Bible Dominoes ~ Review

Bible Dominoes
Juliet David & Jo Parry

Bible Dominoes is a fun way to teach your little ones about the Bible while learning important skills.  A great family night activity that encourages counting, matching, and number identification.

A mini Candle Bible Stories book is included with the boxed game.  There are 10 one page stories that tie in with the 28 dominoes.  As you play you can learn about Noah and his Ark; Joseph and his Amazing Coat; Moses, Prince of Egypt; Daniel Saved from Lions; Jonah and the Great Fish; Jesus Talks to a Crowd; A Big Lunch; Stop, Storm!; The Good Shepherd; and The Stranger Who Helped.

Each dominoes measures approximately 3" by 6" so they are easily seen and handled (harder to lose as well).  The game is recommended for ages 3+ and for 2-4 players.  But one can easily have more players if you want to have 2 player teams - great if you have 3 or 4 little ones and mom, dad, grandma, and grandpa want to join in the fun.  Or maybe you favorite cousins, aunt, and uncle are visiting.  This would then add the additional benefit of learning to work in a team to the other skills being learned.

This game would be perfect for a Vacation Bible School activity, a small Sunday School, or a Homeschooler.  This would also be a perfect gift to have on hand for a sleep-over when you know games are a must.  

I was provided a copy of this game through Kregel Blog Tours in exchange for my honest review of this game.

About the Game:

This domino game helps children to learn about the Bible and Jesus while playing! It also encourages communication, sharing, counting, and matching skills. The pieces are large and colorful, so they're easy to pick up, and the pictures are clear. The set includes 28 dominoes with a mixture of Bible story characters, numbers, and animals to match, as well as instructions and a story booklet explaining the stories featured on the cards. A useful resource for home, school, or Sunday school.

Rogglewood Press Writing Contest ~ Theme and Cover Reveal

Rooglewood Press is delighted to introduce 

their third fairy tale novella contest—

Five Magic Spindles

a collection of “Sleeping Beauty” stories

The challenge is to write a retelling of the beloved fairy tale in any genre or setting you like. Make certain your story is recognizably “Sleeping Beauty,” but have fun with it as well. Make it yours!

Rooglewood Press will be selecting five winners to be published in the Five Magic Spindles collection, which will be packaged up with the phenomenal cover you see here. Maybe your name will be one of the five listed?

All the contest rules and information (how to enter, story details, deadline etc.) may be found on the Rooglewood Press website. Just click HERE and you will go right to the page.

Rooglewood Press’s first collection, Five Glass Slippers is available for purchase, and our second collection, Five Enchanted Roses is scheduled to launch on July 27, and is currently available for pre-order. Be certain to get a copy of each and see what previous winners did with their wonderful retellings.

Cover Illustration Credit:

This cover illustration was rendered by Julia Popova, “ForestGirl.” You can find out more about this gifted artist on her website: www.forestgirl.ru

Turning Point Blog Tour

Seven Authors and Seven Books

together in one collection

Turning Point 

7 Young Adult Inspirational Novels in One Set 

By Darkness Hid, Jill Williamson 

Given the chance to train as a squire, kitchen servant Achan Cham hopes to pull himself out of his pitiful life and become a Kingsguard Knight. When Achan’s owner learns of his training, he forces Achan to spar with the Crown Prince–more of a death sentence than an honor. Meanwhile, strange voices in Achan’s head cause him to fear he’s going mad. While escorting the prince to a council presentation, their convoy is attacked. Achan is wounded and arrested, but escapes from prison–only to discover a secret about himself he never believed possible. 

Whisper If You Have To, Staci Stallings 

Secrets. Alison Prescott has collected a boatload of them in her short lifetime. Moving to a new school in a new town was supposed to fix everything; however, when she meets a new set of friends, keeping those secrets might just ruin everything including her fledgling relationship with the school’s basketball star, Chad Dourozette. How far will Allison go to keep the secrets she can never tell anyone? 

It’s Complicated, Laura L. Smith 

There’s a reason Facebook has the Status Update, It’s Complicated. Follow four college roommates, Claire, Palmer, Hannah, and Kat as they maneuver crushes, confusion, and the crisis when pushy boys go too far. Complicated as it is, these four friends will pull through, guided by the strength of their friendship and the power of God’s love. 

Failstate, John W. Otte 

A fledgling teenage superhero competes on a reality TV show for a government vigilante license. When one of his competitors is murdered, Failstate sets out on a quest to avenge her death. But will his superpowered lunk of a big brother ruin everything? 

The Wishing Pearl, Nicole O’Dell 

Sixteen-year-old Olivia Mansfield can’t wait to escape the confines of her home, which promises nothing but perpetual torment and abuse from her stepfather. When poor choices lead her to the brink of a complete breakdown, Olivia comes to a crossroads. Will she find the path to ultimate hope and healing that her heart longs for? 

Mardan’s Mark, Kathrese McKee 

Abducted by pirates and taken behind enemy lines across the Great Gulf, Princess Srilani is determined to save her sisters and younger brother, the crown prince, from captivity. She convinces their caretaker, Aldan, and his brother slaves to share the perilous journey home. This ragtag group of unlikely heroes sets out on a quest — pursued by cutthroat pirates, merciless priests, and marauding soldiers — to return the heir to his kingdom before war breaks out. In this epic adventure fantasy, Srilani and Aldan risk everything to save a prince and a nation, discovering along the way that death is not their deepest fear. 

Glass Girl, Laura Anderson Kurk 

After her older brother Wyatt is killed in a jealousy-fueled incident and her mother disappears, Meg Kavanagh decides surviving is easy—it’s living that takes guts. She believes she’s to blame for Wyatt’s death, but when Henry Whitmire steps in with a secret, will Meg forgive herself enough to accept the good things in life like the rush of first love and the power of mercy?

Available at Amazon

This collection is the perfect way to get a jump on your Summer reading.

In Firefly Valley ~ Review

In Firefly Valley
Texas Crossroads #2
by Amanda Cabot

Rainbow's End is preparing for its reopening under new owners Greg and Kate (whom we got to know in At Bluebonnet Lake). Marisa St. George has reluctantly agreed to a position as business manager of the new Rainbow's End.  Though she had never planned to return to her hometown, her life took an unexpected turn when she lost her job in Atlanta.

Dupree, Texas was the last place Marisa wanted to be.  Her memories were painful and she wanted to forget.  But her return has been a blessing for Rainbow's End and her mother Carmen is delighted at her daughter's return.

Marisa's memories make her want to run but Rainbow End's newest guest gives her a reason to stay.  But trust is something Marisa doesn't easily give.  Could Blake Kendall give her a reason to trust?  A reason to perhaps love?

But Blake Kendall has a secret that could destroy Marisa's trust.  After all why would he keep something so important a secret unless he had something to be ashamed of?  '

But before she can learn to trust Marisa must let go of the pain and anger from her past.  To give herself a future she must first believe in second chances.

In Firefly Valley is all about second chances.  Second chances at love. Second chances at finding one's dream.  Second chances at having a family.  Sometimes what we want is found in the simple things of life and not the big cities or accolades of achievement.  This delightful sequel to  At Bluebonnet Lake will allow you to believe in second chances and the healing power found in trusting in God.

I was provided a copy of this book by Revell through their blogger program Revell Reads in exchange for my honest review.

She's lost her dream job--but has she found the man of her dreams?

Devastated by a downsizing, Marisa St. George has no choice but to return to the small Texas town where she grew up. Though it means a giant step backward, she accepts a position as business manager at the struggling Rainbow's End resort. The only silver lining: Blake Kendall, a new guest who might make her believe in love at first sight. But will Marisa's dreams of happily-ever-after be turned upside down when she discovers Blake's real identity?

This warm and witty story of dreams deferred and mistaken identity will have you believing in second chances.

Amanda Cabot is the bestselling author of the Texas Dreams series, the Westward Winds series, Christmas Roses, and At Bluebonnet Lake. Her books have been finalists for the ACFW Carol Awards and the Booksellers' Best. She lives in Wyoming. Learn more atwww.amandacabot.com.

The Choosing ~ Review and Author Q&A

The Choosing
A Seer Novel 1
By Rachelle Dekker

Not to be chosen would yield a cruel fate 

of my own making

All her life Carrington Hale has believed the truth that has been taught to her - her worth is based only on her ability to be chosen.  If, on the day appointed for her to be chosen ends with no one wanting her, it is her own fault. She wasn't worthy.  She wasn't good enough.  She is to be forgotten - to become a Lint.

Carrington was suppose to be chosen, it was all but assured.  But something went wrong - she must have done something wrong.  She wasn't suppose to be a Lint. That wasn't what she spent years of her life training for.

The Choosing is a beautifully written story that is filled with heartache, cruelty, hope, and love.  Taking place in a not too distant future, the world as we know it has ended. A small remnant has created a world based on the rules of one man - a world of structure.  A world in which rules are not to be questioned.  A world where you have one chance to find your worth.  A world in which service is your duty.

But when a second chance is given Carrington's world will never be the same.  Is it possible to choose a different path than what she has been taught?  And if she does what will be the cost?

The Choosing is both beautiful and painful in a way that touches one's heart.  This book has the potential to make one look at one's own life and examine where one finds one's own worth.  Is one's worth determined by the world's standards or is it determined by the measure what is in our heart? Do we see ourselves through the eyes of God or the eyes of the world?

This is the first is a series and I for one can't wait to see what comes next in this world, a world that has lost its way in the name of rules.

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

About the Author . . . The oldest daughter of New York Times bestselling author Ted Dekker, Rachelle Dekker was inspired early on to discover truth through storytelling. She graduated with a degree in communications and spent several years in marketing and corporate recruiting before making the transition to write full-time. She lives in Nashville with her husband, Daniel, and their diva cat, Blair. Visit her online at rachelledekker.com.

Author Q and A with Rachelle Dekker
1. How did you come up with the story for The Choosing?
   This is a hard question because it has many answers. I wanted to write a theme-based novel about identity. I wanted to write a dystopian novel. I wanted to write in a world that was familiar, but in a setting where I could change the way the world worked. It actually is several ideas I’d been toying with pulled into one story. Once I landed on Carrington’s core revelation and story arc, I simply fell in love with her as a character and drew the rest of the story around her. That’s usually how it works for me. I come up with a character, good or bad, and create the story from there. 

2. Throughout the book, Carrington struggles with understanding her identity and worth and what is true. Why did you decide to write about the theme of identity? 
    Someone once asked me, If you could leave one message for your younger sisters, what would it be? The answer was always the same: I would pray they knew what they were worth. Identity is everything. There isn’t a theme that doesn’t start with identity, or circle back to identity. Knowing who you truly are is the greatest journey we face. Am I enough; am I worth it? I believe everyone faces these questions, and I sought out to explore them through this story.

3. The Choosing is the first of a three-book series. What can we expect in the next two books? 
    More struggles with identity, but in different ways. Familiar characters dealing with fear and worry and forgiveness. We’ll walk with our characters as they continue to understand the true way of Aaron’s Father. More excitement, more romance (of course), and more self-discovery.

4. What is it like being Ted Dekker’s daughter? Did your father help you with the writing process?  
    Being Ted’s daughter is wonderful! He’s the best, but then I hope many daughters feel that way about their fathers. He is a bit of a mystery, though. Sometimes, even sitting at the dinner table, I can tell he’s lost in thought, and I wonder what it might be like to have his mind.

    It’s been a blessing to watch him write and struggle with writing, so that now when I struggle I have an understanding ear to talk off. He is always willing to talk me through the emotional and mental side of writing (which is where the biggest battles lie in wait) but as far as story, for the most part he lets me fend for myself. It’s always been important to me to write through my challenges on my own. To figure out scenes alone. In fact, he didn’t even read The Choosing until I was already in conversations with Tyndale about publication. I think that’s because he wanted me to believe I could do it on my own.

    But when I doubt my ability as a writer, and when I forget who I am, he is the one I call. And he reminds me that life is a journey of remembering and forgetting, and helps me in remembering once again.

Guy Erma and the Son of Empire: Hunter ~ Review

Guy Erma and the Son of Empire
Hunter Part 2
By Sally Ann Melia

It is now the second day since Prince Teodor was kidnapped by the Battle Borgs.  He's been hidden away from those loyal to him, moved from one secure location to another.

Meanwhile his mother must live with her fear that she may lose Teo, unless she bows to the pressures of those whom have taken her son.  Her only hope lies with one who is not of her world.

But in whom can Teo place his hope when the very people who are suppose to be loyal to him are being control by someone who wants him dead?

Though Guy Erma's fight with Teo was cancelled, he is given another opportunity to earn his place within the Dome Elite.  But the opportunity is cloaked in secrecy.  What is required of him has yet to be revealed and if he fails the threat of being turned over to the Battle Borgs may be more than just a jesting threat.

The fate of a kingdom, an empire, and two young men may be determined by a few and what they do with the truth.  Loyalties are tested and lives hang in the balance in this exciting and potentially explosive sequel to Guy Erma and the Son of Empire: KIDNAP.

Tweens, teens, and young adults will appreciate these stories and excitement that can be find within the covers.  There are a few illustrations that will help readers envision the characters while allowing one's imagination to be creative at the same time.  The main characters, Teo and Guy, are developed in such a way that one is in sympathy with both of their situations.

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

Book Description:

13-year-old Teodor was taken by the vicious Battle Borgs of Dome and now he must fight to survive.

13-year-old Guy Erma has been offered a chance to fight for his place in the Dome Elite. Only who will be his opponent? Will he face a Battle Borg of Dome?

Once they were heroes. These men died as heroes in battle. Now they have been reincarnated as the fearsome vanguard of the Dome Elite. They are the Battle Borgs of Dome

Two boys as different as any two boys might be. They face the same enemy, the same danger, the same fear -dare they trust each other? 

Author's Bio:

The author was born in Wallasey, England, in 1964, and moved to the South of France when she was eleven. She spent her teenage years living in the cosmopolitan city state of Monaco and became immersed in its many languages and cultures. An English girl in a French school, for three hours each week she would sit at the back of the class as her colleagues learnt English. To pass the time, she wrote stories. This led to a lifetime of writing novels, scripts, stories and articles.

In her working life, Sally writes marketing communications and manages large international websites.

In 2010, Sally joined the Hogs Back Writers, a club located on the outskirts of Guildford, and she set about turning an old manuscript into this novel: Guy Erma and the Son of Empire. Sally currently lives in Farnham, and she is married with two children.

Connect with Sally:  Website  ~  Facebook  ~  Twitter  ~  Pinterest

Where to buy the book:

Amazon

The entire tour schedule can be found at 

HUNTER: Part Two

Hearts Beneath the Badge Book Excerpt Tour ~ Excerpt Number 17 with Giveaway

Hearts Beneath the Badge

By Karen Solomon

About the Author

Karen Solomon is interested in the feelings of law enforcement and whether or not they have someone that will listen to them, most of them do not. Most books on the market are written by the police officers themselves, in almost textbook fashion relating protocol and situations with the orderliness of a police report. Her books are different from every book out there because the officers bare themselves to her; many of the interviews end in tears because they have opened up something that is very difficult to close. Karen Solomon is a graduate of Eckerd College and blogs as The Missing Niche. Her writing has been featured on PoliceMag.com and To Write Love on Her Arms. She lives in New England with her husband, 2 children and 2 dogs. Proceeds of her latest book,
Hearts Beneath the Badge, will be donated to law enforcement charities.

For More Information
 Visit Karen Solomon’s website.
 Connect with Karen on Facebook and Twitter.
 Find out more about Karen at Goodreads.
 Visit Karen’s blog.
 Listen to Karen on The Author Show.
 Contact Karen.

About the Book
Title: Hearts Beneath the Badge
Author: Karen Solomon
Publisher: Missing Niche Publishing
Pages: 247
Genre: Nonfiction
Format: Hardcover/Paperback/Kindle/Nook


Hearts Beneath the Badge is a unique compilation of interviews with officers across the country. It's not about the crimes they witness or the judgment they face; it's about them - Damien, Danny, Frances, Ken, Pamela, Brian, and more. Their thoughts, their fears, their proud moments and their heartbreak. It's about the people we often don't see because we are blinded by the uniform.

They are among the hundreds of thousands that are unseen each day, the men and women that go back for more no matter the personal cost. They provide meals, rides, lifesaving breaths and prosthetic legs. Yes, even prosthetic legs. There is much more to them than meets the eye-or the news camera. By reading this book, you will open yourself to a world of people you may have forgotten existed. You will see the names, families and some of the faces of the police officers that don't make the news.

Hearts Beneath the Badge is a book about the good deeds officers perform. There is a
pressing need for people to see more than just the officer's hearts; they need to see their
souls. Society as a whole needs to accept police officers for who they are - mere mortals.
In order to do that, they must look through the layers of the officer's lives and see the
heartache and joy, the same heartaches and joy we all experience. Society also needs to
know that, whether we want to admit it or not, there is a price to be paid for pursing the
love of the law.

90% of all sales will be donated to National Law Enforcement Memorial Fund, Safe Call
Now, Concerns of Police Survivors (C.O.P.S.) and PoliceWives.

For More Information
 Hearts Beneath the Badge is available at Amazon.
 Pick up your copy at Barnes and Noble.

Excerpt 17:

Steve is a funny guy: funny ha-ha and funny odd. He tells it like it is and isn’t afraid to offend you. It’s not surprising that when I asked why he became a LEO, he admitted to being an “adrenaline junkie.” No sugar coating. No family history of law enforcement, no altruism, no wanting to save the world. It was, for him, like many others, a natural extension of his military service.

Joining the Navy had taken more forethought – he admired his brother and followed in his footsteps. Steve immediately took to the structure and discipline; it was a lifestyle that fit him well. While in San Diego, he was in close contact with many law enforcement officers and saw the parallel between the military and the police. It was then he knew that when he left the armed forces, he would become a police officer.

With a starting salary of $25,000, Steve moved in with his parents and began his love affair with law enforcement. This love affair introduced him to an even greater love – his wife, Tanya. He remembers their first meeting clearly – he was on a ride with the Blue Knights and she was working at a restaurant where they had lunch. The rest, as they say, is history. They have now been married five years and have a beautiful son.

Although Tanya adjusted well to the police lifestyle, it took her some time to get used to seeing him gear up. The Marshalls Task Force required some heavy-duty protective gear in addition to the guns and cuffs Steve would need in the event a situation went south. Tanya knew there were only two ways serving a warrant could go: best case, everything goes smoothly and they all go home at the end of the shift; worst case, something goes horribly wrong and someone doesn’t make it home.

Giveaway Details:
Karen Solomon is giving away a $50 Amazon Gift Card!

Leave a comment on all the book excerpt blog stops and win 5 extra entries each time!

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