Have you heard about Finding Jesus:Faith, Fact, Forgery?

CNN has a new series starting and I thought I'd share the trailer with you.

What do you think, is this something you'd be interested in watching?

Finding Jesus: Faith, Fact, Forgery, a CNN original 6 part series premiering March 1st 9 pm ET/PT

seeks to answer the question "Did Jesus leave behind physical evidence of his existence.

An Uncertain Choice ~ Review

An Uncertain Choice
By Jody Hedlund

Lady Rosemarie Montfort is but a month away before she is to enter the convent for the rest of her life when a friend of her father offers her another option.  If she can find true love and marry by the eve of her eighteenth birthday she will be exempted from the vow made by her parents.  But for the last four years Rosemarie has been preparing for this life.  Can she put aside what she viewed as her certain future for an uncertain one?  One that depends on finding a true love in mere days?

But whose leading should she follow at this late date Abbot Francis Michael or the Duke of Rivenshire?  What would her parents want?

Determining that she must be open to all options both for herself and for the good of her people Rosemarie accepts the Duke's challenge to see if she can find love from amongst the three knights he feels the most noble and loyal in the land.  Sir Bennett Windsor, Sir Collin Goodrich, and Sir Derrick Harding are the three chosen as being worthy of Rosemarie's hand, but only she can determine if one has captured her heart and is her true love.

But someone seems determined to stop this challenge and the question is why.  Why would seemingly random attacks take place against those vying for her hand and her heart?  Is one of the knights not as honourable as the Duke believes?  Or is there another threat within her lands?

This is a lovely book, one you won't mind sharing with both friends and family.  Set during the mid-fourteenth century this is perfect story in which nobility and chivalry are valued.  But it is the inner qualities that are the most highly honoured when Rosemarie makes the choice that will determine her future.

An Uncertain Choice is written for the YA audience and this is a lovely offering.  Tweens and teens won't leave this book with feelings of depression because the world is ending in a cataclysm.  Suicide isn't a major character in this book.  This is a book with a message of hope that will leave you with a smile on your face.

I was provided a digital copy of this book in exchange for my review of this book.

About the Book:
Due to her parents' promise at her birth, Lady Rosemarie has been prepared to become a nun on the day she turns eighteen. Then, a month before her birthday, a friend of her father's enters the kingdom and proclaims her parents' will left a second choice--if Rosemarie can marry before the eve of her eighteenth year, she will be exempt from the ancient vow.

Before long, Rosemarie is presented with the three most handsome and brave knights in the land. But when the competition for her heart seemingly results in a knight playing foul, she begins to wonder if the convent is the best place after all. If only one of the knights--the one who appears the most guilty--had not already captured her heart.

  

Discussion Guide

Created by Jody for group discussion or individual study, the discussion guide is a great tool to share with your friends, daughters, and youth groups.

Download Jody’s An Uncertain Choice Discussion Guide

**Be aware there are spoilers, if you read the guide prior to reading An Uncertain Choice.  http://jodyhedlund.com/books/an-uncertain-choice

Old Fashioned ~ Review

Old Fashioned
Novelization by Rene Gutteridge
Screenplay by Rik Swartzwelder

Chivalry 

          makes a 

                           comeback

Clay Walsh has made a vow to be a changed man.  He no longer wants to be the man that he was, even if it means isolating himself away.  He wants to treat women with the respect they deserve.  Clay's ideals are the source of ridicule in the town in which he lives.  His theories on love and romance are odd and outdated, but he has been living by them for nine years.  He has yet to meet the woman who understands his views.

But when Amber Hewson arrives in town his theories are about to be tested.  Something about Amber draws him and terrifies him at the same time.  Amber senses something about Clay is different though she's not sure what it is exactly.  But when her apartment needs a repair she learns quickly what about Clay is different - he won't do the needed repair and be alone with her in the apartment.  His "rules" confuse and intrigue her, but how do you get to know another person when you don't know the rules?

This is a book that I highly recommend - the values Clay lives by are in fact ones that I was taught from a young age and men and women who live by these standards are hard to find today.  Pressure to conform to the lax morals of today come from all sides and it is hard to stand for what one believes as evidenced by the ridicule Clay faces (even from friends).

I think my favorite line comes from Betty - "You know, marriage is kind of like a tea bag. You don't know how strong it really is till you get it in some boiling water.  And the water don't boil till you're over the heat, and the heat don't come till you say, 'I do.'"

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

About the Book:

Former frat boy Clay Walsh has given up his reckless lifestyle and settled down to run an antique shop in a small Midwestern college town. Determined to put his partying ways behind him, Clay has become notorious for his lofty and outdated theories on love and romance. But when Amber Hewson, a free-spirited woman with a gypsy soul, rents the apartment above his shop, Clay can’t help being attracted to her spontaneous and passionate embrace of life. 

New to the area, Amber finds herself surprisingly drawn to Clay and his noble ideas, but her own fears and deep wounds are difficult to overcome. Can they move beyond their differences and their pasts to attempt an “old-fashioned” courtship?

Sabotaged ~ Review with excerpt and book giveaway

Sabotaged
Alaskan Courage 5
By Dani Pettrey

The Iditarod is always a challenge, but this year it is about to get even more dangerous.  And the McKenna family is right in the middle of the action.

Kirra Jacobs knows something is wrong when her Uncle Frank doesn't check-in at the station she's manning.  Kirra is determined to find him now, when minutes matter.  Unfortunately Reef McKenna insists on accompanying her during her search.  But when her search takes an unexpected turns, she's grateful for Reef's assistance.

What was a missing musher is in fact a kidnapping.  And the victim is Kirra's cousin Meg.  Meg is the leverage to force Frank into doing the kidnapper's bidding.  And if they don't find Meg in time - people are going to be hurt.  Frank is adamant that the police be kept out of it or Meg will suffer at the hands of her abductors.

But finding Meg will take more than two people as the clock ticks down.  With the help of the McKenna family Meg and Frank have a chance of making it out of this situation alive.  But is Kirra ready to confront the past to save her cousin?

Sabotaged is yet another exciting installment in the McKenna family saga.  Each member is present in this story, but Reef is the main McKenna focus in this book.  And fans of Kayden and Jake will be thrilled to know that they have an important role in this story.  And, yes, Kayden is still being nice to Jake.  

This is the perfect wrap-up for this series, one that is perfect for Valentine's Day! (hint, hint). This may be the final book in the series but there is no reason one can't revisit them again, which I plan to. 

Get ready for heart-pounding excitement, a dash of romance, and plenty of danger - Sabotaged will keep your attention from the first page until the last.

   

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

Book Summary:

Growing up, goody-two-shoes Kirra Jacobs and troublemaker Reef McKenna were always at odds. Now paired together on Yancey’s search-and-rescue canine unit, they begin to put aside old arguments as they come to see each other in a different light.

Then a call comes in from the Iditarod that will push them to their limits. Kirra’s uncle, a musher in the race, has disappeared. Kirra and Reef quickly track the man, but what they discover is harrowing. Frank’s daughter has been kidnapped. In order to save her, the man must use his knowledge as a mechanical engineer to do the kidnapper’s bidding or she will die.

Kirra and Reef, along with the entire McKenna family, are thrown into a race to stop a shadowy villain who is not only threatening a girl’s life, but appears willing to unleash one of the largest disasters Alaska has ever seen.

About the author:

Dani Pettrey is a wife, home-schooling mom, 

and the acclaimed author of the romantic suspense series Alaskan Courage, which includes her bestselling novels Submerged, Shattered, Stranded, Silenced, and her latest release, Sabotaged. She feels blessed to write inspirational romantic suspense because 

it incorporates so many things she loves–the thrill of adventure, nail biting suspense, the deepening of her characters’ faith, and plenty of romance. She and her husband reside in Maryland, 

where they enjoy time with their daughters, son-in-law, and super-adorable grandson.

Excerpt:
    Leave it to Reef to play the chivalrous knight. Seriously? Reef?
Just her luck she’d gotten paired up with him again.
    She exhaled, trying to release the pent-up tension from her body,
the warmth of her breath quickly swallowed by the cold. The more
time she spent with Reef, the more he surprised her. And she hated
surprises, especially when it came to men.
    Accelerating, she pushed the engine to its max, as snow- flakes the
size of half dollars pelted her face. She blinked, the simple motion made
difficult by the ice crusting her eyelashes. Was she putting herself and
Reef in danger being out in such harsh elements—yes—but she didn’t
have a choice. This was Uncle Frank.
    She took the last upswing to her uncle’s favorite resting spot at full
speed, the front of the machine lifting over the rise. Reef’s laughter echoed
over the roar of the wind and the purr of the engine. She slid to a stop and
left the engine idling.
    Reef hopped off beside her. “I’m impressed. Didn’t know you had that
kind of speed in you.” His face was covered from the nose down, but she
could see his smile in the crinkle of his eyes.
    She adjusted her headlamp and pulled the flashlight from her jacket,
pressing it on. She fanned the light out across the thick cascading snow,
so thick it was difficult to make out where the ridge began and where it
dropped off.
    “Thank God.” Her uncle’s voice echoed along the fifteen foot crevice
that bordered the ridge. “I hoped you’d think to come looking for me here.”
    “Frank.” Relief swarmed inside as she moved toward his voice.
    Reef’s strong arm grabbed around her waist, yanking her back. “Whoa!”
    Her feet dangled in the air over the dark emptiness below, her flashlight
dropping into nothingness.
    Was Frank on the other side of the crevice?
    Reef swung her back and set her down, his hold remaining firm.
    She pushed at his forearm.
    “I’m not letting go unless you promise to be more careful.”
    She nodded, her heartbeat whooshing in her ears.
    He let go, and she instantly missed the warmth of his embrace.
    “Kirra,” Frank yelled.
    “Yeah.” She moved with great care toward the edge, Reef keeping in
close stride with her. Thick trees on that side prevented the moonlight’s
penetration—she couldn’t see anything.
    “I need you to listen. We don’t have much time.”
    “Are you hurt? Are the dogs?” Why was he on the opposite side of the
crevice from the race trail?
    “We’re fine, but your cousin’s not.”
    “Meg?” What did she have to do with any of this?
    “Some men have taken her.”
    “What?” A nervous laugh escaped her lips. He couldn’t be serious. “What
are you talking about?”
    She yanked the secondary flashlight from her pants pocket and shone it
across the space. She could barely make out Frank’s form silhouetted by the
snow. His dogs stood in a line in front of his sled, harnessed and ready to go.
    “Listen carefully.” The edge in his voice deepened. “Some men kidnapped
her. They’re holding her hostage until I do something for them.”
    She sensed Reef shift, as if he intended to say something, but she was
thankful when he said nothing, allowing her to take the lead. “What do they
want you to do?” What could they possibly want from her uncle?
    “I can’t tell you. I have to do what they say or they’ll kill her. But you
might be able to help.”
    “Anything. How?”
    “Find Meg before I reach the finish line in Nome. If you find her, I
won’t have to finish the job.”
    “Job? What job?”
    “Stop asking questions and listen. You find Meg and then find me. If
I know she’s safe, I won’t finish the job. Otherwise, I fear a lot of others
may be hurt too.”
    “I don’t understand.”
    “You don’t have to. Just do what I say and find your cousin before I
reach Nome.”
    “I’ll call the cops as soon as we get back to Rainy Pass.”
    “No! No cops. They said if they saw a cop anywhere around, they’d
kill her. Promise me, Kirra. No cops. I can’t lose Meg.”
    “Okay. No cops.”
    Diesel growled and Frank’s eyes widened. Kirra looked over her
shoulder and saw a light approaching through the gloom. The rumble
of a snowmobile drew near.
    “I took too long. They’re here.”

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Where Rivers Part ~ Review

Where Rivers Part
A Texas Gold Novel 2

By Kellie Coates Gilbert

Juliet Ryan is an up-and-coming star in her field.  Quality assurance is the promise of product safety and Juliet is determined that her company will never be one of those companies that let's consumer safety fall to the god of corporate profit.

But in the midst of personal tragedy, Juliet finds her personal and professional life spiraling out of her control when a deadly bacterial outbreak occurs.  As everyone scrambles to locate the source, tensions rise throughout the city as the victims multiply. 

Where Rivers Part is contemporary fiction at its best with a timely and meaningful story.  Drawing on true events Kellie weaves a powerful story that may be the best she has written to date.

The dollar is the driving force in business all too often, resulting in short cuts that in the long run are much more costly in the end.  Lives lost or debilitated are one of the potential costs.

There is a second story that runs throughout and that is Juliet's relationship with her father.  For years Juliet has been holding onto the hurt she carries, allowing it to fester.  As a result time to together seems inconceivable.  But sometimes the wolf in sheep's clothing is the easiest enemy to spot, rather than the one before us.  Trust is something that needs to be earned, but forgiveness is a gift that we can give.

Where Rivers Part is a book that has wide appeal and if you are unfamiliar with Kellie Coates Gilbert's work would be an excellent introduction to her writing.  And before you ask, No you don't need to read the previous Texas Gold novel to enjoy this book.  These books can stand-alone.    

                                                                                                                                                                    I was provided a copy of this book by the publisher Revell, through their blogger program in exchange for my honest review.                                                                                                                                                                                                    
About the book:

Success too often comes with a price. Juliet never imagined it could be so high.

Dr. Juliet Ryan has devoted her considerable scientific acumen to corporate America, providing safe drinking water for millions--and affording her plenty of perks along the way. It's not the path her estranged father would have her take, but then Juliet finds it difficult to maintain respect for a man she cannot trust. She's on her way up in the world, and she's not going to let anything drag her down.

But when a fast-moving disaster sweeps Juliet into a whirlpool of corporate scandal, lives are at risk--including those of some of the people closest to her. As she scrambles to find answers, Juliet must face her deepest wounds and join forces with the one who has hurt her most in order to expose a far-reaching conspiracy.

Like a mighty river with twists and turns and hidden rocks, this engrossing story will sweep you relentlessly along as it fearlessly explores the seduction of success, the fear of giving up control, and the redemptive power of learning to forgive.

About the author:
Kellie Coates Gilbert is a former legal investigator and trial paralegal and the author of A Woman of Fortune. Gilbert crafts her emotionally charged stories about women in life-changing circumstances in Dallas, Texas, where she lives with her husband.

Beneath the Forsaken City ~ Review

Beneath the Forsaken City
The Song of Seare 2
By C.E. Laureano

Having escaped Conor and Aine are again separated by circumstances beyond their control.  Each struggles with the possibility that the other may be dead, while at the same time facing a period of testing.  Testing that will reveal just how strong their trust and faith in Comdiu truly is.

Having helped Conor and Aine escape, Eoghan returns to the brotherhood to resume his place and to accept whatever punishment Liam deems applicable to his crime.  

War is coming and the sidhe are growing in influence over those who have rejected Comdiu.  Keondric's power is growing as his forces prepare to assault Ard Dhaimhin and capture the ancient secrets it protects.

It is during this time that new gifts among Comdiu's followers are discovered.  Gifts that are needed to preserve what is and to restore that which has been lost.  But can the gifts be seen for what they truly are or will they be used for individual gain?

Beneath the Forsaken City is a time of loss and a time of learning.  Conor, Aine and Eoghan must learn what their own weaknesses are and that their true strength lies not in the gifts Comdiu has given, but in Comdiu himself.  And unfortunately some lessons are are costly.

Beneath the Forsaken City picks up where Oath of the Brotherhood left off.  And to truly grasp and understand the second book in The Song of Seare series you need to read the books in order as many references are made to incidents that happened prior.

This is an exciting and thoughtful book. It will keep your attention from the opening sentence, "Conor Mac Nir leaned against the railing of the Resolute in the dark, watching the choppy seas splash along the cog's wooden hull." until the last sentence, "You are."  And between these two sentences exist words that will pull you into the world of Seare.

Fans of Tolkien, C.S. Lewis and George MacDonald have a new world to explore - Seare.

Tyndale House Publishers has provided me with a complimentary copy of this book through their blog network in exchange for my honest review.

About the Book:

A Storm on the horizon.

A Brotherhood scattered.

A future denied.

Who will stand against the darkness?

Conor and Aine have barely escaped Seare with their lives. Conor knows he must return to 

find the harp that could end the Red Druid’s reign of terror, but in the midst of their escape, 

he and Aine are torn apart once more. Surrounded by despair and thrown into as much danger 

as they left behind, Conor and Aine must cling to the whispers of Comdiu’s plans for them and 

the homeland that depends on their survival. But at what cost? Will they learn to depend on 

Comdiu completely? Or will they give up hope?

The Monogamy Mystery ~ Review and Giveaway

The Monogamy Mystery
By John I. Cline

In The Monogamy Mystery John Cline delves into the historic, spiritual, societal, and biological factors that have and have had an impact on the ability or inability of humanity to live within the confines of a monogamous relationship. Is this a natural or unnatural inclination? This is the question John Cline addresses with thoughtful and carefully presented evidences.

All too often marriage is based on the foundation of romantic love which is the weakest of all loves.  This foundation is an erroneous myth that western society has created - the promise of happily ever after.  But happily ever after takes work and commitment, a commitment that that is seemingly contrary to social, biological, and historical norms.

Faithfulness in marriage is the desire of most people as is reflected by the vows made before God, family and friends of forsaking all others for the duration of both partners lives.  But society expects unfaithfulness and has even fostered this mindset throughout history.

But faithfulness, monogamy can be a reality.  But it takes work and as we are often told anything worth having takes work.  Monogamy is the perfect state that man (Adam) and woman (Eve) existed in before they partook in sin.  Sin destroyed this perfect union at the same time it destroyed our perfect existence with God.  And it is only by turning to God that we can find a solution to the troubling presence of infidelity that is destroying our marriages and damaging our families on every level.

Monogamy was (and is) the first institution created by God, if we can hold onto this in our marriages we are attempting to live within His original plan.  This is a spiritually ordained gift from God and it is only by relying on God and His godly principles that we can stand firm in this selflessness.

Of great interest to me was that author recommends that both men and women look to Proverbs 31 on proper behavior for husbands and wives.  This passage should be your go to passage throughout your life (even before one starts dating) to study as the standard for which we should model our behavior.

This book should be part of every marriage counselor's library and would be an excellent study resource for a newly engaged or married couple.

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

About John I. Cline:

Bishop John I. Cline is the senior pastor of the New Life Baptist Church in Tortola, British Virgin Islands.

As a teenager, he left the shores of the British Virgin Islands to further his education and broaden his horizons in the United States of America by way of the United States Virgin Islands. With his training in electronic engineering in hand and some work experience in the USA, he returned to the British Virgin Islands in 1993. Since that time, he has launched many successful businesses including Infinite Solutions, a trading store through which he markets and sells consumer electronics, and Atlantis Solar, through which he markets, promotes and distributes alternative energy products locally, regionally and internationally.

In 1997, the Church, under his leadership, constructed new premises and relocated from Road Town to Duff’s bottom under the name New Life Baptist Church. Three years later, the New Life Day Care and Learning Centre was constructed to ensure that children were being indoctrinated with biblical teaching during these wonder years. He was consecrated to the Office of the Bishop and inducted in the College of Bishops as a presbyter, adjudicator and an examiner in October 2005. In 2011, he spearheaded the construction of the church’s Save the Seed Centre, a multi-million-dollar recreational facility intended to target the youth generation – a generation he feels in dire need of attention and rescue.

He is also the founding member of the New Life Baptist Church Foundation. The Church’s most recent international philanthropic efforts have included providing financial support to a school in Africa, The Tortola Child Rescue and Learning Centre, where the most recent efforts have been the construction of the secondary school, thereby ensuring that each student in the school has an opportunity to continue his or her education through the secondary level.

He attributes his success to godly parents, strong family ties, a caring church, and a supportive community and he desires to ‘pass it on!”

About THE Monogamy MYSTERY:

The Monogamy Mystery is a thought-provoking advanced discussion which addresses the issue of monogamy. It addresses the important questions as to whether monogamy is natural or unnatural and whether a monogamous existence can truly be achieved by mankind. It studies monogamy from a biblical, sociological, biological and spiritual perspective and arrives at a most logical conclusion. Infidelity has been a destructive force to the institution of marriage. Hence, it is important for each of us to understand the root of infidelity and learn how to conquer it in order to enjoy more fulfilling lives. Many husbands and wives find themselves in the middle of extra-marital affairs, not because they want to destroy their marriages, not because they do not love their spouses, and not because they are inherently evil or bad-intentioned. My total life experiences have brought me to a place where I have formed the view that it has become urgent to unearth some necessary truths and understanding in an effort to stop, correct, and guide future generations of persons who opt for committed relationships in their ultimate pursuit of happiness. The Monogamy Mystery is the ultimate relationship companion on the real causes of infidelity in interpersonal relationships.

Connect with John Cline online at the following:

JohnICline.com/    Facebook    Twitter     Pinterest

Purchase Online at: Amazon  or  Barnes and Nobel

Giveaway:

1^st Prize:  $50 Amazon.com gift certificate and autographed copy 

                  of THE Monogamy MYSTERY

2^nd Prize:  $25 Amazon.com gift certificate and autographed copy 

                   of THE Monogamy MYSTERY

3^rd Prize:  Autographed copy of THE Monogamy MYSTERY

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