Hello, blog followers and anyone else who may see this!
I sent out an email to newsletter subscribers a few days ago with this information, but I thought I should share it here to make sure everyone interested is notified. (For those who are unaware, I have had a business called Pleasant Words Company.)
I have come to a crossroads in my work with Pleasant Words Company. The website hosting is set to expire soon, and I have decided to let it expire. You see, I’m at a point where I should pour time and work into improving the website, developing products, and marketing, if I want to make this business a financial success. (Actually, this has been the case for a while; the website expiration is just the catalyst for the decision.) However, I’m not at a point in my personal life where I am willing and able to devote time and energy to these things; I have other goals and responsibilities on which I would rather focus.
Therefore, the website for Pleasant Words Co will disappear around Tuesday, January 17th. You are welcome to check it out before then to take screenshots of products or information you might use later! (Please only use such information for your personal use, not on your blog or social media accounts.) After Monday, I recommend not visiting [the url for PWC’s former website]. The domain may be available for someone else to purchase, and I can’t guarantee that everything at the url will be appropriate.
This does not mean that I will not be accepting orders: I still will accept custom orders or orders based on previous products. If you need help decorating a room, finding a gift, or seeing another idea turn into reality, I may be able to help! My artist friend, Bethany Grace, who has designed for my business, is also still willing to hand-letter designs. If you are interested in our services, please email me, and we can discuss your idea!
I would like to thank those of you who have supported this small business, by signing up for the newsletter, responding to emails or a poll, ordering, or encouraging me! Recently, I especially appreciated the responses I received to the poll about stickers! (If you are interested in custom waterproof stickers, please contact me. Based on what I know so far, I believe I can sell a medium to large waterproof sticker for $3 or less.)
May each of you seek to speak and share pleasant words, especially words from the Book of books, God’s Word, the Bible!
Hello! It has been more than a year since I wrote an update post, but I am now popping in to let you know about a few things.
First, I did add to my review of Handbook for Soul Winners after we finished studying the book. (I updated my review a while after we finished it, if I remember right, so I may not have remembered everything.) It is a good book, but I recommend it with some qualifiers. See my review for more information!
Second, for those who have been wondering, we are at a standstill with Leland Book 2. It has been written and edited, but we need to finish final edits and get the illustrations. I don’t know when it will be finished or published, but I hope to post about it when it has been published!
Finally, I would like to introduce Pleasant Words Company, a business selling t-shirts, stickers, and pillows featuring Bible verses and other pleasant phrases. I started this business late last year and began working on the current website in early 2022. The website is still being remodeled and updated, but I hope you will check it out! I’d especially like to invite you to sign up for Pleasant Words Co.’s newsletter (at the bottom of any page on the website). I am preparing the first newsletter to go out soon, and newsletter subscribers will receive a coupon code!
Thank you for reading this post!
(Note: Links to Pleasant Words Co’s website were removed in January 2023 because the website no longer will exist.)
Hello! I’m here to inform you about this year’s Black Friday book sale!
This is always a sale to watch– there are many well-known indie authors that take part in it. Danger in Detroit is also in the sale, so if you’ve been wanted to check it out, now may be the time!
Head to sale.perrykirkpatrick.com to see the books that are on sale!
Good morning! Some may have noticed that I took a longer break from blogging than announced. One reason is that I haven’t been reading as many books lately; much of my free reading time is spent on newspapers or magazines. (I have read and finished one book recently, but I’m still trying to decide if I’ll write a review.) So for these reasons, I’m going to continue my hiatus and just pop in whenever I have a review!
My other update is that Danger in Detroit has been published through a company other than KDP (which is what we originally published it through) and is now available through some ebook retailers other than Amazon! Click here for the updated list of retailers. My brother and I hope to paperback publish our books through this same company, but the print option is still in beta.
Thank you all for sticking around through my break! I hope you are doing well and reading some great books! What have you been reading lately?
Hello, friends! I’m just popping in to let you know that I’m on vacation this week, and decided that I could take a break from my review schedule as well. (Not that I have a very demanding schedule, but a break is still nice!) Lord willing, I will see you in two weeks with a review!
P.S. I probably won’t be approving comments this week either, so if you comment but don’t see it pop up on my blog, that’s why! 😉
Recommended age range: 15+ with discernment and/or parental supervision
My Rating: ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ (four stars)
My Review:
Note: This is quite an old book and is currently hard to find for sale.
I mentioned this book in a post last November (wow, it doesn’t seem like it was that long ago!) as well as in comments on others’ blogs, and I’m finally getting around to reviewing it! When I wrote the post in November, I had not read this entire book… and guess what? I still haven’t! You see, when our church’s Ladies’ Bible Study decided to study this book, I ended up reading most of it at the rate we studied it. We have now read almost all through Sections One-Four, and only have Section Five (The Problem of Heresies) left. However, we are now taking a break for the summer, and I thought I should review the book while my memory is better about the rest of the book.
This book has many excellent points and tips on soul winning! I especially appreciate the chapter on Scripture memorization. Mr. Gager even has a list of many verses to memorize as well as categories for each one. It included verses that would probably be familiar to many people who often attend church as well as some that aren’t as familiar, but are important to know just the same!
As I mentioned in my previous “mini review”, this book uses many King James verses, but some references are marked “R. V.” (which I have discovered is short for Revised Version, translated by Westcott and Hort, among others… thus, I DO NOT recommend the R. V., for Westcott and Hort were not good men.). I also found that some of the verses in my copy were not typed out correctly, with some words changed from what the Bible really says.
While studying this book, our Ladies’ Bible Study discovered that we don’t agree with everything in it. In some cases, we were unsure of whether a section was worded oddly so that we weren’t understanding it correctly, or if we don’t agree with it. For example, Mr. Gager seems to believe in “Lordship salvation”. Some of the study questions are also worded strangely, making them hard to understand. This is a good example of the need to exercise critical thinking and discernment even when reading the works of Christian authors!
Lord willing, if/when I read the final section of this book, I will update my review (and potentially let my readers know that I have updated it). Until then, I’m giving this book four stars. While it has many helpful points, some parts are confusing or wrong. I would recommend it to discerning readers!
Update on March 26, 2022: Our ladies’ Bible study finished going through this book. As we studied the cults discussed in the last section of the book, some of us also referenced other books to learn more about the cults. One thing that we noticed was that some of the information was out of date. Cults’ views are subject to change over the years, and some of what we read in other books didn’t agree with Handbook for Soul Winners. The last chapter, which discussed Roman Catholicism, was written by a former Roman Catholic who is now saved. Some of the same concerns about the rest of the book were true for this section as well.
Title:Ann Judson: A Missionary Life For Burma (previously published as My Heart in His Hands)
Author: Sharon James
Genre(s): Christian Biographical / Nonfiction
Romance Content: Couples do get married, a man is captivated with a girl upon seeing her for the first time, possibly more; none of which was a big issue for me personally (although I don’t agree with “love at first sight”!).
Recommended age range: 12+
My Rating: ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ (five stars)
My Review:
I was originally interested in this book because I was writing a brief paper on Adoniram Judson for school. I believe I finished that paper before I was able to get this book from the public library, but I’m so glad I read it anyway! Mrs. Ann Judson sounds like an amazing woman whose testimony was encouraging to me.
This book includes many excerpts from Mrs. Judson’s diary and letters, which is a big reason why I enjoyed it so much! Mrs. Judson’s struggles and heart for the Lord shine through her writings. It was also interesting to read about the Judsons’ missionary endeavors and adventures in Burma and throughout the world (they had difficulties in several places before they finally made it to Burma, as well as after that).
Anyone who is interested in missions, history, or even someone who just wants to be encouraged in the Lord ought to read this book! I highly recommend it.
“Now orphaned, Marie is swept miles away from the only life she knew to be sheltered by unknown guardians. Caught in the challenges of a new life, she cannot prevent changes from happening, but she can keep the Bowles and their friends at arm’s length. Or can she?
“While things appear to transition smoothly on the outside, Marie struggles against the turmoil she faces on the inside. She sees something in the Bowles and her new friends that she had never experienced before…but should she trust what the preacher is teaching when it goes against everything she had accepted as truth? Is God really a God of love? If He is, then is Marie willing to accept it?
“Follow Marie as she begins the journey to love.
“Recommended for ages 10-13, suitable for all ages.” ~from Goodreads
Title: Journey To Love
Author: Amanda Tero
Genre(s): Christian Historical Fiction
Romance Content: N/A
Recommended age range: 8+
My Rating: ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ (five stars)
My Review:
I had read some fiction (and possibly some non-fiction) about the Orphan Trains before, but I think this may be one of my favorite books covering that subject in history. With a clear Gospel message and an engaging storyline, this was a wonderful book!
I enjoyed getting to know people in Cutter along with Marie, as well as learning Marie’s own backstory. There was one family in particular that was especially kind to Marie, even when she wasn’t welcoming the attention. This is a good side-lesson to the story!
I enjoyed reading this clean book with a good message, and I would recommend it to ages eight and older!
“An endearing adventure of the Arnold Pent family who followed an unconventional path as what some have called ‘the first modern homeschool family.’
“In the early 1950s, Arnold Pent, Jr., and his wife Persis took their eight children out of public schools and began a million mile journey throughout the US and Canada together. Along the way, they presented their gospel message in churches, schools, and wherever they had opportunity. Central to the family’s daily practice was in-depth Bible reading, study, and memorization. Their public programs featured music, preaching, scripture recitation, and always encouraged families to read the Bible together.
“The book was written by Arnold Pent III, the third child, who compiled it when he was 21 from his journals written as a teenager. A great story for those interested in home education, family discipleship, and evangelism.”
Title: Ten P’s in a Pod
Author: Arnold Pent III
Genre(s): Christian Nonfiction/Biographical
Romance Content: N/A
Recommended age range: 5 (as read-aloud) — 100!
My Rating: ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ (five stars)
My Review:
I had seen a review of this book which made me quite eager to read it, and imagine my delight when a friend offered to lend it to me not long after that! Ten P’s in a Pod did not disappoint.
The Pent family’s diligence in reading the Bible was refreshing and inspiring, and their dedication in preaching and sharing the Gospel around the U.S. and Canada with obstacles that to many would seem insurmountable was commendable. There were some funny moments as well as serious times recounted, which made it an excellent book. I think this book would be a great family read-aloud or simply an encouraging read for an individual. Highly recommended!
“One cold, dark evening a young stranger appears outside the Morgan home with two small children. Injured and on the verge of complete exhaustion, she will only say that her name is ‘Amy.’
“Where did she come from? Who is she? And what has she been through? Dr. Justin Morgan and his family look for answers as they struggle to minister life and health to the needy ones in their midst.”
Title: Gift from the Storm
Author: Rebekah A. Morris
Genre(s): Christian Fiction with a hint of mystery
Romance Content: Unmarried male and female characters are alone together, but there are no romantic relationships until the Epilogue, when some characters are married.
Recommended age range: 8+ (but there is a bit of suspense/stressful situations)
My Rating: ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤
My Review:
This was an enjoyable read with a mysterious twist to it! The love of Christ is shown through the lives of the main characters as they welcome three strangers into their lives for an indefinite period of time. It was neat to see the close relationships that the Morgan family had with each other, as they teased each other, only to gather around the piano and sing later. The mysterious aspect of the story was quite intriguing, and it left the reader guessing along with the Morgans. Altogether, this was an interesting story that I loved reading!
Good afternoon!! I’m here to share a quick bonus post with you all! First of all, here is a rather humorous paragraph I wrote for school… on the topic of The Bookworm!
“The bookworm is an absent-minded individual. Since many, though not all, are girls or women, I shall refer to this character in the female pronouns. One may often find her daydreaming, most likely about the most recent book she read, or curled up in some corner with the book in her hands. When needed for some occasion or task, it may be hard to draw her out of her bookish reverie, and one may need to repeat a question or statement several times before her mind is released from the bonds of Bookland and can focus on the present. One species of this creature is very introverted and hard to converse with. However, despite the somewhat reclusive habits of bookworms, one may find some that are not antisocial. On the contrary, one may be able to draw a deluge of words from her, but only if they have to do with books: for example, the most recent story she read, her favorite books by a particular author, or her pet peeves in clichés. And this information may be divulged in a particularly eloquent and poetic way. Thus, it may be seen that the bookworm is not a complete annoyance, but may be a delight to befriend.”
Please note: I do not endorse all characteristics of bookworms! It is not good to be so caught up in books that one neglects duties. However, I’m curious… how many of the things I wrote about reminded you of yourself or another bookworm? 🙂
Secondly…
This is the second year I have participated in the Spring100, and my family and I are quite excited to do so again! Let me know if you are signed up for the challenge as well!
I hope you enjoyed this short post, and I will see you on Monday with a book review!
“William wondered how anyone was supposed to battle slavery. After all, King George III and the Church of England both had large amounts of money invested in trade with the West Indies. And a large number of bishops sat in the House of Lords. William shook his head. This was a much bigger fight than he felt capable of taking on.”
For two hundred years, British slave ships plied the Middle Passage, taking African men, women, and children to their doom. Ending slavery in the mighty British Empire seemed like an impossible dream, but once William Wilberforce (1759-1833) resolved to represent the abolitionists in Parliament, he would fight to the bitter end — for nearly half a century — to achieve that goal.
“Together with a community of dynamic reformers, Wilberforce struggled to rid his nation of evil and to give dignity and freedom to all people — slave and slave trader, poor and powerful. His example continues to inspire others to use their gifts and influence to do good against the odds.”
Title: William Wilberforce: Take Up The Fight (Heroes of History series)
Author: Janet and Geoff Benge
Genre(s): Christian Biography
Rating: ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ (five stars)
Romance Content: Main character does get married, but I don’t remember anything inappropriate or even “mushy”.
Recommended age range: 8+
My Review:
Though I recognized the name of William Wilberforce in connection to ending slavery in Great Britain, I did not know anything else about him before reading this book. I found it to be an interesting and informative account of Wilberforce’s life and work. Since I am an American, I don’t know much about the workings of British politics, but the Benges did a great job explaining how Parliament and such worked, at least during Wilberforce’s time. (I don’t know if everything works the same way now.)
Wilberforce was an Anglican with Methodist leanings, and his spiritual journey is discussed in some detail. While I do not agree with the “Church” of England’s theology, Methodists in that time period would perhaps have similar beliefs to my own. Also, there is much reference to alcohol, gambling, card-playing and partying; Wilberforce was engaged in these activities when at college, instead of studying. The negative effects of these things are shown slightly, at least in one person’s life. These topics (theology of the “Church” of England and Methodism as well as an ungodly lifestyle) may call for discussion if younger children read this book.
This story was interesting and inspiring, and it may lead the reader to fight for other oppressed peoples, such as the unborn. I recommend this book!
The latest book in (possibly) my favorite series is out! Hooray! And I got to read it. 🙂
“It’s springtime and the Bakers are living the dream. Abby is helping her grandparents set up a guest ranch, Phil is visiting Spain, and Andy and Tom are on the farm entertaining three visitors from Scotland. Mr. Baker suggests a road trip to the guest ranch in Wyoming. What better opportunity for Fergus, Dougal, and Wylie to work hard, meet cowboys, and see the West? The lads are all for it and embrace their new surroundings with gusto, while the Bakers get the chance to re-forge bonds with Grandpa and Grandma Baker.”
Title: Rescue in the Rockies (Baker Family Adventures Book 8)
Author: C.R. Hedgcock
Genre(s): Christian, Adventure Fiction
Rating: ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ (four stars)
Romance Content: Unmarried male and female characters do touch each other to help or comfort (not sensually) and are alone together. A romantic relationship begins, described in more detail in body of review.
Recommended age range: 10-20 years old
My Review:
Rescue in the Rockies was different from Hunting in the Highlands in that it was set in the United States of America, not in Scotland. This fact made it slightly less fascinating to me, since I live in the U.S. and I’ve read “cowboy” books before. However, I still greatly enjoyed RitR! It had some great lessons, an interesting plot, and some tough decisions for characters. 🙂
Horse lovers would enjoy this book! From riding the fence line looking for breaks to trick riding, this book has horses! Favorite characters from previous book in the series appear, as well as characters we haven’t met before… or who we had met, but didn’t know who they were. 😀 The Bakers have some stressful situations, but continue to look to God, and there was a heart-tugging story of trusting God despite great trials.
Romance surfaces for the first time in the Baker Family Adventures! Despite being a very picky romance reader, I was pleased overall with the way things were carried out. (To make this discussion easier without spoiling the book by naming the characters, I’ll be calling the guy Frank and the girl Sally.) Frank did talk to his mom about the girl, and he also prayed about it and sought the Lord’s direction. I was disappointed that there was no mention of him talking to his dad about Sally, nor asking Sally’s male authority for permission to get to know her. And I was confused at the ending, which I can’t discuss without spoilers. However, I can’t expect everyone to have my same standards, and everything was clean (no kisses, etc). I will be interested in seeing how this aspect plays out in future books.
A character accepts Christ as his personal Saviour in this book, which was a first in the series to my recollection. This was a wonderful event and something I enjoyed reading about. The one thing that I don’t quite agree with is that the character immediately wants to be baptized after salvation. It seems unlikely to me that this particular character would know what baptism is and understand its meaning at that point in the book, and the baptism is performed by someone who is not a pastor (as far as I know) and out of the context of any local church.
Despite these things, there was nothing really inappropriate or evil in this book (not that I expected there to be), and I did enjoy it! I would recommend this book to those who enjoy Christian family-oriented adventuresome fiction… and who have read previous books in the series. (I doubt if it would make as much sense without knowing the background.) This was a great book!
“Escape to Liechtenstein by Ed Dunlop is a historical fiction account of Hans and his sister Gretchen who discover a young Jewish boy hiding from Nazi troops. While all three children know that Jacob will not be safe until he crosses over the Austrian border, Hans and Gretchen have no idea that Jacob is also smuggling something even more important that is valuable to him, to the Jewish people, and to the enemy. Escape to Liechtenstein is the first book in the Young Refugees Series that is Christian fiction set in Europe during WWII.”
Title: Escape to Liechtenstein (Book 1 in The Young Refugees)
Author: Ed Dunlop
Genre(s): Christian Historical Fiction
Rating: ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ (five stars)
Romance Content: None.
Recommended age range: 10+
My Review:
This was a captivating read! The adventures of three children trying to keep ahead of the Nazis were sometimes seemingly unrealistic (although I’m not discrediting God’s ability to do miracles), but they were fun to read just the same! Besides the main storyline, the Christian Hans and Gretchen try to witness to their friend Jacob, who thinks he will deny his Jewish heritage if he accepts Jesus as the Messiah. In all, this was a book that I greatly enjoyed, and I am interested in reading more books in this series!
“Is something wrong at the Halstead ranch? Lake Wood can’t shake the feeling that trouble is in the wind for his pretty neighbor, Jane Halstead. First her uncle didn’t show when he promised, and now suspicious strangers are lurking about her ranch. But is the trouble purely in his own imagination? Or is there real cause for concern? When odd happenings, jarring revelations, and convenient accidents pile up, Lake enlists the help of his family and friends to get to the bottom of things. But can they find the truth in time to foil the plot? And what more can Lake do to protect the girl he loves?”
Title: Lake Wood (Book 3 in Woodbreak Series)
Author: Rebekah A. Morris
Genre(s): Christian Western/Mystery
Rating: ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ (five stars)
Romance Content: A young man is interested in a young lady and the relationship proceeds from there. It is completely appropriate, though he does touch her hand when SPOILER! proposing. SPOILER END!
Recommended age range: 8+
My Review:
This book is longer (thicker) than the first books in the series, which is a good thing in my opinion! (I love thick books!) But that’s not the only thing I like about it. 😉 The mystery was intriguing and the main characters likable (except the bad guys). The main characters are Christians who pray and quote Bible verses in troubling times. And Lake Wood is a young man who is determined to do what is right and protect his friend, which I appreciate.
While I had heard that this book had more romance in it than the previous book in the series, it wasn’t a problem to me. I was able to focus on the mystery rather than the romance in this book better than I did in Anna Wood, in fact. More on the romance aspect is detailed in the Romance Content section above.
Miss Morris has several of my family members and I hooked on this series, and we are looking forward to books to come!
“Ten-year-old Emma’s world has taken on a new sparkle now that she’s a Christian. She forgives Aunt Shannon for the accident which took her little sister’s life and then learns to live out that forgiveness. Trouble is brewing with Landlady over Taffy. Ethan’s not worried, claiming Landlady’s all bark and no bite, and he teaches Taffy the game of Find It.
“Autumn days fly by for Emma and Ethan, with adventures at the coffee shop (even Lucy, the parrot, makes an appearance), helping with Hunter’s leaf business, a city-wide yard sale, and a day at the library. The new neighbor twins add their own share of surprises. All the while, tension builds with Landlady, and when Emma is faced with her biggest fear, what will she do?”
Title: Learning Lessons (Hill Top Adventures, Book 2)
Author: Sarah Maxwell
Genre(s): Christian Children’s Fiction
Rating: ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ (four stars)
Romance Content: None.
Recommended age range: 8+
My Review:
This is a very well-written book with an engaging storyline! The reader will be drawn in as the stakes are set higher in Emma’s life. While I have read the first book in this series, I think one could read this book as a stand-alone. Certain events from the first book are referred to, but explained well. (It would spoil Finding Change if one read it later, though. 😉 )
Please note that there is a divorced couple in this book, though it is not glorified. However, I greatly enjoyed reading Learning Lessons and would recommend it to ages 8 and up (and perhaps younger)!
“He promised to save the land. She received a divine calling. But how can mere prayer quench his restlessness and her fears?
“Walking behind a plow day in and day out gets boring for a nineteen-year-old who longs for nothing more than adventure. In the midst of the rampant lawlessness and love of pleasure that drive their country, Kaelan Ellith yearns to make a difference. When a promise at his mother’s deathbed gives him the impetus to do just that, he’s off to the capital city to bring back the knowledge of Adon Olam. Despite his natural leadership skills, his schemes keep going awry, and lost people keep passing into eternity without hope. How can he ever keep such an impossible promise?
“Shy Carita Kostan knows the voice of Adon Olam, and she desires nothing more than to follow His calling: “Love. Serve. Pray. Persevere.” Yet how can she minister His love to her neighbors when her soul is tormented by their unmet needs and handicapped by her own paralyzing fears?
“When the true nature of his promise and her call begin to surface, Kaelan and Carita just might discover how saving the world is entirely different than they imagined . . . if they have the humility and the courage to receive it.
“A clean, family-friendly Christian kingdom adventure fiction novel for all ages.” ~from Amazon
Title: Promise’s Prayer (Truth from Taerna Book 1)
Author: Erika Mathews
Genre(s): Christian Fantasy/Allegory
Rating: ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ (four stars)
Romance Content: N/A
Recommended age range: 14+? for references to sin
My Review:
I enjoyed reading this book! The storyline was interesting. I appreciate the message that doing what God wants does not always include “saving the world” or doing anything “big” and that prayer does indeed change things!
While fantasy is not always something I choose to read, I appreciated that there is no magic in this book (the closest would be when Carita sees a vision and is spoken to by Adon Olam). Please note that I do not believe in visions or God speaking directly to people other than through God’s Word. I also found the whole “religious” aspect of the book to be rather strange: God is known as Adon Olam, there does not seem to be a Bible as such but characters think of Scripture verses (in which God’s Name is changed to Adon Olam), and there is no clear position on regular church, though believers do gather at times.
A main part of the story is that the people of Taerna (the nation in which the story takes place) are focused on pursuing pleasure, which the main characters do not agree with. References are made to many forms of sin and immorality, though in no detail. However, for this reason I would not recommend this book to children.
This book kept my attention but was not riveting, and while I enjoyed it, I did not love it. Perhaps later books in the series will be better! I would be willing to read other books in the Truth from Taerna series, and I would recommend this book to older readers.
“Could God choose to use even her weakness? Miss Anna Albert is worried. In the months since their son’s disappearance, Mrs. Kenagy has grown steadily sadder, while her husband seems to have turned his back on God. But what really happened to Ben? Is there any way to know for sure? And how could a girl with no voice ever help find the answer? When she confides her troubles to Jim Wood, he offers his assistance in solving the puzzle, but to Anna’s surprise, he seems to truly want her help. Is it possible God can use her despite her silence? And might He have plans for her beyond her greatest dreams?”~from Amazon
Title: Anna Wood
Author: Rebekah A. Morris
Genre(s): Christian Western
Rating: ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ (four stars)
Romance Content: Detailed in review.
Recommended age range: 12+?
My Review:
Another interesting book in the Woodbreak series! I enjoyed spending more time with Miss Anna Albert/Wood and learning more about her life. The premise of her not speaking is an interesting one. I kept expecting her to be able to speak later in the book, SPOILER! but, sadly, that did not happen. SPOILER END! Nevertheless, this facet to the book provided more opportunity for meaning in the story.
Now, while theoretically this is primarily a mystery/western, there was a romantic aspect to it. To me, the romance was on the edge of being too much (but, as those who follow my reviews know, I am very particular about such things). I would consider it to be mostly a God-honoring romance. The things that I did not agree with were 1) the man touching the woman before marriage (cheek, hand, arm) and 2) no mention of the man asking the woman’s male authority for permission before asking her if he could court her. (Though that word is not used, the relationship, little detailed though it is, seems to follow such a model.) However, I appreciate that the emphasis from both Jim’s and Anna’s perspective is on the other being a godly individual and on good character traits, not on looks or even necessarily feelings.
With all that said, I did enjoy reading this book! I would let my younger siblings read it, and I would like to read the next book in the series. Although, even the synopsis of that one hints at romance; have any of my readers read Lake Wood and do you think I would be okay with it? 😉
Hello, everyone! I’m just putting this quick request out there for movie recommendations. I’m looking for a family-friendly Christian movie that both kids and adults would enjoy. (Although if children can’t understand it all, that’s all right.) Do any of you have any suggestions? Thanks in advance!
P.S. I’m taking a media break for the next week, but I’ll reply as soon as I can! I’ll talk to you all later! 🙂
“Something sinister is afoot, but where? The arrival of a gun-toting stranger in a little Western town causes quite a stir. Who is this man? What is he after? And most importantly, which side of the law is he on? Jim Wood likes the look of the area, but before he can think of settling down, he’ll have to finish the business that brought him here. With doubt and suspicion on every side, can he find the answers he needs? Or will evil win out before the truth is revealed?” ~from Amazon
Title: Jim Wood
Author: Rebekah A. Morris
Genre(s): Christian Western
Rating: ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ (five stars)
Romance Content: Hints of the main character wanting to marry a girl; very mild/low romance content
Recommended age range: 10+ (there is violence)
My Review:
This was such a fun and interesting book! Having read many of Miss Morris’s books, I was expecting this one to be good, and my expectations were rewarded!
I loved how the author did not reveal everything the main character (Jim Wood) knew until the time was right, keeping the reader in suspense and letting him/her discover vital pieces of information relating to the mystery along the way. I also enjoyed meeting the citizens of the town in the story as Jim did and trying to decide with him which were trustworthy. And as another reviewer mentioned, Miss Morris’s descriptions of scenes are wonderful!
This was a great story, and I eagerly started reading the next book in the series once I finished Jim Wood. (Review coming soon!) 🙂
Hey, everyone! I’m just popping in to remind you that this is the last day of the fabulous Black Friday Book Sale! (No, it’s no longer Black Friday, but a great thing about this sale is that it runs through Cyber Monday. So you still have time to pick up some books!)
That’s right, Danger in Detroit is still on sale!
This is your last chance until next year to get some of these amazing books for such a great price! Check the sale out here.
Let me know! Did you get any great books during this sale? Have you read them yet, and found any new favorites? I’d love to know! Just comment below.
Hello, everyone! I am excited to share with you all about the Black Friday book sale! This is a sale that I’ve benefited from over the past few years– it’s a great place for bookworms to stock up! 😀
This year, there are 300+ indie books for free or $0.99 from Black Friday through Cyber Monday!!
And…
Danger in Detroit is in this sale, in case you’ve been hoping to pick it up!
Some books by some of my favorite authors are also in the sale, so I highly encourage you to check it out!
Hello, friends! I’m here to apologize for not posting on Monday; I haven’t read many reviewable books lately. However, in this post I’ll be going over the books that I have read and why I consider them “not reviewable”!
Shadow of the Almighty
I actually loved reading this book, Shadow of the Almighty! And I probably should have reviewed it in a traditional review post. But here I am with a mini-review. I loved all the thought-provoking, encouraging notes from Jim Elliot’s journal and letters as well as learning more about his life! It was a very encouraging book to me. The reason I considered it “not reviewable” is because there were some parts with what I would consider “mature content” (so I would recommend it to older readers, at least 16+ depending on standards), and also because I don’t think I agreed with all of Mr. Elliot’s theology. If an older sibling/parent read this first and screened it, I think it would be good for younger ages, perhaps 10+. Note: This book does not use KJB only.
Unnamed Book
Yes, this is an unnamed book. 😀 Well, technically it isn’t, but I’m not going to name it on this blog. We were given this book in a large batch of books that had belonged to a now deceased individual, and I picked out some that looked interesting from that lot. (Actually, most of the books I’m reviewing today were from that huge batch!) Anyway, this “unnamed book” is about a missionary family involved in church planting in China. It was very interesting to me to think about how to start a church as well as read about the situation in China for believers. The reason I’m not naming is: 1) The author is not named on or in the book; thus I believe he desires to be anonymous, 2) I cannot find the book online, and 3) The sensitive nature of Christians in China makes me believe that I shouldn’t reveal more about it for privacy reasons. Thus, this mini review of an unnamed book is probably not very useful to you. I’m sorry!
Handbook for Soul Winners
This is an excellent book!! It is “not reviewable” at the moment because I haven’t actually finished it yet. Perhaps I’ll review it for real once I finish it. But suffice it to say, this is a Scripture and Scripture-reference packed book with lots of good tips for soul winning! My copy even came with notes from someone else which lead me to believe it may have been used for a Bible study. Either way, I recommend this book! (So far. 😉 ) Note: This book uses mostly KJB, but some of the verse references have R. V. next to them.
Living for and Rejoicing in Christ
This book is “not reviewable” because, again, I haven’t finished it. Our church’s ladies’ Bible study is currently going through it, and this book has been very interesting and encouraging! I recommend it. 🙂
Well, those are the books that I’ve read recently which I’d like to mention today! And hopefully in a week and a half I will have another book to review for you. (I have some on hold at our library which I’m hoping to pick up in a few days, two of which are the first two books in the Woodbreak series, by Rebekah A. Morris. 😀 )
Thanks for reading, and I hope to “see” you again with a review on November 30th! Adiós for now!
I am very excited to participate in the blog tour for Preacher on the Run today! You may remember that I reviewed this book some months ago. Well, today I get to share several goodies with you all: a guest post by the author, a character interview, an excerpt, and a giveaway!
The Guest Post
What I Love About History (by Jayna Baas)
History has always fascinated me—not the names, places, and dates, but the stories. True stories, with real-life heroes and villains. The Revolutionary War was (and still is) my favorite era. There was no question as to whose side I was on, as there sometimes was with the Civil War. The Revolution was at a safer distance than the World Wars, which were just recent enough to worry me (although I’m now interested in some aspects of WWII—my struggles with fear greatly lessened when I came to the Lord). And the Revolution certainly had a lot of heroes to choose from! When I decided to write a historical novel, the era of America’s birth was an obvious choice.
But I didn’t want to write about the stories everyone else wrote about: the Boston Tea Party, Bunker Hill, Valley Forge. So I did my research and picked North Carolina, where British and American soldiers waged a vital conflict that rarely makes headlines. And in North Carolina, I discovered the Regulator Uprising.
The less known a historical tale is, the better I like it. I think that’s what first interested me about these everyday people standing against corrupt government. The same principle applied when I was introduced to the history of Baptists in early America. This was classic good-versus-evil stuff that most people didn’t even know about! When I learned about the Baptist influence in the Regulator Uprising, well, that was a story waiting to happen.
Yet as I read and wrote and reread and rewrote, I found that the story isn’t just about the Baptists after all. It’s about believers following God as best they knew how, whether they believed just like I do or not, and how their beliefs affected what happened to them. It’s about the way freedom of spirit inevitably leads to freedom of thought, which inevitably leads to conflict with tyranny. It’s about true liberty of conscience, whether an Anglican extends it to a Baptist or a Baptist extends it to an Anglican. That is the true story of all history—where there is freedom, there is growth. When we offer freedom to others, we allow God to do His own work in His own way. And that is what truly fascinates me about history: God at work in all His children, redeemed to Him out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation.
The Excerpt (From Chapter 24)
Robert found Susanna playing with Gunning’s pile of wood chips. It required a good imagination to see the wood chips as Susanna saw them– fine dishes and all manner of good things to eat. Robert sat down on an upended log and said, “Your mama says you’ve been asking questions about God.”
Susanna looked up. “Mama explained some things. But I don’t understand why God made folks that are so ugly to each other. Like Mr. Drake is to you.”
“That’s not God’s fault, pumpkin. It’s ours.”
Susanna squinched up her face. “Ours?”
“Remember the story Mama and I tell you about Adam and Eve in the garden?”
Susanna nodded. “Everything was perfect until they ate from the one tree God told them not to eat from.”
“Did God make them do that?”
She shook her head. “No-o.”
“Then it wasn’t God’s fault that something bad happened.”
“But He could have made them not eat the fruit.”
“What if I made you love me, whether you wanted to or not?”
“But Papa! I do love you!”
“I know, pumpkin. But if I made you love me, would that be real love? Or just a have-to kind of love?’
“Have-to, I guess.”
“God didn’t want Adam and Eve to love Him with a have-to kind of love. He wanted them to choose to love and obey Him. If you let someone choose, they might choose the wrong thing, right?”
Slowly Susanna nodded. “Sometimes you tell them what the right thing to choose is, and they don’t choose it anyway because they think they know better.”
“That’s right. And that still happens today, just like it did in the garden. God wants us to love Him and do good. That’s why He made us. But He wants us to choose to do it. He wants Mr. Drake to love Him. But Mr. Drake thinks he knows better, and he’s made the wrong choice. ”
“But does everybody have to choose? Even me?”
“Everyboody. Even you.” He thought, Shame on you, Boothe, your daughter needs to know these things, and where have you been? Fleeing as a bird to your mountain, that’s where.
“Mama says folks who don’t believe in Jesus don’t go to heaven. Is believing the same as choosing?”
“Well, the Bible says in one place, ‘Choose you this day whom ye will serve,’ and in another place it says, ‘Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved.’ So God uses both words.”
Susanna bit her lip. “I don’t think I’ve done that yet. But I want to. I’m scared not to go to heaven. And I know I don’t love God very much, because sometimes I’m bad–” She was crying now. “And I don’t want to stop being bad, but I do want to stop.”
“Jesus will help you want to stop, Susanna. He’ll forgive you for all of that. It’s like a gift He wants to give you. All you have to do is take it.”
Susanna nestled up tight against Robert and he up his arm around her. “Just tell Him what you told me, Susanna. He’ll understand.”
Susanna sniffled. “Jesus, I want You to forgive me and take away all the bad things I do . . .”
As Robert held his daughter close and listened to her simple prayer, he knew that this was exactly where he was supposed to be.
For today.
Tomorrow, Alamance.
The Character Interview (with Magdalen Boothe)
Great Books for God’s Girls: What things from your childhood as a southern belle prepared you to be the wife of Robert Boothe, a pastor and Regulator?
Magdalen Boothe: I never thought I would marry a circuit rider! And didn’t it surprise Papa! Yet God had His hand on us. Living on a plantation near busy trade routes, I learned to be hospitable to people from all walks of life. I took my education very much for granted, but when I saw how few frontier women could read and write, I thanked the Lord that I could be a help to Rob in that respect—such an intelligent, thoughtful man needed someone who could help him articulate his thoughts. While church members have joked that I wrote Rob’s sermons, it’s true that I often transcribed his notes for him.
GBfGG: What is something you wish you had learned before getting married?
MB: I wish I had learned how to be alone. Plantation life is very busy. When I first married Rob, I was utterly unprepared for the long, lonely stretches while he was riding his circuit. And the idea of obtaining your own food, your own clothing, your own everything was quite a change from my upbringing.
GBfGG: What is one funny thing that Susanna, your daughter, did as a young child?
MB: She was a little thing of two years old when we settled in Ayen Ford, and she was all excited about our garden. We had some lovely baby carrots and parsnips when it came time to thin the plants. But I couldn’t understand what was wrong with my lettuce—sallet, as mountain folk call it. Then one day I went looking for Susanna, and there she was in the garden, pulling up the lettuce to see if it had roots like the carrots yet. She looked up at me very sadly and said, “Not yet, Mama,” and then she stuck the poor little plants back in the ground and patted the dirt around them—just as she’d been doing all spring, apparently. Little wonder they hadn’t been growing!
GBfGG: I know there were trials as well as blessings in being Robert’s wife. What is an unexpected blessing that you found during the happenings in Preacher on the Run?
MB: I was immeasurably blessed by the way folks came together to help us and help each other. While I struggled with times of immense fear in which only God could be my stay, I was constantly surrounded by fellow believers who were always willing to offer a helping hand or simply pray with me. When we all placed our attention on helping others, it made the dark days easier to bear. There is no blessing like knowing you are loved.
And the giveaway!
Prize: One signed copy of Preacher on the Run, one necklace hand-stamped with “In God I Trust,” and one bookmark with a Bible verse and book cover art.
All entrants will receive free recipes from the colonial era.
I hope you enjoyed reading this post and learning more about Preacher on the Run and it’s author! For your convenience, here is the blog tour schedule, in case you’re interested in learning more.
Nov 18: Kassie @ Soldier Girl Stories (PLEASE NOTE! As of October 2022, do not go to Kassie Angle’s former website! She doesn’t own that domain anymore, and it is now a bad website, from what I’ve heard.) Book review
“During Soviet rule, Peter Rumachik served as Vice-President of the Council of Evangelical Baptist Churches, an organization coordinating the efforts of 2,000 underground churches in Russia. In 1956, Peter Rumachik and four other Christian workers founded a church in the Moscow suburb of Dyedovsk. He was eventually arrested for his Christian activities in 1961, when he was tried with the others in a highly publicized trial in the Dyedovsk cultural center. The trial concluded with a sentence of five years internment in the infamous GULAG prison camps of Krasnoyarsk, Siberia. Peter Rumachik was released one year early as an act of amnesty. Amnesty was short-lived, however, and the Soviet government continued its relentless persecution of the church. In the years that followed, the Soviet government tried and convicted Pastor Rumachik four more times before his ultimate release in 1987.
“In all, Pastor Peter Rumachik served over 18 years in Soviet prisons and labor camps for his faith in God. While no volume can ever hope to encompass the fullness of the hardships he endured, this book has been created to tell the account of how God sustained him and his family during those times. It is the hope of the authors that their account will be an encouragement to the faith of all who read it.” ~from the back of the book
Title: A Path Not Lined With Roses
Author: peter, Pavel, and Luba Rumachik
Genre(s): Christian Non-Fiction
Rating: ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ (five stars)
Romance Content: Mentions people getting married but with very few details.
Recommended age range: 13+?
My Review:
This was an interesting and inspiring book about Christians persecuted by the Soviet Union. A Path Not Lined With Roses consists of three people’s testimonies: that of Pastor Peter Rumachik, his wife, Luba Rumachik, and their son, Pavel Rumachik. It was interesting for me in particular to read the testimonies of Mrs. Rumachik and Mr. Pavel Rumachik and the impact that the persecution of Pastor Peter had on them.
While the conditions in the prisons are not glossed over, I would consider the graphic content level to be less than The Hiding Place (by Corrie ten Boom). The continued pointing to the Lord by all three testimonies was encouraging to me, and it was interesting to read the translation of several Russian hymns as well. This was an interesting book that I was glad to read!
Today is the last day of the Five Fall Favorites party! Oh no! But don’t worry– this party takes place every year, if the Lord doesn’t return before then! (Wouldn’t it be great if He did?!)
I have a big bike rack with bikes right here! Just in case you’re still sleepy since I posted this so early (hint: I scheduled it 😛 ), grab a bike and go for a quick spin! Don’t forget to come back and read about my top 5 favorite books that I’ve read in 2020 so far. (This may be a little difficult, but I’ll do my best!)
This book touched my heart. Mrs. Wesco shares her joys and struggles in it, and the testimony of she and her husband was so inspiring. I highly recommend this book!
These books are wonderful! The historical information is very interesting, while the Masons and their friends and family give me a compelling reason to keep reading! Written from a Confederate viewpoint on the War Between the States, this series will challenge you to take a look at the side of the story not often told. But whether you are a Northerner or a Southerner, you will find these books interesting!
Home Fires of the Great War by Rebekah A. Morris (my review)
This book was wonderful! It had funny moment, sweet moments, tearful moments and more… and it also challenged me to write better letters! Read my review if you’d like to learn more. 😉
I actually beta-read this book before 2020, but it was published this year and I read the print copy this year, so does that count? 😉 This book is amazing: Baptist history, great writing, and part of history that is not often covered!
I connected with one of the main characters in this book, and the writing was amazing! It also taught me more about the military, something I’m not very familiar with, while holding some great lessons!
Yep, those were some of my favorite books I read in 2020! (I tried to pick my top favorites but it was hard, so I may really have enjoyed others more than some of these. 😉 ) Have you read them? Let me know below!! And also, be sure to head over to the Literary Lodge (link below in the graphic) to find out who won the giveaway and to find a list of free and $0.99 ebooks! (Hint: if you missed Danger in Detroit on Thursday, now is the time to get it!)
Head over to the Literary Lodge (home of Rebekah A. Morris, the main host of the party) to find some more great recommendations and enter the giveaway!
Hello! Today I get to share with y’all some books in a nice genre– Instructional Non-Fiction. I like this genre since I enjoy various craft endeavors, and I have found some helpful books that I used when I was into these crafts. I have arranged them in chronological order of my hobbies, and I hope you enjoy learning about what I enjoyed doing over the years!
I’d like to invite you to grab a soft blanket from my pile on the swing over there. It’s getting chilly on these October days, and I don’t want you to be shivering while I share some more books with you! I have blankets in all sorts of colors, so feel free to select one in your favorite color. Then curl up on that swing and get ready to learn about some books!
Hooked on Rubber Band Jewelry by Elizabeth M. Kollmar (my review)
I went through a phase where I had fun making rubber band bracelets! And this book was nice because it had some unique designs, such as strawberry or grape motifs!
Tape It & Make It by Richela Fabian Morgan
I also enjoyed making things out of duct tape for a while. Did you know that there are many, many different colors and designs of boring ol’ duct tape?? My cousin introduced me to this craft, and I found several books with cool designs in them. This was one of those books… it includes 101 things to make out of duct tape, from #1: Feather to #101: Reupholstering a Bar Stool. Some people may have issues with some of the things in it, such as Christmas and Easter decorations, an Ace card, superhero cape, meditation mat, etc… but the only thing I would consider immodest is a doll with not enough clothes on.
Modern Prairie Sewing by Abigail A. Long (my review)
I found this to be a fun sewing book! The designs are beautiful and the photos cheery. I first borrowed it from the library several years ago, but upon working on this post, I borrowed again! This time, it introduced me to making bags and purses, which has been a lot of fun.
Lettering With Purpose by Brittany Luiz
I still enjoy playing around with hand lettering every once in a while… though I am not amazing at it! This book has a lot of ideas for different lettering techniques and projects, step-by-step instructions for embellishments, and prompts for when you’ve run out of ideas of phrases to letter! It is not Christian and has some quotes that I don’t agree with, but otherwise it’s an inspiring book.
DIY Hand Lettering by Melissa Averinos and Asharae Kroll
This is another fun lettering book!! It has 25 inspiring projects.. and personally, I just like looking at all the pretty lettering! The only things I didn’t appreciate are quotes on mugs like “nectar of the gods” (there is only one true God), other quotes I don’t agree with, and an etched wineglass project. The lettering itself is pretty; I just don’t agree with some of the quotes.
Can you believe that this is the last official day of the party?! The good news is… I’ll be back tomorrow with my top 5 favorite books of 2020 (so far)! And the winner of the giveaway (see below) will also be announced tomorrow at Read Another Page, so be sure to check back then!
Curious about that giveaway? Check it out by clicking here!
As usual, head over to the Literary Lodge to find some more great recommendations and enter the giveaway!
Welcome back! Today I get to share some of my favorite children’s books with you! (If you’re following along with this party on other blogs, you may notice that everyone else is featuring holiday stories today… but I decided it would be fun to share children’s books instead!)
But before we start… you may be excited to see that today I have the Books room! And for those who are familiar with this party, that means that I get to share a free (yes, free!) ebook with you all! HOORAY! (The Book rooms are probably my favorite part of this party, to be honest!) Click on the cover below to “purchase” a free copy of Danger In Detroit, written by my brother and me.
The Princess and the Kiss by Jennie Chancey
This is a sweet story with a great message! While there is romance content, due to the nature of the story (suitors coming, and then “the one” arriving), I think it is appropriate for most ages!
(image from a sold Ebay listing)
Little Brown Monkey by Elizabeth Upham
This book has beautiful illustrations! It is about a little monkey who often speaks in rhymes. He is respectful and obedient to his parents and grandmother, and he and his friends have great adventures.
(note: there is one word used which used to mean “happy” but now means something different and not good.)
Dan Frontier series by William Hurley
This is the series that made one of my brothers start to enjoy reading! With that said, it may be more engaging for boys than for girls, but I do enjoy them. 😉 Some of the books are for a higher reading level (these are not just picture books). Since these are old books, they can be expensive, but they are good!
Butternut Bill series by Edith McCall
This is another oldie but goodie! The series is about a boy who lives with his grandmother and helps her. He has adventures with Lazy Daisy (the mule) and Jolly Joe (the crow), as well as other animal friends. Again, this series may be more appealing to boys, but I think my sisters and I enjoy them too. 🙂
(I do not recommend reading the second review on Goodreads)
Mercy Watson series by Kate DiCamillo
This series is not as old as the previous two, but it is still good! And funny, too! Mercy Watson is a pig who lives with Mr. and Mrs. Watson at 52 Deckawoo Drive. Many funny adventures ensue with different friends!
(As the illustrations in the Mercy Watson books could perhaps be described as caricatures, they could be considered inappropriate at times. And I do not recommend the book which takes place on October 31st.)
There’s a really cool giveaway going on!!! Check it out by clicking here!
Head over to the Literary Lodge (home of Rebekah A. Morris, the main host of the party) to find some more great recommendations and enter the giveaway!
Hello, and welcome to the third day of the Five Fall Favorites party! I hope you’ve been enjoying this and have found some great books to add to your TBR (To Be Read books)!
Today I have the Bushels room! As you can see, we have many bushel baskets of apples here… which, in my house, means that I probably don’t have time for reading! Oh no! You see, we would be canning those apples– making applesauce or apple pie filling. But these bushels full of apples are virtual, and I have time to talk about books with you all!
I loved this book!! While (as the category reveals) there were some medical parts, there were also parts about an ordinary (or maybe extraordinary) girl that I connected to. ❤ ❤
Our Heritage to Save by Ryana Lynn Miller (my review)
One of the main characters in this book helps a doctor/surgeon, and there are some parts about that. Sensitive readers may want to beware, but it was not described in great detail and I did enjoy the book!
Left to Die by Ivy Rose (pseudonym for Hailey Rose)
While the premise of this book sounded interesting and I had enjoyed Ivy Rose’s first book, I was disappointed by this one. The romance content was too much for me personally, which I believe is the reason why I got rid of it.
I remember really enjoying this book. The theme of Christians struggling with pacifism/nonresistance was one that I think many Christians have dealt with at one time or another, and the action was right up my alley. It’s been a while since I’ve read it, though, so maybe a re-read is due!
There’s a really cool giveaway going on!!! Check it out by clicking here!
Head over to the Literary Lodge (home of Rebekah A. Morris, the main host of the party) to find some more great recommendations and enter the giveaway!
Whew, did I spell that right? *checks* Nope, but I fixed it. 😛 Today I’m sharing five of my favorite Epistolary books: those which are written mostly as a diary, newspaper, or letter. I like books like this– do you? Let me know down in the comments!
But before I get into that, I’d like to welcome you to the Bonfires room! I hope you brought your marshmallows… just kidding! I have a stash of s’mores supplies over on that table over there. Find a marshmallow (or two!) and a roasting stick, then join me here on one of these camping chairs. While we roast the marshmallows, I’ll tell you about some of my favorite epistolary books!
Home Fires of the Great War by Rebekah A. Morris
I absolutely loved this book! If you’re interested in reading my review, you may click here, but in short: The writing was amazing, with not only many humorous scenes, but also some mournful ones. It was inspiring to me as a letter writer!
Letters From a Scatter-Brained Sister by Amanda Tero
This is a funny story that also has some great Scriptural truths!! It is likely to convict the reader as well as entertain.
Gertrude’s Diary by Isabella Alden
This book is interesting as well as extremely convicting, at least to me! It is historical fiction, and the writing is “old-fashioned”, I suppose… but it’s really good! The best part? You can read it for free by clicking here! (No, I am not paid nor obligated in any way to promote this!)
Escape on the Underground Railroad by Nancy LeSourd
It’s been a while since I read this book! If I remember right, it may have had some romance… but I do remember that it was quite interesting. It is likely worth a re-read!
Happy Day by Rebekah A. Morris
This was a sweet short story narrated by a little girl whose mother died when she was small. I don’t want to give away the ending, but it was pretty easy to pick up on what the ending would be as I read it. (Note: it does have some romance, but I did not find it to be inappropriate.)
There’s a really cool giveaway going on!!! Check it out by clicking here!
As usual, head over to the Literary Lodge to find some more great recommendations and enter the giveaway!
Hello, everyone! I am excited to participate in the Five Fall Favorites blog party this year! I’ve enjoyed reading some of the posts in previous years, and I’m looking forward to sharing some of my favorite books in these categories with you all.
Each day, I will be sharing five of my favorite books in the day’s genre. I will be also given a room, and the other participating bloggers will be given different rooms as well. (Find out more about the party at the end of my post!) And a hint: each day there will be a Books room, where you can find free ebooks!! That’s probably my favorite part of the party. 😀
One other comment that applies to each of my posts this week: my five favorites won’t usually be in any particular order. Picking favorites was hard enough (especially when I hadn’t read many in a category); putting them in order is worse! So keep that in mind. 😉
Today I would like to invite you all to the Benches room! Please take a seat on one of these comfortable benches (they are comfortable since they have back rests 😉 ) and come along as I talk about some excellent vintage books After I finish talking, I hope you’ll stick around and read some of these books!
Now, the definition of “vintage” was a little tricky for me, but the way I’m defining it is “old but neglected books”. Just for fun, I will be including the dates that these were published!
Paula the Waldensian by Eva Lecomte (published 1899) (my review)
This is a beautiful story! It has a very sweet main character and a good storyline.
The Bible Makes Us Baptists (pub. 1902) (my review)
This was a very informative and encouraging book about Baptist history! While some parts were rather gruesome, which is the only reason why I would not recommend it to children, it is still an interesting books.
The first part of this book annoyed me, quite frankly! But I appreciate the message that eventually became clear.
Sunshine Country by Kristina Roy (pub. 1909) (my review)
I recently re-read this book, and it is such a dear little story!
A Peep Behind the Scenes by Mrs. O. F. Walton (pub. 1877) (my review)
This is a sobering, but interesting, book. I recommend it!
There’s a really cool giveaway going on for this blog party!!! Check it out by clicking here!
Head over to the Literary Lodge (home of Rebekah A. Morris, the main host of the party) to find some more great recommendations and enter the giveaway!
And don’t forget to come back tomorrow for some more favorites! Thanks for reading!
Hello! I know that today is not my day to post, but I wanted to drop in and let you all know about some fun things coming up!
Some of you may remember that I reviewed an excellent book a few months ago: Preacher on the Run, by Jayna Baas. Jayna recently contacted me to let me know that she is running a blog tour for this book in November! This is an exciting opportunity to read this book (for those who haven’t yet) and to help promote it (even if you have read it)!! If you are interested in participating, please fill out the form here.**
And the reminder: next week I will be participating in the Five Fall Favorites blog party! This is a fun event in which the bloggers will be posting about their five favorite books in five different genres (and some will even include a bonus post on Saturday!). I hope you each can attend and find some great books to add to your TBR (To Be Read list)!
That’s all for now, and I hope to see you next week!
**I was not obligated to share this with you; I simply enjoyed Preacher on the Run and I like helping out indie authors, including my friend Jayna.
“The KJV version reference is subtly debossed in the bottom right corner of the front cover. A subtle frame on the spine breaks the no-decoration rule, as does the bold teal floral design printed on the page edges. An attached teal satin ribbon marker is included to save your place while a teal elastic band is added to ensure your Bible pages are securely closed.
“The teal hardcover journaling Bible is set in a single-column format with two-inch-wide ruled margins for note-taking, scribing your reflections, or creative expression. Nearly 400 hand-drawn line-art illustrations are placed throughout the Bible to serve as visual tools for meditating and reflecting on Scripture.
“Fill the journaling Bible with bold color and equally bold illustrations that declare your worship and adoration. The beautiful language of the Classic King James Version will inspire your heart to worship as you color your way through the Bible. Share the art of Bible journaling when you give the Teal Faux Leather Hardcover My Creative Bible as a Mother’s Day or birthday gift.
I was gifted this Bible by one of my friends, but I had been interested in it for a while before that. I love the idea of having more room to take notes in my Bible, and the art is gorgeous too!
I use colored pencils in this, and they do not bleed through, though since the pages are thin I can see through to the color (if that makes sense?). I also use a normal pen to take notes (which does leave an imprint on the pages). There are many illustrations on the sides of pages as well as full-page illustrations. (These illustrations are designed to be colored, like an adult coloring book.)
In John, there is an illustration depicting Jesus hanging on the Cross. While the illustration may be partially accurate, I don’t see the need to have an illustration of anyone with almost no clothes on. Also, in a couple of the illustrations, there is a microphone, which depending on the use I am not always a fan of. If I had my choice, I would have excluded these things and also left the margins unlined, for ease of adding my own illustrations. (I’m not an artist, so I probably won’t do that much, but it might be a bigger deal to those who want to add their own art.) These would be the only issues I have with this Bible.
I love the design on the edges of the pages as well as the elastic loop to hold the Book shut when not in use! The art is beautiful, the note-taking space is wonderful, and I am very grateful to own My KJV Creative Bible!
“This novel is the third volume in the Mr. Pipes series. It provides readers with a wealth of inspiring information regarding the lives of famous American hymn writers. Annie and Drew continue their action-packed adventures as Mr. Pipes visits America and teaches them about great hymns from American history. Grades 7-10.” ~from Goodreads.com
Title: Mr. Pipes Comes to America
Author: Douglas Bond
Genre(s):
Rating: ❤ ❤ ❤ (three stars)
Romance Content: Mentions nurses loving a character’s British accent, etc, but otherwise none.
Recommended age range: 15+ (see review)
My Review:
I was excited to read the other Mr. Pipes books after I read the first one. After all, I enjoy hymns and history, and when it’s interspersed with a good story, what could be better? 🙂 While this Mr. Pipes book definitely had a lot of interesting history, and the story itself was quite an adventure (and funny at points!), I was disappointed by it.
First of all, the author evidently has a strong Calvinistic bent. There is much talk in the book about Calvinism, and approval of Calvinistic hymn writers, as well as a discussion of the Law (some of which I would agree with but some which seemed misleading/confusing). While at the end there seems to be a clear presentation of the Gospel, I would recommend this book to older readers (perhaps 15+) who know where they stand on the Calvinism vs. Arminianism vs. Biblical Truth issue. If younger readers read this book, I would recommend discussion with parents on this issue. (Please note: I do not intend to start an argument on this issue. However, I would recommend that, if you do not know where you stand on it, you study it out using God’s Word as your Guide.)
Secondly, the author also seems to disapprove of many of the dear hymns I am familiar with. This is a tough issue to sort out, but in the book the outlook seems to be that hymns must speak of sin, grace, and point to God’s attributes, in order to be good. “Mr. Pipes” also espouses the view that many of our modern hymns are bad poetry. Since I am not an expert on poetry, I suppose I am not the one to critique this view, but I will say that these hymns have been a blessing to many people and will continue to do so.
I do agree that modern “praise” songs are generally not appropriate, depending on the type of music used with it. However, I question why the characters sing spirituals, since they do not seem to completely follow the standards put down by “Mr. Pipes”.
Also, one of the main characters does a bit of British “blustering”, or perhaps light British swearing. I am not familiar with British euphemisms, and this did not really bother me; I just wanted to point it out. 😉
While this was a very interesting and exciting book that did have some good history, I cannot fully recommend it, because of the aforementioned reasons. It is not very often that I give a book three stars (at least on this blog), but I felt it was necessary to give you my opinion on this book since I had previously reviewedother Mr. Pipes books. If you do read Mr. Pipes Comes To America, please keep in mind the points I mentioned!
AND! I am pleased to announce that I will be participating in the 2020 Five Fall Favorites blog party!! And, what’s more, I’m inviting you along for the ride! Your invitation is below, and I hope to see you there! 😀
“This novel is the second book in the Mr. Pipes series which provides teens with an engaging study of the historical backgrounds of several hymns from the Reformation era. Annie and Drew continue their adventures with Mr. Pipes as they retrace the steps of some of the great hymn writers of the sixteenth century. Grades 7-10.” ~from Goodreads.com
Title: Mr. Pipes and Psalms and Hymns of the Reformation
Author: Douglas Bond
Genre(s): Christian Children’s Fiction
Rating: ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ (four stars)
Romance Content: N/A
Recommended age range: 12+
My Review:
This was an interesting book! I enjoyed the story as well as the history.
I should have guessed, based on the title, that I wouldn’t agree with the author’s take on history. But since I did not guess that (or rather, didn’t think about it), I was disappointed on the entirely favorable view of Martin Luther, John Calvin, and other Reformers. While I do appreciate them for their bold stance for the Word of God and other doctrines, I do not agree with them fully on other doctrines, such as infant baptism, Calvinism, etc. The main characters also attend a Lutheran church as well as some others that I wasn’t clear on the denomination of. For these reasons, I would recommend that this book be read out loud for children/young teens, perhaps, with the adult giving some extra history and insight into why we don’t fully support Luther and Calvin.
This was an interesting, well written, and enjoyable book. I enjoyed learning more about Europe and history, and there were some fun moments and good lessons as well. Because of the aforementioned reasons, I cannot recommend it without reservations, but if you keep those things in mind, I still think it’s a good book.
*I know that Calvin, Luther, and their doctrines can be a controversial issue. I do not desire to start an argument about this, and neither am I an expert on it.
Today we have a double-header! I am pleased to review a book and CD by the same woman, Mrs. Stephanie Wesco. Her story is inspiring, though sad, and this CD is excellent!
Title: Steadfast in Trials
Musician(s): Stephanie Wesco & Family
Genre(s): According to Amazon: “Christian & Gospel > Christian Contemporary Music”, but I don’t consider this to be CCM in the normal sense of the word! I’d say it’s Godly Christian Music. 🙂
Rating: ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ (five stars)
My Review:
Steadfast in Trials is an inspiring CD. As a musician myself, I was blessed by the beautiful music as well as the wonderful lyrics. I love the Scripture that is interwoven in the songs! It was also nice to hear the family singing together, though the majority of the songs were of only Mrs. Wesco singing (with piano accompaniment).
The only thing I do not like about this CD is that most of the songs on it are not available to buy as piano/voice sheet music! (Or at least I haven’t been able to find that.) Such music would be something I would be interested in purchasing. 🙂
Many of these songs were written by Mrs. Wesco and the man who helped her overcome PTSD Biblically, Mr. Doug Carragher, and since I have also read To Die is Gain (Mrs. Wesco’s book) the songs were especially meaningful. I would recommend this CD to anyone who is looking for godly Christian music!
Today we have a double-header! I am pleased to review a book and CD by the same woman, Mrs. Stephanie Wesco. Her story is inspiring, though sad, and this book is excellent!
“Before the beginning of time, God had a perfect plan for a very special man. He planned his parents, his time of birth, his childhood, his profession, his calling, his wife, his children, his ministry, his purpose for living. So much would transpire to bring about God’s ultimate purpose for that man’s life—to live and die for his Savior. That man was my husband, and this is his story—and mine.” ~synopsis
Title: To Die Is Gain
Author: Stephanie Wesco
Genre(s): Christian Non-fiction; Autobiography
Rating: ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ (five stars)
Content: The murder of Mr. Wesco is described in sub-graphic detail. Those who are sensitive to such things may want to avoid this book or at least skip that section. There is also a narrative of most (if not all) of Mrs. Wesco’s childbirth experiences, which I would not recommend for young men in particular to read. Mrs. Wesco did deal with PTSD (post-tramatic stress disorder) and so some of that is described as well. As a conservative Christian teenage young lady, I did not find all of this to be too much, but everyone is different. (I would say the most graphic part was when Mr. Wesco was murdered; it describes blood everywhere and such.)
Romance Content: Mr. and Mrs. Wesco’s courtship story is detailed, but it is appropriate.
Recommended age range: 13+ for young ladies, not sure about young men.
My Review:
To Die Is Gain, by Stepanie Wesco, was an excellent, convicting, and encouraging book! I connected with Mrs. Wesco because her early life sounds similar to mine in many areas. We had heard about their family during the sad events mentioned above and had been praying for them, and thus were very interested to read the book Mrs. Wesco had written (and we also got their CD). They did not disappoint! This is a poignant true story of how God uses even evil for good and how His plan is always best. I was particularly encouraged by the testimony both Mr. and Mrs. Wesco had of memorizing large portions of Scripture and obeying God even when it was difficult. It was also a blessing to see how God worked in their lives. I highly recommend this book to everyone who is looking for an inspiring Christian autobiography that takes place in very recent times!
To read my review of the Wescos’ music CD, click here!
Romance Content: Talks about men coming to court a girl and propose to her; no inappropriate scenes or other unnecessary items.
Recommended age range: 7+?
My Review:
This was an intriguing short story! I think it did its job well: it made me want to read the other Woodbreak books! It stops at a cliff-hanger, which (I’m presuming) leads to book one in the series (Jim Wood). I am looking forward to reading the other books!
The only thing I wasn’t sure about was the fact that a girl has a boy’s nickname (Robbie). While I’m not adamantly against that, I would prefer if girls had distinctly girls’ names. 😉
“Ivan isn’t the most popular boy at school but he is the best at football. Some of his classmates think that Ivan shouldn’t be allowed to play on the school team because he is a Christian. Ivan has a lot of teasing and bullying to put up with. However, when Ivan and Katya get the chance to travel to the Lenin Collective Farm, to help with the harvest, things begin to change for the better.
“In the midst of all that fresh air and exercise Ivan discovers that somewhere on the farm is something of immense value.” ~from the back of the book
Title: Ivan and the Hidden Bible
Author: Myrna Grant
Genre(s): Christian Children’s Historical Fiction
Rating: ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ (four stars)
Romance Content: None!
Recommended age range: 7+
My Review:
After I posted my review of the first Ivan book, one of my friends told me that she had three others! She kindly let me borrow them, and I have enjoyed reading them.
This book is very interesting! It deals with how to act when you are persecuted because you are a Christian, and I also found the plot line about the hidden Bible to be cool. While I don’t really appreciate the part where the children were sneaking around at night looking for the Bible, I understand why they were doing it.
This was an interesting book, and I would recommend this series both to children who want an adventure story as well as to those who want to learn more about history in the Soviet Union!
“Thirteen-year-old Maria Mitchell, known to all as Ria, and her friend Lydia have been assigned to write a report on a hero or heroine of the Great War (World War I) for a school project. Instead of picking some well known figure, the two friends decide to search for someone forgotten or unknown. When asked to help, Emma Mitchell, Ria’s Mom, brings out old letters she and a cousin wrote during the war. The girls are sure the letters hold the key to their success of finding a forgotten hero! But will they? It that all that these letters bring to light? Join Ria and Lydia, Mrs. Mitchell, an old neighbor called Corporal, and others as they re-live the years of home life during the war.” ~synopsis
Romance Content: Speaks of people getting married; at one point an unmarried couple is left alone, which I do not agree with, but I do appreciate that the young man asked her father before proposing.
Recommended age range: 10+, or as a family read-aloud
My Review:
While some debut novels may not be as good as the succeeding ones, this is not the case for Miss Morris’s books! I’m not sure which of her novels (that I’ve read) I like the best, but this one was excellent!
I loved the letters between the cousins (which is mostly what the book is composed of). While I’ve read similar books with letters or diary entries in them, I don’t remember any that were this good. As a pen pal myself, the letters inspired me to make my letters more interesting!
This book has so many emotions intertwined: humor, sadness, joy… I loved it! While I can’t say there was a specific “high” or “low” point of the book, I feel that’s more realistic to everyday life: there are highs and lows throughout life!
At one point I believe there is a mention of going to a Catholic church, there are some mentions of injuries/sicknesses, and there are many stories of little boys and girls getting into trouble (which I found hilarious, but you may want to be careful who you read it to; don’t give your little brothers any ideas!). Romance content is listed above. I think this book is appropriate for all ages, and would work well as a read-aloud… except that it’s so long, it would take a while to read out loud, but I don’t find that to be a huge issue. 😉
I loved reading this book, and I highly recommend it to all!
“Ivan and his sister Katya are going to the great Moscow circus to see their new friend Volodia perform the amazing triple somersault on this trapeze. But in spite of the fun they can’t forget that Volodia’s uncle, a great Russian poet, has been imprisoned for critcizing the Communist government.”
“Katya and Ivan long to help. But what can a teenage boy and a ten-year-old girl do against the powerful Secret Police? Read how a key, a car, a foreign journalist and a clown suit help Ivan in one of his greatest adventures.”
Title: Ivan and the Moscow Circus (Ivan series)
Author: Myrna Grant
Genre(s): Christian Historical Fictioin
Rating: ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ (four stars)
Romance Content: N/A
Recommended age range: 8+, with parent explanation
Review:
I have read about Communism, so I was interested when I saw this fiction book about Christians in the Soviet Union. It was certainly very interesting! It talked about how Christians were persecuted, and I also enjoyed learning about the way of life in Russia during that time. It was good to read about how Christians did witness some.
However, there were some things that I didn’t think were realistic. For one, it talks about how Christians didn’t go to the circus, but then somehow Ivan and Katya’s parents give permission for their children to go, and later go themselves! While the circus back then may have been more appropriate than those today, I wouldn’t want to go to either. At the beginning of the circus, there is a song about how good the Soviet Union was, and the children enjoyed it… and I doubt if they really would have!
Also, the children do go behind their parents’ backs in a couple situations. While there are times where they consult their parents, there are a few instances where they do dangerous things or things they shouldn’t have done without asking their parents. I didn’t appreciate that part of the book.
All together, I did enjoy this book and I would recommend it to children and young people. (Several of my siblings have read it as well!) However, I think some parental discussion would be helpful during or after reading the book. I am looking forward to reading more books in this series!
Also, I am no longer a part of Nanowrimo as they have been promoting causes/lifestyles that I do not agree with. However, I have joined a great Christian writer’s group!!
If you are interested in joining, comment below or contact me through my contact page and I’ll get you the information! 🙂
“‘What have I to dread, what have I to fear, Leaning on the everlasting arms? I have blessed peace, with my Lord so near, Leaning on the everlasting arms!’ As the words float by her, Meg is bitter. ‘What have I to dread? Life without either of my parents!’ she fumes inside. ‘What have I to fear? Going to live with a family we’ve never met!’ Follow along as Meg Sonnenfeld is orphaned, come with her as she goes to live with a large family a few hours away, learn why Lissie, one of the girls she goes to live with, is so bitter, and see what happens when cholera strikes—again. Will Meg’s sister die? Why has all this happened? Will Meg learn to ‘Lean On the Everlasting Arms’?
Title: Leaning On the Everlasting Arms: A Novelette
Author: Laura Danner
Genre(s): Christian Historical Fiction
Rating: ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ (four stars)
Romance Content: N/A
Recommended age range: 10+
My Review:
FTC disclosure: I bought this book when it on sale on Amazon. I was not required to leave a review, positive or otherwise.
I enjoyed reading this novelette! It had some good messages and Biblical truth. (Also, I love the cover!) While some of the dialogue didn’t seem very accurate to the timeperiod, I know that details like those are hard to imitate. I was disappointed that the main character thought of/called adults by their first names; while it perhaps made it more personal, I believe that it’s more respectful to call adults Mr/Mrs/Miss. However, this was an interesting novelette with some good messages and I’m glad I read it!
Note: a man is called Bishop and Christmas is celebrated in this book.
P.S. I read this more than a month ago and meant to post this review sooner, but I signed up for some blog tours and needed to fit books in before them, so I’m only getting to this one now! I apologize to those who were waiting for my review!
Today I am pleased to participate in the blog tour for A Song of Home, the latest book in the Battle for Heritage series by Ryana Lynn Miller! Before we move on to the review and other exciting things, let’s learn more about the series!
About the Series
The Battle for Heritage Series (BHS) is an in-progress five book series on the War Between the States. Each book follows one year of the war, focusing on the Southern perspective. Unlike most books on this period, BHS does not focus on slavery but rather the reason the war was fought: the issue of states’ rights and the right of the people to restore the rightful government as designed by our forefathers. But even though this is important, this is not the main goal of BHS.
Every book includes a clear Gospel presentation, as well as other biblical topics designed to strengthen the believer and disciple the new convert. If you take nothing else from these stories, please take the lessons from Scripture to heart. If not, the goal is missed.
The series follows the Mason family, Silas and Ellen, and their children, Richard, Seth, Dixie, Michael, Thomas, and Virginia Rose, through the years 1861-1865. Having family on both sides allows the reader to discover viewpoints of both sides, though the story is focused on the South’s point of view. Having friends in the North and South, Ryana Lynn endeavors to keep things kind, while realistic and giving the facts.
BHS has reached people in a multitude of states, her best readerships being located in North Carolina, Maryland, Pennsylvania and Ohio. It is her prayer that someday, someone will come to know Christ through her writings. Her life verse, Jude 22, sums up her writing mission: “And of some, have compassion, making a difference.”
Now for the review!
“In war time, everyone is called to fulfill their patriotic duty. But everyone’s duty is not the same. For some, it’s to soldier on the field of battle. For others, it is to stay back and defend the home front. Still others keep the soldiers clothed and cared for.
‘We’re gonna finish this,’ Seth murmured. ‘We’re gonna finish this fight once and for all. They can’t just come in and threaten a man’s family and livelihood just because they feel like it.’
‘It’s a hard lesson to teach,’ Silas interjected. ‘The Patriots were outmanned and outgunned, but they taught the redcoats right well. God’s will is most important, and God is the best Teacher. Sometimes He does it Himself, and other times He uses men to teach the lesson.’
“Join the Mason family as another year of war dawns with no end in sight. Despair, hatred and death surround them…will they ever know a time of hope, love and peace again?
“Bring your family along on another history packed journey full of battle, music, victory and defeat. The war ain’t over ‘til the sabers quit clashing!” ~synopsis
Title: A Song of Home
Author: Ryana Lynn Miller
Genre(s): Christian Historical Fiction
Rating: ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ (five stars)
Romance Content: Talks of people getting married and has scenes with married couples being alone; nothing inappropriate
Recommended age range: 13+, perhaps, because of the war scenes (parental approval recommended 😉 )
My Review:
Once again, this was another great book in the Battle for Heritage series!! I greatly enjoyed following favorite characters through this book and seeing them change (in a good way)! As is likely to happen in war stories, there are some sad scenes as well as some scenes where people get hurt, but I didn’t find them too gruesome– this depends on the individual.
As with the last book, I enjoyed the sections about the Confederate spies! I also liked reading some of the songs included (though I’ll admit that I skimmed some because I wanted to get back to the story!). It was cool to “meet” a relative of the author as well!
I did not agree with the note at the end referring to 2 Chron. 7:14, that if we humble ourselves, pray, etc God will heal our land. God made that promise to Israel, not to the United States, and while He does do such things for individuals, He has no obligation to heal America, unfortunately.
I enjoyed reading this book! While I don’t want the war to end in the last book (yet to be published), since I know who won, I still am looking forward to reading it eventually because I want to know what happens to the Masons and their friends!
About the Author
Ryana Lynn Miller has a unique way of blending her love for history with her love for the Savior. Her continued research is fueled by her desire for truth and details. Her main concern, both historically and Biblically, is to show the past to the present to secure the future.
Now, there’s a…
Giveaway!
The giveaway is for ecopies of all four (published) books in the Battle For Heritage series, and there is one winner. International readers, you are welcome to enter! Click here to enter!
And a few quotes for you…
I hope you enjoyed reading this post and that you’ll consider reading this book! 🙂
Life in 19th century Australia overflows with hardship . . . Will Jayne have the courage to find the answers?
I am excited to participate in a blog tour today for an excellent book– Jayne’s Endeavour, by Lauren Compton. Read on for more information about the book, series, author, my review, an exclusive excerpt, and a giveaway!
Genre: Historical Christian Fiction Page Count: 276 Age Range: 12-18 Series: Book 1 of The JOY Series
Mysterious strangers, a Scripture verse, and a threat.
“Reids never give up.” The words once held so much truth. But at eighteen, Jayne Reid is beginning to wonder if she can live up to that standard.
When puzzling strangers appear and odd things start to happen, Jayne and her two younger sisters must find a solution—or lose everything.
What mystery lurks in the shadows of the Australian bush? Who is the man in town who thinks he can buy and bully anyone he wishes? And is it all somehow connected to their new farmhand?
Journey with Jayne as she struggles to change fear into boldness and boldness into a trusting relationship with her Heavenly Father. What adventure lies ahead?
Title: Jayne’s Endeavour
Author: Lauren Compton
Genre(s): Christian Historical Fiction
Rating: ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ (four stars)
Romance Content: N/A
Recommended age range: 12+, appropriate for all ages
My Review:
FTC Disclosure: I was given an ebook copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I was not required to give a positive review. All thoughts are my own.
This was a very interesting book with great Scriptural truth! I enjoyed learning more about Australia– the different words and spellings were fun to read as well as learning about wildlife and plant life in the bush. 🙂 The premise/plot was very interesting, and I enjoyed trying to guess what was really going on, especially pertaining to a couple characters. 😉 Oh, and I also loved Jayne’s name! It’s an unique way to spell it that I hadn’t seen before.
The only thing that I didn’t appreciate were the scenes where the main character, a young lady, is alone with men and touches them, either to comfort {i.e. she touches him lightly on the shoulder} or to help an injured man. Now, there is nothing inappropriate and the men are quite a bit older than her, like closer to her father’s age, but I still don’t prefer such things.
All in all, this was an enjoyable book that I really enjoyed! I appreciate the Biblical lessons throughout, such as God being a Father to the fatherless and, while much more subtle, the lessons against gossip. I would recommend this book to people of all ages!
Excerpt
“Jayne, Jayne, you’ll never guess what’s happened.” Yvonne gasped for breath as she halted in front of Checker’s stall. “The lantern we left out is missing. Nowhere to be found.”
Olivia came up behind Yvonne. “We looked everywhere.”
Jayne groaned and set her milk pails on the ground outside the pen. She had forgotten to ask about the lantern. “Where did you leave it?” she asked Olivia.
“It was too difficult for me to carry the lamb and the lantern last night. Halfway home we decided to leave it by a tree. We made sure we left it where we could find it, but—” She lifted her hands in a helpless shrug.
Jayne didn’t like the possibilities that her mind immediately conjured up. To Yvonne it was just an exciting mystery, but to Jayne the implications seemed serious. Had someone been creeping around their property in the dark? Was it someone connected with Mr Lamberton? Or worse still, could it have been Lamberton himself? As Jayne remembered how she had sat alone in the dark last night, a tingle ran down her spine.
Olivia watched Jayne’s face closely. “What do you think happened to it?”
Jayne shrugged, unwilling to voice her thoughts. She patted Checkers as she disciplined herself to think of a more obvious solution. “You probably just forgot where you put it. Come, and we’ll all look.”
Olivia nodded. “Sure enough it hasn’t grown legs and walked off. More than likely we just had the wrong place.”
Jayne shook her head at herself. Why must she always jump to the worst possible conclusion? Still feeling frustrated, she called out to Yvonne, who was already heading out of the stable. “Wait till I put these pails inside.”
–Chapter 10, Jayne’s Endeavour
The JOY Series
The JOY Series follows three sisters on a quest to keep their parents’ legacy and dreams alive. Loaded with 19th century Australian adventure, it’s a series full of intrigue, adventure, and faith for ages 12 and up!
About the Author
Lauren Compton lives in Australia on a sheep farm—surrounded by mountains and plenty of Aussie wildlife! From a young age she has loved books and writing-related things (yep, that includes spending ages in the writing supplies department!). Now she has embarked on a mission to write books that both entertain AND encourage. Her desire is to weave stories that point readers to her Heavenly Father while at the same time being a whole lot of fun!
Be sure to follow along for author interviews, fun posts, and exclusive giveaways!(NOTE: I cannot recommend all of these blogs, as I am not familiar with all of them. Please check them out at your own discretion. 😉 )
Tuesday 2nd June Rebekah @ Read Another Page |Review and Author Interview
Wednesday 3rd June Kassie @ Soldier Girl Stories PLEASE NOTE! As of October 2022, do not go to Kassie Angle’s former website! She doesn’t own that domain anymore, and it is now a bad website, from what I’ve heard. |Review and Exclusive Giveaway Esther @ Purposeful Learning |Book Spotlight, Recipe
“Life is not a bed of roses. It’s often riddled with thorny trials that will make or break us. The same is true for the Mason family and their friends. “Richard shook his head, ‘General, sir, I am honored beyond words that the men regard me so highly…but I am only nineteen, sir.’ “‘Days away from twenty,’ Jackson remarked, glancing down at a paper before him. ‘I want you to take this as an opportunity from our ever-kind Heavenly Father. He has His hand of blessing upon you, Lt. Mason. Don’t turn away from His plans for you.’ “Join the Mason family as the war continues to rage around them, threatening at any time to take a dear one from them. War can bring out the best and worst in people, and when nerves are strained to the breaking point, will they be able to do what they know is right? And if they fail, will the wallow in defeat or arise the victor over their circumstances?” ~synopsis
Romance Content: Mention of a girl eventually getting married, scenes with husband and wife but nothing intimate or inappropriate
Recommended age range: 10+?
My Review:
FTC disclosure: I was given an ebook copy of this book by the author in exchange for an honest review. I was not required to give a positive review. All thoughts are my own.
As I read each of these books in order, it seems as though they simply get better and better! I greatly enjoyed this one!
One of my favorite parts was seeing how the characters we’ve been following all collide at one point! Not that I like why they “collided” or what happened to them, but it was interesting to see how it all happened.
The action and suspense were just as good as in the last book, perhaps better! The author did leave us hanging in one situation, though, so I’m looking forward to reading the next book!
I enjoyed seeing the main characters grow up, and I can’t wait to see what will come their way in the next books! It was also fun to see some Regulators mentioned as Patriots, since I recently read Preacher on the Run, about that period in history. 🙂
Once again, I appreciate the Biblical principles portrayed in this book, and I am glad I was able to read it! I would recommend this to most people ages 10 and up (content below).
Content, etc: A mention is made of a MC needing to get rid of something if it happened to be playing cards; girls refuse to dance based on 1 Cor. 7:1; President Lincoln is compared to the devil (as described in Is 14:16) in someone’s mind but the person then blushes. President Lincoln is blamed for starting and continuing the war, which could be true, for all I know. 😉 There are also parts about wounds, injuries, and other disgusting things, not too detailed in my opinion.
Note: As of 05/2020, the only place where these books are available for purchase is www.lifeofheritage.com. 🙂
“Heritage. Family. Freedom. What would you be willing to do to protect them? This is the question that the soldiers of the Blue and the Gray asked themselves multiple times no doubt during the War Between the States. And the Mason family is not exempt from answering it.
‘I have sons fighting in both armies, and that is not acceptable to me. My younger son chose his…his ‘country’ over his family.” Seth’s eyes were sincere as he slowly said, “Hard decisions have to be made in time of war, sir. I have cousins in the Union army as well. You’re right, it hurts. It hurts my mama a lot, because she’s from up north. But the rights of life, liberty and property must be defended.’
Join the Masons as they enter the second year of conflict between the Confederacy and the Union. As loyalties are tested, some soldiers must choose between their beliefs and their families. Be reminded that war is not all glory, but also a good deal of anxiety, sorrow and broken dreams. May the whole family enjoy this story as they seek a closer relationship with the Lord and learn more about our Nation’s history.” ~synopsis
Romance Content: Mentions people getting married, but other than that, none.
Recommended age range: 12+?
My Review:
FTC disclosure: I was given an ebook copy of this book by the author in exchange for an honest review. I was not required to give a positive review. All thoughts are my own.
I enjoyed this book a lot more than the first one! I think the writing was better and drew me in more. (Plus, it probably helped that I was already a little more attached to the characters, from reading book one. 😉 ) I greatly enjoyed the SLIGHT SPOILER spy scenes; it was really cool to read about the cousins meeting 🙂 SPOILER END!
I feel like this book had a more medical details than the first one, which could be more gruesome, but, to me, it wasn’t too bad. (It talks about amputation and other wounds in a fair amount of detail, but not a lot of detail.)
I liked the fact that, while there was still historical information in this one, it didn’t seem to be as out-of-context/boring/not applicable to the story as it was in the first book. (It could be just me, but in the first book, I was a little annoyed at the historical sections; I wanted the story! 😛 And yes, I should have put that in my review of that book… maybe I’ll add it.) But that was much better in this book!
The emotion/description/just writing was better in this one and it drew me in more! I greatly enjoyed this book! And I’m looking forward to reading the next! 😉
Notes: You may have noticed that I am not following my regular schedule of posting every other week. That is because I am trying to review all the books in this series before I post for the blog tour for the latest book on May 30th. Thanks for understanding!
FTC disclosure: I was given an ebook copy of this book by the author in exchange for an honest review. I was not required to give a positive review. All thoughts are my own.
This was an interesting book! It was good to read about the War Between the States from a Southern point of view, and learn more about the reasons behind secession and the war. I enjoyed the fact that it was about a family, but it was also interesting to get a peek into the lives of people surrounding the family and their struggles.
One thing that did confuse me somewhat and I didn’t prefer was that the parents were called by their first names sometimes. (Not by children, just in the book.) It wasn’t a big deal, just it took some getting used to, especially since sometimes they are called Silas and Ellen and sometimes Papa and Mama. Also, Christmas is celebrated in this book.
Some of the facts of the war were rather boring to me, not being a War Between the States history buff. And since some of them didn’t directly relate to the story, I wasn’t intrigued by them. This is improved in the following books, however!
I appreciate that war and bloodshed aren’t seen as good things in this book, but that the characters try to look at these things from a Biblical perspective, especially trying not to hate the Northern soldiers.
While this is not a particularly action-filled book and the writing isn’t captivating, it is a book that I enjoyed and that I would hand to my siblings!
“Robert Boothe has spent the last four years leading the tyrant-hating Regulators in standing against North Carolina’s corrupt British government. Just being an unlicensed dissenter preacher is enough to make Robert a target, but he refuses to back down from his conscience. Aside from a sympathetic court justice, the village of Ayen Ford has no other champion for its poor and defenseless. Then Charles Drake, emissary of His Excellency William Tryon, comes to town with one ambition: winning the governor’s favor, no matter what it takes. And Robert Boothe just might be his last chance. All Robert wants is a safe place for his little Baptist church to live and worship God. But the established church wants him to shut up. The governor’s men want him dead. And that safe place is farther and farther away.
Romance Content: Some talk, kisses, etc between main character and wife; there is a couple who wants to get married (basically engaged, although that word isn’t used) but there is no touching or anything between them
Recommended age range: 13+
My Review:
FTC disclosure: I am friends with the author and her family, I was a beta reader for this book, and I was sent a copy of this book by the author with no review required. This is my honest opinion; all thoughts are my own.
Wow. (Yes, that may or may not be an inside joke, but it does describe my impression of the book.) This book was chock full of emotion, Scripture, adventure, and humor, among other things. It was excellent!! Though not all of it was historically accurate, I wouldn’t have guessed! (The author separates fact from fiction at the end.) This book, more than being interesting and informative, also shows a great struggle about trusting God, among other good lessons.
There were a couple things I wouldn’t prefer to read. One of them was the relationship between the main character and his wife. There was nothing inappropriate, but I think it got a little too personal for unmarried individuals to read. There are also some references to a character being immoral and some references to alcohol, not portrayed in a good way. There is a fair amount of violence, including intense scenes where people are trying to kill other people. Yes, the Regulators were fighting for a good cause and the main character really didn’t want to shed blood, but it’s still there. For those reasons (mostly the first one), I probably wouldn’t recommend this book to ages 12 or younger (without parental approval).
This was an absolutely amazing, heart-tugging, page-turning book that I would recommend to just about everyone (with qualifiers above)!! Although it was written by a young lady, the main character is a man and I think any man or boy would enjoy it as well. With many good lessons and excellent writing, this is a book I will enjoy reading and recommending for a long time, Lord willing!
Hello, friends! I am pleased to announce that my brother and I are preparing to publish our first book!!
Meet the Lelands: Dad, Mom, Josiah, Mark, Sarah, Emily, Rose, and Silas. They are an ordinary Christian homeschooling family that lives in Virginia and enjoys traveling and playing music.
“The Leland family is in Detroit with their grandpa for a family conference! Will Mark finally experience an adventure? Where did Grandpa and the boys go? Will the bad guys be caught? Why are all of these things happening? Join the Lelands as they are chased through the dark alleys of Detroit, take part in an exciting donut delivery, and more, while trusting God through it all.” ~synopsis
This book is geared for ages 7-12, but we hope that other ages will also enjoy it.
We hope to publish our book this Saturday, April 11th, 2020! We are now looking for reviewers. We have openings for only 5 reviewers. First come, first serve! Those who sign up will be emailed an ebook (pdf) copy of our book and will be expected to review it on Amazon and/or their personal blog by May 1st. If you don’t think you will be able to review it by that date, please don’t sign up; save the copies for people who will be able to.
{Form available below on blog; not viewable in Reader}
After the book is published, paperback copies will be available to purchase on Amazon or signed copies directly from us, the authors, through this blog. (Still working on the details for that.) We hope to be able to offer Kindle books on Amazon as well, but those will not be available as soon.
Thank you for your interest in Danger in Detroit! Please sign up above if you would like to receive a copy of our book in exchange for an honest review!
“Sarah Goodwin can hardly wait for her first year of school to begin. “I’ll have a girlfriend at last,” she thinks. But when she reaches the one-room schoolhouse on Yonder Mountain, she finds nothing but boys, boys, boys! How will Sarah get along with the boys on Yonder Mountain? Will she make new friends? Will she forgive Lijah and Trace for what happens to her doll? Will her prayer for another girl on Yonder Mountain be answered?
“Six-year-old Sarah tackles her problems with the determination of a mother hen protecting her nest. But sometimes even determination does not help, and Sarah learns to seek help from wiser sources. In the process, Sarah gives as much help as she receives.” ~ Back cover.
Title: On Yonder Mountain
Author: Milly Howard
Genre(s): Christian Children’s Fiction
Rating: ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ (five stars)
Romance Content: N/A
Recommended age range: ages 6-9
My Review:
This was a heartwarming story for girls! It teaches many Biblical lessons, including forgiveness and answers to prayer. While the primary age range I would recommend it for is ages 6-9, I, as a teenager, also enjoyed the sweet little book. This would be a great book for the little sister, friend, or daughter in your life!
Note: there is a section which takes place at Christmas time.
“When young Rachel Saint surrendered her life to God, she began an unimaginable journey that would span decades and radically transform a dying culture steeped in revenge. Against all odds, God would lead her to Ecuador’s Waorani Indians – known as Aucas, or savages, and infamous for murder.
“Despite the martyrdom of five missionaries by Waorani spears, Rachel boldly persisted in following God. In one of the greatest testimonies to God’s grace and power in our time, this pioneering Bible translator would live for two decades with her own brother’s killers, for the joy of seeing them become brothers and sisters in Christ.” ~from the back of the book
Title: Rachel Saint: A Star in the Jungle
Author: Janet & Geoff Benge
Genre(s): Christian Missionary Non-Fiction/Biographical
Rating: ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ (four stars)
Romance Content: N/A
Recommended age range: 13+
My Review:
This was a captivating and challenging book! I had heard some about Rachel Saint (and of course about Nate Saint), but I don’t think I had read anything about Rachel’s life. It was good to read about how she turned her back on riches in order to obey God. Her persistence in reaching the Waorani people for Christ was encouraging as well! This was a great book and I would highly recommend it!
Note: I do not agree with “dreams from God”, etc. While God may use dreams in people’s lives, He does not speak to them in dreams anymore.
“Where does joy come from? That is the question Paige Martin faces when life’s challenges threaten to overwhelm her. Her husband is out of work, a longed-for baby has been lost through a miscarriage, and now they are moving far away from all that is familiar. Struggling to cope with these frightening changes, Paige slowly walks through the Lord’s lessons on finding joy.” ~from the back of the book
Romance Content: There are a husband and wife in this story who have some private talks, but there wasn’t anything really inappropriate.
Recommended age range: 13+, for understanding
My Review:
This was a beautiful book filled with a lot of truth. The topic of joy vs. worry is a great one! I enjoyed the descriptive writing and the hope at the end. While this isn’t an action-packed story by any means and there are many ups and downs in Mrs. Martin’s journey with joy, I still enjoyed this book (and Gina definitely added a nice perk 🙂 ).
I think adults or teenagers would enjoy this book more than younger people, because, once again, it’s more of a thoughtful book than an exciting one. However, it would be a great book for more mature readers.
PLEASE NOTE! As of October 2022, do not go to Kassie Angle’s former website! She doesn’t own that domain anymore, and it is now a bad website, from what I’ve heard.
Today I am very pleased to participate in the release tour for Tattered Wings, by Kassie Angle. I was happy to be able to read this book! Let’s get to the review.
“Some scars can’t be seen. And some can’t be hidden.
“Layla Trent’s life is pretty much perfect, except for the little matter of a dog of her own—and maybe a brother. So why does a random nightmare of a princess dress, a hospital, and a stranger who’s definitely not her daddy feel more like an aching wound? And can a broken, glassy-eyed puppy somehow help her release the pain she didn’t even know she was carrying?
“Corporal Andrew Reyes has proven he has what it takes to be the best—a US Army Ranger. But when a double tragedy rocks his world, his resolve is shaken to the core. What’s left for a man to live for when he’s lost everything he ever wanted to be? And is the sudden appearance of a teenage girl with a three-legged dog a cruel joke or a divine appointment?
“Some scars can’t be hidden. But some don’t need to be.” ~synopsis
Title:Tattered Wings
Author: Kassie Angle
Genre(s): Christian Military Fiction
Rating: ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ (four stars)
Romance Content: N/A
Recommended age range: 12+
My Review:
FTC disclosure: I was given an ebook copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. I was not required to give an honest review. All thoughts are my own.
Wow. This was the first book I read by this author, and I’ll have to wait to see which will be my favorite. This one was pretty amazing. I connected with Layla and her confused rambling in her journal somehow, and there was so much emotion packed into the book in general… how did Miss Kassie do that?!?
While this may be the first, if not one of the first, books I’ve read about the army, and I’ve never heard of Rangers, it was pretty cool. I don’t know much about the army at all, but this gave me more sympathy and maybe more understanding of soldiers.
The parallels between Ranger and CPL Reyes were so cool: I know a human author wrote this, but it was amazing how God used Ranger to help CPL Reyes heal!
Although previous parts made me want to cry, this was the quote that actually brought tears to my eyes… though they didn’t overflow (I’m not a huge cryer): “He’d want you to say goodbye.” And also the end was amazingly sweet. ❤
I know this wasn’t a very enthusiastic review… maybe I’m just a little dazed. 😛 But I would enjoy reading this again, I would recommend it to anyone (even those who don’t know much about the army, like me), and I’m looking forward to reading more by Miss Kassie Angle.
Just a note: that I remember, there wasn’t a clear salvation testimony in this book, and at one point, the MC talks to a dead person.
The author: Kassie Angle is a teenaged Christian author, cowgirl, therapy dog trainer, stereotypical INFJ, and Army girl to the core. Her first love, i.e. debut novel, O to be Like Thee, swept her unsuspectedly into the world of indie authors. She tries to use her stories to fill the silences in literature, helping more people understand the world of the Army and showing how God heals the broken-hearted. You can find her and more of her writing at SoldierGirlStories.com.
“Christine is miserable and despite anything she tries she can’t escape the awful emptiness that seems to engulf her entire life. Peter tries to hide from reality in a world of fiction, much to his siblings’ worry and confusion. Claudius hates life in general and tries to avoid most contact with anyone who disagrees with him, especially those in his family’s new church. Claudette hates authority, rules, and anything that opposes her will, reacting in greater and more dramatic ways all the time.
“When their paths collide, forcing them to face the true meaning and reasons for Christianity, each come to a crossroads. Will they find redemption or reject the Savior?” ~from the back of the book
Title: Journeys of Four: Small Town Tales
Author: Rebekah Jones
Genre(s): Christian Contemporary Fiction
Rating: ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ (four stars)
Romance Content: N/A
Recommended age range: 12+
My Review:
This was a very interesting book! I enjoyed seeing how each character grew and how their lives intersected. It was very interesting, and I believe most people will identify in some way with at least one of the characters. There was much Scriptural truth intertwined, which I am grateful for; however, the NASB was used, which I am not grateful for. I think it would have been slightly more meaningful if I read the Scripture passages from my Bible and thought about them.
There were a couple things I wasn’t a fan of: a couple characters have obviously horrible attitudes and say absolutely hateful things. In some ways it was funny, but it was also sad. Thankfully, the main characters who are trying to follow the Lord try to turn the evil-speakers to God, so it isn’t glorified. I am also uncertain about the name of the church in the book, Crown and Covenant, since “covenant” could refer to theology/eschatology which I do not agree with.
This was a wonderful book! I especially like the way Handel’s Messiah was used, the thought-provoking conversations the children and teens had, and the growth of each character, even though they didn’t all turn out we would have wanted them to. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys reading about characters growing in the Lord!
“Wartime friendships are almost legendary. There’s nothing quite like between the bond between soldiers who know their lives depend on each other. “That’s the thing, though. Your best friend’s life depends on you. That’s not always an easy responsibility. “And to make things worse, there’s that little blue-eyed boy in Texas who recognizes your uniform and not your face, and somehow his broken heart learns to love you…” ~from the back cover
Title: O To Be Like Thee: How Deep Love Runs
Author: Kassie Angle
Genre(s): Christian Military Fiction
Rating: ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ (four stars)
Romance Content: N/A
Recommended age range: 13+, because of some tough issues handled
My Review:
This book was very revealing about the army, and I think that’s what Miss Angle wanted it to be. One part in the epilogue was funny to me– “I have no idea whose hands this book may end up in– you may have absolutely zero experience with the Army”– because that’s almost where I am! (I did read Miss Angle’s second book, Tattered Wings, first, so I did know some about the topics covered.) But I did learn a lot about the army, about deployment, about some of the things soldiers go through, and more, from this book.
For some reason, I didn’t really attach/connect with the characters or the story, and a couple things were a little confusing (I had a hard time keeping track of a couple character’s names). Perhaps it would have been better if I read it all in one sitting, but that’s kinda hard to do when it’s 396 pages long. 😛 A couple scenes were heart-tugging, but none as heart-tugging as those in Tattered Wings. However, there wasn’t much wrong with this book, per se, although I didn’t agree with the MC (main character) lying to people because he didn’t want them to feel bad (like saying they would get better when he didn’t think they would). There wasn’t a lot of mention of accepting Christ as your Saviour, going to church, reading your Bible, or trying to follow God, which may or may not be a big deal. Also, I don’t agree with glorifying soldiers, especially at church.
Despite the things I mentioned above, I think this would be a good book to read for anyone who doesn’t know much about the army and would like to learn more, as well as for those who do know a lot about it! It was an interesting book and I would recommend it!
(my cover is different, but this one fits the story better )
“Into the home of an interesting but self-centered family in old France comes Paula, a young orphaned cousin, from the little village of Villar, in the Waldensian Valley. Though living very simply, tending cows, goats, sheep and rabbits, Paula has been brought up to know the scriptures. Her Lord and His Word are the center of her life, and she can no more keep this good news to herself than she can stop breathing or eating. This causes a good many complications, for her cousins’ home was one where ‘religion’ was a forbidden subject, never to be mentioned, and Paula soon found herself forbidden to read her own precious Bible. Paula’s loving obedience, her happy friendliness and charm, her overflowing love for everyone she meets, win the hearts of all, family and neighbors alike, and cause many a change in the French countryside.” ~from Google Books
Title: Paula the Waldensian
Author: Eva Lecomte
Genre(s): Christian Fiction
Rating: ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ (five stars)
Romance Content: None whatsoever
Recommended age range: Some intense scenes; maybe 10+?
My Review:
This was an endearing and convicting story. Although some might find it predictable, I found it sweet. Paula is a good example of “letting your light so shine before men” and loving others. She ministered to everyone and strived to obey God rather than men. This was a wonderful story, and I think it would be good for every Christian to read! You can buy it very inexpensively online.
Just a note, there was a mention of a Christmas tree, and at one point Paula tells Lisita that she is not wicked… when she really is, since she’s not saved. I’m not sure what was meant by that comment. But overall, I agreed with most of the things in this book.
“O sing unto the Lord a new song! Every generation. Every culture. Every church. Every Christian. What an incredible privilege and responsibility! And yet, believers have been arguing about music since the days of the early church. Why is this? Perhaps we rely on our traditions, personal tastes, cultural backgrounds, or the latest trends more than God’s Word. New Heart, New Spirit, New Song attempts to reorient our thinking in fundamental ways about: the nature of music, the heart of worship, the role of music in the Christian’s daily life, [and] music in missions. In these pages you will find simple, direct help in making your musical praise reflect the glorious Saviour you worship.”~from the back of the book
Title: New Heart, New Spirit, New Song
Author: Douglas Bachorik
Genre(s): Christian Non-fiction
Rating: ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ (four stars)
Romance Content: Does not apply
Recommended age range: 13+
My Review:
This book was very convicting, interesting, and Biblical! I appreciate the way Mr. Bachorik applied familiar Bible verses to music and for the many things that he covered. One of the most helpful things in my opinion was a discussion and checklist to use when determining the type(s) of music you will play/listen to. As a musician, this book was especially impactful to me, but I think it would be good for anyone to read (although there is one section where being able to read music would be helpful).
The one major disappointment that I had in this book was the fact that the King James Bible was not used exclusively– there are a couple instances where the ESV and NET are used. This was disappointing to me particularly because of the churches, colleges, and people affiliated with Mr. Bachorik which I am somewhat familiar with and agree with on most issues– or so I thought. This was an eyeopener to me that I shouldn’t accept everything or everyone that are affiliated with people I agree with– we need to search the Scriptures to see if things agree with God!
This book was very interesting, helpful, and a blessing to me! I believe that it would be a good book for every Christian to read. Since there are some references made to sin and the types of things rock music, etc endorses, I would recommend this book for ages 13+ or mature readers.
“This first novel in the series by Douglas Bond tells the story of two young Americans who are befriended by an elderly gentleman (Mr. Pipes) while on vacation in England. As he teaches them about famous British hymn writers and their hymns, they learn the value of traditional worship and praise—and they begin to see their own need for salvation.” ~from shopChristianliberty.com
Title: Mr. Pipes and the British Hymn Makers
Author: Douglas Bond
Genre(s): Christian Children/YA Fiction
Rating: ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ (five stars)
Romance Content: non-existent
Recommended age range: 8+?
My Review:
I am glad that I bought this book! It included many stories of British hymn writers and much discussion of what the hymns mean to us today. I enjoyed the storyline of the book as well as the hymn stories that were interspersed– some of the hymns I knew and some of them I didn’t.
Just a note: many of the hymn writers were part of the Anglican denomination, as was Mr. Pipes (the man who tells the stories to the children); Mr. Pipes makes a comment that someone was on the Calvinist side of a controversy, and therefore was correct; a mention is made that the children have a stepfather and never knew their real father (but it doesn’t say more than that); many comments are made regarding the sovereignty of God, which I do believe in, but that could lead to faulty theology; the children have bad attitudes about being in an old town in England for the summer in the beginning, although their attitudes do change by the end of the book; there is a picture of a bunch of naked slaves (from the story of John Newton); there are at least two Bible versions used; and although the children eventually decide to follow Christ and there is a strong salvation message portrayed, there doesn’t seem to be a specific time when they accept Christ, per se. Basically, I don’t agree with some of the theology in this book, so that might need to be explained to children.
This would be a good book for children who are interested in hymns (or don’t know why they should be interested in hymns!), poetry, music, etc, or for other people who are interested in the history behind the hymns. I enjoyed reading more about hymns and learning of more. There is a fun storyline, and I greatly appreciate being able to read this book!
“Welcome to the Austin Family Reunion! 14-year-old Marielle Austin’s parents and grandparents are hosting family for a week in the Texas hill country, and Marielle’s five girl cousins are staying at her house. Emma and Caroline are her best friends – like her, they’re homeschooled and passionate about the Lord, the past, and books. Abby, Kailey, and Reanna are from Wisconsin and just as far away in background and interests – what’s hot in the world now is what matters to them.
“Grandpa Will Austin has devised a series of projects for the six of them to complete. There’s a shed to fix up, a missionary to interview, and a trail of clues to solve, leading to a treasure. If they finish by the end of the week and work together with love and understanding, they’ll earn a prize beyond anything they could imagine! But difficulties surface right away. Bad attitudes and work ethics seem all Abby, Kailey, and Reanna can offer. Marielle, Emma, and Caroline are at a loss – what can they do to push the projects through? And more importantly, what can they do about their cousins, who won’t welcome their friendship? How can they show love when it’s hard even to feel it? Will the mysterious prize slip away, and with it any chance of relationship?” ~from Goodreads
Title: Family Reunion (Six Cousins series)
Author: Kelsey Bryant
Genre(s): Christian Fiction
Rating: ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ (3.5 stars)
Romance Content: One character is known for asking if her cousins have boyfriends yet, but the main character and her close cousins don’t see the point in having a boyfriend at ages 14 and 15; subject handled well. Also, a romance in a book/movie series is mentioned.
Recommended age range: 12+
My Review:
This was a very interesting book! I instantly connected with Marielle, the main character! I absolutely loved the descriptions and Marielle’s “romantic” heart (not romantic as in romance, but as in seeing beauty in many things)!! The writing was excellent, and the plot oh so well developed; I can definitely see how the beginning, etc, led up to the climax– which, by the way, was another thing I could identify with. (I can’t say I’ve been in the same situation, but I was definitely rooting for Marielle, Emma, and Caroline to make the right decision.) Speaking of Marielle’s cousins, for some reason I thought that Caroline was older than Emma, so I was confused when Emma consistently made better, more mature choices… but then I looked at the list of characters (very helpful!) and my confusion was resolved. 😉 Also, I am very curious if Mrs. Mavis Buford (a missionary interviewed in the story) is a real person; I have a feeling she might be. 🙂
While I did greatly enjoy this book, there were several reasons why I can’t recommend it without reservation:
God’s Name is taken in vain once (by a character who makes bad decisions, and it wasn’t written out completely, but still!). The character is never reproved for this.
Several characters use a term which is slang for God’s Name multiple times.
Country/pop/rock/idk musicians are mentioned (although the MC is not impressed and does not agree with this).
A couple movies are mentioned, one of which is probably okay, one of which is probably not okay, and one of which I have not heard of before this book.
Lord of the Rings, The Chronicles of Narnia (and C. S. Lewis), and The Count of Montecristo are mentioned.
Even the main character + her friends wear jeans.
I loved the writing style, the descriptions, the lessons learned, and the plot in this book!! I also appreciated that the King James Bible was used. However, because of the above things, unfortunately it’s not going to become an absolute favorite. If you are okay with the above things or are willing and able to take white-out to the book, I would definitely recommend it! It was a sweet book, and I greatly enjoyed it.
“After refurbishing their DC-3 cargo plane, affectionately dubbed Old Gabe, home schooled Bob & Arty spent their afternoons taking flying lessons from their father Jesse Baxter. Aircraft maintenance training at their father’s facilities further prepared the brothers for their missionary aviation ministry. In this series travel with these two young pilots, and occasionally their entire family, as they find themselves embroiled in a South Sea mystery, facing the fears and hardship of jungle travel and hostile natives, making a daring rescue in the frozen tundra of northern Alaska, being caught in the perils of a violent storm and much more.” ~from the back of the book
Title: The Storm!
Author: Jeff Barth
Genre(s): Christian Fiction
Rating: ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ (five stars)
Romance Content: Non-existent!
Recommended age range: 8+?
My Review:
This is my favorite book in the Bob & Arty series so far (even though as of this writing I’ve only read books 1, 3, and 4)!! I enjoyed seeing more of Bob and Arty’s whole family, and especially liked seeing how the whole family worked together. The other thing that I loved about the book were all of the Bible verses (King James!) and spiritual conversations and sermons. There are many good lessons to be learned from it! Also in this book, there is an actual date put to the story (1965), so some of the details were outdated (in the book the Baxters go to Georgetown, British Guayana, which is now Georgetown, Guyana). But that didn’t really affect the reading.
The “Kingdom of God” was mentioned a couple times, which made me wonder if the writers are coming from a “we’re going to bring the kingdom of God to earth” point of view (covenant theology). I do not agree with that theology. Also, at one point someone mentions being in prayer a lot and then someone else says something like, “We’ve been keeping the angels busy lately!” I had to reread that, but I don’t think they were saying that they were praying to angels… but that might be something that needs to be clarified, especially for younger readers.
All in all, I greatly enjoyed this book! It was fun to see more of Josh, Christy and Bessy (Bob and Arty’s brother and sisters) as well as their parents, and I found the spiritual conversations and verses edifying. Highly recommended!
“Lawrence and Chester Stoning are twins, but like Jacob and Esau of old they have little else in common. Lawrence is a realist, fascinated by the study of science, mathematics, and history, while Chester longs for the knightly adventures of chivalrous times past — hard-fought battles, gold-filled caves, damsels in distress.
“When Chester’s impetuosity engages the unlikely pair as bodyguards to a Spaniard and his beautiful ward Pacarina, the twins quickly realize that the 19th century calls for a chivalry of its own. Protecting Pacarina’s secret leads all of them into the steaming jungles and dizzying mountains of Peru, a foreboding territory made all the more dangerous by Lawrence and Chester’s strivings against each other. Can the twins learn to trust God and work together before it’s too late? Or will they fall prey to the mysterious schemes of Pacarina’s enemy — an enemy they know nothing about?” ~cover and synopsis from johnjhornbooks.com
Title: Brothers At Arms
Author: John J. Horn
Genre(s): Christian YA Fiction
Rating: ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ (four stars)
Romance Content: There is some talk of love, people getting married, etc, and SPOILER!! a couple does get married in the end SPOILER END!! but I think it was appropriate. (Except for a point that I mention in the review.)
Recommended age range: 13+, because of the large vocabulary and because there is quite a bit of deaths, slightly detailed. (However, I am aware of those younger than 13 reading this, so I guess it’s up to you!)
My Review:
This was an action-packed book!! Although it’s probably meant to be for boys, I found it very interesting, intriguing, and the writing was very well done! There were vivid descriptions, and many long words, most of which I understood the meaning of. 😉 (It is from the point of view of a very well-read and -educated person.)
Things I did like:
one of the MCs was witnessing to a Catholic, and had some good points… you don’t see that often in books!
the references to the fact that luck was not involved in situations; God was
the main point that siblings should work together
the adventure 😀
I enjoyed reading this book, but there were a couple of things which I did not agree with:
SLIGHT SPOILERS AHEAD!! At one point, the main characters fall into the hands of natives which want to kill them but do not when they see that one of the main characters has an interesting birth mark. The natives think that the MCs are gods and worship them as such. The MCs go along with this, and that is the part that I do not agree with. Paul and Barnabas were in a similar situation (although their lives were not threatened), and this is what they did: “Which when the apostles, Barnabas and Paul, heard of, they rent their clothes, and ran in among the people, crying out, And saying, Sirs, why do ye these things? We also are men of like passions with you, and preach unto you that ye should turn from these vanities unto the living God, which made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all things that are therein:” (Acts 14:14,15) Arguably, the MCs of this book were in a slightly different situation, since if they had revealed themselves to be just men, the natives might have killed them, but I still can’t agree with it.
The MCs (young men) do touch a young lady, but mainly to protect her. For much of the book, they have a brotherly relationship with her, although they are not related. I still don’t think young people should touch each other, though.
With these points in mind, I am giving this book four stars. It was an excellent book, but I do have some reservations. However, I would still recommend this book to those who enjoy adventuresome Christian fiction.
Today I am happy to participate in the blog tour for author Amanda Tero’s new story, Wedding Score! I enjoyed this story, and actually even bought a paper copy of it (which is rare for me 😛 )! So read on for my review, information about the book, a giveaway, and more!
Title: Wedding Score
Author: Amanda Tero
Genre(s): Contemporary Christian Fiction
Rating: ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ (four stars)
Romance Content: Okay, so it’s about being content in singleness, so there’s a lot about getting married, etc. But the only thing that I didn’t really agree with as far as the romance goes was that a character held his girlfriend’s hand.
Recommended age range: 19+, because it’s primarily written for single young women (especially for those who are “ready” to get married)– not necessarily recommended for younger than that
My Review:
FTC Disclosure: I was given an e-copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. I was not required to give a positive review.
This was an excellent book! I was very interested when I heard about it, because the main character is a pianist (actually a piano teacher) and I love music, and also because the singleness issue is one that I haven’t seen addressed very much (at least not in fiction). I was not disappointed! I liked the little musical touches, and the message was excellent. Like I said above, I’m not currently in a position where I’m ready to be married, but I still found this book to be encouraging. The main character’s journaling (which actually came from the author’s journal!) was especially sweet to me. I appreciated how she looked to the Lord and to His Word and trusted Him.
While I can’t necessarily agree with all the aspects of the book, there was nothing inappropriate and I would recommend this book to any single Christian young lady, ages 19+!
About the Release
Are you a single who has been in this singleness journey a little longer than you anticipated? This week is the release of Amanda Tero’s contemporary fiction novella, “Wedding Score.” Main character Stephanie is there with you as she’s suddenly thrown into a season of discontentment and impatience. Told in a whimsical, honest style, “Wedding Score” is a 1-2 hour short read that leaves readers feeling understood and hopeful.
About “Wedding Score”
Most girls dream of their wedding days. Except me. I’m too busy practicing piano and being the live soundtrack for everyone else’s weddings to think about my own. I’ve survived most of my twenties with harmonious chords and pleasant days. So why is it that now, at twenty-seven, a discordant feeling presents itself? Is there a solid solution to loneliness when there is absolutely no potential husband on the horizon? A CONTEMPORARY CHRISTIAN SHORT READ
Amanda Tero began her love for words at a young age—reading anything she could get her hands on and penning short stories as young as age eight. Since graduation, she has honed her writing skills by dedicated practice and study of the writing craft. She began her journey of publication with a few short stories that she had written for her sisters and continued to add to her collection with other short stories, novellas, and novels. It is her utmost desire to write that which not only pleases her Lord and Savior, but also draws the reader into a deeper relationship with Jesus Christ.
But she really wants to share this story with as many readers as possible. So, for release week, she’ll be sending eBooks to anyone who wants one! So hop over and submit your email for a free eBook!
“When Princess Gilda and Prince Selwyn refuse the offer of a gift forbidden by King Emmanuel, Prince Josiah accepts, not realizing that his actions will impact the Castle of Faith. For a time, the young prince is able to conceal his act of treachery, and it seems that all is well. But when a Cararian Greatwing—the fiercest of dragons—begins terrorizing the kingdom, Josiah learns too late that he is powerless to control the beast that he has unleashed upon Terrestria. This fifth adventure in the Terrestria Chronicles allegory series will challenge the reader to guard his or her heart for the King.” ~from talesofcastles.com
Title: The Dragon’s Egg
Author: Ed Dunlop
Genre(s): Allegory/Fantasy Juvenile Fiction
Rating: ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ (five stars)
Romance Content: Non-existent!
Recommended age range: 10+?
My Review:
This was an excellent book! The allegory was so accurate and it really was very challenging to guard my heart and to stay loyal to my King.
I am not accustomed to reading fantasy books, but this one was very good. I think the main reason why I don’t usually read fantasy is because of the magic; Christians should be very careful about that. I think in this book it was handled well, although I shall have to think more on this topic.
Anyway, this book was very good and I am glad that I read it! It held my attention very well, and although I did not agree with the decisions the MC made, I was rooting for him to make better ones. This was a great example of how continually making wrong choices is a bad idea!
“Cornelia stood with her family in the crowded Russian train station. After hundreds of boxes were loaded, people began saying good-byes and boarding. It was all very exciting and frightening and sad. Cornelia’s entire Mennonite colony was moving to Canada.
“‘Write everything that happens!’ said Agatha.
“‘Yes,’ agreed Cornelia breathlessly, as she hugged her sister tightly.
“Cornelia’s last glimpse of Agatha was through the grimy window of the train car. Would she ever see her sister or her homeland again?
“Homesteading in Canada meant struggling with harsh, primitive conditions. Deaths in the family left Cornelia’s faith shaken and her heart wrenched, bitter, and searching for peace. One spring day she knelt sobbing by a grave in a neglected cemetery and found a balm for her bitterness.
“An unforgettable story of loss, hope, and a blessed restoration.” ~from the back cover
Title: The Earth Is Round
Author: Margaret Epp
Genre(s): Christian Fiction
Rating: ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ (four stars)
Romance Content: Does mention different couples’ weddings, and talks a little about girls growing up and preparing for marriage.
Recommended age range: 10+
My Review:
This was a very interesting book about the Mennonite migration from Russia to Canada. They faced many hardships, but continued to trust God. I connected to the main character, and it was interesting to read about her!
I found it interesting to learn about Mennonite traditions. Although I do not agree with all of Mennonite doctrine, I was encouraged that there was an explanation of the true plan of salvation, and several characters accepted Christ’s gift in the book!
Although this is not a book where you “stay on the edge of your seat”, it was interesting and informative. I would recommend it if you are interested in learning more about Mennonite heritage or if you enjoy reading about history from a fictitious perspective.
Also, I recently updated the color scheme for this blog! I think I like it, but it’s definitely quite different than before! What do you think?
“After refurbishing their DC-3 cargo plane, affectionately dubbed Old Gabe, home schooled Bob & Arty spent their afternoons taking flying lessons from their father Jesse Baxter. Aircraft maintenance training at their father’s facilities further prepared the brothers for their missionary aviation ministry. In this series travel with these two young pilots, and occasionally their entire family, as they find themselves embroiled in a South Sea mystery, facing the fears and hardship of jungle travel and hostile natives, making a daring rescue in the frozen tundra of northern Alaska, being caught in the perils of a violent storm and much more.” ~from the back of the book
Title: In Search of the Lost Missionary
Author: Jeff Barth
Series: The Missionary Adventures of Bob & Arty
Genre(s): Christian Fiction
Rating: ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ (four stars)
Romance Content: Non-existent!
Recommended age range: 8+, for comprehension??
My Review:
This was an exciting missionary adventure! I think it was written with boys/young men in mind, since the main characters are boys, but I, as a young lady, also found it interesting. I appreciate the Biblical values upheld in this book, and I would recommend it to any family looking for clean reads. This was a great book, and I’m looking forward to being able to read the next books in the series!
**note: more reviews of books from this series to come!
“Benny’s coming hadn’t changed anything—or had it?
“With a new foster kid joining Alex Carson’s family, everyone is prepared for changes. So when Benny slips into the tight-knit group with barely a ripple, the family is at once surprised and delighted.
“But beneath the surface, deeper waters are stirred as Alex finds herself at odds with Jess over his jokes on the unsuspecting and gullible Benny. Will Jess’s teasing and her own insecurities separate Alex from her brother? Or can a surprising source teach them a needed lesson in love?“
Title: A Brother Is Born
Author: Angie Thompson
Genre(s): Christian Contemporary YA Fiction
Rating: ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ (four stars)
Romance Content: Non-existent except for one mention of a girlfriend.
Recommended age range: 10+?
My Review:
FTC Disclosure: I was given a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I was not required to give a positive review.
Wow. Miss Thompson did an awesome job of making the readers connect with the characters!! I was totally rooting for Alex the whole time, and I agreed with her on everything too… and then was shown my (okay, technically Alex’s) errors. The teens’ bantering was hilarious, although sometimes I didn’t catch on (I’m not really used to such things in real life 😛 ) and I can definitely imagine how squeezing five teenagers in a Suburban would be very interesting! But aside from the writing and the fun aspects, there was a great lesson on (true, not romancey/mushy) love included. This was an great book which I would recommend.
Just a note: there is a mention of a “praise song”, a girlfriend (non-existent; they were theorizing about if one character would ever get one), and an un-related boy hugging a girl, although not in a romancey (I think I made up that word!) way, and two girls have boys’ names as their nicknames, none of which things I completely endorse.
Today I am participating in (another!) blog tour, featuring By Paths Unknown by Rebekah A. Morris and A Brother is Born by Angie Thompson! In this post, I will be reviewing By Paths Unknown, interviewing Miss Morris, and featuring a quote from A Brother is Born. (My review for A Brother is Born will be posted on September 9th, Lord willing.)
“Could God bring peace from such a winding path?
“Austin Sparks is doing his best to hold his family together in the wake of his mom’s death, but the world continues to spin out of his control. When his dad announces that the family is moving to their grandparents’ ranch in South Dakota, it’s anyone’s guess whether the change will bring healing or just more heartache.
“Back on the ranch, Austin finds hope in the familiar surroundings and help in his loving clan of relatives. But can his dad somehow overcome his grief? Will his siblings ever feel at home? And can Austin trust God to guide them all even when the path seems darkest?” ~from Amazon
Title: By Paths Unknown
Author: Rebekah A. Morris
Genre(s): Christian Fiction
Rating: ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ (five stars)
Romance Content: See review.
Recommended age range: 13+ for interest, probably
My Review:
FTC DISCLOSURE: I received a complimentary copy of this book. A positive review was not required. These are my honest thoughts and opinions.
This was a challenging book! Poor Austin had a lot of problems, but I appreciated how his family pointed him to the Lord as the One who can help! I loved all the little touches: the amazing artistic talent Austin had, the friendship of Connor and Jenny, the differences between Addie and LeaLea, the way the extended family helped out… and so many others. I liked the ranch setting, and horse lovers would probably love it. And I loved how God made everything right in the end and directed their steps.
There wasn’t much romance; it was just right for me. Two characters are courting in the end, and (before they begin courting) when they are reunited there is a little awkwardness, which was probably the most romance in the whole book. So it’s probably not really romance, just a hint of it. 😉
This was a book which I greatly enjoyed! I am grateful for Miss Morris and how she supplies godly, clean books, which can be difficult to find!
Interview with Rebekah A. Morris:
What inspired you to write this novel?
To find the answer to this question, come back another day to Read Another Page and read the whole story behind it. 🙂
How long did it take you to write it?
I started this book last year in spring, but didn’t work on it the whole time. It was worked on off an on amid other stories. This year I spent the first few months finishing up “Hymns in the Hills” so it wasn’t until late spring that I really dove back into this story and finished it.
Who do you think would enjoy this?
While the main character is a young man of seventeen, I think anyone in their teens and older would enjoy it. The younger ones might like it too, and it wouldn’t hurt them to read it, but it might not be as interesting to them. I’ve had a mom with older sons tell me there were places in the story where she couldn’t put the book down, and she wants her oldest son to read it.
Who is your favorite character?
That’s hard. I love Austin since he is my main character, but Jenny was a lot of fun to write as her personality is more like mine. 🙂 And then there is Aunt Mimmie. Oh, Aunt Mimmie! The strange thing about this story is that there are many quiet people in the main roles, which is so unlike me, so when I got to the extraverts– Jenny, Aunt Mimmie, Mr. Jasperson – they were such fun!
What is your favorite scene?
Oh, you would ask that! I probably have several. One is Christmas morning, another is when Austin and his dad have to return to the house after a phone call from Drew . . . Then of course there’s the scene with Austin, Connor, and Jenny in the truck, and the one with the emergency helicopter, and . . . I won’t tell any more. I’m apt to give something away if I talk too much.
Once again, my review for A Brother is Born will be published on September 9th, Lord willing. But until then, here is a quote from it…
“Nothing’s going to take away us being cousins, and I don’t mind adding one more to the pack.” I paused for a second while Johnny hugged me hard, then I asked, “Do you think he feels the same way?” “About being cousins?” Johnny asked playfully, and I threw a pillow at her. “About belonging here, smart aleck.” “I hope so.” Johnny grinned slowly. “He’d better, because once we cross that line, there’s no going back. I think he’s pretty much stuck with us by now.”
If you would like to learn more about either book, or A Brother is Born in particular (since I didn’t talk much about it) you can…
Today I am privileged to participate in the Protecting the Poor blog tour! Protecting the Poor is a book that I really enjoyed, and I’m happy to be able to share it with you today! Included: about the book, my review, interview with the author, and giveaway information!
“Sheriff Feroci is now lord over the province, and Abtshire has become a pit of injustice. Being forced into the lord’s service does not give Dumphey as many opportunities to help the poor as he desires. When attempts on his life drive him into the forest, this freedom opens a world of possibilities for helping others. But how can he do so when he is running for his life? And does God want him to do more than simply feed the poor?
“Noel has always hidden behind the shadow of his older brother, Dumphey. When life forces him to stand on his own, will he still follow God in the corrupt world in which he lives? Would God really call him to do something that is beyond his power to do?
“As Lord Feroci’s sinister plot comes to light, each lad has a choice to make. A choice that could cost them their lives.”
Title: Protecting the Poor
Author: Amanda Tero
Genre(s): Fantasy
Rating: ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ (five stars)
Romance Content: Epilogue does talk about people getting married, but otherwise non-existent.
Recommended age range: 8+?
My Review:
FTC Disclosure: I was given a copy of this book by the author in exchange for an honest review. I was not required to give a positive review; all thoughts are my own.
This was an excellent conclusion to the Tales of Faith series! Since it had been a while since I had read the other two books in the series, I was a little confused about a couple things in the beginning of this book, but I quickly figured things out enough to enjoy the book. (Although I’d still like to read the books in the correct order, because that would add some continuity, technically this book could probably be read as a stand-alone.)
And wow. There were some challenging lessons in here! I don’t usually read fantasy, but one thing I really like about this series (as opposed to other fantasy series) is that God is God, He doesn’t have some other made-up name, and real Bible verses are quoted. I would recommend this book just for the challenging lessons to be gleaned!!
I could probably say more, but I think I’ll just leave it at that. This was an excellent book, and I highly recommend it!!
I have enjoyed all three books in this series. To view the series on Amazon, click here.
Interview with the Author:
What
inspired you to write this novella?
I have always loved the Robin Hood tales, but it wasn’t
necessarily on my radar to write a retelling. Once I had written “Befriending the Beast” and “The Secret Slipper,” I knew there needed to be a book three—a retelling that fit
one of the characters from the series. With Feroci over Abtshire, it was the
perfect recipe for a tale reminisce Sherwood and the Sheriff of
Nottingham.
How long did it take you
to write it?
Way longer than I anticipated! I started it sometime in 2017 and
finished August 2019—so almost two years. God definitely taught me a lesson in
accepting seasons of life during this time!
Who do you think would
enjoy this?
Anyone who loves tales of adventure, action, justice, and… well,
Robin Hood. For once, it’s a book that I’ve written that boys will like, but
I’m fairly certain a passel of girls will enjoy the tale as well.
Who is your favorite
character?
This is difficult. Side characters are my thing. Not that I don’t
like the main characters, but I usually like side characters best. In this one,
I like Betin—Dumphey’s right-hand man—as well as Patey—a mischievous and sly
lad.
What is your favorite
scene?
One of my favorite scenes is from chapter twenty-four. It’s one
scene that actually endured all the edits. 😉
His foot slipped and he groped for a hold above him. His fist
slammed against rock as his other foot caught solid ground. He had to force
himself to go slower. He slid his left foot forward, then his right. The yells
behind grew louder. Another javelin glanced off the rock wall where Dumphey had
just been. Another step, then another. His body pressed against the cold rock.
His palms grew clammy. He moved forward. The ledge beneath him narrowed, giving
way to black nothing below. He counted his steps. One, two, three, four, five…
A clash sounded in front of him as a javelin slammed against
rock. Then another, closer. And another, this time behind him. Dumphey squeezed
his eyes shut. Words flashed through his mind—something about enemies on the
right hand and the left. The words failed him, but he used it as a prayer. He
couldn’t see where the missiles were coming from. Father, misguide their aim.
He couldn’t duck. He couldn’t hide. He couldn’t move.
When the javelins stopped coming, Dumphey opened his eyes.
Everything was still dark around him. The faintest glimmer of light
sparked—this time, well below him. He eased his way forward. Light flamed
toward him and his heart tripped. A flying firebrand. He watched as it landed
on the rock beneath him then fizzled into blackness. He took a dozen steps, one
after another, but the damage was done. They knew where he was.
The javelins flew thicker, hitting below him, above him, and
every few feet beside him. He kept going, praying with every step. His heart
had stopped beating. His lungs weren’t working. He was going to die. The
thought pierced him just seconds before pain ripped through his leg and jerked
him off the ledge, dragging him into the yawning openness of the abyss.
About the Author
Amanda Tero began her love
for words at a young age—reading anything she could get her hands on and
penning short stories as young as age eight. Since graduation, she has honed
her writing skills by dedicated practice and study of the writing craft. She
began her journey of publication with a few short stories that she had written
for her sisters and continues to add to her collection with other short
stories, novellas, and novels. It is her utmost desire to write that which not
only pleases her Lord and Savior, but also draws the reader into a deeper
relationship with Jesus Christ.
Do you want to be involved in Amanda’s next release?
Wedding Score is open for reviewers, bloggers, and
influencers. Sign up here.
GIVEAWAY
It wouldn’t be a release party without
a giveaway! One U.S. Winner will receive the complete
paperback Tales of Faith series, and one International Winner will
receive the complete eBook series.
Shout-out to all the wonderful bloggers who are participating in the release of “Protecting the Poor.” (Note: I have not been to each of these blogs and thus cannot vouch for all of them. Please use Biblical wisdom and discretion when checking out blogs.)
Soldier Girl Stories (PLEASE NOTE! As of October 2022, do not go to Kassie Angle’s former website! She doesn’t own that domain anymore, and it is now a bad website, from what I’ve heard.) – Interview
“This book is a treasury of literary testimony to the truth that God has called His choice servants to a life of suffering and sacrifice. The modern-day Christianity we so loosely profess and so lightly possess blushes in the presence of the martyrs and maidens found in The Bible Makes Us Baptists. The Ana-Baptists depicted in this story reveal the greatness of their faith and the confidence in the Word of God we can all aspire to and desire.” ~from the back of the book
Title: The Bible Makes Us Baptists (formerly In Editha’s Days)
Author: Mary E. Bamford
Genre(s): Christian Historical Fiction
Rating: ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ (four stars)
Romance Content: There was “romance”, as the MC gets married, etc, but I think it was appropriate.
Recommended age range: Definitely at least 10+, with parents’ discretion advised (more in review).
My Review:
This was an excellent book! It managed to cover many important events in Baptist history from one woman’s perspective (the book is fictional, but many of the things in the book happened to real people). It was sad, yet encouraging, to learn all that the Anabaptists went through for Christ. It is important to know your heritage, and this book would be a great one to read if you are interested in learning more about Baptist history!
My favorite part was learning about a fifteen-year-old young man who, when asked questions about his faith, was able to clearly explain his beliefs and why he believed them from the Bible (he later was martyred because he would not deny his faith). It was encouraging (and challenging!) that even young people should be able to articulate and explain the Bible to others.
The one thing that I did not like about the book was the amount of detail in describing Anabaptists’ deaths. I realize that there were horrible atrocities done to them, and I think it is important to know about it, but I don’t think it was really necessary to include the details. That is the only reason why I would hesitate before handing it to a child younger than 10– but I am not a parent, and parents know their children best.
I highly recommend this book! If you are younger than ten years old, I would recommend that you ask your parents for their permission before reading it, but otherwise I think it would be helpful for any Baptist to read The Bible Makes Us Baptists.
Recently I heard from one of my blog readers and friends, and she asked me where I find the books that I review. I thought that was a good question, and answered her… and then decided that possibly other blog readers are wondering the same thing! So if you have ever wondered where I find books, read on!
I have looked over the books that I have reviewed over the past year and have categorized them by where I got them/found out about them. (“Past year” is from the publishing of this post; the stats I gave my friend are slightly different since I’m publishing this about a month or so later than I answered her.) In this post, I would like to share those stats with you!
The majority of the books I review I find out about or get from other bloggers (Indie authors) or from other book review programs. This includes books I betaread, books I am given in exchange for an honest review, and books that I have seen positive reviews of on blogs/other sites that I trust and have decided to buy/ask my library to buy. 😛 Of the books that I have reviewed in the past year, twelve of them are in this category.
Coming in second place are books that I get from “other sources”. This includes books I borrow from friends/find out about from friends (other than online) or am given. I was actually surprised that this number is so high! Eight of the books I have reviewed in the last year are in this category.
The third source that I get books from is from my dad’s library! I’ve come to enjoy the challenge of reading more “grown up” books on theology, history, and the like, although sometimes they are very large books (I’ve been working on The Writings of John Leland for several months 😀 ). I’ve learned quite a bit from books that I borrowed from my dad, and I would recommend that you ask your dad for books to read if he has a library! Four of the books I reviewed in the last year are from my dad (I haven’t reviewed all of the books he’s let me borrow).
Coming in last place, the library is another place where I get books. I used to read and review a lot more books from the public library, but I have not found many good books there lately. However, some of the books in the first (Indie authors) and second (“other sources”) categories are also at my library, because I suggested they buy them. 😀 (And I’m being kind of generous in this category; two of the books I reviewed from the library I found out about from friends but were already at the library.) So this is not entirely scientific. 😉 Three of the books I’ve reviewed in the last year were from the library.
Well, now you know where I get my books from: online sources (Indie authors/book review programs), other sources (mostly friends), my dad, and the library!
Also, fun fact: according to this list, I’ve reviewed twenty-eight books in the past year! Since my schedule is to post every other week (and there are fifty-two weeks in a year), it went very well! (I’ve also reviewed a movie and written a couple other posts which were not reviews, so there were probably a couple blog tours where I posted extra.)
Where do you get most of your books? Where do you find out about most of your books? Let me know in the comments!
![Lake Wood (Woodbreak Book 3) by [Rebekah A. Morris]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51EZoPknhFL.jpg)
![Leaning On the Everlasting Arms: A Novelette by [Danner, Laura]](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/41VtdVnLUSL.jpg)
Great Books for God's Girls 
