Murder in Disguise

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Official verdict: Suicide.

But why would that vigorous department chairman kill himself? To avoid disgrace? Those rumored ventures on the dark side? Some other secret life? Visiting professor Preston Barclay wonders. But his questions bring no answers, only anonymous threats. He has enough problems already, proving himself on a strange campus while radical faculty do all they can to undermine him. Worse yet, that sexy siren assigned as his assistant complicates his courtship of the beautiful Mara Thorn.

While Press keeps asking questions, Mara’s research reveals a cancer of criminal activity that permeates the community and even the campus itself. The more Press questions, the more dangerous the threats against him become, and the more determined he grows to clear his friend’s name.

But can Press and Mara’s stumbling efforts prevail against the entrenched forces of the police, the campus radicals, and an unseen but powerful criminal organization that increasingly puts their lives in danger…?

My thoughts: I love this mystery series! It's is a fun blend of mystery, music, and college life (from the professors view point). I also find the religious aspect of it, with Mara having been a part of Wicca. If you enjoy mysteries, then I highly recommend this series, since it is highly addictive.
I received this book from Litfuse in exchange for my honest review.

The Secret Life of Sarah Hollenbeck

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Becoming a Christian is the best and worst thing that has ever happened to Sarah Hollenbeck. Best because, well, that's obvious. Worst because, up to this point, she's made her very comfortable living as a well-known, bestselling author of steamy romance novels that would leave the members of her new church blushing. Now Sarah is trying to reconcile her past with the future she's chosen. She's still under contract with her publisher and on the hook with her enormous fan base for the kind of book she's not sure she can write anymore. She's beginning to think that the church might frown on her tithing on royalties from a "scandalous" book. And the fact that she's falling in love with her pastor doesn't make things any easier.

With a powerful voice, penetrating insight, and plenty of wit, Bethany Turner explodes onto the scene with a debut that isn't afraid to deal with the thorny realities of living the Christian life.

My thoughts: I thought that this was an interesting story, since it was quite different from the normal Christian romance fare, and I mean that in a good way. Not that I don't enjoy some of the other, but this one was refreshingly honest. I liked that Sarah struggled to find out how to mesh her old life with being a new Christian, and owned up to her struggles. While there were a few things I would of changed or added, I thought that this was a fun, humorous read. I look forward to reading more by Bethany!
I received this book from Revell in exchange for my honest review.

Museum of the Bible books and giveaway!

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Children of the World Storyboook Bible

We have several kid Bibles, but this one might be one of my favorites, since all the artwork is done by children! I love that it connects with kids on another level with the artwork. The Bible stories are a nice length for short attention spans, without being too short for those of us who are older. The recommended age for this is 5-8, but I think it works well for my 4 year old as well.

Wild and Wacky things in the Bible

This book is a great one for kids ages 6-9. It makes the Bible fun, since it shows some of the fun facts in the Bible. My daughter and I are enjoying learning more about talking donkeys, the Egyptian plagues, and all the other fun things that make the Bible so unique. This is a great book to stimulate conversations!

That's So Weird

This one has been a great one to keep in my purse to entertain the kids on trips or a recent recital we had to attend! The pictures are fun, since there are a lot of animals and just interesting stories to go along with facts like what Moses' basket was made out of or who had the shortest reign out of the kings in the Bible. This one if for ages 5-8, but is also great for kids a little younger too, since the facts are short and to the point, so you can tailor things to a younger age.

What's the Bible All About?

I was pleasantly surprised with this little board book! It is a fun way to talk to your children about what the Bible is all about. I love that it has facts about how the Bible was written, who some of the writers were, and what the Old and New Testaments are. This is a wonderful book for young kids!
I received all four of these books from Worthy publisher in exchange for my honest review.

Now on to the giveaway! Which one would you choose, if you win? Worthy publisher will send the book of your choice to you, if you win! Be sure to leave a comment and have a way for me to get in contact with you. I will leave the giveaway open until next Monday, November 13th.

I'll Be Yours

The day Andrew Levin arrives at Washington High, Harper O’Malley knows he’ll make the perfect starter boyfriend. The school’s newest band geek is totally in Harper’s league, yet completely out of this late-bloomer’s reach. Between fitting in with a new family, scoring the first chair in band, and rescuing dogs for the local animal shelter, Harper’s never had the opportunity to hone her dating skills. But even though Harper’s love life is far from perfect, she’s got the perfect plan.

Harper knows she’s insane to agree to tutor Ridley Estes, a notorious heartbreaker and the star of her high school’s football team—but in exchange, he’s offered to school her in the game of love. Just when she sees promise with her crush, a football scandal rocks her family, her town, and Ridley’s entire future. Harper suddenly has everything to lose—her family, friends, and even her heart. When the dust of the scandal settles, nothing will be the same. Including the girl who asked the most popular jock to teach her about love.

My thoughts: It's been too long since I last read one of Jenny's books, since I forgot just how likeable her characters are! I loved getting to know Harper, with her insecurities, big heart, and hilarious humor. Sometimes life deviates from our perfect plans, leaving us to either hang on to our own ideas or reach out and grab the incredible curve ball that God threw. I loved the themes of forgiveness and redemption in this story. I can't recommend it enough! It's a sweet YA story that has a lot of depth to it, with Harper still dealing with the circumstances that led to her adoption into the O'Malley family when those insecurities are brought back up through a family tragedy. If you are looking for a good fall read, I recommend this one.

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How to Think

How to Think is a contrarian treatise on why we’re not as good at thinking as we assume—but how recovering this lost art can rescue our inner lives from the chaos of modern life.

As a celebrated cultural critic and a writer for national publications like The Atlantic and Harper’s, Alan Jacobs has spent his adult life belonging to communities that often clash in America’s culture wars. And in his years of confronting the big issues that divide us—political, social, religious—Jacobs has learned that many of our fiercest disputes occur not because we’re doomed to be divided, but because the people involved simply aren’t thinking.

Most of us don’t want to think. Thinking is trouble. Thinking can force us out of familiar, comforting habits, and it can complicate our relationships with like-minded friends. Finally, thinking is slow, and that’s a problem when our habits of consuming information (mostly online) leave us lost in the spin cycle of social media, partisan bickering, and confirmation bias.

In this smart, endlessly entertaining book, Jacobs diagnoses the many forces that act on us to prevent thinking—forces that have only worsened in the age of Twitter, “alternative facts,” and information overload—and he also dispels the many myths we hold about what it means to think well. (For example: It’s impossible to “think for yourself.”)

Drawing on sources as far-flung as novelist Marilynne Robinson, basketball legend Wilt Chamberlain, British philosopher John Stuart Mill, and Christian theologian C.S. Lewis, Jacobs digs into the nuts and bolts of the cognitive process, offering hope that each of us can reclaim our mental lives from the impediments that plague us all. Because if we can learn to think together, maybe we can learn to live together, too.

My thoughts: This is a great, easy read that is especially needed for those who post a lot on social media. I appreciated the reminder to look at things from other's point of view (especially when we don;t agree wit them), since it seems like it has become easier to quarrel about things when you aren't face to face. This is a great critical thinking book!
I received this book from Blogging for Books in exchange for my honest review.

The Austen Escape

After years of following her best friend’s lead, Mary Davies finds a whimsical trip back to Austen’s Regency England paves the way towards a new future.

Mary Davies lives and works in Austin, Texas, as an industrial engineer. She has an orderly and productive life, a job and colleagues that she enjoys—particularly a certain adorable, intelligent, and hilarious consultant. But something is missing for Mary. When her estranged and emotionally fragile childhood friend Isabel Dwyer offers Mary a two-week stay in a gorgeous manor house in Bath, Mary reluctantly agrees to come along, in hopes that the holiday will shake up her quiet life in just the right ways. But Mary gets more than she bargained for when Isabel loses her memory and fully believes that she lives in Regency England. Mary becomes dependent on a household of strangers to take care of Isabel until she wakes up.

With Mary in charge and surrounded by new friends, Isabel rests and enjoys the leisure of a Regency lady. But life gets even more complicated when Mary makes the discovery that her life and Isabel’s have intersected in more ways that she knew, and she finds herself caught between who Isabel was, who she seems to be, and the man who stands between them. Outings are undertaken, misunderstandings play out, and dancing ensues as this triangle works out their lives and hearts among a company of clever, well-informed people who have a great deal of conversation.

My thoughts: I always enjoy Katherine Reay's stories, as she puts so many layers into her characters and their stories. The Austen Escape did not disappoint in that regard! I found that I enjoyed getting to know Mary as she goes on the adventure of a lifetime with her childhood friend. I would of liked a bit more to the ending, since it felt like it was a bit abrupt, but that could just be me and my love of details.;) I did love all the Austen details and wish I had a friend who would take me on a Austen vacation.;)Overall, this is a wonderful story to pick up and savor.
I received this title from the author in exchange for my honest review.
Preorder your copy here:

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She's Got the Wrong Guy

The control freak. The angry man. The lazy guy. The unteachable guy. The promiscuous man. The unbeliever. The lone ranger. The unchurched guy. The new convert. The commitment-phobe.

For any woman who has struggled with failed relationships, this may seem like a familiar list. These are the men your friends and family have in mind when they think, “she’s with the wrong guy.” And while the reasons women choose these types of men are complicated and varied, ultimately, they will all let you down.

In She’s Got the Wrong Guy, Deepak Reju offers a different kind of dating book, discussing the types of guys women should not marry and offering biblical reasons why they aren’t suitable spouses. Writing from his years of experience as a pastor and counselor, Reju shares with women his perspective on how to assess a relationship’s strengths from the beginning, how to identify possible pitfalls, and how to have the courage to wait for a relationship that will be a blessing for both of you. Using stories that single women can relate to and highlighting contemporary issues in the modern world of dating, Reju gives readers clear, biblical direction on how to have positive, life-giving relationships with members of the opposite sex.

With a strong, Christ-centered focus, women will better understand why they “settle” for less than what God intends for their romantic relationships and learn to put their hopes and find their happiness in Jesus, not marriage.

My thoughts: As one of those girls who could of settled (since marriage didn't come around as early to me as it did to my friends), but looking at it as a wife and mother now (btw, I didn't settle. My husband is wonderful!) I thought that this book was an excellent resource for single women out there. Geared towards women, this book really helps one be intentional about who you marry. It's easy to get caught up in how a significant other makes you feel, but this book encourages women to step back from their relationships and be objective. I think this is a wonderful tool for single women! I like that there are plenty of true stories in this book that back up Deepak's thoughts.
I received this book from Litfuse in exchange for my honest review.