The Survivor

Mattie's body has healed from the cancer that nearly took her life...but can she find the man who can mend her lonely heart?

Mattie has faced more in her twenty-three years than she ever imagined possible. Having successfully battled cancer, she's ready to reenter the world with hope for her future. But while she was in and out of hospitals, other Amish girls her age were courting and finding the men they would marry. The only man who's ever made her heart beat faster is Graham Weaver, her best friend, who has always been there to comfort her, in good times and bad. Is it finally time for their friendship to become something more?

But cruel gossip is spreading, claiming that Graham's the father of the baby Jenna Yoder's carrying. Will Mattie's dreams of a happily-ever-after be crushed before they've left the ground? (back cover excerpt).

My Review:

Once more we find ourselves back together again with Mattie and Graham, the childhood best friends that have weathered more storms together than most will ever experience in our lifetime. Now once more, they put their friendship on hold even while Mattie's cancer is in remission, the rumor of Graham being the father of the baby, Jenna Yoder is carrying. Even though he denies it, Mattie can't help but wonder what motives Jenna would have for lying about Graham if it isn't true.

Meanwhile John Weaver has made a decision to pursue Mary who he has met through his encounters with her and her son, Abel at the Kaffi Haus. The only thing standing in the way is where Mary and Abel's feelings for him are, and whether he is prepared to return back to his Amish ways or remain an English man.

I received the final book in the Families of Honor Series by Shelley Shepard Gray, The Survivor, whose name is well-known for her stories of Amish families, compliments of Christian Fiction Blog Alliance for my honest review. Shelley has written about the families in the series so well, its like a welcome breath of fresh air when you open the first page and begin reading. All of a sudden the reader is magically transported back to Jacob's Crossing and the lives of the characters we have come to know and love are back again, just waiting for us to follow them again.

This series is such an amazing one and I have connected with Mattie so much, not just dealing with cancer, but the strength she shows in helping her friends and family deal with their own personal crisis. Mattie could have played the victim, but in my eyes, she is the hero. Right there every step of the way has been Graham her best friend, who you have been rooting for from day one to see Mattie as more than a friend, but the man who loves her and sees who she really is on the inside.

I award this book, The Survivor a perfect 5 out of 5 stars and having read every single book in this series, I am sad to see it end but know that somewhere out there, the families I come to love as part of my own will always be a part of my life. For those of you looking to begin the journey in the Families of Honor series, start with The Caregiver, then The Protector and ending with The Survivor. Thank you Shelley for writing this series so well!

For more information about this book, the series, the author and where to begin your journey today, click on the links below:

The Survivor by Shelley Shepard Gray

Believing Is Seeing

In Believing Is Seeing Academy Award-winning director Errol Morris turns his eye to the nature of truth in photography. In his inimitable style, Morris untangles the mysteries behind an eclectic range of documentary photographs, from the ambrotype of three children found clasped in the hands of an unknown soldier at Gettysburg to the indelible portraits of the WPA photography project. Each essay in the book presents the reader with a conundrum and investigates the relationship between photographs and the real world they supposedly record.

During the Crimean War, Roger Fenton took two nearly identical photographs of the Valley of the Shadow of Death-one of a road covered with cannonballs, the other of the same road without cannonballs. Susan Sontag later claimed that Fenton posed the first photograph, prompting Morris to return to Crimea to investigate. Can we recover the truth behind Fenton’s intentions in a photograph taken 150 years ago?

In the midst of the Great Depression and one of the worst droughts on record, FDR’s Farm Service Administration sent several photographers, including Arthur Rothstein, Dorothea Lange, and Walker Evans, to document rural poverty. When Rothstein was discovered to have moved the cow skull in his now-iconic photograph, fiscal conservatives-furious over taxpayer money funding an artistic project-claimed the photographs were liberal propaganda. What is the difference between journalistic evidence, fine art, and staged propaganda?

During the Israeli-Lebanese war in 2006, no fewer than four different photojournalists took photographs in Beirut of toys lying in the rubble of bombings, provoking accusations of posing and anti-Israeli bias at the news organizations. Why were there so many similar photographs? And were the accusers objecting to the photos themselves or to the conclusions readers drew from them?

My Review:

For most people who look at articles in the newspapers, magazines or even books, when a picture accompanies them we are often looking at that picture and forming an opinion. Hand in hand with whatever the article states, we may buy into the story because what is being written about and what the picture show make a match in our brain. However what Errol Morris does in the book, Believing Is Seeing, is show a picture with the proposed article and how at times in history, they have been made to appear as though they were real, when in fact they were an image created to tie into the story.

These are created to help influence what we read and what we see, so that the audience is more prone to believe it based not just on what they read but also what they see, even though at times the images are created and not really what is happening.

Errol Morris uses many such examples of photos with one being a cow skull show over a dry and cracked land. In the article that accompanied the picture, the reader was made to believe that this photo was taken to show what was happening in the Dust Bowl era in order to get people to buy into Franklin Roosevelt's programs to aid the farmers even though the photo was staged.

I received this book compliments of TLC Book Tours for my honest review and found the book an interesting read. Its hard to imagine that this type of marketing happens to use photos to pull at the emotional heart strings of people, but if it works, they will use it. Many such examples are shown through the book along with commentaries explaining how it was used. This is a great book for anyone looking into marketing or photo journalism or just photography in general to see how pictures invoke emotions in all of us. I rate this book 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, click on the links below:

Believing Is Seeing by Errol Morris

You can also visit Errol Morris on his website by clicking here.

Thunder in the Morning Calm

Gunner will get answers. Or he will die trying.

Lieutenant Commander "Gunner" McCormick is assigned as an intelligence officer to Carrier Strike Force 10 - deployed to the Yellow Sea at the invitation of South Korea for joint exercises with the US Navy. During his pre-deployment briefing, he discovers a TOP-SECRET MEMO revealing rumors that the North Koreans may still be holding a handful of elderly Americans from the Korean War in secret prison camps.

As it happens, Gunner's grandfather, who was a young Marine officer in the Korean War, disappeared at Chosin Reservoir over sixty years ago and is still listed as MIA in North Korea. Sworn to silence about what he has read, the top-secret memo eats at him. Gunner decides to spend all his inheritance and break every military regulation in the book to finance his own three-man commando squad on a suicide mission north of the DMZ to search for clues about the fate of his grandfather. Risking his career, his fortune, and his life, Gunner will get his answers, or he will die trying.

My Review:

I received Thunder In the Morning Calm by Don Brown compliments of Christian Fiction Blog Alliance for my honest review and I was not disappointed. After reading The Malacca Conspiracy, I knew I had to read this one as well. Don Brown's writing style is designed to capture you within the first chapter and from then on, he guarantees to keep you glued to the book until you finish the final page. Believing that there are still missing MIA's that are unaccounted for, I couldn't wait to get my hands on this book and see how it turns out.

From the time, Gunner reads a small blurb outlined in a top-secret memo that it may or may not be true about MIA's still being held in North Korea in prison camps and that one of them may just be his missing grandfather, he takes a chance to fund a risky search and rescue mission. Relying on retired US Army Lt Colonel Jack Davenport "Jackrabbit" and retired Colonel Jung-Hoon Sohn of the Army of the Republic of Korea to help him locate the prison camps, Gunner is prepared to save any American being held there even if it turns out its not his grandfather.

Where this journey will lead them will completely alter the lives of everyone involved and bring about an unexpected ending. I award this novel a perfect 5 out of 5 stars and can't wait to keep adding more novels by Don Brown to my library. If you love military, black ops, rescue stories, then this one will not disappoint but make you a fan for life!

Here's even more great information on the book, the author and where to pick up a copy of this book.

Thunder In The Morning Calm by Don Brown

You can find him on Facebook as well by clicking here!

Amish Values for Your Family

I've been a huge Amish fan for quite some time and even my family knows if given the opportunity, I would gladly give up what I have now, and live the Amish lifestyle as difficult as it may be to leave technology and certain lifestyles behind.

I think the one thing I love most about their lifestyle over anything is their love for the community. Whenever anyone is in need, they don't turn the the government, they turn to their neighbors and no one is too busy to say no! They all work together to make their communities better, they don't believe they are owed anything except to be great stewards of the land God has given them. They are self sufficient and work hard. They don't have the issues we have in our society with our children being disrespectful or lazy, and they are up when most of us are still asleep to begin their days.

So when I was asked to review the book, Amish Values for Your Family by Suzanne Woods Fisher, I jumped at the chance. We were asked to go through the book and find one simple value in the book and share how it has impacted my family. It was difficult, not because I couldn't find anything to share, but because I had to pick only one, but it's the one profound one my family would say is one that stays on our mind all the time.

It's to put God first in our lives and I love the Amish proverb that accompanies the section titled, Our Daily Bread.

If God is not first in our thoughts each morning, he will be last in our thoughts all day.

How true, and how simple this truth is. Too often we have a tendency to bargain away our time with God over pressing daily issues, like our kids, chores, work, making dinner, dealing with issues with family and friends, that so often we only take the time for God when we are in crisis mode. We fail to thank him in the most simple of times, for the rising of the sun, the hot water for our showers, clean water to drink, a roof over our heads, because we are simply too busy.

But the first thing the Amish do before starting their days and ending their days is giving thanks to God for everything. For blessing their meals before they eat, to praying for a great harvest, for healing over sick friends and family and the best example of all, is even in accidents involving the Amish buggy's that claim the life of one of their children, they simply say it's God's will.

They don't sue the drunk driver that hit them because he shouldn't be driving, hoping it will at least compensate them for the loss of the child. They gather together as a family, as neighbors and as a community and work together to heal. That's what I respect the most and what my family is been doing differently these past weeks. The change has been extraordinary! By starting our day off with a simple Bible devotion and prayer, our days are more peaceful, less fighting, less stress and best of all, we are doing what is right and it shows.

We are laying down a solid foundation for our kids that is working. They can see the results. I would encourage you to go back to a more simple life. A life where neighbors unite, where communities are working together instead of simply waiting for what you feel you deserve.

This book is filled with amazing ideas to get back to simple basics and a much more peaceful life. I received this book compliments of Litfuse Publicity for my honest review and I refer to it each day along with my Bible to simplify my own life and set an example I hope my family will follow! Hands down this is an exceptional book and one I highly recommend! I award it 5 out of 5 stars!

If you would like to know more about the book, the author and where to pick up a copy and get started on what you can learn from the simple life, click on the links below:

Amish Values for Your Family by Suzanne Woods Fisher

Suzanne Woods Fisher is thrilled to announce the release of Amish Values for Your Family, her latest non-fiction release. "It offers loving ways to bring your fractured home back to life-Amish style. Read it and apply generously! It’s a beautiful book-funny, charming, soulful, and beautiful." -Mary Ann Kirkby

Read the reviews here.

To celebrate the release of Amish Values for Your Family, Suzanne has teamed up her publisher Revell Books to giveaway a Kindle, and with Bill Coleman (the amazing photographer used on Suzanne’s book covers) to give away a signed Bill Coleman original.

One Grand Prize winner will receive an Amish Values Prize Package (valued at over $200) and includes:

* A brand new KINDLE
* A Signed Bill Coleman original
* Amish Values for Your Family (for KINDLE)




Click on one of the icons to enter. Winner will be announced on 9/2 at Suzanne’s blog. Be sure to stop by the blogs on Suzanne’s blog tour – many have copies of Amish Values for Your Family to give away.

But, wait there's more! Suzanne is running a Bill Coleman caption contest during the month of August on her blog. Title one of Bill’s gorgeous photos for a chance to win a print from Bill’s Amish Photo site and/or a copy of Amish Values for Your Family.

Cars 2: Video Game Review

Being a BzzAgent has all kinds of cool opportunities that come your way and sometimes you're entire family gets the chance to get involved too! Recently I received an invite for my youngest, whose 12, to try the latest Disney/Pixar Cars 2: Video Game for the XBox 360.

The one game that can always get the whole family involved in a round of fun-filled competition is a driving game, and Disney's Cars 2 was just what our family needed to end our summer on a high note.



Inspired by the upcoming Disney Pixar animated film, Cars 2: The Video Game lets players jump into the Cars 2 universe with some of their favorite Cars personalities in exotic locations around the globe.

Continuing the storyline from the upcoming film, players can choose to play as Mater and Lightning McQueen, as well as some brand new characters, as they train in the international training center - CHROME (Command Headquarters for Recon Operations and Motorized Espionage) to become world-class spies. They'll take on dangerous missions, compete to become the fastest race car in the world, or use their spy skills in exciting, action-packed combat racing and battle arenas. Players can race against friends and family in either single or multiplayer modes with up to four players to unlock challenging new tracks, characters, events and thrilling spy missions. The DS version will also include exclusive global locations not seen in the film.

It's rating is ERSB which translates to 10+ although we had some energetic 9 year-olds giving us more seasoned and experienced drivers a run for our money. The game was a huge hit for us and the best part is when the kids all left, we were able to hand out some money saving coupons for them to add this game to their personal collection as well. The best part is just being able to spend time together as a family and do something that is fun and a challenge for us all. The biggest challenge was deciding who got to be Mater first!

I received this video game compliments of BzzAgent for my honest review and easily rate this a 5 out of 5 stars for family fun and entertainment! For more information about this video game, please check out the links below. It is available for the Wii, Nintendo DS and the XBox 360 at your local retailer!

Disney/Pixar Cars 2: Video Game for XBox 360

Dry As Rain

Behind every broken vow, lies a broken heart.

When Eric and Kyra Yoshida first met, they thought their love would last forever. But like many marriages, theirs has crumbled, one thoughtless comment and misunderstanding at a time, until the ultimate betrayal pushes them beyond reconciliation. Though Eric longs to reunite with Kyra, the only woman he has truly loved, he has no idea how to repair the damage that has been done.

Then a car accident erases part of Kyra's memory - including her separation from Eric - and a glimmer of hope rises from the wreckage. Is this a precious opportunity for the fresh start Eric has longed for? Does he even deserve the chance to find forgiveness and win back Kyra's heart? Or will the truth blow up in his face, shattering their last hope for happiness?

My Review:

I received Dry As Rain by Gina Holmes compliments of Tyndale House Publishers for my honest review and found this to be a perfect example of what it truly means to seek and find forgiveness. While the premise behind the story involves infidelity, the second chance that Eric sees as a sign from God leads him to delay telling Kyra the truth, even though the doctors have warned him that Kyra's memory could come back at any time.

He spends the first few nights dealing with the feelings of guilt, remorse and regret because even though Kyra remembers nothing, he still knows that nothing has changed from his own perspective. He now holds in his hand a simple choice, to tell the truth or live a lie, and ultimately he chooses wrong. The book is filled with what happens when we don't live alongside God's truth and the darkness that will follow for those wrong decisions.

For once I was happy that this didn't end up the way we would all like, because much like reality, we don't get second chances. Not all our life decisions end up for the best and sometimes life throws us a curve ball. Yet its what we chose to do in THAT moment at the crossroads, that determines the course of the life that follows. This is a shining example of that and how the road to forgiveness isn't an easy path as we'd like it to be sometimes. That is real and for that reason, I award, Dry As Rain, a perfect 5 out of 5 stars because life isn't perfect!

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

Dry As Rain by Gina Holmes

You can also find Gina at her website, just click here

Enemies of the Heart

Divorce. Job loss. Estrangement from family members. Broken friendships.

The difficult circumstances you are dealing with today are likely being fed by one of four emotional forces that compels you to act in undesirable ways, sometimes even against your will.

Andy Stanley explores each of these destructive forces - guilt, anger, greed, and jealousy - and how they infiltrate your life and damage your relationships. He says that, left unchallenged, they have the power to destroy your home, your career, and your friendships.

In Enemies of the Heart, Andy offers practical, biblical direction to help you fight back, to take charge of those feelings that mysteriously control you, and to restore your broken relationships. Also included with this book is a six-week discussion guide to help in a small group study.

My Review:

In light of the circumstances surrounding us today from job loss, divorce, and maintaining our relationships with family and friends, it's hard sometimes not to let greed, anger, guilt or jealousy ruled our thoughts and our hearts. While at times we often think we are the ones that deserve a break and it seems like the ones that deserve a little consequence for some poor actions are the ones that are constantly moving ahead. We on the other hand seem to be fighting that upward battle and never seem to gain any ground.

We work hard at the jobs we do, show up early, stay late, take on extra projects, while a co-worker will never be reliable, is gone more days than they are at work, leave early, take more breaks than most and then when a promotion is up for grabs, its offered to them and not us. Sound like a jealous head begins to rear up? So how do we as Christians respond to that situation? Andy Stanley gives some great advice on working on what we feel on the inside, so that we don't respond in a negative way on the outside.

We as Christians, need to start spending some time evaluating our heart, our spiritual heart on a regular basis. We neglect it far too much and then wonder where our negative thoughts manifest from.

We get jealous when we try on several pairs of jeans, meanwhile our friend puts on the same pairs and they look amazing on her. Do we compliment her or do we simmer on the inside wondering why we can find a pair of jeans to look great on us?

Do you ever find yourself asking the following questions after we have done or said something we shouldn't have:

"I can't believe I just said that."
"I don't know where that came from."
"I can't believe I just did that."
"That's not like me."

Then perhaps you should pick up a copy of Andy Stanley's book, Enemies of the Heart. I highly recommend it for anyone who is struggling with simply how to be a better person and how not to let these emotions overrun our lives, thoughts and actions. I received this book, compliments of WaterBrook Multnomah for my honest review and will be referencing this one from time to time. I give it a 5 out of 5 stars! The writing style is easy to follow and lets the reader feel like a close personal friend, and that is what really works in my opinion.

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

Enemies of the Heart by Andy Stanley

Escape

Have you ever woken up in a cold sweat thinking you're stuck in a life you don't want? Did you ever consider disappearing - leaving family, friends, even a spouse - ditching everything you've ever known and starting over again? Maybe, just maybe, even returning to an old lover?

That's how Emily Aulenbach begins the story of her escape: escape from a workaholic husband she rarely sees, an overpriced New York City apartment that never feels like home, a job where profits, not people are the priority. She doesn't plan her escape; she just walks out of her cubicle, gets behind the wheel of her husband's BMW, shuts off her BlackBerry, and drives away.

The one thing she can't escape is her past. Lately she's been getting letters from Jude, the fiercely independent man she loved in college. She thought they were soul mates, until she caught him cheating on her. Now she finds herself heading north, toward the New Hampshire town where she and Jude fell in love a decade ago. She doesn't care if she's making another wrong turn. She just knows she needs a new destination.

My Review:

In the latest novel by Barbara Delinsky, Escape, is the story we all wish for at different times in our life. Those times where everything reaches a boiling point and we feel completely overwhelmed. Emily acts on those feelings when the law firm she works for has her working more for the benefit of companies instead of the victims in the latest lawsuit over the health effects of drinking water. Feeling more empathy for the victims, she simply gets up and walks away after a very powerful conversation with a woman whose baby is going to have health problems for the rest of its life.

She and her husband, James have been trying to have a baby for quite some time, and now their love life revolves around an ovulation clock instead of desire and need. When her and James studied law in school, their goals were to make a difference in the lives of people they would work for, but this isn't working for her. James is busy working to make partner this year and she never sees him anymore since he is working nights and weekends now.

So getting in her husbands BMW, she heads to Bell Valley, a place where she has found peace back in her early childhood, where her best friend Vicki, still lives with her husband Rob, running the Red Fox Inn. Emily hasn't maintained contact with Vicki because she's been striving for success but now feels an overwhelming pull to come back to Bell Valley, back to old friends, back to the woods that can once again heal what's broken in her heart and in her life.

I received this book compliments of Doubleday Publishers for my honest review and LOVED it. I spent the day reading it when my family gave me a day to myself. It had a healing effect on me as well because I got the opportunity to take a virtual vacation from my own life. I got to feel the calming presence of the walk in the deep, dark woods that Emily takes and sat by the bubbling brook listening to the sounds of the water. I can relate because I personally have felt that pressure of life come to the boiling point but this provides a safe outlet to see where a journey like that might lead. The conclusion of the story is beautiful! Rating this one a must read, I can easily say it earns a 5 out of 5 stars in my personal opinion.

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

Escape by Barbara Delinsky

You can also find Barbara on Facebook by clicking here.

Q: A Novel - Giveaway and Review

What would happen if somewhere in the future, the ability to travel through time became a reality? What if you could travel back in time to talk to your earlier version of yourself and stop events before they could ruin your life and make you miserable? Would you do it?

In the novel, Q by Evan Mandery, this is the premise for the story. A man in the story is never mentioned by his name, which is odd when you consider it but it doesn't interrupt the story. He meets the girl of his dreams. She is cute, funny, and they have many of the same qualities in common from favorite game show hosts to frozen TV dinners. She comes from a family whose father, John Deveril, owns one of the top 10 construction companies and is always looking for the next big business project. He on the other hand, is a professor and a writer working on his second novel. His first, Time's Broken Arrow is published but is struggling to find readers who can enjoy the book without falling sleep or using it for a doorstop.

He can completely imagine a life with Q, whose real name is Quentina Elizabeth Deveril, and is set on making plans for a wedding with her when his future self shows up, he is confused. Not sure just what is going on, he arranges for a series of meetings to find out what is going on and what does it mean for him. Ultimately the message is the same, do not marry Q! To find out why, well, you're going to have to pick this one up!

I received this book compliments of TLC Book Tours for my honest review and LOVED it! Never imagined this type of scenario for a story but could empathize both with the present day and future versions of the man in Q's life. I would highly recommend this one for any reader looking for a twist on your traditional romance stories! I would rate this one a 5 out of 5 stars!

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

Q: A Novel by Evan Mandery

You can find out more about Evan Mandery by visiting his website here.

Thanks to the generous folks at TLC Book Tours and Harper Collins Publishers, they are offering a giveaway copy to one lucky follower of my blog. Here are your guidelines:

1. You must be a follower of Reviews From The Heart, so you don't miss out on some great books to add to your reading library and wish list.

2. You must live in the US or Canada or have a US or Canada shipping address. Please No P.O. Boxes.

3. If you are the lucky winner of this giveaway, I will need a way to contact you, so please be sure to include your email address along with your comment. You can use the words (at) and (dot) instead of the symbols.

4. Leave me a comment and let me know why you would LOVE to win a copy of this book.

The giveaway will end on September 2nd and I will notify the winner by email at that time. This is such a great book, I know you will want to make sure you enter to win!

Ransome's Quest

My Review:

This is first fiction novel that I have had the opportunity to review that was unique in that this one involved pirates. Not like Captain Jack Sparrow pirates, but more along the lines of the Will Turner possibility of a pirate.

Known by most as El Salvador, this pirate has captured Charlotte Ransome, the sister of Commodore William Ransome, whose goal is it to send a message that he can not ignore, that is unless the life of his sister isn't worth the cost. Leaving her soon-to-be suitor Ned Cochrane, beaten on the porch while proposing to Charlotte, he vows to stop at nothing go bring Charlotte back.

Leaving his wife to go in search for his kidnapped sister, Commodore Ransome is pulled in two different directions when he learns that his wife Julia has been captured by another pirate, this one the notorious Captain Shaw. Will either woman be rescued or will William have to make a choice between his family or for the woman he loves with all his heart?

I received Ransome's Quest by Kaye Dacus compliments of Christian Fiction Blog Alliance for my honest review and found this one most satisfying. This is the third book in the Ransome Trilogy. Unlike the comical adventures found in the Pirates of the Caribbean, this one deals with the unyielding black hearts and ruthless, cut-throat pirates from real history. This all ties together perfectly along with romance and faith that makes this high-seas adventures a must read and worthy of 4.5 out of 5 stars. Here's even more information about the book, the author and where to get a sneak peek at the first chapter!

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing Ransome’s Quest Harvest House Publishers (August 1, 2011) by Kaye Dacus

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Humor, Hope, and Happily Ever Afters! Kaye Dacus is the author of humorous, hope-filled contemporary and historical romances with Barbour Publishing and Harvest House Publishers.

Kaye Dacus (KAY DAY-cuss) is an author and editor who has been writing fiction for more than twenty years. A former Vice President of American Christian Fiction Writers, Kaye enjoys being an active ACFW member and the fellowship and community of hundreds of other writers from across the country and around the world that she finds there. She currently serves as President of Middle Tennessee Christian Writers, which she co-founded in 2003 with three other writers. Each month, she teaches a two-hour workshop on an aspect of the craft of writing at the MTCW monthly meeting. But her greatest joy comes from mentoring new writers through her blog and seeing them experience those “aha” moments when a tricky concept becomes clear.


ABOUT THE BOOK

The pirate El Salvador has haunted the waters of the Caribbean for almost ten years. When he snatched Charlotte Ransome, it was a case of mistaken identity. Now Charlotte's brother, whose reputation in battle is the stuff of legend, is searching for him with a dogged determination. But another rumor has reached El Salvador's ears: Julia Ransome has been kidnapped by the man feared by all other pirates--the pirate known only as Shaw. The violent and blood-thirsty savage from whom El Salvador was trying to protect her.

When word reaches William of Julia's disappearance, his heart is torn--he cannot abandon the search for his sister, yet he must also rescue Julia. Ned Cochrane offers a solution: Ned will continue the search for Charlotte while William goes after Julia. William's quest will lead him to a greater understanding of faith and love as he must accept help from sworn enemy and have faith that Julia's life is in God's hands.

If you would like to read the first chapter of Ransome’s Quest, go HERE.

Emily Post Etiquette Contest

Join William Morrow and the Emily Post Institute as they celebrate the release of Emily Post's Etiquette 18th Edition with the launch of this great essay contest!!!

The grand prize winner will receive a Barnes & Noble Nook Color with digital editions of her entire backlist. Three runner-ups will receive a copy of Emily Post Etiquette, 18th Edition and a set of specially designed note cards to commemorate the release of the 18th edition.

To learn more about the contest details, click here.

To learn more about the book, click here.

Indemnity

Indemnity (in-dem-ni-tee) Noun; 1. protection or security against damage or loss; 2. compensation for damage or loss sustained; 3. something paid by way of such compensation; 4. protection, as by insurance, from liabilities or penalties incurred by one's actions; 5.legal exemption from penalties attaching to unconstitutional or illegal actions, granted to public officers and other persons.

Sometimes in life it takes a life altering event to change things and allow us to see things differently. Often times we are the ones who get in our own way of seeing God's plan.

Bobbi has spent the last 7 years dealing with the affects of Chuck's affair with his co-worker, Tracy Ravenna. This time has been spent in counseling, and learning how to rebuild the trust within their marriage. Now that Tracy is no longer working at the law firm and has dropped her harrassment lawsuit against him and the firm, their marriage seems to be on the mend.

That is until 3 weeks before the beginning of the school semester, Bobbi notices a name on her first grade roster, Jackson Charles Ravenna. Pure coincidence or has her pain come back to haunt her once again. She learns the mother's name is Tracy Ravenna and believes that once more Chuck is keeping secrets from her and confronts him after work. Chuck is just as shocked as Bobbi is and demands to know if Jack is really his son, a product of his affair with Tracy. He also wants to know why she has been keeping it from him for 6 years and why now, she is back in their lives again.

For Bobbi, it has brought back all those feelings of betrayal, distrust and anger in having once more to deal with Tracy and Chuck's affair. This time with a child in the middle, she isn't sure she is capable of dealing with it again or if her marriage can weather this storm.



In the sequel to Contingency by Paula Wiseman, we are introduced to Indemnity, the second book in the Covenant of Trust Series. Paula once more puts your emotions through the ringer in how Bobbi is forced to confront some of her deepest fears and pain again. I found myself siding with her so many times and often wondered just how heartless and clueless Chuck could be in this situation. In the end, we see the perfect example of just how forgiveness works and what the true purpose is in dealing with the really hard issues we have to face.

I received this book compliments of Pump Up Your Book Tours and Paula Wiseman for my honest review. Since reading the first book and knowing there would be a sequel, I was once more torn with how this family would deal with a child being born in the midst of trying to heal their broken marriage from an affair. This one really hit home in so many areas for me. Paula writes so well, you immediately feel connected to all of the characters, from Bobbi's insecurities, to Jackson's desperate need for a family. It all works once again and rates a stellar 5 out of 5 stars!!! Now I wait in anticipation to the last book in the series to roll out. Throughout all the books I've read it really does show you how God can use the absolute worst circumstances in our life, to bring about His will, His glory and His good for us in this life.

For even more information about this book, the author and where to pick up this must read series, please click on the links below:

Indemnity by Paula Wiseman

You can also find her on Facebook by clicking here.

Displaced Persons

In May 1945, Pavel Mandl, a Polish Jew recently liberated from a concentration camp, finds himself among similarly displaced persons gathered in the Allied occupation zones of a defeated Germany. Possessing little besides a map, a few tins of food, and a talent for black-market trading, he must scrape together a new life in a chaotic community of refugees, civilians, and soldiers. With fellow refugees Fela, a young widow, and Chaim, a resourceful teenager with impressive smuggling skills, Pavel establishes a makeshift family, as together they face an uncertain future. Eventually the trio immigrates to the United States, where they grapple with past traumas that arise again in the everyday moments of lives no longer dominated by the need to endure, fight, hide, or escape.

Ghita Schwarz’s Displaced Persons is an astonishing novel of grief, anger, and survival that examines the landscape of liberation and reveals the interior despairs and joys of immigrants shaped by war and trauma.

My Review:

I personally found this a difficult book to get through. The story at times repeats itself over and over and I found myself wondering if I was on the same page or was simply re-reading the passage over again. While the story content had me interested, it was simply the style of writing that did not appeal to me.

There is a situation where Pavel and Fischl, his traveling companion from the concentration camp come upon a home where a widow is staying. While sleeping, it's not clear at some point in the story that they are having a flash back or the story is just skipping by to their time in the camp. All of a sudden they simply wake up and Fischl leaves. Pavel heads out to a refugee camp where he meets a woman, Fela who herself is a young widow and a boy by the name of Chaim who is apparently taken for stealing.

Then next we read all three are headed back to the old widows home where he stayed previously and Chaim is with them. It doesn't state how he was released or how he managed to be traveling with them. Then they end up removing the old lady from her home, telling the local police that they own the home instead despite the kindness she showed him and Fischl earlier.

For me there is simply a huge disconnect in the telling of the story. My other readers however might find the story one they can work through, but for me it didn't work. I would rate this book a 1.5 out of 5 stars. I received this book compliments of TLC Book Tours for my honest review and would recommend readers who are interested to give it a try, they may just see something I didn't.

For more information on this book, the author and more reviews from other readers, please click on the links below:

Displaced Persons by Ghita Schwarz

You can also visit Ghita at her webpage by clicking here.

Wherever You Go

Yona Stern has traveled from New York to Israel to make amends with her estranged sister, a stoic ideologue and mother of five who has dedicated herself to the radical West Bank settler cause. Yona’s personal life resembles nothing of her sister’s, but it isn’t politics that drove the two apart.

Now a respected Jerusalem Talmud teacher, Mark Greenglass was once a drug dealer saved by an eleventh-hour turn to Orthodox Judaism. But for reasons he can’t understand, he’s lost his once fervent religious passion. Is he through with God? Is God through with him?

Enter Aaron Blinder, a year-abroad drop-out with a history of failure whose famous father endlessly—some say obsessively—mines the Holocaust for his best-selling, melodramatic novels. Desperate for approval, Aaron finds a home on the violent fringe of Israeli society, with unforeseen and devastating consequences.

In a sweeping, beautifully written story, Joan Leegant weaves together three lives caught in the grip of a volatile and demanding faith. Emotionally wrenching and unmistakably timely, Wherever You Go shines a light on one of the most disturbing elements in Israeli society: Jewish extremist groups and their threat to the modern, democratic state. This is a stunningly prescient novel.

My Review:

The story was well written to include the lives of the three characters in the book, Yona Stern, Mark Greenglass and Aaron Blinder. They are united in a unique way, their love for Israel and the importance of being a Jew.

For Yona Stern, she struggles with rebuilding the relationship with her sister Dena for the last 12 years while rebuilding the issue of trust that has dissolved between them. Yona cheated on her sister with her boyfriend at the time, who confessed he didn't really love Dena for the last year and instead has fallen for her. Riddled with guilt, he ultimately confesses to Dena and ends the relationship thinking that they will now fall in love. The only problem is that Yona doesn't love him and never did.

Now she finds herself trying to finally reconcile the gap that has come between them in her section of the book and it seems that Dena only wishes to punish her sister through her actions while she allows her to visit by barely speaking to her, and for the most part staying so busy they don't have time to be alone.

Mark Greenglass has spent his year attempting to find out who he really is, under the watchful eyes of his father, who has more money then he will ever be able to spend in his lifetime. He doesn't believe that Mark will ever amount to anything and he spends time in and out of different college classes trying to find his faith again as a Jewish man.

Aaron Builder is a unique individual who is trying to make sure that the Jewish people are not forced out of Israel by their Arab neighbors. He will join whatever cause is necessary to make sure that the rising hostilities against Israel will not eliminate the country he has come to love.

I received this book compliments of TLC Book Tours for my honest review. This is probably one of the first books that I've had the opportunity to read that involves three different stories all in one but doesn't lose the reader along the way. There within the pages of this novel we find out just how far these individuals are willing to go to in the name of their cause? How far will Yona go to reconcile the relationship with her sister, Dena? How far will Mark go to hold on to his faith and still make his father proud? How far will Aaron go to ensure the safety of the land he loves?
I would rate this a 4 out of 5 stars!

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

Wherever You Go by Joan Leegant

To read more reviews on this book or to follow the book tour, click here

Eyes Wide Open - Giveaway and Review

Jay Erlich is a prominent vascular surgeon in New York. He has what most would call a dream life, a wife, kids and the ability to go where he would like without really worrying about money. His marriage is solid with his wife, Kathy, a veterinarian with a busy practice. If you ask Jay, he considers himself lucky. Not by the standards we would expect, but because he didn't wind up like his brother Charlie.

Charlie has been diagnosed with being bi-polar and lives a meager existence on the coast of San Luis Obispo, along with his wife, Gabriella and son, Evan who have also managed to be bi-polar as well. So while they manage to scrap by on whatever the state allows, they do need help from Jay to make ends meet or to help when their car no longer runs.

On the eve on Jay and Kathy's anniversary celebration at the beach, Jay gets a phone call from Gabby that Evan is dead from an apparent suicide attempt. However when Jay arrives, he finds the circumstances surrounding Evan's death now seem to point to medical negligence and possible murder.

In the latest suspense novel, Eyes Wide Open by Andrew Gross, a doctor soon finds himself in the middle of something he never dreamed he would and will test his ability as both a brother and as a husband. Drawing on two real life experiences from his own past, Gross has crafted a richly personal, yet utterly terrifying tale of two brothers, one successful, one wayward, trying to bridge the gap of what tore them apart.

I received this book compliments of William Morrow, a division of Harper Collins Publishers for my honest review. This book is a crime, suspense thriller that will leaving you hanging by a thread til the very end. I would rate this book a 4.5 out of 5 stars just based on the way it holds the readers interest all the way through the book. I was hoping for a bit more suspense but was not disappointed in the way the story was told and can't wait for the sequel on this one!!!

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

Eyes Wide Open by Andrew Gross

For one lucky follower of my blog, Harper Collins/William Morrow has agreed to offer a hard copy as a giveaway. Here are your guidelines to enter:

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

2. If you mention this review/giveaway on your blog or Facebook page, I will give you another 2 chances to win. Please provide the link in the comment box.

3. If you like my review on my Facebook page and leave a comment, I will give you another 2 chances to win.

4. You must be a resident of the US or have a US shipping address. Please No P.O. Boxes.

5. Leave me a comment on why you'd love to win a copy of this book along with your email address in the comment box. You can use the words (at) or (dot) instead of the symbols.

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

The Grace Card - DVD Giveaway and Review

Everything can change in an instant … and take a lifetime to unravel. When Mac McDonald loses his son in an accident, the ensuing 17 years of bitterness and pain erodes his love for his family and leaves him angry with God … and just about everyone else. Mac’s rage stonewalls his career in the police department and makes for a combustible situation when he’s partnered with Sam Wright, a rising star on the force—who happens to be a part-time pastor and a loving family man.

Can they somehow join forces to help one another when it’s impossible for either of them to look past their differences—especially the most obvious one? Every day, we have the opportunity to rebuild relationships and heal deep wounds by extending and receiving God’s grace. Offer THE GRACE CARD … and never underestimate the power of God’s love.

My Review:

This movie will completely move you to tears. An emotional roller coaster from the first scene where Mac McDonald (Michael Joiner) and his family are put through the hardest of life's tragedies as his young son is killed by a drug deal gone bad. While the police are pursuing the dealer, Tyler rides directly into the path of the dealer's car.

Now the family, 17 years later is still struggling in the various stages of grief. For Mac, it's getting over the hate he still feels for the boy who took the life of his son. Even though he doesn't say he's a racist, his actions confirm that he is being held captive. Now partnered with Sam Wright (Mike Higgenbottom), who's an up and coming pastor and who just received the promotion that Mac had hoped he would get, he is faced with his greatest enemy.

Sam Wright is trying to get his church started so he can quit to police force, however he too struggles with his messages when he can't even find a way to reach a hurt and wounded man he is partnered with everyday who hates him simply based on his skin color.

Blake is the remaining son who is on the verge of not graduating in his senior year due to his grades. He is still dealing with trying to live up to Tyler even though the accident happened 17 years ago. He turns to the wrong crowd since being at home with his mom and dad only leads to more arguments. His dad, Mac, believes he will never measure up to his expectations.

Louis Gossett Jr. plays a small role as the grandfather of Sam who teaches him about what the definition of grace means through a story of a slave owner on a plantation. This movie is well produced and the storyline will impact you no matter where you stand in life.



I received the DVD, The Grace Card, compliments of Propeller and Provident Films for my honest review and once again LOVE that movies like this are being made for families again. The message is relevant to anyone who questions what the meaning of grace is and how forgiveness works in any situation we face in life. A word of caution: you WILL need tissues for this one. I highly recommend this movie to any family looking for a great story with a message behind it. This is a 5 out of 5 stars DVD.

For more information about the DVD please click on the links below:

The Grace Card Website

You can find them on Facebook by clicking here.

Thanks to the generous folks at Provident Films, GraceWorks Pictures, and Propeller, they are offering a giveaway copy of this DVD to one lucky follower of this blog. Here are the guidelines to enter:

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

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

3. I need a way to contact you if you are the lucky winner, so please be sure to include your email address along with your comment.

4. Leave a comment and tell me why you'd love to win a copy of this DVD!

The giveaway will end on August 27th and I will notify the winner by email at that time.

“Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services

mentioned above for free in the 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 and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Across The Wide River

Your freedom. How often do you think about it? Do you take it for granted? Are you willing to fight for it?

Lowry Rankin's family have been freedom fighters for quite some time. They are living in the midst of the war against slavery. While others think it's their God-given right to own one, the Rankin family is willing to risk their own lives to help slaves find freedom in whatever states in the US and Canada are willing to treat men as equals.

John Rankin is a minister. A minister that believes that we should treat all men as the Bible tells us to and isn't afraid to teach about it in his church. However he can't be all places at the same time, and when a childhood friend is whipped to the point of death, the family believes its time to move from Kentucky to Ohio and begin over again. There are too many people that believe that there is nothing wrong with owning a slave, while he believes they deserve the same freedoms his family does.

The Rankin's become one of the first families to use their home as a station for the Underground Movement. Just when Lowry thinks that his life has no point and school is unnecessary, his father has him help move men in the middle of the night to the next safe house. When a tortured and beaten slave by the name of David tells him during his rescue that he will forever remember Lowry, suddenly he feels a different calling in his life.

I received Across The Wide River by Stephanie Reed compliments of Kregel Publications for my honest review and in the process learned about a true story in the process. This book just isn't a story about the Underground Railroad movement but about the story of the Rankin family and their role as abolitionists at the time. They too had much to fear if people found out they were helping slaves to freedom. She spent years researching the material for this book and in the process we can see just how difficult this time in history was for everyone involved.

This book is founded on the faith of Jesus Christ that is evident by the way they shared God with those that they helped along their journey to freedom. I rate this book a moving 5 out of 5 stars and highly recommend it! For more information about this book, the author and where to get a copy for yourself, please click on the links below:

Across The Wide River by Stephanie Reed

You can also find out more about the Rankin family by going to www.ohiomemory.org and search for the name Rankin and find the Ripley Anti-Slavery Society charter when the names of Lowry and Ibby Rankin along with other Ripley resident are entered. You can even find photos of John and Jean Rankin, Lowry's parents.

To follow Stephanie on Facebook, click here.

The Luckless Prince

Every boy dreams of adventures as a child and Roland Fredrick is no different except that he happens to be a prince. He'd rather be off on a journey to some distant land, rescuing fair maidens and battling enemies with a sword as his book of legends has been sharing these stories of adventure with him.

However his father the King, Fredrick, is ill and it won't be long before Roland will be asked to assume the throne. For now, he is stuck with history lessons which bore him and sword lessons which appeal to the adventurer within. Even his squire, Stefan can't seem to educate him on the importance of studying. Roland would rather read and daydream about things he can't have.

Then opportunity presents itself to Roland when his father asks a local fur trader Jarome to sell some furs along a river town in Woodwatch Ferry. Seeing his chance for freedom, Roland is able to convince his father to let him journey down the river before it's too late and he won't be able to leave the castle. Fredrick relents and Roland is more than excited to go. Taking along Stefan for companionship and the voice of reason, their adventure begins.

However when dark forces learn that the kings only son is traveling along a river virtually unprotected, marauders launch an attack and soon only Stefan, Roland and Collyn Silverbrook are the only survivors. While their raft burns, they are left wounded and in need of medical care. With no supplies and in the dark of the forest, they are at a crossroads in their journey. Do they turn back to the castle or will they press on to the nearest city? What will Roland's father think when he hears news of the attack? Will this news push the king into an earlier grave? Or will this adventure turn out to be more than any of them ever imagined?

In the novel, The Luckless Prince, by Rie Sheridan Rose, Roland will get more than he ever bargained for when setting out on what he had hoped would be a simple expedition. Now lives will be placed in his young hands and decisions that will be costly will be his alone to make. This is a true coming of age story for a young man who still has to keep control of his emotions and is prone to anger easily. His companionship with his friend and squire Stefan will be placed to the ultimate test while the forces of the dark magic seek to destroy and control the land and kingdom.

I received this book compliments of Pump Up Your Book Tours and Zumaya Otherworlds Publishers for my honest review. I was so drawn to this story of adventure because I believe within us all is our childlike sense of adventure. This book is similar to the Lord of the Rings Trilogy where we began our adventure with Frodo and Sam. Here the adventure begins with Roland and Stefan. In the end, the friends will need to work together using their strengths and weaknesses to overcome their greatest challenges. For those of you that love The Lord of the Rings trilogy, then you will LOVE this one! This book rates a stellar 5 out of 5 stars and can't wait to see what she writes next!

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

The Luckless Prince by Rie Sheridan Rose

• Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: Zumaya Otherworlds; large type edition edition (June 8, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 161271014X
• ISBN-13: 978-1612710143
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.8 inches
• Price: $13.25 Large Print Paperback / $ 6.99 Kindle Edition

You can also find more from Rie Sheridan Rose on Facebook by clicking here!

Dancing On Glass

Finding herself drawn to a collection of abstract paintings in a local gallery in town, Amalise finds herself connected to the women in the paintings. When the artist, Phillip, asks her for her honest opinion about them, she doesn't hold back which he finds refreshing. She finds herself not only haunted by the paintings themselves but also by Phillip as she sees him on campus at college where she is studying law, but also in her thoughts and dreams.

When Phillip shows up unexpectedly outside her job at the bar, she is both drawn to him and concerned by his appearance. At first he tells her that he was exiting a play at a theater that just closed but later learns that the theater wasn't even open that day by another local artist she refers to as Mouse!

What kind of power does Phillip hold over Amalise and just what is she willing to risk to have him in her life? It may just be that the power he holds will pose a danger that she didn't see coming!!

I received this book, Dancing on Glass compliments of Christian Fiction Blog Alliance for my honest review and was drawn by how much Amalise was willing to overlook her common sense for feelings of acceptance and love by Phillip. Too often many women find themselves in a similar situation but from this perspective, we can see how easy the lure is through Amalise's character in the novel. I would rate this book at 4.5 out of 5 stars! The beginning is a little slow but once you get through the first couple of chapters, it just takes off!

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

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing Dancing on Glass B&H Books (August 1, 2011) by Pamela Ewen

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Until recently retiring to write full time, Pamela Binnings Ewen was a partner in the Houston office of the international law firm of BakerBotts, L.L.P., specializing in corporate finance. She now lives just outside New Orleans, Louisiana, with her husband, James Lott.

She has served on the Board of Directors of Inprint, Inc., a non-profit organization supporting the literary arts in Houston, Texas, as well as the Advisory Board for The New Orleans Pirate’s Alley Faulkner Society, and currently serves on the Board of Directors of The Tennessee Williams Festival in New Orleans; Pamela is a co-founder of the Northshore Literary Society in the Greater New Orleans area. She is also a member of the National League of American Pen Women.

Pamela’s first novel, Walk Back The Cat (Broadman & Holman. May, 2006) is the story of an embittered and powerful clergyman who learns an ancient secret, confronting him with truth and a choice that may destroy him.

She is also the best-selling author of the acclaimed non-fiction book Faith On Trial, published by Broadman & Holman in 1999, currently in its third printing.

Although it was written for non-lawyers, Faith On Trial was also chosen as a text for a course on law and religion at Yale Law School in the Spring of 2000, along with The Case For Christ by Lee Stroble. Continuing the apologetics begun in Faith On Trial, Pamela also appears with Gary Habermas, Josh McDowell, Darrell Bock, Lee Stroble, and others in the film Jesus: Fact or Fiction, a Campus Crusade for Christ production.

Pamela is the latest writer to emerge from a Louisiana family recognized for its statistically improbable number of successful authors. A cousin, James Lee Burke, who won the Edgar Award, wrote about the common ancestral grandfathers in his Civil War novel White Dove At Morning.

Among other writers in the family are Andre Dubus (Best Picture Oscar nomination for The Bedroom; his son, Andre Dubus III, author of The House of Sand and Fog, a Best Picture Oscar nomination and an Oprah pick; Elizabeth Nell Dubus (the Cajun trilogy); and Alafair Burke, just starting out with the well received Samantha Kincaid mystery series.

ABOUT THE BOOK

In the steamy city of New Orleans in 1974, Amalise Catoir sees Phillip Sharp as a charming, magnetic artist, unlike any man she has known. A young lawyer herself, raised in a small town and on the brink of a career with a large firm, she is strong and successful, yet sometimes too trusting and whimsical. Ama's rash decision to marry Phillip proves to be a mistake as he becomes overly possessive, drawing his wife away from family, friends, and her faith. His insidious, dangerous behavior becomes her dark, inescapable secret.

In this lawyer's unraveling world, can grace survive Ama's fatal choice? What would you do when prayers seem to go unanswered, faith has slipped away, evil stalks, and you feel yourself forever dancing on shattered glass?

If you would like to read the first chapter of Dancing on Glass, go HERE.

White Sleeper

Ever since 9/11, the US hasn't exactly been watchful in the ways it can once again be susceptible to another terrorist attack.

It all started when a white supremacist named Harlan Curran and his wife were killed by ATF agents. Left standing in his parents blood, their young son, Ben vowed that he would enact revenge on the government that killed them. When lawsuits failed, he made plans that would give him recognition and that would involve taking out the people who deserved to die in the process.

Ben Curran found himself in a lucky set of circumstances when his new neighbors turn out to be a sleep cell operating out of New York. When he confronts them with their lack of skills and that he knows what they are up to, he bargains with them to join forces and really make people sit up and take notice.

Ben is a highly educated man who will use all his skills to run a test group to see which viruses will kill the most people with the highest success rate. When three families turn up in hospitals, with bubonic plague, rabies and botulism poisoning, it seems like the world is spiraling out of control.

CDC Dr. Dave Richards is on his way out due to his dependence on alcohol. Now waiting his final review, he is asked by his boss, Dr. Root to head out to Arkansas to find out what is going on with these three families and to see if there is a connection to a possible terrorist threat. He will find himself partnered with FBI agent Paula Mushari, who will form a two-person team to find the answers to this threat before a white sleeper is released on the American population and along with it, the threat to kill millions.

In the suspense thriller, White Sleeper by David R. Fett and Stephen Langford, the reader is taken on a roller coaster ride in a countdown against the clock not only to find the sleeper cell and its members, but also what virus they plan on using and how it will be disbursed before they run out of time.

I received this novel compliments of Pump Up Your Book Tours for my honest review and could not put it down. This one will have you questioning just how plausible it is for something like this to strike in any city and just what would happen if it did. It will make you think twice about some things doctors recommend that are supposed to help us and can ultimately be used against us. I rate this one an exceptional 5 out of 5 stars and can't wait to see what these two amazing authors come up with next. Down right scary if you think about the possibilities!!!

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

White Sleeper by David R. Fett and Stephen Langford

Love Lies Bleeding

In a world filled with secrets...no one is safe.

Samantha Moore is the golden girl - with a perfect job, a perfect man, a perfect life - until a random act of violence changes everything. Unconscious for two months, Sam awakens from her coma a different person - bitter, in constant pain, and forced to endure medications that leave her nauseous, paranoid, and struggling to keep a grip on reality.

Furious with her family for sending her away to a small, remote town to recuperate - placed completely under a physical therapist's care and robbed of what little freedom she has left - Sam lashes out at the "nice people" all around her who claim to only have her best interests in mind. But are her violent outbursts the by-product of her condition... or something else entirely? Strange things are happening here - and either Samantha Moore is losing her mind or her friendly new neighbors are far more dangerous than they appear to be. (excerpt back cover).

In the novel, Love Lies Bleeding by Jess McConkey, we see what happens when people want to maintain control over things, whether its their own life, the secrets they are keeping or simply trying to be something they are not. Greed is evident by the role the characters in Sam's life play.

Her fiancee, Jackson Van Horn, a up and coming plastic surgeon who has already won the approval of her wealthy parents, Sam fights to gain control over her life again, now that she has suffered a damaged leg and a severe head injury when she was attacked in the parking garage while leaving work. Since her father and Jackson have been making all the decisions regarding the best possible care for Sam, they believe that renting out a small cabin by the lake is exactly what Sam needs to begin to feel safe and secure again.

But since Jackson can't stay with Sam full time, her father and Jackson hire Anne Weaver to take care of her during the week. Anne has just been laid off from the hospital where she was a physical therapist and she believes she can help Sam recover not only physically but emotionally as well.

Problems begin with the house Sam is staying in. Rumors say the house is haunted by Blanche Jones, a woman who seemed to be the talk of the town that died in that house. Now objects disappear when Sam goes to look for them and she begins to dream and see a woman walking the dock just outside her cabin crying. When Sam explains these things to Jackson, he pushes more pills her way and insists that she continue to daily regime of prescription drugs to help her cope.

However Sam will soon discover in the time that Jackson leaves the cabin and she stops taking the pills, her mind becomes clear and soon secrets that have longed been dead and buried suddenly begin to surface.

I received this book compliments of William Morrow, a division of HarperCollins publishers for my honest review. This book was entertaining to the degree that I could not put it down, while trying to figure out just what was going on. This is a great crime/suspense thriller that will keep you up until you finish the final page. Hands down a sensational 5 out of 5 stars.

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

Love Lies Bleeding by Jess McConkey

The Betrayal

Ensnared in a religion she increasingly questions, Bronwyn faces an impossible choice.

When recently widowed Bronwyn becomes teh second wife to Gabriel MacKay, she promises her new sister wife and best friend, Mary Rose, that the marriage will remain platonic. But she finds herself falling in love with the man who has promised to keep her safe - even as her heart struggles with her promise to her friend. When Gabriel marries a third wife, and as the practice of polygamy increases and the age of brides decreases, Bronwyn begins to question the righteousness of this new religion.

Even as the Saints journey to Salt Lake Valley, their new promised land, Bronwyn and Mary Rose plot their escape. But when they are suspected of treachery by Brigham Young's secret army - whose mission it is to punish apostates - the two sister wives face the most difficult decision of their lives, one than mean the life or death for those they love.

In the second book in the Brides of Gabriel series, The Betrayal by Diane Noble, picks up where The Sister Wife left off. Now that the MacKay family is beginning to settle in their new lifestyle, Bronwyn and Mary Rose's relationship as friends and now sister wives at time is strained, especially when Mary Rose has complications during child birth and loses her child. She asks Bronwyn to step in and provide care for her and Gabriel while they attempt to build their family.

Yet when Bronwyn is torn between fulfilling her commitment as a second wife to Gabriel, he tells her that one of those duties is to have a child. Feeling torn between her feelings to Gabriel and those to Mary Rose, she sleeps with Gabriel only to feel guilty in the process. However Brigham Young's teachings are to provide full quivers of children in each of the men's households and unfortunately this means that even the 14-year old girls now are being considered for marriage.

This is when Bronwyn questions her faith she adopted from the church of England and what the Bible teaches versus what the prophets are telling Brigham Young. She soon realizes that she can't continue to be a part of this religion especially when Sarah is about to be married off, and if that means she has to be thrown out of the community and punished then she is going to do what's right not only in her heart but in the heart of God.

I received this book compliments of HarperCollins Publishers for my honest review. It's an interesting read into the history of the beliefs of Brigham Young's religion and his basis for polygamy that continues in some states even today even though its against the law. They believed in restoring the Old Covenant from the Bible and that meant the taking of many wives. I would rate this book a 4 out of 5 stars and for those of you looking for more insight in the historical basis for polygamy based religions then this is a perfect introduction for you.

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

The Betrayal by Diane Noble