Shakespeare's Lady

For centuries, readers have debated the identity of the mysterious Dark Lady in William Shakespeare's sonnets. Emilia Bassano - lady-in-waiting to Queen Elizabeth and one of the first women poets in England could be the answer.

In Shakespeare's Lady by Alexa Schnee, Emilia is one of the most dazzling ladies at court when she meets the little-known playwright William Shakespeare. Shakespeare sees the world like no one ever has before, and despite all odds, they fall in love. But the course of true love never did run smooth, and these star-crossed lovers must fight for their love - and eventually their lives. Shakespeare's Lady explores grace, forgiveness, and the forbidden love between the greatest poet the world has ever known and the woman who may have inspired him.

I received Shakespeare's Lady compliments of Summerside Press/Guideposts for my honest review and found myself whisked back to the 16th century and residing in Greenwich Court through the enchanting words of debut author Alexa Schnee. Always knowing that women back in that time period were treated as little more than property to be shared while looking for heirs to the throne, I find it interesting how Schnee gets Shakespeare involved in her story.

While Emilia is struggling to find her way through a series of encounters with men in the Queen's court. She can't help but have such a love for writing and creating stories which she pens alone in her room and keeps hidden beneath her covers. Her relationship with Henry Carey, a cousin of Queen Elizabeth, finds her appearance to be just like that of his mother, Anne Boylin. Now she finds herself a mistress to a man forty-five years her senior and wanting desperately to be free of the relationship, however since the Queen has approved it, her only way out will be if Henry dies or if she could conceive a child. This makes for an interesting tangled storyline and one that the reader will connect with through Emilia's eyes.

I rate this novel a 4.5 out of 5 stars for the authenticity the author creates through her debut writing and enchanting to see how romance plays out in the heart of her characters she has so eloquently created. This book does show how life was like in the Elizabethan time period and it was condone for men to have mistresses. That being said, the book does not go into great detail about the act of adultery with Henry Carey and other men, but is simply stated it occurred. I applaud the author for keeping the book more about the storyline and skipping details that didn't need to be elaborated on which is why I rated the book a 4.5 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:

Shakespeare's Lady by Alexa Schnee

Reasons for Hope in The Mosaic of Your Life

Sometimes the broken pieces of each our lives is there for a purpose. If would could share with people that times that God had used those circumstances to come into our life and make us better individuals and help us grow through our spiritual trials, we should be share those with people we come into contact with daily. Using those times of brokenness to connect with what God has done for each of us in our life.

This is what God had in mind for all those storms and trials in our lives. Those of us that weather through them can honestly say, we know what its like and we've been there and made it out the other side. Not only that, but here is what I personally learned by going through it. In the book, Reasons for Hope: In the Mosaic of Your Life by Carl Kerby, he shows people how we can get through life through sharing our trials with others. It helps show people what God's purpose is in our lives and how we can use that as a way to bring others to God. I received this book compliments of B & B Media Group for my honest opinion and think the author creates a fresh perspective on just how can witness to others through our personal pain. He shares his own struggles of being a son of professional wrestler and then trying to find his own way in life when so many doors seem to close. I rate this one a 5 out of 5 stars in my opinion and find his stories very related to what we encounter in life.

"Life is not always picture-perfect, and sometimes it is difficult to see God’s plan or purpose—especially during difficult times. Reasons for Hope: In the Mosaic of Your Life, by sought-after speaker Carl Kerby, researches the many aspects of faith that will encourage everyone looking for hope in today’s troubling times. With humor and passion, Carl answers questions about suffering, evolution, relativism, faith and more, strengthening his readers and equipping them to offer true hope to a broken world.

“In a mosaic, the artist arranges pieces of cut or broken stones or tiles to create a decorative pattern. We may struggle to grasp the overall design of a mosaic when we’re looking at the individual pieces up close, because what we see looks like a piece of junk, broken and useless. But when we step back far enough to view the entire mosaic, we get a new perspective, and we see the intricate beauty of the finished masterpiece. That enables us to grasp the original intent of the artist,” explains Carl Kerby. Reasons for Hope chronicles Carl’s rocky start as the son of a professional wrestler and takes readers from his difficult teen years and his military career to his stressful responsibility as an air-traffic controller at one of the nation’s busiest airports and ultimately to his ministry calling as a speaker. Carl reveals how God has created a beautiful mosaic from the broken pieces of his life, held together by the saving grace of the cross of Jesus Christ. As readers join in Carl’s journey, they will come to understand how the bigger picture of their own lives reveals a unique and beautiful mosaic.

Using his dynamic and infectious passion, Carl reveals God’s hand throughout his life, from childhood to adulthood, from unbelief to belief. No matter what the circumstances, God gathers up the broken pieces of life and forms them into something beautiful, all according to His purpose and plan. Carl’s story will not only give reasons for hope but will also encourage readers to share their only true hope, Jesus Christ. Readers will walk away knowing that the broken pieces of their lives are used by God to make beautiful and useful vessels for His work."

About The Author:

Carl Kerby is president and founder of Reasons for Hope (rforh.com), founded in 2011 as a response to a calling from God to proclaim the authority and authenticity of the Bible. He was previously a founding board member at Answers in Genesis for ten years and served there for over fifteen years. Before that he worked as an air-traffic controller at O’Hare International Airport. Kerby’s love for Jesus fuels a passion to engage the minds and hearts of youth and adults so that they can know the truth of God’s Word. He is a sought-after speaker both in the United States and abroad. Yet his most cherished accomplishment is his 29-year marriage to his wife, Masami, and his roles as father to his children, Alisa and Carl, Jr., and as grandfather to Trey.

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

Reasons for Hope: In the Mosaic of Your Life by Carl Kerby

Nameless

Many have heard the ancient Biblical tale of how a third of the angels rebelled against God's commands along with Lucifer and fell to the Earth. Do you often wonder if any of those "fallen" wish they had chosen differently, if they are able to reconsider their actions?

In the debut novel Nameless by Kyle Chais, this is the premise for the book. A fallen angel is finding himself bored with the same old routine on earth and wonders if angels can continue to fall from heaven to earth, is there anything they can do to get back into heaven again? Stuck in earth since that fateful decision thousands of years ago, a fallen by the name of Nameless wonders what it would be like to be a human.

Seeing an opportunity present itself in the form of a drunken failure of a man called Aurick Pantera, he slips into his body while sleeping to see what it's like to sleep since "fallens" don't get tired and need sleep. Soon his experiment to see what human life is like, lasts much longer than he expects, spending seven years in the body of his "host" before he realizes he has lost to ability to leave. Soon other "fallens" see what Nameless has been doing and some try to take advantage of the situation where Nameless is simply searching for a way back to his former life. Is there a way to use his situation to gain an entrance back into heaven or will he be forced to live the remainder of his years in the body of a dying man?

I received Nameless by Kyle Chais compliments of Gallery Books, a division of Simon and Schuster Publishers for my honest review. At first the storyline was interesting until the drama of being stuck in the man's body dragged out a bit too long and I think left the idea of finding a way back into heaven on the back burner. There are times in the book where other fallens want to use Nameless in an effort to see what love feels like, even if the other fallens are male, and one I didn't care for. For those reasons I rate this book a 3 out of 5 stars in my personal opinion.

If you would like to know more information about this book, the author or where to purchase a copy of this book, please click on the link below:

Nameless by Kyle Chais

Enemies of The Cross

Looking for a really great series of books guaranteed to leave you wanting to sleep with the light on, but written by an extremely talented Christian author? Then look no further than The Coming Trilogy Series by Greg Mitchell.

I got hooked on this trilogy after being a huge fan of such talented writers like Ted Dekker and Stephen King. You know the kinds of books that make you jump at noises while you're reading it, but it's so great you can't put it down?

This series is about the Bogeyman or as he is also known as The Strange Man. A presence so evil that he's been staking his claim in the small town of Greensboro since its introduction. That is where the legends and myths came from surrounding late night stories around the campfire, geared to scare you. Only this time, the Bogeyman is real and you're biggest downfall is believing he doesn't exist.

Picking up where the first book left off, Enemies of the Cross continues to struggle to understand what is happening to the small town of Greensboro. Now that a horrible murder has taken place and the town believes that the killer has been caught and is now awaiting his final trial for the death penalty, Pastor Jeff Weldon believes that his brother Dras is innocent. However he feels more than responsible. When Dras came to him that fateful night telling him of the Strange Man and the evil running the town, he didn't believe him. Now Jeff feels that he has to prove his brothers innocence.

Jeff's faith in God is about to be put to the final test as the evil surrounding the town realizes that he stands in the way. They aren't about to let their plans to control the town and bring about the Dark Hour be revealed by Jeff's persistent investigation. Now more than ever, the town believes that Jeff is letting his investigation to prove his brother's innocence cloud his responsibility to run the church and will stop at nothing to have him removed.

Meanwhile the Bogeyman's plans continue to grow darker by the hour as the North Woods surrounding the lake continue to consume all life that draws near and with that, the more powerful he will become especially if he can remove God from the equation.

I received Enemies of the Cross compliments of Greg Mitchell who was kind enough to send me a complimentary copy to review. Being such a huge fan of his first novel in the series, The Strange Man, when I saw that his next one was available in print, I knew I had to read it. Once again, I was not disappointed. Since this is a trilogy, the mystery will not be solved in this one, but will come to a climax in anticipation for the final book, Dark Hour, yet to be available. I LOVED this series and have to rate it a 5 out of 5 stars. Any book that can keep me glued to the pages, and reading it with the lights on, is a best seller for the suspense thriller genre in my opinion. That is what makes an excellent book.

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

Enemies of the Cross by Greg Mitchell

You can also follow Greg on Facebook by clicking here.

Mornings With Jesus 2012: Daily Encouragement for Your Soul

I had the most wonderful opportunity to spend my mornings with seven of the most delightful and beautiful women along with my coffee and get to know Jesus more this year. I received an opportunity to review a devotional entitled, Mornings With Jesus 2012: Daily Encouragement for Your Soul, co-authored by Judy Baer, Gwen Ford Faulkenberry, Tricia Goyer, Sharon Hinck, Keri Wyatt Kent, Erin Keeley Marshall and Camy Tang. What I discovered along with friendship and morning fellowship was a common ground as a wife and mother through this ladies.

Each day is broken down like your standard devotional with a scripture reference along with a cute story written by one of the seven ladies mentioned above, along with a closing faith step, designed to encourage you through your day with a challenge. Here's an example of what you will find inside:

Tuesday, January 24

"Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people. Remember that the Lord will give you an inheritance as your reward, and that the Master you are serving is Christ." ~ Colossians 3:23-24 (NLT)

When I was in elementary school, star charts and contests motivated me. One summer I read more books than any other kid in our town and my picture made it in the newspaper. In Girl Scouts, I got a certificate and a stuffed animal for the boxes of cookies I sold. During Vacation Bible School, I won a board game for learning the books of the Bible.

It has been hard not to focus on rewards in my ministry. My attitude can change like the tide if I get a good review or a bad one. Sometimes I'm bummed if I've poured work into a project and others don't notice as I think they should.

I don't get a certificate or another trinket as I serve Jesus. An eternal inheritance is my reward. And Jesus, of course, doesn't put a star on a chart for the things we do right. Instead, He is the one who will shine bright in our lives now and for eternity. I need to remember that. I need to remember that He is the one I work for, and pleasing Him is enough.

Faith Step ~ When is the last time you worked hard and didn't get the reward you deserved? Think about the time and consider Jesus looking down on you with approval. "Well done, good and faithful servant." Write a prayer committing to Him your work and your desire to serve others for His approval. ~ Tricia Goyer

I received Mornings with Jesus 2012: Daily Encouragement for Your Soul compliments of Litfuse Publicity for my honest review and was more than blessed by the words and stories that are shared by these beautiful women. I was so encouraged because the words come out like conversations between close friends, even though I was reading a devotional. This is by far one of the best I've read and for that reason rate it a perfect 5 out of 5 stars.

For more information on this book, the authors and even where to pick up a copy of this book to encourage and bless your mornings, please click on the link below:

Mornings With Jesus 2012: Daily Encouragement for Your Soul

1222: A Book Review

The Scandinavian Phenomenon 1222

Described as Norway's #1 bestselling crime writer, Anne Holt had fashioned together a most intriguing story of deceit, mystery and murder. Her latest book, 1222, is written in a very unique fashion, eluding familiar concepts of strong writing and story telling. One example of this can be seen in her main character, Hanne Wilhelmsen.

Hanne is not your typical protagonist.

Having been paralyzed from the waist down in a police shoot out four years ago, she is wheel chair bound. As a lesbian, and a respected police officer, she finds herself very lonely and depressed, and is not much of a social butterfly, even more so since her accident.

On her way to see a specialist about her paralysis, Hanne's train derails in a snowstorm high above any settlement, and her and the other passengers are forced to take refuge in a hotel at the top of the mountain. As the storm continues to get worse, communication between them and the outside world is complete cut off. To make things even more interesting, a clergy man is found shot. With her crime investigation experience and knowledge, Hanne is shanghaied into the team that seems to be taking charge - a lawyer, a doctor, and the hotel manager. With the storm raging outside, and a murder amongst them, they truly do not have much time before the next body is found.

This book kept me hooked until the very end! Holt did a terrific job concealing who the murder was until the very last pages! I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys murder mysteries, and action/ thriller novels!

I received this book compliments of Scribner, a division of Simon & Schuster Publishers for my honest review and would rate this novel a 5 out of 5 stars. For more information about this book, the author or where to pick up a copy of this book, please click on the link below:

1222 by Anne Holt

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

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!