Books I Read – March 2017

Where has the time gone? It’s now for another month’s recap. And I did get a lot read for March. Two Louisiana trips, what can I say? ๐Ÿ˜‰

The book that stood out the most to me in my March reading was…

No, I’m not going to college. ๐Ÿ˜‰ But this book came up for review, and as I know a few kids heading to college this fall, I wanted to see if anything good was out there. I thoroughly enjoyed this book (you can see why here)
Another book that really stood out to me is also a non-fiction…
23604409
Wow. I loved reading about the World War II heroes! I’m very glad I got this book. (Full review here)
And then, the fiction that stood out to me…
16184831
I actually worked on reading this book since February, but a few review commitment books got in the way. It was a slow start, and I found the backstory a little draggy… but after I finished the entire book. Wow. It was really an amazing read. You can read more of my thoughts here.
After having a friend badger me to read Chautona Havig, I caved in (okay, okay, honest truth: Chautona put a book up to review and I grabbed it cause I’ve been wanting to read her). Since the review book was #2 in a series, I borrowed book #1 and read them both. ๐Ÿ˜‰ย 
30158428ย 34387959
And they were both pretty good. My reviews for book one and book two.
30177562
I also read a book by my author friend, Faith Blum. ย I’ll confess, I’m not big into sci-fi. But those who do like it will probably like this book. ๐Ÿ™‚ My review here.
And honestly, though I’d like to like every book that I read, there were two this month that just weren’t my cup of tea…
28576266ย 1639713
See a little more why I didn’t like them here and here.
And the final book…ย 
30649482
Ah… SO sweet and cute and adorable!!! My review is here.
AND… last but not least…
Because I have some great friends… and also because I found a deal on eBay… my bookshelf got about 56 volumes heavier in March. ๐Ÿ˜ฎ This usually doesn’t happen in a month, so I figured it was picture-worthy. ๐Ÿ˜‰ย 
Now, your turn!
How many books did you read in March?
Which one was your favorite?
How many books did you acquire in March?
Have you read any of the books that I added to my shelves in March? (cause most of them I haven’t read…)

Welcome to College | Book Review and Giveaway

If you’re going to college or about to “step out into the world,” seriously… this book is great.ย I would call this book a “Guide for Stepping Into the World.” I am not a college student, nor do I feel God leading me to attend college, but the information in this book was still applicable to my own life. While there are many chapters on the practical side of juggling life, schedules, and making decisions, a large percentage of this book was spiritual — how to deal with doubt, how to be aware of satan’s tactics, what logical opposition one most likely will face, the list goes on. It was one of the most spiritual-strengthening and encouraging book that I’ve read in a while.

I loved how he included “passages to explore.” He had a lot of Scripture references. On this note, I personally prefer the KJV so I didn’t care for his encouragement to try out random versions, based on “what might work for you.” That would be my main disclaimer.

Also, I will note that there are chapters about purity. This book was written for older teens and I personally think that it would be wise to wait until you’re an older teen, “about to step into the world” to read this.

There were SO many good quotes! Here are a few:

“Will you define freedom as as living any way you want, or will you define it as the opportunity to live how you ought to live?”

“The truth is discovered, not created.”

“Truth may be hard to discover, but just because the quest proves difficult doesn’t mean the treasure doesn’t exist.”

“As Christians, we ought to be passionate about knowing the truth because God is passionate about making it known.”

“It is better to fall a hundred times and confess it a hundred times than to stay on the ground and call that which is sinful good. (Proverbs 24:16)”

“Remember that being courageous doesn’t mean we aren’t afraid, it just means we choose to move forward in spite of our fear.”

“Before we can determine what implications a particular [Bible] text has for our lives, we must first discover what the text means.”

*I received this book from LitFuse Publicity in exchange of my honest review*

~*~*~

Does your high school senior nervously gulp when asked what his or her life plans are? Give him or her encouragement and peace of mind with Jonathan Morrow’s Welcome to College, what J. P. Moreland calls “the single best volume I have ever read for preparing students for how to follow Jesus and flourish as his disciple in college.” Jonathan Morrow tackles the tough questions that arise during these formative years. Each chapter of this new edition has been updated, and the author has included a new chapter on Christianity, homosexuality, and the Bible.

Join Jonathan and other parents prepping their kids for college in celebrating the excitement of the next life stage for their kids by entering to win the College Survival Pack Giveaway (details below) and by attending his author chat party on April 11!

One grand prize winner will receive:

  • One copy of Welcome to College
  • One $50 Target gift card
  • One $25 Amazon gift card
  • One $25 Starbucks gift card

Enter today by clicking the icon below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on April 11. The winner will be announced at the Welcome to College Facebook party. RSVP for a chance to connect with Jonathan and other parents with kids prepping for college, as well as for a chance to win other prizes!

RSVP today and spread the word-tell your friends about the giveaway via social media and increase your chances of winning. Hope to see you on the 11th!

First Line Fridays | 4.7.17

It’s Friday again! Which is when I get to talk about books. ๐Ÿ™‚ Not like I need an excuse… ๐Ÿ˜‰

Yesterday, I went thrift store shopping, which usually means getting new books. And yep, yesterday was no exception (though, for the record, I did only get four books). The book I’m most excited about is…

12746629

A few weeks ago, I had gotten World War II Heroes and really liked the author’s writing as well as reading about lesser-known men (see my review of it here).

Anyway, first lines!

“On September 11, 2001, the United States–and the world–changed forever.”
(Heroes of 9/11ย by Allan Zullo)

I’ve read the first chapter, which is an overview of 9/11. I was only a pre-teen when 9/11 happened but I remember it vividly. It will be very sobering to read about it.

What are you reading this weekend? Any first lines to share?

~*~*~
Also, be sure to hop along to all of these other blogs and see what First Lines they have to share!
Please note that I may not fully endorse all of the books that these bloggers read or the content in these blogs.
Bree –ย Bibliophile Reviews
Rachel –ย Bookworm Mama
Beth –ย Faithfully Bookish
Katie –ย Fiction Aficionado
Lauraine –ย Lauraine’s Notes
Andi –ย Radiant Light
Robin –ย Robin’s Nest
Kathleen –ย Kathleen Denly

God Loves Mommy and Me | Book Review

By Bonnie Rickner Jenson; Illustrated by Laura Watkins

My Review:
This book. I am not sure how to write a cohesive review of it, because it is just too super cute! It is a childrenโ€™s board book, full of colorful, soft illustrations and beautiful truths. The words to the book explore the different ways that God loves and provides for both “Mommy and me.” It gave a glimpse into the things that mothers and children do together from snuggles to playtime. This book just made me smile when I saw the cover. I absolutely adore the artwork in this book. Not too bold or bright, but cheerful and pleasant. That is probably why I loved it so much! What you see on the cover is the beautiful type of art you get inside. This is just the sort of book that I would read to my children, if the Lord blesses me with them.ย 

*I received this book from BookLook Bloggers and happily provided my review*

Book Description
God loves Mommy and me, He knows we love Him too, When we pray we always say, โ€œYouโ€™re so good, Godโ€”thank You!โ€

Snuggle in cozy-close with a sweet reminder of Godโ€™s love for mommies and their little ones. Celebrating loving mothers, precious children, and the God who loves them all, God Loves Mommy and Me will remind parents and little ones of how much they are loved.

Purchase the book here.

Books I Read – February 2017

Eight books this month! Wowie. Two trips helped with that. ๐Ÿ˜‰

My balance got a little out this month, as I agreed to review quite a few books. So I only read twonon-fiction. Whoopsie!

Starting with…
MY FAVORITE!!!

Grace and the Preacher
Grace and the Preacherย was such a sweet book! It’s my only 5-star book of the month. Read why I liked it here.
Non-Fiction
1017438
I started out really enjoying Plot, but parts of the end I didn’t find necessary for me. This is the full review.
33499050
The author contacted me and asked me to review this book. I had a mixed review, which you can read here.
Fiction Books
I enjoyed all of the fiction books I read this month. ๐Ÿ™‚
12261276
The longest review I wrote this month. ๐Ÿ™‚ I enjoyed most of this book, but have a thorough review here.
22574553
I tend to forget I read this book. We were waiting at LifeWay so I wanted a book I could pick up and finish in about a half hour. This was the perfect book for that. It was my first Colleen Coble book and I’d try her again. My review is here.
33816458
And then this sweet book by my friend, Faith. ๐Ÿ™‚ Check out my review here.
34185986
An Emma retelling. It was fun to read! My review here.
Children’s Books
30684816
The first children’s book I’ve reviewed that I just didn’t especially love. See why here.
What have you read this past month?
What genres have you read? What categories? Any five star books?

Savior, Like a Shepherd | Book Tour and Giveaway!

Have you ever wondered what it was like for orphans born in the Wild West? Faith Blum has a new book that explores the life of three orphans born during that time. Sheโ€™s with us today to tell us a little about her book. Make sure you read to the end to see the super fun giveaway she has going on, too!
About the Book

The ground shook and a rumble sounded through the air as the train squealed to a stop. Maybe, just maybe, I could carry someoneโ€™s bags without the porter taking notice. And then there was the even bigger maybe: Maybe I could get enough money to at least buy a crust of bread for Trevor and Tabitha to share.

I hid behind the boxes in the freight yard and kept one eye on the porter, and the other on the second class passenger car. The porter had his attention on the first class car, so I slipped into the gathering crowd.

Titus Hine has always taken care of others. First in protecting his brother and sister from the men his mother entertained. Even more so after her death, when the townspeople refused to help the orphans of a town prostitute. Heโ€™s been protector and provider, despite the hardships. Heโ€™s learned that no one will help, no one cares and if he wants to survive heโ€™ll have to rely on his own strength not just for himself but his family as well.
Then a stranger shows him the kindness and help no one else seems willing to. Between her kindness and the lecture she gives the Christian Leaders, Titusโ€™s life takes an unexpected turn for the better. With help and provision from the local believers things should be easier, his burdens are lifted. So why does it feel like life is spinning out of control?
Can Titus learn that while man may fail him there is One who will never fail? Can he learn to allow God to be the Shepherd of his life and lead him? Or will life continue to push him every which way?
Note: 50% of my income from this series will go to the World Orphans organization.
Buy now on your favorite eBook platform: www.books2read.com/saviorlikeashepherd
My Review
3.5 stars
As with many of Faith’s books, I love making the connections from one story to another. Being introduced to Titus, I was happy to read his story. The incorporation of the hymn completely warmed me. I loved how Faith portrayed Titus first hearing it! The sibling/family story was very sweet.
I had a hard time finding Titus’ purpose throughout the novel. It seemed more of story just following Titus’ life, as his goals changed throughout the novel. There were also a few subplots thrown in there that took a second for me to get adjusted to. Which, if you like that style, isn’t a problem.
As always, I appreciated the spiritual aspects in this book. Very solid. And, there was very little romance mentioned in this book. More match-making than anything (which, I thought was kinda cute).
*I received an eBook from the author and happily gave my review*

Faith is generously giving away EIGHT prizes! She has two paperbacks and two eBooks of Savior, Like a Shepherd up for grabs as well as one paperback and three eBooks of her Hymns of the West Novellas: Volume Two. The novella collection contains the novella that inspired her latest series as well as her new novel. Fill out the rafflecopter for the chance to win one of the prizes: ย http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/9912248017/
Free Book
Do you want to read the story that inspiredย Savior, Like a Shepherd? Faith has made it available for freeย February 23-27. You can get your copy here:ย http://amazon.com/gp/product/B01IIU5XPK.

About the Author
Faith Blum is a 20-something author of multiple books in various genres. She loves to write, read, play piano, knit, crochet, sew, watch movies, and play games with her family. She lives in Wisconsin with her family on a small family farm where they raise goats, chickens, turkeys, ducks, and have 2 dogs and a varying number of cats.
Faithโ€™s goal in her writing is to encourage Christians in their walk with Christ. If you want to know when her latest book comes out, go to her website to sign up for herย New Releases Newsletterย so you can get an email when her next book in the series comes out. You will also find links to her other Social Media sites on herย website. She loves to hear from her readers, so feel free to contact her.

Excerpt
All too soon, I got to the station and knocked on the door with three quick raps, then paused and did four slow taps.
Trevor opened the door, a frown on his face. โ€œWhat took you so long?โ€
I went in and sat in the middle of the darkening room. โ€œPastor Barnes stopped me. Heโ€™s offered us a place to stay. He claims itโ€™s forever. I told him weโ€™d give them a week and see what happens. After that, if we decide to stay, weโ€™ll stay; but if they ever try to do something real bad, weโ€™ll leave.โ€
โ€œWhy would we leave?โ€ Tabitha asked.
Trevor put a hand on her arm. โ€œI know a lot of people seem nice, but not everyone is. We have to look out for ourselves. Like with those people who throw things at us.โ€
I sighed. Everything Trevor had said was true, but oh how I wished it could be different for Trevor and Tabitha. That they wouldnโ€™t have to do what I did, see what Iโ€™d seen, hear what Iโ€™d heard. I swallowed hard and pushed the sudden memories forcefully back into the deepest, darkest corners of my mind.
With a slightly shaky hand, I started folding the blankets.
โ€œShould we write Mr. Hodges a note telling him why we arenโ€™t here anymore?โ€ Trevor asked.
I glanced at the desk. The pen and ink bottle sat there, an imposing force taunting me. โ€œNo,โ€ I said more harshly than I intended. I softened my voice. โ€œNo, Iโ€™ll stop by in the morning and tell him.โ€
I picked up the blankets and headed for the door. โ€œLetโ€™s go.โ€
Trevor opened and held the door for Tabitha and me and then made sure it latched securely. A pang of regret and longing hit me suddenly. Despite the office feel to the place, it had been our home for almost a month. Would we ever have a place that would always feel like home? If the Barneses kept their promises, Trevor and Tabitha might. Me? I doubted I would ever find a permanent home.

Tour Schedule

Bonus Post from February 10
Petticoats and Pistols โ€“ The History of Paint (Note: the giveaway on that post is closed)
February 16
Bookish Orchestrations-Tour Introduction
Peggy’s Hope 4U– Character Spotlight of Titus
February 17
Leah’s Bookshelf– Book Spotlight
Rebekah Lyn Books– Character Spotlight of Tabitha
February 18
Zerina Blossom’s Books– Guest Post โ€“ About the Town
February 20
Sarah Allerding– Author Interview
February 21
Tara Ellis Author– Book Spotlight
Melanie D. Snitker, Author โ€“ Character Spotlight of Trevor
February 22
February 23
Reveries Reviews– Character Spotlight of Titus Hine
Kelsey’s Notebook– Guest Post โ€“ My Kind of Romance
February 24
With a Joyful Noise– Book Review
February 25
Writing Dreams– Guest Post โ€“ Why Orphans?
Zerina Blossom’s Books โ€“ Book Review
February 27
God’s Peculiar Treasure Rae– Character Spotlight of Trevor Hine
February 28
Homeschooled Authors– Author Interview

Rachel Rossano’s Words– Guest Post โ€“ Whatโ€™s the Inspiration and song connection?

A Couple of Bookish Things

Two bookish things I wanted to mention to you lovelies today…
First, you can get a free book! ๐Ÿ™‚ My friend, A.M. Heath, has her first book, Where Can I Flee, free on Kindle! I’m not sure how long, so grab it before it goes back to list price! I gave it five stars when I read it in December 2015 (see my review here).

Where Can I Flee (Ancient Words Series Book 1) by [Heath, A.M.]
And then,ย another author friend, Faith Blum, is having a book party on FaceBook today (1:30-5:30 central time). I’ll be chatting on there 2:40-3:00, so if you’re on FB, I’d love to see you there (PM me on FB if you need an invite)
Image may contain: text and outdoor

Grace and the Preacher | Book Review

30659096I enjoyed almost every aspect of this book. Sure, parts of it made me go, “No! Ohhhh no!” because I predicted what was happening, but of course, I didn’t want the characters to make such unwise choices. But I even enjoyed that, from a writers’ point of view.

I’d say it wasn’t fully predictable. It’s hard to discern that, as I study plot and so guess from the writer’s brain, not just as a reader.

I loved all of the characters. I identified with Grace and the way she viewed/processed things. Theo and Bess probably tied as my favorite characters (even though when Bess first came as a character highlight it made me slightly confused why she was there). Though I also really like Philemon and Earl. Okay, I liked Earl a lot too. His character growth was one of my favorites.

For some reason, in several books I’ve read recently, it’s confusing if the struggling characters are saved DURING the novel, or if they were previous saved and during the novel, turn back to Christ after wandering. This was such with Theo. By the end, he definitely was following God, but it’s unclear if he was truly born-again in the beginning of the novel or not.

Spiritually… five stars hands down! This is why I liked Bess SO much. She was the perfect older, wiser woman whose counsel was solid, Biblical, and right on. There were so many times during the novel that I applauded her for her counsel. Very much NOT a “follow your heart” read! And the conclusion of the book’s message…yeah. It was just so very good!

Romance…it was there, but it wasn’t all mushy, gushy. In fact, I don’t remember a single kiss. Like I said, I came away from the book with the message of, “Follow God, not love.”

Not to rave, but I really liked this book. Like a lot. Like, it’s re-readable worth it. And I don’t say that about many books that I read. ๐Ÿ˜‰ Just an extra piece of endorsement there. ๐Ÿ˜‰

*I received this book from Blogging for Books and happily gave my honest review*

About Grace and the Preacher
At the age of twenty-four, postmistress Grace Cristler has all but given up hope of finding a husband among the narrowing group of eligible men in her town of Fairland, Kansas. But when her uncle decides to retire from the pulpit, Grace is responsible for corresponding with the new preacher set to take his place. She canโ€™t deny the affection growing in her heart for Reverend Rufus Dilleโ€”a man she deeply admires, but has only met through his letters.

Theophil Garrison is on the run from a past and a label heโ€™s desperate to escape. Ten years ago, his outlaw cousins convinced him to take part in a train robbery, but Theo fled the scene, leaving his cousins to face imprisonment. Now their sentence is complete, but the plan for vengeance has only just begun. Branded a coward and running for his life, a chance encounter could provide Theo with the escape he needs.

But the young manโ€™s desperate con might come at an enormous price for the tenderhearted Graceโ€”and the entire town. Will Graceโ€™s undeserved affection and Godโ€™s mercy make something beautiful from the ashes of Theoโ€™s past?

About Kim Vogel Sawyer
With over 40 titles on library shelves and more than 1.5 copies of her books in print worldwide, Kim Vogel Sawyer enjoys a full-time writing and speaking ministry. Empty-nesters, Kim and her retired military husband, Don, are active in their churchโ€™s music ministry. Additionally, Kim helps lead womenโ€™s fellowship and enjoys teaching at writing conferences and spiritual retreats. When she isn’t writing, Kim enjoys quilting, traveling, and spoiling her granddarlings.

Purchase the book here

Books I Read – January 2017

The first month in 2017… and I’m nine books ahead of my reading goal of 52 books in 2017! That means… *gulp* … I’ve already read 13 books this year. Wait… *looks back* … Okay, so four of those I started in December. That just means I read 9 books this month. How in the world did I find time for that? (because seriously, January was crazy!) Well… we had two Louisiana trips, in which we had between 16-20 hours on the road. According to my log, I read/finished five books in the van. And then… this past weekend, I’ll admit: I binge-read. But I’m getting ahead of myself…
Non-Fiction Books
1363985
I picked this one up at a thrift store, recognizing the author from Lady in Waiting (my review of that one). I was not disappointed at all!! Read my full review here.
3247750
Yep! Another Elizabeth George book. ๐Ÿ™‚ It’s the last one I have on my bookshelf, though. :/ I greatly enjoyed this one! It seemed to be slightly more in-depth than some of her other studies. More of my thoughts here.
25006283
Writers? This book is great. That’s the short of it. The long of it is here. Seriously, if you feel like you’re drowning in novel-writing and planning, this book has some amazing tips! I know I won’t use everything there, but there is a lot of great help!
18778660
Short, but truly amazing! I read this in about forty-five minutes. You can see some of my favorite quotes here.
924770
This was a cool book! Seriously… beautifully put-together, well-organized… and clean. I mean yeah, it’s a Civil War book, there is death and prisons mentioned, but for a CW book, it was very clean. I didn’t have the exact book pictured above, as I didn’t have the CD, but just the book itself was rich in history. Yeah… I think I liked it. ๐Ÿ˜‰ Review here (cause that was a rave, not a review… ๐Ÿ˜‰ )
Children’s Books
31248647
You probably saw this cute cover pop up on my blog a few weeks ago. Yeah. it was cute.
16440139
THE VIKING QUEST SERIES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Okay, I’m not much into fan-girling… but seriously… I have waited to read these books TEN whole years. When one of my friends texted me if I knew anything about a Christian viking series, I slammed her with, “By Lois Walfrid Johnson?!?! GET THEM!!!!” She did. ๐Ÿ˜‰ And then she lent them to me, like the good friend she is. ๐Ÿ˜€ I grew up reading Lois Walfrid Johnson’s Northwood Series, and when I realized our library had The Riverboat Series (now called The Freedom Seekers series), I grabbed them up. They both had a little more boy/girl stuff than I liked, and because the kids were thirteen, I seriously rolled my eyes at them. But, there is something about Mrs. Johnson’s style that I love. Maybe it’s childhood memories. At any rate, I probably liked the viking series best… largely due to the fact that there is NOT all of the boy/girl stuff. There is a hint of romance, but mainly in the last book, and I thought it mature and well-handled.
But, for my reviews of each book, click on the titles.
Oh, and that binge-reading weekend? Yeah… *guilty grin* The Viking Quest was the culprit…
Fiction
17350821
The reading of this book actually has a little story to go with it. I had read all of the rest of Mateer’s books 2015-2016 and when this one went on sale for Kindle last year, I grabbed it, but hadn’t found time to read it yet. Well, on one of our trips home from Louisiana, I had read all of the books I brought to read, and was just going to sleep the rest of the way home (after all, it was close to midnight). My brother who was driving home ahead of us by a few miles hit a deer on the interstate. My brother is okay, but he totaled his car. We sat on the side of the road for about an hour with Dad talking to road-side assistance. Now fully awake, I decided to look on my Kindle app and see what I had. This one had been on my to-read list for so long, I picked it to read, and finished it that night. Now that you’ve read my story of WHY I read this book, you can see my thoughts of it in my review. ๐Ÿ˜‰
Coming up for the month of February… I’ve agreed to review-read two books by author friends, plus one of my friends gave me a book for Christmas I want to read… but those are all fiction. I like to balance out my reading diet, so I have a few books on writing on my shelf, and I already started reading a book on flash photography. I doubt thirteen books will be my February book-count, but with another Louisiana trip…we’ll see!

What’s on your reading shelf right now?
Did January see more books than you expected to read, or fewer?
Can you read in the car?

Books I Read – December 2016

December did not feel like a big reading month for me. I guess it was because I only read three full books in December; the other two I read the bulk of in November and just finished in December. Also, most of my reading was done in the beginning of the month (and like, no reading in the last half).
Anyway…
My favorite book of December reading was… oh, actually that’s a really hard choice. My top three for December were…
6130268
I think these little studies will always make it to the “top of the month” reading. I especially enjoyed studying through Philemon. Read my review here.
18054659
I have to say, Roseanna White is probably one of my very favorite authors. It is interesting, because she throws in a little more romance than I prefer BUT her writing is amazing. Like I-want-to-study-her-books-and-learn type of amazing. This one kept me fully interested as the plots wove in and out. But if you want to know more, see my full review.
22392625
This one made five stars (and if you know me, not many books make it there). Even though I’m a good bit older than the targeted audience (children), I loved it! It was super cute and sweet — and very innocent and pure. I can recommend this one to anyone hands-down (and I like being able to do that). I have a little more in my review.
And then the other two I read…
1234715
Honestly, I was a wee disappointed in this one. When I first picked it up a few years ago, I thought it was amazing. I guess I have grown a little in my writing since then. ๐Ÿ˜‰ See my full thoughts here.
132640
And the other hard-to-review book. You can see why here.
I suppose this post could double as “2016 in Reading Review.” ๐Ÿ˜‰ Last year I made the goal of reading 52 books. On Goodreads, I have 64 recorded. Since I beta-read a few books, that means I ย read 70+ books. You can see my Goodreads list here. If I wanted to put extra time and thought into it, I might would try to find a favorite of 2016, but that’s kinda hard for me. ๐Ÿ˜‰ So just see what I read. ๐Ÿ˜€
Now for you…
Have you read any of these books? What were your thoughts?
What were your favorite books that you read in 2016?
How many books did you read in 2016?
What are some of your most-anticipated reads of 2017?