Wednesday, February 27, 2019

Growing Forward When You Can't Go Back


After life is shattered by loss or a traumatic experience--whether big or small--it can seem impossible to heal or even move on. Deep down you believe God intends good for you, but you just don't have the energy or strength to figure out how to move forward.

Author Laurie Pawlik has been there, and here she shares how she flourished despite multiple losses. Through practical tips and thought-provoking questions, she helps you take small yet powerful steps toward healing and letting go. She also offers insights and encouragement from the lives of strong women in the Bible. You'll glimpse the painful losses these women experienced and learn how they flourished despite seasons of hardship and grief. You'll discover how God shows His presence and power in the valleys, deserts, and storms. And you'll feel a fresh sense of hope that, with God, you can redefine yourself, remake your life, and grow forward into a beautiful new season.

My thoughts: I very much appreciated Laurie's book Growing Forward When You Can't Go Back! She is open and real, and I love that she ties her thoughts together with different women of the Bible. This is an excellent book for those who are looking to make changes and move forward. I highly recommend this one!
I received this book from Bethany House. This is my honest review.



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Castle on the Rise Review and Giveaway!


“Enchanting and mesmerizing!” —PATTI CALLAHAN, New York Times bestselling author of Becoming Mrs. Lewis
A storied castle. A band of rebels.
A nation chasing a centuries-old dream of freedom.
And three women who rise above it all . . .
When Laine Forrester travels overseas to attend her best friend’s vineyard wedding, she expects to find the bride on the brink of a fairy-tale life. But after a series of unforeseen setbacks, it seems the storybook lives they’d imagined are suddenly ripping apart.
With hopes of resurrecting a happy ending, Laine agrees to accompany the newlyweds to the groom’s home in Ireland—never expecting she’d be the one drawn in by its wide-open moors, backroads bordering the Irish Sea, and a mysterious castle that dares to keep its secrets hidden.
From the storied streets of Dublin to the shores of the Emerald Isle, Laine is drawn in to the land and its rich history. The castle ruins whisper stories of Issy—a photojournalist battling through the 1916 Easter Rising, and Maeve—the castle’s lady of legend, fighting for survival through the 1798 rebellion that started it all.
Spanning more than two centuries, Castle on the Rise unites the legacy of three women who must risk mending the broken places within for life, love, and the belief that even through the depths of our pain, a masterpiece of a story can emerge.
“Castle on the Rise perfectly showcases rising star Kristy Cambron’s amazing talent! Perfect pacing, lovely prose, and an intricate plot blend together in a delightful novel I couldn’t put down. Highly recommended!” —Colleen Coble, USA TODAY bestselling author of Secrets at Cedar Cabin and the Rock Harbor series
“Cambron’s latest is one of her best. Gripping and epic, this intricately woven tale of three generations seeking truth and justice will stay with you long after the last page.” —Rachel Hauck, New York Times bestselling author

My thoughts: I loved that this book delved into history that is a little less common in historical fiction, since it tied the present day together with the 1798 rebellion in Ireland and the Easter Rising in 1916. I love how the family that owned the manor, along with a few of their friends, showed up in each time period. While at times, three stories was a bit overwhelming for me, I still enjoyed this book tremendously! It brought some of Ireland's history to life for me.
I received this book from Celebrate Lit. This is my honest review and is in no way influenced by receiving a complimentary copy.

Purchase a copy:

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About the Author:
Kristy Cambron is an award-winning author of Christian fiction, including her bestselling debut The Butterfly and the Violin, and an author of Bible studies, including the Verse Mapping Series. She is a passionate storyteller who travels to speak at ministry events across the country, encouraging women to experience a deeper life in the Word through verse mapping. Her work has been named to Publishers Weekly Religion & Spirituality TOP 10, Library Journal’s Best Books, RT Reviewers’ Choice Awards, and received 2015 & 2017 INSPY Award nominations.
Kristy holds a degree in Art History/Research Writing, and lives in Indiana with her husband and three sons, and can probably be bribed with a coconut mocha latte and a good read.
To stay connected, visit www.kristycambron.com.

Kristy's Research trip to Ireland:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wIlQXEYlQks#action=share

Blog stops:
Go here.

Giveaway! To celebrate her tour, Kristy is giving away a grand prize of one finished copy each of The Lost Castle (book 1) and Castle on the Rise (book 2)!! Go here to enter.

Tiny Truths Illustrated Bible


With whimsical illustrations and engaging storytelling, The Tiny Truths Illustrated Bible presents all your favorite stories and diversely represented characters from the Old and New Testaments. It starts at the very beginning with the magnificence of creation and includes Moses parting the Red Sea, Jonah being swallowed by a giant fish, and ultimately the birth, death, and resurrection of Jesus, the rescuing King.
Uniquely presented in a way that connects each individual story to the next, this book introduces children to the most important ideas and characters of the Bible while also making clear how everything fits together to tell one big story––the story of God’s love for his children.
Kids will want to return to these joyful, memorable stories again and again, building their understanding of God’s Word. And the practical lessons, reminders, and truths found throughout the stories make this an invaluable resource for parents and teachers.
The Tiny Truths Illustrated Bible will help your children discover:
Who God is––the one who made everything and everyone
Who we are––his children, whom he loves unconditionally
What we were made for––to love God and everyone else
Introduce your children to the incredible story of God’s enormous love for them with The Tiny Truths Illustrated Bible! This book’s bright and engaging cover has a unique feel and pops off the page with debossing.

My thoughts: I liked this illustrated Bible! Geared towards grade school children for the reading level, this book is also great for younger children. I like that it depicts the people of the Bible as they most likely looked like, rather than Westernizing them. This is a very mild book of Bible stories, since it doesn't go into things like the Nile being turned to blood by Moses, which I can imagine some parents appreciating when their children are young.
While I would of liked even more stories in this book, it is a good length and is a great start for young readers.
I received this book from Booklook bloggers. This is my honest review and is in no way influenced by receiving a complimentary copy.


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Made for the Journey


In her first year as a missionary to a small group of native women in the Ecuadorian jungle, Elisabeth Elliot faced physical and spiritual trials. In Made for the Journey, Elliot captures the mysteries and stark realities surrounding the colorful and primitive world in which she ministered. More than just a recounting of her early days, this is a beautifully crafted and deeply personal reflection on the important questions of life and a remarkable testimony to authentic Christian obedience to God.

My thoughts: I have enjoyed many of Elisabeth Elliot's other books, so I was thrilled to pick this one up. I enjoy her style of writing, since she seems like she was a very practical person. This is a wonderful book of her experiences during her first year on the mission field. This is a wonderful book that addresses things like culture shock, discouragement on the mission field, and God's provision through it all. I highly recommend this book for those in all walks of life, but can imagine it would especially be a must for those looking to serve on the mission field.
I received this book from Revell. This is my honest review and is in no way influenced by receiving a complimentary copy.


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Women, Rise Up!


God has gifted women with beautiful and unique calls on their lives. Unfortunately, many never step into their roles because of doubt, discrimination, fear, and insecurity. But in a world fraught with gender and relationship issues, the gifts and voices of women are needed more than ever.

In this fully revised and updated edition of her breakthrough book, Women of Destiny, bestselling author and speaker Cindy Jacobs reveals the biblical foundation for women in ministry and leadership. Through sharing her own story, successes, and failures, she speaks to the doubts, fears, and insecurities women have about stepping up and speaking out.

She shows how to navigate discrimination with grace, strength, and
confidence, and she empowers women everywhere to press into God
to discover their unique purpose. Whether you step across the street or into a new role altogether, you can serve God faithfully, love others boldly, and change the world around you.

My thoughts: This is a wonderful book for women in the ministry or those who feel like they have a calling! This book is so encouraging and shows that women do have a place in church ministry. I must admit that I don't agree with her on women having been elders and deacons in the early church, but I do agree that women have a place in ministry and their own unique style of ministry that is a huge blessing to those around them.
I received this book from Chosen. This is my honest review and is in no way influenced by receiving a complimentary copy.

Purchase a copy:


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Tuesday, February 26, 2019

Romance is in the Air: G.G. Vandagriff







Rescuing Rosalind by G.G. Vandagriff

#1 Amazon Bestseller in Regency romance

"Prolific author G.G. Vandagriff creates a world full of intrigue, suspense, and romance that fans of the Regency Period will adore. Vandagriff writes in a style reminiscent of Georgette Heyer."--Deseret News.

When frigate Captain Buckingham Kernow-Smith encounters a sprite in a topiary garden he pulls off her stocking cap, revealing the character of “Rosalind” from As You Like It, played, in this case, by the appealing Fanny Edwards.

Three years pass. The War over, Buck encounters his Rosalind at a ball, where she has developed into a notable beauty. However, her guardian confides to him that she is dancing on the very edge of propriety. Buck, who has been fighting the French since he was twelve, also finds the ton confining and sympathizes with Fanny/Rosalind’s plight as a properly reared young lady.

Together, they make a dangerous pair, toeing the line between propriety and scandal. When they push their fun too far, Fanny faces ruin and the demimonde. Will Buck confide his own secrets and overcome his life-long aversion to marriage? Can there be a happily ever after for someone as headstrong and impetuous as Fanny?







 



"Vandagriff's Regency Austen-esque romance is perfect for any reader who loves a good old-fashioned romance and can enoy the journey of two people learning not to fear love while learning how to have faith in each other." --Deseret News

"Regency Romance in the style of Austen and Heyer. Love as it's meant to be written."
--InDtale Magazine

"Another Regency delight from G.G. Vandagriff!"
--Meridian Magazine









Chapter One
It had been many years since Captain Buckingham Kernow-Charles, Marquis of Deal, had strolled in the formal Ruisdell Palace gardens. The topiary animals that had so delighted him when he was twelve were now rendered even more magical by a frosting of snow. The last time he had seen them was that summer before he first went to sea. The giraffe, the boar, the jaguar, and . . . what was that?
Before him in the freezing mist appeared a slender, small youth dressed in tights, a belted tunic, and a comical hat that resembled nothing so much as a blue and red striped stocking.
“Marry, kind sir, how com’st thou here?”
He blinked his eyes, but the youth remained. His comely, almost feminine features had a puzzled look. Upon closer inspection, Buck saw signs of a bosom and smothered a grin.
“I am a guest of the duke. My name is Captain Kernow-Charles,” he said, forgetting his new title.
The apparition bowed from the waist. “And I, kind sir, am Gannymede. Welcome to the Forest of Arden.”
Buck’s forehead bunched in a frown. Gannymede? Shakespeare? As You Like It? Striding forward, he took hold of the end of the stocking hat and pulled. Out tumbled waves of thick auburn hair, descending to Gannymede’s waist.
“Thou art Rosalind, I think?”
“Thou dost not play fair, sir.”
He chuckled. “You are, quite obviously, a girl. Your disguise was futile. Does your mother know you are cavorting about dressed as a boy, boldly addressing strangers?”
“Rosalind” blushed a fiery red that clashed with her bounteous hair. “My mother is nothing to do with you, sir. She lives in Shropshire. I am sister to the duchess and may do as I please.”
“How old are you?” he asked with the sternness for which he was known aboard ship.
“I do not see that that is any of your business, sir.” Her eyes, an unusual shade of turquoise, snapped with annoyance.
“You may address me as Captain. My guess places you at sixteen. Am I wrong?”
“Quite wrong, Captain. I am to make my curtsey to the Queen in the spring. I am a great many months older than seventeen.”
He saw that she was beginning to shiver in her scant clothing.
“It is too cold for you to be out in this weather dressed as you are. Come back to the house.”
Looking mulish, she said, “I am not cold. Besides which, I am meeting Jacques.”
“If I know Jacques, he will not come out in such weather.”
“He wishes to write a poem about it.”
“A lament, you mean.”
“Possibly. May I say, you are quite overbearing, Captain? But at least you know your Shakespeare.”





Author G.G. Vandagriff

G.G. Vandagriff is an Amazon #1 best selling author of Regency romance, however she has recently begun a Romantic Suspense series starting with the publication of Breaking News It surrounds the events in a Chicago TV station's investigative journalism unit and is lots of fun.

Her first novel The Last Waltz, the first novel in her 20th Century Historical Romance Series won the Whitney Award for Best Historical Novel in 2009. There are now two more books in that series--Exile and Defiance.

Her thirteen Regencies have been lauded by critics and compared to the witty novels of Georgette Heyer. She has also written a lively genealogical mystery series featuring Briggie and Alex, two wacky widows, as sleuths. Alex is in her thirties, Briggie in her sixties, and both have plenty of romance in their lives.

Vandagriff graduated from Stanford and received her master's degree from George Washington University. She worked as an associate editor at Stanford's Hoover Institution, an assistant treasurer in the Harvard Treasurer's office, a bond analyst at Fidelity Investments, and an international banker for Continental Illinois National Bank (later acquired by Bank of America).

She and her husband David are the parents of three children and seven grandchildren, her greatest joys in life. Her favorite novel? Jane Eyre. She also loves Florence, Sundance Resort, Cubs baseball, hot chocolate, lilacs, and dachshunds.












 







Giveaway Details
$25 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash Giveaway

Ends 3/19/19

Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. This giveaway was organized by Kathy from Clean Wholesome Romance and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

a Rafflecopter giveaway









Monday, February 25, 2019

Take ten: Places I want to visit after reading about

As usual, if you would like to learn more about the book, click the image to go to Amazon. This page contains affiliate links.
1. Isle of Skye


2. Denver


3. Seattle


4. Scotland


5. Austin, Texas


6. England


7. New Zealand


8. Australia


9. Savannah


10. Southeast Asia