Red Rover, Red Rover; Plan to Fail; and Bad Things, Small Packages review

Titles: Red Rover, Red Rover; Plan to Fail; and Bad Things, Small Packages

Author: Perry Elisabeth Kirkpatrick

Genre(s): Christian Espionage Fiction, if that’s a thing?? 😀 (Christianity isn’t a huge part of the book, but it’s still there)

Rating: ❤ ❤ ❤ (three stars)

Romance Content: Well, technically “practically non-existent” but… more on that in the review

Recommended age range: I’m not sure! But I would recommend giving those who read these books a warning if you don’t agree with [things that I mention in my review].

My Review:

FTC Disclosure: I did receive the first book in the series as a reward for signing up for the author’s newsletter. I was not required to leave a review, positive or otherwise. All thoughts are my own.

NOTE: Please be prepared for lots of parentheses; apparently I have an obsession with them 😀

I decided to review all of these in one post since I read them in a row and it could be difficult to remember what happened in each one (also known as I’m being a little lazy 😦 ) These were adorable stories!! I ❤ the banter, and I also ❤ the spy aspect! (I’ve always been interested in spies/mysteries/etc.) Of course, I’m pretty sure the whole scenario (especially in the first book) is totally unrealistic… but you never know, things like that could happen… 😉 I know that the author is a Christian, but it bothered me slightly that faith wasn’t a bigger part of the books; I think non-Christians could quite possibly read them and not be offended (which may or may not be an issue; I’m still trying to decide 😉 ).

While with the banter, etc (which could be taken as flirting, in my opinion…) it kinda made me feel like there could be a romantic aspect to it (you know me, the anti-romance girl 😛 ), it didn’t turn into anything. However, I don’t agree with unmarried young people being alone with each other or touching each other, which does happen in these books. For that reason, I’m not sure if I’ll read the rest of the books in this series. I don’t want to make myself used to such things, and I can’t support it. 😦 Also, there is a mention of a kid with a crush in book 1, which I don’t think was really necessary.

One other suggestion: it’s not a good idea to only have the first book (or the first two, or the first three… you get the point!) in the series; you’ll want to read the rest right away most likely. 😉 (At the end of each book there’s an epilogue which leads into the next book, and I liked that it wasn’t the same exact first chapter as the epilogue in the previous book, if that makes any sense??)

So, to sum up, these are “clean” spy stories which I did greatly enjoy. However, on thinking about it afterwards, I cannot fully endorse them because the two main characters (one male and one female) were alone together + touched each other (although there was no mention of immorality and he probably only touched her because he was trying to protect her, I still can’t agree with it). That is a personal decision I have made and I understand that most people will not agree with me. For the reasons above described, I’m giving the first three books in this series 3 stars, which is lower than just about every other book I’ve reviewed on here, sadly. 😦

Also, on a lighter note, I accidentally figured out how to add the Amazon cover/buy/share/preview thing up there, and I think it’s pretty cool!! 🙂

Oh, and totally un-related, you may have noticed that I disabled the “Like” button on my blog. This is because of people (who may or may not be real) who, with the “Like” button, are capable of putting a link to their website/profile on my blog with a single click. I did not want people to be able to do that and potentially draw an unsuspecting person into an evil website, so I disabled the “Like” button. Oh, and I’m also hoping that this will encourage people to comment their thoughts about the books I review, rather than simply clicking the “Like” button and calling it good (although I’ve been guilty of the same thing). Just thought it might be helpful to share my reasons for doing this for anyone who was wondering (if anyone even noticed)! So anyway, enough rambling, and thank you for making it through the entire post!! 🙂

A Plea to Southern Gospel Music Fans, by David W. Cloud

 

 “This book is a plea for Southern Gospel music fans to wake up and tear down the bridges that are being built from conservative Southern Gospel-loving homes and churches to the world itself and to the one-world church represented by contemporary Southern Gospel and CCM.

“It is a plea to wake up to incremental steps that are bringing God’s people ever closer to the world, the flesh, and the devil.

“I know by long and sad experience that many Southern Gospel fans do not listen to biblical warnings and reproofs. They treat biblical reprovers as carnal critics and refuse to give serious attention to the warnings.

“I am publishing this warning for those who are true disciples of Jesus Christ and who therefore “continue in” His Word (John 8:31-32). They love Christ and His Word above the closest friendships and relationships (Luke 14:26), certainly above music! True disciples of Christ esteem all of God’s precepts concerning all things to be right, and they hate EVERY false way (Psalm 119:128). They “prove ALL things” by God’s infallible Word. They have a testing mindset.

“Here is a challenge.. Do you have a testing mindset? Will you put Southern Gospel Music to the test?” ~www.wayoflife.org

Title: A Plea to Southern Gospel Music Fans

Author: David W. Cloud

Genre(s): Christian Non-Fiction

Rating: ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ (five stars)

Recommended age range: Since it talks about some of the sins that some Southern Gospel singers/songwriters/pianists are involved in, etc., parents, please use discretion. I think it would be appropriate for 13+, but that is just my opinion and you know your children best.

My Review:

This was an excellent book! It deals with a challenging topic. While I am not really a fan of Southern Gospel music, I know some people who are, and I was curious what Mr. Cloud would have to say on this subject. I am grateful for the amount of research he put into this book and for his warning to conservative Baptists on the topic. He addressed a number of issues with Southern Gospel music, but the thing that stood out to me most was that it is really very similar to CCM (contemporary Christian music). The use of the backbeat and other beats, the “performance” style, the testimonies of the performers, the ecumenisicm: this all reminded me of what I read about CCM, when I read part of Baptist Music Wars (also by Mr. Cloud). (This may not be true of all Southern Gospel quartets, etc; I am really not very familiar with that genre of music.)

Even though I am not a Southern Gospel music fan, this book was still helpful to me. I think the main thing that I learned from this book was that I really need to be careful what I am promoting. (In this book Mr. Cloud was specifically talking about music, but I think that principle can be applied to many things.) Even if a book that I review is good, if the author is associated with apostasy or promotes bad things, all that is between the readers of my review being exposed to that is a click or a Google search away. So it really challenged me to be more careful. (Please let me know if something you read on this website may direct people to bad things!) I may not agree with all of the authors whose books I review on everything, but I will try to make that clear in each review.

I would recommend this book to every Southern Gospel music listener or singer as well as to those who have friends who enjoy Southern Gospel music: this music can be used as a bridge to the broader evangelical realm of apostasy. The good news: you can download this ebook for free by clicking here!

(I was not required by anyone to read this book, to leave a positive review, or to link to Mr. Cloud’s website. I did this of my own volition and receive no compensation for this review.)

Approved By God, by Wright/Townsend

   “A highly-regarded, articulate, and brilliant Presbyterian pastor from Virginia debated for a week in 1847 to the Virginia legislature to stop a bill incorporating churches in the state. The Baptist pastors in that day were solidly behind him. He was their champion for freedom and won the day. One-hundred fifty-six years later, a well-known Baptist pastor from Virginia challenged this law in court, and the law was struck down as unconstitutional. The state offered no opposition. The ACLU joined the church as a friend. Why? This book answers. And, these answers are backed by solid Scriptural insight, historical evidence, and sound reasoning. This book will satisfy the questions of anyone who is willing to honestly weigh the evidence with a humble heart.” ~the back cover

Title: Approved by God: A Case for Modern Disestablishment

Author(s): John Wright, James Wright, and Ben Townsend

Genre(s): Non-Fiction

Rating: ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ (five stars)

Recommended age range: 13+, because of complicated things that I didn’t understand all of 😀

My Review:

This was an excellent book! It is most certainly well-researched, well-written, and compelling to anyone who wants the truth. It was very interesting, and I appreciate especially the P.A.Q. (Previously Asked Questions) section in the back of the book, as it helps with some difficulties that people think of. For anyone that is interested in restoring Christ to His rightful place as sole Sovereign of His Church, I recommend this book! I think it would be good for every pastor (and everyone else!) to read it.

Note: A paperback copy of this book on Amazon is (as of 04/07/2019) $1,306.95, so if you’re looking to buy a copy of it, please read the review on Amazon. 😉

Searcher for God, by Joyce Reason

from Amazon.com

   “The story of Isobel Kuhn, Missionary to the Lisu people of China.” ~from Goodreads.com

Title: Searcher for God: The Story of Isobel Kuhn

Author: Joyce Reason

Genre(s): Christian Non-Fiction

Rating: ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ (four stars)

Romance Content: It talks about people getting married, and how Mrs. Kuhn and her husband met, etc, but there is nothing inappropriate in it.

Recommended age range: 12+, perhaps?

My Review:

This was a short read; I read it in about an hour. It was very interesting to read about Mrs. Kuhn’s life! She certainly went through many adventures! I may have heard of her, but I didn’t know anything about her before reading this book (has anyone else heard of her?). It was most certainly interesting, and if you’re looking for a quick, good read, check this book out! The reason I gave it four stars instead of five is because it isn’t one of my absolute favorite books, but it was still good. 😉 *Note: I have no clue what Isobel Kuhn’s theology was like or anything, so I can’t say I agree with her on that. However, this was a good book. 😉

Buyers’ Tip: My copy of this book was published in 1963, so I was expecting it to be a pricey book, but I found, using BookFinder.com, that you can buy a copy for $5.71 including shipping! (as of 02/09/2019) 

 

Protecting the Poor Cover Reveal!!

Today author Amanda Tero is releasing the cover for her newest book, Protecting the Poor! And I get to help let everyone know! 🙂 I have read and reviewed the previous two books in the series (although I just realized that I haven’t reviewed Befriending the Beast on this blog, you can read my review of The Secret Slipper here), and I was happy to help out with getting everyone excited up this upcoming book!!

About the Book: 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 followGod in the corrupt world in which he lives? Would God really call him todo 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.

Are you ready to see the new cover?!?!?!

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Still waiting? Great! I hope you’re ready!

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Presenting… the cover for Protecting the Poor, by Amanda Tero! *cues applause* *throws balloons and confetti everywhere*

Isn’t it cool?!?!?!? I’m looking forward to when the book is published. 🙂

And, as a reward for reading this post, you may now read the prologue!! Enjoy!

Prologue of “Protecting the Poor”

Lord Feroci slammed the desk with his fists. “I didn’t send you on a fool’s errand, Barat.” He clenched his teeth as he glared at the missive opened before him. “Aye, sir. I cannot help that others are the fools.” Feroci released his anger in a growl. Barat stood patiently, his arms crossed. “We’re losing time, Barat.” Barat didn’t respond. “You’re not doing enough.” He raised his head to glare at his man. Barat stared him down. Nothing could phase this man. Which was exactly why Feroci had him in his employ. But ’twas irksome at times. Feroci blew out his pent-up air and fell back into his chair. “What do you suggest?” Barat was the only man in Abtshire from whom he would even consider suggestions. The man had proven his loyalty on the battlefield, taking more than one scar for Feroci. Feroci had returned the favor as many times. They were in this together. Barat finally stepped forward, but he didn’t sit in the seat across Feroci. Instead, he took the missive from Feroci’s desk and held it at two corners. “I say, we do this…” He pulled at the paper and it ripped—something weak giving way to a greater force that commanded it. That sight alone gave Feroci strength and he nodded in satisfaction. “Aye. Something made from pulp cannot stand against an iron fist. They will give way.” “Call another meeting.” Barat layered the two pieces of paper and held them over one of the candles that shed light in the dim room. A small strand of smoke wove upward before the paper burst into flame. Extra light illuminated the room then dimmed as the paper turned into gray ash. “We know their weaknesses as well as their strengths. Use their weaknesses against them. Convince them that there is no other choice.” Feroci leaned forward and grabbed the quill he had dropped when Barat had entered. He ran his fingers across its smoothness before taking a clean paper. “Well put.” He dipped the quill in ink. “Matheny … ’tis a vast city, but given the right promise, the townspeople will rebel and overthrow Lord Nedry.” He wrote a few lines, shaping the concept that Barat had supplied. “Haar is closer to the king, so that could pose problems.” “Then wait on Haar. We’ve three cities between our province and them.” Feroci didn’t look up from his writing. “Lord Alexandre is on my side. If he works with me, mayhap we can claim the help of Belmis, Metz, and Kiralyn.” He paused at the last name. The anger that had dissipated boiled under the surface once more. “You can’t obtain Kiralyn—” “Curse you, man!” Feroci threw his quill at Barat. The man didn’t flinch. “We’ll have to overthrow Lord Kiralyn and sever any ‘blood ties’ to the king. I will obtain the throne.” He stood and his chair crashed backward. Obtaining Lord Trent’s domain from the king had been an easy task. The unfortunate lord had conveniently died in battle with no other witness besides Barat. The king had promoted Feroci from sheriff to lordship, giving him reign over Abtshire, Fordyce, and Keller. Controlling the latter two was nothing—they were mere hamlets compared to the likes of Matheny. Feroci had the talent and ability for so much more. He had to gain control before Yzebel gave birth to their child—his heir. It must be his heir. He had no use for a lass. But a son—a son he could shape and mold, without the meddling of others, to follow in his footsteps … aye, that son would establish their family as royalty forever. The land was now under the leadership of a man who had gone mad since his daughter’s return. Why had he named Princess Belle as heiress of the kingdom? She had left her father and had been raised by Lord and Lady Kiralyn. This, Feroci would know—he was one of the only lords the king didn’t refuse to see after the death of his wife. In the king’s dark hours of grief, he had made substantial promises to Feroci for his help. Promises that had blown away much like the ash of the letter Barat had burned. Feroci had written. Barat had spoken. Nothing would sway the king’s mind. He was going against all tradition of the land and naming a woman as leadership, should he pass before she married. “I can’t marry the lass myself, and I haven’t a son to do so. I will make the king pay,” Feroci hissed. He walked to the window and pulled back the drapes that blocked the fading daylight. A lad stood below, staring up at him. Recognition slammed Feroci when his eyes locked onto the lad. He was more of a threat to Feroci than he would ever know. “Barat.” The man joined him. “How much did he hear?” The lad’s gaze shifted to something in the distance. He turned and walked toward the barracks—the place he should have already been at this time of day. Barat’s dark eyes followed the lad’s movement. “You can finally make your move against him.” Finally. Feroci liked the sound of that word. He had waited too long, but he would wait no longer. “Take care of him.” The silence between them sealed the promise. “But don’t make it a matter of convenience.” Feroci let the drapes fall. “I don’t want to raise suspicion.”

Wasn’t that great!?!? I’m excited for this book to come out!! Are you? 🙂 If you would like to pre-order Protecting the Poor, please click here!

Hymns in the Hills: RELEASE TOUR!!

Today I get to share with you an excellent book!!! Hymns in the Hills, by Rebekah A. Morris, is a book that I helped beta-read and loved. So when she was looking for people to participate in the release tour, I was only too happy to help! 🙂

In this post: book review, author interview, giveaway, and tour schedule (as well as other information about the author and book)!! I hope you enjoy reading this post and are encouraged to read Hymns in the Hills!

First off, the review…

    “’Could you not teach them what you do know?’

   “Separated from her parents and sent to live with unknown relatives for the summer, Belle Standish clings hard to the promises found in her dear Bible and her beloved hymns. As she grows to love her newly discovered family, she finds much work to be done for her Lord in this neglected field.

   “But when danger threatens those she loves, Belle’s faith and courage are tested in ways she never imagined. Will God’s promises hold true even in the midst of the storm? And what can she possibly accomplish with just her one little light?” ~book synopsis

Title: Hymns in the Hills

Author: Rebekah A. Morris

Genre(s): Christian Historical Fiction

Rating: ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ (five stars)

Romance Content: There are about one or two kisses between a man and his wife, but that’s about it.

Recommended age range: 10+

My Review:

FTC Disclosure: I was given an e-copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own, and I received no monetary compensation for my review.

This was an excellent book!!!! I greatly enjoyed it. It was encouraging to read about a ten-year-old having such a heart for the Lord; if I was in that situation I’m not sure if I would have the same attitude as Belle did! The other characters were sweet; I like spunky Ali, calm and steady Ez, cute little Mattie, Uncle Nathan, and the others. Miss Morris did a great job developing the characters and the story, and did I mention the hymns yet? No? Well, I loved the fact that the titles of the chapters were hymn titles, and Belle’s cheery singing, no matter the circumstance, was so sweet! I would enjoy learning the hymns she sang; some of them I was not familiar with.

This was such a sweet story! I most certainly recommend it! As I said above (in the recommended age range category), I think this book would be good for ages 10 and up, only for the reason that some sections are a little scary. If parents read it first, I think just about all ages would enjoy it. 🙂

The author: Rebekah A. Morris is a homeschool graduate, an enthusiastic freelance author and a passionate writing teacher. Her books include, among others, Home Fires of the Great War, The Unexpected Request, Gift from the Storm and her best-selling Triple Creek Ranch series. Some of her favorite pastimes, when she isn’t writing, include reading and coming up with dramatic and original things to do. The Show-Me state is where she calls home.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/45837454 

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07RQNGFPN 

Blog: http://readanotherpage.com/blog/

And now I present to you… an interview with the author!

Me: What inspired you to write this novel?

Rebekah: I just had a thought one day wondering what a young Christian girl’s influence would be like if she went to live with relatives she didn’t know and who didn’t know Jesus. Would she keep singing the hymns she loved? If so, what would happen? So I started writing. I thought I’d just write a short story, but it didn’t end up very short. 🙂

Me: How long did it take you to write it?

Rebekah: I started this book in February of 2016, and finished it in March of this year, so about 3 years. I wasn’t working on it the entire time though. During those years I wrote and published several other novels and shorter stories, so this kept getting set aside. But I always enjoyed it when I could pick it back up and write another thousand or so words.

Me: Who do you think would enjoy this?

Rebekah: I hope the entire family will. 🙂 It wasn’t written with a specific age range in mind, so I expect it will be enjoyed by young and older. And yes, even grandparents.

Me: Who is your favorite character?

Rebekah: Oh, dear. I’m really not sure. Of course I love Belle since she is the main character. But Rome, Ali, Ez, and Zeke come in for close seconds. And the Williamsons. Each character pulled at my heart at different times for different reasons. Even a certain person who I didn’t enjoy writing about came in for a little sympathy.

Me: What is your favorite scene?

Rebekah: Uh, favorite scene? Oh, dear. This is hard. I really liked the beginning where Belle meets Zeke and Ez for the first time. And the first night Belle stays with her grandfather. But the ending was a favorite too. But then so was . . . Well, I’ll just leave it with those three.

Rebekah: Thanks so much for letting me visit your blog and talk about my book!

Me: You’re welcome! Thanks for coming!

Next up, the giveaway!! The prize is a Kindle copy of Hymns in the Hills. Now, in order to get an extra entry, every day people can gather 3 words for the sentence (or collect them all at the end if they’d rather). Once they have all the words, it will make a quote from the book that they enter in the giveaway. So, if they don’t visit everyone, they won’t get all the words so that entry won’t be valid even if they try. Make sense? Kinda? 😉 The word that I am sharing today is THINK. Write that down somewhere or just come back at the end of the tour for an extra entry! 🙂 Click here to go to the giveaway!

Posting Schedule: (note: I cannot recommend all of these blogs, as I have not visited them all. Please use Biblical discretion when following links to external sites.)

Monday, May 27th

Rebekah – Introduction post

Leona – Review and Author interview

Amanda – Book Spotlight

Tuesday, May 28

Kaitlyn S. – Review and Author Interview

Rebekah Ashley – Book Spotlight

Rebekah – Names

Wednesday, May 29

Erika – Review

Sarah – Book Spotlight

Rebekah – Hymn Books

Thursday, May 30

Kaylee – Review

Rachel – Review 

Rebekah – Editing

Friday, May 31

Esther – Author Interview

Jessica – Book Spotlight

Rebekah – Setting

Saturday, June 1

Kassie – Review and Author Interview (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.)

Rosalyn – Book Spotlight/Review

Penny – Review

Rebekah – Final Post + Book Covers

Congratulations for making it to the end of this post!!! I hope you are able to read this book- I really enjoyed it! Thanks for reading!

The Coming Destruction of the Baptist People, by James R. Beller

   “The Baptists in America are in mortal danger. Our churches face extinction and our principles extermination. Our enemies deem our principles dangerous. The antichrist himself will not tolerate our theology and practice.

   “This book is about the antichrist, and the New World Order. It is about the foundations of American government and the direction of our country. It is about Baptist principles and the foundation of liberty.

   “The dismantling of the Baptist churches has been an ongoing thing, which we will prove in this book. And there are questions that demand answers.”~from www.baptist-books.com

Title: The Coming Destruction of the Baptist People (or Sacred Betrayal)

Author: James R. Beller

Genre(s): Christian Non-Fiction

Rating: ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ (four stars)

Romance Content: N/A

Recommended age range: 13+

My Review:

This was a very interesting book! The title made me think it would be gloomy, but Mr. Beller supported the title very well, as he gives good reasons for “the coming destruction of the Baptist people”. I appreciated learning more about Baptist history through this book. (Side note: if you are interested in Baptist history, I would also recommend America in Crimson Red, by the same author.) I think it would be good for every person who holds to Baptist doctrine to read this book; it emphasizes the need for us to know our roots- definitely a very important principle.

There were a couple things that I did not like about this book: (1) I did find multiple typos, and (2) it is a little outdated (my edition was from 2005, and there were a couple things that it would have been good to have an updated version for).  But really, I can’t think of any reason why I would not recommend this book!

Touch Not the Unclean Thing, by David H. Sorenson

     “Touch Not the Unclean Thing is a strong defence of the traditional Received Text of the New Testament and by extension, the King James Version of the Bible. The author provides extensive historical and factual documentation for his assertions, with more than 450 citations and a bibliography of 150 historical sources.

    “Dr. Sorenson connects the biblical principle of separation from apostasy to the Bible text issue. Historically documenting the fact that almost all editors of the modern Critical Text have direct associations with theological liberalism or apostasy.” ~from Northstar Ministries

Title: Touch Not the Unclean Thing: The Text Issue and Separation

Author: David H. Sorenson

Genre(s): Christian Non-Fiction

Rating: ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ (five stars)

Romance Content: It does talk about King James loving his wife… nothing inappropriate.

Recommended age range: 13+, maybe??? Details below.

My Review:

This was an excellent read! It was informative, extremely thorough, and interesting. I can tell that Mr. Sorenson did a lot of research. I think it would be helpful for all Christians to read this book: whether you are already using the King James Bible or you are using another version, I think you should read it. I learned a lot from it! It is important to know what you believe on a topic and why you believe it, and this book would help you in that area. 😉 I highly recommend this book!

Note: In part of this book, Mr. Sorenson refutes the claim that King James was a homosexual. Therefore, there is some information about that subject in it, although I don’t think it was inappropriate or descriptive. Parents, please be aware of that fact and decide whether not to give it to your children accordingly.

Prisoner of the Pyrenees, by C. R. Hedgcock

   “The Bakers are minding their own business when Briosa Del Quera bursts into their lives. She is an orphaned Catalan girl who is still reeling from her grandfather’s death. His last words instructed her to find people called ‘Baker’ and get in contact with a secret agent they know—but Jigson has gone missing in suspicious circumstances and not even his agency is able to contact him. 

   “Detective Mortimer says that Mr. Jigson was last seen in the Pyrenees mountains, and the Bakers are determined to find him and help Briosa get to the bottom of the plot against her grandfather. But as their journey through northern Spain becomes a breathless race to avoid villains and meet allies, they begin to wonder if Briosa has really told them everything. . . . 

   “From a desperate car-chase to a stealthy escape from a Spanish fortress, the Bakers are tested to the limits of their courage and their trust in the Lord. Can they find Jigson and stop a global conspiracy, or will they all become prisoners of the Pyrenees?” ~from Goodreads.com

Title: Prisoner of the Pyrenees

Author: C. R. Hedgcock

Genre(s): Christian, Adventure, Fiction

Rating: ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ (five stars)

Romance Content: There is a mention of someone “going out” with a girl, but the person in question quickly chokes and says that he doesn’t date. (Yet another reason to love this series! 😀 )

Recommended age range: Maybe 12+, although I know people 10+ who have read it.

My Review:

Wow.* Miss Hedgcock delivers yet again with a thrilling mystery that really kept me “on the edge of my seat” throughout! It was one of those books where even the reader doesn’t really know who to trust, or why not to trust people. And I love that! It’s disappointing when I can figure out the mystery before the characters in the book do, so that’s another reason why I love the Baker Family Adventures. And the ending was sooo sad! But I shall not say more, lest spoilers sneak out. 😉 The one thing that I don’t appreciate about this series is that the NKJV is used, and I prefer the KJB only. However, I still greatly enjoy this series. Prisoner of the Pyrenees is a must-read to anyone who loves a good, clean, Christian adventure/mystery book.

*Yes, I know that a lot of my reviews start with ‘Wow’. But sometimes I can’t think of anything else to say, because it’s just. so. good!

Joyful Surrender, by Elisabeth Elliot

   “In our age of instant gratification and if-it-feels-good-do-it attitudes, self-discipline is hardly a popular notion. Yet it may be one of the most important lost virtues of our time. In Joyful Surrender, former missionary and beloved author Elisabeth Elliot offers her understanding of discipline and its value for people of all times. She shows readers how to:

 

• discipline the mind, body, possessions, time, and feelings
• overcome anxiety
• change poor habits and attitudes
• trust God in times of trial and hardship
• let Christ have control in all areas of life

 

   “Elliot masterfully and gently takes readers through Scripture, personal stories, and incisive observations of the world around her to help them discover the understanding that our fulfillment as human beings depends on our answer to God’s call to obedience.” ~from ChristianBook.com

Title: Joyful Surrender: 7 Disciplines for the Believer’s Life

Author: Elisabeth Elliot

Genre(s): Christian Living/Spiritual Growth (Nonfiction)

Rating: ❤ ❤ ❤ (three stars)

Recommended age range: 15+ (because some things are mentioned which would not be appropriate for young readers.)

My Review:

FTC disclosure: I received this book from Revell Reads in exchange for my honest review. I was not required to leave a positive review.

When I saw that Joyful Surrender was up for review, I decided to request it. Mrs. Elliot is certainly a well known author, although I only remember reading a couple of her books (one of which was Made for the Journey). I was looking forward to reading this book. However, I was quite disappointed. I did learn some things, but I would not put this book on my favorites list.

One of the major downfalls to me was the many translations of the Bible used. I believe there were only five verses from the King James Bible (which I use) throughout the whole book. Another issue to me was the fact that oftentimes there was no reference or version next to verses; therefore, I could not look them up in my own Bible easily. (I later noticed that in the back there is are references for the verses in the book, but I did not want to take the time to flip to the back of the book for every verse.)

On page 29 this quote appears: “Why, even faith no bigger than a mustard seed could uproot a mulberry tree, Jesus told them.” However, Matthew 17:20 says, “And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.” I must admit that the quote from this book made me quite upset- it’s not a mulberry tree; it’s a mountain!

On page 51 Mrs. Elliot quotes Pope John Paul, and she quotes and writes about other people as well throughout the book who I do not agree with doctrinally (including C. S. Lewis, St. Francis of Assisi, at least one “Father” and at least one “Bishop”).

On page 95, someone named “Qoheleth” is quoted as the author of the book of Ecclesiastes. However, I believe that Solomon wrote that book of the Bible. Qoheleth may be another name for Solomon, but I am not aware of that.

Now, I did learn some from this book. (For example, this quote was helpful to me: “Three chapters per day and five on Sundays will take you through the whole Bible in a year.” I had not heard that before, and I may use that “strategy” at some point.) The chapters on “The Discipline of Time” and “The Discipline of Possessions” were also helpful to me. However, to me the downfalls were greater than the good things about Joyful Surrender. Unfortunately, I don’t think I will be reading this book again.

Dressing for the Lord, by David Cloud

   “To our knowledge, this is the most extensive study on the Christian’s dress in print. There was a time, just a few years ago, when a message like the one contained in this book was heard from fundamentalist and independent Baptist pulpits across the world, but that is no longer the case. All too often, any kind of preaching about clothing has become an oddity, an embarrassment, or a type of “legalism.” The resistance of the rock & roll culture to such preaching is so pervasive that many pastors have decided to ignore the matter of dress, thus the battle is lost simply because the ground is abandoned. Yet if ever there ever were a time when preachers need to warn their people about clothing issues, it is today.

   “Modern society is drenched with indecency. A Vogue fashion show would make ancient Corinth blush. To lay a solid Bible foundation for modesty, we give a careful exegesis of about 25 key Bible passages from Genesis to 1 John, and from these Scriptures we develop Bible principles that can be applied to any nation or culture. The chapter titles include “The Origin of Clothing, “Clothing Is a Language,” “The Captains of the Fashion Industry,” “Isn’t This Basically the Man’s Problem?” “Bible Guidelines for Clothing,” “A Study on Biblical Modesty,” “Worldliness and the Christian’s Dress,” “Pants and the Christian Woman,” “Pushing the Edge on Dress Standards,” Questions Answered on the Issue of Christian Dress,” “Testimonies from Christian Women on the Issue of Modest Dress,” “Survey of Men on the Subject of Women’s Dress,” and “Sources for Ready-made Modest Clothing.”” ~from wayoflife.org Note: Although the description says that there is a chapter entitled ‘Sources for Ready-made Modest Clothing’, the edition that I read (printed in May 2017) does not have that chapter.

Title: Dressing for the Lord

Author: David Cloud

Genre(s): Christian Non-Fiction

Rating: ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ (five stars)

Romance Content: Does not apply

Recommended age range: 13+ at least; I recommend that mothers should read it before daughters, since they know their daughters best.

My Review:

This was a very revealing, biblical, and excellent book. I most certainly learned much from it. I honestly think that every Christian woman and young lady should read it.  Mr. Cloud explains principles very well, and he helped solidify some of my convictions. Also, there was one thing that was truly eye-opening to me: that slits in skirts can tempt men. The way they explained it made sense, I had just never thought of it before. We don’t think like men, and it was very helpful to read testimonies from them. I also liked the notes from other women and young ladies with their testimonies of their modesty journey. I would definitely recommend this book!

 

Now, for a non-book-related note:

The next comment posted will be #500 on this blog!! So, go ahead and comment, and you may be able to get that distinguishment. 😉 Thanks so much to all of you who take the time to read these reviews! (And just a note: just because you don’t see any comments on this post yet doesn’t mean that you’ll post #500; I have to approve them before they appear to the public. 😉 But please don’t let that discourage you! 😀 )

The Centurion’s Wife, by Davis Bunn and Janette Oke

cover photo from google.com; originally from amazon.com

“A sweeping saga of the dramatic events surrounding the birth of Christianity- and the very personal story of Leah, compelled into a betrothal she never wanted, drawn by a faith she never expected….

“When her family’s wealth and power are lost forever, Leah is sent to Pontius Pilate in hopes that he might arrange a strategic marriage. But despite her betrothed’s striking countenance and position, Leah deems life a s a centurion’s wife a fate worse than death.

“Head of the garrison near Galilee, Alban has ambitions that could one day see him at the seat of power- in Rome itself. Eager to prove himself, he takes on the assignment of a lifetime, one that will put his career, his beliefs, and his very life at risk.

“But when the death- and missing body- of an obscure rabbi compel Leah and Alban to search for answers, what they discover changes everything.” ~from the back cover

Title: The Centurion’s Wife

Author(s): Davis Bunn and Janette Oke

Genre(s): Christian Historical Fiction

Rating: ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ < (four and one half stars)

Romance Content: Well… a couple is betrothed, and they grow to love each other, but I think it was very appropriate. More on that in the review. 😉

Recommended age range: Perhaps 13+?

My Review:

This book was interesting… compelling… touching… revealing… and inspiring. The plot reminded me of what I’ve heard of Mr. Lee Strobel’s The Case For Christ, although I’ve never read his book and I don’t know if I agree with his theology or anything since I haven’t read it. 😉 I love how Leah didn’t want to learn about “the prophet” (Jesus) but she was compelled to by her mistress. Also, I have a feeling that this is one of those books that if I read it again everything will become a lot clearer. I’m a fast reader, and when a book is very interesting and fast moving, I tend to miss things. 😛 So some things didn’t really make a lot of sense at the beginning, but they make sense now and I actually can’t remember what didn’t make sense. 🙂

Anyway, I know that this is probably considered a romance novel, and I don’t usually read romance novels, but a friend recommended it to me and assured me that the romance wasn’t bad. So my mom read it first and let me try it. I’m very glad I did! If you are anti-romance like I am (which would honestly be very strange, since I don’t think I know anyone like that 😀 ), don’t let that hold you back from reading it! It all was very appropriate and sweet, and I liked it. (Yes, I know, shocker, right?) But seriously, I really think the romance was God-honoring.

I recommend this book!

One note: There are several- or perhaps even multiple- scenes with people in the Roman and Jewish bath houses. That did cause me to be slightly uncomfortable, but I think it was handled in a good way.

Finding Change, by Sarah Maxwell

photo from Google/originally from titus2.com

Title: Finding Change

Author: Sarah Maxwell

Genre(s): Christian Children’s Fiction

Rating: ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ (five stars)

Romance Content: None.

Recommended age range: 8+

My Review:

I think this is the best book by Miss Sarah Maxwell yet! The characters and plot were well developed, the writing was excellent, and I agree with the reviewer on the back of the book who said it could have been named “Zero Gravity” because it was hard to put down. 🙂 I’m looking forward to future installments to the series! I definitely recommend this book.

America in Crimson Red, by James Beller

from amazon.com

        “‘Ignorance of our heritage is not bliss. It’s spiritual self-destruction.’

       “Here is the soul stirring, non-stop account of the American baptized believers. In these pages are the long forgotten testimony retold with vivid fervor. This is the story of scorn, ridicule, and hatred conquered by sacrifice and devotion. It is the story of one group of Americans who through patience and suffering gave us the America we all now enjoy.

       “Discover:

• The origins of old time religion.
• The American dissident who shed his blood in Boston for liberty 100 years before the Boston Massacre.
• The obscure New England native who became the most influential preacher in American history.
• The revival that led to the Bill of Rights.
• Harrowing experiences of early pioneer preachers.
• The true origin of the frontier camp meeting—a unique American phenomenon. 
• The religious cleansing campaign that took place in the foothills of the Appalachians in 1771.
• Once and for all—was George Washington immersed as a believer at the conclusion of the Revolutionary War?
• The significance of Washington’s battle sword.”

       ~from the back of the book; copied from the Sword of the Lord website. 

 

Title: America in Crimson Red: The Baptist History of America

Author: James R. Beller

Genre(s): Christian Non-Fiction, History

Rating: ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ (five stars)

Romance Content: I’m pretty sure it did talk about people getting married, but it most certainly wasn’t inappropriate.

Recommended age range: 13+, because younger kids would probably be bored.

My Review:

This was an excellent book on Baptists in America! It was interesting, and I learned about men and women of God which I had never heard of before. I also learned more about more well-known individuals, such as Isaac Backus, Isaac McCoy, George Washington, Benedict Arnold, and more! (Yes, each of those men were in the book!) I was also thrilled when I found a quote that was in an amazing book I read recently- which I hope I can share with you; unfortunately, it’s not published yet. 😦

The main thing that bothered me about America in Crimson Red were the numerous typos. Sometimes there were too many commas, and sometimes not enough… so that annoyed me, as I am somewhat of a “comma queen”. 😀 However, I think it is worth it to look over that fact, since it held a lot of excellent information.

I think that every Baptist, young and old, should read this book! It will reinforce your faith and inspire you to fight for the distinctives- the truth!- that Baptists have held to for the ages. Highly recommended!

Polycarp

cover photo from walmart.com

 “During the second century, Anna, a young slave girl, is rescued by Christians in Smyrna and befriended by the bishop. As she struggles to reconcile her beliefs, she and other Christians stand up for their faith when Caesar demands worship from all.” ~from Google

Title: Polycarp

Producer: Henline Productions

Year Made: 2015

My Rating: ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ (five stars)

Romance Content: None that I remember.

Recommended age range: There are some parts that would probably scary to young children. However, I know kids ages 3+ who have watched it, and weren’t dramatically affected.

My Review:

This was an excellent movie! I found out about it from a review in an issue of Radiant Hearts Magazine*, and I’m glad that I decided to watch it! It sparked some fun conversations with my family- for example, this one:

“What does ‘Polycarp’ mean?”

“Many fish?” 😀

And this one (while playing a game called Catch Phrase):

“Polly want a [blank]!”

“Carp?” 😛

Aside from that, Polycarp was helpful spiritually, as it challenges viewers if they would be willing to stand for Christ. There were other challenging things in it as well, although I can’t think of them at the moment. {Sorry!} I found this movie to be inspiring. It was very challenging and encouraging, and I most certainly recommend it!

*I realized that the Polycarp review has not been published yet (as of 01/31/2019) but that it will be published tomorrow. (Since I’m the editor, I had already read the review and watched the movie… it’s kind of a long story.) Sorry about that! Just wanted to clarify. 😉

 

The Bronze Bow, by Elizabeth George Speare

Title: The Bronze Bow

Author: Elizabeth George Speare

Genre(s): Christian Historical Fiction, Biblical Fiction

Rating: ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ (five stars)

Romance Content: There is definitely some attraction between the main character and a girl, and also between two other characters. There are no kisses, hugs, etc, although at one point they touch hands and get embarrassed. There is no talk like “I love you” and the like; you just get the feeling that they will get married.

Recommended age range: 13+

My Review:

This book was amazing. The description was beautiful, the main character’s journey was heart-rending, and… it just was incredible. It was definitely one of the best books I have read in a long time. I enjoy reading books about the time period when Jesus was alive; The Bronze Bow reminded me of Ben-Hur. As I alluded to above, Daniel’s (the main character’s) spiritual journey is amazing. The author wrote in such a was so that I felt what he did, although I didn’t necessarily agree with everything he did. I was rooting for him to make the right choices and turn from his sin. From a writer’s standpoint, there is much to be learned from the writing of the book. As I said before, the description was wonderful. The developing of the characters was also very good. I think the only thing that I did not really like in this book was the romance (detailed in the “Romance Content” section). It most certainly was not bad at all compared to many other books, and it was sweet, but I’m picky; what can I say? 😉 I think it would be appropriate for anyone to read. (I’m just stubbornly sticking to my “no romance policy”. 😀 )

I definitely recommend this book to anyone who enjoys amazing historical/Biblical fiction.

Made for the Journey, by Elisabeth Elliot

   “In this deeply personal account of her first year as a missionary, Elisabeth Elliot shares the challenges she faced as she worked in the jungles of Ecuador to bring the Word of God to a people virtually untouched by the outside world. With fascinating detail, she captures the stark realities of life in the jungle, the difficulties she encountered while developing a written language for the tribe, and her confusion when God didn’t “cooperate” with her efforts to accomplish what she believed was His will.

“More than just a memoir, Made for the Journey is a beautifully crafted and deeply personal reflection on the important questions of life and a remarkable testimony to authentic Christian obedience to an unfathomable God.” ~from the back cover

Title: Made for the Journey (originally These Strange Ashes)

Author: Elisabeth Elliot

Genre(s): Christian Nonfiction/Memoir

Rating: ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ (four stars)

Romance Content: The author *SLIGHT SPOILER!* (highlight to view)gets engaged in this book, and two of her friends also get engaged. It talks about her loving her fiance, *SPOILER END!* but there are no kisses or inappropriate content.

Recommended age range: Probably 12+. There are some gruesome things mentioned, including (highlight to view): a man being shot and dying and someone cracking open his head to get the bullet out, and a couple child births. However, it was not described in great detail.

My Review:

FTC disclosure: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a honest review. I was not obligated to leave a positive review. These are my honest thoughts and opinions.

I enjoyed reading this book! I am not sure if I have read any of Mrs. Elliot’s other books before, but I had definitely heard about her (and especially her husband), so when I saw the chance to read and review this book, I snapped it up. 😉 Made for the Journey was a very interesting book. It was especially interesting for me to read about Mrs. Elliot’s life before marriage. She certainly went through some trials, and I appreciate it that she was willing to share her thoughts and weaknesses through the trials.

Overall, I felt like most of the book was rather dreary, although there were some happier parts. However, I think this will be a book that I will keep on my bookshelf. 🙂

Note: Just to make something clear: While reading this book, I realized that I don’t agree with all of the Elliots’ theology. Neither do I agree with Mrs. Kay Warren (who wrote the foreward and is the wife of Mr. Rick Warren) on all spiritual matters either. So please don’t think that I do. 😉

 

The Happy Mail Challenge!

I apologize that I do not have a book review for you today, but the sad truth is that I have not read any excellent books recently- besides the Bible! Instead, I thought I would share with you a challenge that I created recently!

A little more than a week ago (at the writing of this post), I was pleasantly surprised to receive a beautifully decorated envelope in the mail! Upon opening it, I found two gorgeous hand lettered bookmarks and a sweet note from one of my out-of-state friends. I write letters to several friends, but this one I just email, so I don’t often receive something in the mail from her. Getting that thoughtful little note + gifts just made my day!

Then I thought of an idea: what if I did the same thing for some of my other friends? I collected the favorite Bible verses of some my friends that don’t live nearby and hand lettered them onto bookmarks. I wrote little notes to go with the bookmarks, letting my friends know that I am praying for them, and challenging them to…

So, here are the rules for the happy mail challenge:

1. Make a little gift for one (or more!) of your friends. It doesn’t have to be anything fancy; just a little cheery note would be fine! 
2. Write out a Bible verse or two and include it in the envelope! Encouraging your friends in the Lord is wonderful! (I love it when my friends talk about spiritual things with me!)
3. Challenge your friend to make some happy mail and send it to another friend!

Hopefully, this will encourage lots of girls to reach out to friends that they don’t always write to, and will build friendships that will last a lifetime, built on the Word of God!

After doing the challenge, I would love it if you would comment and let me know that you did! Thank you!

Dead Drop, by Perry Elisabeth Kirkpatrick

   “Summertime is all fun and games …and spycraft.

“When Jaimie and her brother discover a hollow place in a half-dead tree, she and her friends decide it’s the perfect dead drop for their amateur spy-ring. As time goes on, the messages Jaimie receives become harder to decipher. Is one of her friends a real spy? Or is something even stranger going on?

“This is a short story (approx. 26 minutes average reading time.” ~from Goodreads.com

Title: Dead Drop

Author: Perry Elisabeth Kirkpatrick

Genre(s): Espionage/Short Story

Rating: ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ (four stars)

Romance Content: A little brother briefly mentions that his older sister is “boy-crazy” (he’s 11 and the sister is probably 13 or 14), but that’s about it.

Recommended age range: 8+ (There is a bit of suspense that may cause younger readers to be worried, but it is over very quickly. Parents, I would recommend that you read it before you allow your young child to, since you know your child best.)

My Review:

This was an adorable little story that suddenly became much more serious and interesting. 😉 It reminded me of something my brothers, neighbor kids, and I would have done a couple years ago. I mean, who doesn’t love spies, codes, and mysteries (even if they are just pretend at the beginning)? And I also love the cover! I think it fits the story perfectly. I would recommend this short story to anyone who is looking for a quick, cute, and exciting read.

Just a note: At the beginning an 11 year old brother mentions that his older sister is “boy-crazy” and causes a bit of an embarrassing situation. That almost made me stop reading it, since I don’t think such things are necessary in books (especially kids’ books), but that is the extent of the romance.

Speak Truth in Your Heart, by Sarah Mally

from www.christianbook.com

   “Many girls try to change their wrong actions, but never learn to discern the wrong thinking behind the actions. In this new book, Sarah Mally challenges girls to identify lies which are root issues behind struggles they face. Including thought-provoking cartoons, stories, biblical teaching, and practical steps of action, this book teaches girls to replace lies with the truth and align their thinking with God’s Word. When a young lady learns to speak truth TO herself, she is planting her feet upon an unshakable foundation that will resist even the most powerful attacks of the enemy. She will see how God’s Word will transform each area of her life as the truth sets her free!” ~from www.christianbook.com

Title: Speak Truth In Your Heart

Author: Sarah Mally

Genre(s): Christian Non-Fiction

Rating: ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ (four stars)

Romance Content: It talks about saving your heart for your future husband and includes other people’s stories of how God brought them together, but there is no negative romance content (e.g. glorifying sin, etc).

Recommended age range: 13+, because of some topics which are discussed (nothing in detail, but it does talk a little about physical purity).

My Review:

This book was amazing. Miss Mally does not water down the truth in it at all; her statements are backed up with truth from God’s Word. The first part didn’t really affect me- I learned from it but it didn’t impact me much- but the second half was amazing. It was convicting and helpful. I really appreciate Miss Mally’s encouragement to be strong for the Lord and to always obey Him.

The one main downside to this book that I was disappointed in was the fact that the King James Bible is only used for one verse (that I remember). NKJV is used for most of the book, and other versions are also used. This was disappointing to me because in all the rest of the Mallys’ books (I’m pretty sure, at least) the King James Bible is used exclusively. It took away from my reading of the book because I skipped over the verses that were not KJB, which was the majority.

Otherwise, I would highly recommend this book! It was an excellent and worthwhile read.

Buyers’ tip: I bought my copy from Christian Book; they seemed to have the best price when I bought it. (Also, when looking for the best deals for other books, check out BookFinder. They search most retail websites; I’m not sure about small businesses.)

 

 

Mother, by Kathleen Norris

I mentioned this book in this post over a year ago. I recently re-read it, and liked it more than last time. (I’m not sure what I meant by “high expectations that weren’t met” in the previous post… 😛 ) Now I’m finally giving you a full review!

From Amazon.com

   “This is a difficult age to be a woman.  At times it seems as if the entire culture conspires to belittle motherhood and the home. The woman who aspires to raise children for the glory of God, to develop the ministry of the home, or to co-labor with her husband is deemed “old-fashioned” or “unfulfilled.” The modern lure of independence and career has bewitched an entire generation to exchange the beauty of Christian womanhood for the temporary enticements of a society at war with the family. Amidst this confusion, Kathleen Norris’s Mother is a refreshing call to sanity. 

   “Mother is the fictional tale of a young lady who leaves home and repudiates family life in the hope of finding personal fulfillment through independence and a career. Though she has benefitted greatly from the love of her own mother, she decides that raising children and keeping home is a wasted life in comparison to the opportunities of the business world. But God dramatically changes her heart. She discovers that wealth and position are illusory and that independence can enslave a young lady. She discovers that the greatest woman she has ever known is her mother. Now she longs for home and for motherhood.

“Mother is an antidote to the cynicism our generation has directed at Christian womanhood. Vision Forum is pleased to offer this restored and revised version of the 1911 Kathleen Norris classic in the hope that girls will once again embrace the beauty of motherhood.” ~from the dustjacket

Title: Mother

Author: Kathleen Norris

Genre(s): Christian Fiction

Rating: ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ (four stars)

Romance Content: Basically, the main character “falls in love” with someone partway through the book. At the end of the book, they get engaged. However, they do not kiss, and that is not the main focus of the book. (The only things that I did not like about their relationship were 1) the MC didn’t want him to meet her family; she was embarrassed by them {but that gets resolved by the end of the book} and 2) they were alone a couple times, including when he proposed.) I did appreciate that he asked for her father’s blessing before proposing.

Recommended age range: Perhaps 12+?

My Review:

As I said above, the first time I read this book, I wasn’t very impressed. I liked the message, but I was annoyed by the main character’s attitude towards motherhood. I recently re-read Mother, and this time I liked it better; perhaps because I knew that SLIGHT SPOILER!! Margaret was going to get her attitude straightened out by the end. ;P SPOILER END!!

I really like the message in this book; I’m sure that it is needed by many young ladies these days. However, I’m not sure if it would impact girls in the 21st century, mainly because it is set further back in history. I enjoyed it, but I already knew that motherhood is a wonderful calling and I’m used to reading older books. It may be helpful to girls who have grown up in godly homes but had their perspective changed by worldly influences, as seemed to be the case with the editor and author of the foreward, Mrs. Jennie Chancey. Perhaps it would be helpful for a more up-to-date version to be written?? I really hate to suggest that, since I did enjoy Mother, but the truth is that most secular young ladies probably wouldn’t appreciate the book. 😦

Anyway, I would recommend this book. It was very well written and interesting. I would recommend that you try to find an older copy, however; I read a version published by Vision Forum (which company I may not always agree with), and in the foreword it is mentioned that there have been more recent editors who took out the heart of it. 😉

Note: While looking for the synopsis for this book, I found that you can buy a hardcover copy of this book on Amazon for $0.46 (+$4.89 shipping, but you know 😉 )! Check out the deals by clicking here! *Price as of 9/19/18 (when this post was drafted)

 

 

Hunting in the Highlands, by C.R. Hedgcock

   “After the perils of Iceland, the Bakers  plan to enjoy a relaxing vacation with their relatives, the Drakes, in Scotland. Andy goes deer stalking with Uncle Clive, Abby goes horse-back riding and sightseeing with Phil and their cousin Millie, and Tom travels with his parents to the Isle of Bute.

   “Three incidents throw the trip into a spiral of confusion, and, scattered across Scotland, the Bakers have clues that don’t seem to belong to the same puzzle. A government weapon has fallen into the hands of a top-secret  academy, and the only way to stop the spread of dangerous lies is to find the weapon and discover the significance of the name ‘Haelix.’” ~from Grace and Truth Books

Title: Hunting in the Highlands

Author: C.R. Hedgcock

Genre(s): Christian Fiction

Rating: ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ (five stars)

Romance Content: None.

Recommended age range: I know an ten-year-old who is reading it to an eight-year-old, and they are both enjoying it, but some of the content might be a little confusing to younger children… I admit that I didn’t fully understand everything the main characters were talking about… but more about that in the review. 😉 I’d say 12+ would be a good age to read it.

My Review:

Wow. I’m pretty sure that this is my favorite book in the Baker Family Adventure series, and I’ve read them all (but I’ve only reviewed The Treacherous Trail and Peril on Providence Island on this blog). It was so complex; I’m sure I could never write a book as intricate as the Baker Family Adventures- kudos to Miss Hedgcock! One thing I like about this series is that you don’t always know what is going on. I’m a mystery lover, and I’ve read a lot of mystery books. A lot of times, it’s pretty easy to figure out who did it, or whatever, but in this series, you don’t figure it out until the author reveals it. ❤ I love it!

For part of the book, some of the main characters (SLIGHT SPOILER!! Mr. Jigson, Tom, Alistair {one of my personal favorites <3}, Dr. Roth, and Detective Mortimer SPOILER END!!) are trying to crack a code, and they end up talking about DNA and stuff. That totally went over my head, but it was still very interesting! Don’t let it turn you off. 😉

The only reason why I cannot fully recommend this book is because the King James Bible is not used. Other than that, it was great!

Anyway! This was a totally amazing book. I think it is my favorite Baker Family Adventure. You definitely need to read it!! 🙂 Enjoy! ❤

If you have read the book, and you want to read my fangirly notes, feel free to read on. But if you haven’t, I would recommend not reading any farther; huge spoilers ahead! My favorite parts:

• When the Bakers, the policemen, Briosa, Wylie, and the Freylads are all in jail together (well, Briosa and Wylie aren’t supposed to be in jail, but… 😛 )… VERY exciting. 😀
• When Abby is escaping with the Freylads… it’s amazing how good they are with tracking!
• Alistair. He’s so smart, but tricky, and I just really like him for some reason. {I hope he comes to the Lord in a coming book!!! Pllleeeaaassseee, Miss Hedgcock!!! <3}
• The submarine- it’s so amazing how they stole it. Just… wow.
• When Millie, Alistair, and Abby are trying to find the tape on the tower thing… it’s so cool they were all dressed perfectly for the reenactment!
• Just how you can see how everything worked out for the good, and how the Bakers trusted God through it all. ❤

Why I Don’t Read Romance Novels

Some of you may be wondering why I don’t review romance novels on this blog. Or why I give lower ratings to books that have even a teensy bit of romance in them. Well, in this post, I’m here to answer that question.

My #1 reason: I don’t read romance novels because I don’t want to think about the things that they promote.

Romance novels tend to make the readers dwell on things that they shouldn’t. As an unmarried young lady, I want to keep my heart pure for my future husband, and ultimately for God. (Before You Meet Prince Charming is a great book to read on this subject!) That means that I don’t want to think about romance. Even a little bit of romance (a hug, crushes, characters constantly thinking about each other, starry-eyed smiles, you get the point) in a book could make me start thinking about what boys I “like”, or planning my wedding… and by the way, I’m still a teenager, and so I’m not going to get married for a long time- what is the point of thinking about stuff like that?? It simply distracts me from the important things in life- like my relationship with God and my family.

Even if I was married, I don’t think I’d want to read romance novels. They could cause me to become discontent if my husband isn’t as handsome as the male lead in the book, or possibly cause other problems, which I’m not aware of since I’m not married and don’t read romance novels. 😉

My #2 reason for not reading romance novels: My mom doesn’t want me to.

I am immensely grateful that my mom had the wisdom to forbid me to read romance novels. When I was younger, I didn’t appreciate it so much. What’s wrong with a little romance in a mystery novel? Now I’m realizing that she was, and is, right. As detailed above, I don’t think that reading romance would encourage my walk with the Lord.

I have been able to find only a couple of books in which there is romance which I believe is appropriate and godly. London in the Dark is one of those books; the main storyline is a mystery, and the main character gets married at the end. Before the last chapter, we have no hint that Olivia (the MC) is even interested in her future husband (unless there were hints and I totally missed them, which is possible). I also enjoyed the Courtship series by Mr. and Mrs. Stephen B. Castleberry. Jeff McLean: His Courtship was very helpful in that it outlines some requirements for a wife from the Bible; it was good for evaluating my life. The Courtship of Sarah McLean, by the same authors, was also very good.

Note: Just because I do not read books with romance in them does not mean that I look down on those who do. I have some very good friends who do read romance novels. I wanted to share my reasons for not reading books like that so that others would be challenged to evaluate their reasons for doing so, not so that they would be offended or start an argument. 😉

Well, those are my reasons why I don’t read romance novels. What do you think? Do you read romance novels? If so, why do you? Do you know of any other good books with godly romance in them? Let me know in the comments!

Radiant Modesty, by Rebekah Joy

  “Do you want to know what the Bible has to say about the clothing we wear? Do you want to know why modesty matters? And most of all… are you wondering how in the world YOU can dress in modest clothing too?

   “Our culture no longer knows what it means to dress modestly, and sadly, many Christian girls don’t know either!

   “In this PDF E-Book we will talk about some of the basic (and not so basic) aspects of modesty. We will look at the Bible to see why modesty matters, what it looks like, and so much more!

   “This E-Book also includes tips and tricks for dressing modestly all throughout the year, recommended books for further reading and more. You will even read about the sticky topic of legalism and how to avoid it!

   “Here are the topics covered in this book:

• Chapter One: Why Does Modesty Matter?
• Chapter Two: What Does Modesty Look Like?
• Chapter Three: How Immodesty Affects Men
• Chapter Four: Five Common Causes of Immodesty
• Chapter Five: The Times and Places for Modesty
• Chapter Six: Modesty Through the Seasons
• Chapter Seven: What About Legalism?
• Chapter Eight: What About Makeup?
• Chapter Nine: Putting it All Together

      “Bonus Material

• Why I Don’t Wear Pants
• What I Wear for Various Activities
• Where to Shop for Modest Clothing
• Recommended Reading
• Is My Outfit Modest? {Checklist}
• Help! My Outfit Isn’t Modest. How Can I Fix It?

   “All of these chapters and resources will help you on your journey to clothing yourself in modest apparel.

   “All Scripture is taken from the King James Version.” ~from MoreRadiance.com

Title: Radiant Modesty

Author: Rebekah Joy

Genre(s): Christian Non-Fiction

Rating: ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ (five stars)

Romance Content: None.

Recommended age range: 12+

My Review:

FTC disclosure: I won this ebook in a giveaway. I was not required to leave a positive review. These are my honest thoughts and opinions.

This is an amazing book! It covered some great topics, including why it is important to be modest, what kinds of clothing are modest, and how to fix outfits that are not modest. It was very helpful to me, and I also think it would be helpful to those who have never been taught about modesty. I agreed with most of the things that Mrs. Rebekah wrote about.

There was one thing that I disagreed with, which is this statement: “We all want to be noticed and loved by someone special. However, we must realize that there is only ONE person that can bestow the proper love and attention that we desire and that is our husband (or future husband).” (page 26) The only One Who can give us true fulfillment is the Lord. Yes, I understand her point, and that is to not seek attention from men, but I believe that even your husband/future husband will eventually fail you in one way or another- he is not perfect. Otherwise, I think I agreed with everything she said. 🙂 I would highly recommend this book!

Note: As of 08/19/2018, I believe that the only place you can buy this ebook is http://www.MoreRadiance.com/product/radiant-modesty-e-book/. 

Martha’s Fun Summer, by Bekah O’Brien

from Amazon

   “Martha Knight lives with her Daddy, Mommy and her six brothers and sisters in Helena, Montana in the 1930’s. Join Martha for a fun-filled summer along with the hard work of a farming family. What adventures will Martha have this summer? What will she do to survive the wild buggy ride? Will she get to keep the kitten she finds?” ~from Amazon.com

Title: Martha’s Fun Summer

Author: Bekah O’Brien

Genre(s): Christian Historical Fiction

Rating: ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ (four stars)

Romance Content: Girls talk about getting married, etc, and children + teens dance together at a party

Recommended age range: 8+, with parental guidance (because of the dancing)

My Review:

Yes, the synopsis does sound a little dis-interesting, but, as a teenager, I did enjoy this book! I really liked how Martha always apologized when she was impatient or unkind to her siblings; that was a great example. She was also focused on serving the Lord, which I liked.

I found several typos (although there were fewer than in some other indie books), but there were also a lot of phrases that were not right (like using ‘also’ and ‘as well’ in the same sentence). Honestly, that bothered me; I’m somewhat of a grammar freak, although I don’t necessarily understand all of the rules of grammar. 😉 I realize that this book was started when the author was eleven years old, so that makes sense; however, I still didn’t care for them. 😉

I did find some things that I don’t think were correct to the era… Martha and her siblings were homeschooled, for example, and I don’t think that really existed in the 1930’s (correct me if I’m wrong!). Also, the Knights had PB & J sandwiches often, and I’m not sure if peanut butter existed then.

Oh, and I didn’t care for the dancing part. Most people probably wouldn’t have a problem with it, but I don’t think people should dance. 😉

It sounds like I really didn’t like this book, but I did enjoy it; I was able to look past most of those things, keeping in mind that the author was eleven when she started writing it (and I do understand that she probably edited it after that). I would recommend this book, but please keep in mind the things which I noted (specifically the dancing thing). 😉

Lettering with Purpose, by Brittany Luiz

from Google.com

“Lettering with Purpose covers basic hand-lettering, calligraphy, and brush-lettering techniques, while encouraging artists to develop their own personal lettering styles and create artwork with purpose. With an abundance of inspirational exercises and step-by-step projects, professional lettering artist Brittany Luiz demonstrates how to create hand-lettered artwork that is at once uplifting, joyful, and empowering!” ~from the back cover

Title: Lettering with Purpose

Author: Brittany Luiz

Genre(s): Non-fiction

Rating: ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ (five stars)

Romance Content: None… one of the projects was of the phrase “Love never fails”, but that’s not exactly romance… 🙂

Recommended age range: 12+, or experienced hand-lettering artists

My Review:

This book was extremely helpful to me and was fun to read. I loved looking at all of the gorgeous pictures of hand-lettering!! If you need inspiration, this book will give it to you. 😉

The author includes info on how to write different fonts, along with sheets on which to practice + trace the fonts. I, unfortunately, was not able to take advantage of those pages, since I read a library copy, but it looks very helpful. Mrs. Luiz also recommends some of her favorite tools for hand-lettering, which was good information to have (except now I have one more thing to spend money on… 😛 ).

I also really like the instructions for turning hand-lettering into vectors; I had read another book on how to do that, but this book helped me understand it better. (Now I “need to” buy Adobe Photoshop + Illustrator… but I don’t want to spend the money, so I’m in a dilemma! 😉 )

There are hand-lettering prompts (think writing prompts, but for hand-lettering) — 100 of them! — in the back of this book, which look interesting. I did not read all of the prompts, so there may be things I don’t agree with in them; I just don’t know. 😉

From the title, I was hoping that there would be some kind of Christian emphasis, but that is not the case. However, I still really liked it and I definitely recommend this book to anyone who is interested in learning more about hand-lettering.

Thanks for putting up with this review, non-crafty types who follow this blog! I’m hoping that this will help those who enjoy doing crafts and hand-lettering. 😉

Kiera, by Kate Willis

“Kiera is looking forward to her eighteenth birthday. The official end of school, a party with her best friend, and chocolate cake. A sudden military draft, no possible exemptions, had never crossed her mind.

“Kiera is terrified! Getting drafted would mean leaving her family, her little friend Jade—life as she knows it.

“A surprising offer from Brennan Stewart just might be the answer to her prayers, but an even worse trial leaves her with one question…

“If God truly loves her, why did this tragedy happen?” ~from Goodreads.com

Title: Kiera

Author: Kate Willis

Genre(s): Christian Dystopian

Rating: ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ (five stars)

Romance Content: The romance was more than I prefer, but it probably wouldn’t be bad to people who read a lot of romance. In fact, they would probably love it! Read review for more details. 😉

Recommended age range: 13+ (some touchy subjects are talked about: brief mentions of abortion, embryo storage and adoption, “Off-screen” death, and brief mentions of a hard childhood, including physical abuse) This didn’t bother me a lot; it’s part of life, but still. 😉

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.
{first read: beta-read}
Wow. Just… wow. This book was a m a z i n g. It was sweet, sad, and just all-around loveable.
I do have mixed feelings on a couple things, but I will discuss those things in a future full review. 😉
{second read: arc}
I loved this book. It was amazing. Just amazing.
In three words, Kiera was adorable, heartbreaking, and relatable. It had so many meaningful messages in it, which I totally appreciated. It will take you on a roller-coaster of emotions. I loved it. (did I already say that?)
Honestly, I didn’t pick up on the things that I had mixed feelings on from my first read. The only thing that I didn’t prefer was the romance. It was not bad at all, and most people wouldn’t have a problem with it, but I prefer not to fill my mind with romance, including hugs/kisses/etc. I did appreciate that this was very low-key and it was all between a married couple (long story, but read this if you want more info: SPOILER!!! Kiera marries Brennan out of necessity, so she won’t get drafted. Basically, at the beginning, she doesn’t love him (at least not in a lovey-dovey way), but at the end, she does. That’s where the romance comes in. 😉 SPOILER END!!!).
Some random fan-girly comments:
~Jade = adorable!!! *heart-eyes* That little girl is so cute. ❤ Plus, she made me appreciate my sisters more… they’re pretty cute, too. 😉
~We need to see more of Destiny. She needs a happy ending, as do the rest of her family (especially Kent… *cries*).
~I CAN’T BELIEVE THAT IAN WAS THE IAN FROM Crossroads!!!! ❤ ❤ 😀
~It was special seeing my name in the acknowledgements… that’s the first time that’s happened! (Yes, I am obsessive about commas, Kate xD)
And Kate’s bio at the end was hilarious… not sure if she’s going to leave it that way in the final book, but it was still funny. 😀

SLIGHT SPOILER!! Sparrows are now special to me, and I want to know if Kiera’s song is real. ❤ (Note: I found out that it is, but I’m not going to listen to it, because Kate said it’s kind of “rocky”. 😦 Oh, well!) SPOILER END!!

Loved it. It’s a must read. ❤ ❤ ❤ 🙂

 

ALSO! Saturday was the third anniversary of this blog! I would like to thank each you for following this blog. ❤

Crossroads, by Paul Willis

“Lethal persecution. Haunting decisions. Death just a whisper away.

“Jack grew up concealing his faith, but now the persecution of Christians has turned lethal. After inadvertently putting his family in danger, Jack becomes aware of a covert agency dedicated to protecting Christians. The agency takes his mother and sister to safety and offers him a position as an emergency medic within their ranks.

“Caring for the injured allows Jack to help their cause without violating his pacifistic beliefs, but he stands at odds with tough resistance fighter Britain. Grueling firefights, severe losses, and desperate choices test their beliefs as each of them seeks to save lives no matter the cost. But what is that cost?” ~from Goodreads.com

Title: Crossroads

Author: Paul Willis

Genre(s): Christian Dystopian

Rating: ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ (five stars)

Romance Content: None, really…

Recommended age range: 12+, because of violence (not very descriptive, but still)

My Review:

Wow. This book was so incredible. It kept my attention extremely well… which maybe wasn’t a good thing, since I was reading when I probably could have been doing something useful  There was adventure around every corner. I loved how Britain and Jack both went through personal struggles that were very relatable. I think that deciding whether to be a pacifist or not is a huge struggle for Christians; we actually had a discussion on that in Sunday School a couple months ago. (It was very interesting because a lot of people had different views 😀 ) Anyway, I’m getting off subject. 😉 There were a couple things I didn’t like: “Thank God” was used about two times, once by a non-Christian. It seems like that could be used as a swear word, which I didn’t appreciate. I also found quite a few typos, which unfortunately seems to be common among Indie authors.
Besides those things, I loved this book! I would recommend it for ages 12+ because of violence and people believing in false gods and speaking badly of the true God. (Which reminds me: SPOILER!!! Laurion almost seemed like the antichrist, because he was so evil, but I don’t think he is. SPOILER END!!!
In short, I loved this book, especially since it really made me think.

 

 

Praying God’s Promises, by Linda Evans Shepherd

Popping in to leave a review of a book which I was required to read and review on this blog. 😉

Title: Praying God’s Promises

Author: Linda Evans Shepherd

Genre(s): Prayer

Rating: [not rated]

Romance Content: None, from what I read.

Recommended age range: None, unfortunately. 😦

My Review:

FTC disclosure: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a honest review. I was not obligated to leave a positive review. These are my honest thoughts and opinions.

DNF (Did Not Finish)

I must admit that I went into this book with an uneasy feeling about it, mainly because I noticed that there are fourteen translations of the Bible used in it. I am a KJB-only Baptist, and while I tolerate other versions in books occasionally, I do not see the need to use fourteen different translations. I would ordinarily put the book down as soon as I saw that; however, I had received this book in exchange for an honest review, so I determined to give it a try, with my King James Bible in hand to look up references with.
While the translation thing was one of my main problems with this book, I found other things I did not agree with as well. I don’t feel comfortable reading (or recommending) this book, because I don’t agree with the theology in it.
For one thing, a quote from Mary Ruth Swope (from her book The Power of Blessing Your Children) is in this book. It says. “By becoming members of the family of God, we receive full rights to the blessing of our father, Abraham. And like Abraham, we can pass on God’s blessing to our children and grandchildren, just as our forefathers did.” I do not believe that we become children of Abraham when we accept Christ; I do not see where that is written in the Bible. (I do understand that this quote was not written by Mrs. Shepherd, but she seems to agree with Ms. Swope, since she referenced it.)
Some verses in the Bible seems to be taken out of context/misinterpreted in Praying God’s Promises. It is true that God has made many promises to New Testament Christians in His Word, but the author “claimed promises” that were not made to her (such as the promise that God made in Exodus 9:16 to Moses).
I apologize if this review came off as harsh or unkind, but those are my honest thoughts from the 40+ pages I read of Praying God’s Promises. I am disappointed to say that I cannot recommend this book to any Christian.

**I received this book in exchange for an honest review (posted on my blog and another website, such as Amazon) from Revell Reads. I was not required to give a positive review.**

 

Music Reviews…

Hello, everyone! After my last music-related post went over so well, I thought it would be fun to list some of my favorite musicians and/or songs in a post. Here we go!

Note: I am very conservative in most, if not all, areas of life, and music is no exception. Therefore, because of my convictions, you will not find any CCM (Contemporary Christian Music) on this list. If you have questions on this, feel free to comment on this post or contact me through this page. Thank you!

The Rains Family

This family has put together some wonderful vocal and instrumental music, which you can listen to for free on their website. I have a CD by them, called Christ is All, but I couldn’t find it online, so I unfortunately can’t put a link to buy it.

Falls Baptist Church & Baptist College of Ministry

I have one CD put together by this church, which I greatly enjoyed: I Found a Friend (by Mary Faith Van Gelderen Williams and Daniel John Van Gelderen). I also was able to listen to their Summer Ensemble, which was a real blessing as well. I haven’t listened to any music by them, but from what I have seen and listened to, they are a great resource.

SMS (Sacred Music Services)

I have listened to several of SMS’s recordings, and they were very good. My family owns Amazing Love and Be Not Discouraged, and they were both amazing (their rendition of “Only a Boy Named David” on Be Not Discouraged usually is requested to be played again 😀 ). I can’t recommend all of SMS’s music, because I haven’t listened to it all, but I think that it is probably good.

With Voice of Triumph Raised

This is an orchestrated piece that I found quite randomly, but I love it! It’s very beautiful, and I greatly enjoy listening to it. 🙂 It is an arrangement of a hymn. You can download the recording or listen to it online by clicking here.

Well, there you have it- some of my favorite musical pieces to listen to! Do you know of other great godly music? Please, let me know in the comments!

In Christ,

Leona

The Star Under the City, by Maggie Joy

Yes, I finally got to read this book!!! I was so excited, and it turned out to be amazing, just as I had hoped. 🙂

  “When Ellen is suddenly orphaned and dropped alone into a strange city under tight Nazi control, she struggles to survive from day to day.

  “Her life takes an unexpected turn when she finds a mysterious, metal six-point star that is slightly different from the ‘Star of David’ all Jews are forced to wear.

  “Not only does the star feel like a sign of hope, but it sets her on a mission to find out what it really means. As she begins to wonder if she’ll ever find answers, she meets Lenz, and her life is flung into a whirlwind of danger and hardship, new friends and new enemies, and opportunities to learn trust and true sacrifice.

  “As she attempts to find her place in the conflict, she discovers she is a part of something so much bigger than she could ever imagine.” ~from Goodreads.com

Title: The Star Under the City

Author: Maggie Joy

Genre(s): Christian Historical Fiction

Rating: ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ (five stars)

Romance Content: A young man and woman are involved in a courtship; no kisses, etc are shown, if I remember right. That’s not the main part of the story.

Recommended age range: Maybe 12+, because there are some suspenseful parts.

My Review:

Wow. This book was so sad, but I still loved it. The little glimpses of hope throughout were priceless. There were so many wonderful quotes. It did seem a little cliché when SPOILER!! Ellen saved the day SPOILER END!!, but I can overlook that. Sometimes I like cliché things. 😉 Now I want to read it again!
Note: KJV was not used; NKJV and NIV were.

 

 

Quest for Leviathan: Blog Tour

Are sea monsters a real thing? What about fire-breathing dragons? According to the Bible, there is a fire-breathing sea creature who really existed: the leviathan. Amanda Tero brings this dragon to life in her newest short story, “Quest for Leviathan.” Join Anath and his crew of ninety-nine rowers as they face the waves of the Mediterranean Sea and the power of Leviathan.

About the Story

Leviathan took the life of his father.

Anath has spent three years preparing for the voyage that will end the threat of Leviathan. Yet as the Valor launches into the depths of the Mediterranean, an inward quest also begins, taking Anath to depths he is not willing to face.

Purchase an e-copy on Amazon or order a paperback.
Add to your Goodreads shelf.

Title: Quest for Leviathan

Author: Amanda Tero

Genre(s): Biblical Fiction/Historical Fiction

Rating: ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ (five stars)

Romance Content: None whatsoever.

Recommended age range: 12+, as there is some violence (nothing descriptive)

My Review:

FTC disclosure: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a honest review. I was not obligated to leave a positive review. These are my honest thoughts and opinions.

This was a great short story! It was exciting, encouraging, and helpful. The scripture in the back was wonderful, and I love that the story is based on something real. 😉
And can I just say that the cover is amazing? ❤
I would definitely recommend this short story! It is easy and fast to read, but makes you think, too. I plan on reading it again in the future.

 

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 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.

Connect with Amanda

Email: amandaterobooks@gmail.com

Website: http://amandatero.com/

Facebook: www.facebook.com/amandaterobooks

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amandateroauthor/

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/amandaruthtero/

Blog: www.withajoyfulnoise.blogspot.com

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/AmandaTero

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/author/amandatero

Interview with Amanda

What inspired you to write this short story?

I was reading through Job and reached the latter chapters when the thought crossed my mind, “A boy whose father was killed by Leviathan. He is angry at L, and he is angry at God—yet just like Job needed to realize the power of God, so does he.”

How long did it take you to write it?

Way too long! 😉 I’m used to novellas taking a few months, but a short story? I wrestled with words for hours in writing this short story. I got the idea in June 2017, started writing it down that fall, but put the bulk of the work in January 2018, when I finally finished the rough draft. Idea to publication was right at a year.

Who do you think would enjoy this?

I hope that it will grab the attention of early-teen boys, though anyone who loves adventure and daring ventures should like it as well.

Who is your favorite character?

Leviathan! I mean… an honest-to-goodness fire-breathing dragon?! I didn’t make this guy up; I followed the descriptions in Job 41. He definitely was the most fascinating “character” I’ve ever written.

What is your favorite scene (SLIGHT SPOILERS AHEAD!!)?

Ooh, I definitely had a favorite scene, and that was when Anath actually faces Leviathan! I loved exploring Job 41 and then portraying Leviathan on the pages of my fictional story. Not to mention a sea-battle between man and monster! The confrontation between the two was definitely my favorite!

[SPOILER END]

Giveaway!

Amanda is giving away TWO print copies of “Quest for Leviathan” to one winner — one for you, and one for your friend!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thanks for reading!

Blog Tour Schedule:

June 8 – With a Joyful Noise (Release Day Post)

Resting Life (Spotlight, Review)

The World of the Writer (Review)

Authoring Arrowheads (Review)

Purely by Faith Review (Review, Interview)

June 9 – Victoria’s Book Nook (Spotlight, Review, Giveaway)

Bekah’s Books (Spotlight, Review, Interview)

June 11 – Clothed with Scarlet (Spotlight, Review, Giveaway)

Reveries Reviews (Review)

June 12 – Chosen Vessels (Spotlight, Review)

My Purple Pen (Review)

Read Another Page (Review)

June 13 – Once Upon an Ordinary (Review)

Maidens for Modesty (Review)

Yahweh Sisters (Review)

June 14 – Honey Rock Hills (Review)

Life of Heritage Corner (Spotlight, Review, Interview, Giveaway)

Kaylee’s Kind of Writes (Review, Interview)

June 15 – The Red-Hooded Writer (Review)

Blossoms and Blessings (Spotlight, Review, Interview, Giveaway)

Lit Aflame (Review, Interview)

June 16 – The Left-Handed Typist (Review)

Encouraging Words from the Tea Queen (Review, Interview, Giveaway)

June 18 – Great Books for God’s Girls (Review, Interview)

Peculiar Miss Darcy (Character Interview)

June 19 – Done in Love (Spotlight, Review, Interview, Giveaway)

Creating Romance (Spotlight, Review, Giveaway)

June 20 – Keturah’s Korner (Review, Interview)

Rock and Minerals 4 Him (Spotlight, Review, Giveaway)

June 21 – A Baker’s Perspective (Review, Giveaway, Character Spotlight)

Christian Author: A.M. Heath (Review, Interview)

June 22 – Writings, Ramblings, and Reflections (Review)

Views from the Window Friend (Review)

Hunting for Truth (Spotlight, Review, Giveaway)

June 23 – Reading on the Edge (Spotlight)

Summer Snowflakes (Review, Giveaway)

June 25 – With a Joyful Noise (Giveaway Winner Announced)

Let My Life Be a Light: Bright Lights Songbook

Today I have a different kind of review: that of a songbook! I greatly enjoy the music in this book, and thought it would be fun to share it with you! Let’s get on to the review, shall we?

   “The Bright Lights songbook was designed as a companion to the CD Let My Life Be a Light, released in November of 2009. It contains the piano accompaniment, guitar chords, words, and melody line for each of the songs on the CD, with vocal harmony added to several of the songs. Five additional songs were included in the songbook that are not on the CD.

1. Who Will Shine God’s Light? 2. In Christ Alone 3. Be Thou My Vision 4. The Smile Song 5. Higher Ground 6. I Will Live For You 7. That I May Know Him 8. Before the Throne of God Above 9. Bright Lights 10. Mind of Christ 11. I Am Resolved 12. The Light of the World 13. I Am Your Shield 14. Sing Hallelujah 15. He is Faithful 16. Let My Life Be a Light 17. It is Well With My Soul 18. Trust and Obey 19. My Jesus, I Love Thee 20. Channels Only 21. Immanuel’s Land.” ~source

Title: Let My Life Be a Light: Bright Lights Songbook

Author: Various

Genre(s): Non-fiction, Songbook

Rating: ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ (five stars)

Romance Content: None. 😀

Recommended age range: Intermediate-Advanced pianists.

My Review:

This is one of my favorite hymn/song arrangement books. Although it’s not technically an arrangement book, because it’s meant to be played along with singers, the songs are beautifully set with lots of “improvising” (except you’re not improvising because you’re playing what’s written 😀 ). Whenever I’m looking for something to play, I often grab this book. There is only one song that I will not play: In Christ Alone. While this song may have good words, it’s often played by CCM artists (at least in my experience), whom I cannot support. Otherwise, I love all of the songs in this book, and I highly recommend it. 🙂

I just found out that they have come out with a CD to go with this and a beginner version of this book. I haven’t used/listened to either of those products, so I can’t endorse them. 😉

 

An Old Fashioned Girl, by L. M. Alcott

 

from Google

 

  “When Polly Milton visits Fanny Shaw and her wealthy family in the city for the first time, she’s overwhelmed by the modern and fashionable world around her. She doesn’t wear fancy clothes, go to popular shows, or even talk the way the girls in town do. Although her new friends consider her quaint and “countrified”, Polly clings to her simple clothes and plain manners, and in time wins the hearts of the entire Shaw family. But even a country girl can be tempted by the flirtations, excitement, and intrigues of the city. Can an old-fashioned girl remain true to her principles and still find work, happiness, and love in a thoroughly modern city?” ~from Goodreads.com

Title: An Old-Fashioned Girl

Author: Louisa May Alcott

Genre(s): Historical Fiction

Rating: ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ (four stars)

Romance Content: The second half of the book was all about romance. I don’t recall a lot of kisses, etc, but it was too much for me.

Recommended age range: First half- 8+, Second half- 15+ (or not at all if you don’t care for romance)

My Review:

This is going to be one of my absolute favorite books. That’s what I was thinking during the first part of this book. It was simply perfect! The lessons were wonderful, the characters were darling (okay, so some of them were mean sometimes, but I still love them), and it was pure delight to read. I loved it! I decided that I was going to let all of my friends borrow it, and add it to my read-again-and-again Goodreads shelf… you get the idea.

Well, after I read a little less than half way through, that all changed. I loved Polly and her friends until they grew up, and then, at the “Six Years Later” chapter, I was disappointed. (Okay, maybe I’m being a bit melodramatic, but… I’m disappointed! And I wish they hadn’t grown up! To give Ms. Alcott some grace, though, it wasn’t all horrible after that chapter… but I still didn’t like it as much) Why, you ask? Well, the romance. It was almost a love triangle (although I’m not that familiar with those, I’m pretty sure that’s what it was)! To most people, this probably wouldn’t be a problem- they’d probably love it!- but to me, it was way overboard. It just went on and on! Polly’s depressed, Fanny’s depressed, but then it all comes out well and everyone lives happily ever after because they found their true loves… 😛 Yeah, I was not impressed.
Oh, and another thing, Polly was very good (practically perfect) in the first half (actually, for basically the whole book), but it doesn’t talk much about Christ or if she was a Christian. I found that a bit odd.
Well, after that ranty review, I do have to say that this book certainly does have many redeeming factors. That’s why I gave it four stars. I would simply suggest reading only the first half or so. 😉

((sorry to all those who adore this book. ;)))

 

Zvi

  “For more than half a century, ZVI has endured as the best-selling book produced by the ministry of The Friends of Israel. Millions of people have been touched, inspired, and encouraged by this story of a World War II waif in Warsaw, Poland. As a 10-year-old Jewish boy, Zvi was separated from his parents and forced to face the trials of survival in Adolph Hitler’s crazed world. How he triumphed against all odds and found his way to Israel and faith in the Messiah is one of the greatest stories of our time. Now ZVI and the sequel, ZVI and the Next Generation, are combined in a new book, ZVI: The Miraculous Story of Triumph Over the Holocaust. The whole story — together at last and updated with new information that will thrill your heart. This is a book you will find difficult to lay down.” ~from GoodreadsTitle: Zvi

Author: Elwood McQuaid

Genre(s): Christian Non-Fiction

Rating: ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ (five stars)

Romance Content: Not much; it does talk about when Mr. Zvi met his wife (and eventually when their son met his wife), and their relationships… I don’t remember kissing or anything, but it does talk about “falling in love”, etc.

Recommended age range: ages 12+ (because of some of the things talked about from the Holocaust; 12 may be a little old, but parents, use discretion)

My Review:

Wow. This book was amazing- and what’s even more amazing is that it is a true story! God’s Hand is clearly shown throughout Mr. Zvi’s (I can’t remember his last name) life. It also gives good ideas of how to witness to Jewish people. I would highly recommend this book.

Note: There are some “scary” scenes, mostly when Jewish people are telling Mr. Zvi about their experiences in the Holocaust, but it isn’t extremely graphic. Although obviously I don’t like what happened to them and I don’t love reading about it, I didn’t have nightmares about what happened, either. 😉

 

Note: May I mention that this is the 101st post published on this blog?!? And that there are 103 followers?!? Praise the Lord! If you’re interested in official stats, check out the below screenshot. 😉

Thank you all for supporting this blog, even when I wasn’t active! I can see how the Lord has worked in my life to make this possible.

Brief hiatus…

Hello, everyone! I wanted to let you know that I am not going to be posting a book review today. For some reason, I wasn’t able to read my drafts… My goal is to post next Monday instead, but if the problem doesn’t shape up soon, I’m not sure what I’m going to do. 😉

Thanks for reading! {oh, and p.s. you may have noticed the new design on this blog. What do you think? I really like it! 😉 }

The Graham Quartet and the Mysterious Strangers

“In the midst of the cold, snowy woods, the Graham Quartet stumble across a mystery. It could mean danger, but that doesn’t stop Elsa, Matt, Tim and Selena as they try their best to help a stranger who needs them. But what can Siam, Hong Kong and Vanderbilt have to do with the local furniture factory? And why are so many strangers suddenly appearing and then disappearing in town? With the arrival of an elusive figure, things start moving, while a simple delivery trip may bring more than the Quartet bargained for. Will the four siblings be able to help their friend and their country?” ~from Goodreads.com

Title: The Graham Quartet and the Mysterious Strangers

Author: Rebekah A. Morris

Genre(s): Christian Fiction

Rating: ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ (five stars)

Romance Content: None.

Recommended age range: 10+

My Review:

I thoroughly enjoyed this book! It was very interesting, and held my attention.

There were a couple of things that I wondered about… for one thing, since it was such a thin book, I assumed that it would be about younger kids, aimed at a lower age range, but the “kids” in the story were ages 12-19. Also, since this was written by a homeschooled author, I assumed that the kids would be homeschooled as well. However, that was not the case. They went to school in town (it didn’t say whether it was public or Christian). There was nothing wrong with this book, those were just some things that threw me off. 😉

 

The Treacherous Trail, by C.R. Hedgcock

  “The Bakers and the Wilburs have become such good friends that they decide to vacation together at a lovely wilderness lodge. While the ladies and girls enjoy the lodge’s luxurious facilities, the men and boys go camping in the surrounding wild. They expect their greatest thrills to come from horse-riding, canoeing, and hiking, but the trip changes when they find an injured hiker. Then the hiker disappears with most of their supplies, and they’re stranded with little food, no communication, and a long trip back to civilization.

   “What’s more — there are some very strange things going on in this forest, and the mysterious hiker seems to be at the center of them. Mr. Baker must get his team back to safety with no supplies or means of contact, saddled with a thief who will not speak. Phil is forced to act like a criminal when thrown into a company of bad men, and the twins must survive in the wilderness with a man they do not trust.

“Who is really Jigson? What is going on in the forest?” ~from Goodreads.com

Title: The Treacherous Trail

Author: C.R. Hedgcock

Genre(s): Christian Mystery/Suspense

Rating: ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ (five stars)

Romance Content: None whatsoever.

Recommended age range: 10+ because of the suspense in some parts

My Review:

EEEEKKK!!! I LOVED THIS BOOK!!!!

Let’s see if I can get some cohesive words out. Hmmm…
IT WAS SO GOOD (oh, I was supposed to be cohesive?)!!!! I was utterly confused for most of it (who is really Jigson? and what is really going on?!?), but I loved it for that very reason! Most of the time it is super easy to figure out mysteries in books, because I’ve read so many, but Miss Hedgcock’s mysteries are definitely unique. And GARTH! ❤ ❤ I loved his ending. I’m really trying not to give away spoilers…. 😀

The main reason that I hesitate to recommend this series is because of the fact that the King James Bible is not used in it. But other than that, I love it!
You may recall that I mentioned the Baker Family Adventures in this post, and the more books in this series that I read, the more I love them! I’m so glad that I bought this book! It is a must-read for adventure/mystery lovers who are looking for an amazing Christian book. 🙂

London in the Dark Birthday Celebration!

Hello, all! If you have been following my blog for a year, you may remember that I participated in the London in the Dark blog tour. I have also raved about it in other posts (like this one) since then, since I loved it so much. Well, today I am posting about it again, this time because it was published one year ago! I can’t believe that it was that long ago already! I remember sitting on a stool in the kitchen and finishing it for the first time… and then telling my mom all about it raving about it to my mom. 😀

Okay, enough rambling! Here is the actual post. 🙂

I love this cover- still! 🙂

London, 1910

Budding Private Detective Cyril Arlington Hartwell has a conundrum. London is being ravaged by the largest run of thefts in recent history. His hunch that it is all tied together may put him and those he loves in more danger than he could have reckoned.

Olivia Larken Hartwell is just home from boarding school for the summer anticipating time with her adoring parents. She misses her absent brother, Cyril, hoping for the day he will finally come home. But tragedy strikes, causing upheaval for all concerned and changes her life in a way she never could have imagined.

Olivia, Cyril, and their friends must bring the hidden to light, seek to execute justice, and dispel the darkness that hovers over London… and their hearts.

Add on Goodreads ~ Buy on Amazon

The Author, Victoria Lynn…

 

Victoria Lynn is in her 20s and if she’s not writing, she is probably sewing, singing, playing the piano, washing dishes, creating something with her hands, or learning something new. She has a passion for serving her Creator, encouraging others and being creative. She blogs at www.rufflesandgrace.com about writing, fashion, modesty, her walk with God and life. She lives in Michigan with her parents and 8 siblings.

Author links:

Amazon

Facebook

Instagram

Pinterest

There is also a giveaway going on!! And a Facebook party!!

The first place winner must be in the United States, and will receive the items pictured in the graphic above. Second place winner may be from a country other than the U. S., and will receive an e-book copy of London in the Dark. To enter the giveaway, click on the graphic above.

 

Thanks for reading! 🙂

One Thing I Desire, by Sarah L. Bryant

   

    “What is your deepest desire?

“Has your life been engulfed by one consuming passion — that you would more deeply know your Savior Jesus Christ and the fullness of the Gospel?    

    “We are given only one life — one blink of an eye in light of a shoreless eternity. What is our purpose in this earthly life? The greatest command is to love the Lord our God with all of our heart, yet how do we love a God we do not know? We know how to fit into the “right Christian circles” and say all the “right things” — but do we personally know the Author of our salvation?

    “Sarah’s desire is to challenge young ladies to pour out their lives in the Scriptures, seeking the face of their Savior — in the days of their youth. This is vital, so that they will be equipped to teach the next generation about the faithfulness of God.

    “One Thing I Desire is penned to encourage you in your quest to seek and know your Redeemer through His Word, that your heart would be enraptured by Christ’s great work accomplished in the Gospel.

     “The grandeur of this One Thing will spur you to love Him more with all of your heart, soul, and mind — and to worship Him throughout all of eternity.” ~from Goodreads.com

Title: One Thing I Desire: To Know Christ More

Author: Sarah L. Bryant

Genre(s): Christian Inspirational, Non-fiction

Rating: ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ (five stars)

Romance Content: None whatsoever

Recommended age range: 12+ (nothing wrong with it, I just think it may be a bit deep for younger readers)

My Review:

This was a very encouraging book! It took me a while to finish it, because it was a deeper read than I am used to, but it was well worth it. This is a book that you have to take small bites out of. You simply cannot read it in one sitting (okay, so I can’t). The first chapter of One Thing I Desire is an elaborate salvation message (I didn’t realize it until the chapter was almost over, though). It was a great refresher to read, and I especially enjoyed Sarah’s flowery writing.  The rest of the book was about growing in Christ, and making Him the major desire of your life. I liked the prayer chapter; it challenged me to be an intercessor. This book was both encouraging and challenging. I’m grateful for the helpful appendixes. I would most certainly recommend this book, and there was nothing that I do not agree with (well, that I remember! 😛 ).

 

 

Will Our Generation Speak? by Grace Mally

cover from answersingenesis.org

    “Will Our Generation Speak? is filled with dialog–recounting witnessing conversations and giving practical ideas for beginning conversations with unbelievers about the Lord. It teaches how to ask good questions and answer objections, while illustrating points with humorous cartoons and stories. Written from a young perspective, this book gives other young people a vision of how much the Lord can use them in the years of their youth! It communicates how exciting it is to be working alongside the God of the Universe in the mission of saving souls, and it gives young people courage from the Word to combat fear and reject excuses.” ~from Goodreads.com

Title: Will Our Generation Speak?

Author: Grace Mally

Genre(s): Non-fiction

Rating: ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ (five stars)

Romance Content: None!

Recommended age range: I believe it is appropriate for all ages, but it’s targeted at about the ages of 13-30.

My Review:

This is an amazing book! It is VERY encouraging and challenging, like most of the books I’ve been reading lately. 😉 I was amazed at how many examples Grace gave! And how most of them were positive! This book gave me ideas of how to start conversations, and where to find interesting tracts to pass out (the Million Dollar Bill, etc). Mr. Mally’s illustrations added much to the book; my brothers went through it, specifically looking for them. 😛 I would suggest buying a copy of this book to keep on hand. Highly recommended!

 

 

The Family Daughter, by Sarah Bryant

Title: The Family Daughter

Author: Sarah Bryant

Genre(s): Non-Fiction; Inspirational

Rating: ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ (five stars)

Romance Content: None whatsoever.

Recommended age range: 12+ (there is nothing wrong with it; I just think it would be most applicable to this age range)

My Review:

This was a wonderful book! I enjoyed it more than Miss Bryant’s other book, One Thing I Desire, because it was more applicable to me, and talked about more practical things to do. The Lord used it to convict me in many areas, so much that I began to feel discouraged about how many things I need to work on! However, He is faithful, and will help me as I strive to serve Him. ❤ I highly recommend this book, as it touches many topics that often are not addressed, and everything is looked at from a Biblical viewpoint. Miss Bryant uses many Bible verses, and I believe it would be helpful to actually look up all of the verses that she mentions, and to do a study on it (a study guide would also be helpful, but I don’t believe that she has published one). Again, this is highly recommended, and I encourage you to read it. 😉

 

 

BLOG TOUR!!! White Wolf and the Ash Princess

Hello! Today I am participating in a blog tour for White Wolf and the Ash Princess. Enjoy!

   “Eighteen year old Izzy’s limited world begins to feel cramped after she completes her self-appointed book dare. After reading two-hundred and fifty books, a thought that had been once tucked away as tightly as the books on her library shelves becomes too irresistible to ignore…’Who am I?’

   “Memory loss prohibits Izzy from remembering her life before age seven when she was injured in a fire. Jonathan Gudwyne and his head housekeeper rescued her and took Izzy in as their own, but who did she belong to before they took her in?

   “Crippling panic keeps Izzy from wandering beyond the stables, but Tubs, the Gudwyne’s young stable boy, encourages Izzy to go beyond the property’s rock wall to a world that promises possible answers, but also great danger. A scorched castle in the woods and a mysterious cellar filled with secrets sets Izzy on a path to the New World, where she will not only have to face her own terror but face the people responsible for her scars.

   “It is here, in the untamed wilds of the seventeenth century that she finds love and a home in the most unexpected of places.”

Title: White Wolf and the Ash Princess

Author: Tammy Lash

Genre(s): Historical Fiction with a hint of mystery and some other things- basically, exciting!

Rating:

Romance Content: A couple kisses between a husband and wife, semi-detailed; same husband and wife snuggles a bit.

Recommended age range: 12+ for “normal” readers, 16+ for conservative readers (such as myself)

My Review:

FTC disclosure: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a honest review. I was not obligated to leave a positive review. These are my honest thoughts and opinions.

For the first part of the book (150-200pg or so), I felt like I was on a rollercoaster of emotions! One minute I was mad at Jonathan (the main male character), the next I really liked him, the next I was sad… I loved it! The rest of the book… was still super interesting, but it wasn’t as exciting (okay, so it was exciting in parts, but it definitely wasn’t as action-packed-exciting as the first part). The plot was so complex! I never would have been able to write something like that. 🙂

The romance… was more than I was used to, which is none ( 😛 ). I’m sure it wouldn’t be bad to most people who are used to reading romance, but parts of it made me a bit uncomfortable. The romance scenes were between a husband and wife, and mostly kisses (nothing bad), but still. For that reason, I’m not sure if I’ll be reading this book again, just because I don’t want to think about kissing people, etc. 😉 If it wasn’t for the romance, this would be one of my absolute favorite books. 😉 (please don’t be offended by any of this; I’m trying to say it in the most gentle way possible!)

More random thoughts (that may or may not make sense to people who haven’t read it):

• I found the whole legend thing a bit strange… I’m not completely sure what to think of it.
• There was a “miracle” which I liked. It was a little strange as well, but I still liked it.
• Oh, and when SPOILER!!! Tubs, the angel, SPOILER END!!! showed up, that was kind of weird, and I’m not sure if I agree with it all…
• There wasn’t really a “conversion scene” for Izzy (the main character)… at the first part, she says something like, “I don’t care about the Bible,” (I can’t remember exactly), but then towards the end it’s like she is suddenly a Christian (this point was written a couple days after I read the book, so it may not be completely accurate 😉 ).

**I was given a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review (thanks, Victoria and Mrs. Lash!). I was not obligated to write a positive review.**

 

The Author: Tammy Lash

Tammy lives in Lower Michigan with her husband and her three children. Izzy’s home in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula (Munising) is where she and her family enjoy exploring. Tammy enjoys hiking, kayaking, beach wandering, “hunting” for birch bark and hopes to someday find a porcupine quill. White Wolf and the Ash Princess is her first novel. She is published in Keys for Kids and has been in children’s ministry for over twenty years.

You can connect with the author on:

• Facebook
• Instagram
• Pinterest
• Blog
• Twitter
• Goodreads

The Giveaway:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Also posting today for this blog tour:

Sarah Addison-Fox

and

Kaylee H.

 

My To-Read List: Fiction Edition

Hi, everyone! First of all, I want to apologize for not posting actual reviews recently. With starting RHM, I’ve been busy lately and actually haven’t read very much. Just to let you all know, if I don’t start reading more soon, I may have to start posting only every other week again… sorry! Well, let’s get on to the post.

This is the second post in the series My To-Read List. As you can see from the title, this is the fiction edition. I’ll warn you right now, most of these are mystery or adventure books… I really enjoy those types of books. 😉

Book #1:

Okay, so this isn’t one book, it’s a whole series. I’ve read a couple of these books (Summer of Suspense and Peril on Providence Island), but I really want to read the rest- the ones that I read were amazing!

Book #2:

The Star Under the City has been on my list for a while now; it just sounds so amazing! Christian, WWII (okay, so just to make this clear, I’m not a WWII fanatic like some people, but I do like that time period), mystery-ish… ❤ ❤

Book #3:

This book sounds amazing, too! It’s a dystopian (I don’t read much of that genre, but I have heard that it’s very exciting, and I like that!) about Christians being persecuted and standing for their faith: Yes! It sounds so good!! 🙂

Book #4:

 

Okay, so this isn’t the best cover… or the best picture of it…

I’ve read all of the books in the Moody Family Series up to this point, and they all were amazing (targeted toward a younger age range, perhaps, but still amazing)! We have friends who bought all of the books up to book #8, and they are letting us borrow them one at a time. I just finished #7, so hopefully I’ll get to read this one soon. 🙂

Book #5:

I haven’t heard much about this book, but the fact that it’s “Christian Holmes” leads me to believe that it is a good one. 😉 It’s not that high on my TBR list, but it still sounds really good.

 

Let me know in the comments…

• Have you read any of these books? Were they good?
• What is your favorite genre?

 

 

 

Radiant Hearts Website Launch Update…

Hello, everyone! I just realized today that I probably should have been posting every day about the RHM website launch… but I never got around to it. *cringes* Sorry! This post is basically a recap of the tour. If you haven’t checked out the wonderful posts and blogs, I would greatly appreciate it if you did. 🙂

On Monday, the first day of the tour  (and the first full day when the website was live; shh, don’t tell, but I actually made it live the night before, because I wasn’t sure if I would get up in time to do it by 6am… and I was right! 😛 ), we only had one person posting. Bekah, from Bekah’s Books, was the star of the show! She wrote a very encouraging and exciting post that I really appreciated. You can check it out by clicking here.

The next day, January 2nd, had two posters: Medomfo and Chloe P. They both wrote wonderful posts… and I’ll let you in on a secret (okay, so it’s not really a secret…): Chloe helped me with designing the website! I never could have done it without her. Thanks, Chloe! ❤

And today is the final day of the tour! Two young ladies posted today, and I really enjoyed reading their posts. Kaitlyn has been an encouragement to me ever since she found out about this magazine, and Hanne was helpful in that she mentioned that we are looking for photographers and writers (most people didn’t do that, since I didn’t put it in the email I sent out).

Thank you so much, to all of you who posted for this blog tour! And another big thank you to those who took the time to read the posts! I appreciate you all. 🙂

Announcement + Website Launch?!?

Hello and merry Christmas, my wonderful followers! I have an exciting announcement to make!

*cue drumroll*

Dun dun dun…

I am (Lord willing) starting an online magazine for Christian girls! It is called Radiant Hearts Magazine. The byline is: Encouraging girls to shine radiantly for Christ. I’m super excited to share it with you all!! 🙂

“That was the announcement… so what about this website launch thing??” you’re thinking, right? Well, I am planning a website launch (basically a blog tour for a website) to promote this magazine and website! The website will be launched on January 1st, 2018 at 6am Central Time (assuming I get up in time to make it live lol). I am looking for bloggers to post on that Monday and the Tuesday after, letting people know about RHM.

So, now I need your help! Please fill out the form below if you are willing to do me a favor. 😉

((if the form is not appearing for some reason, click here))

And, just for a teaser, here’s a screenshot of the website (warning: we’re still working on the it, so this may not be the final design). 🙂

Let me know in the comments…

• Have you signed up for the blog tour?
• Are you interested in the magazine?
• Would you be willing to write for the magazine?

The Return, by Bob Hostetler and J.M. Hochstetler

warning: MAJOR SPOILERS IN THIS SYNOPSIS!!!

“Jakob and his sons Joseph and Christian were given to native tribes. The boys are adopted into separate Delaware clans and families. Jakob escapes from the Seneca and journey’s hundreds of miles over rough terrain to find his way home where he finds his older children , Johannes and Barbara, along with Anna Blanck, who have never given up hope of finding he and the boys. Together, they make every effort to learn where Joseph and Christian are so they can bring them home.  They pray that this is God’s plan.” ~synopsis from Christianbook.com 

Title: The Return

Author(s): Bob Hostetler and J.M. Hochstetler

Genre(s): Christian/Historical Fiction

Rating: for married people,  for teenagers.

Romance Content:  There are several instances of unmarried young people showing affection to those of opposite gender.  This includes kissing and hugging.

Recommended age range: I think this book is appropriate reading for married adults.

My Review:

FTC disclosure: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a honest review. I was not obligated to leave a positive review. These are my honest thoughts and opinions.

This book is a very well-written sequel to Northkill.  It chronicles the life of three members of the Hochstetler family as they live and adapt to separate Indian communities.  It also shares each of their struggles as they consider the possibility of escape back home to their Amish family, as well as the difficulties for those who do return to adjust to their old life.

The beginning of the book focuses on the father, Jakob.  The authors show his spiritual growth that occurs through difficulties and the changed man he is by the end of the book.  The rest of the book deals with two of his sons who become quite entrenched in their new Indian lives.

There is not a lot of violence in this book, other than a somewhat vague recounting of the raid described in the first book.  The romance in this one is more than in the first.  There is some difficulty for the reader to keep track of the different characters that have unfamiliar Indian names.  I wish I had known as I was reading it that there is a glossary at the end of the book to help with this.  (Or the authors could have put that glossary at the beginning!)

Overall, it is an excellent fiction book that tells of a real- life event.  I feel that a mature reader would really enjoy it and would have a hard time putting it down.

Review written by Jen G, Leona’s mom.

**I received this book from Interviews and Reviews in exchange for my honest review. I was not obligated to write a favorable review, neither was I paid for this review.**

 

Northkill, by Bob Hostetler and J.M. Hochstetler

  “In 1738 Jakob Hochstetler and his family immigrate to America, seeking sanctuary from religious persecution in Europe and the freedom to live and worship according to their nonresistant Anabaptist beliefs. Along with other members of their church, they settle in the Northkill Amish Mennonite community at the base of the Blue Mountains, on the frontier between white and Indian territory. They build a home near Northkill Creek, for which their community is named. For eighteen years, the community lives at peace with its Indian neighbors. Then while the French and Indian War rages, the Hochstetlers’ way of life is brutally shattered. On the night of September 19-20, 1757, their home is attacked by a war party of Delaware and Shawnee Indians allied with the French. Facing almost certain death with his wife and children, Jakob makes a wrenching decision that will tear apart his family and change all of their lives forever. Northkill is closely based on an inspiring true story well-known among the Amish and Mennonites. It has been documented in many publications and in contemporary accounts preserved in the Pennsylvania State Archives and in private collections.” ~from Goodreads.com 

Title: Northkill

Author(s): Bob Hostetler and J.M. Hochstetler

Genre(s): Christian/Historical Fiction

Rating:

(for a teenager)

(for an adult)

Romance Content:  This book contains scenes containing Amish courtship scenarios as often portrayed in Amish fiction books.  These include attraction between teenage boys and girls, holding hands, and one kiss.  There is also a somewhat veiled discussion on the marital relationship.

Recommended age range: I personally do not feel that this book is appropriate for a teenager that has committed to a Biblical courtship.  Also, some of the Indian scenes are fairly graphic for young people to be exposed to.

My Review:

FTC disclosure: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a honest review. I was not obligated to leave a positive review. These are my honest thoughts and opinions.

This book is a well-written fictional account taken from a historical event in Pennsylvania during the French and Indian War.  It follows the lives of one Amish family as they struggle to survive in that wild land surrounded by Indians.

The central theme of the book is the father’s conviction of nonresistance and how that affects the entire family.  The author does a great job of showing different family member’s perspective; the reader is certainly drawn into the story, feeling what the characters feel.  The climax of the story is centered around an Indian raid, which is described very realistically and somewhat violently.

Overall, this book is interesting and informative, showing the reader who comes from a non-Amish background a different perspective of pacifist views.  The authors also give us insight into the religious beliefs of the main character, Jakob Hochstetler, in many different sections.  One example of this is when the book says, “All his adult life, he had struggled… to earn God’s favor and pardon by doing what was right.”

My main reservations on this book that lowered the rating are the small amount of romance and the level of detail in the Indian raid as described above.

 

Review written by Jen G, Leona’s mom.

**I received a copy of this book from Interviews and Reviews in exchange for an honest review. I was not obligated to write a favorable review.**

Jeff McLean: His Courtship, by Mr. and Mrs. Stephen B. Castleberry

“Follow the story of Jeff McLean as he seeks God’s direction for his life. This book is written from a young man’s perspective. A discussion of godly traits to seek in young men and women is included as part of the story.” ~from Goodreads.com

Title: Jeff McLean: His Courtship

Author: Mr. and Mrs. Stephen B. Castleberry

Genre(s): Christian Contemporary Fiction

Rating:

Romance Content: Since this is a book on courtship, there obviously is a lot of talk about getting married, etc. However, there is nothing inappropriate in the least, and I would gladly hand it to a… well, read ahead, I’ll put that down next. 😉

Recommended age range: Would be perfectly fine for ages 1+, in my opinion, but I believe it is targeted for teenagers and older.

My Review:

This was a great book! Some people might not like it, because there are some long portions where a dad is teaching his son and family on what character traits, etc. husbands and wives should have, but I found those parts especially helpful to myself (not that I’m planning on getting married any time soon, but you know what I mean). God used it to convict me on some areas of my life that I need to work on.

I appreciate the Castleberrys for writing such wonderful, God-honoring books! I enjoy these books a lot. 🙂

 

 

There Was Always Laughter in Our House review

   Yes, we’re back to the schedule I set forth at the beginning of the month! I do apologize for the mixed-up schedule; when I put it together, I didn’t consider the blog tours that I signed up for. Well, hopefully now we can get back on track! 🙂

    And, for those who are wondering, I’m planning on doing the same schedule in December, just because I haven’t been reading as much lately (*gasp*) and have been writing even fewer reviews. Thank you all so much for following even during “times like these”. 😉

Well, let’s get on to the post! 🙂

   “What do you get when you mix two parents who grew up in the city, six kids who have always lived in the country, and add homeschooling? You get a whole lot of laughter!

“Homeschool graduate and author Sarah Holman shares stories about her family that range from thought-provoking to side-splitting. She shares both hilarious mistakes and heartbreaking moments in her family. In this collection of stories, she endeavors capture some of the answers to the questions people have often asked her about growing up in a conservative homeschool family as well as some of the wisdom she has gleaned along the way. Sarah invites you to open up this scrapbook of memories. She hopes that you come away encouraged, inspired…and laughing.” ~from Goodreads.com

Title: There Was Always Laughter in Our House

Author: Sarah Holman

Genre(s): Non-fiction, biography

Rating:

Romance Content: Nothing bad; talks once about getting married.

Recommended age range: Would be appropriate for all ages; I recommend 12+ for interest level.

My Review:

FTC disclosure: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a honest review. I was not obligated to leave a positive review. These are my honest thoughts and opinions.

For some reason, I feel like crying. It’s not like this book was sad or anything… perhaps it’s because it’s over. ❤
I enjoyed this book tremendously! It was simply amazing! Coming from a homeschooled perspective myself, I knew a lot about some of the stuff she talked about… but then again, that’s not to say that her family is not unique! It was interesting to learn about unit studies… they sound like a lot of fun (we do Classical {I guess that’s what you call it?? 🙂 }). It sounds like the Holman family went through some tough times, but I loved how they still trusted in God and loved each other through it all.
I also loved the pictures at the beginning of each chapter- I think I’ve learned to recognize most of the Holmans on sight… but then again, Rebekah, Sarah and Mikayla (okay, so Grace too) look a lot alike… Rose is the easiest to spot (well, besides Michael, of course); in my opinion, she doesn’t look much like the rest of the family. 🙂
I can’t say that this book was rolling-in-laughter funny, but it did have some funny parts. 😉
There was one minor theological point that I didn’t agree with, but otherwise I cannot think of anything that I didn’t like. I would most certainly recommend this book to everyone, homeschoolers and non-homeschoolers alike!

**I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I was not required to write a positive review.**

To see my post for the blog tour for this book, please click here.

BLOG TOUR!!! There Was Always Laughter in Our House

“What do you get when you mix two parents who grew up in the city, six kids who have always lived in the country, and add homeschooling? You get a whole lot of laughter!Homeschool graduate and author Sarah Holman shares stories about her family that range from thought-provoking to side-splitting. She shares both hilarious mistakes and heartbreaking moments in her family. In this collection of stories, she endeavors capture some of the answers to the questions people have often asked her about growing up in a conservative homeschool family as well as some of the wisdom she has gleaned along the way. Sarah invites you to open up this scrapbook of memories. She hopes that you come away encouraged, inspired…and laughing.”

This books looks very interesting and fun and I’m super excited to read it. 🙂 Yes, I unfortunately haven’t been able to read it yet, due to a couple things, including a broken computer and a tight schedule. However, I will review it on this blog as soon as I read it. 🙂

About the Author:

Sarah Holman is a not so typical mid-twenties girl: A homeschool graduate, sister to six awesome siblings. If there is anything adventuresome about her life, it is because she serves a God with a destiny bigger than anything she could have imagined. You can find out more about her (and more about the blog tour- my insert) at her website: http://www.thedestinyofone.com.

Giveaway, Anyone?

Click here for a free e-book! 🙂
My friend and cousin Chloe is also posting a review on her blog today! You can find her blog here.

BLOG TOUR: Bound, by Victoria Lynn

Note: Since I’m posting today, I’m not planning on posting on Monday as well. Sorry for the confusion. 🙂

{no cover this time; long story. You can see it in the blog tour graphic. :)}

Two souls don’t find each other by simple accident. ~Jorge Luis Borges~

Levi thought he was making this journey alone. But when he meets an eight-year-old girl at the train station, that plan is turned on its head.

Casey is running away and finds out that Levi is too. They decide to journey together and their lives are suddenly bound together in a journey they will not soon forget.

Both children come from abusive situations and are running from the dangers of their previous life. Levi is confident he can handle this on his own, but when Casey is injured on the journey, he must seek help from the first person that comes into his path, or rather people. Mr. and Mrs. Bellworth are simple farm folk with a heart for kids and a passion for serving God. When their unconditional love and gentle care surrounds Levi and Casey, the troubles of their previous lives melt away and they start to flourish. But when Casey is dragged back into the abusive world she came from, the emotional trauma, pain and distrust resurfaces. Will they be forever bound by their past? Or will God answer their prayers?

Get it on Amazon

Title: Bound

Author: Victoria Lynn

Genre(s): Christian Contemporary Fiction

Rating:

Romance Content: None, really. 🙂

Recommended age range: 12+

My Review:

FTC disclosure: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a honest review. I was not obligated to leave a positive review. These are my honest thoughts and opinions.

This was an amazing book and I enjoyed it very much! The emotions… ❤ ❤ I literally had tears in my eyes a couple times. 🙂 It was special… I liked reading about the different characters, and how they felt at different times. There were a couple spots where I felt like I was speed-reading (actually, I probably was… 😛 ) because the action was so intense… I like that in a book. 😉

There were some things that I didn’t like:

• there was at least one “darned” (I know most people would be okay with that; but I’m not… sorry) 😦
• when Levi “gets saved”, he doesn’t repent of his sins, and that’s a big part of accepting Christ!
• it is mentioned multiple times that people are being “sassy”, and it’s not referred to as a bad thing… I don’t think that needs to be encouraged.

I know it seems like I’m being super negative here, but really, I do recommend this book! It was really good! Those were just a couple things that I didn’t appreciate.

 

I thought I would share some quotes from the book (courtesy of the author)…

 

Interview with the Author:

Hi, Victoria! I’m excited to welcome you to my blog today!

• How long did it take for you to write Bound? 

3 months for the rough draft.

• Is anything in Bound based on happenings from your life? 

Not necessarily based, per-say, but there were a lot of life experiences that played themselves into the story.

• What was your favorite scene to write? 

Ooh, tough call! I would probably have to say either when Mikayla was pleading with Jason, or the Epilouge. There is always something magical about those two words, The End.

• Which is your favorite character?

 I honestly don’t know how to answer that one! They are all my babies! And I adore each of them!

About the Author:

Victoria Lynn is in her 20s and if she’s not writing, she is probably sewing, singing, playing the piano, washing dishes, creating something with her hands, or learning something new. She has a passion for serving her Creator, encouraging others and being creative. She blogs at http://www.rufflesandgrace.com about writing, fashion, modesty, her walk with God and life. She lives in Michigan with her parents and 8 siblings.

Blog – Website – Facebook – Goodreads – Pinterest

 

 Giveaway info can be found by clicking here.

 

 

Modern Prairie Sewing, by Abigail A. Long

   “Gone are the days of confusing instructions and difficult patterns. With this book, Modern Prairie Sewing, you’ll discover that sewing doesn’t have to be complicated at all. The 20 cleverly thought-out projects develop technical skills and include the author’s secret sewing tricks to guarantee success. Some designs add design details that are cute and clever and, as a bonus, raise your skill level. A box pleat or gusset may seem fancy and complicated, but with this guide, they are totally doable.” -Google Book

Title: Modern Prairie Sewing

Author: Abigail A. Long

Genre(s): Non-fiction, DIY, crafting

Rating:

Romance Content: None; this is a non-fiction book. 😛

Recommended age range: 7+ with help, 13+ without

My Review:

One of my best friends recommended this book to me, and I’m glad that she did! It is really cool. The directions are simple and easy to follow, and most of the clothes are modest (in one of the pictures, the girl is wearing a tight shirt with a jacket over it, and I don’t consider that very modest; other than that, it’s fine). 🙂 I’m currently making the Riverwalk Skirt:

Picture credit: Abigail Long

ISN’T IT BEAUTIFUL?!? 😀 Hopefully mine will look that good. 😉

The pictures are simply gorgeous… ❤ ❤ ❤ which brings me to the one bad thing about this book- it is likely to make you jealous. Just sayin’. 😀

I would most certainly recommend this book, but I would also recommend having a person who knows how to sew help you; some of the projects are kinda tricky. If you don’t have someone helping you, I would recommend doing the pillowcase. It’s cute, and you don’t need a lot of skills to make it (I personally haven’t made it, but it looks super easy).

 

 

 

Update…

Hi, everyone!

For the month of November, I will be going back to posting only once a week, but this time, I’ll be posting on Mondays. There are two reasons for this change:

1. I’m doing Nanowrimo, and I don’t think I will have a lot of time for writing posts or reading books, and
2. I haven’t been reading as much lately, so I have less to post about. I don’t think it would be fair to you to post a lot about things that are not reviews, since that is probably why you followed my site.

So, I just thought that I would update you on that. I hope that you have a wonderful week! 🙂

 

The Art & Craft of Writing Christian Fiction

   “To write a powerful, meaningful Christian novel, you must embrace the soaring creativity inspired by faith, while also committing to the serious discipline required of an artisan. You must be able to weave a compelling story with an underlying message that deeply affects both your characters and your readers.

“As fulfilling as the Christian genre is, the road to a satisfying story- and publication- is filled with hard work. But take heart. The Art & Craft of Christian Fiction can help make the journey easier. Inside, author Jeff Gerke provides page after page of insightful instruction and encouragement.” ~excerpt from back cover.

Buy on Amazon

Title:  The Art & Craft of Writing Christian Fiction

Author: Jeff Gerke

Genre(s): Non-fiction; Self-help

Rating:

Romance Content: None that I remember; there may have been some in the short examples he gave.

Recommended age range: 16+, 10+ if you skip chapter 51 (on profanity but includes some stuff that I would not have read if I knew it was there)

My Review:

This book was amazing! Although I wouldn’t admit it to anyone at the time, when I started this book, I was a bit doubtful that my project for Nanowrimo would be good. I didn’t feel like I had everything in place or that anyone would enjoy it. Well, this book has solved my problem. 🙂 Mr. Gerke covers many topics, most of which were helpful to me (I say most because the profanity section was not relevant to me; I would never put profanity into my books, for several reasons. However, I can see that it would be helpful to many people).

I do have one thing that I most certainly didn’t approve of… but I’ll take another author’s words (from her review) to say it: “…One in particular did not appeal to me (he was explaining how to portray a vile character without using language, and I found the example defiling). Because of this, the conservative teen might want to beware….” Thanks for the tip, Amanda! That part can be avoided by skipping chapter 51 (and I highly recommend you do so).
Mr. Gerke compares writing a book to making a movie, which really struck home for me. It helped me understand what he was talking about. However, I haven’t watched any of the movies that he mentioned, so the tips weren’t as pertinent to me as they could have been (*gasp* Yes, I haven’t watched Star Wars or Indiana Jones, which are probably the most famous of the movies he mentioned. We’re weird. What can you expect? :P).
All in all, this was an amazing book, and it really helped me strengthen the plot and characters of my own novel. I would recommend it to any writer who is dedicated to getting better and learning the craft. 🙂

 

 

 

Why do we write?

 

This is a question that I have been thinking about lately. With Nanowrimo coming up, many writers are getting excited! We are going to write new novels! This is a good thing, but I believe that we need to think about why we are writing, or really, for whom.

Are we writing for ourselves? so people will think good of us? so we will become famous?

Or are we writing for God? so that He will be glorified? so that He will be honored?

This is something that I personally have been thinking about, and I have been questioning myself. Yes, it would be fun to write, and it would be a good experience, and who can resist becoming a published author. But why am I doing this?

For those who are wondering, I still am planning on doing Nanowrimo. But I am going to try my best not to allow pride to creep into my heart. I am going to do this for God’s glory, and not my own.

 

 

Are you an author?

Are you doing Nanowrimo?

Have you struggled with why you write?

 

My To-Read List: Inspirational/Non-Fiction

This is the first post in a series about the books that I want to read. 🙂

If any of you follow me on Goodreads, you most likely know that I have a *ahem* small to-read list of only 91 books, currently. 😀 To some, that may seem large, but to others (in fact, to most of the people I “know” on Goodreads), it probably seems very small since everyone else’s list is soooo long.  😛

I thought it would be fun to share the books that I especially want to read, so that you can check them out and/or let me know that they are not good and I shouldn’t read them.

Note: I have not read any of the books in this post and therefore cannot recommend them. I have heard many good things about them, however, and that is why I am sharing about them.

Today I will be talking about the non-fiction and inspirational books that I want to read (these aren’t all of the non-fiction/inspirational books that are on my to-read list; they are just the ones that I want to read the most). 🙂

   “Sharing from her own struggles and triumphs, homeschooler Sarah Bryant encourages young ladies to become vital cornerstones in their father’s home, while preparing for godly womanhood. Filled with encouragement and personal testimonies, The Family Daughter will help Christian girls begin the journey of being their family’s pillar of strength and virtue.” ~from Amazon

This book sounds really good, and I’m hoping to buy it soon. If I do, I’ll be sure to review it on here. 😉

   “Has your life been engulfed by one consuming passion — that you would more deeply know your Savior Jesus Christ and the fullness of the Gospel?

   “We are given only one life — one blink of an eye in light of a shoreless eternity. What is our purpose in this earthly life? The greatest command is to love the Lord our God with all of our heart, yet how do we love a God we do not know? We know how to fit into the “right Christian circles” and say all the “right things” — but do we personally know the Author of our salvation?

   “Sarah’s desire is to challenge young ladies to pour out their lives in the Scriptures, seeking the face of their Savior — in the days of their youth. This is vital, so that they will be equipped to teach the next generation about the faithfulness of God.

   “One Thing I Desire is penned to encourage you in your quest to seek and know your Redeemer through His Word, that your heart would be enraptured by Christ’s great work accomplished in the Gospel.

   “The grandeur of this One Thing will spur you to love Him more with all of your heart, soul, and mind — and to worship Him throughout all of eternity.” ~from King’s Blooming Rose (the author’s ministry)

I know, this is by the same author as the last one. 🙂 A friend of mine once showed me an article from the King’s Blooming Rose Magazine, which is how I found these books. From what I have heard, the books and the magazine are very good. I’m hoping to get all three soon. 😀

   “Will Our Generation Speak? is filled with dialog—recounting witnessing conversations and giving practical ideas for beginning conversations with unbelievers about the Lord. It teaches how to ask good questions and answer objections, while illustrating points with humorous cartoons and stories. From a young person to other young people, it addresses the fears we face and excuses we make, and provides vision for being strong for the Lord in our youth. It communicates how exciting it is to be working alongside the God of the universe in the mission of saving souls.” ~from Tomorrow’s Forefathers

This sounds like another great book. I’ve read Before You Meet Prince Charming (my review here) by this author’s sister, and that was really good. I really want to read this one. 😉

   “30 pages jam-packed with resources.

   “The Bookbug Epic Character Workbook and Guide is full of great worksheets, character questionnaires, an intro into MBTI typing for characters, and lots more!” ~from Goodreads

In this post, the author says that if you sign up for her newsletter you will get it for free. That seems like a pretty good deal to me! *goes and signs up* (tip: make sure to check your spam if you sign up; the sign-up email I got went to spam. 😉 ) This is written by the author of Jonas and Olivia (which I reviewed here). She did a great job on the characters in that book! 🙂

Well, that was fun to write and I didn’t even have to read a book! 😀 Now it’s your turn to write-

Have you read any of these books?

If so, were they good?

Did you like this post?

Would you enjoy reading more posts like this?

Let me know in the comment section! 🙂

 

Thanks for reading!

 

 

 

The Teenage Years of Jesus Christ, by Jerry Ross

“Teenagers – Read this book! Discover the priorities of Jesus Christ when He was a teenager here on earth. Are they the same as yours?

“Parents – Read this book! All parents follow some pattern when rearing their children. What better master plan than the plan of the Master?

“Youth Workers – Read this book! This book is loaded with ideas to help you help your young people accept the ultimate challenge.

“Pastors – Read this book! Rich in scriptural support, this is a book that reminds us all of the ultimate purpose and goal of the ministry.” ~from the back of the book

Buy on Amazon

Title: The Teenage Years of Jesus Christ

Author: Jerry L. Ross

Genre(s): Devotional, Inspirational

Rating:

Romance Content: Nothing bad; he talks some about staying pure (nothing in detail) and how to deal with relationships with people of the opposite gender.

Recommended age range:  12+

My Review:

This is an amazing book! It certainly opened my eyes in many areas and encouraged me to “press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:14). This is a book to read over and over, for there is no way (I, at least) can comprehend and put into practice everything that Mr. Ross says the first time. 🙂

This book is very encouraging and up-lifting, but doesn’t hide the fact that it will be hard to follow Christ… but we still must press on. I highly recommend this book; it is an encouragement and help to me.

 

I found this graphic with one of the quotes from the book on it and thought it would be fun to share:

((it goes on to define the wise and the simple teenager {based on the book of Proverbs}))

 

 

 

 

 

 

Movie Review: The Runner from Ravenshead

This is my first movie review. These past few months have had a lot of firsts (posts on Mondays, inspirational post, etc…)! 🙂 Plus, this is the 77th post on this blog! Wow! Time has flown by. Anyways, let’s get on into the post. 🙂

 

   “‘Pilgrim’s Progress meets Little Rascals’ in this fun action/adventure movie featuring an all-children cast. The Runner from Ravenshead is an allegory about finding refuge and rest from the metaphorical wardens we face in life.

 

   “After a daring escape from Ravenshead Prison, Sam finds herself in worse trouble trying to outrun the relentless wardens. But help is on the way – kind of. Henry, janitor for the City of Refuge Guide Service, is unexpectedly thrust into the line of duty when all the trained guides are called out on other missions. As he sets out on his long- awaited first assignment, he gets more adventure than he bargained for. Will the enthusiastic but awkward amateur guide persuade Sam to trust him before it’s too late?
“An allegory about finding refuge and rest from the metaphorical wardens and prisons we face in life, THE RUNNER FROM RAVENSHEAD, featuring an all-children cast, is a fascinating and fun movie for all ages that weaves a profound message into an action-packed adventure.”

Buy on Amazon

Title: The Runner from Ravenshead

Producer: Little Crew Studios

Year Made: 2010

My Rating: ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ (five stars)

Romance Content: None whatsoever!

Recommended age range: 4-15

My Review:

I was introduced to this marvelous movie when I was about seven or eight, if I remember right. It has been a family favorite ever since!
This is an action-packed allegory that even the youngest viewer can understand and enjoy (okay, maybe not the youngest… let’s just say that my four-year-old sister understood what was going on). The main themes are redemption and mercy (at least that’s what I picked up on), which I just loved. ❤

From what I have gathered, there are only five actors who are in the movie. That, in and of itself, is pretty amazing! Plus, all of the actors are children, which I loved. 🙂

There are a couple scenes where there are a bunch of people, so I assume that they must have done some photo-shopping (or whatever the equivalent is for movies… lol). The kids are so adorable! Ike especially… when he lisps something out we all laugh, because he’s just sooo cute (he’s only two). 🙂

So, basically, this is a must-watch, and I highly recommend it. 🙂

 

Have you watched this movie?

Should I do more movie reviews?

Let me know in the comments! 🙂

 

 

 

 

 

 

Vinegar Boy by Alberta Hawse

  

    “Abandoned by his parents and shunned from society, Vinegar Boy is certain he’ll be adopted once Jesus removes the ugly birthmark that scars his cheek. But when he carries the drugged vinegar wine to a crucifixion, he finds himself face to face with the only One who can heal his face. Is there still time for a miracle?

“A gripping story of a boy’s dramatic encounter with Christ on the cross, this book is a classic work of fiction that has inspired thousands of Christians for decades.” ~from Goodreads

 

Title: Vinegar Boy

Author: Alberta Hawse

Genre(s): Christian Historical Fiction

Rating:

Romance Content: Not very much; references are made to a man getting married.

Recommended age range: 12+ (because of descriptions of Jesus/other men dying)

My Review:

I loved this book! The first part was a little sad, but I still enjoyed it very much. I only found one part that wasn’t Biblically accurate: when SPOILER ALERT!!Jesus ascends up into heaven, only a few disciples were there. But in the book, a whole bunch of people are SPOILER END!!. It was only a little thing, and I think the rest of the book makes up for it. Amazing! This is a very heartwarming book. 🙂

 

 

What should we read?

This is my very first post that is an actual article! I’m very excited to present it to you. 🙂

 

This is a question that has been laid upon my heart recently. What should we read? Or really, how can we honor God with our reading?

Philippians 4:8 says,

    Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

I think that those are some pretty good guidelines for reading. After all, they are from God’s Holy Word! But how do we put them into practice?

Here is a list of what I personally do not read:

**Note: I can’t say that have Biblical reasons for all of these, but I will explain them as best I can. 🙂

• I don’t read romance.

One of the reasons why I don’t read romance books, or even books with just a little romance in them, is because my mom doesn’t want me to. She doesn’t think that I need to be thinking about romance yet (I’m only a young teen). And I totally agree! Also, most romance books don’t have the best content. Is there virtue or truth in many romance novels? Not in my experience.

• I don’t read horror.

Let’s go back to Philippians 4:8 again. Is horror true, pure or lovely? I don’t think so. I haven’t read much (if any) horror, so I can’t tell you from personal experience, but I believe that many readers could confirm that most horror books are not true, pure or lovely.

• I don’t read (much) fantasy.

This is more of a personal preference than a conviction for me. I have read some good fantasy (such as The Twin Arrows and The Secret Slipper), and both of the books I mentioned had good Biblical messages, but a lot of fantasy doesn’t. Some have themes of darkness and evil, and I don’t believe it’s necessary to read about that.

So, what do I read?

One of my favorite genres to read is historical fiction. Of course, I do come across negative elements in this genre occasionally (really, you can in any- even Christian fiction!), but I simply stop reading if I find bad things. I enjoy learning about history… even if parts of the story are fiction. 🙂

I also enjoy Christian fiction, mysteries, and biographies/autobiographies. These genres are interesting to me, and are the main things that I read. There may be other wonderful genres that I have not discovered, but these are the ones that I have.

 

I’m not saying that I’m a perfect example.

Only Jesus Christ is. But I am saying that these are my convictions, and I try to follow them with whatever I read. I have trouble sometimes when I find bad things- I know I should put the book down, but the plot is so interesting! That is when it is hardest for me to follow my convictions.

What should you read?

This is a question that I cannot answer. You have your own preferences and convictions, based on many things: your age, interests, things your parents/pastor have taught you… I pray that you will study your Bible to learn what God wants you to read. I have given you my fallible position on the subject, and you may do whatever you like with it. Just please, don’t follow my stand because of me; follow it (if you do) because of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Because He is the only One that matters.

 

What are your convictions?

Why do you hold to those convictions?

Would you like me to continue to write “inspirational” posts, as well as book reviews?

Wedding Designed by Email… KiirstiAan’s Nightmare?, by Shelia Holmes

      “The very last in at least a gazillion emails, through which the wedding was planned, has been sent! No more emails! Hurray! And, as far as is known, any past planning problems during that time span have been worked out. Today is her wedding and KiirstiAan is convinced that nothing can happen to plague this long awaited day.

   “It’s going to be a “picture perfect” wedding, just wait and see! Or, will her vision of her wedding implode, creating the most outrageous and bazaar nightmare that can be conceived?”

Title: Wedding Designed by Email… KiirstiAan’s Nightmare?

Author: Shelia Holmes

Genre(s): Christian Contemporary Fiction

Rating: ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ (four stars)

Romance Content: Not much. The story is about a wedding, so they kiss and stuff, but nothing that detailed. An un-married couple does kiss once (more on that in the review).  The main focus of the story is not the romance.

Recommended age range: 13+

My Review:

**I was given an e-copy of this book by the author in exchange for an honest review. I was not obligated to give a positive review.**

This was a very funny book! And I loved how it all worked out in the end. 🙂
Things that I liked:
1) The decor at the reception sounds absolutely amazingly beautiful!!! Mrs. Holmes did a great job describing it all. 🙂
2) It was pretty funny how things kept going wrong during most of the book. It really did seem like nothing else could go wrong (although, I guess nothing went wrong with the wedding itself…)! I felt kinda sorry for the mother (most of the story is told from her view-point).
3) It seemed like KiirstiAan and her mother had a wonderful relationship, and I appreciated that.
4) KiirstiAan is a beautiful name although I’m not quite sure how to pronounce it, and I love the unique touch it gave to the story. 🙂
However, there were a few things that I didn’t approve of/weren’t fully explained:
1) I don’t think that there should be dancing at weddings, and that was part of the story.
2) I don’t understand how the wedding was designed by email, like the title says… I don’t remember emails being mentioned at all, actually. (I have been informed that this is referring to the rest of the series; this is not to be read as a stand-alone, which I did)
3) I would have liked to know how SPOILER ALERT!!Evan got hurtSPOILER END!!!. That wasn’t explained very well.
4) I don’t think that couples should kiss before marriage, and that did happen (on the cheek, and I got the impression that they kissed on the lips as well, although that wasn’t fully stated).

All in all, I would recommend this book for those who are okay with the things that I mentioned in the “things that I didn’t approve of/weren’t fully explained” section. 🙂

Footprints in the Barn

from Amazon.com

   “Who is the man in the green car? What is going on in the hayloft? Is there something wrong with the mailbox? And what’s for lunch? The answers to these and many other interesting questions are found in the book Footprints in the Barn.” ~from Goodreads.com

 

Title: Footprints in the Barn

Author: Mr. and Mrs. Stephen B. Castlebury

Genre(s): Christian Fiction

Rating:

Romance Content: Absolutely none whatsoever! 🙂

Recommended age range: 5-13

My Review:

 

This was a great book! All of the different mysteries were figured out in the end, and I especially liked the ending to The Mystery of the Hayfort (not to confuse anyone; this is not a collection of short stories, just Jason and Andy solve three mysteries through the course of the book)! Good principles are learned in this book, such as working hard, not complaining, and being grateful with what God has given you. I highly recommend it for ages 5-13, although it is appropriate for all ages.

 

The Legend of Annie Murphy, by Frank Peretti

Starting today, I will be posting reviews on Mondays as well as Thursdays, Lord willing.  🙂

“In 1885, the Murphy mine struck gold. According to legend, Annie Murphy killed her husband out of greed. Just before she was to be hanged for the murder, she escaped. Now, 100 years later, there have been sightings of Annie Murphy’s “ghost”. The Coopers unwittingly become involved in a mystery that finds them caught between the past and the present.“

 

Title: The Legend of Annie Murphy

Author: Frank Peretti

Genre(s): Christian Fiction, Time travel (if that’s even a genre… lol)

Rating:

Romance Content: None.

Recommended age range: 10-15

My Review:

This… was a very interesting book! I loved the time travel aspect of it- I’ve always been intrigued by time travel, even though I know it isn’t a reality- and with the mystery intertwined… very cool. 🙂 I enjoyed it very much. Highly recommended, but just a warning- time travel is not really real (as far as I know), so don’t let this book convince you. 😉

The Courtship of Sarah McLean

    “Sarah McLean is a nineteen year-old girl who longs to become a wife and mother. The book chronicles a period of two years, in which she has to learn to trust her parents and God fully in their decisions for her future.”

 

Title: The Courtship of Sarah McLean

Author: Mr. and Mrs. Steven Castlebury

Genre(s): Christian Fiction

Rating:

Romance Content: Nothing inappropriate; the main theme of the story is courtship and marriage, but it is portrayed in a Biblical and God-honoring way (no kissing, holding hands, hugging, etc between un-married couples).

Recommended age range: 10-100! 🙂

My Review:

Okay, can I just say that this is an AMAZING book? It was sooo good, and had an accurate portrayal of Biblical courtship.
My parents have decided that courtship is the best way of action for us (their children) and I was happily amazed to find a good, sound book that shows this. It showed Sarah’s struggles and triumphs, which I thought was a great thing. I would not say that it was un-realistic in any way at all; I know many people who have the same standards as Sarah and her family. It was a blessing to see how Sarah and her siblings helped out around the house with a good attitude.
I appreciate the good message that this book gives; I have to say that it is the first book I have found like it (which is pretty sad).

 

The Art Contest, by Perry Elisabeth Kirkpatrick

 

“Two days ago, the Nazis rolled into Marie’s hometown. With her mother trapped in the countryside and her father ordered to perform piano concerts for the invaders, the 12-year-old’s life is turned upside down.

“When she learns there is more to her pianist father than meets the eye, Marie must work with him to sneak important information past the watching Nazis.

“This is a short story (approx. 12 minutes average reading time). It contains themes of family, adventure, and trusting God in hard times.” ~from Goodreads

 

Title: The Art Contest

Author: Perry Elisabeth Kirkpatrick

Genre(s): Christian Historical Fiction

Rating:

Romance Content: None whatsoever

 (My) Recommended Age Range: 8-15

My Review:

FTC disclosure: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a honest review. I was not obligated to leave a positive review. These are my honest thoughts and opinions.

This was a sweet short story about a young girl and how she helped free France from the Nazis. I like how Mrs. Kirkpatrick described things; I always knew what was going on. It was very short, and I would have liked it better if it was even a bit longer. However, if you are looking for a short story, I would recommend this.

 

 

Books I Got for My Birthday {2017}

Yes, you get a bonus post! I didn’t see any opportunities for posting this soon (on schedule), so I decided to do it today instead. 🙂

 

SORRY! This graphic is supposed to say {2017}… but I made it in 2018 to replace a different graphic, so here we go! 😛

I had a birthday recently, and all of my wonderful friends and family who know me well also know that I love to read, so guess what they got for me? Books, of course! Some of these I had already read, and wanted to have, and others I hadn’t even heard of. I’m going to “introduce” you to these wonderful books.

((click on the links under the covers to go to the books’ Amazon pages))

Left to Die

I have been wanting this book for awhile, and a sweet lady in our church was so kind and bought it for me. However, I was a bit disappointed by it. The romance was more than I prefer.

Forty Acres and Maybe a Mule

 

((sorry for the very horrible picture))

To tell you the truth, I really wasn’t very interested in this book when I got it. I don’t know, but the cover didn’t look like something I would like (yes, I’m one of those people who judge a book by its cover but don’t we all really??). However, I really enjoyed it!

London in the Dark

Yes, I finally have my very own paperback copy of London in the Dark!!! My kind little brothers, who knew I wanted it, pooled their resources and bought it for me. ❤ I have posted my original review on here (London in the Dark BLOG TOUR!!!), but my sentiments did change slightly after I read it for the second time. (Sorry, I don’t think I have updated my review though… )  You can read my first review here.

The Legend of Annie Murphy

I got this book from one of my brothers. I have started it, and it is much different from your usual ghost story; I might post my review on here when I have finished it. 😉

Elsie’s Stolen Heart

I greatly enjoyed this book! It was a romance, which I don’t usually read, but I loved it because it had a twist. 😉

Mother

With this book it was kind of like how I felt about Left to Die; I had high expectations and they weren’t completely met. I did enjoy it, but I got annoyed by the main character. 😛

Beautiful Girlhood

One of my best friends gave me this wonderful book, and I highly recommend it. It was very good!

Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm

Okay, so I have saved my favorite new find for last. I had read the Great Illustrated Classics version of this book, and it was okay, but not my favorite. The unabridged version, though? ABSOLUTELY AMAZING!!! ❤ It is so much better than the other!

Well, that turned into a mini-review-ish post. 🙂 My very first!

Well, I hope you all enjoyed this post!

 

When is your birthday?

Have you read any of these books?

 

BLOG TOUR!!: Isolated, by Jordy Leigh

 

   “Fourteen-year-old Louise Stella flees into the forest to escape an intruder who would take her hostage. But by the time she returns to her house, her country has broken out in war and her home island has become a military base. Sharing the land with enemy soldiers, Louise’s only goal is to stay alive one day at a time. Having no food or water, and little knowledge of how to survive in the forests of Quebec, her biggest adversary is “the Unknown”. Her pride crumbles and she realizes that she can’t sustain herself. She must depend on someone else… but Whom?

 

   “Isolated is a Young Adult suspense novella with uncertainty lurking at every turn. It will have you asking the big questions about life and death. Will you come to the same conclusion as Louise?”

 

Title: Isolated

Author: Jordy Leigh

Genre(s):  YA Suspense

Rating:

Romance Content: absolutely none whatsoever!

My Review:

FTC disclosure: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a honest review. I was not obligated to leave a positive review. These are my honest thoughts and opinions.

I loved this book! From the first page, Jordy had me hooked. I liked the “survival” aspect of the story, and I also LOVED how Louise kept resisting God, but then SPOILER!! turned to Him SPOILER END!!.
There were great times of suspense, but I also liked how Louise had times of despair as well. It really shows how, without God, you cannot do anything.
Now I want to know what happens next! I can’t wait for the next book in this series to come out.

**I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. I was not required to write a positive review.**

The Author: Jordy Leigh

“From as young as seven years old, Jordy Leigh filled exercise booklets with stories until her hand hurt. She loves a good book, but ultimately she hopes that hers will offer something of greater value than short-lived entertainment. In reading them, may you learn more about the God of the Bible.

Jordy Leigh hopes that Isolated will at once quench

your desire for compelling fiction and nourish your

soul with wholesome truth.”

Da Interview:

((my questions are in bold; Jordy’s answers are italics))

1) About how long did it take you to write Isolated?

 

If we’re talking first draft only, it must have taken me about a year to write Isolated – ‘about’ being the key word. That year was full of stops and starts; publishing this particular story was not on my mind from the beginning. But from first spark-of-an-idea to publication, it has taken me three and a half years, give or take.

2) Where did you get the idea for Isolated from?

The short version: a dream.

In 9th grade, I read the novel “The Giver”, by Louis Pasteur, which I was reading for school. I think it shaped a dream that I had one particular night. I don’t have a practice of telling my dreams to people, but I guess this one was memorable enough that I told a friend. She suggested I write a story based off it. I’ve since adapted the plot to the point where it doesn’t resemble the dream at all. But in doing so, I’ve (hopefully) made it more credible and interesting.

3) What is your best tip for wanna-be authors?

Writing a book requires hours upon hours of dedicated work. Make sure you know from the beginning that you’re devoting your time to something that is worth it. When I consider this from a Christian’s viewpoint, it means that for my writing to be worth the time, it has to be something God is pleased to use for the advancement of His Kingdom.

A good, suspenseful read isn’t bad. But the world and its desires are passing away. So keep what makes it good and suspenseful, but make sure it’s worth something in the light of eternity. Let’s not become weary in doing good, dear Christian writer, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up!

4) What is your favorite line/quote from Isolated?

Oh Leona! Do you know how hard a question that is to answer? I’ll call this a quote, since it’s more than a line:

“For a brief second, she thought she felt the familiar claws of fear sink into her heart. Once again, she stood face to face with the monster called ‘the Unknown’. Then she quieted her soul. Everything would be alright. She couldn’t understand God’s purposes so she would just have to trust Him.”

I’m not sure that it’s my absolute favorite, but it definitely ranks up there! It encompasses so completely the transformation that Louise undergoes throughout the course of the book.

5) Which character in Isolated is your favorite?

That would be Louise, the protagonist. I’ve ‘gotten to know her’ more than anyone else, and I can relate to her in a lot of her weaknesses. Besides that, in Isolated, she’s the main character by a long stretch. Some readers might be relieved to know that more characters become involved over the course of the three sequels.

Thank you so much for allowing me to participate in this blog tour, Jordy! I loved your book and hope that many will be able to read it. 🙂

The Scripture Sleuth 3, by Matthew Halverson

   

  “Who stole the lumberjack statue? Is a peanut butter sandwich really powering the digital clock, or is it just a science fair scam? Why is there a mysterious skydiver in Pine Tops? Concord Cunningham can crack all the cases, but can you? In the third volume of unique Scripture Sleuth mysteries, Concord once again faces an exciting new case in each chapter. Though Concord always solves the mystery, he never gives away the solution. Instead, he reveals the location of a Bible verse which holds the mystery’s final clue. Then it’s up to you to look up the clue and crack the case! Not sure about your answer? No problem. The solutions are at the back of the book.

“Scripture Sleuth 3 also includes ” The Greatest Case,” which brings Concord face to face with another Scripture Sleuth. Together, they investigate the most important case ever. These timeless and lighthearted mysteries are certain to make you think, laugh and make looking up Bible verses is irresistibly fun.” ~from Goodreads

 

Title: The Scripture Sleuth 3

Author: Matthew Halverson

Genre(s): Christian Contemporary Fiction, Mystery

Rating:

Romance Content: None

Recommended age range: 7-10

My Review:

I loved this book! I enjoy books where you have to solve the mystery, and having to look up Bible verses for it? That was a great idea! The mysteries were each unique, and I only figured out a couple without looking in the back.

I am not sure what Bible version is used in this book, but I don’t think that it was KJB. That is a slight downside to it, but I still enjoyed it very much. 🙂 I would recommend this book for ages 7-10.

 

 

The Secret Church, by Louise A. Vernon

 

“The Anabaptists are a small group of Christians who believe that everyone is a priest and should be able to study the Bible. They refuse to baptize their babies, and instead baptize adults on a confession of faith in Christ. Because of these heretical acts they are persecuted and sometimes put in prison.

“Richard lives in Germany and is caught up with the Anabaptists when his cousin Otto shows up seeking refuge. Richard needs help to hide Otto, but can he trust his friend Trudi? Her father hates the Anabaptists and wants to get rid of the whole movement!

“Join Richard as he helps his family, runs from guards, meets the legendary Menno Simons, and decides for himself whether he too wants to join the secret church.”

Title: The Secret Church

Author: Louise A. Vernon

Genre(s): Christian Historical Fiction

Rating:

Romance Content: None

Recommended age range: 9-15 (see note at end of review)

My Review:

     This book was great! I loved the whole plot-line. It was very interesting reading about how they got away from the Catholic church (but I’m not sure how they could have stayed, since all the Catholics in this book were basically evil lol). It was also interesting that they went to Menno Simons, the founder of the Mennonites, but everyone called them Anabaptists. From what I’ve gathered about history, the Mennonites and the Anabaptists/Baptists were very similar until the Mennonites went a little extreme (correct me if I’m wrong).
This story had a bit of a mystery feel to it, which I really enjoyed.
**Parents, read this book before your children do if they have bad dreams, etc. Two of the main characters SPOILER!! get caught in a burning house (they aren’t harmed) and the main characters are persecuted by the Catholic church for their beliefs on baptism. SPOILER END!!