Government Zero

In America, we have only a left wing and a far-left wing. A bird needs two wings to fly. This country is going in circles because it has two left wings, flapping around the clock. A bird needs a left wing and a right wing to fly. In Michael Savage's latest book, Government Zero, he really focuses on what exactly is going on with the current leadership in our government, congress, the Supreme Court and of course, the Presidency, while many American's, like myself, are shaking their heads and wondering what is going on with those in charge of leading this once great nation literally into the ground.

So what is Government Zero? We're facing something  the West hasn't had to deal with since the wars of religion in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. The same thing is happening right now. We are supposed to be a nation where the government is "of the people, by the people, and for the people." Yet every poll shows this rogue government of sneaks and traitors seems to relish doing the opposite of the will of the people. It is a government of itself, by itself and for itself, run by lobbyists. In short, Government Zero is absolute, unchecked government power and zero representation of the people. It doesn't exist to promote conservative or liberal principles. It is not pro-immigration or anti-immigration. It is not capitalist or socialist. It is not religious or atheist. Those are all just means to its end.

We are paralyzed as this most evil of administration swings its sledgehammers at our most revered institutions. A climate of fear grips the people as the sneaks in high places spy on us, sell us out to Red China in a secret trade deal, decimate our medical system, eviscerate our military leadership, evaporate our borders, erase our culture, and attack religion's basic tenets. Meanwhile, millions of illegal aliens pour over our southern border, bringing with them an unwillingness to assimilate into American culture, refusing to even speak English. "That's why the government is attacking everything that makes the world livable for the rest of us. It is attacking free enterprise, because it needs higher taxes and more regulations to expand its wealthy and power. It is promoting open borders, because immigrants from socialist or Islamic countries don't share our traditions of individual liberty and limited government. It wages war on police, because civil unrest allows it to exercise more centralized power or even martial law, eventually with a federal police force answering only to the kings and queens of government. It attacks freedom of speech, because dissent is like dryptonite to an all-powerful government." (pg 5).

I received Government Zero by Michael Savage compliments of Center Street Publishing, a division of Hachette Book Groups for my honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation, aside from a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. It is hard to not read through this book and see the very things that Mr. Savage points out that is happening, from the smug looks from Hillary Clinton when testifying on her role in email scandals to the Benghazi failure, she seems to think she is above the law. When we watch the Supreme Court, take matters of deciding what will be the law of the nation away from the hands of the voters in matters like the Obamacare and Same Sex Marriage issues, all the while people are shaking our heads and wonder if we have woken up to some alternate version of the United States, but it is truly a living nightmare. However, Mr. Savage gives readers hope on what we can begin doing to help get our country back on track before it's too late, and I have to agree with Mr. Savage, that it truly is a spiritual issue that has gotten us off track and we need to turn back before we turn this sad state of affairs over to the next generation. We, as the people, need to take back our freedoms, our liberties and our country. I would rate this book, a 4 out of 5 stars in my opinion.

For more information about Government Zero, Michael Savage or where you can pick up a copy of this book today, please click on the links below:

Government Zero by Michael Savage

You can find Michael Savage on Facebook to stay up to date on all his latest books and information.

To read more reviews on Government Zero, please visit Center Street Publishing's website. 

Miracle Drug

Richard L. Mabry has such an expertise at writing hardline medical suspense thrillers and his latest is exceptional. In Miracle Drug, we take a look at the world of a fictious pharmaceutical company that holds the only cure to a rare and fatal disease that has been launched against the former president of the United States as well as an innocent by-stander Rachel Moore. His only hope lies with his recently appointed personal physician Dr. Josh Pearson, who only obtained this position when his colleague passed away of an apparent heart attack. Now it's a race against time to figure out just what these two have been infected with before their symptoms quickly claim their lives.

But is it all really an elaborate assassination attempt, or it is a way to take an ailing pharmaceutical company and bring it back from the verge of going out of business by coming up with the only cure for the former president. What happens if they isn't enough of the antidote to cure them both. You might think it would be a no brainer until you realize that one is the former president and the other is the girl you have fallen in love with. Now the pressure is really on for Josh to figure out what to do as the body count begins to rise and the trail of clues begin to divide among quite a few possible theories.

I received Miracle Drug by Richard L. Mabry MD compliments of Abingdon Press and Litfuse Publicity for my honest review. Aside from a free copy of this book, I did not receive any monetary compensation and the opinions here are my own honest and personal ones. Because I have had the opportunity to read so many of Mabry's previous novels, I now automatically choose these because (1) based on his knowledge as a former physician, the medical terms and procedures will always be spot on without all the soap opera drama one might expect and (2) it will always take me to a place where you wonder just how true this could be, especially in light of the recent Ebola scare this year. It definitely gives the reader something to marinate about while you are reading this one. Most people don't have a clue to how far medical science has really advanced and the ways it can be used against others if it falls into the wrong hands. For me, another home room and a well deserved 4.5 out of 5 stars. There is a reader's discussion guide included at the conclusion as well as a sneak peek at the next novel coming out soon, Medical Judgement.

For more information about Miracle Drug, Richard L. Mabry MD, or where you can pick up a copy of this novel today, please click on the links below:

Miracle Drug by Richard L. Mabry MD

You can find Richard L. Mabry MD on Facebook to stay up to date on all his latest novels.

To read more reviews on Miracle Drug, please visit Litfuse Publicity's Book Tour Page.

Seeking the Star

As a book lover, almost any time of the year is exceptional when you find a great novel, but by far for me, Christmas books are my favorite, especially if they contain a great message behind them just perfect as we begin to roll into the holiday season. Traci Borum has written a truly inspirational and heartwarming book, Seeking the Star and one I can honestly highly recommend if you love Christmas books half as much as I do.

Late one winter's night a drifter collapses just outside the door of an elderly couple, George and Mary Cartwright, in the English Cotswold village of Chilton Crosse. They immediately take him in and nurse him back to health, not knowing why he's been out in the weather or what his story is. They fell that when he is ready he will open up, and for now set about making him feel welcome. They invite him to stay through the holidays as a winter storm approaches and soon learn that Ben has a past that he isn't ready to share just yet. He finds solace in working among the people in Chilton Crosse as a way of staying busy enough until it is time to move on, a journey of no destination and one he wishes he could find a sense of peace with.

As the days move forward, Ben soon begins to make small changes, first shaving his overgrown beard, then his hair and finds a confident in Mac MacDonald, a man of many talents. Ben begins to let down his guard with Mac and is able to share a few things with him while the two working on the nativity set for the town. He is that wise old sage that offers advice without needing to know the full story and can see that Ben is still working something out from his past.

As more time unfolds, Mary is able to get Ben to open up more as George shares the story of the death of their son Sheldon and how they are able to find peace without him being with them any longer. Mary tries to talk to Ben about God, but Ben has simply given up on the God he used to know. She explains that only through her faith in God have they found that peace to keep going in spite of their difficulties, but she knows she can't push him to reveal what he is trying so hard to forget. The only clue is a silver angel that Ben keeps close to him at all times.

I received Seeking the Star by Traci Borum compliments of Red Adept Publishing for my honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation aside from a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion. I can't imagine dealing with the things that Mary and Ben have had to face and still hold onto their faith, but I also know that without it, you are truly locked in a prison of your own making. My only hope after finishing this book is that Traci will create a sequel to tell us what the outcome of Ben's life will be. If not, I guess we can all dream up our own outcome to what happens next, but I believe that is what all readers want when they read such an exceptional and heartwarming story like this one. I've truly been blessed to read this one and now it's my turn to share it with you in hopes you'll pick this one up and add it to your Christmas collection. It has now found a permanent home in mine and thus a 5 out of 5 stars in my opinion. This is the third book in the Chilton Crosse series.

For more information about Seeking the Star, Traci Borum or where you can pick up a copy of this book today, please click on the links below:

Seeking the Star by Traci Borum 

You can find Traci Borum on Facebook to stay up to date on all her latest books.

You can pick up a copy of this book at Amazon in paperback or for your Kindle. 

We Had A Job To Do

It isn't hard as an American to appreciate the freedoms we often take for granted and simply forget that such freedoms were not free, but were the result of the ultimate price paid for by the service men and women who served in this nations armed forces. Being a child of both parents who were veterans in the war as well as a grandfather who played a part in WWII, I find myself drawn to those brave men and women who served without considering the sacrifices that would be required of them, and one I feel is vastly missing from our citizens today, to appreciate those who continue to fight for the freedoms we still have in this country.

In Thereas Anzaldua's book, We Had A Job To Do, she has compiled a vast history of those who played a part in WWII and the stories that each had to tell about how they summed up their military careers and what their role did in helping us through those difficult years. From the onset of the Great Depression and Dust Bowl, many men simply looked to the military as a way to find self worth when all the jobs were not available until we entered the war on December 7, 1941 with the bombing of Pearl Harbor. This book chronicles the lives of those like B-25 bomber pilots on the US Hornet, to the role women played as the first WACs and WAVES, from the Navajo Code Talkers to the to the Tuskegee Airman, from how the Douglas Plant was Camouflaged to the inspiration of the talents of such notables as Glenn Miller, there is something for everyone in this book.

The only issue I had with the layout of this book was as you began with one person's story, the chapter would end and ask you to head to a later chapter to continue their story, this made for a huge disconnection for me, trying to flip all over the book to keep the continuity of the person's life I was following. I believe the authors intent was to keep the timeline's current and as the person's life continued later it was if you picked them back up later in the war years. For me, it would have benefited the reader more if they simply stayed with one particular person's story until that came to a conclusion, but that is my only critique of the book. This was well thought out and love that you can see things in the life of so many different varieties of the people who served in the war efforts of WWII.

I received We Had A Job To Do by Theresa Anzaldua compliments of iRead Book Tours for my honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation aside from a free copy of this book, in exchange for an honest review. I love that this is filled with such a variety of stories because it takes you into the heart of the various people, nationalities and service groups that helped make the war a success and not only that how they attempted to go back after they served their time, it wasn't always an easy transition. I guess my favorite is the women's role not in the Rosie the Riveters but in the women who served, not only as nurses, but as pilots as well. For me, this one was a 4 out of 5 stars simply based on the confusing layout but love that images accompany each chapter highlighting these brave men and women and also those times when we truly had a sense of patriotism and valued our service men and women. I think this does a great job at honoring them and the jobs they had to do.

For more information about We Had A Job To Do, Theresa Anzaldua or where to pick up a copy of this book today, please click on the links below:

We Had A Job To Do by Theresa Anzaldua

You can find Theresa Anzaldua on Facebook to keep up to date on more war stories she shares on her page.

To read more reviews on We Had A Job To Do, please visit iReads Book Tour page and take part in the giveaway that is being hosted as well.

NIV Bible for Teen Girls - Review and Giveaway

There are a lot of things that teen girls from the ages of 13 to 18 have to deal with in their lives, beside processing through hormonal changes, peer pressure, dating and interests in boys, to handling making the transition from teen to adult as well. They harbor their own unique challenges and thus there is nothing too big that God can't help them with. That is the first place as parents, we would expect our teens would turn aside from their parents on how to deal with the challenges life brings, we want them to turn to the One who created them to be just as unique as our teen daughters are!

The NIV Bible for Teen Girls: Growing in Faith, Hope and Love has been designed uniquely for teen girls 13-18 and is packed with daily readings, highlighted promises of God, challenging insights, smart advice and open discussions about the realities of life. This Bible is designed to help teen girls grow in their own spiritual walk in faith, hope and love. It is as sincere about a teen girl's walk with God as they are, helping them discover His will for all areas of their life, including relating to their family, dealing with friends, work, sports, guys, and so much more.

What the NIV Bible for Teen Girls offers inside include: Daily Readings by popular Christian female authors including Bethany Hamilton (Soul Surfer), Annie Downs, Christine Caine, Nicole Wider, Else Kok Colopy, Crystal Kirgiss, Bekah Hamrick Martin, Denise Van Eck and more. Character Profiles of women in the Bible; Book Introductions for each book of the Bible; Highlighted Promises of God are verses worth remembering; a Concordance for help in finding verses and the NIV, New International Version is the best selling version of the Bible. 

When I presented this to my own 16-year-old daughter, she immediately LOVED the cover. It's definitely feminine without being overly childish, the colors are appealing and she loved that along with her Bible, the font size is perfect. In fact the teen Bible she had before, is now replaced by this one which is her preference. The daily readings are listed at the back of the Bible and are listed by the topic instead of the individual authors, so if your teen is struggling in a particular area in her life, she can find a resource from a strong Christian role model along with the applicable Bible verses in that section. The only thing I wish they would have included would have been the authors names along with that, so if she wanted to search for articles by Bethany Hamilton, she wouldn't have to search for it through each of the daily readings. I would have also loved for it to include Jesus' words in a different color to really set that apart from the rest of the text for importance.

I received the NIV Bible for Teen Girls: Growing in Faith, Hope and Love compliments of Zondervan Publishers and Propeller for my honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation aside from a free copy of the Bible to review, and the opinions expressed here are strictly my own. Aside from the recommendations I have listed above, this is a great teen Bible for girls. Some of the best parts of our families devotional time is when my daughter will add something that is on the particular page of her Bible we are studying and it opens up a great discussion point for us with her like peer pressure or dealing with some things teens face but might not know how to approach them with their parents. This is how it has worked for us when she reads them to us and we can talk about them openly. I think that is how this Bible was designed to keep the lines between parents and teens wide open. For us, this one rates a 4 out of 5 in our opinion.

Now for the best part, thanks the generosity of Zondervan Publishers and Propeller, they are offering a giveaway of this Bible to one lucky reader: Here are your guidelines to enter and it's a bit different than what I normally offer since I am opening this up to both my blogging and social media readers.

1. Be a follower of my blog, Reviews From the Heart or my Facebook page, Reviews From The Heart. If you are both...2 entries, 1 for each site.

2. Leave a comment on my blog for an additional entry telling me why you'd love to win a copy of this Bible. Don't forget to include your email address, so I have a way of reaching out to you if you're the lucky winner of this giveaway. If you "share" the link on your blog, you get an additional entry.

3. Leave a comment on my social media pages, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and/or Pinterest. For each comment you leave, you get an additional entry. If you share my links on your social media pages, you get 2 more entries into the giveaway. Don't forget to let me know why you'd want to win this Bible giveaway.

4. The giveaway will end on November 6th and the winner will be notified by email or instant message. You will have 72 hours to respond otherwise another winner will be drawn. Remember you can enter as many times as you'd like just make sure you meet the requirements to do so a second time.

Disclosure: This is for US or Canada only. Disclosure (in accordance with the FTC's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising") : Many thanks to Propeller Consulting, LLC for providing this prize for the giveaway. choice of winners and opinions are 100% my own and NOT influenced by monetary compensation. I did receive a sample of the product in exchange for this review and post. 

Only one entrant per mailing address, per giveaway. If you have won a prize from our sponsor Propeller/FlyBy Promotions in the last 30 days, you are not eligible to win. Or if you have won the same prize on another blog, you are not eligible to win it again. Winner is subject to eligibility verification. 

For more information on the NIV Bible for Teen Girls, Zondervan Publishers or where to pick up a copy of this Bible today, please click on the links below:

NIV Bible for Teen Girls: Growing in Faith, Hope and Love

You can find Zondervan Publishers on Facebook to stay up to date on all their latest products.

The Respectable Actress

I believe I have read all of Dorothy Love's novel with the exception of one and I hope to rectify that after reading her latest The Respectable Actress, I feel in love with the background character of Celia MacKay, a woman who comes to the aid of India Hartley who has been accused of murdering her fellow actor in a play at Savannah's Southern Palace. With a last minute change to the script, due to trying to impress a critic, India has been asked to shoot notable thespian Arthur Sterling instead of throwing a vase at his head. The only problem is that the prop gun has been replaced in the moment by India's own hand gun which she didn't realize until it went off, and now has been arrested at the prime suspect. It doesn't help that her earlier comments to make it look good to the audience by Sterling was met with a willingness that if only it wasn't just acting in front of witnesses.

Now that the trial has been set, and of course publicity and rumors are running rampant in Savannah, India's attorney, Philip Sinclair believes that in order to accurately get to the bottom of the case with his client, she should be released into his custody on the island of Indigo Point. The judge agrees and provides them both with time to put their case together. If Philip can win this case, it will help his law career immensely but when mounting evidence that begins to pile up against India, he wonders if he has bitten off more than he can chew. India is met with more hostility as the women who live in Indigo Point don't exactly respect her position as an actress and feel the position is one of a lesser class woman.

She tries as hard as possible to find any friends on the island, and befriends Philip's sister Amelia who is attempting to try and find a way to restore their families land holdings since the war decimated most of what they had once had. She also longs for the opportunity to find true love with the limited supply of eligible bachelors on the island. The one mystery on the island is the locked room in the home that seems to be a bit of a shrine to a woman that no one will discuss as if they expect her to return at any moment. Are there secrets that Philip is hiding as well? Sometimes one's past can truly come back to haunt them after all.

I received The Respectable Actress by Dorothy Love compliments of Thomas Nelson Publishers and Litfuse Publicity for my honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation, aside from a free copy of the book in exchange for my honest and personal review. This is the sequel to Dorothy Love's The Bracelet in which the character of Celia MacKay is highlighted and one I fully intend to read. Historical novels like this one take the reader back to a time when society automatically made assumptions based on the classes of people and actors/actresses fell into line almost with prostitutes which I found more than interesting, how many judged India before any of them had read the truth and also how newspapers were more interested in selling papers over getting to the facts of the case before it went to print. A well written novel and one I found myself a silent character in which made it all the more delightful to spend time with Philip and India on the island. I can't wait for more. This one rated a 4.5 out of 5 stars and includes a reader's discussion guide that is great for book clubs.

For more information about The Respectable Actress, Dorothy Love or where you can pick up a copy of this novel today, please click on the links below:

The Respectable Actress by Dorothy Love

You can find Dorothy Love on Facebook to stay up to date on all her latest novels.

To read more reviews on The Respectable Actress, please visit Litfuse Publicity's Book Tour Page. 

Valley of Decision

The most hardest part of getting involved in any series, is that one day is has to come to an end. Sometimes you want to refrain from picking up the final book because if you have truly come to love the characters, you know this is the conclusion to their story. They're not just characters in a book to you. You've come to know them, to care about them and to know what motivates them and those are the earmarks of a fine novel and an exceptional writer. If you're looking for such a series, I would encourage you to pick up the Carthage Chronicles from Lynne Gentry. It's both a bit of science fiction, involving time travel and historical romance, as the characters are traveling back to ancient Carthage and find themselves so involved in that culture, they don't wish to return.

In the conclusion to this series, Valley of Decision is that place where all of our beloved characters have once again been transported back to Carthage and must make some defining life choices, to stay where their hearts call them or to head back to the present day and hope they can convince those that they care about to join them, but to do that, would forever change history. Is the risk worth it in the end? This is not a series you can pick up any of the novels and jump right in, hoping there is enough of a back story to help move you forward in the novels. You must begin with the first one as any great adventure would suggest. But trust me when I share with you, it will be so worth the time to do so. For those of us, that have been reading them as they are published, the wait has been long in between, but with each novel, it simply gets better and better.

In Valley of Decision, Magdalena has been arrested for the death of the proconsul Aspasius, whom she tried to save by amputating his leg, but when he succumbs to complications due to the time frame they are living in and lack of surgical sterileness. Now she must try and find a way to save her life if she is continue her fight to save the city of Carthage from the disease of typhoid and measles that threatens to destroy the city. Her granddaughter Maggie, now 18, has run away back to Carthage in hopes of not only saving Magdalena but also her father Cyprian whom she just met when accompanying her mother Lisbeth Hastings more than a decade ago. She knows her mother would never approve but she must do what she can to help in any way possible, with the time she has left if the history books are correct and her father has less than a month before he is condemned to death.

I received Valley of Decision by Lynne Gentry compliments of Howard Books, a division of Simon and Schuster Publishers and Litfuse Publicity for my honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation outside of a free copy of this book for my review and the opinions expressed here are my own honest and personal ones. I won't give away the ending but it is so worth reading this entire series. I am sad that the journey is over, but it was well worth the wait between all the novels to experience what is might have been like living in the third-century with the tremendous amount of research that Lynne did to enable this novel and her characters to become simply more than words on a page. In my opinion, this one easily earns all 5 out of 5 stars. There is a Reader's Discussion Guide at the conclusion as well as some great questions that Lynne Gentry takes the time to answer about this amazing series.

For more information about Valley of Decision, Lynne Gentry or where you can pick up a copy of this novel today, please click on the links below:

Valley of Decision by Lynne Gentry 

You can find Lynne Gentry on Facebook to stay up to date on all her latest novels.

To read more reviews on Valley of Decision, please visit Litfuse Publicity's Book Tour Page

The Carthage Chronicles Series:
1. Healer of Carthage
2. Return to Exile
3. Valley of Decision

The Hummingbird

I think we all take each day of our life for granted. I believe it's because we firmly believe that there will be a tomorrow and the day after that until we grow old. But the people I think truly appreciate what they have are those that have to face a terminal diagnosis, knowing that tomorrow is never a guarantee for any of us. Stephen P. Kiernan has written an unforgettable novel that showcases three very unique relationships in The Hummingbird. It is written in alternating chapters, one in the life of hospice nurse, Deborah Birch, and the story of the Sword she reads to her dying patient Professor Barclay Reed.

Deborah's relationship with the Professor is to help him see that even though time is running out on his life he still has a lot to offer. She promises that even though he has fired every single nurse in three different hospice care facilities, she will not give up on him. As the two work on coming to terms with how they interact with one another in the time that is left, the Professor asks her to read an unpublished book that he had written and at the conclusion of the story, to tell him if she believes it is true or simply a work of fiction. Along the way, the Professor's brilliant metaphors for life, help Deborah deal with her husband, Michael who after returning home from his third tour of duty is not the man she married. His violent outbursts have been a huge strain on their marriage and now they simply exist as roommates in the same home. Not the life she had ever imagined and not one she wanted to open up to the Professor about.

The Professor has written numerous volumes on the Pacific Theater and the Sword was the only one that never got published. As they read through the story together, the Professor helps Deborah understand the subtleties behind what Michael has brought home from the war. He uses parts of the story to help her gain insight into the clues he brings up that offer more than what she has been seeing all along. Deborah also finds that through each case she has worked with her patients, they all offer her the one thing that money can never buy and it's a gift she carries with her to each and every patient. She promises that she will do all she can to ensure that their death is peaceful, as painfree as possible and that they leave behind no regrets if she can help it.

I received The Hummingbird by Stephen P. Kiernan compliments of William Morrow, a division of Harper Collins Publishers for my honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation, aside from a free copy of this book, in exchange for my honest review and the opinions contained here are strictly my own. While this is NOT a book for my Christian readers, those who find an interest in hospice, WWII and PTSD, will love where these stories intersect and find such value for life, it kinda of changes how you move forward after reading this. There is some profanity, but taken in the context of the character of Michael, as a returning soldier from the war, it would be what one would expect dealing with the nightmares and issues he has. In my opinion, this one is worth 4 out of 5 stars.

For more information about The Hummingbird, Stephen P. Kiernan, or where you can pick up a copy of this novel today, please click on the links below:

The Hummingbird from Stephen P. Kiernan 

You can find Stephen P. Kiernan on Facebook to stay up to date on all his latest novels.

To read more reviews on The Hummingbird, please visit William Morrow's website. 

The Splendor of Ordinary Days

I have learned a lot of these past years about some genre's of novels I thoroughly enjoy, they are the ones like you will find in Jeff High's Watervalley Series. It conveys the creation of a small town where quite literally everyone knows not only your name, but it is hard to keep secrets in a town like Watervalley, Tennessee. I have been blessed to have the opportunity to review, The Splendor of Ordinary Days, the third novel in this series. Along the way with each novel, you get an deeper look at some of the town's residents and in this case it is with Dr. Luke Bradford, the town's doctor who has slowly fallen in love with Christine Chambers, a schoolteacher. The best part of their relationship is the determination to discuss how they feel in regards to trying to keep things pure until they become married and I believe that is why this works so well. It is honest, heart-felt and you feel that the characters you meet in this novel are more than just fictional characters, these are real people.

When you pick this one up, Dr. Bradford still has not popped the question to Christine, partially because he wants things just perfect and he wants to make sure that the timing is right for both of them, not merely pressure from the residents in town to marry the poor girl. I love that they simply spend their nights sitting on the porch underneath the skies and talk about the things both in their past and hopes for the future. It seems to be the missing component in today's relationships, taking the time to truly getting to know one another before rushing into things. Part of what I truly love about this novel in particular is the characters of Luther Whitmore and Leland Carter. Both very different but have a sense of something more to them that draws you in wanting to know more about their story.

Luther is the owner of the town's newspaper and isn't afraid to take his personal opinions on anything pertaining to the town and publish them. In fact, he is one of the town's most grumpiest elderly men and also owns Moon Lake, but has erected a fence around the whole thing and no one is allowed in. In fact, Luther is so unfriendly, the signs posted on his front porch are enough to keep almost everyone away including any door to door sales like Girl Scouts. But Dr. Bradford begins to uncover clues from their brief conversations that he wonders if there is truly more to Luther than simply the willingness to be all alone. Perhaps somewhere deep in that hard heart was once a man who loved deeply but lost everything he truly cared about through a series of circumstances. Will Dr. Bradford be able to figure it out? Only time will tell and that is what makes this novel so worth reading.

I received The Splendor of Ordinary Days by Jeff High compliments of New American Library and Litfuse Publicity for my honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation, aside from a free copy of this novel, in exchange for an honest review and the opinions contained here are my own personal ones. I love the coming together of the community in regards to how they honor their veterans, not only those who died while serving in the various wars but also those who are alive and continue to pay the ultimate price with what they have to deal with on a daily basis. It seems that is what is missing in most towns in this country is the love of our military and also the ability to come together as communities when the need arises. Perhaps that is why I love small town novels like this one, because it gives readers an idea of how wonderful life can be when we all work together, and thus the need to rate this one a 5 out of 5 stars in my opinion. I can't wait to go back and read the first two novels in the series to learn more about the amazing people who live in Watervalley!

For more information about The Splendor of Ordinary Days, Jeff High or where you can pick up a copy of this novel today, please click on the links below:

The Splendor of Ordinary Days by Jeff High

You can find Jeff High on Facebook to stay up to date with all his latest novels.

To read more reviews on The Splendor of Ordinary Days, please visit Litfuse Publicity's Book Tour Page.

When several military veterans’ emotional wounds trigger anger and unrest in Watervalley, Dr. Luke Bradford learns some important lessons in service, courage, love, and sacrifice in The Splendor of Ordinary Days by Jeff High. As Luke struggles to understand Vietnam War veteran Luther’s past, and restore harmony in Watervalley, an unforeseen crisis shatters a relationship he values dearly.

Join Jeff in celebrating the release of The Splendor of Ordinary Days with a Kindle Fire HD 6 giveaway!

 

One grand prize winner will receive:

• Signed copies of all three Watervalley books
• A Kindle Fire HD 6

Enter today by clicking the icon below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on October 27th. The winner will be announced October 28th on Jeff's blog.

When Calls the Heart - Follow Your Heart

As Season 2 draws to a close, fans of the series, When Calls the Heart are waiting for resolution for our beloved couple of Jack Thornton and Elizabeth Thatcher who are now standing at the crossroad in their relationship. Returning home from Hamilton, the couple have had quite a few differences of opinions and the relationship remains strained. They will soon see that each time that one of them is faced with a life or death situation, like Jack's run in with the counterfeiters, they have to be honest with how they truly feel about one another. Will they realize that their hearts have always belonged to one another or for those they left behind in Hamilton.

Abigail is faced with trying to make Mr. Gowen's latest repairs otherwise she will have to shut down her cafe. The problem isn't the money but trying to get it done in time. Pastor Hogan offers to join in helping Abigail and Elizabeth in hopes of meeting the deadline. Unfortunately Bill Avery has returned to complicate things with his confessed feelings for her still and struggles to see her with someone like Frank Hogan. He hopes to speak with the man Jack arrested in hopes of discovering who is in charge of the counterfeiting ring against the orders of his superiors.

Rosemary has now relinquished her duties at the school now that Elizabeth has returned, even though she focused more on the children learning their parts for the Founder's Day play instead of their school work. However since she has rejected Lee Coulter's proposal to take their relationship to the next level, she now realizes how jealous she is when she see's that Lee has taken up courting one of the local widows. It makes her realize just how foolish she was but now she has to find a way to convey her true feelings for Lee without coming straight out and telling him so.  Elizabeth's sister Julie is still struggling in Hamilton with her feelings for Jack's brother Tom despite the fact that her family doesn't want her in a relationship with anyone less than what they desire for her.

The season concludes once more with a bit of a cliff-hanger ending and just when it looks like everything might just get resolved between our town's favorite couples, there will be a huge plot twist. For families truly looking for a series that the entire family can enjoy without the questionable content you find on television lately, you might just want to check out When Calls the Heart on the Hallmark Channel. This series is based on the novel by Janette Oke and producer Michael Landon Jr, this is a must see for everyone looking for an exceptional way to spend a family evening.

I received When Calls the Heart - Follow Your Heart compliments of Word Films and Edify Media Group for my honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation, aside from a free copy of the DVD, and the opinions expressed here are strictly my own honest ones. For fans of Little House on the Prairie, now comes another exceptional series, I know you will LOVE. This series has even been Dove Family approved. The first two series are now available on DVD today for your enjoyment and I'd rate this one a 5 out of 5 stars. This DVD includes behind the scenes interviews with the cast and runs approximately 88 minutes.

For more information about When Calls the Heart - Follow Your Heart, Word Films or the Hallmark Channel, please click on the links below:

When Calls the Heart - Follow Your Heart

You can find Word Films on Facebook to stay up to all their latest DVD releases.

You can find When Calls the Heart on Facebook to stay up to date on all the latest on this series from the Hallmark Channel.

To purchase a copy of this DVD from Amazon, please click here. 

Promise to Keep

The most difficult thing when writing a great series, is to bring that series to a conclusion and that is just what Elizabeth Byler Younts does in the third and final novel, Promise to Keep, in her Promise of Sunrise Series. Where do I begin in my review of this novel? First of all I would have to say that it does include quite a few different genres, from Historical, Romance, Amish, World War II, and all of them being Christian based without a lot of the heavy religious overtones coming across. It's a simple story of being lost and the redemption that comes from being found.

As the reader embarks on the journey, there are two very different stories that come to an intersection at the first 100 pages and the first being of Esther Detweiler, who has had a challenge most of us would find hard to endure. Not only with the recent death of her mother, she is left all alone to deal with raising Daisy, a young girl who was abandoned, first by the death of her mother, Irene, Esther's cousin, and then when Daisy's father, Joe Garrison leaves her behind to enter World War II. Not because he had to, but because he couldn't handle caring for Daisy who he didn't understand was simply deaf, but others thought belonged in a mental institution. Esther soon learns that her father whom she believed died, is now coming back home and wishes to restore all the time he has lost with Esther. He believes it is something he can just pick right back up again. But Esther isn't so willing.

On top of that she discovers from Joe's sister, Angelica, that he is returning home from the war and is planning on taking back the daughter he had abandoned. It's not an easy thing for Esther to deal with all at once. Daisy barely remembers the man who left her so long ago, and right now, Esther is the only family she has ever known. Her own Aunt Angelica was offered the care of Daisy, but she felt that Daisy was too much to deal with and relented her care to Esther. But as Joe returns home he too has his own share of issues, dealing with the shell shock he has from the war, along with the alcohol that seems to keep it under control are the least of his worries, when he realizes that Daisy doesn't want anything to do with him and wants to stay with Esther over living with her own father. It will take a miracle to restore the lives of those characters we see spilled out in the covers of Promise to Keep!

I received Promise to Keep from Elizabeth Byler Younts compliments of Christian Fiction Blog Alliance and Howard Books, a division of Simon and Schuster Publishers for my honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation for a favorable review, aside from a free copy of this book, and the opinions expressed here are my own personal honest ones. Being a huge lover of WWII fiction, I absolutely loved the idea of a English soldier returning home from the war to deal with his feelings for a young Amish woman. It's truly the best of two ideal genre's in my mind. The impacts of what is now known as PTSD, wasn't something that many knew how to deal with and you can imagine how that might be played out among the non violent Amish. Not only that, the impacts of dealing with a deaf child and learning how to communicate, was something that would have been considered out of the ordinary since most of the education in dealing with how to communicate with them would have been fairly new as well. You could see where others would automatically assume they might be mentally challenged instead of something more simple. This one really worked well and thus the reason for the 4 out of 5 star rating in my opinion. It's truly a story of restoration on many different fronts.

For more information about Promise to Keep, Elizabeth Byler Younts or where you can pick up a copy of this novel today, please click on the links below:

Promise to Keep from Elizabeth Byler Younts

You can find Elizabeth Byler Younts on Facebook to stay up to date with all her latest novels.

To read more reviews on Promise to Keep, please visit Christian Fiction Blog Alliance's Book Tour page. 

Wake The Bride

Hard to believe that I've been studying the Book of Revelation for almost 30 years now and until recently never understood what I had been missing for quite some time. It took an in-depth, verse by verse, study of it to finally have that "A-ha!" moment where it clicked. Now I can honestly say that when I pick up books written on the Book of Revelation, I can view it with a biblical view instead of merely another book on Bible Prophecy.

Wake the Bride from author Jeff Kinley, conveys the beauty of what awaits believers and non believers alike one day in the not so distant future using the Book of Revelation and breaking it down in a simplified manner. This is NOT an extensive look into the last prophetic book of the Bible, but a wake up call that we are called to be ready when Jesus returns in the rapture, an event the Bible highlights must happen before the ushering in of the Tribulation Period, those 7 years of God's judgment and final call to those who dwell on the earth, to choose Him or perish forever in everlasting judgment being cast into the lake of fire.

While many would argue why such a loving God would offer this as our final destination, we must realize that God does not desire for any to spend an eternity in everlasting torment, but it is our choice that decides our own fate. We ourselves choose and thus the urgency for many to stop waiting and get right with God now, before they simply miss out and have to endure the Tribulation period foretold in Revelation, Daniel, 1 and 2 Thessalonians, Isaiah and other books of the Bible. This book calls us to search within our own lives as to just how ready are we? The letters to the seven churches in the Bible applied to the regional churches of Asia Minor in that day but is also a modern day look at evaluating the life of a believer even today. Jeff details one of those letters, the Church of Laodicea, which I believe we are seeing all over the world today, as churches put their Bible doctrine on the shelf in lieu of accepting all forms of religion and bypassing the less than desirable portions of the Bible out of fear of offending anyone.

He also takes readers into the heart of the Tribulation that is to come, the seven seals, the trumpets and bowl judgments and how that will impact the world possibly. One chapter I really enjoyed was the recent rise to such "heavenly" movies where people and children have claimed to have visited heaven but all their views are inconsistent with what the Bible describes heaven will be like and all their stories conflict with one another. Are we being set up for a great deception that will take us away from the truth of the Bible and the Jesus we need to know for our salvation?

I received Wake the Bride by Jeff Kinley compliments of Harvest House Publishers for my honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation for a favorable review, aside from a free copy of the book for my honest opinion. At little over 200 pages this will give readers a brief overview of the Bible Prophecy events from the Bible and I believe will encourage the reader to take their own personal journey through the Bible along the way as they research the various scripture references and other notable resources discussed in this book. For me, I rate it a 4 out of 5 stars, but I LOVE a book that really digs in deep to books like Revelation and Daniel. For those looking for a overview of what's to come and what we should be prepared for and focused on, this will definitely be worth it.

For more information about Wake the Bride, Jeff Kinley or where you can pick up a copy of this book today, please click on the links below:

Wake the Bride by Jeff Kinley

You can also find Jeff Kinley on Facebook to stay up to date on all his latest books.

• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: Harvest House Publishers (October 1, 2015)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0736965165
• ISBN-13: 978-0736965163

Refuge of the Heart - Giveaway and Review

Looking for an exceptional romance novel with a Christmas theme that is a bit extraordinary? I would suggest you pick up Refuge of the Heart by Ruth Logan Herne. This is a heartwarming story of a Chechnian refugee that has escaped her war torn country and is seeking to find a fresh start for herself and her sister Anna here in America thanks to the goodwill of a local church as her sponsor. Even though it is difficult, Magdelena Serida knows that in time, she will earn her doctor's degree and find a new life in a better neighborhood and will be able to afford better clothes than they have now. She knows that most people wouldn't understand her past and how difficult it was to watch her entire family taken by Russian militants while the women were sold into slavery. That is the life Lena has left behind and one she hopes she can leave in the past.

Yet God is about to intervene in their lives in a most profound way all thanks to a flat tire, a snow covered night and an encounter with Mitch Sanderson, the district attorney. Mitch had hoped that the woman and child he had seen walking in the cold and snow were not the same people who would soon see the flat tire on the run down car, but they were. As a caring and compassionate man, he knew that he could not drive home without seeing to their safety and getting their flat tire changed. But God didn't want it to be simply that easy for any of them, and when the spare tire turned out to be bad as well, Anna, Lena and Mitch would have to spend time together waiting out the purchase of new tires while they grabbed a bite to eat. It is through Lena's eyes that Mitch sees life in a truly remarkable way as the Christmas season approaches. One full of gratitude and appreciation instead of expectation and it is just the change he needs in his own life after losing his wife and unborn son in a car accident. Perhaps perspective is a better choice in what he needs.

I received Refuge of The Heart by Ruth Logan Herne compliments of Franciscan Media for my honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation, aside from a free copy of the book,  for a favorable review and the opinions expressed here are strictly my own. This is such an incredible feel good story of love, forgiveness, redemption and gratitude and thus the reason for it being an exceptional choice for those looking for more than simply another Christmas romance. It's a perfect reminder of what many of us in the United States never consider as we watch many war refugees fleeing from their country without knowing all the why's of what has happened to them, yet we judge them based on what we hear instead. For me this one, easily garners a 5 out of 5 in my opinion and one that will be added to my permanent library to be read each time at Christmas.

For more information about Refuge of the Heart, Ruth Logan Herne or where you can pick up a copy of this novel today, please click on the links below:

Refuge of the Heart by Ruth Logan Herne

You can find Ruth Logan Herne on Facebook to stay up to date on all her latest novels.

To read more reviews on Refuge of the Heart, please visit Franciscan Media's website. 

For more tour dates on Refuge of the Heart and to visit other reviewer's, please click on the links below:

• Refuge of the Heart Blog Tour:
• 10/12/2015- Spiritual Woman
• 10/13/2015-  Reviews from the Heart
• 10/14/2015- Singing Librarian Books + Franciscan Mom
• 10/15/2015- The Engrafted Word + Christian Chick's Thoughts
• 10/16/2015- Reading is my SuperPower + Reconciled To You

Now for the best part, thanks to the generosity of Franciscan Media, they are offering a giveaway copy of Refuge of The Heart to one lucky follower of my blog, 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. Be a resident of the US or have a US mailing address. No P.O. Boxes please.

3. Leave me 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. Without an email address I have no way of notifying you if you're the lucky winner.

The giveaway will end on Oct 23 and I will notify the winner by email at that time.

A. D. 33

WOW! Three simple letters that define how blown my mind is by Ted Dekker's latest novel. It quite literally goes beyond what the human mind can comprehend or even begin to put into words. Perhaps the best part of this novel is the disclaimer that Ted offers to readers that this is a fictional novel written using various portions of Scripture from the Bible to transport readers back in time to a pivotal moment in history that has forever changed the world.

A.D. 33 is the sequel to Dekker's previous novel A.D. 30 in which the queen of the desert known as Maviah finds herself questioning the very experience of Yeshua whom she encountered in the city of Petra. She now finds herself in great opposition in defending that very faith for the lives not only of the Bedouin people, but also the life of the orphan boy, Talya, she is raising since the death of her own child, at the hands of those that defy Yeshua and His teachings. As she attempts to reconcile the recent kidnapping of the love of her life, Judah, she finds she must search within herself and resolve the very identity she believes defines her and those around her.

As a woman in the culture of the Middle East, she carries as much weight as those considered outcasts by society. She struggles with knowing how to apply the power she has found in her faith in Yeshua, but like all of us, when pushed to the breaking point, realizes that her faith is much like that of seed scattered among the rocks, when adversity comes, it withers. As those she truly cares for and loves is brought under the tyranny of those in power, she wonders how those who follow Yeshua keep their faith. Not until she meets up with Him once again, does she realize that they will all follow away until they realize what Yeshua means to take up your cross and follow me. One by one as they follow Yeshua up to the point of being betrayed and crucified, the realization of all His teachings won't be understood until they accept His way over the way of the world.

I received A.D. 33 by Ted Dekker compliments of Center Street Publishers, a division of Hachette Book Groups for my honest opinion. I did not receive any monetary compensation for a favorable review, aside from a free copy of this novel, and the opinions contained here are my honest and personal ones. There are simply so many great take aways from this novel I never understood til I walk through this with Maviah's character and truly felt the impact of Yeshua's wisdom from the Bible. For those of you looking for a wonderfully powerful biblical historical fictional novel, pick up not only this novel but A.D. 30 as well to gain the full impact of Maviah's story of finding her faith and understanding it as never before. In my opinion, one of THE best novels of 2015 and well worth all 5 out of 5 stars. Well done Mr. Dekker, well done!

For more information about A.D. 33, Ted Dekker or where you can pick up a copy of this novel today, please click on the links below:

A.D. 33 by Ted Dekker

You can find Ted Dekker on Facebook to stay up to date on all his latest novels.

To read more reviews on A.D. 33, please visit Center Street's website. 

Lightning

Fans of such films and books like Hunger Games and Divergent will love the Stone Braide Chronicles series, now into its second novel Lightning. This is definitely NOT a series you can just pick up any of the books and hope to gain an understanding as to what is happening, but once you begin, you will find yourself on a very different adrenaline rush adventure you will not want to see come to an end. With each novel in this series, author Bonnie Calhoun has only excelled at pulling out all the stops in her ability to transport the reader into a vastly different world than the one we are living in, in this case a post apocalyptic America, now named TicCity, the remainder of what used to be Atlantic City. It's the only thing remaining, a billboard baring the partial name.

The citizens refer to the nuclear war as the Time of Sorrows and now they have taken to rebuilding what remains of the world now that survivors have begun populating the earth again. The people that arrive from the sea are referred to as Landers, and Selah Rishon, has just be transformed from a Lander to what is called a novarium. With this recent change in her body, she is having what is referred to as "Lightnings" or burst of power that her fellow mind reading recipients can feel but no one can explain what is happening. All Selah knows is that if her father, Glade and his team can not locate what is referred to as the Third Protocol of Landers, Selah will fracture and she will cease to exist.

Meantime there are those who believe that within Selah's blood lies the answer to immortality and they will stop at nothing to harness that power. The search will lead them to the Mountain, where her family and friends have ventured in search for any answers that might help her, but first she has to figure out who she can trust, and who she can't. The only problem is the Mountain is where her and her father were held captive against her will and it is the last place where she had ever hoped to venture back. What is she willing to risk to discover the answers about her future and her past?

I received Lightning by Bonnie Calhoun compliments of Christian Fiction Blog Alliance and Revell Publishing Group for my honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation aside from a free copy of this novel to review, and the opinions contained here are my honest and personal ones. This is such a great novel because if you have been following the series up to this point, it has been a true nail biter all the way, just getting tidbits each time Bonnie publishes a full length novel of the prequels that go in between each of them. This is definitely something that hasn't been done before and for me this is what makes it work so well. It's combining a bit of science fiction along with a post apocalyptic dystopian element that catapults you on to each new addition. For me this one is an easy 4.5 out of 5 stars, but trust me start at the beginning. I have listed the series below for you to ensure you are reading them in order. (1) Tremors - Prequel, (2) Thunder - First novel in the series, (3) Aftershock, prequel to Lightning, and (4) Lightning, the Second Novel in the Series.

For more information about Lightning, Bonnie Calhoun or where you can pick up a copy of this novel today, please click on the links below:

Lightning by Bonnie Calhoun

You can find Bonnie Calhoun on Facebook to stay up to date on all her latest novels.

To read more reviews on Lightning, please visit Christian Fiction Blog Alliance's book tour page. 

The Sweetest Rain - Giveaway and Review

For me, historical novels don't have to be a perfect match to something that has happened in history. I am not one of those fact checkers who are more concerned with the accuracy of the novel that the story itself. For me, if I can get so lost in the novel that I forget about time or that I feel like I can really see this happening in my mind, for me, that is a successful author and novel. In this case, that honor goes to Myra Johnson in her novel The Sweetest Rain. I am so thrilled I got the opportunity to review this one because as I have read in my history books quite a bit about the Great Depression but also the Dust Bowl. Living in California and suffering under some of the effects of the drought, it made me really want to know what a family might endure in the 1930's dealing with the effects of both of these issues.

In The Sweetest Rain, the first in the Flowers of Eden Series, we meet Bryony Linwood, who is struggling to help her grandfather and two younger sisters, Rose and Larkspur, to bring in what remains of their cotton crop. Like most tenant farmers, they are responsible to pay for the right to farm the land with a portion or share of their crops to the plantation owners, in this case, the Heath family. After another horrible year with dealing with the drought in Eden, Arkansas, it looks as if they will have to find another source of income if they want to keep food on the table. Bryony insists in pleading her case before Mr. Heath in hopes that he might give them more time to pay their rent. But another opportunity presents itself, when the plantation has need for another maid and if Bryony is obliged to work for the Heath's, he will deduct her earnings from what her grandfather owes him.

She just didn't expect to find love within the confines of the Heath plantation. Michael Heath is still recovering from the effects of mustard gas he was exposed to while fighting in the war as well as PTSD, or shell shock as it was known then. He finds solace in the botanical sketches he has been doing in his sketchbook and shares them with his mother, who is suffering from the early onset of Alzheimer's. It's the caring concern that Bryony shows for his mother by reading to her from one of the many books in the home, to taking walks in the garden that helps ease some of her symptoms but one thing is certain, that the love that is developing between the two is one thing his father will not tolerate or stand for. He has already cast out his daughter when she fell in love with the hired help and wound up pregnant. There is nothing Mr. Heath will not let stand in his way, even if it means doing the same to Bryony and her family as well.

I received The Sweetest Rain by Myra Johnson compliments of Franciscan Media for my honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation for a favorable review, aside from a free copy of the book, the opinions contained here are strictly my own personal ones. I love how well this message of redemption and hope comes across in this novel. It highlights how some families would have to band together in tough times to make ends meet. It also shows what keeps families together and what drives them apart as well as what each of them has to do to survive during the most difficult of circumstances. I can't wait to read more about this amazing and resilient Linwood family in the very near future. For me, this one rates a 4.5 out of 5 stars.

For more information about The Sweetest Rain, Myra Johnson or where you can pick up a copy of this novel today, please click on the links below:

The Sweetest Rain by Myra Johnson

You can find Myra Johnson on Facebook to stay up to date on all her latest novels.

To read more reviews on The Sweetest Rain, please visit Franciscan Media's website.

Now for the amazing part. Thanks to the generosity of Franciscan Media, they are offering a giveaway copy of this novel to one lucky follower of my blog, Reviews From The Heart. Here are your guidelines for entering:

1.  "Like" my Facebook page, Reviews From The Heart. 

2. Not a Facebook user, no problem, make sure you are a follower of my blog, Reviews From The Heart.

3. Be a resident of the U.S. No P. O. Boxes please.

4. Leave me a comment below telling me why you'd love to win a copy of this novel. Don't forget to include your email address so I can contact you if you're the lucky winner. You can even use the words (at) and (dot) instead of the symbols.

I will notify the winner of the giveaway by email once it ends on October 16th, so be sure to enter. You can enter as many times as you want.

Firefly Summer

Fall is here and thus the perfect time to spend reminiscing about summer, romance and of course some fireflies and cowboys! Kathleen Y'Barbo's latest novel Firefly Summer is exactly what you need for sitting by the fire, on a cold crisp morning and curling up with an unforgettable romance that will leave you sighing by the time you get to the final page.

Sessa Chambers lives in the very small but quaint town of Sugar Pines, Texas where anything that happens is well known by anyone in town. She is the sole owner of Chambers Restorations, that works with the restoration of antique carousel horses. She hopes that someday soon she might just land the biggest contract of her life, working with the Smithsonian Museum. But her life soon takes an unexpected turn when a woman named Skye, shows up and tells her that her granddaughter, Pansie needs a home. She can't take care of her and doesn't want to leave her in a foster care home and hopes that Sessa will care for her til she can make things right in her own life. Her son Ross, wayward and a bit of a prodigal right now doesn't seem aware that he even has a daughter and she hopes he might one day return home to care for her.

Sessa agrees even though she isn't prepared to care for a young baby, but knows that if God has made this arrangement he will see her through to the end. What she doesn't expect is to learn that her son, Ross is murdered in an apparent robbery attempt on a doctor. That doctor had no other choice but to defend himself and that meant taking a life he vowed he would never do. After serving time in prison for a year, Dr. Trey Brown is released but even though he had been found innocent, he knows he may never practice medicine again. He must find a way to make amends to the mother of the boy he killed even though it was in self defense. What he doesn't plan on is falling in love with her along the way.

I received Firefly Summer from Kathleen Y'Barbo compliments of Hometown Romance and Litfuse Publicity for my honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation for a favorable review, aside from a free copy of the book, and the opinions found her are my own personal honest ones. I've always wanted to capture fireflies in a jar, much like the memories Sessa shares of her doing that with Ross and soon finds a legacy in doing that not only with Skye but also Pansie and Trey as well. Sometimes God is like that. He will take bittersweet moments and cast them into new light and bring about such goodness from them like He does in the characters of this story that find that their common thread the unites them and brings them into a new future. I only wish some pie recipes might be tucked inside the covers of this book as it would make for a wonderful addition. I would give this one a 4 out of 5 stars in my opinion and have always have a cowboy romance tucked inside this book lovers heart.

For more information about Firefly Summer, Kathleen Y'Barbo or where you can pick up a copy of this book today, please click on the links below:

Firefly Summer by Kathleen Y'Barbo

You can find Kathleen Y'Barbo on Facebook to stay up to date on all her latest novels.

To read more reviews on Firefly Summer, please visit Litfuse Publicity's Book Tour Page. 

Promise to Keep

The most difficult thing when writing a great series, is to bring that series to a conclusion and that is just what Elizabeth Byler Younts does in the third and final novel, Promise to Keep, in her Promise of Sunrise Series. Where do I begin in my review of this novel? First of all I would have to say that it does include quite a few different genres, from Historical, Romance, Amish, World War II, and all of them being Christian based without a lot of the heavy religious overtones coming across. It's a simple story of being lost and the redemption that comes from being found.

As the reader embarks on the journey, there are two very different stories that come to an intersection at the first 100 pages and the first being of Esther Detweiler, who has had a challenge most of us would find hard to endure. Not only with the recent death of her mother, she is left all alone to deal with raising Daisy, a young girl who was abandoned, first by the death of her mother, Irene, Esther's cousin, and then when Daisy's father, Joe Garrison leaves her behind to enter World War II. Not because he had to, but because he couldn't handle caring for Daisy who he didn't understand was simply deaf, but others thought belonged in a mental institution. Esther soon learns that her father whom she believed died, is now coming back home and wishes to restore all the time he has lost with Esther. He believes it is something he can just pick right back up again. But Esther isn't so willing.

On top of that she discovers from Joe's sister, Angelica, that he is returning home from the war and is planning on taking back the daughter he had abandoned. It's not an easy thing for Esther to deal with all at once. Daisy barely remembers the man who left her so long ago, and right now, Esther is the only family she has ever known. Her own Aunt Angelica was offered the care of Daisy, but she felt that Daisy was too much to deal with and relented her care to Esther. But as Joe returns home he too has his own share of issues, dealing with the shell shock he has from the war, along with the alcohol that seems to keep it under control are the least of his worries, when he realizes that Daisy doesn't want anything to do with him and wants to stay with Esther over living with her own father. It will take a miracle to restore the lives of those characters we see spilled out in the covers of Promise to Keep!

I received Promise to Keep from Elizabeth Byler Younts compliments of Howard Books, a division of Simon and Schuster Publishers for my honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation for a favorable review, aside from a free copy of this book, and the opinions expressed here are my own personal honest ones. Being a huge lover of WWII fiction, I absolutely loved the idea of a English soldier returning home from the war to deal with his feelings for a young Amish woman. It's truly the best of two ideal genre's in my mind. The impacts of what is now known as PTSD, wasn't something that many knew how to deal with and you can imagine how that might be played out among the non violent Amish. Not only that, the impacts of dealing with a deaf child and learning how to communicate, was something that would have been considered out of the ordinary since most of the education in dealing with how to communicate with them would have been fairly new as well. You could see where others would automatically assume they might be mentally challenged instead of something more simple. This one really worked well and thus the reason for the 4 out of 5 star rating in my opinion. It's truly a story of restoration on many different fronts.

For more information about Promise to Keep, Elizabeth Byler Younts or where you can pick up a copy of this novel today, please click on the links below:

Promise to Keep from Elizabeth Byler Younts

You can find Elizabeth Byler Younts on Facebook to stay up to date with all her latest novels.

To read more reviews on Promise to Keep, please visit Howard Book's website. 

The Methuselah Project

This is one novel that literally crosses over several genre's and with such an excellent premise. Fans of just about any kind of novel will absolutely LOVE this one. Even my 16-year-old daughter is picking this one up. As I began reading The Methuselah Project from Rick Barry, it is hard not to draw a comparison of sorts between that of Steve Rogers of the Captain America fame, but it does take a unique twist on the concept.

Roger Green was a fighter pilot who is shot down over Germany during World War II and instead of finding himself in a prisoner of war camp, he is abducted by German scientists along with six others who have been captured for a unique experiment without their consent. Believing that if they can locate a way to prolong human life to that of Methuselah from the Bible, the oldest living recorded human being, they can ensure that Hitler's Third Reich will last at least a thousand years. Now they just need to discover how to make that happen, and Roger is one of the seven who will be tested.

He doesn't expect it will work, but soon discovers that his body has the uncanny ability to heal itself faster than normal. When the allied planes however begin bombing the basement where he and six others are kept, he soon finds that he is the sole survivor and that the secrets to his longevity are now buried along with his companions. But Germany isn't about to release Roger until they can figure out how to recreate the formula that now has made Roger, the potential for the longest living man ever. What Roger doesn't know is just how long that may take.

I received The Methuselah Project by Rick Barry compliments of Kregel Publications for my honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation for a favorable review, aside from a free copy of this novel, and the opinions contained here are strictly my own honest opinions. Being a huge fan of WWII fiction, history and the Bible, this contained a unique premise I really want to read and see how it would all play out. What would someone do who was born and served in WWII and would be held far longer than he would expect to live. Much like Steve Rogers of the Captain America fame, it would be hard to acclimate to a new century without having gone through it and suddenly see things from a technological advancement like we have today, when Roger finally escapes. How will he process those changes and stay out of harms way from those who want the secrets that lie hidden within his DNA. Imagine the possibilities of someone who could outlive others by hundreds of years! This one hit a home run in my opinion and thus the reason for giving it a 5 out of 5 stars in this reader's opinion.

For more information about The Methuselah Project, Rick Barry or where you can pick up a copy of this novel today, please click on the links below:

The Methuselah Project by Rick Barry

You can find Rick Barry on Facebook to stay up to date on all his latest novels.

To read more reviews on The Methuselah Project, please visit Kregel Publications website. 

Valley of Decision

The most hardest part of getting involved in any series, is that one day is has to come to an end. Sometimes you want to refrain from picking up the final book because if you have truly come to love the characters, you know this is the conclusion to their story. They're not just characters in a book to you. You've come to know them, to care about them and to know what motivates them and those are the earmarks of a fine novel and an exceptional writer. If you're looking for such a series, I would encourage you to pick up the Carthage Chronicles from Lynne Gentry. It's both a bit of science fiction, involving time travel and historical romance, as the characters are traveling back to ancient Carthage and find themselves so involved in that culture, they don't wish to return.

In the conclusion to this series, Valley of Decision is that place where all of our beloved characters have once again been transported back to Carthage and must make some defining life choices, to stay where their hearts call them or to head back to the present day and hope they can convince those that they care about to join them, but to do that, would forever change history. Is the risk worth it in the end? This is not a series you can pick up any of the novels and jump right in, hoping there is enough of a back story to help move you forward in the novels. You must begin with the first one as any great adventure would suggest. But trust me when I share with you, it will be so worth the time to do so. For those of us, that have been reading them as they are published, the wait has been long in between, but with each novel, it simply gets better and better.

In Valley of Decision, Magdalena has been arrested for the death of the proconsul Aspasius, whom she tried to save by amputating his leg, but when he succumbs to complications due to the time frame they are living in and lack of surgical sterileness. Now she must try and find a way to save her life if she is continue her fight to save the city of Carthage from the disease of typhoid and measles that threatens to destroy the city. Her granddaughter Maggie, now 18, has run away back to Carthage in hopes of not only saving Magdalena but also her father Cyprian whom she just met when accompanying her mother Lisbeth Hastings more than a decade ago. She knows her mother would never approve but she must do what she can to help in any way possible, with the time she has left if the history books are correct and her father has less than a month before he is condemned to death.

I received Valley of Decision by Lynne Gentry compliments of Howard Books, a division of Simon and Schuster Publishers for my honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation outside of a free copy of this book for my review and the opinions expressed here are my own honest and personal ones. I won't give away the ending but it is so worth reading this entire series. I am sad that the journey is over, but it was well worth the wait between all the novels to experience what is might have been like living in the third-century with the tremendous amount of research that Lynne did to enable this novel and her characters to become simply more than words on a page. In my opinion, this one easily earns all 5 out of 5 stars. There is a Reader's Discussion Guide at the conclusion as well as some great questions that Lynne Gentry takes the time to answer about this amazing series.

For more information about Valley of Decision, Lynne Gentry or where you can pick up a copy of this novel today, please click on the links below:

Valley of Decision by Lynne Gentry 

You can find Lynne Gentry on Facebook to stay up to date on all her latest novels.

To read more reviews on Valley of Decision, please visit Howard Book's website.

The Carthage Chronicles Series:
1. Healer of Carthage
2. Return to Exile
3. Valley of Decision