A Road Unknown

About the Author: Barbara Cameron is a best-selling author who has a heart for writing about the spiritual values and simple joys of the Amish. She is the author of more than 38 fiction and nonfiction books, three nationally televised movies, and the winner of the first Romance Writers of America Golden Heart Award. Barbara is a former newspaper reporter. Some of her non-fiction titles include the Everything Weddings on a Budget Book and Her Restless Heart: A Woman's Longing for Love and Acceptance. Cameron currently resides in Edgewater, Florida.

Learn more about Barbara at: http://barbaracameron.com

About the book: Book 1 in the new Amish Roads series
Elizabeth is at a crossroad. She's been given the chance to experience life outside of her community, away from the responsibility to care for her eight younger siblings, but Elizabeth Bontrager can't decide which road to take. Goshen has its charms and pressures, but Paradise, Pennsylvania, sounds . . . well, like paradise. And it's also home to her Englisch friend, Paula. Decision made. Elizabeth is Paradise bound.

But will the small town live up to its name? When Elizabeth meets Paula's friend, Bruce, she quickly learns he wants more than a friendship. And the same might be true of Saul Miller, her new boss at the country story that sells Amish products to the Englisch community. As the two compete for her attention, Elizabeth is surprised to realize she misses her family and becomes even more uncertain about where she belongs. She has a choice to make: return home or embrace this new life and possibly a new love?

My Thoughts:

A Road Unknown, if I'm being honest, just did not grab my attention.  Too many clues are given away too early in the story and I lost interest about halfway through the book.  Character development was a little sketchy and plot development was lacking.  It just blended in to every other Amish story I've read.

With that being said, Cameron does introduce us to an intriguing little town.  I'm hoping as the series continues that characterization will deepen a little.  While Cameron touches a little on birth order in this book, I'm interested in seeing what other themes run throughout the series.

Thank you Litfuse Publicity for the complimentary copy of the book given for the purpose of this review.

Don't miss this opportunity to chat with Barbara Cameron and enter her fun giveaway:

Enter Today | 2/10 - 2/27!

Happy Reading,

Jennifer

Shadowed by Grace

Cara C. Putman graduated high school at 16, college at 20, and completed her law degree at 27. The best-selling author of more than a dozen books, Cara is active in women's ministry at her church, teaches graduate courses at Purdue University, practices law, and is a homeschooling mom. She lives with her husband and 4 children in Indiana.

You can connect with Cara on her Facebook page as well as at her website found at caraputman.com.

She found peace in a time of war.

Desperate to save her dying mother, an American woman accepts her newspaper’s assignment to travel to Italy where she takes photographs dangerously close to the front lines during World War II. But Rachel’s real motive in this journey is to find the father she never knew, an artist she hopes can offer the comfort and support both she and her mother need to survive at such a desperate time.

In her quest, Rachel becomes involved with what will become the Monuments Men effort to save great monuments and works of art from the Third Reich. Soon enough she will find more than she ever imagined—in war, in love, and in God.

My Thoughts:

The cover of this book is beautiful and so is the story within.  While the relationship between Rachel and Scott "happened" a little fast and some parts were a little too predictable, Shadowed by Grace was a delightful read.  Putman includes a love story, a bit of suspense, humor, and action. The research that was put into the book is evident in that Putman captures the era in great detail.  You almost can feel as if you are there in the midst of the story.  This was my first novel by Putman to read and I look forward to reading more soon.

Thank you Litfuse Publicity for providing a complimentary copy of the book for the purpose of this review.

Happy Reading,

Jennifer

The Bonhoeffer Reader

The only reader to use the new text of the complete Dietrich Bonhoeffer works.
For the first time, a representative collection of all Bonhoeffer's theological works is available in a single volume.  With selections drawn from the newly completed 16 volume Dietrich Bonhoeffer Works English Edition, a major 25-year translation project supported by the International Bonhoeffer Society and published by Fortress Press, the Reader presents Bonhoeffer's theological writings in the best available translations.
The Reader is the only collection of Bonhoeffer's writings formatted for easy reference to DBWE and all of their additional resources, making it easier than ever to pursue a more comprehensive study of Bonhoeffer's theological career.

Michael P. DeJonge is associate professor and graduate director in the Religious Studies department at the University of South Florida and the author of Bonhoeffer's Theological Formation.

Clifford J. Green is the executive director of the Dietrich Bonhoeffer Works English Edition and edited several of its volumes. Author of Bonhoeffer: A Theology of Sociality and other Bonhoeffer studies, he is professor of theology emeritus at Hartford Seminary, Connecticut.




My Thoughts:
I have read many books about Bonhoeffer's life and have come across quotes from many of his writings, but must confess that I've never actually read much of his writings...his own words.  Fortress Press has made it easy to do that now with their offering of The Bonhoeffer Reader.
According to Michael P. DeJonge, in a Q&A with Patheos Book Club, "The very things that make DBWE the definitive resource for scholars might not suit the general reader interested in Bonhoeffer the theologian, the beginning student of Bonhoeffer, or readers of recent Bonhoeffer biographies who might want to go deeper. The Bonhoeffer Reader is designed for such an audience. It collects a significant and representative range of Bonhoeffer's theological writings in one convenient and affordable volume."
According to Clifford J. Green, in that same Q&A with Patheos, the most notable features in the book are:  "In one volume, Bonhoeffer's essential theological writings are collected together. The concise editorial introductions to each of the selections are invaluable, setting each selection into Bonhoeffer's life and providing historical context for his writing and its theological significance.

Also, the selection of writings in The Bonhoeffer Reader represents the whole Bonhoeffer—his groundbreaking dissertations, his biblical interpretation (e.g. Discipleship), and his provocative Ethics and theological letters from prison.  But we did not want to overwhelm readers with scholarly details, so we pruned notes with technical information available in DBWE, and added some notes to further clarify the text. And for those who wanted to work on the German Church Struggle and the Resistance conspiracy, we provided an appendix of resources; there's also an extensive bibliography."

The Bonhoeffer Reader is organized somewhat like a text book, but don't let that scare you. The Reader is an invaluable resource for anyone, like me, who wishes to take a closer look at the theology of Bonhoeffer.  The biographies have given us a picture of his life and now we have the opportunity to read the thoughts and beliefs that shaped the way Bonhoeffer lived his days.

The texts from Bonhoeffer are organized chronologically and include excerpts from every major text and every phase of Bonhoeffer's career:

• Student Writings:  Berlin, Barcelona, New York
• University Lectures
• Ecumenical and Pastoral Writings
• Theology and the Third Reich
• Christian Life and Community
• Christian Ethics and Public Life
• Theology from Prison:  Worldly, Religionless Christianity

You really can't place a value on a resource like this and I highly recommend it for anyone who desires to dig into the theology behind the amazing life and person of Dietrich Bonhoeffer.

*Thank you to Emily Varner, freelance Publicist with the Somersault Group, for sending me the complimentary copy of the book for the purpose of this review.

Blessings,

Jennifer  

A Miracle of Hope

About the author: Ruth Reid is a CBA and ECPA best-selling author of the Heaven on Earth series. She's a full-time pharmacist who resides in Florida with her husband and three children.

Find out more about Ruth at:http://ruthreid.com

About the book: Book One in the Amish Wonders series.

How far can God's mercy reach?

Lindie Wyse is pregnant out of wedlock and thinks an arranged marriage is the only way to preserve her future. Josiah Plank is certain he'll never love again, but he needs someone to care for his eight-year-old daughter, Hannah. The two take on their arrangement tentatively at first but soon realize they are each in for more than they imagined.

Lindie experiences a breakthrough with Hannah when she recognizes Hannah's special gifts, but a risky pregnancy and serious health issues threaten to demolish the foundation Josiah and Lindie are building. Will their growing love survive despite their struggles, or will their hearts become as cold as the northern winter?

My Thoughts:
I am always blessed when I discover a new author, but consider myself doubly blessed to come across an author whose work I'm reading for the first time in a genre that isn't particularly my favorite who ABSOLUTELY blows me away with her story.  Ruth Reid has done exactly that with A Miracle of Hope.  I actually just finished this book last night...or should I say this morning at about 1 a.m.!  I couldn't put this one down.
Lindie and Josiah's story is told beautifully by Reid, whose characterization is rich and detailed. Reid peppers detail all along the way and draws you into the story from the very beginning with a bit of mystery and suspense.  She captures Amish life is such a vivid manner that I felt at times a part of the story rather than just reading a book.  At times I could picture the scenes so clearly and could almost feel the emotions being experienced by the characters.
I would describe Reid's writing as honest and believable.  I loved Josiah!  Found in a very difficult situation with an arranged marriage and a hurting daughter, he can almost be seen as a "type of Christ" figure...laying down his life for another.  His relationship with Lindie was a delight to watch develop as I read the book.  
Reid eloquently portrays the hope that can be found in Christ and what trust in Him looks like in the midst of what appears to be hopeless situations.  I will be keeping an eye out for Reid's next book in this series!

You can go HERE to see what others are saying about the book.

*Thank you Litfuse Publicity for sending the book for the purpose of this review and blog tour participation.

Enter Today | 1/22 - 2/11!
 

Happy Reading,
Jennifer

The Road To Mercy

Kathy Harris is an author by way of divine detour into the Nashville entertainment business.  She graduated with a B.S. in Communications from Southern Illinois University and has spent the past two decades employed as a marketing director in the Nashville music industry.  Her move to Nashville after obtaining her degree from SIU was to work a well-known gospel music quartet transitioning into country music - The Oak Ridge Boys.  She was instrumental in building an entertainment empire from the ground up.

A lifelong fascination for books and editing led to her working as a book agent for Oak Ridge Boys' vocalist Joe Bonsall. Bonsall has this to say about Kathy's novel The Road To Mercy:  "The Road To Mercy is captivating from the very beginning...(it) will leave you a better person for having taken the journey."

For several years, Kathy freelanced entertainer biographies and wrote, as well as ghost wrote, news stories and columns for various music publications.  In 2007 she sold her first Christian non-fiction story, "Walk on Water" which was included in Thomas Nelson's "All My Bad Habits I Learned from Grandpa".  One of her devotions was included in The One Year Life Verse Devotional, published by Tyndale House.  Kathy's writing is also included in Chicken Soup for the Soul Thanks, Mom.

An active member of American Christian Fiction Writers and the publicity officer for Middle Tennessee Christian Writers Kathy lives near Nashville with her husband and their Shiloh Shepherd dob.  She regularly interviews literary and music guests on her blog Divine Detour.

Josh Harrison, a contemporary Christian singer, and his wife, Bethany, face a difficult decision that also tests their faith.  A rupture in Beth's carotid artery leaves her on the brink of death even as she's pregnant with their first child.  While Dr. Ben Abrams urges her to terminate the pregnancy to save her own life, she and Josh step out on faith and decide to carry the baby to full term.

During the next few months, Josh struggles with his faith, and Beth hides a secret that may destroy their marriage.  She also discovers a decades-old connection to Dr. Abrams that could change his life forever.




My Thoughts:
A few weeks ago, I had an opportunity to be involved in a chat with Kathy Harris and several other authors over at The Book Club Network (www.bookfun.org) as part of the Reader's Only Group. As a result of participation in that chat, I was able to get a complimentary copy of the book sent to me for the purpose of providing a review.  Ms Harris was very gracious and sent me a signed copy of her book along with a bookmark and personal handwritten note.
The Road To Mercy (published by Abingdon Press) was a delightful read.  Harris grabbed my attention in the first few paragraphs of the prologue and it was hard to put the book down until I had turned the last page.  This book has just about everything:  a tender love story, struggles with faith, enduring friendships, science versus trust in God, affirmation of the gift of life, and even a little suspense!
I immediately connected with the characters on a number of levels and Harris's rich characterization made it easy to do so.  Harris allows the reader to hear from the primary characters' points of view.  The trials and struggles in faith that Josh, Bethany and Dr. Abrams go through portray beautifully the truth of Philippians 2:12 ("Therefore my beloved as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.").
Harris adds depth to her story by weaving a little suspense.  She peppers just enough detail from the past throughout the book to keep you turning the pages.  That along with the emotional tension in Bethany's and Josh's relationship make for a book you do not want to miss!
I think my favorite character may have been Josh and Bethany's neighbor, Alex.  She is a beautiful character who portrays what a true friend looks like...self-sacrificing and faithful through the good and the very bad.
One of my favorite conversations in the book happened between Danny (Josh's bus driver) and Josh:

Josh:  "How do you handle .... death so well?  I know from experience, it's not easy."
Danny:  "Look straight down the highway," Danny told him.  He pointed with one hand, keeping the other on the wheel.  "Do you see how it disappears into the horizon when there's a rise ahead."
Josh:  "Yes."
Danny:  "That's like our journey in this life," Danny glanced at the bus's control panel.  "We're traveling seventy miles an hour.  That's too fast to stop if for some reason the road ends over that hill."  He shook his head.  "But we would never make our goal - the show tonight - if I didn't keep the pedal to the metal."
Josh studied Danny's face for a clue about what he was saying.
Danny:  "However," his driver continued.  "I have faith that the road doesn't end over that hill. My faith is based on past experience that I can trust the department of transportation to continue the road."  he glanced to Josh.  "Just as I know I can trust God for whatever is next.  Even for those things I can't see.....When the Lord calls us to the other side of the hill, the view will be completely different.  We will see things as He sees them."

Reading this book will help you to see your own journey in a different light.

Thank you Kathy for sending the complimentary copy of the book!  And thank you Fred for hosting the chat with Kathy and for all you do to introduce us to amazing authors who delight us with their gift!

Christian Book Store





Happy Reading,
Jennifer

A Promise Kept

Meet the author: Robin is the author of 65+ novels and novellas. Her home is in Idaho, where she spends her time writing stories of faith, courage, and love; pondering the things of God; and loving her family and friends.

Learn more about Robin at: http://www.robinleehatcher.com

About the book: God was going to save her marriage, Allison was sure of it. But neither her husband nor her marriage had been saved.
What had become of His promise?
Tony Kavanagh had been Allison's dream-come-true. They were in love within days, engaged within weeks, married and pregnant within a year. Her cup bubbled over with joy . . . but years later, that joy had been extinguished by unexpected trials.
The day Allison issued her husband an ultimatum, she thought it might save him. She never expected he would actually leave. She was certain God had promised to heal; it was clear that she'd misunderstood.
Now, living in the quiet mountain cabin she inherited from her single, self-reliant Great Aunt Emma, Allison must come to terms with her grief and figure out how to adapt to small town life. But when she finds a wedding dress and a collection of journals in Emma's attic, a portrait of her aunt emerges that takes Allison completely by surprise: a portrait of a heartbroken woman surprisingly like herself.
As Allison reads the incredible story of Emma's life in the 1920s and 1930s, she is forced to ask a difficult question: Does she really surrender every piece of her life to the Lord?
Drawing from her own heart-wrenching story of redemption,A Promise Kept is Robin Lee Hatcher's emotionally charged thanksgiving to a God who answers prayers---in His own time and His own ways.

You can go HERE to see what others are saying about the book.

My Thoughts:
What a beautiful story...one of lost dreams, heartache, love and second chances. Hatcher provides an excellent backdrop for the sustaining mercy and redemptive grace of God to shine brightly in her characters and their circumstances.  A Promise Kept actually contains two stories...the story of Allison and Tony as well as the story of Allison's Great Aunt Emma.  And in both, Hatcher weaves a plot of grace that spans generations and shines a spotlight on the Sovereignty of God and how He uses our circumstances to mold us and shape us for His glory and our good.
It is evident that Hatcher is sharing her heart in this novel...the emotion is so real in both Allison's and Emma's stories.  I enjoyed having an inside look at the journey of both these women.  Hatcher's inclusion of Emma's story fit fluently as she told Allison's.  You don't want to miss this one!  I've become a huge fan of Hatcher's writing and this may be her best novel to date!

Enter Today | 1/20 - 2/6!


Happy Reading,
Jennifer

Gabriel's Bride

The Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing Gabriel's Bride B&H Books (February 1, 2014) by Amy Lillard

I’m a wife, mother, and bona fide Southern belle. Published author, expert corn bread maker, and Squirrel Princess. 

I live in Tulsa, though I was born in Mississippi. I moved to the Sooner State when I was seventeen and met my soul mate and best friend not long after. I’ve retained a little of my Mississippi accent though most people think I’m from Texas. (?) Rob and I have been married for over twenty years and have a son–a mom proclaimed prodigy, of course! 

I love homemade tacos, shoes, and romance novels–not necessarily in that order. I’m a big fan of country music, a staunch proponent of saving the Oxford comma, and I’m shamefully obsessed with all things Harry Potter. 

I believe that God is love. I guess that’s why I adore romances. 

I have always been intrigued with the Amish culture, their gentle ways and slower-paced lifestyle. (And I love, love, love the fact that they stay married for their lifetime.) But until recently I never thought to blend this interest with my penchant for romance. Okay, okay, I’m a bit old-fashioned and even enjoy the gender roles that are present in this culture. I love to cook and take care of my family. Yes, that’s me June Cleaver with a laptop. 

I dislike people trying to convince me to read the Twilight series (I’ll get to it or I won’t, either way I’m good with it), gratuitous violence, and strawberry ice cream. (I know I’m alone on this last one, and again, I’m good with it.) 

Favorite movies–(besides HP) French Kiss, Maid of Honor, A Lot Like Love, Just Married, and Sweet Home Alabama. Oh, and Miss Congeniality, Sabrina (both versions) and a 1940′s movie called Dear Ruth. If you haven’t seen it, you should! A-dorable. Anything with Doris Day and most all of Marilyn’s and Audrey’s.
Amy can be reached through the Contact link on her Website.

Rachel Yoder has two choices: marry Gabriel Fisher or move to Ohio. As an orphan, Rachel doesn’t have much to offer; any match she can make will be a good one. She just didn’t plan on Gabriel with his big hands and permanent frown. As a widower Gabriel needs help caring for the farm and his six children. But he never thought he’d marry a slip of a girl who barely reaches his chin. Yet as time passes, Gabriel finds himself thinking about a real marriage. They have spoken vows to God and each other, but can he risk his heart with Rachel? 
If you would like to read the first chapter of Gabriel's Bride, go HERE. The book link is: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1433677547 .
Happy Reading, Jennifer