book review – Sons of Thunder by Susan May Warren

 
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Sophie Frangos is torn between the love of two men and the promise that binds them all together. Markos Stavros loves Sophie from afar while battling his thirst for vengeance and his hunger for honor. Dino, his quiet and intelligent brother, simply wants to forget the horror that drove them from their Greek island home to start a new life in America. One of these sons of thunder offers a future she longs for, the other the past she lost. From the sultry Chicago jazz clubs of the roaring twenties to the World War II battlefields of Europe to a final showdown in a Greek island village, they'll discover betrayal, sacrifice and finally redemption. Most of all, when Sophie is forced to make her choice, she'll learn that God honors the promises made by the Sons of Thunder.  
Sons of Thunder launches the new Romantic Suspense line for Summerside Press - it will be available to purchase in Wal-mart mid-January. Also - its uniquely written - its an epic suspense story written as three novellas - 3 points of view, 3 settings.


ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Susan May Warren is the award-winning author of seventeen novels and novellas with Tyndale, Steeple Hill and Barbour Publishing. Her first book, Happily Ever After won the American Fiction Christian Writers Book of the Year in 2003, and was a 2003 Christy Award finalist. In Sheep's Clothing, a thriller set in Russia, was a 2006 Christy Award finalist and won the 2006 Inspirational Reader's Choice award. A former missionary to Russia, Susan May Warren now writes Suspense/Romance and Chick Lit full time from her home in northern Minnesota. Learn more about Susan here: www.susanmaywarren.com

My thoughts:
This wasn’t quite what I expected – I thought  it would be more like a light and fluffy romance novel set during before and during WWII. Instead I found myself gripped in a story that was so much deeper than I expected. The characters were very realistic and battled emotions and problems common in people today. 

I would highly recommend this book.

I received this book free for the purposes of review from LitFuse Publicity but received no other form of compensation. These opinions are all mine.

book review – Lady Carliss and the Waters of Moorue by Chuck Black

Lady Carliss and the Waters of Morrue:
Determined, smart and a master of both the sword and the bow, Lady Carliss has proven herself as a veteran Knight of the Prince. Returning from a mission of aid, Carliss is plunged into adventure once again as she searches for the marauders responsible for kidnapping a friends’ family. Along the way she is reunited with Sir Dalton and discovers that the struggle in her heart is far from over. When Dalton falls to the vicious attack of a mysterious, poisonous creature, Carliss finds herself in a race against time. As Dalton clings perilously to life, she must find the antidote in the distant and strange city of Moorue .

While there, Carliss uncovers the master plot of a powerful Shadow Warrior that will soon overtake the entire Kingdom. Her faith in the Prince and her courage as a knight are tested as she faces evil Shadow Warriors and a swamp full of dreadful creatures. The lives of many, including Dalton ’s, depend on Carliss. But she cannot save them all, for time is running out.  She faces an impossible choice: save Dalton , or let him die so that others may live.

Author Bio:
Chuck Black, a former F-16 fighter pilot and tactical communications engineer, is the author of nine novels, including the popular Kingdom series. He has received praise from parents across the country for his unique approach to telling biblical truths. His passion in life is to serve the Lord Jesus Christ and to love his wife, Andrea, and their six children. He lives with his family in North Dakota .

My thoughts:
Oh my goodness! This book grabbed my attention from page one and held on to it until the very end. It is fast-paced and has bits of humor sprinkled in. I can’t wait to check out the rest of the series. 

This is book 4 in the series but I was able to keep the characters straight and enjoy the story even though I haven’t read any of the others.

I also read the introduction to my daughter and she wants to read it.  She really wants to read it which is very impressive for a reluctant reader.

I heartily recommend this book. you can purchase it here through Random House.

I was provided with this book by Random House for purpose of review but have received no other form of compensation. The opinions expressed are mine.

Book review - All Things Hidden by Tricia Goyer

ABOUT THE BOOK!
The past is brought to light...
Charlotte is cleaning out the basement of Bedford Community Church when she comes across a tattered and yellowed newspaper article. The clipping, published more than a century ago, implicates her great-great-grandfather in the loss of funds intended to help finish building the church. Charlotte has heard stories about the incident through the years, but now it seems the past has come back to haunt her. Is it just her imagination or are people treating her differently now that they think she's descended from a crook? Will Charlotte be able to clear her family's name once and for all?
Meanwhile, Sam is spending time with a new girl in town-and is keeping secrets from his grandparents about where they go. Christopher is trying to get an article published in the local paper, and Emily reluctantly partners with a foreign exchange student on a class project and eventually comes to see that they're not that different after all. As old secrets are brought to light, the whole family is reminded that the truth is often more complicated than it seems.
Come home to Heather Creek. Get to know Charlotte Stevenson, who is raising her grandchildren on the family farm after a tragic accident changes all of their lives forever. With the help of her husband Bob and a close-knit circle of friends, she will do whatever it takes to keep this fragile family together. See how God, who makes the sun rise and the crops grow, watches over our lives too.
ABOUT HOME TO HEATHER CREEK:
Charlotte Stevenson's world is turned upside down when her daughter, Denise, dies in a tragic car accident. She ran away at eighteen and Charlotte has never forgiven herself. Now, Denise's children, abandoned by their father, are coming from California to live on Heather Creek Farm in Bedford, Nebraska.
--
Tricia's first book in the Home to Heather Creek series was Sweet September (book two) followed by  Every Sunrise (book seven) last spring and Sunflower Serenade this summer. All Things Hidden is book eighteen in the continuing story of the Stephensen family!

My thoughts:
I hate to admit that this is not my favorite Tricia Goyer book but it is still a good book.  I just didn’t relate as well to the characters, maybe because the main character is a grandmother and the other three main characters are teens.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Tricia Goyer is the author of several books, including Night Song and Dawn of a Thousand Nights, both past winners of the ACFW's Book of the Year Award for Long Historical Romance. Goyer lives with her family in Montana. To find out more visit her website: www.triciagoyer.com
BUY THE BOOK!
http://www.guideposts.com/heathercreek or you can call 1.800.431.2344


To read what others are saying about this book you can go HERE.

Life Lessons From a Horse Whisperer

While I have always liked horses, I wasn’t the horse-y one in my family. My sister was more into horses than I was, and she still is. So when I saw this book I was thinking about her.

But I really enjoyed it myself.

Dr. Lew Sterrett has written a fascinating and insightful book about what he learned about human relationships from training horses.  It is more similar than you might think.
He talks about

• getting a horse’s “want to” going and I know that is something I need to work on with my children, especially with school work.
• if a horse (or a person) is struggling “getting” a task, then break it down into smaller steps and if needed then go back to basics
• the importance of gaining trust, without trust the task is much harder – if not impossible.

Horse lovers will adore this book but you don’t have to love horses to enjoy it. Unless you are a hermit who avoids people and animals, you can learn something from Life Lessons From a Horse Whisperer. Dr. Sterrett style is engaging without being “preachy,” he shares what he has learned but doesn’t tell you what to do.

I highly recommend this book. You can read what others are saying about this book here.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR!
A champion trainer and true horse whisperer, Dr. Lew Sterrett has used patience and a firm but gentle hand to earn the trust of more than 3,500 horses. Dr. Lew Sterrett (Ph. D) had little idea that his boyhood interest in horses would open doors internationally for speaking and training. During his years in 4-H, he savored many opportunities to train and show horses and earn national recognition. As a student leader at Penn State University he benefited from many mentoring relationships from which he received valuable training, experience and honors. This foundation provided a basis for an extensive horse career with a unique emphasis on training youth and community leaders.
Lew has served as the Executive Director of Miracle Mountain Ranch Missions, Inc. (MMRM) since 1977. MMRM, located in northwestern Pennsylvania, is home for a summer youth camp, and a leadership training center for youth, adult, and family groups. He has also promoted safety in public riding programs, serving as President of the Certified Horse Association for 7 years. A licensed pastor, certified Youth, Marriage and Family Counselor, he earned his PhD from North Tennessee Seminary in 2007.
Find out more about Dr. Lew Sterrett on his website: http://www.sermononthemount.org/

I was provided with this book, free for purpose of review by LitFuse Publicity. I am not compensated in any other way.

Hear No Evil

If you’ve ever had the opening bars of a song transport you back in time or remind you of a pivotal spiritual moment, Matthew Paul Turner’s honest—and frequently hilarious—musings will strike a chord. Straightforward and amusing, Hear No Evil is Turner’s “life soundtrack,” a compilation of engaging personal stories about how music—and music’s ability to transform—has played a key role in his spiritual life.
Groove along on his journey as young evangelical Turner attends forbidden contemporary Christian concerts, moves to “ Music City ” Nashville , and dreams of becoming the Michael Jackson of Christian music.
Cosmic and compelling, keen and funny, every page is a new encounter with the people, places, and experiences that have taught the music-editor-turned-author some new things about God, forced him out of his comfort zone, and introduced him to a fresh view of grace along the way.

I was excited about being asked to review this book;  I could live without TV sooner than I could without music. I also love books so a book about music seems to combine the best of both worlds.

I did not love this book though.

Snarky doesn’t bother me.  I have even been known to make fun of people on occasion. But I believe “in all things moderation” and this book was not moderately snarky.

Maybe it is just me but it seemed that the majority of people in this book were criticized. Maybe I am oversensitive but I just don’t find that sort of humor funny – at least not in large quantities.

In fairness, Matthew Paul Turner also made fun of himself – or the self he used to be back when he was young and naive.  And yes, now I am being snarky because he is only in his mid-thirties - barely.

Would I recommend this book? Well, I know others have said that is is funny and others have liked it. I also don’t see the humor in Seinfeld or The Office so it could just be me. I would have to say, no I don’t really recommend it.

This book was provided for review by the WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group.

Once An Arafat Man

Some books are just confrontational. You know how some books make you realize that assumptions you have had are not correct or that they are wounding to people? Some books confront ideas that you have long had or make you see the other side of the issue.

Once An Arafat Man has been one of those books for me. It is subtitled the True Story of How a PLO Sniper Found a New Life – yep, not exactly light reading.

However it is a fascinating book. Because of Tass Saada, I no longer see things the way I did before. I mentioned Tea With Hezbollah before and how it changed my view of things in the Middle East, I have to say though that Once An Arafat Man left me feeling more hopeful at the end. Tea with Hezbollah showed me what  confusing mess it is, and Once an Arafat Man did that as well but it also showed me that God is working in that mess.

Born in the Gaza Strip, Tass's family was forced to move and as a result he gre up a very angry young man. In his youth, he found a way to channel that rage by directing it at Jews. He was a member of Fatah and worked as a sniper as well as training other recruits. Decades later he met a Jew named Jesus and what followed is inspirational.

God worked a miracle in Tass Saada’s heart and now God is using Tass to do more work.

About the Authors:

Tass Saada is a former Muslim and is cofounder of Hope For Ishmael, a nonprofit organization whose mission is to reconcile Arabs and Jews to Got and each other through the gospel of Christ. Saada was born in 1951 in the Gaza Strip, and he grew up in Saudi Arabia and Qatar. He was a PLO sniper and militant fighter. He worked directly for Arafat. In America, he became a Christian.

Dean Merrill has been published in over 40 magazine articles and has coauthored more than 26 books. Some well-known titles are To Fly Again and In the Presence of My Enemies, both with Philippine missionary survivor Gracia Burnham. In the Presence of My Enemies was a New York Times best seller.

This book was provided by Tyndale for purpose of review. I received no form of compensation other than a free book and all opinions expressed in this review are mine.

The Choice by Suzanne Woods Fisher

The Choice by Suzanne Woods Fisher is the first book in her Lancaster County Secrets series and a beautifully crafted story. Carrie Weaver has her future planned out but then tragedy strikes. Grief-struck, she makes a choice that could change everything.

I really enjoyed this book, I found the story well written and the characters engaging. There were some very unexpected elements in the story and some characters that are not found in the average Amish book. I loved how the characters developed and changed. I definitely give it 5 stars.

More about the book:

"Fisher kicks off a refreshing new series, Lancaster County Secrets, with characters that are strong, both in body and spirit. They also have weaknesses that develop into strengths with the choices they make."
4 stars, Romantic Times

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Suzanne is a wife and mom, raiser of puppies for Guide Dogs for the Blind, and an author of Christian books, both non-fiction and fiction.

Her relatives on my mother's side are Old Order German Baptist Brethren, also known as Dunkards. That's where her interest in Anabaptist traditions began. Suzanne's grandfather was born into a family of 13 children, started his career as a teacher in a one-room school house in Franklin County, Pennsylvania, and ended it as one of the very first publishers of Christianity Today. "We called him "Deardad" even though he was a very stern fellow. Still, Deardad's life inspired me to write."

After college, Suzanne was a freelance writer for magazines and became a contributing editor to Christian Parenting Today. Her work has been featured in Today's Christian Woman, Marriage Partnership, Worldwide Challenge, among others. She took the plunge into books a few years ago and now she's hooked. To learn more about Suzanne, visit her website at www.suzannewoodsfisher.com

If you want to see what other bloggers are saying about this book, check out the blog tour here:

 http://www.litfusegroup.com/Blog-Tours/blog-tour-for-the-choice-by-suzanne-woods-fisher.html

I recieved this book from LitFuse for a reveiw but I get no other compensation for my reveiw.