Huckleberry Christmas By Jennifer Beckstrand

Now that they've happily married off two of their grandchildren, Anna and Felty Helmuth are ready for their next matchmaking challenge. What better way to celebrate the most heartwarming of seasons--and make Huckleberry Hill, Wisconsin, the place for unexpected love. . .

A difficult marriage has left the Helmuths' widowed great-granddaughter, Beth, finished with wedlock. She's content to live with them and make a life for herself and her toddler son. But once she turns down handsome Tyler Yoder's proposal, it seems only fair to encourage him to find a suitable wife. Trouble is, his gentleness and generous ways are showing her how joyous a real meeting of hearts can be. . .

After a failed courtship, Tyler thought the best he could hope for in a wife was mere companionship. But spirited Beth is the one he longs to protect, and hold close. Earning her trust is the hardest thing he's ever had to do. And soon, both will discover that forgiveness and understanding are gifts that only rekindled faith--along with the happiest of holidays--can bring.

 

Pick up your copy here

http://www.amazon.com/Huckleberry-Christmas-The-Matchmakers-Hill/dp/1420133608/ref=tmm_mmp_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1412820845&sr=8-1

I grew up with a steady diet of William Shakespeare and Jane Austen. After all that literary immersion, I naturally decided to get a degree in mathematics, which came in handy when one of my six children needed help with homework. After my fourth daughter was born, I started writing. By juggling diaper changes, soccer games, music lessons, laundry, and two more children, I finished my first manuscript--a Western--in just under fourteen years. I now write Inspirational Amish Romance. My goal is to write uplifting, inspiring stories with happy endings and hopeful messages. If my books make readers want to give themselves a big hug or jump up and down for joy, I've done my job. I am a member of Romance Writers of America and American Christian Fiction Writers and am represented by Mary Sue Seymour of The Seymour Agency.

The Matchmakers of Huckleberry Hill is my new Amish Romance series set in Wisconsin on a little hill in Amish country.

The series is about an elderly Amish couple who try to find suitable mates for their grandchildren. What could be more fun than throwing two young people together to see if sparks ignite? No one would ever suspect two octogenarian Amish folks of mischief.

Romantic Times gave Huckleberry Hill 4 1/2 stars, calling it "A sweet romance with a lot of heart that offers a new, refreshing take on the...matchmaking trope. The storyline is feasible, the characters are well written, with both their strengths and weaknesses on display. Readers will treasure this series and put the first outing on their keeper shelf."

RT Book Reviews chose Huckleberry Summer as a TOP PICK with 4 1/2 stars: "The next installment of the Matchmakers of Huckleberry Hill series will hook readers with its love story, its sticky situations and a grandmother who only wants happiness for her grandchildren. Beckstrand brings new life to the age-old occupation of matchmaking."~ RTBookReviews.com 4.5 Stars

I have four daughters, two sons, three sons-in-law, and two adorable grandsons. I live in the foothills of the Wasatch Front with my husband and one son still left at home.

You can find me on the web at
http://www.jenniferbeckstrand.com/

on my Facebook page at Jennifer Beckstrand Fans: https://www.facebook.com/jenniferbeckstrandfans
and on Twitter: @JenniferBeckst1

Jennifer has done it again. The Matchmakers of Huckleberry Hill series is her best work to date. This Christmas book is no exception to her great work. I could not put this book down Love is a gift from the heart and Jennifer knows how to show that on paper. It shines on every page.

I love a good Christmas romance and you are sure to fall in love with the characters (I love the grandparents) in this Christmas romance and still be thinking about them long after you have read the last page.

I gave this book 5 stars and I highly recommend this book.

I was given a copy of this book by the publisher for my honest review.

Forever Christmas By Robert Tate Miller

This Christmas will change Andrew Farmer’s life forever.

Andrew can’t remember the last time he spent Christmas away from work. The end of the year is crunch time for literary agents. But when your career is your life, your life starts to suffer . . . beginning with your marriage.

When a heart-wrenching accident in a Christmas Eve snowstorm jars this high-powered agent from his obsession with success, a Christmas miracle will give him a second chance at love, life, and gratitude, but only if he can put aside his own ambition and learn to appreciate each moment.

Sometimes it takes a tragedy to change a man’s life—and to teach him to treat every day as if it were his last.

Pick up your copy here

http://www.amazon.com/Forever-Christmas-Robert-Tate-Miller/dp/1401690637/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1412264060&sr=1-1&keywords=forever+christmas+robert+tate+miller

Robert Tate Miller was raised in the North Carolina mountain town of Hendersonville and began writing at an early age. He began his writing career with homespun essays of small town life that were published in such publications as Reader's Digest, The Christian Science Monitor and the Chicken Soup for the Soul book series. He moved to Los Angeles in the late 1980s and wrote hugely successful family-oriented telefilms for NBC, ABC Family and the Hallmark Channel. Robert lives in Northridge, CA with his wife Gina and stepdaughter Chloe June.

A Super, fantastic Christmas book. If I were you I would get a hardcover of this book you are going to want to keep it on your book shelf to read over and over again each year.

You are going to fall in love with the characters and you won't know what hits you with the ending of this book. Hold on for a wild ride with this ending, I never saw it coming!  

This was the first book that I have read by Mr. Miller, you can bet it won't be my last.

He has such a way with words he just pulls you into the story, and you will not put this book down until the very last page.

I gave this book 5 stars and I HIGHLY recommend it.

I was given a copy of this book by the publisher for my honest review.

The Name Quest By John Avery

An insightful journey through all the biblical names of God, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit. Beginning in Babel and ending with a burning Babylon, "The Name Quest" explains the significance that the different names for God have for an everyday relationship with God and for spiritual growth. The names of God are like a rainbow--each name expresses part of the spectrum of the character and attributes of God.

Along the way, the author tenderly answers tough questions:

Which of the Hebrew names of God is His personal name--Yahweh or Jehovah?

What does it mean to pray in Jesus’ name?

How can we relate to the Holy God and the Judge?

Why is a God of love called the “Jealous God”?

What does it mean to call Jesus the Messiah?

"The Name Quest" mentions all the names of God in the Bible while explaining their significance in ordinary language. The author weaves together fifteen years of Bible study research with plentiful illustrations and humorous anecdotes. These include lessons learned as a pastor on a Caribbean island. A visit to a Welsh hill farm introduces a chapter about the Good Shepherd. The story of a Hungarian political prisoner illustrates the meaning of Immanuel (or is it Emmanuel?) A rescue from the slopes of an active volcano helps explain salvation and the meaning of Jesus’ Hebrew name Yeshua. Even the clever advertisement on a packet of potato chips offers a lesson about how to grow in faith in God.

Unlike chasing rainbows, the spiritual journey has an end. "The Name Quest" is a road map for every Christian’s spiritual journey and it points to the destination--being formed into the image of Jesus Christ.

Pick up your copy here

The Name Quest: Explore the Names of God to Grow in Faith and Get to Know Him Better (Morgan James Faith)

John Avery is a trained teacher with over thirty years experience as a Bible teaching pastor, small group leader, and missionary. He has lived in England, Israel, Africa, and the Caribbean, ministering with Youth With A Mission (YWAM) and local churches. He and his wife, Janet, now make their home in Oregon. John likes to hike, snowshoe, and cross country ski. John writes a regular Bible devotional on www.BibleMaturity.com and maintains a comprehensive resource for all the names of God at www.NamesForGod.net

This book was very hard to get into and I had a very hard time keeping my attention on the book.

I enjoy reading about the names of God but this particular book was rather hard to follow along with the deep information about the names of God.

I did like the scripture that is given to back up what Mr. Avery is saying in each chapter. The cover is wonderful, it's very inviting.

If you are doing a study on the names of God this may be a useful book for you.

I gave this book 3.5 stars.

I was given a copy of this book by the author for my honest review.

Citizen By Rob Peabody

For Rob Peabody, the young pastor at a mega-church in southern USA, the realization that his faith had little real connection with the world around him meant that something had to change. He redirected his church towards the poor on their doorstep and then took the larger step of moving to the UK to establish the missional fellowship 'Awaken'.

In Citizen he outlines the Kingdom-centered identity that is given to followers of Jesus. It's a wake-up call to the church in the West. Jesus' death and resurrection initiates and invites people into a life of so much more than the status quo. God is re-building, re-newing, and re-creating that which is broken and marred by sin, and he is doing this - setting things right in the world - through Jesus. As citizens of the Kingdom, we have been saved and set apart for this work. We have a new allegiance, a changed identity, and a new mission as we seek to establish the rule of God on earth as it is in Heaven.

Pick up your copy here

http://www.amazon.com/Citizen-Your-role-alternative-kingdom/dp/0857215426/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1412202230&sr=8-1&keywords=citizen+by+rob+Peabody

Rob Peabody serves as the co-founder and director of Awaken, a non-profit charity that exists to resource the church for action. In 2011, Rob, along with his wife, Medea, and their two boys, left his position as lead campus pastor of a megachurch in Texas to pioneer and lead fresh expressions of church seeking to engage unreached 20's & 30's in northeast London. This work is commissioned by the International Mission Board of the SBC and in partnership with the Church of England. Rob currently serves as a missional consultant for multiple church networks in the UK, is a member of the Speaking Team at Spring Harvest, and is charged with casting vision and leading a new upcoming national UK 18-30's conference - The Pursuit - taking place May 2015.

Beyond speaking at conferences in the US and UK, Rob has also written a small group film series entitled Kingdom Rise, released March 2013.

This book was much more different than I thought it was going to be. It's more of one mans story of becoming closer to  the Lord, the lessons that he learned along the way. It is spiritually based. If you know what it means to follow Jesus then you may not want to read this book, if on the other hand you don't have all the answers then this is a book that you may enjoy reading.

This book is more for an established seasoned christen then a new christen.

I gave this book 4 stars.

I was given a copy of this book by the publisher for my honest review.

Beyond the Attic Door By Tracy Del Campo

The year is 1925, and the nation is at odds as the "trial of the century" approaches. Mr. John Scopes, a schoolteacher, has been arrested for teaching evolution. Creationists and evolutionists are debating the existence of God and the authority of the Bible. Many believe religion may be doomed. Meanwhile, eleven-year-old Lulu and her seven-year-old brother, Buddy, are visiting their grandmother in the Missouri countryside. On a dark and stormy night, they sneak into the attic workshop of their uncle, a brilliant scientist and inventor, and suddenly find themselves on a harrowing journey through time. Join Lulu and Buddy on this incredible adventure filled with history, humor, and hair-raising excitement, as they discover the meaning of faith: Beyond the Attic Door.

Pick up your copy here

http://www.amazon.com/Beyond-Attic-Door-Tracy-Campo/dp/1490837078/ref=la_B00MS24N5Q_1_1_title_0_main?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1411835354&sr=1-1

 

Tracy Del Campo was born and raised near St. Louis, Missouri. Her faith, humor, and love of history influence her writing. She currently lives in Southern California with her husband, Robert, and two children.

What an adventures story. I enjoyed it and young adults are sure to love it as well.

It I very well written and easy to read.

Young adults will love the time travel.

You won't be disappointed, pick up a copy for the young adult in your life.

I gave this book 5 stars.

I was given a copy of this book by the author for my honest review.

A White Chritmas in Webster County By Laura V. Hilton

Mother's Helper/ Mercy Lapp is ready for a fresh start. Having lost her beloved fianc? in a fishing accident during his rumschpringe, she escapes the painful memories by moving from her community in Shipshewana, Indiana, to Seymour, Missouri, where she takes a job as a mother's helper. She isn't exactly shy, but she's hesitant to get involved with the youth in the community because she isn't going to stay. She especially doesn't want a new romance. p centerbiAn Adventurous Hero/center/b/i Abner Hilty is excited to see his twin brother, Abram, for the first time in years. The two fled their hometown of Shipshewana when their witness of a murder put their lives in danger, Abner heading to Montana to work on a ranch and hunt big game, Abram meeting a girl in Missouri, marrying, and settling down there. Abner decides to spend the holidays with them in Seymour, but he has every intention of returning to Montana, maybe even for good. p centerbiAn Unexpected Snowstorm/center/b/i At a chance encounter, Abner is immediately drawn to Mercy, and even more so when he realizes that they've met before, back in Shipshewana. Initially alarmed, Mercy soon warms to his attentions, even though she keeps him at arm's length. She also branches out and begins attending youth functions, forming new friendships that are solidified during a rare snowstorm. Just when Mercy and Abner are beginning to think about a long-term relationship, Mercy gets a phone call that changes everything. The information would have been welcome months ago, but now that she knows Abner, she's torn, and she will have to do some serious soul-searching to decide how to act on it.

Pick up your copy here

http://www.amazon.com/White-Christmas-Webster-County-Hilton/dp/1629111783/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1411053087&sr=1-1&keywords=a+white+christmas+in+webster+county

Award winning author, Laura Hilton, her husband, Steve, and their five children make their home in Horseshoe Bend, Arkansas. She is a pastor's wife, a stay-at-home mom and home-schools three of her children. Her two oldest children are homeschool graduates and are in college. Laura is also a breast cancer survivor.

Her publishing credits include three books in the Amish of Seymour series from Whitaker House: Patchwork Dreams, A Harvest of Hearts, and Promised to Another. The Amish of Webster County series, Healing Love. Surrendered Love and Awakened Love. A nonAmish book Swept Away will release November 2014 from Abingdon Press. She is contracted for another three book Amish series with Whitaker House, The Amish of Jamesport, releasing in November 2014 (The Snow Globe), June 2015 (The Postcard), and November 2015 (The Birdhouse). A Christmas Amish book, A White Christmas in Webster County, will release in September 2014. Laura is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers. Laura is a professional book reviewer for the Christian market, with over a thousand book reviews published at various online review sites.

You know when an author names three of the characters , Patience, Joy, and Mercy that the book is going to be fantastic! I could not put this book down, it grabbed me from page one.

I did not however like the characters Joy or Paul.  I was  however so happy at the ending. I pulled for Mercy and Abner every step of the way.

This is a very well written Amish fiction book. You are going to love your tip to Webster County and be very sad to leave.

I gave this book 5 stars and I highly recommend this book.

WARNING: Loss of sleep! You will be up reading into the night you can not put this book down.

I was given a copy of this book by the author for my honest review.

The Scared Year By Michael Yankoski

Frustrated and disillusioned with his life as a Christian motivational speaker, Michael Yankoski was determined to stop merely talking about living a life of faithand start experiencing it. The result was a year of focused engagement with spiritual practices--both ancient and modern--that fundamentally reshaped and revived his life.

By contemplating apples for an hour before tasting them (attentiveness), eating on just $2.00 a day (simplicity), or writing letters of thanks (gratitude), Michael discovered a whole new vitality and depth through the intentional life.

Guided by the voice of Father Solomon--a local monk--Yankoski's Sacred Year slowly transforms his life. Both entertaining and profound, his story will resonate with those who wish to deepen their own committed faith as well as those who are searching--perhaps for the first time--for their own authentic encounter with the Divine.

Pick up your copy here...

The Sacred Year: Mapping the Soulscape of Spiritual Practice -- How Contemplating Apples, Living in a Cave, and Befriending a Dying Woman Revived My Life

Michael Yankoski is a writer, aspiring theologian, and urban homesteader who dreams of becoming a competent woodworker, musician, and sailor.
He graduated from Westmont College in Santa Barbara, CA; received his MA in theological studies at Regent College in Vancouver, British Columbia; is a (novitiate) Oblate of St. Benedict, and has authored four books.
Michael grew up in Colorado, feels at home on the Pacific Coast, and currently resides in Indiana, where he and his wife are pursuing PhDs at the University of Notre Dame.

Web: www.MichaelYankoski.com
Facebook: fb.com/myankoski
Twitter: @michaelyankoski

Are you ready to examine your self? This book is such a fantastic tool to help with just that.

If you are not ready to chew on some hard meat you may way to pass this book up. It is very well written and has a ton of insight on every page.

You will build your faith in this faith based book and it is worth every page you read.

I gave this book 5 stars and recommend it. A very life transforming book, that you will want to read more than once.

I was given a copy of this book by the publisher for my honest review.