Hidden in Dreams

Just when the world's foremost expert on dream analysis, Dr. Elena Burroughs, thinks she is getting her life back under control after losing her position at Oxford University and the man she hoped to fall in love with, she is approached by Rachel Lamprey, the product manager of an innovative new ADHD treatment about to hit the market.

Rachel asks for Elena's help with a clinical trial participant who has had a disturbing dream foretelling a cataclysmic global financial collapse. But even more alarming is the fact that fifteen people scattered across the globe - including Elena herself - begin to experience the same repetitive, devastating dreams of economic ruin just as one bank crisis follows another, suggesting that these aren't merely dreams.

As Elena searches for answers in her professional networks, she is forced to form an unlikely alliance with one of her most vehement critics and is drawn back into the spotlight as the public face of the so-called dreamers. Elena and her collaborators must race against the clock to find the connection between the dreams and the very real events threatening a financial meltdown. It's no longer about just dreams, it's about survival.

In the latest science fiction suspense thriller, Davis Bunn takes his readers on an action-packed, tightly twisted tale of the dream world and how simultaneously people all over the world are having the very same dream with prophetic results and dire consequences in the novel, Hidden in Dreams. Having read Davis Bunn's fictional novels in the past, I was immediately drawn to this one based in part by his amazing ability to engage the reader on one path and before you know it, you wind up somewhere completely unexpected with no knowledge of how you got there. Along the journey you encounter heart-stopping, page turning action and suspense that will make you finish this book in one sitting.

I received Hidden in Dreams by Davis Bunn compliments of Howard Books, a division of Simon & Schuster for my honest review and can't wait to pick up another of his books in the future. If you are the type of person who loves, suspense, action, along with a little mystery along the way coupled with a great Christian story line, then this is the perfect novel for you. I have to warn you, once you pick up Davis' book, you'll be a fan and want more. This one rates a 5 out of 5 stars and now the wait begins for his next book, due out soon I hope.

For more information on Hidden in Dreams, Davis Bunn or where to pre-order this book today, please click on the links below:

Hidden in Dreams by Davis Bunn

You can also keep up to date on all the latest from Davis Bunn by becoming a follower of his on Facebook by clicking here or on his website by clicking here.

Spring Hope

Being a huge fan of western romances, I am always thrilled when I receive a request to review a book in that genre. Today was no exception. I received Spring Hope by Martha Rogers compliments of Christian Fiction Blog Alliance for my honest review and think this one was exceptional. This is book 4, in the Seasons of The Heart series and what's perfect is being able to read this one as a stand alone. I hadn't had the delight to read the previous three but now, I know I will be going back to pick those up as well based on Martha's ability to create a character readers can relate to.

In Spring Hope, we meet Libby Cantrell who is running away from a painful past. After her mother died, her father found that he could profit off of Libby's beauty and sold her into prostitution at the local saloon. When she tried to resist, he beat her into submission. Finally she find that by running away from her father she might be able to start a life over again someplace far away. Unfortunately, God had different plans for her.

Cold, weary and sick, Libby falls quite literally into the town of Portersfield, Texas late one night and Deputy Sheriff Cory Muldoon finds her behind the general store. Taking her to the doctor, she soon finds that every person she encounters in this small town offers her a second chance of acceptance. If she is only willing to share the truth and with that facing the judgement of the town, she falls back into hiding provides them with a false name of sort, Elizabeth Bradley, her real birth name but her mother's maiden name.

Cory Muldoon fears she is running from more than she is willing to let on, and struggles to find out just what that is. Searching wanted posters, he can't seem to locate the reason for the fear in her eyes and why she pulls away from those wanting to help her. He also can't seem to keep his feelings for her in the right place, when he fears that she may very well break his heart if he is honest with himself. Cory prays that God will lead him in the right direction and that He will guide him on his path to finding out the truth.

But when fate comes calling and a man shows up in town that knows Libby's past, will all hell break loose and cause Libby once more to run from a life that she believes God has placed in her path, or will she finally come to believe that God does care enough about her despite her own unwillingness to forgive her past and come to accept the life He has laid out in front of her? Guess, you'll have to pick this one up to find out the answers! I easily rate this one a 5 out of 5 stars and was able to finish this one in a matter of hours. I really is a wonderful story set in the late 1800's and has a powerful message about forgiveness and judging people.

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

Spring Hope by Martha Rogers

Children of Angels

Just discovered an interesting new series of books for middle school age children by author Kathryn Dahlstrom that was an great idea taken from the sixth chapter in Genesis and the thirteenth chapter in Numbers. It's about a race of created beings formed from angels and humans.

In the first book in the Nephilim series, Children of Angels, finds Jeremy Lapoint, a resident of Anoka Middle School, in the midst of being bullied once more by a fellow student, Sid Lundahl and his friends. Not only do they taunt Jeremy with name calling but at one point an altercation ensures where the boys take Jeremy's backpack and dump out the items. His books, papers and reports fall to the ground which the boys stomp on and destroy. They even manage to ruin his iPod that his grandmother gave him for his birthday, breaking it in pieces.

Jeremy has become the brunt of Sid's taunts ever since learning that Jeremy's dad is in prison for stealing. Now it seems it's Sid's mission to make Jeremy's life at school a living hell. That is, until Jeremy learns he can fly. Not only that but he is super strong, able to become invisible and can make it to where no one can hear him, thanks to the help and training of his own angel Asiel.

Jeremy learns that he is a Nephilim, a cross between an angel and a human in which part of him wants to do good while the human half of him still struggles with his sin-filled nature:

"Seek the truth at the proper time - and the One who gives it. The angel in your kind longs to serve Him. The human...has a fight on his hands. "(pg 23).

Jeremy learns that there are 230 other teens like himself in Europe, Canada and America and it's important to learn his battle skills because he will be facing demons as one of the few that can see clearly into the spiritual realm. Feeling a bit more reassured, Jeremy finds himself being accepted to the Higher Humanity Institute for teens with unique abilities like his own. Only what he finds there isn't what he had expected at all. You'll have to pick this one up to learn what he finds and what happens to him.

I received Children of Angels by Kathryn Dahlstrom compliments of WinePress Publishing for my honest review. I think this is an interesting twist in Christian fiction for young adults and can't wait to see where the rest of the books in this series. I would rate this one a 4 out of 5 stars and think it's the perfect book for kids who long for that Christian super hero novel.

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

Children of Angels by Kathryn Dahlstrom

To read more outstanding reviews from the book tour, please click here.

Firestorm

For me it's so rare to have a book grab me by the heartstrings so strong that my emotions are complete bond to it like I have found in the latest novel by Lisa Tawn Bergren in Firestorm. When it can make me sigh at just the right moments and cry at the saddest ones, then in my opinion, the writer is truly using her God-given talents. Oh she completely had me in this one every step of the way in the characters lives that she so eloquently created.

In this Full Circle Series, Firestorm is book 6. In never having read any of the previous 5, I was a bit optimistic that I would feel left out. NOT the case at all. This one can be read as a stand alone but I feel after finishing this one, I would DEFINITELY go back and inhale the other 5 to get to know the characters more and because Lisa's writing is so well crafted for the reader.

In Firestorm, we are taken immediately into a fire where our main character, Reyne Oldre is leading a team of women firefighters in a task to help curb what is known as the Oxbow fire. By digging trenches into the fire line, they are hoping that they will create a break to keep the fire from spreading. As they fight to reach the other team in the middle, the winds suddenly change and the fire roars to new heights. Racing for shelter in a nearby meadow, Reyne and her team try to cover themselves with fire retardant tents to help protect themselves from being overcome by the heat and flames. They will have to ride this one out in the mouth of the dragon. When it is all over, Reyne discovers that her team has suffered losses, losses that she will be forever bound to when she loses 4 of her team members.

Now she struggles with that fear from her past as she begins working with a handsome smoke jumper, Logan McCabe. She worries if God will help her deal with the fear of the unknown when she finds herself being drawn into first a friendship and then to a romance with Logan. Knowing the hazards of the job, Reyne wants Logan to opt for a management position to keep him out of the line of fire, but Logan tries to remind Reyne his fate isn't something either of them can control. She must learn to put aside her feelings and learn to trust God in whatever the outcome will be. Along the way, Reyne has to amazing friends, Rachel and Beth who show her through their unconditional love just what God can do in her own life.

I received Firestorm by Lisa Tawn Bergren compliments of WaterBrook Multnomah for my honest review and LOVED ever single moment of this one. I literally read it in a matter of hours because I simply could not leave either character hanging without knowing how this would end. Lisa keeps the reader challenged in very real-world ways with both of her character so the reader can relate to dealing with worry and fear that you may never see the love of your life again being you both are engaged in a life-or-death job. I think that is where she gains the biggest advantage in hooking her readers. I rate this one a 5 out of 5 stars and now am off to purchase the other 5 books in this series. For those of you that love firefighters, a bit of romance and a great Christian message, then I know you will absolutely be in love with this one as much as I am.

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

Firestorm by Lisa Tawn Bergren

You can also follow Lisa on Facebook and keep up on all her latest releases by clicking here.

You can find this title at WaterBrook Multnomah Publishers by clicking here.

Spring Hope

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing Spring Hope ( Realms (May 15, 2012) by Martha Rogers



ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Martha Rogers is a freelance author of both fiction and non-fiction and a speaker. Her stories and articles have appeared in a number of compilations and magazines. Her first fiction novella was released in 2007.



Her experiences as a public school teacher, Sunday school teacher, youth leader, First Place leader, Mom and Grandmother give Martha a unique field of ministry.



Martha is am alumni of CLASS and is available to speak at Women's Retreats, conferences, and luncheons on topics of interest to women of all ages.



As an author, she is available to speak at writing conferences and workshops on a variety of topics of interest to writers.



ABOUT THE BOOK

Can runaway Libby Cantrell finally get a new start?



Libby Cantrell’s life has gone from bad to worse since her mother’s death. After working in a brothel to support her abusive father, she sees no hope for her future until one cold winter night when she finds the courage to escape.



When she collapses in Portersfield, Texas, exhausted, ill, and hungry, Sheriff Cory Muldoon finds her and takes her to the doctor. Against Cory’s better judgment, Seth and Erin Winston take her in and offer her a job as a nanny for their young son. As a minister, Seth sees it as his duty to take care of her. As a deputy, Cory needs to know the truth about her even as he is attracted to the waif of a young woman.



As Cory’s feelings for her grow and winter becomes spring, will he be able to accept her as she is now and truly forget and forgive her sordid past?



If you would like to read the first chapter of Spring Hope, go HERE.

The Exceptionals

I know most of us know who the X-men are? But what if there really was a school for gifted children, not mutants, that were "special" from others. Had unique abilities that they could work on becoming stronger at, used for good and not evil and they could attend a school designed to help them in those abilities as well as the standard high school subjects as well?

Well look no further than Cambial Academy! That's just what you will discover if you are lucky enough to be chosen to attend this school. A gated community where students can live in dorms and get through high school feeling like normal kids but there aren't really. They each possess unique abilities such as the ability to move objects, read minds, break codes, see into the future and other special attributes. They are given a special class to attend where they work on strengthening those abilities and at times are called to work for the government if the need arises.

However something sinister is going on and the talented students known as Exceptionals are being kidnapped. No one is seeing anything and one by one the students are vanishing. Now the administrators are being called into action and Claire Walker, the daughter of the founders feels she might be the only one who can figure out what is happening. Her unique gift is the ability to talk to animals and she's only told her brother Billy because her parents don't consider this gift to be of any use. Now however when her close friends disappear one by one, Claire decides to use her special abilities to help locate her missing friends before it's too late.

In the young adult novel, The Exceptionals by Erin Cashman, the reader is transported into the life of Claire Walker who is being sent to Cambial Academy as a punishment since she managed to get in trouble for attending her Spring Fling and having beer in the car at Lakeville High School. She didn't know that one of her friends had it and now her parents, who both work at Cambial Academy feel she is wasting her time with the wrong crowd. Feeling less than worthy, Claire tries to fit in, and because her abilities are what her parents consider special, she tells them she can't do it any longer. Until, she learns how to control her ability and really listen to what the animals in the forest surrounding the school can tell her. This is a perfect story for young adults, ages 11 and up because who hasn't dealt with being unpopular, having issues communicating with parents and wanting to believe super powers are possible. If this sounds like your child, then they will love this book.

I received The Exceptionals by Erin Cashman compliments of TLC Book Tours for my honest review. Having a 13-year-old daughter and even remembering how I wished books like this existed when I was younger, I just knew I had to read this one. I've always dreamed of what it would be like to read animals thoughts and even talk to them. If your child loves Super Heroes, like The Avengers or the X-Men, then this will be the perfect action-packed adventure for them. I rate this one a 4.5 out of 5 stars and can't wait to share this one with my daughter! Who hasn't wished for the ability to read minds, or to see into the future? Well in this book, all that is possible and more!

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

The Exceptionals by Erin Cashman

To read more outstanding reviews as part of this book tour, please click here.

To follow Erin Cashman on Facebook with this series, please click here.

Unclaimed Legacy

Ever since Mother's Day my husband and I have been searching Ancestry.com to try and figure out just how far our own family tree goes back in time. Rumor has it from my husbands side of the family that his distant relative may have been William Clark from the famed Lewis and Clark expedition and that is just where I found myself today after reading Deborah Heal's latest novel, Unclaimed Legacy.

In this sequel to Time and Again: Charotte from Miles Station, we revisit Merri and Abby who have come across quite an unusual computer program that has been installed on Merri's computer called Beautiful Home. With it, they can log into the program in old homes and take a virtual trip back into time and view what life was like for the people who lived in that particular home. Now that they haven't been able to get it to work in the Miles Station home any longer, they think the program has malfunctioned or gotten a virus.

They consult with John Roberts, a young man that helped them out in the first book and whom Abby has a bit of an attraction for to help them fix their computer. He brings along a friend who tells them there is no such program called Beautiful Home and offers to de-bug their computer anyway. Since they can't get the computer program to work anymore they set out to work with a neighborhood boy by the name of Michael who has speech problems and is being bullied at school. When they meet his mother, who is deaf, they make the connection that Michael's speech problem can be fixed by working with a speech therapist by the name of Lucy.

Since Lucy is so busy, she asks Abby and Merri to house sit for her and take care of her young dog named Dr. Bob. While there she reminds them of some older ladies named Beulah and Eulah Edwards, twins who live next door and who are a bit intrusive, harmless and eccentric. She advised them, not to eat anything they cook, since most of the time it's not edible and to help them out whenever they can. It's not until they stay over night that the computer program for Beautiful Home once more is working but this time it's there current residence that has a bit of history to reveal on its own.

This is where to story gets interesting and the reader is taken on a fictional time travel of sorts where the author, Deborah Heal has taken pieces of real life history and woven them into the story to create a fantastic story geared to keep the reader entertained and on the edge of their seat through the whole book. I've been delighted to be given a sneak peek into this sequel due out this year for young adults and have to say I adored every single bit of this. It has just the perfect blend of history and action packed suspense to keep young adults glued to the pages as they work with the characters Abby, Merri and John to uncover a crime from history and a mystery of a secret intruder who stakes out the Shake Rag Corner Stage Coach Inn in the late night hours searching for something.

I received an Unclaimed Legacy compliments of Deborah Heal for my honest opinion and being both a lover of historical fiction and young adult books, I think she has mastered a home run here. This one easily rates a 5 out of 5 stars for me and one I anxiously await our coming school year to have my 13-year-old daughter pick up as both a part of literature and history. I think that's what makes this book so incredible is its ability to translate a love of reading with a fascination for history and I hope it will work it's way to the top of the best seller lists for young adults.

For more information on this unique and wonderful series of books by Deborah Heal, please click on the links below:

Unclaimed Legacy by Deborah Heal

You can visit Deborah's website by clicking here or you can follow her on Facebook by clicking here.

Once Upon A List

Clara Black felt like her life had come to the end of the road. I guess for most of us, we would look at Clara, her situation and give her some time to grieve but then expect her to move forward. And she tried, really she did. She sought out professional ways to help her find her way out of the blackest, deepest pit of despair and depression but nothing seemed to work. Nothing would ever be the same again and just managing to take a breath alone was more work than it should be.

Just eight days before her life would change in ways she had dreamed of since she was a little girl, that dream turned into a nightmare. It began with a simple phone call telling her that her soon-to-be husband, Sebastian was dead, an accident had claimed his life and he wouldn't be coming home to her again, EVER!

She put up the walls and kept people at a distance, even so much that her boss told her to take some time off. He didn't want her jeopardizing any more clients with his firm as an Account Executive and to come back when she felt ready. Would she ever be ready for life again?

Answering a phone call from her brother Leo, he managed to persuade her to return home with him to their mom's home for Thanksgiving. Libby would be able to find a way to get her daughter out of her depression. She had written a jingle for almost every other product in the world and was hoping that between the two of them, they might find a way to reach Clara. However, Clara's help arrived in a surprising cardboard box awaiting her return home. In it would hold the answers that she would need to begin the rebuilding process. A project a 5th grade, Clara worked on and was being returned to her. A time capsule, that 2o years later, would be the turning point in her life. It contained a simple list of the things she had hoped to accomplish before she turned 35, and now just a few months remained before this list of unfulfilled wants and desires would be considered null and void.

That's when Clara decided to take a leap of faith and put her brother's challenge to the test and see just how many of these items she could complete before her 35th birthday. Will she be able to do it, or will her grief beat her to the finish line? To find out, you'll have to pick up Robin Gold's latest novel, Once Upon A List.

I received this delightful novel compliments of Harper Collins Publishers for my honest review and completely fell in love with Clara's character. I couldn't imagine the amount of grief she felt and could see myself responding in similar ways when people came around to help. Unless you've experienced it first hand, it's hard to know what to do or say to help. Robin Gold did an amazing job of putting you write in the heart of things and feeling all the emotions she had to endure during this book of putting her life back in order. I think it's genuine because it was no short order process and there were so many times that Clara fell back into her old ways and grew frustrated. She didn't want to be that way, but there were those old habits and feelings. I admire her courage to keep getting back up and trying again and think this list worked out perfectly for her along with her brother Leo to encourage her along the way.

This makes for the perfect summer read to experience life through Clara's eyes. It truly does put life back into perspective and shows us all how quickly it can change and there is nothing we can do to prevent that from happening. I rate this one a 4.5 out of 5 stars. It does contain some profanity and adult situations but given the subject matter of the book, I think Robin did an exceptional job at keeping this one real. For more information on Once Upon A List, Robin Gold or where to pick up this one today, please click on the link below:

Once Upon A List by Robin Gold

ISBN: 9780062193711; ISBN10: 0062193716; Imprint: Avon Impulse ; On Sale: 5/8/2012; Format: eBook; Trimsize: ; Pages: 324; $3.99/$6.99; Ages: 18 and Up; BISAC1:FIC027020; BISAC2:FIC044000

Guest Post from J. Thomas Shaw - Author of The RX Factor

A Solution to Transform Medical Research and the United States Health Care System

Despite spending more than any other nation in the world on health care, only 15% of Americans believe we have the world’s best health care, according to a recent Pew Research Center and Gallup Poll. The CIA world Factbook reports that the United States is ranked #50 in terms of average life expectancy. The average age at death in the U.S. is 78.49 years of age, over 11 years behind #1 ranked Monaco.

This is where you end up on the list with a “make money at all cost” health care system. However, I have a three step plan that will transform medical research and the health care system as we know it in the U.S. If we act now, we can go from #50 to #1 by 2030 while at the same time cutting our spending on health care in half. My plan will also drive down insurance premiums, making coverage affordable for the vast majority.

Half of the country is demanding that the government stay out of health care while the other half is supporting a quasi-socialized health care system. With such vehemently opposing views, there is zero chance for a consensus and therefore nothing will ever get done that moves us in the right direction. And this is exactly what Big Pharma wants. Therefore, the first step is to change the debate. From Hillarycare through Obamacare, we have been debating {health care} costs and {health insurance} coverage. Cost and coverage are not the problems; they are symptoms of the real problems which are {unidentified} causes and {a lack of} cures.

The next step is to stop donating money to the mega health charities who each take in tens of millions of dollars annually by offering hope to find a cure, but continue to come up empty as a result of Big Pharma’s influence over all medical research. Instead, not-for-profit universities conducting medical research need to sever their ties to Big Pharma and seek funding from private citizens. The vast majority of medical researchers want to be involved in discovering the cause and cures for human ailments, but they also have to live and they know who butters their bread. If private individuals fund this research, then our nation’s medical researchers no longer need to be beholden to Big Pharma.

The third step is to fight fire with fire. Like any other publicly traded company, Big Phamra has a fiduciary responsibility to increase shareholder value by enacting business plans that will increase revenues and profits year over year. In the current environment, the best way to accomplish that objective is to get more people reliant (addicted) on the drugs they produce.

Big Pharma’s mission is not necessarily to get every single American popping their daily maintenance drugs, rather it is to make as much money as possible and selling addictive maintenance drugs is the best way to accomplish that mission as things stand right now. Therefore we need to change the tax code and enact legislation to make their pursuit of profits align with the greater good of the health our citizens.

This can be accomplished by the carrot and stick approach. First we need to show Big Pharma the stick:

1. Institute a windfall profits tax on any profits derived from any new products developed that is considered a maintenance drug.

2. Eliminate deductions for R&D expenses associated with any drug being developed as a maintenance drug and not a cure.

Next is the carrot:

1. No income tax paid on the profits generated by any product that cures a human ailment – for eternity.

2. Offer permanent patent protection on any product produced that offers a real cure. Expand patent protection to natural cures documented in human trials.

3. Pricing – fix pricing on drugs that cure human disease to make it as profitable to cure as it does to maintain in today’s health care environment.

This is all about money. If we have the courage to make those changes to the tax code and enact this type of meaningful health care reform, within 15 -20 years, we will have a cure for nearly every human disease known to man. In addition, the cost of health insurance will be affordable for almost everyone and the vast majority of us will end up living much longer and more productive and healthier lives.

About J. Thomas Shaw

J. Thomas Shaw is the author of The RX Factor, a fact based thriller that pits one man against Big Phamra and the FDA. Fact based fiction has the power to bring people from all walks of life together and focus on a single issue. Check it out at www.therxfactor.com. The web site includes reviews, excerpts, a book trailer that has been viewed by over 50,000 fans in the past few months, a book review contest and a 6 day/7 night dream vacation sweepstakes. You can follow the author on Twitter @thejshawfactor and on Facebook at the link below: https://www.facebook.com/pages/J-Thomas-Shaw/164417803664023

Watch for my review coming up on The Rx Factor next month. You won't want to miss this!

Beautiful Sacrifice - Giveaway and Review

Well here it is, 2012 and once more there is talk of the Mayans and the prophetic December 21, 2012 date looming in the very near future. This is the under lying theme for the latest book by Elizabeth Lowell, Beautiful Sacrifice.

This one is an action-packed version of Romancing the Stone meets Indiana Jones with a whole lot more sexuality going on between the two main characters Dr. Lina Taylor and Hunter Johnston. There on and off again steamy relationship became when Hunter was called in to audit some of the classes Lina teaches at the museum her family owns. Now with the light being drawn on the Mayan prophecy, Hunter calls in a favor with Lina. Apparently during a recent arrest some Mayan artifacts have gone missing. Very rare artifacts that border on priceless and would guarantee the owner of such items to be not only wealthy but to gain such importance in all social aspects, they could write their own ticket to anywhere.

Hunter's friend, an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer or ICE for short, has been accused of the stealing the artifacts. If he can't locate and return the items, he will be fired. This isn't something he can do since he's married to his wife Ali, who is pregnant and between them already have five kids. So he enlists Hunter's help.

This is where the storyline truly escalates in fast forward as the body count begins to climb. These artifacts are objects used in a blood sacrifice ritual that is culminating around the Mayan calendar prophecy. As arrests are made, the trio discover human sacrifices are already being conducted, lives are being exchanged and the hunt is on. Only now Lina is the object of the hunt and a man by the name of El Maya and he will stop at nothing to ensure that she is found and brought to him. Could her lineage have anything to do with the artifacts, the upcoming ceremony and the need for a blood sacrifice? You'll just have to pick this one up to find out!

I received Beautiful Sacrifice by Elizabeth Lowell compliments of William Morrow, a division of Simon and Schuster Publishers for my honest review. This book does contain some graphic violence and sexuality, so the reader should be warned before picking this one up as some subjects matters may not be suitable for all audience types. However if you love a great romance story with a bit of mystery, suspense and action thrown in, then you will love this one. It definitely keeps the reader engaged til the very end. I would rate this one a 3 out of 5 stars just based on my personal rating system, but overall the story is amazing.

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

Beautiful Sacrifice by Elizabeth Lowell

Thanks to the generous folks at William Morrow, they are offering a giveaway copy of this book to one lucky follower of my blog. Here's your guidelines:

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

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

3. Leave a comment below telling me why you would love to win a copy of this book. Please remember to include your email address along with your comment. If you don't include it, I can't email you back to let you know if you're the lucky winner. You can use the words (at) and (dot) instead of the symbols.

4. "Like" my Facebook page, Reviews From The Heart and leave me a comment telling me you stopped by. Hopefully you'll enjoy my page because I update it all the time with the latest giveaways I'm offering so you won't want to miss out.

I will notify the winner via email when the giveaway ends on June 4th.

The Next Target

Austia Donatelli has a mission in life. That mission is to keep her husband's ministry alive now that he is no longer alive even if it means taking a risk at losing her own life in the process. She works at a Career Center. Besides dealing with the usual demands of running her employment agency, she is now interviewing a number of Arabic-speaking men to act as interpreters for the job applicants. It would be challenging, as it always was.

She was a single Christian woman living in a Muslim neighborhood on the south side of Los Angeles, running a business that required her to deal almost exclusively with men whose culture frowned upon men and women mixing in public. A job that flew in the face of the Islamic traditions that taught men a woman's place was in the home tending to the family's needs. However when she learns that a close friend of hers and also a student was murdered, Austia realizes that the risks she has been taking may lead them to find her.

When a young man who reminds her of her late husband David, applies for the job as interpreter, it seems like he is too good to be true. All his references check out flawlessly and he seems to have an answer for every question she poses to him. It isn't until she offers him the job, that she realizes she may in fact have hired the enemy to work for her and the people she's been trying to help may in fact just lead these killers directly to them and become the next target!

In this chilling new Christian novel by Nikki Arana, The Next Target brings the readers face to face with just how difficult it is for Muslims to convert to Christianity and just what risks they are taking on their own lives and the lives of those that help them learn about Christ. That according to the Qur'an, it teaches that it's all right to lie if it furthers Islam and that you don't have to keep any agreements made with Infidels. It urges Muslims to do whatever possible to inflict terror and destroy the enemy for the cause of Allah and Islam. Extremists use this to justify any immoral act, from lying to the killing of innocents.

I found the most interesting part of this novel related to why Muslims don't speak out against the acts of radicals and extremists of Islam, if this type of behavior is so wrong. It's simply this, you aren't hearing from them because they are afraid too. Moderate Muslims everywhere are suffering the consequences of the actions of their radical brothers. What an eye-opener that one simple sentence made in my own heart.

In this fiction novel, the actions of one woman, Austia will be put to the ultimate test of her own personal faith in Christ when these men will stop at nothing to make sure she is silenced for leading their people astray in their opinion. Will she be able to stand firm in her faith or will she ultimately become their next target?

I received The Next Target by Nikki Arana compliments of David C. Cook Publishers for my honest review and have to say I really enjoyed this action packed novel. It literally has to wondering just what could possibly happen next and who the next victim will be. When Austia hires a man she had hoped she could trust, he turns out to be the enemy in disguise and no matter what she tries to do to get rid of him, he has an excuse for everything. I rate this one a 4 out of 5 stars and would really appeal to people who loved that action-packed suspense novel that keeps you on the edge of your seat til the end.

For more information on The Next Target, Nikki Arana, or where to pick up a copy of this book today, please click on the links below:

The Next Target by Nikki Arana

You can also find more great books from David C. Cook by following him on Facebook by clicking here.

My Stubborn Heart - Giveaway and Review

Once upon a time, Kate Donovan prayed to God. She prayed that same prayer since the fourth grade. She prayed for her future husband. She prayed for his health, his happiness, his protection, and-okay-sometimes for his good looks. She'd prayed that she would meet him when she was meant to.

Except that in thirty one years she hadn't.

She'd been avidly expecting and watching for him all this time from the fourth grade straight up til now and though she tried hard to be positive, the truth was that she'd grown tired of waiting. Tired of dating. Tired of breaking off just two bananas from the bunch at the grocery story. Tired of singles group at church. Tired of living alone.

Worse, she was beginning to doubt that her nameless, faceless husband existed at all. Maybe, late at night in her kid bed, her college bed, her adult single woman bed, she'd been praying for someone who wasn't coming. Ever.

Once upon a time, there was a mother who'd been praying double hard for her son ever since he'd stopped praying for himself. Her son had been extraordinary - a perfect, miraculous blend of athletic ability and focused determination as he climbed his way up every level of the sport of hockey. By the age of 18, he was now playing professionally. He married a beautiful girl in a grand wedding ceremony, complete with house surrounded by a wall of security. Her son had accomplished it all. And then it had all come apart, crashing and rolling out of reach like a handful of spilled marbles. His wife had been diagnosed with cancer and nothing - not money, not the best doctors - had been able to save her. When she died, he'd walked away from his sport, from the big house with the wall and from the fame.

In the years since, he'd retreated himself into a place where none of his family or friends could reach him. So his mother prayed. She prayed that God would not forget him, this son of hers, who'd gained and lost the world in just a third of his lifetime. She prayed that God would send someone who could find him and save him from his prison of grief. And she prayed that maybe, somehow, in time, his heart would soften and he'd find love again.

Funny thing about prayers. God hears them. But you just never know if, when, or how He's going to answer them. (except pg 7-9).

In the wonderful novel My Stubborn Heart by Becky Wade, we encounter the prayers of two profound women both praying for the same person, Matt Jarreau. When Kate decides to take God up on His offer to help her grandmother renovate her home in Redbud, Pennsylvania, little does she know how God will answer her childhood prayer. What ultimately transpires between the two over this novel is nothing short of an exceptionally well-written romance classic. You can't help but fall in love with their story and how masterfully each is taken by the hand of God and walked through their darkest valleys.

I received this novel compliments of Litfuse Publicity for my honest review and LOVED IT! I know for sure, I will be keeping this as part of my permanent library on one of the best love stories of all times. This is Becky Wade's debut novel but now, will be one of the authors on my watch list. Her writing is exemplary and the ache you feel when Kate and Matt met is genuine and lasting. You are rooting for them every step of the way and that is just the perfect blend of intensity and romance you are looking for in a book like this one. I rate this one a perfect 5 out of 5 stars and can't wait to find more from Becky in the near future. This is a Must Read for your summer love stories!

For more information on My Stubborn Heart, Becky Wade and where you can pick this one up today, please click on the links below:

My Stubborn Heart by Becky Wade

You can also follow Becky on Facebook by clicking here.

Win a Nook Simple Touch™ with GlowLight™ in Becky Wade's My Stubborn Heart Giveaway and RSVP for FB Party {5/24}!

Celebrate with Becky by entering her My Stubborn Heart Giveaway and connecting with her during the Author Chat Party on 5/24!

One fortunate winner will receive:

• A Brand New Nook Simple Touch™ with GlowLight™


• A $25 Barnes & Noble Gift Certificate


• A copy of My Stubborn Heart by Becky Wade

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends at noon on May 24th. Winner will be announced at the "My Stubborn Heart" Author Chat Facebook Party on 5/24. Becky will be hosting an book chat, testing your trivia skills and giving away some great prizes!



So grab your copy of My Stubborn Heart and join Becky on the evening of the May 24th for a chance to meet Becky and make some new friends. (If you haven't read the book - don't let that stop you from coming!)

Don't miss a moment of the fun. RSVP today and tell your friends via FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning. Hope to see you on the 24th!

The Anniversary Waltz

Woo Hoo! The best part of finding new authors is like finding a real treasure, especially when the story is so good you want to share it with every single person you can find. That's just what I discovered when I opened the pages of The Anniversary Waltz by Darrel Nelson in his debut novel.

This is such a heartwarming story for lovers of history, World War II, the underdogs of the world and just pure romance told in a way only a seasoned writer would know how and that's what makes this one so splendid. Because it's Darrel's first, but it seems as though he has honed the talents of what makes Nicholas Sparks and Andy Andrews novels work so well in the hearts of women everywhere. A great story!

This one encapsulates two different time periods, 2006 and 1946. In the opening chapter, we are immediately drawn into the Anniversary party for Elizabeth and Adam Carlson, celebrating sixty years of happiness and love among family and friends. Then the story takes us back to where it all began for them as most timeless love stories will.

Here we see Adam Carlson as a returning war hero coming home from World War 2. It's hard coming back because you are sure how you will be received. His mother is waiting to hug him and tell him how much he's been missed, but his father isn't there. He is still carrying a grudge and anger from when Adam announced his intentions of joining the war efforts and leaving his mother and father to manage the family farm until he's returned four years later. You'd think his father would be happy to see him home alive instead of the sixteen others from his home town in Reunion, Montana that died while serving their country.

Adam has to work to heal that rift between him and his father and he begins by immediately setting to work repairing the farm that has fallen into disrepair. Only he soon learns that the farm has fallen into foreclosure and it will be sold in a matter of weeks at an auction. Adam tries everything he can to work with the officer at the bank, Nathan Roberts, an old friend from school. But it seems time has changed their relationship as well. Nathan has been climbing the corporate ladder and making himself rich in the process when a heart murmur kept him home from the war. He is unwilling to work with Adam at all.

Adam soon learns that Nathan's competitiveness runs further along than just business matters when Elizabeth Baxter, his girlfriend, seems to have an eye for Adam and his easy going ways over Nathan's demands. Adam takes the advice from Elizabeth to see her uncle, the mayor, to see if they can find a loophole to save the family farm. This is where the story takes an interesting turn and the book really engages the reader.

Darrel Nelson transports the reader back to a difficult time as soldiers were returning home from the war and towns were trying to find ways to recover from depression as well. It takes you back to simple times when friends and neighbors remember how to come together and find workable solutions. For me, this book was like a mix of It's A Wonderful Life when George and Mary were much older and trying to find a way to make it in their world despite all the difficulties happening in their day. This creates such loveable and real characters you can't help but all in love with and root for the entire way through the book.

In doing so, Darrel created so many moments, I had to stop reading and share them with my husband. These are those "Ah" moments that show how relationships are truly meant to be, with lots of hard work, dedication and laughs along the journey. This one I know will completely capture your heart. If you are a lover of historical romance books, or just a hopeful romantic at heart. I know you will LOVE this one!

I received this book compliments of Christian Fiction Blog Alliance for my honest review and HIGHLY recommend this one. This book for me was a mix of The Notebook and It's A Wonderful Life magically blended together to form an outstanding and timeless classic love story! This is one, I know, I will read again and again and share with anyone who is looking for those incredible books that completely leave your breathless but with a smile on your heart. I rate this one a 5 out of 5 stars and can't wait to add Darrel's novels to my permanent library. Look for his next book, The Return of Cassandra Todd due out in 2013 and one that will be on my MUST read list!

For more information on The Anniversary Waltz, Darrel Nelson, and where to pick up a copy of this book today, please click on the links below:

The Anniversary Waltz by Darrel Nelson

You can also follow more of this book tour and get a first chapter glimpse into this wonderful novel by clicking here.

Beckon

Welcome to Beckon. You're not here by chance.

Just what would you give to live forever? Money? Security? Your loved ones?

In the town of Beckon, no one ever leaves of their own free will. There is a dark, sinister secret hidden in the mountains and caves. One that has existed since the beginning of time. One that seeks to devour any that wind up in the belly of the mountain.

Ancient legends called them Shadow People, other people call them murderers and killers and still others worship them and what they can provide.

In the latest supernatural Christian suspense thriller, Beckon takes the reader into a four part journey in this novel by Tom Pawlik through the eyes of three characters, Jack, Elina, and George who happen upon the town of Beckon for very different reasons but each will meet at a unique crossroads.

Jack is going in search of his father, an anthropologist named David who went missing and has never come home. While searching through his father's desk, Jack locates a brown envelope that may provide the clues no one has been able to uncover in the hills of Wyoming. He takes along an Indian guide and US Army Ranger, Ben Graywolf along with his best friend Rudy to search for the missing ancient civilization of the Caieche Indians. He receives a warning from an old man named Running Bear that they seek to tell them about the Caieche Indians and the Shadow People, that "If you go...death will find you there." Death does in fact find them there in the darkness.

Elina Gutierrez is an LA County police officer who is on leave and searching for her cousin Javier, who has disappeared. A mysterious white van roaming the neighborhoods and streets in Las Vegas promising jobs to the illegals that gather on the street corners in search of work and money. Only when Javier didn't return, Elina believes that there is something going on with this roaming van. When she follows it one day, it takes her into the hills of Wyoming and what she finds there in the dark woods will call upon more than just her police training if she expects to survive.

George Wilcox is about to lose his best friend and wife to Alzheimer's. There still remains no cure and George struggles to find a way to reunite his wife to her former life. When an offer from Thomas Vale arrives promising him the ultimate cure, he immediately wastes no time in driving them both to Beckon, Wyoming. What he learns is that this miracle drug does more than just heal whatever ails you, and the price is worth almost anything George has to offer.

I received Beckon by Tom Pawlik compliments of Christian Science Fiction and Fantasy Book Tours for my honest review. There is something to be said for things that go bump and click in the dark. I didn't see this one coming but it truly is a must read for anyone that LOVES a great suspense thriller with a Sci-Fi twist to it. I love how the author wove these three different but intricate story lines together to keep the plot moving along and to see where it culminates is worth reading every single page. This book alone will make me second guess ever going into a dark cave again. Well written, the characters are believable and have you rooting for them in the end. I rate this one a 5 out of 5 stars. I personally feel his books rate right up there with Travis Thrasher and Mike Dellosso and can't wait to read more!

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

Beckon by Tom Pawlik

You can also follow Tom Pawlik on Facebook by clicking here.

To read even more great reviews from this book tour, check out the reviewers list below:

Noah Arsenault
Julie Bihn
Thomas Clayton Booher
Thomas Fletcher Booher
Beckie Burnham
Brenda Castro
Theresa Dunlap
Nikole Hahn
Ryan Heart
Bruce Hennigan
Janeen Ippolito
Becky Jesse
Jason Joyner
Carol Keen
Leighton
Rebekah Loper
Katie McCurdy
Shannon McDermott
Karen McSpadden
http://rebeccaluellamiller.wordpress.com/"> Rebecca LuElla Miller
Nissa
Joan Nienhuis
Faye Oygard
Crista Richey
Kathleen Smith
Jessica Thomas
Steve Trower
Fred Warren
Shane Werlinger

Forever Hilltop - Giveaway and Review

"What do you think of September in Hilltop?"

"Better every day," Alex said honestly. "I never thought I'd say this, but it's one of the most beautiful places I've ever been. It's a quiet beauty. A gentle wind blowing across a field of ripe grain, or the sun sinking in the west is more beautiful than I ever imagined. Hilltop is a diamond in the rough. I even understand why the people here keep talking about the horrible winters and fifty degrees below zero wind chills."

"Why? You haven't experienced that yet."

"This place is a secret you want to keep to yourself. Peaceful, beautiful, authentic, friendly...Winchester Holmquist told me that he liked to exaggerate the weather extremes to 'keep the riffraff out.'"

The township of Hilltop in North Dakota is all that and more. A bit of Mayberry from the old Andy Griffith show, only it is the only home for the residents that live there and ones you will be delighted to meet in Forever Hilltop by Judy Baer.

In this delightful, two book set, the reader gets to experience the beauty and family that makes Hilltop unique. In An Unlikely Blessing, the town is in need of a pastor and has placed an ad, for which Alex Armstrong answers. What he comes to find out however, is that he is the only person who has ever answered the ad. Considering it a bit odd, until the residents of the town become part of his very own church family.

Knowing that the Pastor is single, it makes him the prime target for all the single ladies looking to settle down. Hot meals are a constant stream inside the church parsonage as Alex begins to understand what has divided the once blended town between two churches, All Saints and Hilltop Community. Alex is hoping and praying that God will give him the strength to unite the two and in the process show him if he truly does belong in the town of Hilltop.

In the second book, Surprising Grace, the story of Alex's life continues as the residents of the town become more real to the reader, from the organized and very talkative church secretary Gandy, to the red-haired-ten-year-old boy Will who is organizing a Hoomain Society in the shed on the church property saving every known animal from certain death; Nancy Hubbard who is converting her three story over-sized home into a Bed & Breakfast; and Tilly Tanner, one of the oldest residents in town who refuses to acknowledge she's eighty and wants everyone to remember she's only sixty-five. There are so many delightful characters we get to meet this time around in Hilltop Township that you can't help but fall in love with them all.

Along the way the rift between the town churches will begin to heal thanks to the quilting bee idea formed by the ladies in both churches. There isn't perfect peace in this township, but what you do come to realize is that when people come together to help out, the problems become much smaller and it draws people closer together. Perhaps God did have a purpose after all for Pastor Alex being the only one to answer the ad for the church.

I received this wonderful collection of Forever Hilltop by Judy Baer compliments of Litfuse Publicity for my honest review and I am hoping that there is still one more novel in this series yet to be written. It is delightful and peaceful to remember that some towns remain small but seem larger than life by the people living there and this one will simply take your breath away. I rate this one a perfect 5 out of 5 stars and highly recommend this one as the perfect summer getaway read! This book is available at your local book retailer in paperback and eBook formats.

For more information about Forever Hilltop, Judy Baer or where to pick up this book today, please click on the links below:

Forever Hilltop by Judy Baer

You can also find Judy Baer on Facebook by clicking here.

• Paperback: 576 pages
• Publisher: Guideposts Books (May 1, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0824945298
• ISBN-13: 978-0824945299

@JudyKBaer is giving away a Kindle for YOU … and one for a Friend in her Forever Hilltop Giveaway!

Celebrate with Judy by entering to win a Kindle for you and a friend!

One lucky winner will receive:

• Brand New KINDLE with Wi-Fi


• Brand New KINDLE with Wi-Fi to Giveaway to a Friend!


• Forever Hilltop by Judy K Baer for you and a one for a friend

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on May 22nd. Winner will be announced 5/24/12 on Judy's Blog.

Don't miss a moment of the fun. Tell your friends via FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning. Hope to see you on the 21st!

Annie's Truth

As Annie and her sister Hannah get permission from their mother to go through their hope chests containing items for their future weddings, Annie finds her childhood Bible wrapped up in hers. When she opens the front cover to compare her child-like handwriting, she notices that among her family's tree containing birth, wedding and death dates, her birth day is missing. Only her birth month and year have been noted.

When she inquires to this missing bit of information, she learns that she was left in a field one night and was found by her father. No one has ever known how Annie had come to be found in that field that night but her best friend John Yoder, believes God always knew where Annie would be best raised. Yet Annie has her doubts. When her father Amos, forbids it, Annie presses her mother to help her. Providing her with some time, money and a place to stay, Annie's mother Sarah reminds her that she has always had a home with them. She hopes Annie will chose to come home soon because in her mind nothing has ever changed about the way she loves Annie.

Now that she has made a decision to try and find her birth parents, Annie is staying with a family who has left the old Amish community. Getting help from Rudy, Annie keeps trying to find the missing piece of her puzzle to help her find out why she was left behind 18 years ago. Only the longer Annie takes, it may result in her being shunned by her own community and leaving behind the opportunity to find happiness and marriage with John Yoder. Only her sister, Hannah is more than willing to help John forget all about Annie. Will she find out the truth before it's too late to come home?

In the first novel in the Touch of Grace Series by Beth Shriver, Annie's Truth takes the reader into a different type of Amish novel. This one dealing with the subject of adoption. Is Annie truly Amish or do the feelings she has inside, speak of a different lifestyle than she has ever known before? I love Beth's Amish novel and it shows just how vastly different the Amish and English lifestyles are, especially for Annie's character who has never even ventured out on a Rumspringa, or a period of seeing what life is like outside the Amish community before becoming baptized into the church. I can relate to Annie's frustration with her father's unwillingness to help her and when he refuses to even say goodbye to her when she is leaving, I can feel the pain in her heart at being torn in two.

I received this novel compliments of Christian Fiction Blog Alliance for my honest review and have to say again, I really enjoyed this one. It's a different take on your Amish love story and tells the story of what it feels like to find a sense of belonging when you don't know who you are or where you come from and the reader is taken on that search in Annie's Truth. I rate this one a 5 out of 5 stars and look forward to the rest of the books in this series and even more characters to come to adore and love like family and friends.

For more information on this book, the author and where to pick up a copy of this book today for those of you that love great Amish fiction, please click on the links below:

Annie's Truth by Beth Shriver

You can also follow Beth on her Facebook page by clicking here.

The Right Guard - Review and Giveaway

"Rip-offs From U.S. Arms Stockpiles: Will It Be An A-Bomb Next? - ... American military bases are being plundered of thousands of weapons and explosives, despite increasingly tough security measures. Losses from U.S. base worldwide include rifles, pistols, grenade launchers, and even surface-to-air missiles and antitank rockets...All told, more than 11,000 military weapons have been reported officially as stolen in the last six years. Thousands more have simply vanished, but theft cannot be proved. Conventional ammunition may be disappearing faster yet - at the rate of 1 million or more rounds a year. Defense security officials say they have no reliable estimate because of a lack of precise record keeping...The Defense Department has 6.2 million small arms spread around the world today, ranging from .22-caliber pistols to 81-mm mortars. The Army alone has more than 19.000 separate stockpiles of guns and ammunition...Congressman Herbert(Louisana) recently asked, "What can we think when the Pentagon tries to wipe out a loss of 450 machine guns as a bookkeeping mistake?" ...Who steals the weapons?... - U.S. News & World Report

Someone is stealing weapons and ammunition from America's military bases. Who is stealing them and for what reason? That is precisely what CIA operative Eric Brent is wondering as he is being used by the CIA to flush out a secretive, "phantom" group hostile to a U.S. administration that threatens to destroy the American economy and shrink individual freedoms under the code name, Project Warrior.

Now searching for a secret self-contained military movement in the making, involving large numbers of National Guardsmen and Reservists, they have access and mobility to one of the largest weapons arsenals in the world, the National Guard and Reserve components. They are believed to be frustrated and angered over what's happening not only socially but economically to this country, but also politically and in foreign policies. Right Guard as they are now known is becoming it's own military and stockpiling arms internally from now abandoned bases all over the United States.

Will they be able to stop them before they unleash their own brand of civil war within the United States or will this be the end of the government as we know now it?

In the latest novel by Alexandra Hamlet, The Right Guard, provides a chilling fictional storyline taken from newspaper headlines from all over the United States. The reader is immediately immersed in this rich, fast, action-packed high stakes military suspense thriller as both sides race against the clock to see their own motives move forward. What is the reasons behind the rise in these military thefts and what will be the outcome if the CIA isn't able to stop them in time? The answers and more lie inside this amazing novel.

I received The Right Guard compliments of Media Connect for my honest review and it's interesting as you immerse yourself in the storyline, just how plausible it is for something like this to become a reality in our own country. While set over three decades ago, The Right Guard delivers a gripping, fast-paced realism that mirrors the political and economic climate of the United States today. Hamlet presents a very conceivable scenario that takes readers deep within the secretive world of intelligence and military espionage in this 4 out of 5 star thriller! For those of you that love novels dealing with military espionage, then this is the perfect novel for you.

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

The Right Guard by Alexandra Hamlet

Thanks to the generous folks at Media Connect, they have offered a giveaway hardcopy of this book to one lucky reader of this blog. Here's all you need to do to enter:

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

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

3. Leave a comment below telling me why you'd love to win a copy of this amazing book. Don't forget to include your email address since that is how I will be contacting the winner of this giveaway. You can use the words (at) and (dot) instead of the symbols.

I will be contacting the winner via email when this giveaway ends on May 28th.

Beyond Hope's Valley

Life is finally coming to a conclusion for some of the residents in Indiana especially for the Sommer family. Now that Marianna and Levi have come back to Indiana after moving to Montana, they are ready for some major changes in both their lives.

For Levi, he left Indiana looking for what he dreamed the perfect woman would be and after careful consideration realized that the woman he was looking for was the one he left behind. The only problem is that Naomi is pregnant and it's not Levi's child. However, seeing that he's in love with her, he is willing to do whatever is necessary even if it mean letting everyone else believe he is the father. The only problem is that Naomi won't tell him who the real father is and he won't pressure her to tell him. The wedding won't happen until after Naomi has the baby to assure that both Naomi and Levi are making the right decision.

Marianna is here to help with the planning of the wedding and to help both Naomi and Levi with the preparations of having a baby soon. Now that she's finally coming to realize just how much she loves Aaron, once the wedding for her brother Levi and Naomi have taken place, she can begin planning their wedding. She is still struggling with her new found faith in God, reading the English version of the Bible instead of the High German one, most Amish families use. Her relationship has grown and even her Mam and Dat in Montana have begun to embrace some of the changes from the old Amish order to a blend of the English and Amish ways.

The only thing that still remains in her old life is her heart still belongs to Ben, an English musician who introduced her to a personal relationship in God! Now that she finds herself growing in that relationship, she fears that she won't be able to pursue that once she returns home back to Indiana and to the Amish ways of her family and friends. It isn't something that the Amish do is question the authorities of their church in what the Bible has to say but now that Marianna can read it for herself, she finds herself conflicted with what her people believe.

What will happen in each of these relationships? Will Naomi finally tell Levi who the father of the baby is before they get married or will the father step in and do the right thing and take responsibility for the baby and marry Naomi himself? Will Marianna end up marrying Aaron and go back to her Amish roots or will her love for God bring her to realize He may have other plans in mind for her?



In the concluding book in the Big Sky series, Beyond Hope's Valley by Tricia Goyer brings to a close the relationships we have come to love since the beginning. I am so happy to know the outcome of Marianna's life and how her family would deal with their knowledge of the Bible and a personal relationships with God being raised in the Amish Order. I have always wanted to know how the Amish would deal these types of situations and how that would impact their relationships on both sides of the fence. I think Tricia did an outstanding job at answering all the questions I had through this series in this final novel in this series. I rate this one a 5 out of 5 stars and highly recommend this series for those of you that would love to see the Amish and English blend together in some interesting ways.

I received Beyond Hope's Valley by Tricia Goyer compliments of Litfuse Publicity for my honest review and now the only sad part is that is done. I will miss the Sommer family, especially Marianna but know that she will be just fine after finding her true heart's desire in the end. This can be read as a stand alone but TRUST me, you'll want to read the entire series from the beginning. It's simply that great a series for Amish fans everywhere. For more information about this book, the talented author and where you can pick up a copy of this book today, please click on the links below:

Beyond Hope's Valley by Tricia Goyer

You can also find Tricia Goyer on Facebook by clicking here.

For my reviews on the other two books in the series, you can click on the titles below:

Beside Still Waters - Book 1
Along Wooded Paths - Book 2

Rearview: 7 Hours Series

Dan Blakely was on the literally verge of success. Seeing the light at the end of the tunnel he never thought in his wildest dreams that anything could change so drastically in the blink of an eye or in his case in a decision he felt could hold no repercussions for him. Yet all of that would change in the matter of 7 simple hours.

When he got up that morning little could dampen his spirits until he got a phone call from his boss asking to speak with him right away when he gets in first thing. He didn't think he had anything to be concerned about. So when he arrives at the office, he learns that one his students, Erin Schriver, who he confronted about cheating on her literature essay paper, now is accusing him of sexual harassment and physical abuse. She is also the daughter of a well-known Senator and since the board knows that this will become a media circus, they have no alternative, but to fire Dan.

What this does to Dan's emotional side of things is to consider all the possibilities that this situation could bring not only to himself but to his wife and two young sons as well. So Dan see's no other possibility than to end his life. This is where the story really gets interesting and what makes Rearview in my opinion a great short suspense thriller reminiscent of a Twilight Zone of Night Gallery episode.

In this part of the 7 Hours Series, Mike Dellosso does what he does best and that is bring the reader into his story and gets them to invest in this on an emotional level. Anyone could imagine what it would be like to be in this nightmare and then he twists it like no one can. A man in black appears just as Dan is on the verge of death and provides him with proposition. He can go back in time to any 7 hours in his past, move forward 7 hours in his future or do nothing and die now. Any of the options will end in his death but it is up to him to chose how to live his final hours.

Mike Dellosso is a master at weaving these types of story lines from his previous novels I've had the privilege to be able to read and I can highly recommend this one. There is a unique twist in this one and one that rings a personal message to Mike as well as anyone who reads this one. I received this eBook for my Kindle as a personal purchase and have to say I can't say enough great things about this and can't wait to finish the entire series! What choice would you make if you found yourself in that situation? I rate this one a 5 out of 5 stars. It makes for a perfect easy read that feels like an entire novels worth in this short story and for those of you that love a great twist suspense thriller, then this is perfect for you!

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

Rearview by Mike Dellosso (7 Hours Series)

You can also follow Mike Dellosso on Facebook by clicking here to stay on top of all his latest novels.

Hurry Less, Worry Less for Moms

When a book includes statements like these below, it's enough to spark more than just a mild interest in picking it up and consuming the insightful words it contains.

"You, moms, juggle and struggle and look for ways to get more done in less time. You are loving and creative, short on sleep, and long on laundry. Your to-do list could strike fear in the heart of the busiest CEO. You may be eager to enjoy each day more but sometimes don't quite know where to begin.

You know how it can feel. Every time you turn around, someone wants or needs something from you. That doesn't leave much time for stepping back to assess how things are going - and even less for renewal and relaxation. You probably want to learn to say no more often and simplify your calendar. You want to live by your priorities, spend fun time with your families, and have time hear and there for yourself. " (pg 12).

Sound like a book that just begs for some time to read and gleam some much needed insight into your life? Then this is the perfect book for you. Hurry Less, Worry Less by Judy Christie is written for moms who are so busy, we are simply trying to find a way to insert more time in our day instead of merely looking at what we have been called to do. When did it get so out of hand anyway?

Moms have it difficult even though we are the same in many ways, we are also different. There are moms in all different walks of life from raising babies for the first time to empty nesters, there are those putting their children into preschool and those that are seeing theirs graduate from college and start families of their own. Then there are moms who work outside the home from simple jobs to complex corporate positions, from moms who are single and parenting mostly on their own, to moms who's husbands are deployed overseas or who work out of town and must make ends meet.

Add to that mix blended families, step-parenting, adoption, foster parenting and you can see just how busy and important the job of a mother really is. So how do we find balance to our lives? How can we be a successful mom and still have time for ourselves as women? Most moms don't need to be taught this tips on what they need to do, they simply need to be reminded. Often times they're so overwhelmed they can't find time to do it. A reminder can help slow mom down and allow time to take inventory of the parenting life.

In this novel, you will find the thoughts of everyday moms are woven through the pages. Their warm, wise, and witty remarks speak of challenges that range from caring for a sick baby to looking out for an older parent, making hard decisions about where to work and when to work, about setting priorities and sticking to them, about trusting God all along the way.

This book includes practical tools, which serve as reminders that there are no cookie-cutter families. Individual moms have to figure out what works for them. Each chapter offers a "A Mom's Thoughts," practical and inspiring words, and "Mom's Quiet Corner," a section for prayer and reflection, including a tip from a busy mother, a Bible passage recommended by a mom, a mom-to-mom suggestion, and a prayer for the journey as a parent. There is also a study guide to be used on your own or with a friend or a group and "reminder" tips to continue to make progress.

I received Hurry Less, Worry Less for Moms compliments of Pump Up Your Book Tours for my honest review and it's so nice to read a book like this as a reminder, I am not losing it. I am completely normal in my life as a mom. I think we all need more books like this as well as encouraging friends to inspire and encourage us along our journey. Most of all it's necessary to evaluate what we are working so hard for, to benefit our children, our friends and family or God. This is an exceptional resource and I see it working well in some mom Bible Study's as a tool to encourage and build up moms! I rate this one a 5 out of 5 much needed stars in my opinion and will be referring to this one as often as needed.

For more information on Hurry Less, Worry Less for Moms, Judy Christie, and where to pick up this wonderful resource, please click on the links below:

Hurry Less, Worry Less for Moms by Judy Christie