernatural stuff in the mix with nightmares and things that really do more than go bump in the night, you'll want to keep the light on when you read this one. This one rates 5 out of 5 stars in my opinion because when the writer can keep me glued to a book enough to make me want to finish it without putting it down, that's what makes it a best-seller in my opinion.

For more information on this book, the author and where to purchase a copy of this thriller, click on the links below:

Waking Hours by Lis Wiehl

You can also find Lis Wiehl on her website by clicking here.

You can also find her on Facebook by clicking here.

The Ranch Next Door and Other Stories

2011-12-13T00:01:00.000-08:00

Like little samples of your favorite desserts all wrapped up in the pages of this debut ebook, The Ranch Next Door and Other Stories by Elisabeth Grace Foley. This writer truly has the beautiful gift of being able to offer a taste of what she can write in this simple but powerful short stories. I found myself lost immediately in each one and wanted to much more when I got to the end.

The way I viewed each of these stories were like the old radio western stories our grandparents and parents would listen to on the radio. Just enough of the episode to keep you on the edge of your seat and then tuning back in the following evening just to hear what happened next. I would LOVE to see Elisabeth Grace Foley write a full length novel on one of the stories she has so eloquently captured in this collection, but for those of you that love those classic western tales of life on the wide open range with danger and intrigue around the corner with a touch of romance tossed in for good measure, then this is the perfect collection for you. Here's a synopsis of what you'll find in the book from the author:

Suspense, humor and a touch of romance await in seven short stories of the American West. In the title story, "The Ranch Next Door," a cattleman's young son dreads breaking the news to his family that he has fallen in love with the daughter of a neighboring sheep rancher despite an ancient feud between the two families. In "Cross My Heart," a boy is torn between betraying his conscience or a fugitive friend, and in "Delayed Deposit," five people are taken hostage during a bank robbery that turns into a tense standoff. The collection also includes the award-winning "Disturbing the Peace," honorable mention in the 2010 Rope and Wire short story competition. These seven stories total approximately 40,330 words or 161 book pages.

As you can see there are some great stories locked within the pages of this wonderful ebook and I was honored to be asked to review this book by the author for my honest opinion. Being a huge fan of western historical fiction, I couldn't wait to read this one and hope for many many more from her in the future. In my opinion the reader will not be disappointed and this one rates a perfect 5 out of 5 stars. For more information about this book, the author or where you can purchase a copy of this ebook today, please click on the links below:

The Ranch Next Door and Other Stories by Elisabeth Grace Foley

Closet - Giveaway

2011-12-12T00:01:00.000-08:00

It seemed to be an innocent looking book that John picked up from the local bookstore, but late that night, as he read it in the secret of his closet, a creature emerged. Then with arms extended strangled the life out of him, leaving behind Megan and their baby Derek. But as Megan was leaving the house, two other forms attempted to kill her as well.

In the suspense thriller novel, Closet by Eric John Swanson, the readers are immediately taken into the innocent aspects of dabbling in what appears to be nothing more than a simple self help book intending to help the reader get their life back on track. What happens however is a door is opened into another dimension and with that the desire to capture the the baby who escaped so long ago along with anyone else they can seek to get their hands on.

This is an exceptional book that delves into the innocent things believers at times will pick up and attempt to use to help themselves get their lives moving in the direction they desire, instead of following in the path God wants for them. In this case, Derek is now grown with a wife and son of his own. Even though he has graduated from seminary quite awhile now, he can't seem to secure a job anywhere working for God. Not to mention that he has a son that has a severe learning disability, Derek finds himself constantly at odds with God wondering just when he is going to be able to support his family and questions his faith.

This is when evil strikes in the form of an old woman Derek meets on the sidewalk just outside his home who gives him look into his current future. When he grows suspicious of her visions, she vanishes leaving behind a self help book that will take him places he never expected to go.

I received this book compliments of Pump Up Your Book Tours and Eric John Swanson for my honest review. It got difficult to follow the story when Derek slips into the other dimension but if you stick to it, you learn some really valuable insight into the faith of the believer and what God's purpose is for us in life no matter how we view it. For those that love a bit of suspense and thrill to their reading, then this is the book for you! I personally rate this a 5 out of 5 stars because of the lessons it teaches throughout the book.

For more information on this book, the author and where to purchase a copy of this book, please click on the link below:

Closet by Eric John Swanson

I am giving away a copy of this book to one lucky reader of my blog, Reviews From The Heart. Here's all you have to do to enter:

1. Be a follower of my blog, Reviews From The Heart.

2. Be a resident of the US or have a US shipping address. Please No P.O. Boxes.

3. Leave me a comment telling me why you'd love to win a copy of this book, along with your email address. You can use the words (at) and (dot) instead of the symbols. I will notify the winner by email when the giveaway ends, so please don't forget to include it.

The giveaway will end on December 31st and will notify the winner at that time via email.

Angels

2011-12-11T00:01:00.000-08:00

Since this is the time of Jesus Christ's birth, I thought it was the perfect time to review a great book on Angels by Robert Morgan! This provides a detailed account of a variety of encounters with God's heavenly messengers and takes us through the Bible to show not only their purpose, creation but what they mean in the lives of believers.

Since reading a variety of books on the market about angels, this one really captured my heart because I love reading about true life encounters that others have had with angels. This book does exactly that along with showcases recorded Biblical examples of how angels have appeared in the New and Old Testament books and what role they will also play in Jesus' second coming. Whether the examples in the story are actual angelic encounters only the people involved have an idea but they do seem to follow the examples the Bible uses. Not only are they messengers of God's news or prophecy fulfillment, but they aid in caring for the believers as well, they encourage when we are in need, help protect or warn us in times of trouble, and even carry us to our heavenly home when we die.

Angels were also present at the proclamation of Jesus' birth to the shepherds and offered wisdom and advice to both Joseph and Mary before he was born. The Bible states that some have even entertained angels in the forms of strangers without knowing it and we know throughout Bible history that angels have been present during battles of God's people.

I received this book Angels by Robert Morgan compliments of Thomas Nelson Publishers for my honest review along with Net Galley and think this would make the perfect give this Christmas season. I rate this one a 5 out of 5 heavenly stars! For more information on this book, the author and where to purchase a copy of this book, please click on the link below:

Angels by Robert Morgan

Box of Books Giveaway # 2

2011-12-10T09:12:00.000-08:00

By now, I have had the rare opportunity to read almost 365 books this year alone, thanks to some great publishers, blog book tours, and just friends who have gifted me with books this year. To pay it forward I am offering a weekly Surprise "Grab Bag" or in this case, Priority Box Grab until the end of the year.

Here's what your entering to win. I will select as many books as I can carefully pack into a Priority Mailbox and the surprise part comes in you won't know what you'll be getting! I may be able to get 8-11 books in each box and I'll be giving away a box load each Friday beginning this Friday.

So if you are interested in participating, here's what you need to do to enter.

1. Be a follower of my blog, Reviews From The Heart.

2. "Like" my Facebook Page, Reviews From The Heart and leave a comment there!

3. Tell others about it, blog about it, tweet it, post it to Facebook and come back and let me know what you did. If you can leave a link, you get an extra entry.

4. Be a resident of the US or have a US shipping address! Please No P.O. Boxes!

5. Leave me a comment telling me your favorite types of books. This may inspire me to fulfill your wish list as best as I can.

6. Along with your comment make sure to include your email address since that is how I will be able to get in contact with you that you've won! Please don't forget this as I have had many giveaways go unclaimed because I can't locate the winner.

This giveaway will end on Friday, December 16th and I will be contacting the winner via email at that time. Don't worry if you don't win this week, I'll be posting another giveaway grab box opportunity on Monday, December 19th to end the following Friday!

The Christmas Singing Promo

2011-12-10T08:14:00.000-08:00

Cindy Woodsmall is known for her great Amish fiction books and now has written a heart-warming story for Christmas. Click here for an excerpt. The best part is the savings WaterBrook Multnomah is offering its readers this Christmas to get a copy to you at a discount.

You can get 30% off and free shipping on The Christmas Singing (and any other title) when you use promo code CHRISTMAS11 at checkout on WaterBrookMultnomah.com. The coupon code expires on December 20th, 2011.

Delivery

2011-12-10T00:01:00.000-08:00

When Olivia Wilson Jarvis agreed to help her daddy start Wilson's Florist, she knew she'd sometimes face servicing the funerals of loved ones. But why now?

Miss Ellie nodded. "After forty years, I've learned a few things about this job. Flower shop folks know what a dead man wears on his feet beneath the coffin lid, but we rarely get to file past the casket to say our final good-byes. We watch life pass through this town from the inside and outside all at once, closer than anyone and not as close as others at all." Her gaze meet Livi's. "It isn't always easy." She should know.

Delivery by Diana Prusik, is a delightful and at times serious novel about the staff that work and interact with those at Wilson's Florist in Mount Helicon. The book opens with the death of a beloved resident of the town, Robert "Bink" Carter as the florists are busy with all the floral arrangements that almost every single resident in town has ordered. While they are working and having conversations, the story flashes back to their individual pasts so the reader gets an inside look at why they are the people they are today. Why Livi pauses during hectic times to have a bottle of beer or two, why Miss Ellie is busy searching for husband number five and even why Livi and her sister Gretta remains at odds with one another.

Tales of birth and death, sickness and sorrow, love and betrayal, and even forgiveness. And yet, privy to some of the community's deepest secrets, Livi sometimes wishes she didn't know so much--and that is just what the reader will discover through the pages of this delightful story.

I received this eBook compliments of Tyndale House Publishers and Net Galley for my honest review. If you look for books with very different characters who's lives overlap one another, then this is the book for you! I would rate this one a 4 out of 5 stars simply due to the fact that all the stories can get a bit confusing. At one point, I had to grab a notebook to jot down how they were all related and that was during 1/3 of the way into the book for me. This is only available as an electronic book at this time. For more information about this book, the author and where to purchase a copy of this book, please click on the links below:

Delivery by Diana Prusik

Triple Dog Dare: One Year Dynamic Devotions for Boys

2011-12-09T00:01:00.000-08:00

Boys want action. They don’t want to sit around and talk—that’s for grown-ups and girls. They engage life and relationships by doing something: skateboarding, playing games or re-creating favorite movie scenes. So why should faith be any different? That’s why Jeremy V. Jones created Triple Dog Dare: One Year of Dynamic Devotions for Boys—to provide the action boys need in order to grow their faith.

The Bible is full of action. Remember how David slew Goliath, Daniel faced those lions, Paul survived a shipwreck and Jesus stood up for a woman about to be killed? God made boys to take His truth and do something with it, to man up and change the world. These action-packed devotions for boys ages 9 to 12 are filled with godly truth and bold spiritual challenges that transform time with God into the adventure of the day.

Triple Dog Dare connects God’s Word to boys’ hearts and hands with real-life scenarios and activities. Each day is filled with short Scriptures, concise biblical truth and a daily dare, all challenging them to put their faith into practice. Scripture readings from every book of the Bible open up the action-packed Word of God. Whether it’s drawing comic strips of biblical battles, dreaming up a life list of goals, making snack packs for the homeless or producing Bible-based movies, boys will go on daily dynamic experiences with God, taking faith off the page and setting it into motion.

Themes cover the daily realities of pre-teen males, including bullying, peer pressure, girls, sibling rivalry, honesty and more.These exciting devotions will inspire boys’ hearts toward godly characteristics such as integrity, generosity and kindness. Parents will appreciate watching Christ-like traits emerge as each dare is undertaken. It is a manual that will deepen boys’ friendships with Jesus as they look forward to spending time with Him every day. So if you know a boy who is up for the challenge, triple dog dare him!

About the Author:

Jeremy V. Jones is an award-winning journalist who has served as senior associate editor of Breakaway magazine. He has authored several books, including Toward the Goal: The Kaka Story and The Keeper: The Tim Hoard Story. He also writes for magazines such as Clubhouse and Christianity Today. He resides with his wife and two children in Colorado.

My Review:

Even though I don't have any boys, I found this devotional geared for boys to be just as challenging for my girls. At times my girls have more interests in what boys are doing than in dolls, beauty, clothes and shopping any day of the week, so I wanted to explore this with them to see what differences there are.

Contained within this devotional are a continual use typeset, meaning that it doesn't correspond to specific dates but days of the week instead so you can jump right in at any time. You don't have to wait for the beginning of the year to start. Every weekday you get...

One Bible verse or passage

some short thoughts about a real-life situation or connection to God.

three Triple Dog Dares - ideas to put the theme into action.(example: Who really bugs you? Do a kind deed toward them.)

two Mission Accomplished questions so you can write down your results from yesterday's dares.

Each weekend you get something a little different: Make Triple Dog Tracks sections give ideas to make something cool, like a movie, comic strip, life list, or Noah's Ark out of Legos' From The Triple Dog Pound sections deliver short stories about guys in the Bible who accomplished God's Triple Dog Dares - plus ideas of how you can do the same.

There is even sections in the book for them to reflect or doodle on areas they want to work on, which is a great tool, to use at the end of the year to see how far they have worked on their goals during the years.

I received Triple Dog Dare: One Year of Dynamic Devotions for Boys by Jeremy V. Jones compliments of B & B Media Group for my honest review and can see how this would benefit growing young men who are faced with unique challenges that girls are not from peer pressure to bullying. This is a MUST read for anyone dealing with preteen and teenage boys and rate this a 5 out of 5 stars!

For more information on this book, the author or where to purchase a copy of this, please click on the links below:

Triple Dog Dare: One Year Dynamic Devotions for Boys by Jeremy V. Jones

Truth and Dare: One Year of Dynamic Devotionals for Girls

2011-12-08T00:01:00.000-08:00

Is your pre-teen daughter ready for more—more excitement, more adventure, more joy? Then dare her to discover the secret to a life that sparkles for God. Show her she’s got what it takes to make an impact on the world. Ann Margret Hovsepian’s newest book, Truth and Dare: One Year of Dynamic Devotions for Girls, is designed for girls 9 to 12 and filled with powerful wisdom on everything from godly friendships to worshiping God.

It can be easy for young girls to neglect their Bible reading. Perhaps they feel Scripture doesn’t directly relate to them. Maybe they may lack encouragement or accountability, or they may just have too many distractions in their everyday lives. This lack of spiritual food can stunt girls’ spiritual growth and make them vulnerable to the temptations and ungodly influences around them. It can also prevent them from developing a love for Scripture early in life, making it even harder to get into God’s Word when they get older.

Truth and Dare encourages tween girls to discover how exciting God’s Word can be. They will see it make a difference in their daily lives and experience the blessings that come from doing it and not just hearing it. Daily challenges (dares) based on Scripture (truth) will provide opportunities for them to make their faith come alive as they learn to serve others, build character and make a difference.

Scripture will be transformed from something learned to something lived. Girls will delight in discovering how God’s Word can become real in whole new ways as they learn to apply it with each day’s dare. It ideally suits anyone looking to inspire a young girl to boldly live out her faith. So encourage the tween girl in your life to take the dare and discover the truth! It’s her time to shine as a girl who knows what it means to live a fierce and fearless life of faith.

About the Author: Ann Margret Hovsepian is a published author, freelance writer and editor and amateur artist. She has published more than 210 articles for dozens of Canadian and U.S. print periodicals and has become a sought-after author of pre-teen girls’ devotional books. She has published Blossom: The Complete New Testament for Girls(Thomas Nelson, 2006) andThe One Year Designer Genes Devo (Tyndale, 2007). She speaks at conferences and events and is actively involved on the board of Canadian Baptist Women of Ontario and Quebec, Canada. Hovsepian resides in Montreal, Canada.

My Review:

Being a busy mom with an 18-year-old and 12-year-old girls, I knew I wanted to pick this one up! The devotional is geared not just as a Bible Study for each day but it also provides an opportunity for my daughters to capture their thoughts on what they learned and what really spoke to their hearts during that day's devotion. There are even some challenges for them to complete and it provides a chance for parents to really talk to their girls about what is going on in their lives at that moment. For example, "Imagine for a moment what your life would be like if your parents (or parent, if you live with only one) suddenly disappeared. Write down some ways your life would change." Then at the conclusion it takes the teen into a prayer to reflect on thanking God for their parents and asking Him to help them give them the honor and respect they deserve. Try and find some ways to show your parents how much they mean to you.

This is perfect for preteen and teenage girls (9 through 14) in my opinion. There is so much to do in this one year devotional it will really provide them with a chance to see how much they have grown at the end. Because this devotional isn't geared to specific dates, you can jump in at any point and make it work. That's always a plus especially if you have multiple age girls! I received this book compliments of B & B Media Group for my honest opinion and highly recommend this to anyone who deals with preteen or teen age girls even if you aren't a parent. Hands down a 5 out of 5 star devotional.

For more information on this product, the author or where to purchase this devotional, please click on the links below:

Truth and Dare: One Year of Dynamic Devotions for Girls by Ann-Margret Hovsepian

Invisible

2011-12-07T08:32:00.000-08:00

Lola’s not pretty. Lola’s not popular. Lola wishes she could disappear … and then one day she does just that…

For seventeen-year-old Lola Savullo, life is a struggle. Born to funky parents who are more in than she could ever be, Lola’s dream of becoming a writer makes her an outsider even in her own home. Bullied and despised, Lola still has the support of her best pal Charlie and Grandma Rose.

Not only is she freakishly tall, Lola’s a big girl and when forced to wear a bathing suit at her summer job as a camp counselor, Lola’s only escape from deep embarrassment seems to be to literally vanish. Soon after, she discovers the roots of her new “ability”.

Slowly, with Charlie’s help, Lola learns to control the new super power. The possibilities are endless. Yet power can be abused, too…

Then, when tragedy strikes, Lola must summon her inner strength, both at home and at school. She has to stand up for herself, despite the temptations and possibilities of her newfound super power.

A coming-of-age story that will warm the heart.

My Review:

Who hasn't wished at some horrible point that they could simply disappear or become invisible? This is just the beginning for a girl like Lola who is constantly being bullied at school based on her appearance of being tall and fat unlike the others in school. However when a boy by the name of Jon suddenly takes an interest in her seeing past her outer appearance, Lola feels that she can trust him with her new found secret in hopes of finally finding the perfect guy for her.

Along the journey through her year in school, Lola's source of contentment lies with her grandmother who confides in her that the power she possesses is a family secret! She teaches Lola how to use it not for revenge on those that have hurt her but to use it for the benefit of making her a better person. She struggles dealing with her parents who seem to be stuck in their own high school years, dressing and acting much younger than they really are, and a sister who will never understand the personal struggles, Lola faces.

This is such a great book for anyone who has ever been faced with the challenge of peer pressure or bullying. This story teaches Lola that rather than seeking revenge, she should use her abilities to see them as they really are and in the process come to a unique understand that appearances on the outside really aren't who people are on the inside.

I received Invisible by Jeanne Bannon compliments of Pump Up Your Book Tours for my honest review and found such great insight on seeing things from a different perspective on those that have dealt with peer pressure and bullying and how they really feel on the inside. For that reason alone, this rates a 4.5 out of 5 stars. There are some uses of profanity in the book but it doesn't take away from the storyline, however some readers may find this offensive.

Here's an extra special treat, this ebook is available on Amazon and Smashwords for only .99 til December 16th! For more information about the book, the author and even where to purchase a copy of this book, please click on the links below:

Invisible by Jeanne Bannon

You can also follow more reviews on this book tour by clicking here.

Hollywood Stories

2011-12-06T00:01:00.000-08:00

It seems like celebrity news is everywhere these days, from supermarket tabloids to reality news shows, but it exists because we love to hear about what they do and why they do it. Sometimes they things they did were very quirky, amusing and downright shocking.

In the latest novel by Stephen Schochet, Hollywood Stories: Short. Entertaining Anecdotes About the Stars and Legends of the Movies takes a look at celebrities from the past and present and shares those insights inside the cover of this wonderful book. From Buster Keaton, to The Three Stooges, from Johnny Depp to George Lucas, from Marilyn Monroe to Walt Disney, anyone who has loved movies or television stars will love this candid look into some of those rare moments in their public and private lives.

Did you know that the basis for the voice of Gollum, from The Lord of the Rings trilogy was from a cat coughing up a hairball? Or that Dick Van Dyke donated money to Walt Disney's newly formed Cal Arts University in exchange for getting the secondary role of the elderly banker in Mary Poppins and even the "Banks" children did not know it was the same actor that played Burt in the movie?

How about Jimmy Stewart who was just returning from serving the last five years in the Army Air Corps, and felt he was a changed man. He began questioning his return to acting as he was starring in It's A Wonderful Life, and received a lecture from Lionel Barrymore, the wheelchair bound, Mr. Potter after moping around the set for five days. He felt that maybe working in films wasn't for decent folks. Lionel's advice? He told Jimmy that making pictures gave people more happiness than shooting at them from planes. The pep talk helped restore Stewart's pride in his craft; he delivered his most famous performance in Wonderful Life and went on to have a long post-war movie career.

There are simple so many great anecdotes that everyone will find something that they love inside the pages of this hardcover book. I received this book compliments of Pump Up Your Books tours and Stephen Schochet for my honest opinion and think this would make a beautiful gift for your favorite movie or television lover! From vintage classics to your favorite sitcoms, this is such a wonderful book to gain a piece of Hollywood's brightest and biggest stars and why I rate it a 5 out of 5 stars.

About Stephen Schochet

A professional tour guide in Hollywood, Stephen Schochet has researched and told thousands of entertaining anecdotes for over twenty years. He is also the author and narrator of two audiobooks Tales of Hollywood and Fascinating Walt Disney. His latest book, Hollywood Stories: Short, Entertaining Anecdotes About the Stars and Legends of the Movies! Tim Sika, host of the radio show Celluloid Dreams on KSJS in San Jose has called Stephen," The best storyteller about Hollywood we have ever heard."

For more information visit http://www.hollywoodstories.com

For more information on this book, the author and where to purchase a copy of this book, please click on the links below:

Hollywood Stories by Stephen Schochet

Corus the Champion

2011-12-05T19:36:00.000-08:00

I have had the delightful opportunity to be a part of the Legends of Karac Tor when I reviewed book three in the series, The Song of Unmaking. Now I get to further my reading pleasure in taking my readers back a bit to book two in the series, Corus the Champion by Dean Barkley Briggs.

First a bit of history on Mr. Briggs, who wrote the series for his children who were dealing with their own personal tragedy of losing their mother. In a twist of divine providence, Mr. Briggs soon met another woman who was also grieving the loss of her husband and was raising her children alone. God stepped in and a new family was born when the two met and later married.

In the first book in the series, The Book of Names, the brothers from our world enter a world of myth and legend to find the courage to answer the call, you see in the Hidden Lands of Karac Tor, names are being stolen and darkness is spreading. This book begins the series that picks up again in the second book, Corus the Champion.

The Barlow boys, from book one, have helped turn the tide in the Hidden Lands with the defeat of Nemesia. Yet as all great books have in store, their victory is not secured as a new enemy emerges from the North with a new army now bent on destruction. Just as Gabe and Garret, the twins are discovering their special powers that are only available in this new land. Gabe has the ability to speak to birds while Garret is like a young Arthur if you will, learning new abilities from a Merlin like character Tal Yssen. The boys now learn about a fabled king that was rescued from death in our world and is now hidden in Karac Tor. Will the boys be able to find and rescue this king from their own world or will they have to make sacrifices to save their friends?

To find out, you'll have to read this series of great adventure books from Dean Barkley Briggs. My recommendation would be to start at the beginning like any great series and work your way through them one at a time. This one to start with may be a bit confusing as a stand alone, but with persistence is truly a great story to immerse yourself and your children in.

I received this book compliments of Christian Science Fiction and Fantasy book tours for my honest opinion and now having read the first three, will be going back and rereading them from the beginning. It's like reading The Chronicles of Narnia in the middle of the series, you can figure it out but its more enjoyable to read it from the beginning. This one rates a 5 out of 5 stars in my opinion and definitely captures a child's love of fantasy and adventure in this one.

For more information on this book, the author and where to pick up a copy of this book today, please click on the links below:

Corus the Champion by Dean Barkley Briggs

You can purchase a copy of this book on Amazon by clicking here.

You can also read more reviews by clicking on any of these bloggers who are part of this amazing tour.

Gillian Adams
Noah Arsenault
Beckie Burnham
Morgan L. Busse
http://csffblogtour.com/"> CSFF Blog Tour
Carol Bruce Collett
Theresa Dunlap
April Erwin
Victor Gentile
Nikole Hahn
Ryan Heart
Bruce Hennigan
Christopher Hopper
Jason Joyner
Julie
Carol Keen
Krystine Kercher
Marzabeth
Shannon McDermott
http://rebeccaluellamiller.wordpress.com/"> Rebecca LuElla Miller
Eve Nielsen
Sarah Sawyer
Kathleen Smith
Donna Swanson
Rachel Starr Thomson
Steve Trower
Fred Warren
Phyllis Wheeler
Nicole White
Rachel Wyant

Christmas Surprise Book Giveaway

2011-12-05T15:12:00.000-08:00

By now, I have had the rare opportunity to read almost 365 books this year alone, thanks to some great publishers, blog book tours, and just friends who have gifted me with books this year. To pay it forward I am offering a weekly Surprise "Grab Bag" or in this case, Priority Box Grab until the end of the year.

Here's what your entering to win. I will select as many books as I can carefully pack into a Priority Mailbox and the surprise part comes in you won't know what you'll be getting! I may be able to get 8-11 books in each box and I'll be giving away a box load each Friday beginning this Friday.

So if you are interested in participating, here's what you need to do to enter.

1. Be a follower of my blog, Reviews From The Heart.

2. Tell others about it, blog about it, tweet it, post it to Facebook and come back and let me know what you did. If you can leave a link, you get an extra entry.

3. Be a resident of the US or have a US shipping address! Please No P.O. Boxes!

4. Leave me a comment telling me your favorite types of books. This may inspire me to fulfill your wish list as best as I can.

5. Along with your comment make sure to include your email address since that is how I will be able to get in contact with you that you've won! Please don't forget this as I have had many giveaways go unclaimed because I can't locate the winner.

This giveaway will end on Friday, December 9th and I will be contacting the winner via email at that time. Don't worry if you don't win this week, I'll be posting another giveaway grab box opportunity on Monday, December 12th to end the following Friday!

KBL - Kill Bin Laden: A Novel Based On True Events

2011-12-02T09:29:00.000-08:00

Moving from the political battlefields of Washington, D.C., and the secure, seventh-floor suite of the CIA director in Langley, Virginia, to the dusty streets of Peshawar, Lahore, and Abbottabad, Pakistan, to the rough Afghan interior, to the Middle East and western Europe, this fictional narrative brings to life the drama behind SEAL Team 6’s breathtaking raid in which Bin Laden—a.k.a. Crankshaft, a.k.a. al Mas (the Diamond), the ghost, the wraith, the grail for counterterrorists for more than a decade—met his fate.

Filled with pulse-pounding excitement and the tactics, intelligence tradecraft, and operational sources and methods used in real-world CIA and special-operations missions, KBL: KILL BIN LADEN is a thrill-a-minute dramatization that sets the standard for adventure novels as it brilliantly imagines the action, intrigue, and suspense of this real-life event and offers a glimpse of the new face of warfare.

My Review:

This is a book based on the events surrounding the plot to kill Usama Bin Laden and the men whose mission it was to see that it was carried out. This book probes the hearts and minds of America's secret warriors, revealing what the job means to them and the toll it takes. Here are the Navy SEALS who can never admit what unit they work for; the CIA paramilitary operators who risk their lives among the enemy, putting themselves in harm's way knowing their existence will be denied if they are killed or captured; and the elite cadre of gritty leaders who bravely put country and security above politics.

This book is not like the Hollywood productions of Jason Bourne or Ethan Hunt, but truly gives the readers an inside view on what it takes to put your live on the line to bring a terrorist to justice and secure the safety of the country they love and serve. I was captivated by this story because I love movies like Mission Impossible but from a true sense of where the actual stories come from. Having know friends involved with Black Ops, I know how real and intense their stories can be, although they can never share the information with anyone.

This is a must read for anyone who loves stories involving true life events told from all the perspectives of those involved and to see just how difficult it is to bring criminals to justice when they lie outside our countries borders and people will do anything to make sure they are never found.

I received this book, KBL: Kill Bin Laden by John Weisman compliments of William Morrow, a division of Harper Collins Publishers for my honest review and LOVED every single page of this compelling novel. It's hard to believe that the book you are reading isn't a fictional story but one that actually happened. For that reason alone, this one rates a hands down 5 out of 5 stars! For more information on this book, the author and where to pick up a copy of this book today, please click on the link below:

KBL: Kill Bin Laden: A Novel Based On True Events by John Weisman

Winner of FFH's Downloadable Christmas Album Announced!

2011-12-02T09:25:00.000-08:00

Congratulations to Mason Canyon for being the lucky winner of FFH's Christmas Album One Silent Night download.

You will be receiving an email from both myself and the publisher providing you with the details and the link to download a copy of this album to your PC.

Congratulations again and Merry Christmas!!

The Heroine's Bookshelf: Life Lessons from Jane Austen to Laura Ingalls Wilder - Giveaway and Review

2011-12-01T00:01:00.000-08:00

In times of struggle, there are as many reasons not to read as there are to breathe. Don't you have better things to do? Reading, let alone rereading, is the terrain of milquetoasts and mopey spinsters. At life's ugliest junctures, the very act of opening a book can smack of cowardly escapism. Who chooses to read when there's work to be done?

Call me a coward if you will, but when the line between duty and sanity blurs, you can usually find me curled up with a battered book, reading as if my mental health depended on it. And it does, for inside the books I love I find food, respite, escape and perspective. I find something else too: heroines and authors, hundreds of them, women whose real and fictitious lives have covered terrain I too must tread. Don't we all need some heroines in our own lives?

In the latest book, The Heroine's Bookshelf by Erin Blakemore, the author takes an interesting journey into what reading our books teaches us about how to deal with life from the characters in our book and at times from the authors life as well. I had never really considered it before until I read this book at my own personal collection of books I have read from childhood til now. The stories that comprised my life and little did I know the lessons I have taken from them.

In the Little House On The Prairie Series for example I learned that the simple life isn't just about doing without. It's about being content with what you have. It's about knowing the relationships are more important than the things we can buy, that those are priceless. We learn about perseverance instead of giving up, we learn that success is achieved after long years at times of hard work. We also learn that new experiences are all part of life's journey and we may not know their purpose until we get through it all.

Erin Blakemore takes the readers into some of our classic characters like Scarlett O'Hara, Jane Austin, Jane Erye, and showcases what types of lessons we may have learned through not only reading them but rereading them. She does some amazing research as well into the lives of the writers who wrote them, what inspired them, what did they achieve out of their book being published and how did society view them. Being a huge literary fan, this book was a home run for me and an eye opening lesson into reading any book today.

I received this book compliments of TLC Book Tours for my honest review and highly recommend it. This is such a treasure that any book fan or lover would adore! For that reason I rate this book a 5 out of 5 literary stars! It will make any book shy person, pick up a book and discover the hidden treasures within its pages.

For more information on this book, the author and where to purchase a copy of this book, please click on the links below:

The Heroine's Bookshelf: Life Lessons From Jane Austen to Laura Ingalls Wilder by Erin Blakemore

You can also find out more about what other readers have to say after reading this book on the TLC Book Tour by clicking here.

Thanks to the generosity of TLC Book Tours, they are offering a giveaway copy to ONE lucky reader of my blog. Here's all you need to do to enter:

1. Be a follower of my blog, Reviews From The Heart. If you new, let me know how you found me.

2. Be a resident of the US or Canada or have a shipping address for either. No P.O. Boxes please.

3. Leave a comment telling me what your favorite book was or is along with your email address. You can use the words (at) or (dot) instead of the symbols. I will be notifying the winner via email when the giveaway ends.

The giveaway will end on December 10th.

The Second Messiah ~ Giveaway and Review

2011-11-30T10:29:00.000-08:00

In the desert near Jerusalem, an archaeologist is murdered after he uncovers stunning evidence in a Dead Sea scroll about the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The two-thousand-year-old parchment containing enigmatic references to not one but two messiahs is stolen before it can be fully translated.

In Rome, a charismatic American priest with long-hidden secrets is elected pope, setting off widespread panic among some of the faithful who question whether he is the anti-Christ or the world’s new savior. As the conspiracy over the scroll explodes into a political and religious standoff, two people find themselves on the run, trying to stay one step ahead of unknown assassins in their search for truth.

Archaeologist Jack Cane and Israeli police inspector Lela Raul must solve the mystery of the Second Messiah and uncover the real secret behind the message of Jesus before they are permanently silenced and the scroll and its contents are forever lost to humanity.

In the latest suspense thriller from Glenn Meade, The Second Messiah, takes the readers into a dangerous journey through various countries in the Middle East searching for the stolen scrolls that may change how the world views religion from here on out, and someone will do whatever it takes to make sure that no one knows they exist. Unfortunately more than one person does, and those would be the archaeologists that discovered the scroll. They have read a portion of what it says and now know just how valuable this find is to the world. The last thing this big was the discovery of the Dead Sea scrolls.

Now Jack Cane and his team will stop at nothing until they find and recover the missing scroll while the newest pope, Celestine the Sixth, whose former name was Cardinal John Becket, is out to disclose all the hidden secrets of the Vatican and offering full disclosure of anything the church has held since the beginning of the Rome Catholic Church. However, most within the church realize how much that information could destroy the faith of the public in regards to the church. Just what is the newest popes mission by opening the church to the public?

I received this book compliments of Howard Books, a division of Simon and Schuster Publishers for my honest review and LOVED the intrigue and suspense that unravels literally right in the first chapter. It held my interest throughout and had me flipping pages so quickly just to see how this was all going to turn out. For me, those are signs of a best seller and why I am rating this one a 5 out of 5 stars.

For more information on this book, the author and where to pick up a copy of this book, please click on the link below:

The Second Messiah by Glenn Meade

Thanks to the generous folks at Howard Books, they are providing a giveaway copy to one lucky follower of my blog who enters. Here's all you need to do:

1. Be a follower of my blog, Reviews From The Heart.

2. Be a resident of the US or have a US shipping address. Please No P.O Boxes.

3. Leave me a comment and share why you would be interested in this giveaway along with your email address. You can use the words (at) and (dot) instead of the symbols.

The giveaway will end on December 15th and I will be notifying the winner by email at that time.