Weekly Sermon Notes Journal GIVEAWAY

 This practical note-taking resource is the perfect companion for any church service, conference, or Bible study, with enough pages for 75 sermons.

The Weekly Sermon Notes Journal invites believers of all ages to compile their notes, takeaways, and important verses for up to seventy-five sermons or events. Framed by a minimal, aesthetic design, each spread provides lines for recording the date, sermon title, speaker, location, and key Scriptures, followed by ample space for jotting down notes. This simple format is easily adaptable and can be used when attending church in person, watching online, or listening to a podcast.

Special features include:

• books of the Bible list
• compilation of special names used for God
• descriptions of noteworthy Hebrew words
• log for prayer requests
• space for church announcements
• recommendations for further reading

With a simple, undated format for beginning at any point during the year, the Weekly Sermon Notes Journal is your mindful companion for recording, reflecting on, and returning to what's true.

Pick up your copy here...

Weekly Sermon Notes Journal: An Inspirational Notebook for Christians to Take Notes in Church, at Conferences, in Small Groups, and During Bible Studies: Ink & Willow: 9780593602201: Amazon.com: Books

The Ink & Willow line infuses contemplation and inspiration into the regular spiritual practice of creative-minded Christians, wherever they are in their faith journey. Each thoughtfully curated gift product is based in biblical truth and sparks a reminder of how God reveals beauty in the midst of our ordinary.

Throughout literary history, willow trees have been symbols of growth, balance, learning, healing, and harmony. Since willows often grow near streams or rivers, the name Ink and Willow was inspired by the verse in Psalm 1 about the person who delights in God and therefore is deeply planted and able to thrive, bearing fruit and prospering through every season. The word ink has a dual meaning, first as a nod to the act and art of printing words on paper, and then, in the sense that ink symbolizes life. In combination, Ink & Willow becomes the perfect metaphor for what this thoughtfully curated line of products is designed to do, which is to inspire, nurture, and engage Christians.

www.inkandwillow.com and @inkandwillowgifts on social.

The Wrong Sister by Claire Douglas

 In this sensational thriller from the number-one internationally bestselling author, two sisters discover that the secrets they keep from each other prove to be deadly.

You’ve known her all your life. Or have you?

Tasha and her older sister Alice may look alike, but they couldn’t be more different. Tasha’s married with two children and still lives in their hometown near Bristol. Alice is a high-flying scientist who travels the world with her equally successful husband.

Yet each sister would trust the other with her life.

When Tasha and her husband Aaron need a break and Alice offers to stay in their home with the kids, Tasha knows her family is in safe hands.

She couldn’t be more wrong.

The call from home is devastating. Alice and her husband Kyle have been attacked, leaving Alice in intensive care and Kyle dead. Rushing to the hospital, Tasha finds the police trying to piece events together. She can’t think why anyone would attack her sister.

Then the note arrives, addressed to Tasha:

It was supposed to be you . . .

Every family has secrets. Some more deadly than others.

Pick up your copy here...

The Wrong Sister: A Dark Suspense Thriller With A Compelling Plot―Get Ready For An Adrenaline-Fueled Ride: Douglas, Claire: 9780063354395: Amazon.com: Books

Claire Douglas is the Sunday Times number one bestselling author of eight stand alone novels: The Sisters (2015), Local Girl Missing (2016), Last Seen Alive (2017), Do Not Disturb (2018), Then She Vanishes (2019) and Just Like The Other Girls (2020). Her seventh, The Couple At No 9 (2021) was an Amazon number one bestseller, a number three Sunday Times bestseller and most recently hit number one on Germany's Der Spiegel paperback bestsellers chart. The Girls Who Disappeared was a Richard and Judy book club pick for Autumn 2022 and was an instant number one Sunday Times bestseller. Her books have sold over a million copies in the UK and have been published worldwide.

Her most recent, THE WOMAN WHO LIED will be published on July 6th 2023.

You can find Claire on Twitter at @DougieClaire, Instagram as clairedouglasauthor, or visit her Facebook page clairedouglasauthor.

My Thoughts..

 What a good fast paced mystery that gripped me from the very beginning. The Family drama was an added benefit that made this fast paced read all the better.

Mary Reader received this book from the publisher for review. A favorable review was not required, and all views expressed are our own.

The Horse by Willy Vlautin

 Al Ward lives on an isolated mining claim in the high desert of central Nevada fifty miles from the nearest town. A grizzled man in his sixties, he survives on canned soup, instant coffee, and memories of his ex-wife, friends and family he’s lost, and his life as a touring musician. Hampered by insomnia, bouts of anxiety, and a chronic lethargy that keeps him from moving back to town, Al finds himself teetering on the edge of madness and running out of reasons to go on—until a horse arrives on his doorstep: nameless, blind, and utterly helpless.

Al hopes the horse will vanish as mysteriously as he appeared. Yet the animal remains, leaving him in a conundrum. Is the animal real, or a phantom conjured from imagination? As Al contemplates the horse’s existence—and what, if anything, he can do—his thoughts are interspersed with memories, from the moment his mother’s part-time boyfriend gifts him a 1959 butterscotch blonde Telecaster, to the day his travels begin. He joins various bands—all who perform his songs once they discover his talent–playing casinos, truck stops, clubs, and bars. He falls in love, and finds pockets of companionship and minor success along the way. Never close to stardom or financial success, he continues as a journeyman for decades until alcoholism and a heartbreaking tragedy lead him to the solitude of the barren Nevada desert.

A poignant meditation on addiction, heartbreak, and the reality of life on the road in smalltime bands, The Horse is a beautiful, haunting tale from an author working at the height of his powers.

Pick up your copy here...

Amazon.com: The Horse: A Novel: 9780063346598: Vlautin, Willy: Books

Willy Vlautin has published five novels, THE MOTEL LIFE, NORTHLINE, LEAN ON PETE, THE FREE, and DON’T SKIP OUT ON ME. THE MOTEL LIFE was turned into a major motion picture starring Kris Kristofferson and Emile Hirsh in 2012. The movie version of LEAN ON PETE will be released this spring starring Charlie Plummer and Steve Buscemi. Vlautin lives outside of Portland, Oregon and is the founding member of the bands Richmond Fontaine and The Delines.

The Pretender by Wanda Brunstetter

 A Woman Missing for Two Years Suddenly Returns Home

In book three of the Mifflin County Mystery series, Rosa Petersheim’s return creates more hurt and confusion in the Big Valley.

Two years since Rosa Petersheim mysteriously disappeared from her Amish home, there has been no word from her. Her family and friends have suffered in the silence, though they have tried to move on with life.

Then one day Rosa just as suddenly reappears at her parent’s home. . .with a husband in tow.

Rosa is ashamed of the choices she made that caused her to leave home. And now that she is back, her father is not welcoming and her siblings and friends want explanations that she can’t give.

Will Rosa’s family accept her and Anthony? Can the Big Valley ever be home again?

Pick up your copy here...

The Pretender: The Big Valley Disappearance #3 Volume 3 (A Mifflin County Mystery): Brunstetter, Wanda E: 9798891510340: Amazon.com: Books

Wanda Brunstetter is an award-winning romance novelist who has led millions of readers to lose their heart in the Amish life. She is the author of over 100 books with more than 12 million copies sold. Many of her books have landed on the top bestseller lists, including the New York Times, USA Today, Publisher's Weekly, CBA, ECPA, and CBD. Wanda is considered one of the founders of the Amish fiction genre, and her work has been covered by national publications, including Time Magazine and USA Today.

Wanda's fascination with the Amish culture developed when she met her husband, Richard, who grew up in a Mennonite church, and whose family has a Pennsylvania Dutch heritage. Meeting her new Mennonite sister-in-laws caused Wanda to yearn for the simpler life. In their travels, she and her husband have become close friends with many Amish people across America. Wanda's desire to explore their culture increased when she discovered that her great-great grandparents were part of the Anabaptist faith.

All of Wanda's novels are based on personal research intended to accurately portray the Amish way of life. Many of her books are well-read and trusted by the Amish, who credit her for giving readers a deeper understanding of the people and their customs.

Wanda's primary attraction to the Amish is their desire to live a devout Christian life that strives to honor God, work hard, and maintain close family ties. Whenever she visits her Amish friends, Wanda finds herself drawn to their peaceful lifestyle, sincerity, and close family ties, which is in stark contrast to the chaos and busyness that plagues so many modern "Englishers." Time and time again, Wanda loses her heart in the Amish life, and she hopes her readers will, too. For more information, visit: www.WandaBrunstetter.com

My Thoughts....

This book really doesn't read as a standalone, be sure to read the first tow books before this one. What a mess Rosa and Anthony are in. 

This book had a little bit too much repetition it made it drag on. Edit it out and the story would have been better.

Mary Reader received this book from the publisher for review. A favorable review was not required, and all views expressed are our own.   

The Battle of the Bookshops by Poppy Alexander

 The cute, seaside town of Portneath has been the home of Capelthorne’s Books for nearly a hundred years…

The shop, in the heart of a high street that stretches crookedly down the hill from the castle to the sea, may be a tad run-down these days, but to Jules Capelthorne, the wonky, dusty world of literary treasures is full of precious childhood memories. When her great-aunt Florence gets too frail to run it alone, Jules ditches her junior publishing job in London and comes home to make the bookshop’s hundredth birthday a celebration to remember.

Jules quickly discovers things are worse than she ever imagined: The bookshop is close to bankruptcy, unlikely to make it to its own centenary celebration, and the lease on the building is up for renewal. With a six-figure sum needed, the future looks bleak.

To make matters worse, the owner of the property is the insufferable Roman Montbeau, from the posh, local family who owns half of Portneath. The Montbeaus and Capelthornes have feuded for years, and Roman has clearly not improved since he tormented Jules as a child. Fresh from a high-flying career in New York, he is on a mission to shake things up, and—unforgivably—proves his point about Capelthorne’s being a relic of the past by opening a new bookshop directly opposite—a shiny, plate-glass-windowed emporium of books.

Jules may not be able to splash the cash on promotions and marketing like the Montbeaus, but she’s got some ideas of her own, plus she has a tenacity that may just win the hardest of hearts and the most hopeless of conflicts.

Let the battle of the bookshops commence…

Pick up your copy here...

The Battle of the Bookshops: A Heartwarming Enemies-to-Lovers Novel of Romance, Rivalry, and the Fight to Save a Cherished Bookstore in a Quaint Seaside Town―Perfect for Summer Reading: Alexander, Poppy: 9780063340671: Amazon.com: Books

Poppy Alexander - who also writes as Rosie Howard - penned her first book when she was five. There was a long gap in her writing career and - after studying classical music at university - she decided the world of music was better off without her and took up writing again. However, she quickly discovered making things up is frowned upon when writing feature articles and press releases and it finally dawned on her she was better suited to writing novels.

Poppy adores creating uplifting romantic fiction with strong, multigenerational friendships and idyllic country settings. She takes an anthropological interest in family, friends and life in her West Sussex village (think, The Archers crossed with Twin Peaks) where she lives with her husband, children and various other pets.

Poppy's first book - 25 Days 'Til Christmas - has been translated into several languages and optioned for Film/TV.

She is occasionally to be found lurking on social media as @PoppyAlexanderBooks - usually when she should be doing edits, which are her least favourite thing in the world.

Chasing Shelter by Catherine Cowles

 I came here seeking sanctuary. I never meant to fall for the broody single dad next door.

I've spent my life hiding in plain sight, burying my past beneath layers of carefully constructed lies. Moving to Sparrow Falls was supposed to be a fresh start, a place to lay low. But when I end up living next door to the single dad who just happens to be one of my brother's best friends, everything changes.

Trace Colson sees too much and asks too many questions, and his protectiveness is as infuriating as it is alluring. 

And when danger comes calling, it's Trace who stands between me and the darkness. 

But being close to him is its own kind of risk. Because with every heated glance and every stolen touch, Trace tempts me to open my heart, to dream of a life I'd long since given up on. The only problem? Trace has his own demons, and when they collide with mine, the fallout could destroy us both.

Pick up your copy here...

Chasing Shelter (Deluxe Edition) (Sparrow Falls, 5): Cowles, Catherine: 9781464241635: Amazon.com: Books

Writer of words. Drinker of Diet Cokes. Lover of all things cute and furry, especially her dog. Catherine has had her nose in a book since the time she could read and finally decided to write down some of her own stories. When she's not writing she can be found exploring her home state of Oregon, listening to true crime podcasts, or searching for her next book boyfriend.

Cowles has become one of my top authors. She is a must read for me. Book number 5 was fantastic. I loved it and I highly recommend this book.

My Good Side by Scheana Shay

 An intimate memoir from Vanderpump Rules star Scheana Shay, delving into everything from the origin story of the iconic show, to her struggles with fertility and pregnancy loss, and the behind-the-scenes moments that were left on the cutting room floor. 

Before eleven seasons of record-breaking TV, two Emmy nominations, and a chart-topping podcast, Scheananigans, Scheana thought that signing on to the Real Housewives' spin-off show, Vanderpump Rules, was a stepping stone to reaching her ultimate goal of becoming a successful actress in Hollywood. After appearing on shows like 90210, Jonas, and Victorious, Vanderpump Rules would be a piece of cake. But from the very first season, Vanderpump Rules pit Scheana against her fellow cast members. Barbs were thrown, friendships dissolved, and Scheana was left in the rubble trying to parse fact from fiction. On camera, she got used to being called every name in the book, from homewrecker to a pick-me and bad friend. But off camera, there's always been a different side of Scheana, pieces of her she couldn't share on screen or that were trimmed out of tidy forty-minute television episodes.

In My Good Side, Scheana pulls back the layers of who she really is and shares all sides of her—the good, bad, and messy—bringing readers on a wild nostalgia trip through the early days of Vanderpump Rules, while recounting jaw-dropping stories from her Hollywood black book, including setting the record straight on her relationship with Eddie Cibrian. She reveals how her outlook on love has evolved and led her to a daughter she was told she may never have.

From being bullied as a kid to being bullied by the Witches of WeHo, Scheana has seen it all, and together she and her fans can laugh, cry, and reminisce on all the drama, heartbreak, and celebrations over the years.

Pick up your copy here...

My Good Side: A Memoir: Shay, Scheana: 9781538773352: Amazon.com: Books

Scheana Shay is an actress, host, and television personality from the Emmy-nominated Bravo TV series Vanderpump Rules. Other notable television credits include roles on popular shows such as Lopez vs Lopez, 90210, Greek, Victorious, and Jonas. The Southern California native is also the host of the award-winning podcast Scheananigans. Scheana currently resides in Los Angeles with her husband Brock and daughter Summer Moon. 
@scheana on all platforms