The Day I Was Crucified ~ Review

The Day I was Crucified
As told by Christ Himself
By Gene Edwards

Gene Edwards has a unique way of presenting the account of Jesus's crucifixion - an accounting as it would have been as seen through the eyes of Jesus.  The complete and utter despair that He faced when separated from His Father by taking onto Himself the entirety of humanities sin.

This is an eye opening book offers the reader a new view of the ultimate gift of God's love and His triumph over the grave.  The second part to this book is blending of the four Gospel narratives in a chronological story of the day Christ was crucified.

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

About the Book:

Quite simply, one of the most powerful, moving pieces of Christian literature of modern times.

Other books have recorded the crucifixion and resurrection, but never before has the reader been ushered into unseen realms to witness the power of the cross as seen from the view of God the Father. You will discover a whole world of new meaning of Christ's death as you witness the destruction of the world systems, the annihilation of the law, the end of Adam's fallen race...and the death of Death. Here is an unequaled drama of power and depth which Christian literature has rarely, if ever, achieved.

Edward's The Day I Was Crucified As Told By Jesus the Christ now takes its place among the greatest of Christian literature. We will still be reading this book 200 years from now, and still weeping (and praising) as we read.

This is one of those rare life-transforming books.


About the Book:

Earl Eugene "Gene" Edwards (born July 18, 1932) is an American house church planter, a Christian author, and a former Southern Baptist pastor and evangelist. A graduate of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, he is an outspoken proponent of the house church concept in the United States.

Planet Heal Thyself ~ Review

Planet Heal Thyself
By Jordan Rubin

The Revolution of 

Regeneration 

in Body, Mind, and Planet

In an effort to be ever more productive in our efforts to feed the world we have allowed technological and biological advances to damage not only the world we once knew but also sacrificed our own health and well-being along the way.

Production and profit at any cost has become the norm.  Mega farms have swallowed up many smaller family farms.  And in the process we have seen a decline in the nutritional quality of the food that is produced for consumption.

Each person has a choice to be part of the solution or add to the problem.  As the author points out "you are what they eat," and this refers to both plant and animal based foods. The advances in farming has resulted in the destruction of much of the nutrient rich topsoil. With this poor quality soil the plants and grasses that feed not only humanity but the animals that exist side-by-side with us have become deprived.

The author Jordan Rubin takes us on his journey of recapturing his health and wellness through a drastic change in how he was living and what he has learned along the way. This is a book that after reading you'll want to share with family and friends.

Living in a farming community that has been around for generations as well as a vegetarian I found this book to be both enlightening and terrifying in seeing the damage we have wrought upon the world we have been commanded to care for.

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


About the Book:

It’s Time for the Planet and Its People to Heal Thyself 

Whether you’re aware of it or not, you’ve been born into a system of degeneration that harms the planet and every person and creature alive. In order for transformation to occur, says author Jordan Rubin, you must make a decision to take steps today to become part of the solution.

Planet Heal Thyself will teach you how to start a “Revolution of Regeneration” in the areas of health and nutrition, sustainable agriculture, and food production as well as economic prosperity and abundance.

Within these pages, you will learn:
    * Why rebuilding our nation’s disappearing topsoil should be our highest priority
    *  How real nutrients from real foods create real health
    *  How you can help our planet by growing your own food

The health and well-being of you, your family, and our planet rests on your shoulders and the daily decisions you make. If you’re ready to do your part to heal our planet and restore your health, then the revolution begins with you.


About the Author:

Jordan Rubin is a New York Times best-selling author, TV personality, motivational speaker, organic farmer and founder of Garden of Life, Beyond Organic and Get REAL Nutrition. Jordan has spent nearly 20 years studying naturopathic medicine, nutrition and permaculture science. Jordan and his wife Nicki have six amazing children.

The Missing ~ Review

Missing
The Nikki Boyd Files #2
By Lisa Harris

The first 48 hours are the most critical...

When Nikki Boyd and her partner Jack Spencer are called to the scene of a homicide they learn that the homeowners are missing and time is essential.  When a lead bring them to Tyler Grant and another homicide victim the case becomes much more personal for Nikki.

But untangling the truth about what happened will place Nikki and those who mean the most to her in danger. Someone is determined to keep their secret at any cost and they don't care how many lives it takes.

The deeper Nikki digs the more complex the case becomes. Counterfeit drugs, blackmail, murder, and a missing woman.  How do these seemingly random crimes tie to Tyler?  And even more importantly can she keep Tyler and his family alive long enough to find out who is behind everything?

Sometimes those whom you trust the most are those you should keep at arm's length.  Time is running out and Nikki is seemingly no closer to the truth than before she got called in to the case. But she is once again in someone's sights.

Missing is the second book in the Nikki Boyd Files series.  It picks up shortly after Vendetta, five weeks to be precise, and Missing doesn't disappoint if you are looking for suspense that will keep you turning the pages. As Nikki deals with the unique circumstances this case presents she also is dealing with her own personal and family issues. In other words she is just dealing with life and all its complex and unexpected twists and turns.

This is suspense that will keep you reading into the night, but it won't keep you from sleeping because of graphic and disturbing violence (for those who are wondering).  Reading the first book isn't necessary but recommended just so you'll better understand what Nikki is dealing with in her past.

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

About the Book:
Nikki Boyd isn't usually called in on homicides; her forte is missing persons. But when a case with two murdered and two missing pops up on a quiet suburban street, she's ready to start the investigation and find missing homeowners Mac and Lucy Hudson. When the first clues lead her to the boat of her friend Tyler Grant--and another dead body--Nikki must untangle what ties Tyler to the Hudsons. The clues pull her into a deadly maze of counterfeit drugs and a killer who will stop at nothing to silence anyone who threatens his business--including Nikki.

Christy Award-winning and bestselling author Lisa Harris puts you right into the action in this fast-paced thriller.

Not By Sight ~ Review

Not by Sight
By Kate Breslin

Grace Mabry will do anything to aid the suffragette effort and help bring the war to an end.  And if shaming the wealthy, able-bodied men who refuse to enlist is what she needs to do she'll do it! But when her actions bring down the wrath of her father and Lady Bassett Grace finds herself confined to her home for the foreseeable future.

Jack Benningham, one of Grace's targets for shaming, has a secret of his own and Grace's white feather is merely an amusing diversion to his evening, at least until his plans go awry.  And unfortunately for him his evening is about to get considerably worse.

But when Grace and Jack again cross paths their circumstances have changed. Jack is no longer the carefree playboy Grace chanced to meet in London.  And Grace is in service with the Women's Forage Corps working as a farm laborer.  Two more unlikely people are about to be just what the other needs if only they can see from the heart and not the eyes.

Not by Sight is set in 1917 England as the country deals with the new world that is opening up and changing before them. Those who enjoy historical fiction will find much to like with this book.

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


About the Book:

With Britain caught up in WWI, Jack Benningham, heir to the Earl of Stonebrooke, has declared himself a conscientious objector. Instead, he secretly works for the Crown by tracking down German spies on British soil, his wild reputation and society status serving as a foolproof cover. 

Blinded by patriotism and concern for her brother on the front lines, wealthy suffragette Grace Mabry will do whatever it takes to assist her country's cause. When she sneaks into a posh London masquerade ball to hand out white feathers of cowardice, she never imagines the chain of events she'll set off when she hands a feather to Jack.

And neither of them could anticipate the extent of the danger and betrayal that follows them--or the faith they'll need to maintain hope.

About the Author:
A Florida girl who migrated to the Pacific Northwest, Kate Breslin was a bookseller for many years. She is the author of For Such a Time and lives with her husband in Seattle, Washington. Find her online at www.katebreslin.com.

The Ocean at the End of the Lane ~ Review

The Ocean at the End of the Lane
By Neil Gaiman

This is quite simply an interesting book in a round about way of story-telling.  I have never read one of Neil Gaiman's works before and when presented with an opportunity to do so I did.

We are introduced to an unnamed main character who has been to a funeral in the hometown from which he spent his childhood.  When the funeral ended instead of heading to his sister's home he visited the site of his childhood home and that of a nearby farm.  Visiting the home that was Lettie Hempstock's awakens memories he has long forgotten. Memories that seem to fantastical to be true.

The pond that Lettie called an ocean brings to his mind the year, the summer he spent with Lettie and the events that his mind hid away.  Looking back across the decades he sees some of the events that so traumatized him. But are the memories he now remembers the truth or are those that he has carried with him over the years?

This is a book that crosses over the genre lines in that it is at times fantasy, mystery, horror, and realistic fiction.  This is a story of change and new awareness.  This is also a story of sacrifice and friendship. A story of trust.  It is not for young readers but rather for those who are in their later teens and beyond.  There is a thread of darkness running through this story that has an undercurrent of mythos to it. This is not lighthearted reading but there are moments that are.

I was provided a copy of this book by Pump Up Your Book in exchange for my honest review.


About the Book:
Title: The Ocean at the End of the Lane
Author: Neil Gaiman
Release Date: June 28, 2016
Publisher: William Morrow
Genre: Coming of Age
Format: Ebook/Paperback/Hardcover/Audio
UK National Book Awards 2013 “Book of the Year”
“Fantasy of the very best.” Wall Street Journal

A middle-aged man returns to his childhood home to attend a funeral.
Although the house he lived in is long gone, he is drawn to the farm
at the end of the road, where, when he was seven, he encountered a
most remarkable girl, Lettie Hempstock, and her mother and
grandmother. He hasn’t thought of Lettie in decades, and yet as he
sits by the pond (a pond that she’d claimed was an ocean) behind the
ramshackle old farmhouse where she once lived, the unremembered
past comes flooding back. And it is a past too strange, too frightening,
too dangerous to have happened to anyone, let alone a small boy.

A groundbreaking work as delicate as a butterfly’s wing and as
menacing as a knife in the dark, The Ocean at the End of the Lane is
told with a rare understanding of all that makes us human, and shows
the power of stories to reveal and shelter us from the darkness inside
and out.

“[Gaiman’s] mind is a dark fathomless ocean, and every time I sink
into it, this world fades, replaced by one far more terrible and
beautiful in which I will happily drown.” New York Times Book Review

About the Author:

Neil Gaiman is the New York Times bestselling author of the novels Neverwhere, Stardust, American Gods, Coraline, Anansi Boys, The Graveyard Book, Good Omens (with Terry Pratchett), The Ocean at the End of the Lane, and The Truth Is a Cave in the Black Mountains; the Sandman series of graphic novels; and the story collections Smoke and Mirrors, Fragile Things, and Trigger Warning.

He is the winner of numerous literary honors, including the Hugo,
Bram Stoker, and World Fantasy awards, and the Newbery and
Carnegie Medals. Originally from England, he now lives in the United States. He is Professor in the Arts at Bard College.

Visit his website at http://www.neilgaiman.com
or conect online at @neilhimself     Facebook     Goodreads

Away in the Snow for Christmas ~ Review

Away in the Snow for Christmas
By Lisa Boehm Trumbore

When a snow makes an appearance just in time for Christmas, the family has an adventure as they experience a fun and unique surprise adventure as they make their to where MiMi is. But when they get a bit lost in the heavy snowfall and their GPS fails they have to rely on the original GPS - God's Prayer System.

This is a simple story with pictures that young readers and their parents will enjoy sharing together. This story offers a lesson in trust that parents and kids can discuss. And to add to the fun there are downloadable coloring pages that one can access with the web links at the end of the story.

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


About the Book:
Mimi’s Everyday Adventures … 
where every day is an adventure! 

Although the cousins are excited for Christmas, MiMi steps in and turns this Christmas into an extraordinary adventure no one will ever forget. 

* MiMi stories are sprinkled with teachable “MiMi Moments” 
* Inspired by six adventure-filled grandchildren and a niece 
* Motivates children to work together and rely on each other 
* Ignites your child’s imagination and creativity 
* Sparks a wondrous sense of adventure in your child’s heart

The Great Disney Scavenger Hunt Spotlight and Giveaway

About the book:

The Great Disney Scavenger Hunt

See the enchantment of the Disneyland resort in a whole new way with "The Great Disneyland Scavenger Hunt." From Main Street U.S.A. to New Orleans Square, Walt Disney lovingly designed every detail to immerse guests in the magic of his theme parks.

See Disneyland and Disney’s California Adventure through new eyes when you discover fantasy, thrills, and dreams around every turn. Whether you’re perusing the shops, waiting in line, or riding attractions, there’s plenty to uncover for even the most knowledgeable Disney fan.

If this is your first visit or your five hundredth, you will discover something new with "The Great Disneyland Scavenger Hunt."

Buy the Book:  

~ Amazon  ~  Books-a-Million  ~ Barnes and Noble ~

~ Powell's Books  ~  Chapters.Indigo.ca ~

About the Author:

Catherine Olen has enjoyed a love affair with the magic of the Disney theme parks for as long as she can remember, counting herself among Disneyland pass-holders for the last twenty-five years. Previously, Olen owned and operated Hollywood Grave Hunter and is the proud author of The Final Curtain: Celebrity Deaths and The Upside of Undertaking, chronicling her previous career experiences. She has been a correspondent to Entertainment Tonight (US and France), The Biography Channel, Reelz Network, and the Mark and Brian radio show.

Connect with the author:  Website  ~  Twitter  ~  Facebook  ~  Pinterest  ~  Instagram

Giveaway:​

Win a Disney Prize Pack which consists of a print copy of
The Great Disneyland Scavenger Hunt,
a “Mickey” or “Minnie” Disney plush toy
and a $10 Disney gift card

(10 winners total, open to USA and Canada)

Ends July 30

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