Lift the Flap Bible ~ Review

Lift the Flap Bible
Text by Karen Williamson
Illustrated by Louise Anglicas

New from Candle Tiny Tots is Lift the Flap Bible for ages 10 months and up. Eight favorite Bible stories are simply shared making this the perfect Bible story book to share with your littlest one.

This book is in a board book format, so as to withstand little hands that have a tendency to stick to pages.  Each of the stories is told on two pages with three to four flaps to help tell the story.

Old Testament offerings are Noah's Ark, baby Moses, Daniel in the Lion's Den, and Jonah.  From the New Testament we have Jesus's birth, Jesus feeding the crowd, the parable of the lost sheep, and Jesus healing the man who was lowered through the roof.

This is nice introduction to the Bible and children will love the flaps that further tell the story. This is perfect for a new baby gift or for a first birthday.

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

About the book:

What's under the flaps? Find out in this collection of eight very simple Bible stories in a large cased board book format. Each story is told across a double-page spread and there are flaps on every page. Bright, quirky illustrations full of wit and color from Louise Anglicas are perfect for this engaging introduction to Bible stories.

Stories are: Noah and the Ark, Moses and the Bulrushes, Daniel and the Lions, Jonah and the Great Fish, Born in a Stable, Boy with Loaves and Fishes, The Lost Sheep, and Man Lowered Through the Roof.

The Crimson Cord ~ Review

The Crimson Cord
Rahab's Story
Daughter's of the Promised Land - 1
By Jill Eileen Smith

Rahab, one of four women mentioned in the lineage of Jesus, is a woman not expected to be in this lineage.  She was not Hebrew by birth.  She was a harlot in a city brought down by God when the Children of Israel retook the land given to Abraham.

But who was this woman who received such notice?  The Crimson Cord is her possible story.  A story of slavery that brought safety to the spies of Israel and new life to both her and her family.  This a story of mercy and redemption.  A story of promise.

The basics of this story are well-known to most people who attended Sunday school.  But Jill Eileen Smith takes it beyond the basics, bringing humanity to this woman.  A woman who would have been disdained for her situation and yet was in demand.

The Crimson Cord looks into the heart and mind of Rahab.  A woman sullied and unclean by even her own examination.  A woman who viewed herself unworthy of mercy, of grace.  A woman confused by the God of Israel - a God who demands blood for sin and yet offers life to one such as her.

Though a work of fiction, the story that portrayed is entirely plausible and believable.  A woman whose husband's debt has forced her into a life of servitude - a life of prostitution.  A woman who sees that these spies of a wandering people are a way out of a despised life.

This is a book that will open your eyes to the ancient world of the Old Testament and the blood sacrifices.  This is a book that will touch your heart and bring empathy for this woman who was redeemed.

I was provided a copy of this book by Revell through their Blogger Program in exchange for my honest review.

About the Book:
Wife to a gambler who took one too many risks, Rahab finds herself sold as a slave to cover her husband's debt. Forced into prostitution, she despairs of ever regaining her freedom and her self-respect. But when Israelite spies enter Jericho and come to lodge at her house, Rahab sees a glimmer of hope and the opportunity of a lifetime.

In one risky moment, she takes a leap of faith, puts her trust in a God she does not know, and vows to protect the spies from the authorities. When the armies of Israel arrive weeks later, Rahab hopes they will keep their promise, but she has no idea what kind of challenges await her outside Jericho's walls-- or if she will ever know the meaning of love.

Under Jill Eileen Smith's talented hand, the familiar story of Rahab bursts forth in high definition. Immerse yourself in a world of dark and dusty streets, clandestine meetings, and daring escapes as a mysterious biblical figure claims her full humanity--and a permanent place in your heart.


Jill Eileen Smith is the bestselling author of the Wives of King David series, the Wives of the Patriarchs series, and The Desert Princess, first in the Loves of King Solomon series. Her research into the lives of biblical women has taken her from the Bible to Israel, and she particularly enjoys learning how women lived in Old Testament times. Jill lives with her family in southeast Michigan. Learn more at www.jilleileensmith.com.

Click here to view an excerpt of this book

Midnight Runner ~ Review

Midnight Runner
   By Marilee Jackson

      Moira and Isobail are running -
               one from her past,
                     the other to her future.

Moira hasn't known love or kindness since her mother's death 12 years ago.  But Moira refuses to put up with the abuse and mistreatment any longer.  She's planning her escape and the new life she will live in Allail. And Moira is determined that nothing will keep her from achieving her dream.  But is the price she'll be asked to pay too much?

Isobail has known only love from her parents.  Her plans for the future are anything but grand.  Someday marriage and home much like she has always known.  But when offered an opportunity to serve as a lady's maid Isobail has a choice to make.  A choice that would take her away from all she knows and all whom she loves.

Midnight Runner spans nearly 30 years as two lives unfold not so differently and yet vastly different. The difference being love.  This book is both beautiful and heartbreaking at the same time as love is discovered and lost.  Though the book is complete, I would love to see a sequel that furthers the lives of these characters.

Compelling characters that one can connect with.  A story that will touch your heart. Just a couple of reasons why you should give this debut novel your full attention.

I was provided a copy of this book by Cedar Fort/Sweetwater Books in exchange for my tour participation and my honest review.

About the book:

Mistreated for years, orphaned Moira dreams of building a new life in the royal city. Little does she know that her dreams will cost more than just her own fate. This medieval tale of romance, mistaken identities, and long-sought redemption will change how you feel about villains and heroines, loss and love.

About the author:

Marilee Jackson is an avid reader and has dabbled in writing since the third grade. She stays home and chases her four rug rats around. She lives in a tiny Arizona town (don’t blink you’ll miss it) with her amazing husband and their four children. Midnight Runner is her first novel. Follow her on her blog at http://jacksonjacket.blogspot.com/

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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