Friday, March 31, 2017

Guest Post by Lee Ann Mancini





 

Wednesday, March 29, 2017

Murder is No Accident By Ann Gabhart




Young Maggie Greene may be trespassing in the old, empty Victorian mansion on a quiet street in Hidden Springs, but all she wants is some private time in the magnificent tower room to write her stories. Certain she'll be in trouble if caught, she hides when a realtor shows up. But someone else is in the house too, someone even more worried about getting caught. When Maggie finds the realtor's body at the bottom of a flight of stairs and the other person gone, Deputy Sheriff Michael Keane is called in. He assumes the realtor's death is a tragic accident--until a second person is found dead in the house. When Maggie is threatened, Michael must catch the murderer before anyone else dies.

Cozy mystery fans will love this third installment in The Hidden Springs Mysteries series from an author who knows how to make small-town America sweet, sentimental--and a little sinister.

Pick up your copy here...


Ann H. Gabhart caught the writing bug at the age of ten and has been writing ever since. An award winning author, she's published many books for both adults and young adults. Scent of Lilacs, her first inspirational novel, was chosen as a Top Ten Christian Fiction Book by Booklist magazine. Her Shaker novel, The Outsider, was a finalist for ECPA Christian Fiction Book of the Year and was a Top Pick by Romantic Times Book Review Magazine. Love Comes Home won the Selah Book of the Year award. Ann writes about Kentucky history and small town life and as A.H. Gabhart is the author of the Hidden Springs mysteries.

Ann lives on a farm in Kentucky not far from where she was born. She and her husband have three children and nine grandchildren. Ann loves hiking on her farm with her grandkids and her dog, Oscar. See more about her books at www.annhgabhart.com or join the conversation on her Facebook page, www.facebook.com/anngabhart.


I was so excited to go back to Hidden Springs. Gabhart writes mysteries that are unpredictable. You are guessing until the very end.
Unlike most writers she has you on the edge of your seat. The characters are likeable and so real.
Only thing I can say about this third book in the Hidden Springs mystery series is  I did not want it to end.
This is a three book series and you should read all three books in order the characters go from one book to the other.
This was such a treat I can't wait to what Gabhart comes up with next. 
I gave this book 5 stars. I HIGHLY recommend the whole series.
I received  this book from the author for review. A favorable was not required and all views expressed are my own.

Friday, March 24, 2017

Life After By Katie Ganshert



It could have been me.
Snow whirls around an elevated train platform in Chicago. A distracted woman boards the train, takes her seat, and moments later a fiery explosion rips through the frigid air, tearing the car apart in a horrific attack on the city’s transit system. One life is spared. Twenty-two are lost.
 
A year later, Autumn Manning can’t remember the day of the bombing and she is tormented by grief—by guilt. Twelve months of the question constantly echoing. Why? Why? Why? Searching for answers, she haunts the lives of the victims, unable to rest. 

Pick up your copy here...
 
 
Katie Ganshert was born and raised in the exciting state of Iowa, where she currently resides with her family. She likes to write things and consume large quantities of coffee and chocolate while she writes all the things. She's won some awards. For the writing, not the consuming. Although the latter would be fun. You can learn more about Katie and these things she writes at her website www.katieganshert.com.

This was Ganshert's best book by far. I read it in one sitting, I could not put it down.
A unique story. Great characters. Unforgettable. An emotional read. That's all I am going to say about this book.
I don't want to give anything away. I just want to say it's a must read. I read this book back in January and I'm still thinking about it.
I gave Life After 4 stars and I HIGHLY recommend it.
I received  this book from the publisher for review. A favorable was not required and all views expressed are my own.

Thursday, March 23, 2017

Sunset in Old Savannah By Mary Ellis


In Savannah, Everyone Has Something to Hide
When socialite Evelyn Doyle hires investigative partners and best friends Michael Preston and Elizabeth Kirby to do some routine surveillance on her wayward husband, the detective duo find themselves embroiled in a mystery that leaves them in this beautiful, historic city longer than they had expected.

Evelyn's husband turns up dead, leaving her as the police chief's prime target. The investigation reveals a hodgepodge of potential murderers, including a scheming business partner, a resentful mistress, and a ne'er-do-well brother. It's up to Mike and Beth to follow the trail of secrets that reaches further than the branches of the moss-draped oaks of Savannah.

As praise of the agency gets
around town, business is growing for Price Investigations. When Mike and Beth hire Kaitlyn Webb, Savannah's newest transplant, their workload eases, but will the ghosts of her past threaten everyone's safety before a killer can be put behind bars? And can Mike and Beth find love as their friendship and faith are put to the test?

Pick up your copy here...



Mary Ellis has written twelve award-winning novels set in the Amish community and several historical romances. Her latest, Magnolia Moonlight, is third of a new mystery series, Secrets of the South, from Harvest House Publishers. Before "retiring" to write full-time, Mary taught school and worked as a sales rep for Hershey Chocolate, a job with amazingly sweet fringe benefits. She enjoys traveling, gardening, bicycling and swimming, and lives in Ohio with her husband, dog and cat. Sunset in Old Savannah will release in early 2017. She can be found on the web at: www.maryellis.net or www.facebook.com/Mary-Ellis/Author

Usually I am more of a chick lit girl, but this mystery by Ellis had me from the very beginning. This is the fourth book in the Secrets Of The South Mysteries I loved this story from beginning to the end. The characters have ones that you will love and some you will love to dislike. Beth and Michael are a very good  characters . The author had me guessing who actually committed the crime until the very end. This book has it all mystery, romance and a little action. This was a good clean fun read.  I have to say I loved the setting for this book.
I gave this book 5 stars. This can read as a stand alone BUT why would you want to the whole series all four books are fantastic.
I received  this book from the author/publisher for review. A favorable was not required and all views expressed are my own.

Wednesday, March 22, 2017

Full-Out By Jenifer Ruff



Lauren is an elite gymnast training full-time to qualify for the Olympic team, when an unexpected and terrifying incident changes everything in her world. Forced to abandon her identity, she has no choice but to become someone else, somewhere else, and face high school for the first time. A brand new scene of cliques, competitive cheerleading, and teenage drama would shake anyone, but that isn't the worst of Lauren's problems. The secret she’s hiding could get her killed.

Pick up your copy here...
 
 
 
Jenifer Ruff is the author of Full-Out and psychological suspense novels Everett and Rothaker. She graduated from Mount Holyoke College and Yale University. She lives in Charlotte, North Carolina with her family and greyhounds. You can find out more about Jenifer Ruff and her books at Jenruff.com

This is a young adult read I would say for middle school on up. It was a very good read. It took me back to my younger days. A Long time a go. This book held my attention and is sure to be a book your tweens will love to read and to share with their friends.
A fast read but the suspense had me wanting to finish it to see what was going to happen next.
I gave this book 4 stars. Pick up a copy for the tween in your life.
I received  this book from the author for review. A favorable was not required and all views expressed are my own.

Tuesday, March 21, 2017

A Lady in Disguise By Sandra Byrd




In this intriguing novel of romance, mystery, and clever disguise set in Victorian England, a young woman investigates the murder of her own father.

After the mysterious death of her father, Miss Gillian Young takes a new job as the principal costume designer at the renowned Theatre Royal, Drury Lane. But while she remembers her father as a kind, well-respected man of the Police Force, clues she uncovers indicate he’d been living a double life: a haunting photograph of a young woman; train stubs for secret trips just before his death; and a receipt for a large sum of money. Are these items evidence of her father’s guilty secrets? His longtime police partner thinks so.

Then Gillian meets the dashing Viscount Thomas Lockwood. Their attraction is instant and inescapable. As their romantic involvement grows, Gillian begins to suspect even Lockwood’s motives. Does Lord Lockwood truly love her? Or is his interest a front for the desire to own her newly inherited property? And what should she make of her friend’s suggestion that Lockwood or men like him were involved in the murder of her father?

Soon Gillian is convinced that her father has left evidence somewhere that can prove his innocence and reveal the guilty party. But someone wants to stop her from discovering it. The closer she comes to uncovering it, the more menacing her opposition grows. With her life on the line, Gillian takes on an ingenious disguise and takes on the role of a lifetime to reveal the true killer—before it’s too late both for her and for those that she loves.

Pick up your copy here...


After earning her first rejection at the age of thirteen, bestselling author Sandra Byrd has now published fifty books.

Sandra's new series, Daughters of Hampshire, historically sound Gothic romances, launched with best-selling Book One: Mist of Midnight. That book earned a coveted Editor's Choice from the Historical Novel Society. The second book, Bride of a Distant Isle, has been selected by Romantic Times as a Top Pick. The third in the series, A Lady in Disguise, will publish in March 2017. Sandra's latest nonfiction title is The One Year Home and Garden Devotions.

Check out her contemporary adult fiction debut, Let Them Eat Cake, which was a Christy Award finalist, as was her first historical novel, To Die For: A Novel of Anne Boleyn. To Die For was also named by Library Journal as a Best Books Pick for 2011 and The Secret Keeper: A Novel of Kateryn Parr, was named a Library Journal Best Books Pick for 2012.

Sandra has published dozens of books for kids, tweens and teens, including the best-selling, The One Year Be-Tween You and God, Devotions For Girls, and two read aloud picture books.

She is passionate about helping new writers develop their talent and their work toward traditional or self-publication. As such, she has mentored and coached hundreds of new writers and continues to coach dozens to success each year via novelcoaching.com

Please visit www.sandrabyrd.com to learn more or to invite Sandra to your book club via Skype.

Can you image investigating the murder of your own dad? Not me, but you are going to want to read this third installment of Daughters of Hampshire. To find out what it could be like to do so.
Byrd has a way of writing mystery and romance in a way to make you beg for more.
Great cast of characters and the plot is unforgettable. This can be read as a stand alone, but why would you want to do that, All three books are good reads.
I gave this book 4 stars.   
I received  this book from the publisher for review. A favorable was not required and all views expressed are my own. 

Friday, March 17, 2017

Is The Bible Good For Women? By Wendy Alsup



Is it possible to embrace the inherent dignity of womanhood while still cherishing the Bible?Many people, both inside and outside the church, are concerned that an orthodox understanding of the Bible is threatening and even harmful to women. After all, the Bible has a number of passages regarding women that are deeply troubling and hard to read.
But is that assessment accurate?


In this fascinating look at God’s work of redemption from Creation to today, Wendy Alsup explores questions such as: 

* How does God view justice and equal rights for women?
* What does it mean to be made in the image of God?
* How have the centuries distorted our interpretation of how God views women?
* How did Jesus approach the Old Testament and how does that help us read difficult passages today?
* What is the difference between a modern view of feminism and the feminism that Scripture models?
* How does the Bible explain the Bible to us?

Using a Jesus-centered understanding to look at both God’s grand storyline and specific biblical passages, Alsup gives practical and accessible
tools for understanding the noble ways God speaks to and about women in its pages and the dignity He places on His daughters.


Pick up your copy here...


Wendy Alsup is the author of Practical Theology for Women, The Gospel-Centered Woman, and By His Wounds You Are Healed. She began her public ministry as deacon of women’s theology and teaching at her church in Seattle, but she now lives on an old family farm in South Carolina, where she teaches math at a local community college and is a mother to her two boys. She writes at theologyforwomen.org and gospelcenteredwoman.com.

This little book is a gem and a must read for all the ladies in my life. I wish there was a way to hand out copies to all the women in the world. It just might be a life changing book that would change the world.
It has so much good information in it. It helps get a better understanding of what the Bible tells us about women,
I would like to see women get in small groups and  use this book as a study.
I gave this book 4 stars and I highly recommend it.
I received  this book from the publisher for review. A favorable was not required and all views expressed are my own.

Wednesday, March 15, 2017

Her Secret By Shelly Shepard Gray





New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Shelley Shepard Gray begins a new series—The Amish of Hart County—with this suspenseful tale of a young Amish woman who is forced to move to a new town to escape a threatening stalker.
After a stalker went too far, Hannah Hilty and her family had no choice but to leave the bustling Amish community where she grew up. Now she’s getting a fresh start in Hart County, Kentucky…if only she wasn’t too scared to take it. Hannah has become afraid to trust anyone—even Isaac, the friendly Amish man who lives next door. She wonders if she'll ever return to the trusting, easy-going woman she once was.  

For Isaac Troyer, the beautiful girl he teasingly called “The Recluse” confuses him like no other. When he learns of her past, he knows he's misjudged her. However, he also understands the importance of being grateful for God’s gifts, and wonders if they will ever have anything in common. But as Hannah and Isaac slowly grow closer, they realize that there’s always more to someone than meets the eye.

Just as Hannah is finally settling into her new life, and perhaps finding a new love, more secrets are revealed and tragedy strikes. Now Hannah must decide if she should run again or dare to fight for the future she has found in Hart County.

 


Pick up your copy here...





Shelley Shepard Gray lives in southern Ohio and writes full time. A busy wife and mother of two, she spends her days writing and keeping track of her two teenagers. Her two dogs keep her company when she writes in her basement.

Shelley enjoys writing about the Amish and visits Amish communities in Adams and Holmes counties several times a year. When not spending time with her family or writing, she serves on several committees in her church.

She also bakes a lot, loves coconut cream pie, and will hardly ever pull weeds, mow the yard, or drive in the snow.

Shelley also spends a lot of time on line! Please visit her website, www.shelleyshepardgray.com to find out her latest news...or become her friend on FaceBook.

Romance/suspense in one book, YES you get them both in Her Secret.
I loved the suspense it was a high level mixed with a sweet romance. I love an Amish book that is different with characters you can relate to. I won't share the Secret with you and spoil the book for you.
You will never see what is coming in this one. It was a real quick read. I read it in one sitting and I can't wait for the next book in this series. The Amish of Hart County is one you are going to want to read for sure.
I gave this book 4 stars and I HIGHLY recommend it.
I received  this book from the publisher for review. A favorable was not required and all views expressed are my own.

Tuesday, March 14, 2017

Children's Ministry On Purpose By Steve Adams



Many children’s ministries are a flurry of activity, run by dedicated volunteers and staff who put in long hours and work hard for the good of the children and parents they serve. Yet despite good intentions, many children’s ministries today are not effective. They lack purpose and intentionality.
A twenty-five year veteran of children’s ministry in the local church, pastor Steve Adams has ministered to families in multiple churches, from tiny church plants to his present position at Saddleback Church. In this book, Steve applies the revolutionary insights of the Purpose Driven Church to children’s ministry and leads readers on a journey of discovery, showing them how to develop an intentional ministry process that moves children toward spiritual health while building a healthy ministry environment for those who work with kids. You will learn how to ask and answer five simple but powerful questions:
  • Why are we on this journey?
  • Where are you and where are you going?
  • Who are we trying to reach?
  • How will we move our children towards spiritual health?
  • What are the essential elements necessary for the journey?
There is no single key to a successful children’s ministry, nor is there only one way that works for everyone. But there is a proven process you can follow and Steve shows how children’s ministries all over the world are reaching their God-given potential by discovering their biblical purpose, avoiding the traps of frustration and burnout.

Pick up your copy here...

Steve Adams serves as the children’s pastor at Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, CA. For 25 years, Steve has mentored children’s ministry leaders all over the world and currently leads a dynamic staff who serves seven California campuses and three international campuses. Steve authentically communicates his passion for children’s ministry through his blog and podcast “More Than Puppets.” He lives in Orange County with his wife, Stephanie, and their two sons, Tyler and Matt.

A very insightful handbook. Adams is the children's Ministry Pastor at Saddleback in CA under Rick Warren. So he has experience to back up this book. This is a training handbook that is much needed. Adams tells us that there is NO single key to children's ministry being successful.  But he has come up with a process to follow for children to reach their God given potential.
This is a good book for those in the church working with our children.
I gave this book 4 stars. I recommend it for all leaders working with out youth.
I received  this book from Wynn Wynn Media for review. A favorable review was not required and all views expressed are my own.

Sunday, March 12, 2017

Home at Last By Deborah Raney

Why did their differences matter so much?

Link Whitman has settled into the role of bachelor without ever intending to. Now he's stuck in a dead-end job and, as the next Whitman wedding fast approaches, he is the last one standing. The pressure from his sisters' efforts to play matchmaker is getting hard to bear as Link pulls extra shifts at work, and helps his parents at the Chicory Inn.

All her life, Shayla Michaels has felt as if she straddled two worlds. Her mother's white family labeled her African American father with names Shayla didn't repeat in polite--well, in any company. Her father's family disapproved as well, though they eventually embraced Shayla as their own. After the death of her mother, and her brother Jerry's incarceration, life has left Shayla's father bitter, her niece, Portia, an orphan, and Shayla responsible for them all. She knows God loves them all, but why couldn't people accept each other for what was on the inside? For their hearts?


Everything changes one icy morning when a child runs into the street and Link nearly hits her with his pickup. Soon he is falling in love with the little girl's aunt, Shayla, the beautiful woman who runs Coffee's On, the bakery in Langhorne. Can Shayla and Link overcome society's view of their differences and find true love? Is there hope of changing the sometimes-ugly world around them into something better for them all?


Pick up your copy here...



I went from full-time stay-at-home mom for 20 years to pretty much full-time author. My passion is my family—my husband and I have four kids and seven darling grandkids! But since, if a mom does her job right, she eventually puts herself OUT of a job, I'm delighted to have discovered my next career. I could not enjoy the writing life more.

I've had a couple of non-fiction books published and have contributed to several anthologies, as well as writing magazine articles. But my first love is fiction. I have written more than thirty novels. The fifth and final book in my Chicory Inn Novels series for Abingdon Press releases in February 2017.

A typical writing day for me begins early—often before 6 a.m.—with the business side of things: answering e-mail and reader mail, updating my website, writing blog posts, reading for research. Our routine is much quieter now than it was when we had four kids at home. When my writing time begins mid-morning, I have a routine that sets the stage, starting with lighting scented candles, choosing music to write by, and brewing a perfect cup of coffee. I have a cozy office that looks out over our front yard, but I often take my laptop out to the back deck where the birds, squirrels, ducks, geese, bunnies, and an occasional egret (or even a coywolf or deer on occasion!) provide entertainment.

Believe it or not, my first choice of activities for the evening is READING—a great novel, of course! As much as I enjoy the actual process of writing, I am an extrovert by nature, and doubt I'd last long in this business were it not for the company of several wonderful online writers' groups, connecting with other authors at retreats and conventions, and meeting aspiring writers when I teach at conferences around the country.

Probably the most exciting event in my writing life so far was when my first novel was made into a movie by World Wide Pictures. Certainly a dream come true and I feel blessed beyond words to still get to be doing what I love as my day job.


Join Deborah's Facebook Party March 23 at 8:00 EDT



Where to start on this book, First I should say I read and reviewed the first three books in this five book series. I like the first three books. Home at Last was book five and it is full of tension and very difficult issues. While it was written wonderfully and the story was different for a final book in a series. I felt like the characters were not like the ones in the first few books. I did however love Link and that made the book worth reading to the end.
I don't like to read about hateful people and hate in my books I read to get away and relax and travel to far away happy places. This book did not take me there.
I gave this book 3 stars. But I really enjoyed Link.
I received  this book from the publisher for review. A favorable one was not required and all views expressed are my own.

Friday, March 10, 2017

Annie's Recipe By Lisa Jones Baker




Three young Amish women, each gifted with a hand-carved hope chest, find that one by one, with patience and faith, their most blessed dreams for the future can come true… 
Annie Mast and Levi Miller were best friends until his father was shunned by the church. Now, ten years later, Levi has returned to Arthur, Illinois, for a brief visit, and he and Annie discover their bond is as strong as ever. Spending as much time together as possible, Annie finds herself dreaming of a future with Levi. And Levi is soon dreaming of building a home on a beautiful local hillside—to live in with Annie. Yet their longings are unlikely to become reality…

Levi is part of the English world, and while Annie cannot see herself there, she knows she must reveal her heart’s truth to him. And Levi, strongly reminded of his Amish roots, knows he must heal the bitterness of the past. And together, with love on their side, they just may find their way to an answered prayer…

Pick up your copy here...


Lisa Jones Baker grew up near a small Amish town in Illinois that she frequented with her family on weekends. She's also a dog lover and a fan of Scottsdale, Arizona, where she spent nearly two decades. Lisa graduated from Illinois State University with a French major, has been on 5 out of 7 continents, and considers her parents the best in the world. Raised in a Christian home, Lisa has always been blessed with love and support. She enjoys hearing from readers at LisaJonesBaker.com.

This is Book 2 of 3 in the Hope Chest of Dreams series. It is a good Amish romance it goes right along with book one. I would read them together not as stand alone you may miss something important.
Annie and Levi's story is one for the books. Don't miss this series.
I gave this book 4 stars. Give this new author a try. I'm on the lookout for book three in this series.
I received  this book from the Author for review. A favorable was not required and all views expressed are my own.