Northbound

Sheriff Will Jacobs never dreamed that his life would take him on the path he recently found himself on. After returning from a potential job interview as a Marshall out of town, he learns that his wife has been kidnapped from their home. Thankfully their daughter Libby, was playing with friends and wasn't home when she was taken. No clues really remain except that the people who kidnapped his wife, Emma were searching for something.

Not knowing the reasons why, Will sets out with nothing but a prayer for her safety and God's hands to point the way they are headed. He finds two unlikely companions who attempt to aid him in his search, Yann Chang, a Chinese man who is running from men who are hunting him down and want him returned to China, and Tanger, a tracker and his dog, Max. The three vow to search for Emma and attempt to save her only they aren't sure where they are headed and why she was taken.

In the novel, Northbound by Stuart F. Griffin, it seems an unlikely set of circumstances will bring about some change in the lives of the characters involved. Some for good. Some for evil, but no one will remain the same after this journey. Will's faith in God is a true testament and I love how he will be very honest in his conversations with Him. He isn't afraid to admit what he wants and what he knows God wants him to do and often finds himself asking for God's help to keep him on the right path. While waiting for answered prayer can be difficult, Will's blessed by the time he is willing to take while continuing his search. He knows that tracking someone takes much longer than simply running from someone.

I received this novel compliments of Aspect Books and Book Crash for my honest review and being such a huge fan of Christian Westerns, I just knew I would enjoy the story based on the books premise. I was not disappointed. There is room for some editing errors that I can across that could be corrected but those do not take away from the story at all. This story is a true testament that no matter how difficult the storms in our lives may be, God will NEVER leave us to navigate them alone. I rate this one a 4.5 out of 5 stars.

For more information on Northbound, Stuart F. Griffin, or where to purchase a copy of this book today, please click on the link below:

Northbound by Stuart F. Griffin

Hobo

If you're looking for a delightful story with a beautiful message of love and hope for your teenage child, then look no further than Hobo by Sandra Farris. It's truly a short story of a boy named Joby Richards who while out exploring around the woods and lands near his house, he comes across a dog he calls Hobo. Hobo is actually a tan-colored dog who belongs to Mr. Robbins, a local hermit and trapper who is usually gone for long periods of time, often leaving his dog behind.

Joby has a really affection for the dog and begs his parents, Sarah and Ben Richards to let him take care of the dog while Mr. Robbins is away from his home. While considering his offer, his parents insist that he gets permission from Mr. Robbins first but until Joby does, they insist he keep some distance between himself and the dog considering he seems a bit wild at times.

However when a stranger shows up at the Richards farm one day in need of help, they learn he has been attacked by a local dog that fits the description of Hobo. His parents remind Joby that the dog doesn't belong to him and he may be in danger if he gets too close. The stranger, a man named Smith tells the family he isn't done with the dog and if he sees him again, he will shoot the dog.

I will leave the rest of this delightful story a mystery and will have to say that it truly does have a powerful message behind it. It's also a must for pet lovers everywhere!!! I received Hobo by Sandra Farris compliments of the author for my honest review and I have to say it reminds me a bit of a shorter version of Old Yeller which has always been a classic and a favorite of mine! I easily rate this one a 5 out of 5 stars! This book is available on ebook format!

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

Hobo by Sandra Farris

You can also find Sandra Farris on Facebook by clicking here.

A Duke's Promise

This week, theChristian Fiction Blog Allianceis introducingA Duke's PromiseB&H Books (September 1, 2012)byJamie Carie



ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

As Jamie’s relationship with God grew, she discovered her heart was filled with songs and poetry. During high school she wrote lyrics for her brother’s band. (And she sang them too!) After college, Jamie married, had two sons and decided to stay home with them. While she homeschooled she wrote skits, poems, plays and short stories for school and church.

When her eldest son turned five she dove into the world of novels. She’d read romance novels for years, but couldn’t relate to the flawless, saintly heroines in Christian romance novels. So she decided to write her own.



Snow Angel was born on a frosty night in an old farmhouse in Fishers, Indiana, where the cold floor gave plenty of motivation for the snow scene. Jamie loves to write late at night when the house is quiet and the darkness seems alive. Elizabeth and Noah had been playacting in her head for a long time, so the story went fast.

Ten years later Snow Angel was published and won the ForeWord magazine Romance Book of the Year winner, was a National “Best Books 2007” Awards winner, and a 2008 RITA Awards® Best First Book finalist. It was the beginning of her dream career.



Jamie and her husband Tony have been married for twenty-one years and live in Indianapolis with their three sons and a giant of a dog named Leo.



If she could only say one thing to her readers it would be, “Live the dreams God has destined you for!”



ABOUT THE BOOK

From the Land of Fire and Ice back to England’s shores, Alexandria Featherstone finds herself the new Duchess of St. Easton. Her husband has promised a wedding trip to take them to the place where her imperiled parents were last seen -- Italy and the marble caves of Carrara -- but a powerful Italian duke plots against Alex and her treasure-hunting parents.



Hoping to save them, Alex and Gabriel travel to Italy by balloon. Fraught with danger on all sides and pressured by Gabriel’s affliction to the breaking point, they must learn to work and fight together. The mysterious key is within their grasp, but they have yet to recognize it. This journey will require steadfast faith in God and each other -- a risk that will win them everything they want or lose them everything they have.



If you would like to read the first chapter of A Duke's Promise, go HERE.

For Such A Time As This

Times have always been tough out west, especially in the 1800's for families looking to make a living and a new start, especially along the Oregon Trail. Hope County, Oregon is definitely no exception, but after years of no rain and now grasshoppers eating whatever farmers can grow, most families are barely able to put enough food on the table for them to eat and have been forced to sell off their livestock.

The Moore family is no exception and it doesn't help Olivia, the oldest daughter, to overhear the anxieties that are facing her family, during the late night talks between her parents. They have already mortgaged as much of the farm as they can and if things don't change soon, they may have to sell everything. It's through a chance encounter on the streets of Bountiful that Olivia feels God's calling to help her family. When a group of wild boys chase and tease a group of girls with a stolen pig, Olivia handles the situation with grace, patience and manners of a lady well beyond her years. Mr. Elijah Whitman, president of the bank, witnesses the entire display and soon learns that his son, Luke is part of the group of boys.

It seems that once again, Mr. Whitman wishes he had someone to help him raise his son, Luke and daughter, Miranda, but he can't seem to find a nanny that will stay and put forth the effort to teach them some manners. Being president of the bank, calls him out of town quite a bit and unless something changes, he has no other choice but to send them both off to boarding schools. Luke suggests that Ms. Olivia Moore would make the perfect nanny for them and soon Olivia believes that God is pointing her toward hope in helping her family out in the process by getting a job.

In the novel, For Such A Time As This by Ginny Aiken, the storyline gets interesting when Ms. Moore takes the position as a child companion, she dislikes the title of nanny and the children believe they don't need one since nanny's are for babies, especially Miranda. At first the children resort to their old tried and true favorite pranks they have used to "rid" themselves of having someone to care for them including "Cooky" the household cook who is used to being ignored. Yet none of them were prepared for the fact that Olivia has had experience dealing with her younger brothers and sisters and therefore, can see a teaching moment in everything. She knows she has to do something they aren't expecting in order for the children to see her as their ally and someone who is there to help them grow. Along the way, the children begin to fully appreciate what Ms. Moore brings to the household but not before the town can begin to gossip and it causes her reputation to be called into question.

I received For Such A Time As This compliments of Faith Words Publishers, a division of Hachette Book Groups for my honest opinion. I completely feel in love with the character of Olivia Moore. She wants to do whatever she can to aid her family and along the way finds her true calling in helping to raise the Whitman children where none had succeeded before. She relies on God to help her through difficult times when she feels like throwing in the towel and simply going home and that shows the true character of strength and perseverance in trouble times. I rate this one hands down a 5 out of 5 stars as the first book in the Women of Hope series and can't wait to read the next one! Ginny Aiken has answered the called of my heart's genre!

For more information on For Such A Time As This, Ginny Aiken or where to pick up a copy of this book today, please click on the link below:

For Such A Time As This by Ginny Aiken

• Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: FaithWords (August 14, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0892968486
• ISBN-13: 978-0892968480
• Product Dimensions: 5.3 x 1 x 8.5 inches

The Restaurant at The Mill - Giveaway and Review

Like ducklings to the water’s edge,
They come, hungry and expectant
To take in the ambience
And linger awhile in The Restaurant.

A melting pot of emotions
And chatter fills the air,
As we busily ferry plates
To and from the kitchen.

Toasts and tears,
Celebrations and sadness,
We’ve seen it all and know
It goes full circle.

The delights of each course
Make them stop for a moment,
Conversation forgotten,
To savor that first heavenly taste.

Success and smiles,
Empty glasses and plates,
Hunger satiated and more,
Another pleasant evening at The Restaurant.

For me, most memorable times and conversations have always taken place around a wonderfully prepared meal and delightful company, whether at family gatherings, holidays or just a special occasion. In the novel by Linn B. Halton, The Restaurant @ The Mill which used to be a flour mill at Huntingbridge in Gloucestershire involves the owners, Hilary Marks and Ben Adams and six different encounters with six very delightful and unique couples. This book is truly like getting six books in one beautiful written novel. The book opens with a brief history about each of the owners, first beginning with Hilary and her meeting with Ben Adams, her business partner.

Hilary had what she believed was the perfect marriage with Josh, but then after a heartbreak she now views things from a different perspective looking back on things. She initially saw what she wanted to see instead of the reality of what was really happening and who Josh was after all. In hindsight, it's always easier to look back and see where the mistakes were made. How falling in love too fast often comes with blinders on. Had she taken a different approach to this relationship and slowed things down, perhaps she might have seen the signs that he was cheating on her. Perhaps she could have prevented opening her heart too quickly but once again love is blind when you are deeply involved. Now if she could simply find a way to trust a man again and realize they are all NOT like Josh! For now, she simply has chosen to immerse herself in work and running a restaurant. It is through this experience that her and Ben met and decide to become partners.

The novel then moves into introducing us to the couples, first Sarah Lemington and her husband Michael Caringdale who received the Inn as a wedding present in the early 1800's. It is Sarah's ghost that the customers feel still lives at the Inn. It was called Huntingbridge Mill during their time as the first owners of mill before Sarah died in Michael's arms. He vowed never to remarry. It is believed that she remained at the Inn in spirit because it's where she feels closest to Michael and she was simply here to visit him. She didn't even realize she has passed on.

The book goes on to detail the lives of the other couples at the mill during the seven years that Ben and Hilary have been the owners and how they each have had an impact on one another as well as a connection to the Mill; Charlotte and Nick, Grace and Lawrence, Isobel and David and Sadie and Sam. But you'll have to pick up a copy of this book to get to know their stories and how they are all intertwined in a most delightful way!

I received The Restaurant @ The Mill by Linn B. Halton compliments of Reading Addictions Blog Tours for my honest review and have to say, I really enjoyed this one. I could completely imagine owning an rennovated flour mill in the heart of a hamlet in England and could hear the babbling stream that Linn describes as they were beginning their business. A kitchen has always been the heart of a home and for me as a book lover, this one really appealed to my book lover's heart as well with the warmth and love she spent creating her characters and each of their personal stories! I rate this book a 5 out of 5 stars and can only hope Linn will write more like this in the future.

Thanks to the generous folks at Reading Addiction Blog Tours and Linn B. Halton, they are providing a giveaway copy to (1) lucky follower of Reviews From The Heart. Here's all you need to do to enter:

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

2. "Like" my Facebook page, Reviews From The Heart and leave me a comment there. If you already "Like" my page, then simply leave a comment there telling me what kind of restaurant you would like to own and why!

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

4. Leave a comment below telling me why you'd love to win a copy of this book along with your email address. You can use the words (at) and (dot) instead of the symbols, however without an email, I can't notify you if you're the winner.

The giveaway will end on September 8th and I will notify the winner by email and also post this to my Facebook page. Enter as many times as you'd like!

For more information on The Restaurant @ The Mill, Linn B. Halton or where to pick up a copy of this novel today, please click on the links below:

The Restaurant @ The Mill by Linn B. Halton

You can also become a follower of Linn's on Facebook by clicking here.

To read more reviews from Reading Addictions book tour, please click here.

• Paperback: 312 pages
• Publisher: Sapphire Star Publishing LLC (July 16, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1938404149
• ISBN-13: 978-1938404146
• Product Dimensions: 6 x 0.7 x 9 inches

Lady Anne's Quest

Anne Stone has been searching for quite some time for the only remaining family she has left. Her parents died within months of one another and now, her future lies in finding her Uncle David Stone. Traveling along the Oregon Trail by wagon is not where she would have dreamed her search would lead her, especially since leaving her family's estate in London, England. But if she couldn't find her Uncle David, the estate would fall into her cousin Randolph's hands because her parents had no sons to leave the estate to, and a woman could not become heir to the estate. All the money that was tied up, now rested in Anne's hand to locate her Uncle David. Since he hadn't kept in communication, she has been searching for his whereabouts for quite some time, and she now believes he has settled in a ranch in Oregon.

Anne has made those who know her real identity keep it a secret because people had a tendency to treat her differently if they knew she was an heir to an estate in London and was considered a true Lady! But that doesn't stop Dan Adams from falling head over heels in love, even proposing to Anne along the wagon trail. But Anne can't fall in love with anyone until she can resolve her future and for now that means finding her uncle, no matter where it takes her or how long she must travel.

When Anne finds her Uncle's ranch, she is more than surprised to see he is not alone and not at all like the Uncle she remembers from her childhood. Long gone are his well-bred manners and English accent. He has gained considerable weight and has apparently married a woman named Millie. When she informs him of the deaths of his only brothers, he doesn't seem the least bit concerned and instead wants to know more about his inheritance. Anne soon realizes along with Dan that the man, she believed was her Uncle is not really him and soon learns it is a man her Uncle hired to watch over the ranch in his absence while he went mining for gold.

They call in the sheriff who has the man arrested but the woman, Millie flees on horseback. It seems Sam Hastings and his sister Millie are con-artists and have been hired to make sure that David Stone winds up dead and that Anne Stone doesn't find him. What could the connection be and who is behind it all? Will Anne find her Uncle before the Hastings do? Can she save him in time?

I received Lady Anne's Quest by Susan Page Davis compliments of Barbour Publishers and Net Galley for my honest review. I thoroughly enjoyed this novel from start to finish. I couldn't imagine how a lady of proper upbringing could endure have to search for her uncle along a wagon trail and later on horse back during the worst types of weather imaginable while learning that she would need to depend on others to help her along the way from Dan Adams to a cast of lovable characters like the miner Whitey! This one is a must read for those who love a bit of historical elegance along the western trail! I rate this one a 5 out of 5 stars and can't wait to read more in the Prairie Dreams series! This is the second book in the series and since I hadn't read the first one, I can honestly say it doesn't need to be read to understand where this one picks up. However, I can't wait to go back and see what I missed out on in the first book!

• Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: Barbour Books (April 1, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1616264403
• ISBN-13: 978-1616264406
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.5 x 1 inches

Lady Anne's Quest by Susan Page Davis

You can also find Susan Page Davis on Facebook by clicking here.

The books in the series are:

The Lady's Maid (1st)
Lady Anne's Quest (2nd)
A Lady in the Making (3rd)

Living in Harmony

Harmony, Maine. As wonderful as the name sounds, it hasn't been the ideal picture of a perfect life since moving here from Lancaster, Pennsylvania for Amy and Nora King. Since a tragic fire that claimed the lives of their parents, Amy and Nora have decided to head north with John Detweiler, Amy's fiance in search of a new opportunities and a future with another Amish community just being established.

However when they arrive, Amy and John soon learn that their plans to marry may have to wait until their Bishop in Maine declares that they have met all the requirements of this new more strict Amish Order. Since they have both been baptized since moving to Maine it makes it a little easier, but not much. In addition, Amy was hoping to get a job to help them save enough money to purchase land and a home but soon finds out that is forbidden. So they will need to stay with John's brother, Thomas and his wife, Sally a little bit longer. They also learn that there is no opportunities for singings, social outings or rides in a courting buggy because that, too is forbidden.

The hardest challenge is for Nora, who is twenty and was in the midst of her rumspringa in Lancaster, soon finds out there rumspringa is forbidden in the new community of Harmony. Not only that but she has to make all new clothes to wear because the bright colors of her dresses are forbidden. So she must now wear black, brown or a dark navy blue instead. She also learns that since there isn't any social gatherings her prospects of finding a husband in this new community are going to be pretty limited. She wonders if perhaps she shouldn't reconsider about moving back home to Lancaster to stay with her grandparents like her other two sisters. Is there a way to find true harmony in Harmony?



I received Living in Harmony be Mary Ellis compliments of Harvest House Publishers and Christian Fiction Blog Alliance for my honest review and found this to be a surprising twist to most Amish stories. Normally it's difficult for an English reader to understand the harsh restrictions placed on Amish people based on their religious beliefs but in this novel, it is the Amish from one community that soon realize how difficult it is sometimes to make changes and live by more strict requirements. I found this novel refreshing in that it offered that unique perspective and as the character of Amy King grows in her awareness of just what this move has meant to not only her sister, but to her as well, will she realize that perhaps John may not be the man she believed he was before leaving Lancaster. I rate this one a 5 out of 5 stars. For those of you that love Amish romantic fiction, you'll want to pick this one up. This is the first book in the New Beginnings Series and I can't wait for more!

For more information about Living in Harmony, Mary Ellis or where to pick up a copy of this book today, please click on the links below:

Living in Harmony by Mary Ellis

You can also check out more reviews on Living in Harmony from the book tour at Christian Fiction Blog Alliance.

You can also find Mary Ellis on Facebook by clicking here.

Twelve Months

Imagine your life being really no different as all your other days, until one day you begin to notice some changes in your health. At first, like most of us, you wouldn't think too about it, probably something that will get better over time, maybe something you ate, or something you did. But then over the weeks it wasn't getting better and in fact it was getting worse. Like most busy people who have too much on their plate, it might take you awhile to get around seeing your doctor depending on the severity of your symptoms.

So you schedule an appointment and the news you weren't expecting, was the news you got. That little thing you thought was nothing, that perhaps taking a pill might remedy, turns out to be your death sentence and now the only thing you can do is find a way to "live" for the next 12 months of your life. What would you do?

Now you have the premise of the latest novel by Steven Manchester, Twelve Months. In this novel that is exactly what happens and we, as the readers, get an inside look at how just Don DiMarco deals with his devastating medical diagnosis and how he chooses to spend his final twelve months of life.

I received this novel, Twelve Months, compliments of Pump Up Your Book Tours and The Story Plant publishers for my honest review and I think it does a great job at defining for most of us, what we would potentially do in the same predicament. I know for one, it would seriously make me take a hard look at the choice we've made up to this point in our lives and look at what we can do in just a years time to potentially change some of them, restoring broken relationships, taking those vacations we already dreamed of but never found the time, reliving favorite moments from our pasts, and truly doing something that others will remember us by.

"I've learned that anyone can change the world; you just have to start with one person at a time. I've also learned that not caring what other people think of me has allowed me the energy to focus on what I think of myself. For me, life is like looking through a kaleidoscope. With every turn, a different view will be brought to life.

"I've taught my grandkids that good things come to those who wait, but great things come to those who go after it; that a gift within is meant to be shared or else it wouldn't be a gift; and no matter how large or small, everybody's problems are enormous to themselves. Though the list goes on, the most important thing I've passed on is that life can be a beautiful dream, or a living nightmare. It's all about your attitude - your perspective.

But I didn't always see things this way..." (pg. 22)

I think everyone needs a great book like this sometimes to challenge us in our lives because we've grown too complacent, and take the little things for granted. This book shakes you up and makes you realize it's time to wake up and see things with new eyes. God didn't create our lives for us to waste them waiting on His return but to have a life and an abundant one. I think this novel does just what the author intended to show us what we are missing before it's too late! I think this one rates a perfect 5 out of 5 stars!

For more information on Twelve Months, Steven Manchester and where to pick up a copy of this book, click on the links below:

Twelve Months by Steven Manchester

You can also read more reviews from the Twelve Month tour here.

House of Mercy

The Blazing B was a 6500 acre cattle ranch that was created when Abel Borzoi and Dr. Roy Davis merged their professional passions of ranching and psychiatry and expands Blazing B's purpose. It became and outreach to functional but wounded men who needed a home and a job, like Wally, who had been at the ranch for three years, since a stroke left his body unaffected but struck his brain with a short-term memory disorder. It was called anterograde amnesia, a forgetfulness of experiences but not skills.

Those who know her, call her the horse whisperer, but those who don't know her as Beth Borzoi, Abel's daughter. Now studying to gain her veterinarian's license she works at understanding the spirits of the animals she works with, something her father feels she has a true calling for. It doesn't help that she is still suffering from a crush on her father's partner's son, Jacob who also works on the ranch. He's been the Blazing B's general operations manager for more than 5 years.

While working late doing a favor for a friend, Phil who worked on the Kandinsky's ranch raising thoroughbreds and Morgans, she attempted to work on his horse's inflamed eye. After realizing this infection had gone on too long, she called for the Blazing B's vet. While waiting, she was offered a ride on one of the most prized Thoroughbred, Java, Java, Go Joe! Even though it was late, she knew that the horse could see far better than she did and when she gave him full and complete control of the reins, he raced faster than she ever dreamed possible, until she sensed a change in Joe's demeanor. Beth soon realizes that the horse is now running for his life and just out of the corner of her eye, she spots it, a gray wolf.

Before she knows it the wolf has anticipated her moves and launches at her from the front, knocking her from the horse and taking down the Thoroughbred as well. Luckily for Beth, the horse missed landing on her but her arm is pinned beneath him. Now she awaits for the wolf's final attack on them both.

WOW is all I can say as this novel, House of Mercy by Erin Healy opens up on some exciting action just within the first couple of chapters and already has the reader breathless on the edge of their seat, you just know it's only going to intensify. I love it when a novel engages me so much that I find myself literally holding my breath waiting for the outcome and this one has plenty to suit those who crave suspense and action! But how will this outcome now affect what Beth wanted for her life? Will she be able to continue to pursue her dream of caring for animals as a veterinarian or will the accident claim the life she dreamed of in ways she couldn't imagine?

You'll have to pick up House of Mercy by Erin Healy to find out. I received this novel compliments of B & B Media Group for my honest opinion and LOVED every minute of it. It was engaging and taught the lessons of what happens when God's mercy is poured out on own lives even though we feel we don't deserve it. It also teaches us that no matter how long we find ourselves in the valley of the shadow of death, we will rise to the mountaintop someday and the view will be worth the wait. I rate this one a 5 out of 5 stars!

For more information on House of Mercy, Erin Healy or where to pick up a copy of this book today, please click on the links below:

House of Mercy by Erin Healy

You can also find Erin Healy on Facebook and sign up to win free books.

12.21: A Novel - Review and Giveaway

Two weeks before the perceived end of the world, according to those who agree with the Mayan prophecy that on December 12, 2012, the world will end in a cataclysmic way. While the world moves in one of two directions those thinking that life will continue on as it normally has or those that are preparing for the end.

Dr. Gabriel Stanton has been watching from his office in Los Angeles and believes that life will continue on December 22nd and this is one of those times where people go to the extremes with thinking the world will come to an end just because a calendar has run out. But his life is about to take an unexpected change when a phone call from a doctor in Los Angeles believes that she has a case he'd be interested in. As a doctor who works for the CDC or Center for Disease Control working on incurable prion diseases and trying to find a cure, he learns that a unidentified man hasn't slept in 14 days and no matter what they try he can't slept. Not only that he keeps muttering a phrase no one can understand, so they are trying to find a linguist who can help. Dr. Stanton knows that time is running out, because if you can sleep in 20 days, the body will die.

Chel Manu, is a Guatemalan American researcher for the Getty Museum who loves learning more about Mayan artifacts since that is her family's heritage and background. Especially in light of all the end times prophecy surfacing around the city. When a colleague of hers meets her late one night asking her to keep an illegal artifact until he can obtain the necessary paperwork to sell the item to her and the museum. He promises it will only be a couple of days. When she opens the package, she finds herself looking at what could possibly be the oldest known codex from the Mayans that unlocks a potential disaster to those who can translate what it says. Not only that, it is priceless in terms of value.



In the best selling novel, 12.21: A Novel by Dustin Thomason, two unlikely people will meet to work to save the fate of the planet when it appears the cases they are working on are in fact linked. Dr. Stanton has called in Chel Manu to attempt to communicate with his victim before time runs out and what he keeps mumbling has devastating effects that could truly bring about the end of the world and fulfill the ancient Mayan prophecy in a chilling way!

I received 12.21: A Novel by Dustin Thomason compliments of TLC Book Tours for my honest review and instantly was hooked by the story line. Considering this is the year the prophecy is either going to be fulfilled and the world will end or it will be like all the other, "doomsday prophecy's" that will go unanswered like Y2K. It is chilling to learn some things I hadn't considered upon reading this book like the term rendering and how it makes me want to completely become a vegetarian or raise my own food when you consider just how little we really know about what we ingest and use on our bodies. It does make the reader think and wonder just how possible this premise might be to reality! This one made me want to give up sleep to finish it and thus always rates highly in my opinion if it can keep me engaged and it did that and more! This rates a stellar 5 out of 5 stars and for those of you that are fans of authors like Michael Crighton, then you will LOVE this one!

Now the exciting part, I am giving away a copy of this book to one lucky follower of my blog, Reviews From The Heart. Here are your details to enter:

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

2. "Like" my Facebook page, Reviews From The Heart. If you already "Like" me, then leave a comment telling me what you believe will happen on 12.21.2012.

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

4. Leave me a comment below telling me what you think will happen on 12.21.12 along with your email address. You can use the words (at) and (dot) instead of the symbols.

I will notify the winner of the giveaway when it ends on Sept 3rd and will post the results on my Facebook page.

For more information on 12.21: A Novel, the author, Dustin Thomason or where to pick up this book today, please click on the links below:

12.21: A Novel by Dustin Thomason

You can also find more reviews from this book tour, by clicking here.

The Face of Heaven

I love it when an author will find a way to put a unique and unexpected twist into something we would never have considered and as a reader seeing it with new eyes! That is just what author, Murray Pura has done in his recent novel, The Face of Heaven. He has delightfully taken two of my personal favorite genre's and blended them so wonderfully together that is makes a readers heart sing!

In The Face of Heaven, we meet the Keim's, your typical Amish family living and working hard on their farm in Lancaster, Pennsylvania in 1861. As Lyndel Keim, is finishing her chores in the barn she stumbles across two slaves running from the law, Charlie Preston and Moses Gunnison. Charlie is badly wounded and this is his third attempt at trying to make it North to find freedom at last while the Civil War is just beginning. Lyndel knows if she confronts her father, the Bishop, he will not lie but turn the men over to the sheriff if he comes looking for the men. So instead she finds her brother, Levi and his best friend Nathaniel King and enlists their aid.

Just as they are preparing to take care of Charlie's wounds, Lyndel's father comes in and is considerably upset that neither of his children felt they could trust him to do the right thing and care for the men. He has them moved upstairs and immediately cared for. As night falls, the Bishop gathers the elders at his home to discuss how to care for the men who have come to his home and it's obvious that some feel these men being slaves should be returned to their masters on the Virginia plantation and so the men are divided on the best course for what they should do.

Just as they are about to adjourn, there is a pounding on the door, and when Bishop Keim opens the door, the sheriff is there hearing that the runaways slaves are being cared for there. When Bishop Keim confirms that, the slave owners rush into the house looking for the men, Nathaniel blocks the staircase and tries to prevent them from being taken while they are still healing, but the men push past him and search the house looking for the men. When they take them bound and place them in the wagon, Nathaniel and Lyndel know that this is not God's will, and so the war within begins.

The Face of Heaven blends two wonderful genres of Amish Fiction along with Historical Fiction with a blend of suspense, action adventure and of course just the right touch of romance. Nathaniel is not going to stand idly by and watch the country he loves being turned over to the likes of the slave owners without a fight, even if it means being shunned by his church and community. The story really entices the reader is so many ways in such a perfect blending of lyrical words to describe the setting and the characters in the story that you feel everything as though you are actually there. He has truly found something amazing and it's not the only time Murray Pura has blended genres so well together. His first book, The Wings of Morning is another I will definitely be checking out and is on my MUST READ list. For those of you looking for something different, this is it and why I rate this one a 5 out of 5 stars.

I received The Face of Heaven by Murray Pura compliments of Harvest House Publishers and Christian Fiction Blog Alliance for my honest review. This is the second book in the Snapshots of History series.For more information on this novel, the author and where to pick up a copy of this book today, please click on the links below:

The Face of Heaven by Murray Pura

You can also find Murray Pura on Facebook.

To read more reviews from readers on this book tour, please click here.

The American Bible Challenge - Giveaway and Review

"If you don't know your Bible, you don't have a prayer!"

This is guaranteed to be the next slogan to hit homes as the Game Show Network launches the premiere of The American Bible Challenge this Thursday, August 23rd at 8/7 central with the host, Jeff Foxworthy! Jeff Foxworthy, himself spends his Tuesdays and Thursday nights hosting a Bible Study in his hometown for the homeless!

I can see this show being utilized by churches and youth groups to bring fun back into the church through studying the Bible and who knows perhaps forming their own team challenges!

Three teams will battle to challenges of biblical proportions in both the Old and New Testaments while playing to bless others charity's or ministries such as cancer, building wells, supplying shoes, feeding the hungry, human trafficking and aids just to name a few.

They have researched with many pastors and churches to make sure they kept serious Bible learning with fun and humor while creating this exciting and new series!

It doesn't feel like Sunday school but a school of Rock, while still keeping it respectful but relevant with some amazing categories like:

Faithbook - like Facebook where you guess the character based on status updates!
Real Housewives of the O.T.
My Tweet Lord - who tweeted this?
Jesus Christ Super Star Wars - which answers are from the Bible and which are from Star Wars!
Greeting Cards - based on what the card says, figure out who this person, place or event is.

Final Revelation Rounds - the rapid fire round designed to challenge the teams in a series of answers. They are given a category such as Dreams, get time for a quick Bible Study and come back and try to win the round!

I can't wait for this to begin and there are some amazing ways to watch this. You can tune in on Thursday to the Game Show Networks on the 23rd of August, 8/7 central, or you can soon download the app to your device. You can even find out more amazing information on the GSNTV.com website, such as learning about the teams, their charities or play along. Make sure you check out all the details before Thursday. Don't forget to set your DVR's!



Now even more great news! Thanks to FlyByPromotions, they are offering one lucky follower of my blog the chance at a great giveaway for a American Bible Challenge T-shirt and a Zondervan Bible! Here's all you need to do:

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

2. "Like" my Facebook page, Reviews From The Heart, or if you already "Liked" me, then leave a comment telling me how you are going to play this game!

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

4. Leave me a comment below telling me what your thoughts are on how you and your family or church are going to use, The American Bible challenge along with your email address. You can use the words (at) or (dot), but without it I can't contact you if you're the winner.

I will notify the winner on August 31st via email and post the results on Facebook.

You can find out more information by going to The American Bible Challenge website or on Facebook.

"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."

Eye of the Sword

5 Kingdoms sit on the threshold of an upcoming prophecy. There are those that are working hard to make sure that it comes true and those that will stop at nothing to prevent its fulfillment. Legend has it that every 200 years, the stars will come into a perfect alignment and as long as the three legendary harps are collected, the stairway to heaven will be restored. Once that happens the souls of those that have died on Earth that are supposed to be in heaven will be taken by the angels to their final resting place.

But since the First Born and Second Born interferred many years ago, that stairway has been sealed with no hope of reopening it except by the one the prophecy calls for that can complete this process, one born with the breath of angel and blood of man. Now Melaia has been searching to unite the harps if she can find them with the help of Trevin, a man who vows to serve her until the very last breath he has.

Only Melaia's father, King Laetham has promised her hand in marriage to Prince Varic of the Dregmoors in hopes of securing an alliance between the two kingdoms, but Melaia has given her heart to another along time ago. King Laetham will only allow a man of royal blood to marry his daughter Princess Melaia and with time running out, he sees no alternative but to allow the marriage between Varic and Melaia to take place. Will Trevin be able to locate the missing two harps before the marriage vows are complete or will he fall victim to the evil plots of the First Born who is set on making sure the stairway remains sealed forever?

I received Eye of the Sword by Karyn Henley compliments of WaterBrook Multnomah Publishers and Christian Science Fiction and Fantasy Tours for my honest review. Karyn captured my heart in this incredible new series combining medieval fantasy along with some mythical creatures and an entire race of angels with her first book, Breath of Angel. When I saw that this book was finally available, I had to review this one. I was not disappointed. The quest for the harps continues in Eye of the Sword and we get a more in depth look at the character of Trevin and his family history as it's uncovered chapter by chapter. We also uncover a bit more of the legend of the Wisdom Tree and the restoration of the stairway to heaven that is nearly all possible signs towards the timing this possible prophecy to be fulfilled. As a reader, I am completely sold on the world that Karyn has so elaborately created and know I'll be waiting on pins and needles until the final book is complete and ready to read.

I rate this book a 5 out of 5 stars and those looking for an amazing Christian action-adventure story dealing with angels and the fight between evil and good, then this is a must read for you. I would recommend the first book in the Angelaeon Circle series first, Breath of Angel to get an understanding of Melaia's character and why the need for the quest.

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

Eye of the Sword by Karyn Henley

You can also find Karyn on her Facebook page by clicking here to stay on top of all her books or visiting her website to catch a first chapter sneak peek!

You can also read my review on Breath of Angel by clicking here.

For more reviews from this book tour, click on the links below:

Julie Bihn
Thomas Fletcher Booher
Keanan Brand
Beckie Burnham
Jackie Castle
Brenda Castro
Jeff Chapman
Christine
Theresa Dunlap
http://in--and--out.blogspot.com/"> Cynthia Dyer
Victor Gentile
Ryan Heart
Janeen Ippolito
Jason Joyner
Carol Keen
Emileigh Latham
Rebekah Loper
Shannon McDermott
Karen McSpadden
Meagan @ Blooming with Books
http://rebeccaluellamiller.wordpress.com/"> Rebecca LuElla Miller
Anna Mittower
Mirriam Neal
Nissa
Faye Oygard
Nathan Reimer
Chawna Schroeder
Kathleen Smith
Donna Swanson
Jessica Thomas
Steve Trower
Shane Werlinger
Phyllis Wheeler

River's End

We all know at some point in our lives, chapters in our life stories must reach an end before new one's begin and that is just what happens in the conclusion to the Inn at the Shining Water Series of books by Melody Carlson, River's End. It's a book of some sadness, anxiety, hope and of course new waters to chart, but it is also filled with the most heartbreaking and sweetest goodbyes as well.

If you have followed the series from the beginning with River's Song, you learn about Anna's story and her Indian heritage and why the river holds a place for her people and offers any who come to live here a chance for healing and restoration. In River's Call, we learn about Anna's daughter Lauren and the healing of a broken relationship between Anna and Lauren, and finally now a grandmother in River's End, and the prodigal returning home of her missing granddaughter, Sarah who has gone without a trace for two years. She has answered the call of the river and came home.

Now as history repeats itself, mother and daughter are at odds and bitterness between the two continues to escalate as one tries to heal and the other tries find a path towards forgiveness. Each is trying too hard to make the other one see the path towards new beginnings as Sarah returns home from living in a commune in Oregon that seems to have inspired a bit of sadness and harbors grudges towards her mother for not being good enough while she was growing up. Lauren on the other hand wants nothing more than to apologize and move forward without recognizing the pain and hurt that Sarah is carrying within her heart, she wants the quick band aid fix but the pain goes much deeper than Lauren realizes.

As Anna tries to help them work together to find healing along the water by working at the Inn during the summer season, it only seems to do nothing more but cause each of them to avoid the other for the sake of not getting into heated confrontations, and drive them further apart. Anna's mother-in-law, Hazel, returns home from a long trip in China only to return home ill. Anna hopes some old-fashioned home made remedies might do her some good but soon we find out that Hazel's heart has grown much older than she feels and Anna and Clark along with some of the readers must find a way to say good-bye to a loveable character that has been so prominent from the very beginning. Will Lauren and Sarah find healing in the passing legacy Hazel has to leave behind, or will the river's call go unanswered between the two?

I received River's End compliments of Abingdon Press and Net Galley for my honest review. In this series it shows the lasting consequences that can happen when we let bitterness poison our hearts and keep us from the opportunity to say our final good-byes to those we love the most. It shows how forgiveness isn't about letting someone off the hook for the pain they have caused, but more about the healing that happens within our own hearts when we can let the burden go and finally move forward in freedom spiritually. While the river I believe is a metaphor for the spiritual river all of us have running through our lives, we must all heed to its call and return home to God, for without it we will be left in a faithless drought and always be searching in thirst for something to fill it unless it's God. Only He can fill the emptiness in anyone's life and that's why I rate this series a perfect 5 out of 5 stars. Trust me, you'll want to read this series from the first book to gain all the insight you can from Melody Carlson's words!

For more information on River's End, Melody Carlson and where to pick up a copy of this book today, please click on the links below:

River's End by Melody Carlson

You can also find Melody Carlson on Facebook!

The Gospel According to Twilight

Being a huge Twilight fan due in part to my hopeful romantic heart I was captivated not at first when the series because a huge hit, but after years I watched the movies, followed by reading all the books as fast as I could inhale them. I am a Christian and find that in everything, we can look at things in through what some call Gospel eyes. We can see redeeming qualities in all things while others see only the black and white or good and bad in all things.

I was particularly interested in the recent book The Gospel According to Twilight by Elaine A. Heath and what her take on this series of books and movies had to offer. Was there anything redeeming or have we been like lambs to the slaughter and simply mislead. I think she did a brilliant job and breaking down literally all aspects of what the books and movies have to show us, both good and bad and allow us to gain insight from seeing both signs of the proverbial coin.

With this book comes the understanding of the author, Stephanie Meyers motivation behind the words and actions she describes in the book being a Mormon but also shows how even she deviates from the traditional LDS or Latter Day Saints theology. Elaine goes through each circumstance outlined in the book through a variety of theological teachings from Catholic, to Eastern Orthodox and parallels how we, as Christians, can use the Twilight series to reach women and girls and create a bridge of communication.

There are many redeeming qualities in the book such as the family values that are highlighted in the Cullen (vampire) family. Carlisle, the father featured in the series, even though he is a vampire, chooses through self control to not seek his natural desire to feed on humans but instead feeds by drinking animal blood and now uses his skill as a doctor to help people. His wife, Esme is the proverbial good wife, utilizing her talents as a caregiver and mother to everyone. She even goes as far to make Bella an Italian meal when she first visits the Cullen family, even though they don't eat food. The entire Cullen family is the prime example of a loving family. The work together, they all get along great and protect one another when threats come calling.

Each of the Cullen's have come from a human life previously filled with violence and now all seek to do good and extend grace thorough their life of mortality always seeing the good in everyone, including their rival vampires, werewolves and humans. Even Bella's lifestyle is analyzed about the consequences of coming from a divorced home and having parents living on opposites sides of the country. It shows us how Bella's detachment from what works in a marriage and family is distorted and why she wants to be a part of the Cullen's so passionately. She is accepted despite all her defects, as she sees them.

Elaine Heath also provides insight in the downsides of the series and it allows readers to see why so many are adamant that this series does not belong in hands of believers. It does give you something to think about but I am a firm believer in what the enemy may chose to use for evil, God can turn it around for His glory and goodness. My personal beliefs are that this at least opens conversations up between believers and non believers and may create a great way to show people the love of Christ through this series of books where they may have been closed off before.

I received The Gospel According to Twilight by Elaine A. Heath compliments of Westminster John Knox Press and Net Galley for my honest review and think this is well written. You don't just have a confirmation that this is the perfect series of books but a great line of thinking to consider in all things we chose to take part of in life. For that I rate this one a 5 out of 5 stars. I think this would make a great Bible Study for a youth group in the coming months as the final saga of the series hits theaters. It may open doors for people to come to know Christ through talking about what this series offers both to young men and impressionable young women!

For more information on The Gospel According to Twilight, Elaine A Heath, and where to pick up a copy of this book today, please click on the links below:

The Gospel According to Twilight by Elaine A. Heath

Six Weeks to OMG

If you think you've failed on every diet you've ever tried, think again: The diet failed, you didn't! Now it's time to forget all those weight loss cliche's and listen to the truth:

• Skipping breakfast can be healthy

• Cold baths can give you a hot body

• Black coffee helps speed weight loss

• Small, frequent meals can pack on the pounds

• Exercise is about much more than how much and how hard

• Broccoli carbs can be worse than soda carbs

• Juices and smoothies cause overeating

and so much more! Now the answers don't lie within all those BMI charts, and what someone else calls fat, obese or morbidly fat. Now you can decide once and for all to shed all the fat you want, based on what you look like and how you feel, not by some numbers calculation. The book, Six Weeks to OMG by Venice A. Fulton can show you how.

The interesting thing like most diet books is education and knowledge is power. The more you know the easier it is to begin once you gain enough will power to tell yourself you can do this. For me, a chronic breakfast skipper since high school, just reading this chapter alone gave me hope again, that I didn't have to force myself to eat in the morning and there are some amazing health benefits.

I mean if your body is storing fat and you are looking to get rid of it, doesn't it make sense you have to find a way to burn what your body is storing instead of adding to the stock pile? It's like having a car that runs on gas and you have these reserves waiting to be used, but instead of using those reserves, you just keep adding fuel. If you don't use enough fuel in the course of your day it gets added to the stock pile. And the cycle begins all over again. Everytime you eat, your fueling your body and with just a few changes in how you deal with your body for the next 4-6 weeks can give you a loss of up to 20 pounds of body FAT lost, not muscle or water loss.

Want to know the secrets? Then, you'll want to pick this one up today and see just how easy it is!

I received Six Weeks to OMG: Get Skinnier Than All Your Friends by Venice A. Fulton compliments of Grand Central Publishing, a division of Hachette Book Groups for my honest review and I can't wait to begin some of the simple tips this book offers. It truly is an exciting concept to not weight loss, but FAT LOSS and it doesn't require you to purchase anything but the book. I'll let you know how it goes as I begin my adventure, and hoping by the end of the year, I look much different, feel different and have the healthy skin, hair and nails to prove it. I rate this one a 5 out of 5 stars!

For more information on Six Weeks to OMG, Venice A. Fulton or where to pick up a copy of this book today, please click on the links below:

Six Weeks to OMG (Get Skinnier Than All Your Friends) by Venice A. Fulton

You can find more about at the Six Weeks to OMG website as well.

Facebook followers, you can find more information out by going here.

Here are two women that are doing the program, charting their progess and sharing meal ideas on their blogs.

Over The Edge - Facebook Party and Giveaway

How can you completely forget that you're married? Or that you have a son? Well that's exactly what is happening to Seth Kincaid, the youngest of the Kincaid brothers who suddenly finds himself at the scene of a stagecoach robbery. Only Seth is the one being shot at. When more men arrive from Colorado City with the sheriff, the learn that the only occupant remaining in the stagecoach is a woman, named Callie who was defending the coach against the robbers who already shot both the driver and his partner.

When Seth finds out the woman in the coach is his long-forgotten wife Callie, he immediately picks up right where he left off, carrying for her injuries and learning he has a son, Connor that was rescued by the parson when he left to go find help during the robbery. Now Callie is hailed as a hero by the town for saving the lives of the men from the stage coach but she only wants answers to why Seth left her and never came back. But Seth has been having many lapses in memory and that is why he is living on the land provided to him by the remaining Kincaid brothers, Rafe and Ethan in his own cabin. This way they can watch over him but still allow him to live an independent life.
Only what will they say when they learn that Seth has a family that has come calling for him?

In the Kincaid Bride Series by Mary Connealy, Over The Edge is the third novel that digs deeper into the lives of each of the Kincaid brothers with this one detailing Seth's life a little more. The brothers lives and those of their families still remain at stake when a man is still looking for them, Henry Jasper Duff who he believes has his money that was stolen by Wendell Gilliland. Now Jasper has had to live on the run hiding with his wife Bea, from those that he owes a great deal of money to from his opium trades. No matter how much Bea tries to convince him to forget the money, Jasper is just bidding his time until he can corner the brothers and get back what he believes belongs to him.

I received Over The Edge compliments of Bethany House Publishers and Litfuse Publicity for my honest review. Having read the previous two in this series, Out of Control and In Too Deep, I couldn't wait to read this one to get to know Seth Kincaid more. Having experiences PTSD from the Civil War, Seth at times has the mind of a much younger man who sees things in a much simpler format, being more spontaneous in his actions and a bit impulsive at times without thinking things through. He also suffers from horrible nightmares which Callie still remembers that border more on night terrors. I couldn't wait to see where the money has been hidden or if there is a stash of money since it has been the conflict that runs through the other two novels in the series and keeps the family's constantly looking over their shoulders for the next threat on their lives. I can easily rate this one a 5 out of 5 stars and if you truly love a great Christian Western Romance with a touch of suspense added, then you will LOVE this series.

For more information about Over The Edge, Mary Connealy or where to pick up this book, you can click on the links below:

Over The Edge by Mary Connealy

You can also check out more reviews from the book tour at Litfuse Publicity.

You can find Mary Connealy on Facebook by clicking here.

Celebrate with Mary by entering to win a Nook Color with GlowLight!

See what folks are saying about Over the Edge!

One winner will receive:

• A Nook Color with GlowLight


• The entire set of Mary Connealy's The Kincaid Brides series

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on August 28th. Winner will be announced at the "Over the Edge" Author Chat Facebook Party on 8/29. Meet Mary, get a sneak peek of her next book, try your hand at a trivia contest, and more. There will also be gift certificates, books and a Book Club Prize Pack to be won (10 copies for your book club or small group.)!

So grab your copy of Over the Edge and join Mary on the evening of the August 29th for a chance to connect with her 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 RSVP today. Tell your friends via FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning. Hope to see you on the 29th!

Giant George

In 2006, Dave and Christie Nasser decided that they wanted to expand their family, but not in the way most of us would think. They decided to adopt a puppy since they were moving to Tucson, Arizona and buying a new home. It was what Christie needed to make the jump from living in California near her family and friends and moving to where Dave wanted. This was their compromise.

While researching breed types for the perfect type, they knew they both wanted a large dog. They settled on a Great Dane, but after searching thoroughly in the state of Arizona, they couldn't find any that would be ready to adopt right now. They did locate a breeder in Oregon who had some ready to go, and after careful selection from talking on the phone with her and email correspondence, they settle on a runt of the litter, a blue male dog they would name George.

The only problem facing the Nasser's now was finding a home soon enough and so they managed to hide George from the apartment managers and nosy neighbors until he got too large to hide. It was with great luck, they found a suitable fixer-upper thanks to Dave's job in Real Estate. They would soon discover that their problems would only continue to grow at such an alarming rate that what they dreamed of, would be much bigger than they could handle. Much bigger!



In the novel, Giant George, Life with the World's Biggest Dog by Dave Nasser with Lynne Barrett-Lee, the reader is in for the ride of their life, when they see just what happens when the Nasser's adopt the runt of the litter, only to have it turn out to literally be, the World's Largest Dog, EVER! It's a delightful story into the joys of raising George, and all the problems that go hand in hand with raising a large breed dog, who truly believes he is one of the family. I mean how do you manage a 245 pound dog?

I received Giant George compliments of Grand Central Publishing, a division of Hachette Book Groups for my honest review. This is a must read for dog lovers everywhere and for those of you that dream of owning a large breed dog, you might just want to check this one out first to make sure you know what you're getting yourself in for. I rate this one a GIANT 5 out of 5 stars and think this one is going to make you smile all the way through it.

For more information on Giant George, Dave Nasser and Lynne Barrett-Lee, or where to pick up a copy of this book today, please click on the links below:

Giant George: Life with the World's Biggest Dog by Dave Nasser with Lynne Barrett-Lee

You can also find Giant George on Facebook by clicking here or on his webpage by clicking here.

Dawnsinger

I found this story to be quite amazing and full of adventure and suspense! Shae and Kai are brother and sister, or has there been an alteration of the truth to protect ones real heritage! When Kai starts to figure out that their relationship is a lie, he starts putting together the truth of what the future has in store. Once Kai finds out the truth he becomes her protector in the story. The first half of the book is plot after plot of what is happening in the High Queens Court. The second half is all about the adventure!

From Wingabeasts to Garns, this book has all kinds of beasts, giants, wizards and magic throughout which will not disappoint. Be aware of the many different names that sometimes can be confusing, but if you can keep up and remember all of them, you will have an epic rollercoaster ride! This story has a deep rooted fantasy base well suited for all of the fantasy and even Sci-Fi lovers alike! You will want to keep this book close as you read it and you wont want to put it down once you’ve picked it up!

I rate Dawnsinger by Janalyn Voigt a 4 out of 5 stars! Only due to the confusing names where it is sometimes hard to keep track of each character. This definitely was a good book to read! I received Dawnsinger by Janalyn Voigt compliments of Kathy Carlton Willis Communications for my honest review and think this would be an exceptional book for those young adults and teens that really LOVE a great Christian Fantasy Fiction based book like Lord of the Rings and The Chronicle of Narnia series. This is the first book in the Tales of Faeraven series and I can't wait for more!

For more information on Dawnsinger, Janalyn Voigt or where to pick up a copy of this book today, please click on the links below:

Dawnsinger by Janalyn Voigt

You can also find Janalyn Voigt on Facebook by clicking here.

A Sweethaven Homecoming

It's often funny how at times the things we have done in our pasts, our mistakes, bad decisions, no matter how far removed we think we are from them can come back at the worst possible moments and that is how Meghan Rhodes felt as the was being interviewed on the Shandy Shore show. When people become guests, all questions are supposed to be pre-approved to avoid any type of shock and awe moments, but that is exactly what happened to Meghan. One minute she's thinking she's about to be briefly interviewed as a country music star and then perform, but it turns into an expose' on her past.

Just when hasn't someone done something that they would be ashamed of, and when Shandy pulled out pictures Meghan posed for at nineteen, she wasn't at all prepared for how to handle this professionally. She is also asked how she plans of keeping custody of her twins when she learns that her ex-husband Nick is suing her for full custody. Apparently Meghan has been set up but worst yet, she wonders how she didn't see this one coming in advance. Maybe if she did, she would have been better prepared for Shandy's unexpected questions. Now she can only head home to Sweethaven in search for answers and new beginnings.

In the novel, A Sweethaven Homecoming by Courtney Walsh, Meghan heads home in Sweethaven. Michigan in search for answers. Searching for answers for where everything has fallen apart that has brought her to today. Where did things go wrong with Nick? Her children? Even her friends? When had her life gotten so busy that she forgot about the people that mattered most in her life? She will reconnect with her friends again to find the answers she needs before she can ever begin to move forward.

Campbell is heading back to Sweethaven as well to tie up some loose ends even though friends in Chicago don't want her to. She remains convinced that her mother, the one that began her journey of discovery with merely a scrapbook to answer the questions she had about her mother's life. She knows her mother wouldn't want her past to dictate the way she lives her life today, and thus the reason to go back. She needs to know her father and grandfather now, even if well-meaning friends don't see it that way. Even though she knows her father didn't want her anyway, she needs more answers than her mother's scrapbook can provide if she's going to figure out what she wants to do with the rest of her life and that includes Luke as well.

Lila is still trying to deal with the fact that her husband, Tom is Campbell's father as they wait for their divorce to be final. He still loved her despite the fact he betrayed her. What could you expect when you found out he fathered a child with her best friend and hid it from her for twenty five years. Now she just needed to walk away for good but can she?

The first place Meghan arrives when she comes to Sweethaven is her mom Adele's home. It's where Nick and the twins are and she is hoping to finally begin the process of figuring things out and stop running from her responsibilities. I guess it makes sense it's the first place to start after learning of Nick's latest news. She also hoped to reconnect with her brother, Luke. What would she say if she knew that Luke and Nick were practically like brothers these days?

As a pastor's wife, Jane knew that she didn't feel right if she wasn't helping someone. After losing her son, Alex she knew she had to stay busy. When her husband Graham suggested that she might want to lead a Bible Study class, she wasn't quite sure this was for her, but she could help women learn to journal. It's what has helped her process her feelings and it may help someone else. It would be a chance for them to get together and learn more about God's forgiveness and love, but wouldn't she be an impostor? She hadn't learned these things for herself, had she? Maybe she could finally find a way to make peace with what happened to Alex, and this was as good as time as any!

I received A Sweethaven Homecoming by Courtney Walsh compliments of Christian Fiction Blog Alliance for my honest review and it's such a wonderful sequel to A Sweethaven Summer. This is the story about how each of these women will move from painful pasts to new beginnings in completely different ways. As the reader, you may identify with one or more of these women in how they are dealing with their pasts and hope that lies within each of them to bring about forgiveness and unconditional love. I rate this book a 4 out of 5 stars and if you haven't read the first book, A Sweethaven Summer, you might want to pick that one up first to gain insight into the lives of each of the characters you will encounter in this delightful novel.

For more information on A Sweethaven Homecoming, Courtney Walsh or where to pick up this book today, please click on the links below:

A Sweethaven Homecoming by Courtney Walsh

You can also find more reviews from this book tour by clicking here.

You can find more about Courtney Walsh through her Facebook page.

Tidewater Inn

Libby Holladay and her partner Nicole Ingram work together at a business called Holladay Renovations. They work to convince owners to dramatically increase the value of their historic properties by entrusting them to Libby's expertise.

When Libby receives a phone call from Nicole telling her that her father, Ray Mitchell has left her some prime real estate worth millions in his will. In fact the entire west side of the island and the Tidewater Inn now belongs to her. The Tidewater Inn is only accessible by boat and it's right along the ocean. More than thrilled to get the chance to see the possibilities, Libby asks Nicole to set her up via a webcam to see the property she's about to inherit but Nicole also tells her that she has a half brother, Brent and half sister, Vanessa they she never knew about until today. Thinking she had no remaining family left, Libby is thrilled with the idea she might get a chance to know her brother and sister. In fact Nicole tells Libby that she will get Vanessa on the webcam when they meet at the lighthouse ruins where Vanessa is scheduled to show her around. Then she can see her before they actually met.

However when Libby pulls up the web cam link on her laptop she see's Nicole confronted by two men who inject her with a needle, and attempt to carry her off. As Libby attempts to call 911, she tries to record the video link but it goes dark before she can save anything. Using all her computer skills, she accidentally deletes the link from the computer. Now she has no proof to show the police. What will happen to Nicole and just why were these men after her? As she races to the Outer Banks to find Nicole, the mystery is about to intensify!

In the latest novel by Colleen Coble, Tidewater Inn is the first in the Hope Beach series, and immediately engages the readers adrenaline in this heart pounding suspense novel with a twist of intrigue and romance. When Libby arrives in the Outer Banks she is the first the police suspect in Nicole's disappearance and while they launch an investigation to prove her guilt, Libby has to launch her own search to find Nicole before she winds up dead. She enlists the help of Alec Bourne, Chief Petty Officer for the Coast Guard in her search along with trying to deal with her new found family who aren't please to learn that they are sharing their inheritance with a sister they never knew. This book is guaranteed to keep your interest at an all time high as the suspense grows as the tidewaters continue to rise!

I received Tidewater Inn by Colleen Coble compliments of Litfuse Publicity for my honest review and have to say there hasn't been one book that I've read by Colleen Coble that wasn't a winner in my opinion. This is a great series I can see developing because the cast of characters from Libby's new found family, to her warm and loving Aunt Pearl are guaranteed to make you want to keep coming back for more. I rate this one a 5 out of 5 stars and was up in the wee hours of the morning because I started reading it so late, I thought I would be able to put it down, but I couldn't! Sleep deprivation has never felt to good and so worth it too! I highly recommend this one if you love a bit of mystery with some intrigue, suspense and romance with the ocean as your backdrop!

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

Tidewater Inn by Colleen Coble

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To read more reviews from this book tour compliments of Litfuse Publicity, click here.

Suggested Title: Win a $500 Weekend Getaway Package from @ColleenCoble and Connect with her at 8/23 Facebook Party!

Celebrate with Colleen by entering to win a $500 gift certificate to BedandBreakfast.com!



Find out what the reviewers are saying here!

One grand prize winner will receive:

• A $500 gift certificate to BedandBreakfast.com


• A copy of Tidewater Inn.

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on August 22nd. Winner will be announced at Colleen's "Tidewater Inn" Author Chat Facebook Party on 8/23. Colleen will be sharing the story behind the book, hosting a book chat, testing your trivia skills, and of course, there will be plenty of fun giveaways - books, gift certificates and a Book Club Prize Pack! She’ll also be giving a sneak peak of her next book too!




So grab your copy of Tidewater Inn and join Colleen on the evening of the August 23rd for a chance to connect with Colleen 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 about Colleen's giveaway and increase your chances of winning. Hope to see you on the 23rd!