The Secrets of the Castle ~ Review

The Secrets of the Castle 
Thunder and Lightening Book 1
By Aaron M. Zook, Jr.

This is a book should appeal to middle grade boys.  The Zanadu brothers are at present calling Germany home.  When their family trip takes an unexpected and dangerous turn Gabe and Alex embark on an adventure that they weren't expecting.

For some reason their trip to Neuschwanstein has brought them to the attention of some rather unsavory characters.  Gabe and Alex along with their dogs Thunder and Lightening are in danger but solving this mystery could cost them their lives.  But there is a mystery surrounding this castle and it's just asking to be solved,

Gabe and Alex suffer from a healthy dose of sibling rivalry and competitiveness. And this tendency leads them into trouble at times.  But they soon discover that if they hope to survive the latest trouble they find themselves they will have to work together.

Like many kids Gabe and Alex occasionally ignore or forget what their parents tell them, which leads them to unwanted consequences.   But through it all the boys learn some valuable lessons as they attempt to unravel the mystery they find themselves in.

The boys dogs Thunder and Lightening are both a year old and expertly trained to follow commands, which is rather amazing.  But the dogs were never taught to avoid food given them by strangers (a woeful gap in their training as the reader will discover).

I was provided a copy of this book by the author through TBCN/BookFun in exchange for my honest review.

About the Book:

Intrigue and danger surround two young boys and their dogs as they seek to unravel a castle mystery.

A near disastrous car wreck in Germany launches twelve-year-old Gabriel Zanadu, Alexander, his fourteen year-old brother, and their two dogs, Thunder and Lightning, into a sinister adventure near the famous German castle, Neuschwanstein. Unexplained eavesdropping, death threats, and heart-pumping danger drag Gabe, Alex, and the dogs into the clutches of a little-known foreign terrorist network. After they are kidnapped by the terrorists, and even though they are scraped, bruised, and battered, Gabe and Alex use what they’ve learned from their military dad and home-schooling mom to clash with the criminals.

Fear, pain, and failure drive the boys to tears as they struggle to free themselves from their kidnappers’ grasp. The usual brotherly fights must take a backseat as the boys and dogs scramble to break free and to escape from their enemies in the dark, cramped spaces of an underground battlefield. Hiding, out-of-breath chases, and deadly force all come into play. How do Gabe, Alex, Thunder, and Lightning survive and escape?

CSFF December Tour ~ The Fatal Tree Day 1

Welcome to the final CSFF blog tour of 2014

This month we are reviewing and discussing The Fatal Tree

the final book in Stephen Lawhead's Bright Empires series.

The Fatal Tree

Bright Empire #5

By Stephen Lawhead

Today I'm taking a look back at the series up to this point and if you haven't read the books this 

will give you a brief insight into the series.  

(And if you haven't read the previous four 4 books you need to!) 

The Universe is vast- more vast than most people can possible fathom.  There are billions of galaxies in our Universe alone.  In addition there an unknown number of dimensions as equally vast as our own Universe.  If you don't believe me just ask Kit Livingstone (if you can find him, that is!)

The Bright Empire series by Stephen R Lawhead opens with The Skin Map.  In this we are introduced to Cosimo "Kit" Christopher Livingstone who is about to begin the adventure of a lifetime.  Kit is about to follow his great-grandfather Cosimo Livingstone on a search for the Skin Map, a search that will span centuries and dimensions.  A search that could destroy everything in the omniverse if they accidently change history in just one dimension.

But what is this Skin Map and why is it so sought after?  The skin map was created by Arthur Flinders-Petrie as a series of various symbols tattooed upon his body that were turned into parchment upon his death.  The greatest of his various mapped symbols lead to the greatest of treasures - the Well of Souls.

But nothing is ever easy and Kit, his great-grandfather and the Questors are not the only ones seeking the map.  Burley and his men are seeking it too and he plans to use the power he would gain in untold evil.

But due to his inexperience Kit, Cosimo and Sir Henry have a secondary quest, to rescue Kit's girlfriend Wilhelmina "Mina" from whatever time/dimension she was pulled into.  But nothing ever goes as planned and the three are separated.  The Skin Map is filled with unexpected twists and turns up until the very end so that you are left wondering what comes next in The Bone House book 2.

The Bright Empire series by Stephen R Lawhead continues with The Bone House.  

With the unexpected deaths of Cosimo Livingstone and Sir Henry at the hands of Archelaeus Burleigh, Kit  must rely on the Ley traveling skills that Mina has developed since she was transported to 17th century Prague.

But with time/dimensional travel there are a variety of trips covered in The Bone House including Kit's visit to Egypt in 1822 where he meets up with Doctor Thomas Young who are both on a mission that was brought about by Mina. While Kit is in Egypt with Dr. Young, Mina and Giles are with Dr. Young in Edinburgh.

Arthur Flinders-Petrie's life is further revealed as are the exploits of his great-grandson Douglas Flinders-Petrie to obtain the Skin Map that Arthur created.

When Mina, Kit and Giles finally arrive at Mina's new home in Prague, they are shocked to discover the one man that they are trying to avoid is there!  Burleigh is in Prague and all too soon discovers that Kit and Giles did not die in the Egyptian tomb they were imprisoned in.  In their attempt to escape Burleigh, Giles is injured and Kit manages to make it to the Ley line that Mina had directed them to.  But Kit finds himself in the Stone Age where he makes a discovery he was not expecting the Bone House.

 The Bone House is filled with trips that span the centuries and the globe will leave you anticipating what will come next in The Spirit Well book 3.

The Bright Empire series by Stephen R Lawhead continues with The Spirit Well.  

The Bone House left us with Kit having discovered what he believes to be the Spirit Well, a conclusion he came to after observing Arthur Flinders-Petrie enter a deep water filled environment with a dead woman who is restored to life.

Mina, after being warned by Haven of Burleigh's suspicions, has left Prague in the hopes of somehow locating Kit.  When she can find no sign of him, Mina goes to Spain in the hopes that Brother Lazarus can help her in her quest.

Meanwhile we are introduced to Cassandra Clarke who, while on a dig in Arizona, discovers by accident the Ghost Walk.  But when she determines to study this phenomenon she jumps to other places and becomes lost to her time and place, ending up in 1950s Damascus.  There she finds the Zetetic Society who are seeking to achieve God's purpose for His creation - unity and harmony as the Creator intended and to be fully realised at "the end of time and the beginning of eternity.

In the Spirit Well we discover the circumstances that resulted in the creation of the Skin Map and its separation as well as Burleigh's discovery of the ley lines.

The Zetetic Society is searching for Sir Henry, Cosimo, and Kit who have disappeared along with Sir Henry's portion of the map.  The society feels that discovering them is of the highest priority and assign this task to Cassandra.

Treachery and betrayals abound as many search for the greatest discovery of Arthur Flinders-Petrie.  A discovery that Kit has discovered, but can he find his way back?

As is often mentioned by various characters throughout the series There are no coincidences.  There is a purpose behind everything that happens in our lives though we may not be able to ascertain it at the time.

The Spirit Well is filled with trips that span the centuries and the globe will leave you anticipating what will come next in The Shadow Lamp.

The Bright Empire series by Stephen R Lawhead continues with The Shadow Lamp.

Ley travel is imprecise, but it can be done to within a few days of when one wants to arrive, unless something goes wrong.  And as is often the case something does go wrong for several of our ley travelers.  But this is all part of the journey.  The journey to reach the Spirit Well that Kit discovered by accident when he was misdirected into the Stone Age.  But the Bone House is no longer accessible and a large tree is in its place.  And the gargantuan yew is channeling an enormous amount of energy from the ley in which it is growing.

Cassandra points out an amazing coincidence to Kit in that the yew tree is a symbol immortality and eternity and in a sense that is what they are searching for in the Spirit Well.  But little does Kit know that he may hold the answer to saving the Omniverse, the known and unknown, from complete and total annihilation!

Time from the first moments of Creation is at stake if the event that caused the imbalance is not found. The ever expanding universe is beginning to retract upon itself and time is growing short.  An act of Arthur Flinders-Petrie may destroy everything, and we will be alive to witness our own obliteration!

The Shadow Lamp will span centuries and dimensions and if you are very observant you just may see the beginning of the end or the end of the beginning in The Fatal Tree.

Get ready to go on an adventure that will test your ability to adapt and prepare to grow your mind! The unknown is greater than you ever imagined!  Join me tomorrow for Day 2 and more about The Fatal Tree.

All 5 books are available for purchase at the following:

The Skin Map  The Bone House  The Spirit Well  The Shadow Lamp  The FatalTree

Visit Stephen Lawhead online or on Facebook 

Be sure to check out all the tour stops during the 3 day tour December 15 - 17, 2014

Julie Bihn  Thomas Clayton Booher  Beckie Burnham  Jeff Chapman 

Karri Compton  April Erwin  Victor Gentile  Jason Joyner  

Janeen Ippolito  Carol Keen  Emileigh Latham  Rebekah Loper 

Shannon McDermott  Meagan @ Blooming with Books  Rebecca LuElla Miller 

Nissa  Jalynn Patterson  Writer Rani  Nathan Reimer  Audrey Sauble 

Jojo Sutis  Rachel Starr Thomson  Robert Treskillard  Steve Trower 

Shane Werlinger  Phyllis Wheeler

Watch for the Light ~ Review

Watch for the Light: Readings for Advent and Christmas 
with writings from Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Annie Dillard, C. S. Lewis, Henri Nouwen, and more
Released by Plough Publishing

Watch for the Light is a collection 45 selections to read and contemplate throughout the Advent season.  The selections are dated beginning with November 24th and continuing through January 7th (Epiphany).  

This book allows us to take a step back from the hectic and relentless pace we've let ourselves be caught up in, to truly grasp the meaning that this season should hold for us.  It's not endless activities - parties, programs, present buying, year-end brag-bemoan letters.  But rather this is a time of remembered celebration of a simple, humble birth and a life of sacrifice that ended not on a cross but continues yet today and is endless.

If you have ever wondered what it's all about take the time to Watch for the Light and reawaken the wonder of the season in your life this year.

I was provided a copy of this book by the publisher Plough Publishing House through Handlebar in exchange for my honest review.



The Book:


 Though Christians the world over make yearly preparations for Lent, there's a conspicuous lack of good books for that other great spiritual season: Advent. All the same, this four-week period leading up to Christmas is making a comeback as growing numbers reject shopping-mall frenzy and examine the deeper meaning of the season. Ecumenical in scope, these fifty devotions invite the reader to contemplate the great themes of Christmas and the significance that the coming of Jesus has for each of us--not only during Advent, but every day. Whether sampled at leisure or used on a daily basis, Watch for the Light gives the phrase "holiday preparations" new depth and meaning. Includes writings by John Donne, Meister Eckhart, Dorothy Day, T. S. Eliot, Gustavo Gutierrez, Eberhard Arnold, G. M. Hopkins, Martin Luther, Edith Stein, Thomas Aquinas, Dorothee Soelle, Philip Yancey, and others. 

From Publishers Weekly:
   It's hard to go wrong with writers such as these. . . . Born of obvious passion and graced with superb writing, this collection is a welcome--even necessary--addition.

Drone Games ~ Review

Drone Games
By Joel Narlock

Georgia Tech Professor Michael Robertson has just created the perfect tool for Mars exploration.  But someone has other plans for his creation - plans that will cripple America.

As planes are brought down and lives are lost Tom Ross - NTSB acting division chief of Aviation Engineering, Jack Riley - Director of Homeland Counterterrorism, and Neela Griffin - reporter with WITI Fox 6 out of Milwaukee have to pool their skills to stop the terrorists.  But can they find anything that will give them the break they need?  And until the terrorists can be identified and there mode of attack determined there way be no way to stop them.

If you like intense terror themed fiction you will like Drone Games.  The first few chapters are on the scientific side but don't let this scare you away from the meat of the story.  America is under attack and she may not survive.

The clock is ticking towards economic collapse like we've never seen.  Be afraid, very afraid...

The book opens with the following statement from Albert Einstein ~ It has become appalling obvious that our technology has exceeded our humanity.  Read Drone Games and decide for yourself.

I was provided a Digital ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review and participation in this tour.

About the book:

It’s domestic terrorism as you’ve never seen it before. An al-Qaeda cell uses cutting-edge drone technology to circumvent post-9/11 airport security measures. Within eight hours, two planes crash. The President faces an unthinkable decision: ground all planes—and the economy—or keep flying and risk more deaths. Based on real-life technology, Drone Games is a fascinating fictional account of terrorism’s future.


About the author:

Joel Narlock was born in La Crosse, WI and grew up hunting, fishing and raising a beautiful family. He’s experienced in corporate finance and small business management. He plays guitar and has performed in various local venues. He wrote his first novel about unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in 2003. He and his wife, Terri have two wonderful adult children and two wonderful grandchildren. He lives in Key West and took first place in Key West’s 2013 Mystery Fest Short Story Contest. He and his wife are active members of the Key West Sunrise Rotary Club. He enjoys an annual Canadian fishing trip with family and friends.

CSFF Blog Tour September ~ Rebels Day 1

Welcome to the September CSFF Blog Tour

This month our book in Jill Williamson's Rebels

the final book in The Safe Lands trilogy

To start off the tour I want to take a look back at the first two books in the series.

First up Captives

Levi is the favored son of Justin of Elias.  He is to marry for love. He is a hunter.  He can go on scavenging trips to Denver City. And he has earned the respect of his father, something that his younger brothers cannot do no matter how hard they try.  Mason has decided that trying to earn his father's respect and trust is an impossible tasks though he tries his best to please him.  But Omar is determined to win it no matter what the cost, but does he know how much he is going to pay?

The Safe Lands were designed to protect the people from a plague, but what was to be a safety has turned into an even greater danger.  The city is the plague and there is no way to stop it or to save the city without drastic measures.  And Omar and the people of Glenrock may be the Safe Lands last hope.

Omar in an act of betrayal destroys Glenrock and rips Jemma and Levi apart just days before their marriage.  Can Levi find a way to get within the city and free those who have been taken against their will?  

The ease of life in the Safe Lands is a powerful draw, but is the loss of their freedom and the chance of becoming infected a reasonable trade?  But the Safe Lands is home to people whose wild ways may have lead to the plague's spread through what was suppose to be a fortress of safety from the plague.   

Mason has been put in a position within the Safe Lands where he is able to study the problem of the plague up close.  Can he use the skills he developed in Glenrock and stop the plague?  Can he bring hope where there is none or will it merely be false hope? As Mason struggles to cure the plague and to save the people of Glenrock from forced surrogacy, Levi is working on a plan of escape.  Meanwhile Omar is falling into all that the Safe Lands has to offer in an attempt to hide from his guilt over what went wrong with his grand plan.    

Outcasts:
The Captives from Glenrock have taken refuge within the Safe Lands with a group of rebels, but these rebels have goals that are at odds with those that Levi has prioritized for the survivors of Glenrock. After all who cares about the people who call the Safe Lands home?

To Levi's annoyance his brothers Mason and Omar both have cares about the Safe Landers - and Mason may have developed an attraction to the doctor under whom he works.  Mason is determined to find a cure for the disease that afflicts the Safe Landers and Omar.  Meanwhile Omar is determined to make the Safe Landers aware of the true state of their world.

When the rebels demands threaten the safety of those closest to him Levi moves everyone to a new location with the assistance of Zane.  This move gives everyone a glimpse of Papa Eli that had not yet known and adds more to the history of Glenrock.  (Hoping for a prequel - all these little tidbits are just so tempting!!!  Kind of like having a box of your favorite chocolates and knowing you can't have them yet.)

Subterfuge and deception reign supreme in the Safe Lands and a master illusionist is firmly in control. Questions for which there seem to be no answers may be of utmost importance.  What is liberation?  Is it truly the end of life or is it something more sinister.  Can this disease be cured and why is noone allowed access to the data about it?

Mason, Omar, and Shaylinn are determined to make a difference in the Safe Lands, but it may cost them more than they were expecting.  But sometimes doing the right thing is worth the cost even if it means liberation.  And someone is about to pay the ultimate price for freedom....

Be sure to come back tomorrow for Day 2 and be sure to visit the other tour participants who will be sharing their thoughts throughout this 3 day tour (September 29 - October 1, 2014)

Julie Bihn  Thomas Fletcher Booher  Beckie Burnham  Jeff Chapman
Vicky DealSharingAunt  April Erwin  Carol Gehringer  Victor Gentile
 Rebekah Gyger  Jeremy Harder
Jason Joyner  Carol Keen  Shannon McDermott  Meagan @ Blooming with Books
Melanie @ Christian Bookshelf Reviews  Rebecca LuElla Miller  Joan Nienhuis
Nissa  Writer Rani  Audrey Sauble  Chawna Schroeder
Jojo Sutis  Elizabeth Williams

CSFF August Blog Tour ~ Merlin's Nightmare Day 1

~ Welcome to Day 1 of the CSFF August Blog Tour ~

This month's featured book is Merlin's Nightmare

which is the concluding book in The Merlin Spiral series

Day 1 is a look back at the first 2 books in this series...

Merlin's Blade

Into everyone's life comes a time when they must make a choice and to stand beside that choice. Merlin's time has come....

A stone of incredible power has been brought forth. The evil it's unleashing will change the life of a young man, a village, and an island nation. The future of Britain lies with a stone, a sword, and the blind son of a smith. Merlin's Blade will entrance you, as it draws you in. Be prepared as you enter a world of deep held beliefs and even deeper superstitions. Enter the world of Merlin before Arthur took the throne or even held the sword!

Fealty is sworn by subjects before their king inMerlin's Blade. Merlin vows to serve both his King Uther and his son - Arthur. Merlin's vow was sincere, unlike Tregeagle the Magister of Bosventor who made a half-hearted vow, fearing that Uther would demand more than he was willing to give - after all the villagers owed him more than the King. And at the heart of this lack of fealty is the Druid stone that is enchanting the region. And the people are willing to sacrifice their souls, friends, and family to satisfy a longing or greed that they refused to suppress when offered to them by the stone and its dark powers.

But through faith in Jesu, prayer, and the disability that has been his for 7 years Merlin is able to withstand the evil. As Merlin struggles with how to free his family, friends, village, and king from this insidious delusion he becomes the man he was meant to be. And the struggle to defeat the druid hold and the seductive power of the stone could very well cost Merlin his life.

Merlin's Blade is a fascinating look at Merlin and the faith that he claimed as his own and the strength it gave him to withstand the evil of the Druid stone.

Merlin's Shadow

I found the encounters that Merlin and his sister Ganieda had with the wolves interesting. The wolves hunt

Merlin, yet befriend Ganieda. When Merlin is forced to defend his life against an attack, Ganieda blames her brother for the wolf's death. What is Ganieda's connection to these wolves who seem intent on destroying her brother? Merlin's Shadow continues with Ganieda's relationship with the wolves and in particular Tellyk.

But with the death of her mother and father Ganieda has become embittered against her older half-brother Merlin. And with the twisted manipulation of her grandfather Ganieda bitter resentment becomes all out anger and hatred. But now, thanks to Tellyk, Ganieda has the means to exact her revenge and anyone and everyone who is willing to aid Merlin in his mission to protect young Arthur is in danger. Something evil survived the destruction of the Druid stone and Ganieda has the power to use it and she will....

Click to learn more about Robert Treskillard or purchase Merlin's Blade, Merlin's Shadow, or Merlin's Nightmare.

Be sure to come back for Day 2 of Merlin's Nightmare and be sure to visit the other tour participants who will be sharing their thoughts throughout this 3 day tour (August 25-27, 2014)

Beckie Burnham  Jeff Chapman  Vicky DealSharingAunt  April Erwin

Carol Gehringer  Victor Gentile  Rebekah Gyger  Carol Keen 

Krystine Kercher  Emileigh Latham  Jennette Mbewe  Shannon McDermott 

Meagan @ Blooming with Books  Rebecca LuElla Miller  Mirriam Neal  Joan Nienhuis 

Nissa  Writer Rani  Nathan Reimer  Audrey Sauble  Chawna Schroeder 

Jojo Sutis  Robert Treskillard  Phyllis Wheeler  Elizabeth Williams

Books to end your summer with...

Are you looking for some good reads to end the kids summer vacation with?  Check-out these books which are on the bookshelf at your local library or bookstore waiting to be read.

PERIL in the PALACE
The Imagination Station
By Paul McCusker and Marianne Hering

Kids can take another adventure into the past with Patrick and Beth thanks to The Imagination Station.  This time they are journeying to China where they befriend Marco Polo.  But they are about to discover new dangers when they offend Kublai Khan with their message of Christianity.

Beth and Patrick find themselves in trouble almost from the start when they are captured by Mongul warriors almost as soon as they step out of the Imagination Station.  If not for the efforts of Marco Polo both children would have been charged with crimes.  

When Patrick tries to answer Kublai Khan's questions about God, he receives scorn and is faced with proving God's power over Khan's shamans.  But Kublai Khan is not easily swayed in his beliefs.

Patrick and Beth manage to escape but they don't return to the workshop at Whit's End...


About the Book:
The place? China in 1271. The quest? The golden tablet of Kublai Khan. The problem? Just about everything! 
The Imagination Station adventures continue as cousins Patrick and Beth are kidnapped by Mongol warriors. Only the friendship of fellow traveler Marco Polo saves them from harm. They are brought to the Mongol palace, where the Kublai Khan dislikes both their gifts and their message about Christianity. The tension grows when the Mongol magicians challenge the cousins to a spiritual power showdown. As war breaks out, Beth and Patrick are locked in a secret room to prevent their escape. 

How do the cousins get the golden tablet they need to save Mr. Whittaker’s friend Albert? How do they escape the city and find the Imagination Station? Enter the perilous palace and find out!


RUNAWAY
Starlight Animal Rescue
By Dandi Daley Mackall

Dakota Brown's known to be a runner.  She's been in the system since she was 9 and before entering it her home life was less than ideal.

But there is something different about this foster home.  First it's in the middle of nowhere, and it has a really lame name Nice.  Why anyone would want to live in someplace called Nice is totally beyond Dakota's comprehension.  Then it is also home to Starlight Animal Rescue, not that there is anything wrong with animals, though Dakota isn't a fan of cats.  But there are horses... And when Dakota and her caseworker Ms. Bean arrive they are definitely not on their best behavior trying for a good first impression, which is a shocker for Dakota.

But when Dakota finds a horse that needs her she is torn.  Should she continue her plans to runaway to California?  Or could she actually finally find a home with the Coolidges? And will Dakota discover what she truly wants before she ruins her chance to be part of a loving family?


About the Book:
I've run away seven times—never once to anything, just away from. Maybe that's why they call me a “runaway,” and not a “run-to.” 
Meet 16-year-old Dakota Brown. She used to love all things “horse” until she lost everything, including hope. The minute she sets foot on her foster parents' farm—Starlight Animal Rescue—she plans her escape. But can an “impossible” horse named Blackfire and this quirky collection of animal lovers be the home she's always dreamed of? 
Starlight Animal Rescue: Where problem horses are trained and loved, where abandoned dogs become heroes, where stray cats become loyal companions. And where people with nowhere to fit in find a place to belong.

WILD THING
Winnie the Horse Gentler
By Dandi Daley Mackall

Winnie Willis has a way with horses, but since her mother's death she hasn't had one of her own.  And that's just as it should be - after all she's the reason her mother died.  And the last two years Winnie's just been existing - until she meets Wild Thing.

Wild Thing is a wild Arabian that no one can touch, but Winnie feels a connection with this wild mare.  And Winnie is determined to get Wild Thing as her very own and away from the Spindells.

But Winnie's plan to raise money to buy her dream horse might backfire when Wild Thing is put up for sale before Winnie has raised a single penny.  Will Winnie learn that she is loved and that God hasn't abandoned her?  Or will she lose herself to her fear and the pain of her past?

About the Book:
Twelve-year-old Winnie Willis has a way with horses. She can gentle the wildest mare, but other parts of her life don't always come as easily. Along with her dad and sister, Lizzy, Winnie is learning how to live without her mom, who was also a natural horse gentler. As Winnie teaches her horses about unconditional love and blind trust, God shows Winnie that he can be trusted too. Readers will be hooked on the series' vivid characters, whose quirky personalities fill Winnie's life with friendship and adventure. 

In #1 Wild Thing, Winnie's fearful heart finally begins to trust God again as she tries to gentle the horse of her dreams, Wild Thing.

The Treasured Brides Collection ~ Review

The Treasured Brides Collection
By Grace Livingston Hill

              Three Timeless Romances 

                               from a Beloved Author 

I've always loved the simple beauty found in Grace Livingston Hill's books.  So when The Book Club Network offered a chance to read and review this just released collection from Barbour I jumped at the chance.  After all these were 3 stories from Grace Livingston Hill that I had never read before.

The first story is The Big Blue Soldier.  The First World War has ended and Sergeant Lyman Gage has just received word that his business has failed, his fiancee has become engaged to another man, and he is in debt to his former fiancee's father.  Lyman is understandably dejected when he is approached by an unusual woman who invites him to dinner and to pretend that he is her nephew.

What follows is a delightful and sweet story about seeing past the outer person and seeing the heart.  The kindness of strangers heals a broken heart and brings happiness to a hurting lonely heart.

The second story is Found Treasure.  Effie Martin is a despised young woman - her youthful, tomboyish habits are felt to be an embarrassment to anyone unfortunate to be caught in her company.  Her mother despairs of ever turning this selfish, self-centered girl into a lady and her sister Eleanor loathes her little sister who tries to get her part in Eleanor's activities.  But Effie is searching for something, she feels unwanted by anyone and wonders if there is even a purpose to her very being.

But when Effie steps forward and saves a life she comes to the attention of several people, including Lawrence Earle.  Lawrence helps Effie to become more than she ever saw herself becoming.  She became Euphemia a "woman of good repute" all because someone was willing to give her a chance.

This story finds the worth and treasure of a person within their heart.  Outward appearance and monetary worth mean nothing if one cannot find peace and comfort in a relationship with God.

The third story is The Patch of Blue.  Chris Walton had everything.  A father of good standing who was the bank president.  He lived in a spacious house in an elegant well-to-do neighborhood.  He was heading for his final year of college, played football, and was making the most of his life when everything changed. When his family's life of privilege was suddenly over Chris learns who his true friends are.  And he learns who he truly is thanks to Natalie Halsey.

This story shows that one's happiness need not be tied to wealth, position, and possessions but rather in a daily walk with God and contentment with what we do have.  This is shown in the changes of Chris's demeanor and attitude from the opening until the closing of the story.

One item of note concerning this book it is not large print, but the print is larger than most books that are regular print - so if you like large print books this maybe one you want to check-out.

Thanks to The Book Club Network and Barbour for offering me this book in exchange for my honest review.


About the Author:

            GRACE LIVINGSTON HILL (1865–1947) is known as the pioneer of Christian romance. Grace wrote over one hundred faith-inspired books during her lifetime. When her first husband died, leaving her with two daughters to raise, writing became a way to make a living, but she always recognized storytelling as a way to share her faith in God. She has touched countless lives through the years and continues to touch lives today. Her books feature moving stories, delightful characters, and love in its purest form.

Grace Livingston Hill began writing stories in 1877 at the tender age of twelve and didn’t stop until her death in 1947. But what may be more amazing is that she has sold over 84 million copies and is still loved by young and old alike.

About the Book:

            Take a step back to a slower paced life the 1930s and 40s, and discover the joy of old-fashioned romance as penned by one of America’s most beloved authors. Lightly updated for today’s reader, this collection of three romances—including The Big Blue Soldier, Found Treasure, and The Patch of Blue—is the perfect pathway to discovering a timeless author. Grace Livingston Hill created enduring characters who go through every human emotion. They are realistic individuals looking to fit in and find a place of contentment in life. Love meets them in their struggles and faith points them to eternal hope and peace.

CSFF July Tour Day 1 ~ The Warden and the Wolf King

Welcome to day 1 of the CSFF Blog Tour for July

The Warden and the Wolf King

The Wingfeather Saga Book Four

By Andrew Peterson

Today I'm going to recap the series for those who may not have read it yet
Book 1 

On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness

Once, in a cottage above the cliffs on the Dark Sea of Darkness, there lived three children and their trusty dog Nugget. Janner Igiby, his brother Tink, their crippled sister Leeli are gifted children as all children are, loved well by a noble mother and ex-pirate grandfather. But they will need all their gifts and all that love to survive the evil pursuit of the venomous Fangs of Dang who have crossed the dark sea to rule the land with malice and pursue the Igibys who hold the secret to the lost legend and jewels of good King Wingfeather of the Shining Isle of Anniera.

Andrew Peterson spins a quirky and riveting tale of the Igibys’ extraordinary journey from Glipwood’s Dragon Day Festival and a secret hidden in the Books and Crannies Bookstore, past the terrifying Black Carriage, clutches of the horned hounds and loathsome toothy cows surrounding AnkleJelly Manor, through the Glipwood Forest and mysterious treehouse of Peet the Sock Man (known for a little softshoe and wearing tattered socks on his hands and arms), to the very edge of the Ice Prairies. 

Full of characters rich in heart, smarts, and courage, On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness presents a world of wonder and a tale children of all ages will cherish, families can read aloud, and readers’ groups are sure to discuss for its layers of meaning about life’s true treasure and tangle of the beautiful and horrible, temporal and eternal, and good and bad.

Book 2 

North! Or be Eaten

Janner, Tink, and Leeli Igiby thought they were normal children with normal lives and a normal past. But now they know they’re really the Lost Jewels of Anniera, heirs to a legendary kingdom across the sea, and suddenly everyone wants to kill them.
In order to survive, the Igibys must flee to the safety of the Ice Prairies, where the lizardlike Fangs of Dang cannot follow. First, however, they have to escape the monsters of Glipwood Forest,1 the thieving Stranders of the East Bend,2 and the dreaded Fork Factory.3 
But even more dangerous are the jealousies and bitterness that threaten to tear them apart, and Janner and his siblings must learn the hard way that the love of a family is more important than anything else.

Book 3 

The Monsters in the Hollows

Janner Wingfeather's father was the High King of Anniera. But his father is gone. The kingdom has fallen. The royal family is on the run, and the Fang armies of Gnag the Nameless are close behind.

Janner and his family hope to find refuge in the last safe place in the world: the Green Hollows--a land of warriors feared even by Fangs of Dang. But there's a big problem. Janner's little brother-heir to the throne of Anniera-has grown a tail. And gray fur. Not to mention two pointed ears and long, dangerous fangs. To the suspicious folk of the Green Hollows he looks like a monster.

But Janner knows better. His brother isn't as scary as he looks. He's perfectly harmless.

Isn't he?

Join the Wingfeathers on an adventure filled with mystery, betrayal, and sneakery in a land of tasty fruits. There's a monster on the loose and the truth lurks in the shadows.



Be sure to come back tomorrow for more about Book 4...

While your waiting be sure to visit the other tour participants during the tour July 21 - 23

Keanan Brand  Beckie Burnham  Pauline Creeden  Vicky DealSharingAunt

Carol Gehringer  Victor Gentile  Ryan Heart  Bruce Hennigan  Jason Joyner

Carol Keen  Krystine Kercher  Shannon McDermott  Meagan @ Blooming with Books

Rebecca LuElla Miller  Nissa  Writer Rani  Nathan Reimer  Chawna Schroeder

Jojo Sutis  Rachel Starr Thomson  Shane Werlinger  Phyllis Wheeler

Backyard Horses Books 3 and 4 ~ Review

Chasing Dream

Backyard Horses #3

By Dandi Daley Makall

Ellie is determined to prove to everyone what a fabulous horse that Dream is.

But for some reason all of Ellie’s ideas seem to backfire.  And added to this is

the concern that Dream is somehow getting out of her backyard pasture.  How can a horse get loose and still have all the gates locked and the fences up?

But when Ellie’s dreams of making Dream into a star interfere with her promises to friends and family and even threaten Dream’s life Ellie is racked with guilt.

When Dream pulls through her bout of colic, which could have killed her, Ellie learns that family and friends are there for you when you need them the most.

Night Mare

Backyard Horses #4

By Dandi Daley Makall

When a school blogging project puts Dream in the spotlight, Dream’s former owner comes forward to reclaim the wayward fence-jumper.  With no way to fight against this claim, Ellie is sure to lose her dream and Dream!

But when her brother’s newest fish dies Ellie learns a lesson in pushing through each day and being glad with what she does have.

But before you tear up too much there is a happy ending for Ellie and Dream, not to give anything away!  Ellie's Night Mare may turn into a happy Dream!

Doppleganger Chronicles: The Great Mogul Diamond ~ Review

THE DOPPLE GANGER CHRONICLES
The Great Mogul Diamond
By G.P. Taylor

Sadie, Saskia, and Erik are back with yet another adventure. The trio has just overheard a one-sided phone conversation and Muzz Elliott is being threatened. But when the trio enters the Muzz Elliott hides a letter within the Times and says she wishes to speak privately with Dorcas Potts when she comes to pick-up Erik.

While Dorcas and Muzz talk Sadie, Saskie and Erik slip back into the library and find the letter. Muzz Elliott is being blackmailed!

After Erik and Dorcas leave Muzz Elliott tells the girls that they are going to France on a vacation. The twins call Erik from the train station but the call gets cut off. But little do Sadie and Saskia realize that someone is listening in on their call and that someone follows them onboard the train and all the way to the Rothchild Express in France!

As Saskia gets ready to board the Express, the stranger - Max Taranis calls out to her by name and seems to know a lot about her. Then strange things begin to happen onboard the Express. Someone seems to be acting out Muzz Elliott's book MURDER TRAIN, using it to plot crimes on the Express and frame Muzz. Max Taranis then reveals that he is a detective with Scotland Yard. Who is behind this?

Meanwhile Dorcas and Erik are racing to get to Cannes in time to meet Muzz Elliott, Sadie and Saskia. But there is someone trying to stop them and they drive into a trap and taken to a Chateau where they are going to be killed! While they are separated Erik finally sees Madame Raphael. Then as they are about to be killed one of their captors Foojack helps them to escape.

Then Sadie, Saskia, and Muzz are drugged with their cocoa and someone kidnaps Sadie. Can they find Sadie or will Muzz Elliott be forced to steal the Mogul Diamond?

When everyone meets up in Cannes they work on a plan to save Sadie and keep Muzz from being framed for the crimes. But then Dorcas Potts is captured. As everything comes to a head the kidnapper and blackmailer turns out be Muzz Elliott's twin sister Cicely Windylove. Can they stop this evil twin or will they all be lost?

Erik meets the Companion that Madame Raphael is always speaking of, He tells Erik that his father did not abandon him all those years ago, but he in fact died that night and had been with the Companion ever since.

I love all the twists and turns that Dopple twins go through in the their adventures and I won't spoil the ending for readers, but I think a fourth book could be in their future!

Horse Dreams ~ Review

HORSE DREAMS Backyard Horses By Dandi Daley Mackall Ellie James wants a horse of her own, so much so that she thinks, breathes, and dreams horses all day long. She dreams so much that when she sees a horse outside her fourth grade classroom window everyone thinks she's dreaming! When Ellie manages to capture the lost pinto mare she leads it to the cat farm where her mom volunteers. But a homeless horse doesn't belong in a cat rescue, where will she go? As Ellie cares for the pinto she continues to dream about her dream horse and how she'll get him. But when the pinto is going to be shipped to a horse farm in New Jersey will Ellie realize her dream is right in front of her or will she just have HORSE DREAMS? Digital Advanced Reader Copy provided through Net Galley

The Dopple Ganger Chronicles: The Secret of Indigo Moon

Secret of Indigo Moon, the #2 by G.P. Taylor
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

THE DOPPLE GANGER CHRONICLES: THE SECRET OF INDIGO MOON
By G.P. Taylor

In The Secret of Indigo Moon, Erik, Saskia, and Sadie are involved in yet another adventure. Burglars are using hidden a hidden tunnel beneath Isambard Dumstan's School for Wayward Children. While investigating Saskia gets trapped in a sarcophagus and is stolen! Can Erik and Sadie rescue her before she is discovered or will they be captured as well?

The magician Potemkin is back and continuing his evil ways. Can Saskia convince Sadie and Erik that Madame Raphael is real? Or will Saskia be alone in her belife?

Prepare for a thrilling adventure that even the most reluctant middle grade reader will enjoy. The combination of traditional text, text art, and graphic novel adds to the appeal of this engaging sequel in the Dopple Ganger Chronicles.

Reading fun with TJ and the Time Stumblers ~ 3 Book Review

I recently finished reading the first 3 books in the TJ and the Time Stumblers series by Bill Myers.  Well, they are just too much!  And I mean this in a good way.  And I'll share why...

First up book 1 New Kid Catastrophes

TJ (short for Thelma Jean) and her family have just moved to Malibu from Missouri, which for some people would be a dream come true.  But not for TJ.  For TJ it has turned into a nightmare, especially when she crashes the neighbor's pool party with a piano!  And things just go downhill from there when she starts school.

What TJ doesn't (yet) is that she is getting help in the klutz department from 2 bumbling time traveling teens who 1) misdirect their time-travel pod, 2) run out of fuel for said time-travel pod, and 3) crash into the Pacific Ocean before shorting out the unfortunate time-travel pod.  Herby and Tuna are definitely not top-of-the-food-chain candidates.

New Kid Catastrophes will keep middle-grade readers laughing at all the antics and mishaps as TJ learns a valuable lesson in friendship.

Second up is Aaaargh!!!

With time-traveling teens Herby and Tuna still stuck in the twenty-first TJ's in for more trouble and this time it revolves around a Treasure Island book report.  And with Tuna and Herby helping TJ won't get it written, not with swashbuckling pirates battling in her bedroom.

But TJ has even bigger problems in the form of Hesper Breakahart - tv star extraordinaire.  And Hesper is determined to make TJ pay for Herby and Tuna allowing everyone to hear her thoughts at the school science fair.  And unfortunately with all the weirdness going on thanks to Tuna and Herby, TJ is an easy target for Hesper's plan.

When TJ doesn't get her book report written Tuna and Herby convince her to use one written by someone else, but in the process they end up changing the future.

And when Elizabeth, Hesper's minion/fan/forgotten best friend/spy, starts observing TJ closely she becomes convinced that TJ is something else.  And the something else that she thinks TJ is a combination witch/vampire/alien!

With angry pirates and parrots on the loose Malibu will never be the same again.  Aaaargh!!! is a lesson in cheating and how cheating just once makes it easier and necessary to cheat again to maintain the deception from the first time.

The third time traveling blunder is Oops!

And Oops! is perhaps the funniest yet.  Tuna and Herby are still 2 centuries out of place, but they are consistent in bringing more helpful trouble into TJ's life.  This time TJ and time-traveling two-some are being chased through the school by an African elephant with a British accent.  And they are about to crash an audition for Hesper Breakahart's soon to be cast little sister!

When something causes TJ to doubt Tuna and Herby (which understandable) they decide to let her hear their thoughts.  But as usual something goes wrong and the entire Junior High student body starts hearing everyone's thoughts via their cell phones.  Hearing what everyone really thinks turns into a major big time problem - fast!  Can anyone say food fight that involves throwing tables and chairs?

When TJ's dad tells her mother never said anything bad about another person and when she had trouble with someone she tried to think something nice about them, he gets TJ thinking.  How does one go about thinking nice thoughts about someone who is being anything but nice to you?  But TJ isn't able to put this way of thinking into action until after another mishap with Tuna and Herby her wayward thoughts to change people into what she's thinking! (Which was quite humorous, not good when you're reading in the library!)

Through all the trouble that ensues TJ learns to think well of others because everyone is God's creation and deserves to be loved!

The Long Awakening ~ Review

The Long Awakening
                 a memoir
By Lindsey O'Connor

Imagine your life if you lost a part of it.  You couldn't remember you were excited to welcome a newborn child into your life.  Worse yet the first month and a half of your child's life would be something you would never experience.  How do you recover from something like that and what's more how do you recapture what should have been?

On August 30, 2002, Lindsey gave birth to her daughter.   But what should have been a time of joy and celebration soon becomes an long and lingering battle.  Complications from pregnancy send Lindsey into a 47 day long coma.

But awakening from the coma was not the end of her ordeal - she needed to relearn basic functions.  What you or I would take for granted was lost.  And worst of all Lindsey seemed to have a detachment from her emotions.  This is Lindsey's journey to recovering what she had lost and to reconnect with her family as both wife and mother.

When one hears about someone in a coma waking-up one doesn't necessary realize what the recovery after awakening is like.  Lindsey can't even breathe on her own.  I think when she compares having a bit of a memory arise being similar to coming to the end of a chapter in a book and not beimg able to continue on an interesting comparison.

Take a journey of awakening when you read The Long Awakening.

March is Brain Injury Awareness Month and as a result of this the publisher Revell has provided me with a copy of this book in exchange with my honest review. 

About The Long Awakening

The riveting true story of a life-threatening coma, a miraculous awakening, and the long quest to regain what was lost.
The day our baby came into the world was the day I left. A day that began all smiles and excitement and anticipation and joy ended with running and panic and blood and tears. And then coma.

I lay suspended in the deep, my newborn unknown. Nothingness. Layers where dark pulled from below, light called from above, and me, trapped in between, longing to break the surface. 

To live.

Forty-seven days later when I first saw my husband's face leaning close to me, I knew where, and who, I was. But other things took much longer to know. Learning to restitch life--and love--when everything's changed, and finding who we are afterward, can be the longest journey of all.

I'm Lindsey O'Connor, and this is the story of my long awakening.