For Mercies Sake ~ Review

For Mercie's Sake

By Sharon Srock

Diana Kensington and Scottlyn Rich are both hurting.  What these two have lost is family - Diana can't past the death of her husband and Scottlyn is trapped by an attack and her father's anger.

For Mercie's Sake has a slight resemblance to Francine Rivers's The Atonement Child in that she is being pressured by her family to get rid of her child.

I like that by looking beyond her own problems and losses Diana is able to start healing.  This is an excellent story that does not take a long time to read.

I was provided a copy of this book by the author and BookFun.org in exchange for my honest review.

About the Book:
A victim of rape, sixteen year old Scottlyn Rich is disowned by her family when she refuses to abort the child she carries. Determined to raise her baby, she has no idea how to handle the obstacles ahead, she only knows that giving her daughter, Mercie, a chance to live is the most important thing she'll ever do.

Widowed school teacher Diana Kensington lost everything she held dear the day her husband’s plane fell out of the sky. Four hundred and thirty nine days later she still has no answer to her daily prayer. “What now, God?”

Can trust be built between these two lost women? Can they work together to fill the void in each other's lives, for Mercie' s sake?

Shadow Hand ~ Review

Shadow Hand
Tales of the Goldstone Wood #6
By Anne Elisabeth Stengl

In a word WOW!  To fully appreciate this book you should first read Heartless, Veiled Rose, and Moonblood if you have never picked up one of Anne Elisabeth Stengl's books before.  And believe me if you've read one you just are drawn into this world Between the Woods.  Anne Elisabeth weaves her stories so that they all flow together.  They intersect and and cross each other in the most unexpected ways.

Shadow Hand is a story out of time.  And Foxbrush and Daylily have unwittingly entered into it and are about to become an integral part of Southlands legend or are they?  These two characters are about to become more complete in fulfilling the destiny that has been theirs before time knew them.

Southlands is yet again to have a royal wedding and Lady Daylily is again to have the starring role, but her intended has changed.  Instead of Prince Lionheart she is instead to marry his cousin Crown Prince Foxbrush.  Both are pawns caught in a web not of their own making, until the letter.

A letter has sent the two into the Woods and their lives are never to be the same.  But during their absence, someone seeks to claim the throne for his own.  Can the path that Daylily and Foxbrush follow help them discover who they really are before it is too late?

If you've read the previous 5 Goldstone Wood books, you'll be happy to see some of your favorite characters are back including Prince Felix, Lionheart, Eanrin, Imraldera, and the Prince of Fartheststone.

At the very beginning I found the story a little confusing, but it all makes sense in the end and is well worth the time spent in the reading.  Shadow Hand is an intriguing and interesting book that will take you in a circle. (If I say more I'll give the story away and disrupt time!)

I just love this cover and this book has been on my wish list since I learned of it.  And reading it was not a disappointment.  Can't wait for book 7 The Golden Daughter coming November 2014!

I was provided a review copy of this book by the author, publisher and Bookfun.org in exchange for my honest review.





About the Book:

This is a story about blood.

And love.

And the many things that lie between.

By her father's wish, Lady Daylily is betrothed to the Prince of Southlands. Not the prince she loves, handsome and dispossessed Lionheart, but his cousin, the awkward and foolish Prince Foxbrush. As her wedding day dawns, Daylily flees into the dangerous Wilderlands, her only desire to vanish from living memory.

But Foxbrush, determined to rescue his betrothed, pursues Daylily into a new world of magic and peril, a world where vicious Faerie beasts hold sway, a world invaded by a lethal parasite. 

A world that is hauntingly familiar.

Author Bio:

Anne Elisabeth Stengl makes her home in Raleigh, North Carolina, where she lives with her husband, Rohan, a passel of cats, and one long-suffering dog. When she's not writing, she enjoys Shakespeare, opera, and tea, and studies piano, painting, and pastry baking. She studied illustration at Grace College and English literature at Campbell University. She is the author of the award-winning Tales of Goldstone Woods series, an ever-growing world of knights and dragons, mystical forests and hidden demesnes, unspeakable evil and boundless grace.

Her first novel, Heartless, won the Christy award for best debut in 2011, followed by an unprecedented consecutive win the next year for Veiled Rose, in its own category, and Starflower was most recently honored with the Clive Staples Award for 2013.

In the Shadow of Jezebel ~ Review

IN THE SHADOW OF JEZEBEL
A Novel
By Mesu Andrews

Jezebel's influence is spreading through the generations as her daughter Queen Athaliah of Judah manipulates the nation, her son Ahaziah, and her chosen daughter Jehosheba.  Can the shadow of Jezebel's vile and corrupt heart be overshadowed by someone greater?

When the Princess Jehosheba is given in marriage to Yahweh's high priest, how can this be pleasing in the sight of God?  Raised to be a high priestess for Baal, what does she know of these Yahwists with whom she must live and bring to Baal?  And Sheba's first convert Yahweh's new high priest - Jehoiada.  But God has other plans and Sheba may be the convert to Yahweh.

Chosen to be a Queen of Destiny Jehosheba's choice may determine the path of a nation.  But to determine her worth she must first free herself and those she holds dear from the shadow of Jezebel's tyranny.

I like the fact that Sheba's husband isn't perfect and that he struggles to walk with God even as he guides his new wife to an understanding and belief in God.  Sheba's transformation is remarkable, but believable as it takes place over a period of time and isn't immediate.

The hateful, vile manipulations of both Athaliah and Jezebel do nothing in making one feel sympathy for the two.  Everything they do seems suspect and, as is often the case in this book, a means to an even greater evil.  These are two women you don't want to meet!

It is always interesting to read Biblical fiction, to get a glimpse at what might be going on in the minds of these various people.  This was definitely a book that held my interest until the end.  The utter cruelty and immorality involved with the ceremonies of Baal is contrasted with the worship with God. If you are interested in exploring the times and cultures of the Old Testament be sure to pickup a copy of In the Shadow of Jezebel.

I was provided a copy of this book by the publisher, Revell, in exchange for my honest review.

About:

In a kingdom controlled by cruel and manipulative women, one princess will discover the power of truth and love.
Trained as a priestess in the temple of Baal, Princess Jehosheba strives to please the demanding Queen Athaliah, daughter of Jezebel. But when a mysterious letter from the dead prophet Elijah predicts doom for the royal household, Jehosheba realizes that the dark arts she practices reach far beyond the realm of earthly governments.

Forced to marry Yahweh's high priest in order to further Athaliah and Jezebel's power plays, Jehosheba enters the unfamiliar world of Yahweh's Temple. Can her new husband show her the truth and love she craves? And can Jehosheba overcome her fear and save the family--and the nation--she loves?

With deft skill, Mesu Andrews brings the Old Testament to life, revealing a fascinating story of the power of unconditional love.

Noah Art vs the Bible

 

The USA Today had an article about the upcoming movie NOAH.  The article is whether art should take any liberties in portraying a Biblical story.  Which in and of itself is an interesting debate. 

When you really think about it Noah's story is not very long.  When one reads the account it doesn't take you an hour or more to get through the passage, but how will this translate onto the BIG screen?  Some liberties are necessary as Noah doesn't even speak in the Bible.

Haven't you ever wondered about this man whose life was lived in a righteous and just manner that God felt he was worth saving?   Well, this is sure to be a movie that will open up a dialog about Noah and his big screen portrayal. 

Be sure to check out 'Noah' spurs debate pitting art vs. Bible: Column and leave a comment!  What do you think? 

Everyday Confetti ~ Review

Everyday Confetti
By Karen Ehman and Glynnis Whitwer

Your Year-Round Guide to Celebrating

Holidays and Special Occasions

Do you ever feel that the ordinary days get lost in the mix? Are you overwhelmed by the holidays and special occasions? Well, there is no need for it.

Everyday is special and with very little effort on our parts we can make it so.  It is these little touches that stay with us throughout our lives and become the memories that means so much to us, memories that we want to share and recreate for our own families.

Everyday Confetti offers an assortment of activities and recipes that are sure to inspire your own creative endeavors.  And the time saving suggestions are sure to take the stress and strain of holidays down several notches, if you are someone who has holiday burn-out.  Special days are meant to be special in that we are spending time with those we love, so don't stress all the joy and wonder out of the day. 

There are recipes throughout the book that are sure to tempt any palate.  With a few tweaks most of the recipes can be adapted for special dietary needs (such as for vegetarians).  Definitely a few that are on my list to try out for certain upcoming special days!

I really like the suggestion for carrying Christmas over to Easter with the use of your Christmas tree.  This one suggestion I have never heard before, but I really like it.  And it adds a unique touch to Easter, and no it is not hanging plastic eggs on your tree.  Your tree is transformed into a cross, a simple yet beautiful message.  I think this is the one idea that really jumped out at me as I read though Everyday Confetti.

I was provided a copy of this book by TBCN/bookfun.org and the publisher Revell in exchange for my honest review with no expectations placed upon this review.


About the Book:
When a busy woman looks at her calendar and sees a birthday, holiday, or special occasion, she has the best intentions for bringing joy to her family and creating lasting memories. Then reality hits. Amidst demanding responsibilities and an overloaded schedule, when is she ever going to have time to plan the perfect celebration or find the creativity to make it special?

In this go-to guide, Karen Ehman and Glynnis Whitwer give women the ideas and the motivation they need to make such occasions less daunting. They provide creative ideas and menu plans for
· Holidays
· Birthdays
· Special Events
· Everyday Occasions
Readers will even find suggestions for reaching out to others throughout the year through celebrations that are simple, doable, and stress-free


The Authors:
Karen Ehman has been described as profoundly practical, engagingly funny and downright real. Her passion is to provide women, wives and mothers with creative tools and doable ideas to help them both simplify life and glorify God. She the Director of the Proverbs 31 Ministries national speaking team and is a contributor to Focus on the Family's magazine Thriving Family.

She is a featured speaker for Hearts at Home conferences for moms and is the author of four womens books including A Life That Says Welcome: Simple Ways to Open Your Heart and Home to Others and The Complete Guide to Getting and Staying Organized. She is also the project creator of the Hearts at Home Just for Moms Planner an organizational tool designed specifically for the purpose of helping mothers organize their personal and family lives.

She has been a guest on national television and radio programs including The 700 Club, At Home Live, Engaging Women, The Harvest Show, Moody Midday Connection and Dr. James Dobson's Focus on the Family. She is a graduate of Spring Arbor University with a B.A. in Social Science and has been married for 24 years to her college sweetheart Todd. She is the mother of three sometimes quarrelsome, but mostly charming children: Mackenzie 20, Mitchell 16 and Spencer 13.

Before motherhood, Karen was a teacher and high school coach who actually had hobbies. Now she spends her days running carpool, parked in the football bleachers or baseball stadium or stealing away to a coffee shop to write or to work on a new speaking message. Though hopelessly craft-challenged with pitiful, partially finished scrapbooks, she enjoys baking and cooking and has won several blue ribbon rosettes at various county fairs for her cookies, cakes, pies and breads.


Glynnis Whitwer is on staff with Proverbs 31 Ministries as the Senior Editor of the P31 Woman magazine. She is one of the writers of Encouragement for Today, the Proverbs 31 e-mail devotions, with over 500,000 daily readers. Her newest book, I Used to be So Organized, has just been released. Glynnis, her husband Tod, and their five children live in Glendale, Arizona. Visit www.GlynnisWhitwer.com or www.HerOrganizedLife.com to learn more.

Echoes of Mercy ~ Review

Echoes of Mercy
By Kim Vogel Sawyer

Caroline (Carrie) Lang is haunted by her past and she's determined to see other children avoid the future that would have been hers if not for the kindness of others.  And Dinsmore Chocolate Factory is the next stop in her work as an investigator for the Labor Commission.  A suspicious death and possible child labor violations are on her agenda, but she may get more than she bargained for.

Ollie Moore, aka Oliver Dinsmore, is working undercover in his father's factory.  He's determined to truly understand the factory's workings before he takes over from his father.  Working as a common laborer gives him a unique perspective and does nothing to raise his opinion of Gordon Hightower, factory manager.

All too soon Carrie and Ollie raise the other's suspicions as to whom they are and what their motives are in the deception they are playing.  But when three children are in need they form a tentative alliance to help these children who are in great need.  But this brings to light Ollie's need - a spiritual need that Carrie is determined to help him with.  But can a "NO" to prayer keep him from a relationship with God?

Echoes of Mercy is a historical novel set in 1904 Kansas.  This story deals with the unfair labor practices of the day and the labor that children were forced to do just to help their families survive.  Education was a luxury that few could benefit from and this takes an honest look at what went into making education a privilege that all could benefit from.

I liked getting a glimpse into the turn of the century world of factories.  It is interesting to see the world as my great-grandparents would have experienced it.  Especially in light of knowing that my great-grandfather only had a third grade education.  Take a step into the past with Echoes of Mercy.

I received this book for free from Blogging for Books for this review.

About This Book

Sometimes a secret must be kept for the truth to be revealed. 

 
When a suspicious accident occurs at the famous Dinsmore Chocolate Factory in Sinclair, Kansas, Caroline Lang goes undercover as a factory worker to investigate the circumstances surrounding the event and how the factory treats its youngest employees—the child workers. Caroline’s fervent faith, her difficult childhood, and compassionate heart drove her to her job as an investigator for the Labor Commission and she is compelled to see children freed from such heavy adult responsibilities, to allow them to pursue an education.

Oliver Dinsmore, heir to the Dinsmore candy dynasty, has his own investigation to conduct. Posing as a common worker known as “Ollie Moore,” he aims to find out all he can about the family business before he takes over for his father. Caroline and Oliver become fast friends, but tension mounts when the two find themselves at odds about the roles of child workers. Hiding their identities becomes even more difficult when fate brings them together over three children in desperate need. When all is revealed, will the truth destroy the love starting to grow between them?

Connect with Kim Vogel Sawyer online through her website, Facebook and/or Twitter.

• More Info
• Read Chapter One
• Author Bio

A Dad's Prayers for His Daughter ~ Review

Every daughter wants her Dad to pray for her and this is the perfect guide to help get you started...

A Dad's Prayers for His Daughter
Praying for Every Part of Her Life
By Rob and Joanna Teigen



A Dad's Prayers for His Daughter is a guide to help dads know how to pray for specific issues in the lives of their daughters.  The issues cover loneliness, modesty, personal identity, doubting God, and much more.
Each issue is introduced with a two or three passages of Scripture and followed by a prayer asking for God's help guidance in the life of both father and daughter in dealing with this issue.

Interspersed throughout these 88 prayers are A Dad's Story in which different fathers share their experiences with their own daughters.  These are touching moments that show how unique each father/daughter experience is and how important it is for God to be at the heart of this relationship.

There is another aspect of this book that I really liked, they are Her....(Blessings, Protection, Idols, Purity, etc.). This section deals with certain issues and offers words of encouragement and guidance to Dad as they seek to guide their daughters while seeking God's will for them.

While this book is geared towards Dad, Mom is sure to find some important truths and helps when praying for her daughters.  I can even see this book being an integral part of the family devotion time as the prayers are adapted for each family's unique situation.  With this guidance Dad can take his place as a spiritual head in his family.

This is the perfect gift for any Dad of daughters, or even a Dad-to-be.  After all what could be more important than to learn how to pray for every aspect of your daughter's life and for God's will in it?  This book would be a great addition to the family home library or your church library.

I was provided a copy of this book by the publisher Revell in exchange for my honest and timely review.  

About the Book:

"Praying for your daughter is one of the most important things you will ever do. If you're a dad with daughters, read this book."--Mark Batterson, New York Times bestselling author

From the moment your little girl was born, you knew you were going to be doing a lot of praying. But you may wonder, What exactly should I be praying for?

Now the authors of 88 Great Daddy-Daughter Dates show you how to pray for every area of your daughter's life. Rob and Joanna Teigen give you a strong foundation to build a lifelong habit of prayer for your daughter with a collection of specific prayers you can use to get started right now. They include engaging stories from well-known authors like Joe Stowell, Bill Farrel, Ted Cunningham, Jim Samra, and others. And they explain a bit more of what girls go through growing up, including stress, purity issues, social pressure, modesty challenges, spiritual growth, and more.

Remember: just because you don't always understand your daughter doesn't mean that God doesn't! Start asking for his guidance, protection, and blessings today.

"Rob and Joanna Teigen have covered virtually every area that a daughter needs prayer coverage in. Then they've given dads the perfect words to use."--Rick Johnson, bestselling author of That's My Son, That's My Girl, and Better Dads, Stronger Sons

"Is there any sweeter legacy that a man can leave for his girl than the knowledge that her daddy prayed for every area of her life? Rob and Joanna Teigen give dads the tools they need to make that hope a reality."--Kathi Lipp, author of Praying God's Word for Your Life and 21 Ways to Connect with Your Kids

Rob Teigen has been a publishing professional for more than fifteen years and is the author of three joke books, including Laugh-Out-Loud Jokes for Kids (under the pseudonym Rob Elliott). He and his wife, Joanna Teigen, are the parents of a teenage son and three younger daughters. They are the authors of 88 Great Daddy-Daughter Dates and live in West Michigan. Learn more at www.strongerdads.com.