When We Say Father ~ Review

When We Say Father
Unlocking the Power of the Lord's Prayer
By Adrian Rogers and
     Steve Rogers

When we say Father we come to the name with certain expectations or disappointments all based on our previous experiences with our own fathers. But this is not how we should come before our Heavenly Father. Rather we need to reset our thinking because God our Father is so much more than what we've ever experienced in our current physical experience.

Prayer is a conversation with God and we've been given an example of how we are to begin this conversation with the Lord's Prayer. We are to come before God addressing his nurturing nature - that of an ideal father. We come before God addressing Him as Father but we must realize that He is not the Father to all but rather to those who have accepted His gift of being born into His family.

I really like When We Say Father and how each line of the prayer is addressed and explained - putting it into perspective for our own lives. When we pray we are to start out by addressing God directly exalting His name. We then ask for His will to be done - in other words, we put God and His wants first in our conversation. By putting God first we don't focus on ourselves - who would start off a conversation with someone saying, "I want such-and-such and this-and-that." Self-focus distracts us from a full and meaningful conversation with God. Only after we focus on God do we ask Him to provide for our daily needs (when we worry about the day-to-day things we are insulting God by not trusting Him to provide).  We follow this by asking for His forgiveness and His assistance to avoid temptations that would lead us into future sins. We end our conversation as we began it focusing on our Father, His kingdom, and His everlasting glory.

This is a lovely book that helps one to understand in a more complete way the gift of prayer. The small size makes it easy to handle and to keep readily handy. You'll want to reread this book as you grow in your daily prayer life with the various scripture references it will prove to be a valuable aid.

I was provided a review copy of this book by the publisher BH Publishing with no expectations of a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own. 

About the Book:
Adrian Roger's last written manuscript before his passing in 2005, has been edited and brought together by his son Steve, as a final joint work. When We Say Father takes the Lord's Prayer and breaks it down to its most basic components for readers to easily learn how to pray from the ultimate source, Jesus himself.

The Kremlin Conspiracy ~ Review

The Kremlin Conspiracy
By Joel C. Rosenberg

In 1999 a series of attacks on civilian apartments left Russia and her citizens in a panic. From this crisis, Aleksandr Luganov arose as the champion of the people taking leadership against these attacks and smoothing his path to leadership of the nation. It was during this time that Oleg Kraskin began his own rise within the Russian government because of his engagement with Luganov's daughter Marina.

Meanwhile in the United States Marcus Ryker was moving up in his own life after a few life-changing incidents. Military service, Secret Service, marriage to his childhood sweetheart Elena Garcia. When an attack by terrorist comes to the White House Marcus makes a name for himself that gains him national and international attention.

As the years pass the respective jobs both men have takes a toll on them both. As tensions mount, choices will have to be made - ones that could have far-ranging ramifications both personally, nationally, and globally.

As one of the characters says, quoting Solzhenitsyn, "In keeping silent about evil, in burying it so deep within us that no sign of it appears on the surface, we are implanting it, and it will rise up a thousandfold in the future. When we neither punish nor reproach evildoers, we are not simply protecting their trivial old age, we are ripping the foundations of justice from beneath new generations." This is a bold statement that quite aptly describes the entirety of this book.

Can a good man or woman stand by when evil is being done and take no action to stop or right what is being done? This is the question that both Oleg and Marcus must decide for themselves. And what they decide will change everything for them both.

I really enjoyed this book once I was able to get into it. The early pages of the story just seemed to drag for me. But getting past the character introductions the action and the story seemed to read quicker. The author takes creative liberties with current events and creates a believable and entirely plausible story. 

I was provided a complimentary review copy of this book by Tyndale House Publishers with no expectations of a positive review ~ All opinions expressed are my own.


About the Book:

Everything he learned to protect our president, he must use to take out theirs.

With an American president distracted by growing tensions in North Korea and Iran, an ominous new threat is emerging in Moscow. A czar is rising in the Kremlin, a Russian president feverishly consolidating power, silencing his opposition, and plotting a brazen and lightning-fast military strike that could rupture the NATO alliance and bring Washington and Moscow to the brink of nuclear war. But in his blind spot is the former U.S. Secret Service agent, Marcus Ryker, trained to protect but ready to kill to save his country.

Goodreads title page

Goodreads author page

Amazon

Covert Assassin ~ Review

Covert Assassin
Justin Hall #13
By Ethan Jones

Everyone's, well mine at least, favorite intelligence agent is back with a new mission. CIS is assisting in trying to locate a missing British agent- one whose disappearance is highly suspicious. But each lead takes Justin Hall and Carrie O'Connor into a more intricate web of misdirection, omission, and half-truths.

This mission will find Justin and Carrie working with different international intelligence agencies whose help may be more hindrance than aid. And when a potential threat to a foreign dignitary is uncovered time and conflicting intelligence is working against them.

Covert Assassin by Author Ethan Jones is the latest Justin Hall thriller and what a mess of undercutting by foreign intelligence agencies! With a threat that could upend the current political balance in not only the region but the world, Justin and Carrie have their work cut out for them. The most difficult part of this assignment staying alive long enough to determine who to trust.

If you like intense no let up action this is one book you don't want to miss out on. And if you haven't read any of the previous Justin Hall books that won't be a problem as it easy to get into these books from the opening line and not feel as though you are missing something vital to the story. Highly recommended and word of warning you'll want to stay up late to find out just what comes next!

Smallfoot ~ Upcoming Movie Trailer

What if the world you thought you knew was more than you ever imagined? Well, that is the premise behind the upcoming Smallfoot.

An adventure for all ages, with original music and an all-star cast, “SMALLFOOT” turns the Bigfoot legend upside down when a bright young Yeti finds something he thought didn’t exist—a human. News of this “smallfoot” throws the simple Yeti community into an uproar over what else might be out there in the big world beyond their snowy village, in an all-new story about friendship, courage and the joy of discovery.

Additional Info.:

“Smallfoot” stars Channing Tatum (“The LEGO® Batman Movie,” the “Jump Street” films) as the Yeti, Migo, and James Corden (“Trolls,” “The Emoji Movie”) as the Smallfoot, Percy. Also starring are Zendaya (“Spider-Man: Homecoming”), Common (“Selma”), LeBron James (upcoming “Space Jam 2”), Gina Rodriguez (“Jane the Virgin”), Danny DeVito (“The Lorax”), Yara Shahidi (TV’s “Black-ish”), Ely Henry (TV’s “Justice League Action”), and Jimmy Tatro (“22 Jump Street”).

“Smallfoot” is directed by Karey Kirkpatrick, Annie Award-winning director of “Over the Hedge.” The film is produced by Bonne Radford (“Curious George”), Glenn Ficarra (“Storks,” “The is Us,”) and John Requa (“Storks,” “This is Us”). Serving as executive producers are Nicholas Stoller, Phil Lord, Christopher Miller, Jared Stern, Sergio Pablos, and Kirkpatrick. The creative team includes editor Peter Ettinger, and composer Heitor Pereira.

The film is set to debut in theaters on September 28, 2018.

From Warner Bros. Pictures and Warner Animation Group, “Smallfoot” will be distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SMALLFOOTMovie/

Poppy ~ Book Spotlight with Giveaway

Will she choose the solitude she’s always known, 

or Noah’s sweet embrace?

Book Details:

Book Title:  Poppy (The Montgomery Sisters, Book 2) 
Author:  Kat Flannery

Category:  Adult Fiction,  170 pages

Genre:   Historical western romance

Publisher: Picco Press

Release date:  May 18, 2018

Tour dates: May 28 to June 15, 2018

Content Rating: PG

About the Book:

Poppy Montgomery has always been good with a gun and could fight her way out of anything. Tough as nails and a sharp shooter, her beauty deceives the outlaws she’s after.

Hot on the trail of the Clemmons gang, a group of outlaws who rob trains and killed an innocent woman and child a few months before, she is determined to make them pay for the sin’s they’ve committed by bringing them to justice.

Pinkerton, Noah Shaw is investigating a ring of stage robberies and knows the Clemmons gang is behind them. Told to track down the infamous redheaded bounty hunter, Noah gets more than he bargained for when he arrests Poppy for assault.

Handcuffed together the pair must work together to stop the robberies, and figure out who is behind them. But what happens when love interferes and thrusts Poppy into discovering emotions she never knew existed? Will she choose the solitude she’s always known, or Noah’s sweet embrace?

Buy the Book:

Amazon ~ iBooks

Barnes and Noble ~ Kobo ~ Playster 

Add to Goodreads

Meet the Author:

Kat Flannery’s love of history shows in her novels. She is an avid reader of historical, suspense, paranormal, and romance. She has her Certificate in Freelance and Business Writing.

A member of many writing groups, Kat enjoys promoting other authors on her blog. Kat enjoys teaching writing classes and giving back to other aspiring authors. She volunteers her time at the local library facilitating their writing group. She’s been published in numerous periodicals throughout her career

Her debut novel CHASING CLOVERS has been an Amazon Top 100 Paid bestseller. LAKOTA HONOR and BLOOD CURSE (Branded Trilogy) are Kat’s two award-winning novels and HAZARDOUS UNIONS is Kat’s first novella. Kat is currently hard at work on her next series, THE MONTGOMERY SISTERS.

Connect with the author: Website ~ Twitter ~ Facebook 

BOOK SPOTLIGHT TOUR:

May 28 - Working Mommy Journal - book spotlight / giveaway 

May 28 - Rockin' Book Reviews - book spotlight / guest post / giveaway

May 28 - Jaquo Lifestyle Magazine - book spotlight / author interview / giveaway

May 29 - Elizabeth McKenna Romance Author - book spotlight / giveaway

May 29 - A Mama's Corner of the World - book spotlight / guest post / giveaway

May 30 - My Reading Journeys - book spotlight / giveaway

May 30 - The Book Drealms - book spotlight / author interview / giveaway

May 31 - Library of Clean Reads - book spotlight / giveaway

June 1  - 100 Pages A Day - book spotlight / giveaway

June 4  - Jorie Loves A Story - book spotlight / author interview

June 4  - Blooming with Books - book spotlight / giveaway

June 5  - T's Stuff - book spotlight / author interview / giveaway

June 5  - Writers N Authors - book spotlight / giveaway

June 6  - StoreyBook Reviews - book spotlight / guest post / giveaway

June 7  - Locks, Hooks and Books - book spotlight / guest post / giveaway

June 8  - Paulette's Papers - book spotlight / guest post / giveaway

June 8  - Don't Judge, Read - book spotlight / author interview / giveaway

June 11 - Literary Flits - book spotlight / giveaway

June 12 - Svetlana's Reads and Views - book spotlight 

June 13 - Laurie's Thoughts and Reviews - book spotlight / guest post / giveaway

June 14 - Bound 2 Escape - book spotlight / giveaway

June 15 - #redhead.with.book - book spotlight / giveaway

June 15 - The Book Girl  - book spotlight / author interview / giveaway

Enter the Giveaway!

Ends June 23, 2018

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Blind Betrayal ~ Review

Blind Betrayal
Defenders of Justice #3
By Nancy Mehl

It seemed like a routine mission escort a witness from St. Louis to Washington, D.C. But all too soon the assignment goes south. A threat to their office that proves to be much more than a threat soon finds Deputy Marshalls Casey Sloane, Doug Howard, and E.J. Queen hitting the road to protect their witness. What Valerie Bennett knows has someone worried and it seems they will stop at nothing to take her out.

But with no backup and little intel to work on the US Deputy Marshalls are having to rely on instinct and training to stay one step ahead of whoever is after them. And worse there are fears that a mole has somehow penetrated the St. Louis office again.

Feeling that something is off Casey is on high alert and her past associations in the D.C. office have her at odds with E.J. Can Casey compartmentalize her personal and professional selves before she puts everyone in even greater danger? 

With time against them and unknown people searching for them these Marshalls are in a race that they may not all survive.

This is the third book in the Defenders of Justice series and it is no letdown in action and suspense. There are a few unexpected turns that will have the reader rethinking everything that they have learned thus far. If you haven't read the two previous books that is okay as each book is complete in itself. The characters carry over from previous books but different ones are the focus of each book.


About the Book:
After two years at the St. Louis U.S. Marshals Office, Casey Sloane is tasked with escorting a reporter to Washington to testify before a grand jury. The reporter's research on an up-and-coming environmentalist who suddenly disappeared is now even more vital than anticipated.

At first, Casey's assignment seems routine. But a dangerous attack on the Marshals Office puts everyone on high alert. When Casey and two other Marshals--one a man from her past--are forced on the run with the reporter, they'll do whatever it takes to protect their witness and make it out alive.

Together Forever ~ Review

Together Forever
Orphan Train #2
By Jody Hedlund

Marianne Neumann is determined to fix the mistake she made - the one that cost her her sister Sophie. But Marianne has no idea where her younger sister could have disappeared to when Olivia and Nicholas were sent to the orphanage but she's determined to find her. And her plan is to work with the Children's Aid Society as an agent helping to place children through the orphan train. Using her position to try to find information about Sophie seems perfect - she just has to be sure no one discovers what she is doing.

Andrew Brady is a veteran when it comes to orphan train placing trips. He's determined to help the children under his care find the best homes they can. Always ready to have a good time with the children he is firm in his expectations of how they behave and their adherence to the rules. Drew has a secret of his own that he is keeping one that has left its mark on his soul. 

Working together Marianne and Drew make a formidable and caring team. And when a special orphan touches their hearts they just might come up with a plan to keep him with them. But all too soon the secrets from the past come out and Drew is faced with yet another tragedy on his watch. Will his heavy heart break him and turn Marianne to Reinhold?  Or will Marianne finally become the woman she has always wished to be?

This is the second book in the Orphan Train series and where the first focused on the unemployed woman seeking employment this book focuses on the plight of orphans in need of a home.  Now not all of these children were orphans in the true sense of the word - some were so classified by abandonment, poverty, or abuse. These children were often stigmatized because of their situation - a situation that was through no fault of their own. This prejudice often makes me wonder how these people expected their own children to be treated if something happened to them.

I was provided a review copy of this book by the publisher with no expectations of a positive review ~ all opinions expressed are my own.

About the Book:
Marianne Neumann has one goal in life: to find her lost younger sister, Sophie. When Marianne takes a job as a placing agent with the Children's Aid Society in 1858 New York, she not only hopes to give children a better life but seeks to discover whether Sophie ended up leaving the city on an orphan train.

Andrew Brady, her fellow agent on her first placing trip, is a former schoolteacher who has an easy way with the children--firm but tender and funny. Underneath his handsome charm, though, seems to linger a grief that won't go away--and a secret from his past that he keeps hidden. As the two team up placing orphans amid small railroad towns in Illinois, they find themselves growing ever closer . . . until a shocking tragedy threatens to upend all their work and change one of their lives forever.