Shattered

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing Shattered Bethany House Publishers (February 1, 2013) by Dani Pettrey  

In real life, Dani Pettrey is a wife, homeschooling mom and author. She feels blessed to write inspirational romantic suspense because it incorporates so many things she loves–the thrill of adventure, nail-biting suspense, the deepening of one’s faith and plenty of romance. She’s a huge fan of dark chocolate, is always in search of the best iced mocha and her dream is to one day own a little cottage on a remote stretch of beach. She and her husband reside in Maryland with their two teenage daughters.
Just in case you’re curious…The real Dani does love traveling. She’s been to some amazing places (Greece, Hawaii, the Keys) and there are many more she hopes to visit in the future.
And while she’s not quite up to sky-diving, cave diving or heli-skiing (too high, too enclosed, too cold!) she and her family love hiking, canoeing, wave jumping and a ton of other outdoor adventures a little further down on the risk scale.
Dani is the acclaimed author of the romantic suspense series Alaskan Courage, which includes her bestselling debut novel Submerged and latest release Shattered. She feels blessed to write inspirational romantic suspense because it incorporates so many things she loves–the thrill of adventure, nail biting suspense, the deepening of her characters’ faith, and plenty of romance. She and her husband reside in Maryland with their two teenage daughters. 

Dani can be reached through the Contact link on her Website.

 

Here is a four minute interview with Dani produced by LifeWay that you will enjoy.  It is always a treat to hear directly from the author about the "behind-the-scenes" aspect of their writing.  She also shares her favorite fiction authors to read:

 

Piper McKenna couldn't be more thrilled that her prodigal brother, Reef, has returned to Yancey, Alaska, after five years. But her happiness is short-lived when Reef appears at her house covered in blood. A fellow snowboarder has been killed--but despite the evidence, Reef swears he's innocent. And Piper believes him.
Deputy Landon Grainger loves the McKennas like family, but he's also sworn to find the truth. Piper is frustrated with his need for facts over faith, but he knows those closest to you have the power to deceive you the most. With his sheriff pushing for a quick conviction, some unexpected leads complicate the investigation, and pursuing the truth may mean risking Landon's career.
With Piper waging her own search, the two head deep into Canada's rugged backcountry--and unexpected complications. Not only does their long friendship seem to be turning into something more, but this dangerous case is becoming deadlier with each step.
If you would like to read the first chapter of Shattered, go HERE.

 

My Thoughts:

Shattered is the first Dani Pettrey novel I have read.  My review in short would be this:  I don't buy books.  All the books I read and review I receive as part of blogging for books programs sponsored by publishing companies.  If Pettrey's next book in the Alaskan Courage series is not offered as part of one of those programs, I WILL BE BUYING IT!!

Pettrey hits the ground running with page one and doesn't stop with amazing characters, tender romance, suspense and intrigue, and struggle with knowing God until the very last page.  I have fallen in love with the McKenna family and can't wait to see what is in store for them in the next book!

 

Happy Reading,

Jennifer

Faithfulness

This year I am following a Bible reading plan developed by Kathy Howard that can be found HERE.  Over the course of 52 weeks, I will be reading through portions of the Bible that cover the foundational doctrines (beliefs) of the Christian faith.  The plan is constructed this way:

• First Quarter – “Theology,” the study of God and His character
• Second Quarter – The nature of the Bible, mankind, & Christ
• Third Quarter – “Soteriology,” the study of salvation
• Fourth Quarter – The Holy Spirit, the Church, and the End times

Ms Howard lists several other Bible reading plans other than this one, but I've chosen to go with this one for 2013.  If you aren't presently following a Bible reading plan, I encourage you to take a peak at the plans she offers and chose one.  I know it is already halfway through February, but chose one...TODAY.  Jump in and don't worry about being behind.

This morning's passage had me reading about God as Healer and Faithful.  Faithfulness seems to be a "lost art" in today's culture.  We are so busy with so many things.  Our priorities can easily get misplaced.  Commitment is thrown to the wind if something "better" comes along.  We can be rather "wishy-washy" at times.  We want everything to be easy and if it isn't...well...we move on to something that requires less time, less effort; something that doesn't require much out of us.

I'm so very grateful that God isn't that way.  Genesis 18:1-15 and 21:1-7 reminds us of God's faithfulness through the story of Abraham and Sarah.  If you've been around church for any amount of time, I bet you know this story.  In short, you have a couple, well beyond child-bearing years, a promise of a baby and they laugh.  Well...Sarah laughs.  And then the Lord asks Abraham a question in Genesis 18:14a:

"Is anything too hard for the Lord?"

The Lord then promises Abraham that He will return in a year and that Sarah will indeed have a son.

Flash forward to Genesis chapter 21:1-7:

"The LORD kept His word and did for Sarah exactly what He had promised. She became pregnant, and she gave birth to a son for Abraham in his old age.  This happened at just the time God had said it would."

Today's reading also took me to Psalm 30.  Here is some of what I read:

"Sing to the LORD, all you godly ones!  Praise His holy name.  For His anger lasts only a moment, but His favor lasts a lifetime!  Weeping may last through the night, but joy comes with the morning...Hear me, LORD, and have mercy on me.  Help me, O LORD.  You have turned my mourning into joyful dancing.  You have taken away my clothes of mourning and clothed me with joy, that I might sing praises to You and not be silent.  O LORD my God, I will give You thanks forever!"

I'm not sure if any of this makes any sense or speaks to anyone but me today, but I beg of you this:  DO NOT MISTAKE GOD'S SILENCE IN A MATTER FOR HIS UNFAITHFULNESS TO YOU!  HE IS FAITHFUL!

While you are waiting, know that you can believe God to be Who He says He is and that He will do what He has promised to do.  Seek His face through His word and know Him.  He keeps His word and at just the right time my friend...at just the right time!



Blessings,
Jennifer

Redeeming Grace

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing Redeeming Grace Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas;
1st edition (February 28, 2013) by Ward Tanneberg

Ward Tanneberg is a pastor/writer/novelist who has given more than 50 years to evangelism, youth, college and pastoral ministry, including two Pacific Northwest churches and 23 years as the senior pastor at Valley Christian Center in Dublin, CA. In 2008, he was named President/Executive Director of The CASA Network. Ward speaks extensively at 50+ retreats and ministry leadership events in the USA and elsewhere. When at home he meets weekly with a group of business and professional leaders. He and Dixie have 2 children, 3 grandchildren, 4 step-grandchildren and a great grandson.
Ward can be reached through the Contact link on his Website.

Seven years ago, Grace Grafton died in a boating accident while partying on the Georgia, South Carolina coast. Was her death the result of alcohol and drugs or something more sinister? Nobody knows: her body was never recovered. Now years later, a woman reads in disbelief the note addressed to her: Hello Grace, did you think we wouldn't find you?
Those nine chilling words end Grafton's self-imposed sanctuary of witness protection. Now she and everyone she loves are in grave danger. Long believed dead, she has a secret that can change the world. She knows the man running for president is guilty of a double murder! But who will believe her? If you would like to read the first chapter of Redeeming Grace, go HERE.

My Thoughts:
What a ride!  This is the first book by Mr. Tanneberg that I've read and I am hooked!  The book is lengthy at 597 pages; however, don't let that detour you from reading.  Mr. Tanneberg employs the "flashback" method in telling Grace's story and does it well; he keeps you turning pages.  At times, I almost forgot I was reading a novel...the story is contemporary and seems as if it is ripped straight from the headlines of the evening news.  The story is full of well-developed and rich characters who are believable.
The book is published by Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas.The only negative thing I have about the book is the editing is a little sloppy in several places.  For example...in a couple of spots, paragraphs are repeated; it appeared that the "unedited" or cut portions got printed along with the corrected parts.
I will certainly be looking for future works by Mr. Tanneburg.
*Added after email from author:  The copy of Redeeming Grace that I read was an "Advanced Copy" of the book provided through CFBA to the blog reviewers.  The publishing company is aware of the errors and are correcting them prior to final copies.
Happy Reading,
Jennifer

Unbreakable

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing Unbreakable Bethany House Publishers (February 1, 2013) by Nancy Mehl  

Nancy Mehl lives in Wichita, Kansas with her husband Norman and their dog, Watson. She’s authored thirteen books and is currently at work on her newest series for Bethany House Publishing.
All of Nancy’s novels have an added touch – something for your spirit as well as your soul. “I welcome the opportunity to share my faith through my writing,” Nancy says. “It’s a part of me and of everything I think or do. God is number one in my life. I wouldn’t be writing at all if I didn’t believe that this is what He’s called me to do. I hope everyone who reads my books will walk away with the most important message I can give them: God is good, and He loves you more than you can imagine. He has a good plan especially for your life, and there is nothing you can’t overcome with His help.”
She and her husband attend Believer’s Tabernacle in Wichita.

Nancy can be reached through the Contact link on her Website. 

Mennonite Romantic Suspense Sure to Thrill Readers
Gentle and unassuming Hope Kauffman has never been one to question or try to make changes. She quietly helps her father run Kingdom Quilts and has agreed to the betrothal her father arranged for her with the devout but shy Ebbie Miller.
Despite Hope's and other Kingdom residents' attempts to maintain the status quo, changes have already begun to stir in the small Mennonite town. The handsome and charismatic Jonathon Wiese is the leader of the move to reform, and when one of Kingdom's own is threatened by a mysterious outsider, Jonathon is one of the first to push for the town to arm itself. Hope's fiance, Ebbie, is at the forefront of those demanding the town stay true to its traditions of nonviolence.
When strange incidents around town result in outright attacks on several townspeople, Hope can't help but question what she's always been taught. As the town that's always stood so strong together is torn apart at the seams, Hope is caught between opposing sides, both represented by those she has come to care for. With tensions high and lives endangered by an unknown threat, Hope fears Kingdom can never survive in one piece.
If you would like to read the first chapter of Unbreakable, go HERE. 

 

My Thoughts:

I reviewed the first installment in the Road to Kingdom series, Inescapable, last year for Bethany House.  I knew then that I was a fan of Nancy Mehl and she did not disappoint with Unbreakable!  Mehl has a special talent for telling a simple and endearing story with rich characters.  While Unbreakable is the second installment in a series, it can be read as a stand alone novel.  The story found here is one of faithfulness and forgiveness.  Mehl also sneaks in quite a bit of information about the Mennonite people that aids in the telling of the story.  You almost feel as if you are there in Kingdom along with Lizzie, Noah, Jonathan, Ebbie, and Hope.  I have fallen in love with the characters from Kingdom and can't wait for the third book.

Happy Reading,

Jennifer

Mellow, Yellow, Smellow!

I know, I know..."smellow" isn't a word.

Last night Cecily (our oldest - 15, who for some unknown reason has the Department of Motor Vehicles on the brain) participated in the Poetry Recitation Competition at her high school.  This competition is a part of the Poetry Out Loud National Recitation Contest. 

 (Cecily is fourth from the right, back row.)

Each participant is chosen by their teacher after classroom recitations.  There were 16 students who took part in the school level competition last night in hope of moving to the State level competition in Tallahassee in March.  After the first round, Cecily's recitation of "Epitaph on the Tombstone of a Child, the Last of Seven that Died Before" by Aphra Behn landed her a spot in the second round.  This was quite an honor, because only five students were chosen to participate in this second round.

In the second round, Cecily presented William Wordsworth's "The Tables Turned".  She placed third among the top four presenters!  There was one place in the poem where she used the word "mellow" instead of "yellow".  Or was it "yellow" instead of "mellow"?  Or...I don't know...but what I do know is that I am so very proud of her!  I may be even more proud of her teacher, Mr. Duffy.  He pushed her to be involved in this particular event, because he has taken the time to notice the potential that she has.  I think the sign of a great teacher is one who takes note of their students' particular strengths and talents and makes special effort to help them shine.  Thank you Mr. Duffy for doing this for Cecily!

(Cecily with two of her friends, who also were involved in the competition - Cassidee and Bri.)

One Proud Mama,

Jennifer

The Heart of Religion

In the Bible, the prophet Isaiah recounts these words from the Lord in chapter 58:6-9

“Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen:
to loose the chains of injustice
    and untie the cords of the yoke,
to set the oppressed free
    and break every yoke?
 Is it not to share your food with the hungry
    and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter—
when you see the naked, to clothe them,
    and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood? 

Then your light will break forth like the dawn,
    and your healing will quickly appear;
then your righteousness will go before you,
    and the glory of the Lord will be your rear guard.
 Then you will call, and the Lord will answer;
    you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I."

In The Heart of Religion:  Spiritual Empowerment, Benevolence, and The Experience of God's Love, two social scientists and a theologian have come together to share an extensive study of 1,200 men and women from across the United States that sheds light on how Americans wake up to the reality of divine love and how that transformative experience expresses itself in concrete acts of benevolence.

The Authors:

Matthew T. Lee is a Professor and Chair of Sociology at the University of Akron. He is Vice President of the Institute for Research on Unlimited Love and served as Vice President of the Center for Restorative Justice of North Central Ohio. He was the project director and co-principal investigator on the "Flame of Love" Project, which focuses on the "Great Commandment"-loving and knowing God's love and then reaching out to love others.

Margaret Poloma, Ph.D., is Professor Emeritus in the Department of Sociology, University of Akron. She has written extensively about religious experience in contemporary American society including pioneering studies on prayer, Pentecostalism, contemporary revivals, and divine healing.  She is the author of "Main Street Mystics", among other books.

Stephen Post, Ph.D., is Director of the Center for Medical Humanities, Compassionate Care and Bioethics in the School of Medicine, Stony Brook University (SUNY). He is also the President of the Institute for Research on Unlimited Love and the author of "The Hidden Gifts of Helping".  He is President of the Institute for Research on Unlimited Love, founded in 2001 with a generous grant from the John Templeton Foundation and devoted to high-level scientific research on unselfish love.

While much of The Heart of Religion reads like a dry textbook, there are some nuggets of clear truth like the quote below if the reader has the patience to get to them:

"Living in a dynamic relationship with an all-loving and all-powerful God has the potential to permeate all aspects of a believer's life.  It redefines common assumptions of costs and benefits from 'What's in this for me?' to 'How does this fit into a bigger plan?'  It also has the power to transform negative self-concepts into positive ones as it imprints daily life with deeper purpose that is tied to a divine calling."

The main problem I had with the material presented in The Heart of Religion is this:  God is spoken of as if He is some ethereal being "out there somewhere" whose love is supposed to motivate us to serve others in some way and only after we have had some "mountain moving" experience with Him.  The book's authors do not present (or barely mention for that matter) a clear picture of Jesus as God's Son Who has made the way for our relationship with God in the first place.  Since their conclusions were a result of interviews with men and women from across the United States, this saddens me even more.  Somewhere along the way, I'm afraid many people have missed a clear picture of the gospel.

You can check out the book on Amazon.com by going HERE.

Thank you B&B Media Group, Inc. for sending me a complimentary copy of the book for the purpose of this review.

Blessings,

Jennifer

The Runner

Today Glass Road Publications is hosting a blog tour featuring A. Wayne Gill's The Runner. This is the first book in the Michael Knight Series.

When he isn’t crafting legal dramas, Wayne Gill serves as CEO and Managing Partner of Gill Law Firm, a law firm with offices in Florida and Georgia that serves some of the top companies in the world, including AT&T, Hilton Hotels Corporation, SunTrust Bank, and JM Family Enterprises. A husband and father, Wayne is the recipient of numerous civil, professional and humanitarian awards, including Northwood University’s Arthur E. Turner Award for Outstanding Commitment to the Betterment of Mankind. He is also the co-founder of the Oasis Compassion Agency, a ministry to the disadvantaged in the community.
(Bio excerpt from www.waynegill.com - the website created by Glass Road.)
 You can connect with Wayne via his Facebook page HERE.

The Runner is a novel of suspense, intrigue and spiritual awakening.  There is much to appreciate and like about the story.  There were a few problems I had with the book.  I felt like there were large chunks of "missing" story.  While reading the book, there were times I felt like I was just reading the outline to a really great story.  So many parts were a little too neat and tidy.
Mr. Gill's writing was unique in the fact that you hear from the different characters' points of view and not just from one voice in the story line.  While this wasn't my favorite book (3 1/2 out of 5 stars), Gill did cause me to want to know how things turn out for Michael down the road.

You can purchase The Runner at Amazon.com by going HERE.

Happy Reading,
Jennifer