Firstborn

It is hard to put into words what The Descendants of the House of Bathory Series by Tosca Lee is about. In fact, my husband asked me what Firstborn was about as I was reading it. I said, it's hard to put into words exactly because it is unlike anything I have read before. Even trying to decide what type of genre it fit into was a bit challenging. Firstborn is the second novel in the series, with the first being Progeny. I would highly recommend that you read these novels in order or you will be completely lost if you pick up Firstborn and read it first.

The best thing that the Tosca Lee did in Firstborn is not only provide you with a list of the characters, since there are two main factions at war with one another, is also giving you a little bit of recap of Progeny since there has been some time between the novels, and for someone like me that reads a lot of books, I had a hard time remembering about the story line and even going back to my review on Progeny didn't help much because I don't want to give away too much of the exceptional novel. The best way to describe it as the Progeny's are a class of humans that descended from the bloodline of Elizabeth Bathory, known throughout history at the Blood Countess. Audra Ellison is her direct descendant. The progeny are endowed with special powers of charisma and persuasion which they can use on humans to achieve their goals. Audra is the most wanted progeny but those who are hunting her, especially her hunter assigned to her, Luka Novak.

Each hunter or Scion is given 5 years to hunt down and kill their progeny. Once they kill them they have powers that enable them to transfer or "harvest" their memories into the hunters own, but it must be completed at the time of their initial death. There is the head of the hunters known only as the Historian who controls and manipulates the hunters on their tasks in an effort to rid the world of all progeny and assume total control over the human race. Scions however can't be persuaded so a progeny's powers are limited to humans only, which enables them to tell who are humans and who are Scion hunters. Progeny have the unique ability to connect with one another so they know at an instant their own kind, who dwell underground in what are known as courts. They try to hidden at all times and are constantly on the run from those hunting them.

In Firstborn, we pick up the story between Audra and Luka' quest to find out who the Historian is, while keeping their child Eva a secret. Neither of them knows the location of their child and are doing everything to ensure that no one knows that they have had a child between them. It is a race against time with a ragtag team of characters that works with Audra, other progeny that are doing all they can to stay one step ahead of the Historian and her Scion hunters. Audra and Luka know they must find her before she can kill the progeny or even worse kill Audra and take the very memories away that would expose the Historian to the world.

I received Firstborn by Tosca Lee compliments of Howard Books, a division of Simon and Schuster Publishers and Net Galley. In accordance with the new FTC Guidelines for blogging and endorsements, you should assume that every book reviewed here at Reviews From The Heart was provided to the reviewer by the publisher, media group or the author for free and were received, unless specified otherwise.  I absolutely LOVE this series because the action never stops. There is honestly never a dull moment in the book. If you look at those who are rating this series with less than favorable results is that the probably didn't understand the complexity of the novels back story and character motivation. Think of it like the Divergent Series, only in this case it involves a bit of history as well as there are only two warring factions at odds with one another. That is possibly the best way to describe it but I love all the historical and complex details Tosca provides. You feel like you have traveled the entire globe by the time you finish this one breathless. I easily give this one a 5 out of 5 stars and I enjoyed this one much more than the first novel. Can't wait to see the final one in the series!

For more information about Firstborn, Tosca Lee or where you can pre-order a copy of this novel due out in May of 2017, please click on the links below:

Firstborn by Tosca Lee

You can find Tosca Lee on Facebook to stay up to date on all her latest novels.

To read more reviews on Firstborn, please visit Howard Book's website.

Almost Like Being in Love

What woman hasn't dreamed of her ideal wedding? From the dress, to the venue, to the honeymoon and even whom she might marry? Caron had hoped that the man she had been dating for the last 2 years and known since she was fifteen might be excited as she is when she wins a destination wedding in Telluride, Colorado. The only problem is that he hasn't exactly proposed. So how does she break this news to him without upsetting the apple cart? Especially since she has quit her job working for her father at Hollister Realty Group, when he choose a business partner to help the business instead of Caron. After all she had hoped that her successes in real estate might just give her the edge she needed to convince her father she'd make the ideal partner.

Since that wasn't going to happen, she opted to quit and try to find herself in all the choices she has made in her life, seeking the approval of her father, as worthy in his eyes, instead of being whom God has created her to be. Her boyfriend Alex, is less that supportive when he learns she is no longer employed. He has his own struggles dealing with his alcoholic mother who can't seem to get past the death of his younger brother. So while Alex juggles trying to be a care giver when his dad is busy, to keep his mom from falling further into depression, he can't deal with Caron's issues with her own father.

Taking a month off of their relationship for now, Caron takes up her ex-boyfriends offer to help stage a home his real estate company is hoping to sell in Colorado. She will spend time with her best friend helping make wedding preparations while she sorts out the ongoing feelings for both her father and Alex. Busy work is just what she needs, but will those feelings she has for Kade Webster be rekindled or will she realize that she really does love Alex after all. Sometimes distance and perspective is all that is needed and she has a year before she has to redeem her wedding anyway. There is plenty of time, right?

I received Almost Like Being in Love by Beth K. Vogt compliments of Howard Books, a division of Simon and Schuster Publishers for my honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation aside from a free copy of this novel in exchange for my unbiased and personal opinion. I really love the complexity of the issues facing all three characters. They are each dealing with the past that is keeping them from moving forward and for Alex and Caron, they are dealing with trying to please everyone but themselves and in the process don't seem to realize they are lost in the fact they don't know who they are or what they truly want. Love how this plays out all the way to the end. For me, this one rates a 4 out of 5 stars. This is the second novel in the Destination Wedding series!

For more information about Almost Like Being in Love, Beth K.Vogt or where you can pick up a copy of this novel today, please click on the links below:

Almost Like Being in Love by Beth K. Vogt

You can find Beth K. Vogt on Facebook to stay up to date with all her latest novels.

You can read more reviews on Almost Like Being in Love by visiting Howard Book's website. 

How Would Jesus Vote?

The elections are coming! We've gotten the phone calls, our mail boxes are being filled with all kinds of ads for the propositions and candidates, and on television, we have witnessed the debates coming from both sides of the spectrum for this presidential election. As a believer in Christ, we find it hard to sort through all the propaganda being streamed in from all kinds of sources. It seems no matter how much you research it, you can't get a straight answer on what you should vote for in order to line up with biblical standards.

So you find yourself wanting to fill in the blank or opt out of voting when no real candidate meets our criteria and perhaps that is the problem. In fact it makes you wonder, How Would Jesus Vote? Darrel L. Bock has written a great novel that digs into the meat of what makes our country what it is. How did our founding fathers so long ago deal with differences in both religious beliefs, race and a diversity that seems to be driving us apart more than united us together? He tackles all that and more in this wonderful book that gives us a different perspective using the Bible as a source of reference on how we look at such topics like racial conflict, economics, poverty, health care, immigration, gun control, foreign policy, war, education, sexuality, abortion and so much more.

Using the Bible to help us see things from Jesus' point of view really gives us something to consider when we look at what direction we want our country to move in and how to deal with difficult task of not only dealing with citizens, but also dealing with illegal immigration and the influx of refugees wanting to enter the country. I love how well thought out and researched this is and before reading it I was pretty resolved on several issues, however this one had me really rethink what I believe and more so, how I can debate with others and still respect their differences and love them as Christ would.

I received How Would Jesus Vote by Darrell L. Bock compliments of Howard Books, a division of Simon and Schuster 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 and personal evaluation. I really wanted to read this novel to get a better understanding of how as a voter who believes in Jesus should vote when we find ourselves challenged to know what to do. This really helped and would be a great resource to anyone before this next election in November! I would rate this a 5 out of 5 stars in my opinion.

For more information about How Would Jesus Vote, Darrell L. Bock, or where to pick up a copy of this book today, please click on the links below:

How Would Jesus Vote by Darrell L. Bock

You can find Darrell L. Bock on Facebook to stay up to date on all his latest books.

To read more reviews on How Would Jesus Vote, please visit Howard Book's website.  

How Would Jesus Vote by Darrell L. Bock:

• Hardcover: 272 pages
• Publisher: Howard Books (May 17, 2016)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1439190704
• ISBN-13: 978-1439190708
• Product Dimensions: 5.5 x 1 x 8.4 inches

 

The Progeny

Take an idea of a family of descendants of a brutal serial killer, add in a touch of both historical and futuristic science fiction, and you might just have an idea of what The Progeny, the latest novel by Tosca Lee is about. This is the first novel in the Descendants of the Blood Countess series. Some might say it perfect for fans of Dekker and Lee's series, the Book of Mortals, or fans of Dan Brown's The DaVinci Code and still others might compare it to the BBCs hit series, Orphan Black. Yet for me, a fan of anything Tosca Lee pens, I'm all in without having to read the synopsis of the book.

Without giving any of it away, know that this will be a trilogy if not more, so whatever happens in this novel will not be resolved by the conclusion. It will however, give you a bit of the back story of the main character, Emily Jacobs, and what motivates her to make the decisions she does in The Progeny. Emily Porter is not her real name, it is the name assigned to her after she goes through a procedure to erase her memories. It is vital that she does this because before the procedure she was hunted by one person assigned to do nothing but kill her and steal her memories. He has had 5 years to do just that. Emily's real name is Audra Ellison. She is one of a handful of illegitimate children her mother had before she was murdered.

It is a race against time for Audra to now discover, who she can trust, because she can't remember who she can or can't and has to rely on her quick wits and her ability to charm those through implementing thoughts into their heads to do what she asks of them. The one thing she can't influence is other progeny's and she must discover why she erased her memories before those she loves are killed one by one, while avoiding being killed by the one person who has been assigned to kill her and take whatever memories she has. Even more important is that her death carries with it the weight that the line of her families bloodline ends and she won't be able to produce anymore children. She isn't sure if she is the last one left, but now it is a race against time to uncover clues she apparently left for herself along the way in the hopes she might discover them one day.

I received The Progeny by Tosca Lee compliments of Howard Books, a division of Simon and Schuster Publishers for my honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation aside from a free ARC of this novel in exchange for my honest and personal opinions. I absolutely LOVE this novel and can't wait to inhale the rest of it. To place it in any one particular genre is downright hard. It's part historical, suspense, thriller, fantasy, contemporary, action, drama, and romance. The one thing that is clear is that Tosca Lee once again has written an amazing novel and series, and now the wait begins for the next novel. This one rates a 5 out of 5 stars in my opinion.

For more information about The Progeny, Tosca Lee or where you can pick up a copy of this book today, please click on the links below:

The Progeny by Tosca Lee

You can find Tosca Lee on Facebook to stay up to date on all her latest novels.

To read more reviews on The Progeny, please visit Howard Book's website. 

Broken Ground

I can't imagine trying to find a way to start all over again. To pick up the shattered pieces of your life and move forward. To know that while your parents might mean well, they don't know what it means to you to put your grief aside and make a fresh start even though you don't know the outcome. That is the thoughts and emotions of twenty-one-year old Ruth Warren who married the absolute love of her life, Charlie and settled in for a life despite the hardships of the Texas Dust bowl. Charlie works for the oil company and when an accident one day robs her of any future and family, Ruth falls into despair.

Most of the men living in the small town have also been a victim of that explosion and now all the families are packing up and headed west for new promises that they have heard of in California. All Ruth has even wanted beside love, is to learn. Learn things she has been told a woman shouldn't learn or told they don't pertain to her. So when she moves back home at the insistence of her parents, she takes up venturing back to her favorite place the library. She is immediately consoled by her favorite librarian who offers her a chance at a fresh start when the college applications she and Charlie had filled out, come back with full scholarships and a chance at a new future in Pasadena, California. The only issue is telling her parents.

As Ruth heads out to Pasadena she has her first experience in Union Station at discrimination and the way Mexicans are being placed on a train to be deported back to Mexico. It is when she takes her education to an entirely new level the more she learns about what is happening to those around her who have little say in what is happening and she finds a likely ally in Thomas Everly who will inspire her to new heights of hope not only in the lives of those she is helping but in her own life as well.

I received Broken Ground by Karen Halvorsen Schreck compliments of Howard Books, a division of Simon and Schuster Publishers for my honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation aside from a free copy of this novel in exchange for my honest and personal evaluation. I love it when you find a great novel that tackles subjects from history that may have been briefly touched on, but are missing from our history books as of late. The author note at the end of the novel shares Karen's personal journey of how this novel evolved from one thing and arrived at the novel it is today. I would rate this one a 4 out of 5 stars.

For more information about Broken Ground, Karen Halvorsen Schreck or where you can pick up a copy of this novel today, please click on the links below;

Broken Ground by Karen Halvorsen Schreck

You can find Karen Halvorsen Schreck on Facebook to stay up to date with all her latest novels.

To read more reviews on Broken Ground, please visit Howard Book's website. 

Close To You

Some novels when you turn the last page, you give a collective sigh! Not because you're glad you finished it but because it was simply that good, you don't want it to end. Kara Isaac is about to become one of my must have authors, because in her debut novel Close To You, she takes a wonderful idea for fans of The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit and spins a contemporary romance that is guaranteed to make you laugh, cry and hopefully have that wonderful sigh when you finish it as well.

Close to You involves Allison Shire, who is spending her time as a tour guide working for Southern Luxury Tours, a high end tour company that spares no expense when it comes to taking Tolkien fans of both movies to all the locations in New Zealand where they filmed the movies. She even manages to don Hobbit attire right down to the feet in an effort to make her clients feel like they have gotten their monies worth on the tour. She is dealing with a 2 year long court battle with her supposed husband Derek to have their marriage annulled, not because they don't love each other, but because Derek married her knowing he was already married to someone else in an effort to gain a passport to New Zealand and escape his gambling debt with ones who break legs over demanding payment. She just hopes the answer comes soon so her financial assets can be unfrozen and she can move forward in her life. The last thing she would expect is to fall in love with someone else.

Jackson Gregory is at the end of his proverbial rope. Without his Uncle Louis' financial support, he won't be able to pay back his investors some 5 million dollars for an investment that went bad, when his girlfriend Nicole, decided to sell all his investment secrets to his competitor and leave him with nothing. The only reason he has been invited on this tour to New Zealand is because his Uncle is a long-time Tolkien fan and he is filling in for the assistant that quit on him last minute. Even though he knows nothing about Tolkien, he will do whatever it takes to convince his Uncle to take a financial risk on him even if it means dressing up in Lord of the Rings attire. I mean how hard can it really be?

I received Close to You by Kara Isaac compliments of Howard Books, a division of Simon and Schuster Publishers for my honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation aside from a free copy of this novel in exchange for my honest personal evaluation. This blends comedy when the two meet and it's not the right kind of sparks that begin to fly. It is a hate-hate relationship that begins as Allie realizes that Jackson is a Tolkien fraud and attempts to expose him to his employer the first change she gets, but when she winds up to her neck in mud, she will have to make a desperate call to the one person who can free her from her unpredictable situation. This novel will have you wanting to re-watch all of the Lord of the Rings and Hobbit films and who knows perhaps book your own tour of New Zealand to find a love that lasts! This one easily garners a 5 out of 5 rings/or stars in my book and I can't wait for more from this talented and amazing author.

For more information about Close to You, Kara Isaac or where you can pick up a copy of this novel today, please click on the links below:

Close to You by Kara Isaac

You can find Kara Isaac on Facebook to stay up to date on all her latest novels.

To read more reviews on Close to You, please visit Howard Book's website. 

The Cairo Code

"An American born assassin sent by Hitler to kill the U.S. President?

"It beggars belief. Weaver put down his Scotch. 'And probably the best American president that ever lived, come to that. Halder's mission was meant to change the tide of war for the Nazi's. And there was much more at stake than when Kennedy was targeted in Dallas. The future of the free world, no less. And it happened while Roosevelt and Churchill were attending the Cairo Conference in November 1943, one of the most vital Allied conferences of the war.

"Among other things, the president and the prime minister were in Cairo to agree on top-secret plans for Operation Overlord, the invasion of Europe. Had Hitler got his way, and had them assassinated, the Allies would have been thrown into chaos, the invasion would have never gone ahead, and Germany would have won the war." (pg 8-9).

In Glenn Meade's novel The Cairo Code, readers are about to go for a fast-paced, adrenaline rush to discover a story based on a real attempt to kill the president. This was previously published as The Sands of Sakkara, and highlights the story of three friends who worked in archaeology before being dispersed when the war efforts disbanded their dig site. Now they will be reunited in a way none of them could ever expect and it may in fact cost them more than just their lives. The lines begin to be crossed when all bets are off when Major Johann Halder will be faced with saving the life of a woman he once loved in order to get his only son out of Europe before the allies invade.

I received The Cairo Code by Glenn Meade compliments of Howard Books, a division of Simon and Schuster Publishers for my honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation aside from a copy of this novel in exchange for my personal and honest evaluation. I love how the novel toggles back in time between present day and war time to unveil the plot to kill U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt and Prime Minister Winston Churchill in order to advance Hitler's plans for Germany to win the war. It gets the reader involved in the plot and why certain characters would be motivated to do what they were tasked to do and how those relationships developed in such an interesting manner, that you don't lose track of the story line and have a sense of caring for those relationships that are being used to further this assassination attempt. For me, this one rates a 4 out of 5 stars and historical political fiction fans will love this one.

For more information about The Cairo Code, Glenn Meade or where you can pick up a copy of this novel today, please click on the links below:

The Cairo Code by Glenn Meade

You can find Glenn Meade on Facebook to stay up to date on all his latest books.

To read more reviews on The Cairo Code, please visit Howard Book's website.

Bride of A Distant Isle

Since Downton Abbey, I've grown to truly appreciate traditional regency genre's and one of the very best authors I have found is Sandra Byrd. I've read quite a few of her novels and the attention to detail is what really makes me feel like I'm part of the novel not simply reading it. I can't imagine how difficult life was in England in the mid to late 1800's and when the parents died leaving behind no male heir, the fortune went the way to the next male descendant in the family, be it cousins or even more removed than that. Daughters were left with nothing, and that is why many families chose to find suitable matches for the women in the family before anything happened to the father.

In Bride of A Distant Isle, Miss Annabel Ashton has found herself in such a precarious situation. Her mother died while being committed to an insane asylum and since she was born without a father being married to her mother, the family estate of Highcliffe Hall falls under the hands of her cousin Edward. Annabel's mother wasn't married, was committed an insane, so all the property that would have been hers has been handed over to the next male heir in line. Since Annabel was too young when her parents died, she is left destitute and the only thing Edward can do to cover the debts owed on the estate is to sell it or find a suitable match for Annabel even if she isn't interested in marriage.

While Edward struggles to find a way to salvage the estate, he asks Annabel to be a spy to a possible business partner to a sea captain from Malta, Captain Marco Dell'Acqua. She soon learns that her and Marco have more in common than physical attraction when Annabel discovers some mysterious family artifacts and jewelry that begin to appear in her things. They seem to have a Maltese background and all of them may lead to the fact that Annabel is the proper heir to the estate, unless of course the mental illness of her mother starts to manifest itself in her at the same time her mother was committed.

I received Bride of A Distant Isle by Sandra Byrd compliments of Howard Books, a division of Simon and Schuster Publishers for my honest review and did not receive any monetary compensation for a favorable review. The opinions contained here are my own honest and personal evaluation of the novel. For fans of traditional regency, you will absolutely love this novel. It has a bit of suspense added to keep the reader engaged in the story line as Annabel makes some startling discoveries of her mother and of her family background that could be detrimental to her own safety if they are brought into the open. I love the subtle clues that Annabel and Marco give to one another based on a sense of propriety for ones reputation during that time frame. I personally believe this one deserved 5 out of 5 stars in this reader's opinion since I read it in one sitting in a matter of hours and could not put it down. This is the second novel in the Daughter's of Hampshire series with Mist of Midnight being the first!

For more information about Bride of A Distant Isle, Sandra Byrd or where you can pick up a copy of this novel today, please click on the links below:

Bride of A Distant Isle by Sandra Byrd

You can find Sandra Byrd on Facebook to stay up to date on all her latest novels.

To read more reviews on Bride of A Distant Isle, please visit Howard Book's website. 

Come to the Garden

We can always look back at our life in times of struggle and hardship and find growth there. There is a clarity that comes with time we might miss if we aren't too careful to pay attention. Life experiences are often the best teacher. However we can fail to learn from them as well and wonder where God was in the midst of those times as well.

In the inspirational book, Come to the Garden by Jennifer Wilder Morgan, she incorporates the fictional story of an interaction between Jennifer and her guardian angel Margaret who she encounters one morning in her garden. Margaret shows Jenn through a retelling of events, dreams and visions she has had over her life, how God has been using those experiences to teach her more about the great love that God has for her as His daughter. While some situations clearly point these things out, others remained cloaked in a bit of mystery that Margaret walks Jenn through. Not everything that happens in our life can seem relevant until we can often gain some much needed godly perspective in them.

For me, this novel took me to those spiritually dry places in my own walk with God when I failed to see how He was using those times for me to grow in ways I couldn't have any other way. Only in that hindsight can we see with the clarity that God can provide when we seek Him with all our heart. Now being in my garden definitely will bring to mind this book and the ideas behind what goes on in our life. We might not always gain the insight this side of heaven, but knowing that God never leaves us in any situation despite how dark things look is a definite spiritual boost.

I received Come to the Garden by Jennifer Wilder Morgan compliments of Howard Books, a division of Simon and Schuster Publishers for my honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation, aside from a free copy of this book for my fair and honest evaluation. Now perhaps I know why I am always drawn to the quiet of a beautiful garden. Perhaps my own angelic encounter awaits one day, but for now I am willing to trust God in all things. For me, this one was a 4 out of 5 stars in my opinion.

For more information about Come to the Garden, Jennifer Wilder Morgan or where you can pick up a copy of this novel today, please click on the links below:

Come to the Garden by Jennifer Wilder Morgan

You can find Jennifer Wilder Morgan on Facebook to stay up to date on all her latest novels.

To read more reviews on Come To the Garden, please visit Howard Book's website. 

Brush of Wings

Series of novels when you first begin them are incredible, but at some point they all come to an end much too soon. This is the feeling that I had when I picked up Brush of Wings by Karen Kingsbury, the third and final novel in the Angels Walking Series, I have loved from its inception. I hate it when things come to an end like this one did. Even though it ended as I had hoped, it is still bittersweet when you understand that there will be no more coming. Nothing to look forward to. It's like saying goodbye when you just were looking forward to so much more.

For those of you looking for a great and compelling spiritual warfare series, you might just want to give this one a shot. It doesn't really focus on the spiritual aspect as much as other novels I have read, but that is the point. You don't want to lose focus on the reason for angels being called to their mission. You don't want the focus to be all on them and not on the humans God has called them to assist. If this group of four angelic beings doing not succeed at saving the life of Mary Catherine, then they have failed multiple generations in the process. Mary Catherine is struggling to come to terms with the meaning of life. She has been diagnosed with congestive heart failure and her doctor desperately wants her to consider being placed on a donor list. But Mary Catherine argues that even if she waits for six months, she isn't guaranteed a heart. She could die in the waiting, and that just isn't living for her.

She manages to convince him to allow her to go to Africa to begin work on an orphanage there for six months and if things get worse, she will return home immediately. As much as he would like to convince her to stay, he relents. Mary Catherine doesn't want anyone to know because she knows if she tells them the truth, they will not understand and will keep her home. While she doesn't necessarily lie, she isn't forth coming when her parents, her roommate Sami or the man who loves her Marcus, tries to figure out the sudden urge to go to Africa right now. So Mary Catherine pushes them away and plans her trip anyway. It's not until she has been in Africa, that things begin to go horribly wrong, and soon she realizes that all her best intentions may have been in vain when she grows deadly ill.

I received Brush of Wings by Karen Kingsbury compliments of Howard Books, a division of Simon and Schuster Publishers for my honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation aside from a free copy of this novel in exchange for my honest evaluation. This is so worth every single 5 out of 5 stars in my opinion and I truly loved the dynamics that developed in this final novel as the relationships between Tyler and Sami as well as Marcus and Mary Catherine played out in the manner you would hope. It shows how well God has things planned and how sometimes there might just be an angel or two involved in making it all happen without anyone's knowledge. I believe that is the point, to keep the angels in the background as supporting characters and not have them showcased in the lime light. This was a wonderful balance that worked out extraordinarily well in the end. I will sure miss this series!

For more information about Brush of Wings, Karen Kingsbury or where you can pick up a copy of this novel today, please click on the links below:

Brush of Wings by Karen Kingsbury

You can find Karen Kingsbury on Facebook to stay up to date on all her latest novels.

To read more reviews on Brush of Wings, please visit Howard Book's website. 

The Duck Commander Devotional for Couples

I don't know of anyone who hasn't heard of Duck Dynasty or the Robertson Family. The one thing that may be surprising is that you may not be aware of just how strong faith is in their family and how it is the central core and foundation in all of their lives. For most of the family, it didn't always start out that way and faith became something that they found later in life that truly changed their lives for the better such as Al and Lisa Robertson, the authors of The Duck Commander Devotional for Couples.

Since 2016 had just begun, I was looking for something that my husband and I could incorporate into our devotional time to supplement our Bible Study time and hopefully strengthen both our marriage and our faith and thus, was offered this to review which sounded just like what I had been looking for. Most devotionals are devoted to either a man's point of view or woman's depending on who was writing it and it guides the devotion at times to be one sided at times. This is the first devotional that both my husband and I absolutely loved. While it is written to be done weekly, we wanted to begin to use it daily and it is designed for however you and your spouse want to incorporate your devotional time. Yet it is so much more than a simple devotional coupled with a scripture verse.

Since it is co-written by Al and Lisa Robertson, you get both of their view points on the topic they are discussing, such as what makes you unique as a couple, what are your fears, issues of trust, what love is and isn't, forgiveness, faithfulness, leaving a lasting legacy, dealing with in-laws, being content, working on building intimacy, having a positive attitude, unity, appreciation, anger issues, parenting, humility, submission and respect and so much more all divided into 52 devotional sections. The main point is to work together through it as a couple and I can tell you it has truly made our marriage more stronger, built our faith in ways we could never imagine and our communication with one another has improved as well as our prayer life as a couple. No devotional has ever done that for me before in such a profound and remarkable way, I would never want to go back or stop.

Included in each devotional section is a little bit about each topic as if you were sitting down with Al and Lisa having a heart to heart talk along with a scripture reference from the Bible on the topic at hand which is called God's Blueprint. In the next section called Home Improvement, there are between 3-5 questions to provoke a conversation between the two of you about the topic at hand. These were so eye opening to both of us and the part we loved the most. It even comes with space for you both to record your thoughts or things you plan on working on to follow up with later to see how God has worked in your life. The section concludes with Team Building where you both spend time praying for your relationship and asking for God to help you both improve on it. Sample prayers are included by both Al and Lisa as a guide to what you might want to include. All of this is included in a hardcover book that I truly believe you both will enjoy.

I received The Duck Commander Devotional for Couples by Al and Lisa Robertson compliments of Howard Books, a division of Simon and Schuster Publishers for my honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation aside from a free copy of this book in exchange for my personal and honest evaluation. For me, this is a must have for every married couple or couples who are engaged to incorporate into your relationship early on. It is by far, the best couples devotional that my husband and I have read and we both encourage you to pick this up and give it a try. It might seem awkward at first, but like I stated before, the Home Improvement part of us, gave us such insight into the communication portion of our marriage that we found ourselves really talking about more than simply our kids, jobs or life in general. This is what makes it truly something unique and strengthened our own marriage and thus worthy of all 5 out of 5 stars in our opinion.

For more information about The Duck Commander Devotional for Couples, Al and Lisa Robertson or where you can pick up a copy of this devotional today, please click on the links below:

The Duck Commander Devotional for Couples by Al and Lisa Robertson 

You can find Al and Lisa Robertson of Facebook to stay up to date with their latest projects.

To read more reviews on The Duck Commander Devotional for Couples, please visit Howard Book's website. 

The 40 Day Prayer Challenge

As believers we understand the importance and power of prayer even when it seems at times that God is silent or He is preoccupied but we know He isn't. It is the greatest weapon any believer in Jesus Christ possesses and the one we often times fail to utilize until it becomes a last resort or with less than heartfelt pleas included. We often times get disillusioned with waiting on answers as if we believe we are owed an immediate and positive response time from God. The one thing that really hit home for me while dealing with multiple crises at the same time, it that waiting is the hardest thing to do but we must not give up on prayer. In the Bible, Daniel waited on an answer for prayer which was dispatched from heaven immediately but due to a spiritual war that was happening that Daniel knew nothing about, he received his answer 21 days later, even though it was answered immediately from heaven.

That is not to say that all answers of prayer are impacted in the spiritual realm, but it is a reminder that waiting may be required in some cases. In others, the answers are immediate and to our liking and in yet others, the answer is not what we had hoped and we find ourselves much like Job, wondering where it all went belly up. But the greatest hope and weapon we have is prayer, constant, consistent and with a partner. This can be with your family members, your spouse, friends or an entire body of believers. When we partner in prayer, the Bible reminds us that we stand in the presence of God at that moment even though we can not see it. It is the most powerful prayer we can use in any situation and nothing is too great or too small for a prayer.

In the book, the 40 Day Prayer Challenge by authors and husband and wife, SQuire Rushnell and Louise DuArt, they are reminding us about the true value and life changing things that can happen when we partner in prayer for simple 5 minutes a day for 40 days. They are sharing the results through an online survey with Baylor University's Institute for the Study of Religion to see what happens during the 40 days challenge. I know for my husband and I that began this as a couple, we didn't see much happen at first, but then we noticed that we drew closer in a way that is hard to explain other than to say we are much more spiritually stronger, pray more over everything and have seen first hands the results on answered prayer and the strong of our faith and marriage grow since doing this.

I received The 40 Day Prayer Challenge by SQuire Rushnell and Louise DuArt compliments of Howard Books, a division of Simon and Schuster Publishers for my honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation, aside from a free copy of this book, in exchange for my personal and honest evaluation. The book is broken down to help readers partner in different ways from married couples, singles with friends, family members praying together, and even small church groups or Bible study classes. There is such great resources available from Scripture references and even sample prayers to help get people started on their 40 day journey. The best part is the true life stories of how prayer has impacted the lives of those that have incorporated prayer into the lives and some have been brought back from the verge of death to be given a second chance. This is a perfect resource for those looking at how to incorporate prayer into their lives more and highlights the results of what can happen over 40 days. I know you'll be more than surprised at the results in your own life as we were in our own and for that reason this one gains all 5 out of 5 stars in my opinion.

For more information about The 40 Day Prayer Challenge, SQuire Rushnell, Louise DuArt or where you can pick up a copy of this book today, please click on the links below:

The 40 Day Prayer Challenge by SQuire Rushnell and Louise DuArt

You can find SQuire Rushnell on Facebook to stay up to date on all his latest projects.

You can find Louise DuArt on Facebook to stay up to date on all her latest projects.

To read more reviews on the 40 Day Prayer Challenge, please visit Howard Book's website.

Proof of Angels

You may remember a recent story in the news of a car accident in Spanish Fork, California when a vehicle overturned trapping a young baby inside. The mother was killed instantly, but when the police officers arrived, they heard a woman's voice telling them to Hurry and help! Through a series of circumstances known as Godwinks, the young baby was saved and the story impacted the world, that angels were watching over the child and leading help to where the child was trapped.

As a believer in Christ, I know that angels exist because the Bible says they do and I believe I have had my own angel encounter even though I didn't see any. The Bible is clear on their purpose and we have to be careful to test all things because we never know if it comes from God or our enemy Satan, the god of this world. In the book, Proof of Angels by Ptolemy Tompkins and Tyler Beddoes, it highlights that there are circumstances happening around us that clearly indicate that we are not alone. That there is a spiritual world that operates within our own even though we do not see it. We have to be cautious however, that we do not fall into the tendency to worship angels because they are created by God and are sent by Him to serve in whatever He has called them to do. Whether to lead rescuers to help a trapped baby or to encourage others going through a difficult time.

This book defines some of those circumstances through true stories told by those who have experienced them from 9/11 to a school bombing to even random encounters where someone's health was on the line and through a series of random events, all of these people escaped certain tragedy and feel confident it was angels that saved them all. The book primarily highlights the Spanish Fork event and the circumstances that followed with the officers involved and the media frenzy. We know that there are times where angel occurrences seem prevalent as in the 90's where angels were the main event both in the media and in the bookstores.

I received Proof of Angels by Ptolemy Tompkins and Tyler Beddoes compliments of Howard Books, a division of Simon and Schuster for my honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation aside from a free copy of this book in exchange for my fair and honest evaluation. The only thing that bothers me about the book is the limited references to what the Bible has to say on the subject between angels and demons or fallen angels. With that being said, it would be easy to see how people might be lead astray not in that angels don't exist but what their purpose is, who sends them and what their limits are. There are some biblical references but not enough to truly educate the reader in my mind that angels do exist because the Bible says they do. More references are given to outside authorities opinions on angels like Thomas Aquinas, Dante, Shakespeare, Saint Augustine and Saint Paul. There is quite a bit of reference of the Mormon beliefs and thus the reader should be cautioned to compare this to what the Bible says to be true. In my opinion, this one rates 3 out of 5 stars for me.

For more information about Proof of Angels, Ptolemy Tompkins, or where you can pick up a copy of this book today, please click on the links below:

Proof of Angels by Ptolemy Tompkins

You can find Ptolemy Tompkins on Facebook's Proof of Angels page.

To see more reviews on Proof of Angels, please visit Howard Books' website. 

Esther

I have to begin this review with saying the Biblical fictions are one of my favorites. We know the stories we read about in the books of the Bible don't contain every little piece of what happened but more of a synopis or summary of the book instead. I've read quite a few on the Book of Esther and was really looking forward to Rebecca Kanner's take on the story as well. While it may be based on the idea and concept of the story of Esther, the woman who would be queen, that is about all the Biblical aspects you will get from it aside from a quote from the Bible out of the book of Esther randomly at the beginning of certain chapters.

Now keep in mind, we don't know the detailed extent to what happened from the time of Esther's capture until she is accepted as the replacement queen for Vashti under the rule of King Xerxes. I had hoped to see the same biblical themes carried through the story but was more of an afterthought than anything. The plot from Haman and his family was a subtly that didn't move the story in the direction it should have with more jealousy being placed on Halannah, not finding favor as Queen over Esther. While we know it would have been important to save her faith while living in the palace, in this story, Esther maintains possession of an object given to her by one of the soldiers she develops feelings for and would have been considered a pagan object by those of the Jewish faith whom Esther was raised firm to believe in and understand.

The entire story was woven from what Esther does and who rallies behind her to help her rather than having faith in God to bring her to the place He ultimately has in store for her. If you take the Bible's story of Esther and this one, you can see there is quite the division between the two. I would have a really difficult time labeling this one a Christian based story since this one also deals with a lot of adult based themes more such as Esther's preparation to be queen and the night she must spend together with the King winning him over. There is a sexual undertone that you can't miss throughout this book. That being said, if you want a book that takes the concept of Esther, a young girl kidnapped to become queen your story, than this one is perfect. I would not recommend this to someone thinking it is a biblical version of the same story because it is not.

I received Esther: A Novel by Rebecca Kanner compliments of Howard Books, a division of Simon and Schuster 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. As I stated above, this is not the biblical version of Esther but a more adult and modern version of the story over what the Bible clearly points out. While it does contain some scripture it is not to help guide or educate the reader along the way with the purpose behind the story of how a Jewish woman would rely on her faith in God to save the Jewish people and win the heart of the King in the process, not through seduction, but on her godly character and morals. I give this book a 3 out of 5 stars in my opinion.

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

Esther: A Novel by Rebecca Kanner

You can find Rebecca Kanner on Facebook to stay up to date on all her latest novels.

To read more reviews on Esther: A Novel, please visit Howard Book's website.

Sky Lantern

"We never know if this time we say "I love you" will be our last, or the last time we will say it in quite that way. In the next few days I would hear from people all over the world, telling me their stories of their own fathers, of fathers who loved them but couldn't quite say it, or who loved them and had passed away and had been unable to say it for many years. Or, for some, fathers who never showed any sign of love, or even showed evidence of the opposite.

I couldn't have known any of those things, either. Who knows how far a simply love letter will travel? Who knows how far a sky lantern, with a simply phrase of love scrawled on the side, will fly? None of us have any idea.

So we have to keep singing it, keep saying it, keep writing it, keep showing it.

We have to send our live out into the world so others will find it." (pg 49).

In the book Sky Lantern by Matt Mikalatos, a seemingly ordinary event of picking up trash that had blown into his yard, turned into a life changing event when he discovers a sky lantern in his yard with a heart felt love letter inscribed on it by someone only known as Steph. Matt takes readers into the journey of his search to find Steph and convey to her what he believes any father would say to his daughter if he could. Along the way, Matt discovers something about his own love for his three daughters, an unexpected friendship with Steph and more importantly how we can all make an impact in our own world to make things better for someone each day.

"I was sitting at my gate an hour later, thinking about my trip, which had come to an end much faster than I had expected. I had a new friend who lived halfway across the country. Someone I would have never met, would have never known, if not for that lantern crashing in my yard. I had driven through her city many times. She had come to visit Portland, even staying ten miles from my house. It was strange to think that all the so-called strangers around me might be one small act of kindness away from becoming good friends. We have so much in common, all of us. We have lost our loved ones or we will. We have lived, fought, loved, and wanted to be loved. We have cried and laughed, struggled in relationships. We have lit in the darkness with our small flames. It that not enough to build a friendship around?

What if Steph wasn't some amazing friend I had found through a series of inconceivable coincidences or generous providence? What if, instead, it was that every place was full of these potential friends, crowded around us, but we were unable to see them? Could it be that every person sitting around me could be someone who would be my friend, if only I took a few moments? If only I paid attention and gave them my full attention?" (pg 136).

I received Sky Lantern by Matt Mikalatos compliments of Howard Books, a division of Simon and Schuster 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. This is a book I believe we all need to read because there is some nugget of wisdom for all of us to glean something different from this book. Perhaps its validation that you are worthy, that you have something to offer the world, that you are loved, and most of all to take the time to tell others they are loved, to write letters if you are unable to, or to make a friend in the most unlikeliest of places through divine appointments in your own life. For me this one was well worth a 4.5 out of 5 stars and as you can see, I have shared with you some of those nuggets of wisdom I gleaned to share with you.

For more information about Sky Lantern, Matt Mikalatos or where you can pick up a copy of this book today, please click on the links below:

Sky Lantern by Matt Mikalatos

You can find Matt Mikalatos on Facebook to stay up to date with all his latest books.

To read more reviews on Sky Lantern, please visit Howard Book's website. 

Angel in Aisle 3

I love it when you read such a great book you simply can't wait to share it with others! That is just what I found in Kevin West's book, Angel in Aisle 3, based on his true life encounter with a mysterious vagrant named Don and their unlikely friendship that saved both of their lives. This book almost reads like the War Room, but isn't based around the premise of prayer as it is about trusting God with the things in your life, you can't always change and really have no control over.

When Kevin realized that in order to get ahead in his life, he would have to compromise on the very job he was hired to do, one would think you would make the right choice and quit or simply to avoid making decisions that could cost you more than just your job. But that is not what Kevin did when some potential business investments allowed him to make some money on the side, he chose that path, only to realize later what it would cost him when he considered what he had done. Immediately he resigned from the bank he was working at but even worse was having to confess what he had done to his wife and how that might put him behind bars if the company decided to indict him.

Thankfully he had invested in a small building that allowed him the ability to manage and run a small market to provide a meager income for his family while he waited out what his company would decide to do with him. During those longs days, he encountered a man who appeared to be homeless or at least living out of his car, when he would ask Kevin to loan him enough credit to make it through til he got paid so he could get some groceries to last a few days. But what Don offered him in return was worth more than Kevin could ever repay back as he gained trust in a man that most felt was an angel sent by God into Kevin's life just when he needed it the most. Don taught Kevin how to learn to trust God in the very situation he found himself in and in doing so, God would work it all out for the good of Kevin and his family. At first it became a stretch but the longer they encountered one another the more Kevin became a better man despite the wrong choices he had made earlier in his career. Kevin was about to see how God can orchestrate a positive change when he was willing to surrender it all to Him.

I received Angel in Aisle 3 by Kevin West compliments of Howard Books, a division of Simon and Schuster Publishers for my honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation, aside for a free copy of this book, in exchange for my honest opinion. This is such an incredible inspirational story of hope, redemption and revival in these two mens lives and how they are forever changed in incredible ways. I saw so much truth to what Don had to share with Kevin even in all my time in studying the Bible I had never considered some of the things he shared before, but now it has created a new hunger in me for learning more about Jesus in every book in the Bible. It all points to Him. For me this one rated a 4 out of 5 stars in my opinion.

For more information about Angel in Aisle 3, Kevin West or where you can pick up a copy of this book today, please click on the links below:

Angel in Aisle 3 by Kevin West

You can find Kevin West on Facebook to stay up to date with all the latest information pertaining to his ministries.

You can read more reviews on Angel in Aisle 3, by visiting Howard Book's 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 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

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. 

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. 

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