I had mixed reactions to this book.   Hands down the illustrations are absolutely beautiful with their combination of vibrant colors and excellent quality.

The story was cute and one children would enjoy. The beginning of the book told of the stars in the heaven all hoping they would be chosen to be the one to shine the brightest the night of Christ’s birth.  

As the story of Jesus birth is told, the reaction of the stars is shared also.  I liked that an emphasis was put on the fact the King of Kings was born in poor and humble surroundings and not in the wealth and splendor the world expected.  The stars as did many during that time doubted His place as King. 

However, I would not be able to recommend this book to read to children.  I was hoping to share it with my grandchildren and children at church but will not be doing so.

Christ’s birth is such an important event; it concerns me that the book is not biblically accurate.   The humble shepherds were the first to honor Him and they are not mentioned.  Instead, the common mistake of placing the wise men at His birth is made part of the story.  They came when the child was older and to his house, not the stable.  The star of His birth did not burn out but continued to shine brightly a couple of more years, leading the Magi to Him. Neither did the star warm baby Jesus.

I was hoping the book would be a Christ-centered one, helping children to be reminded of the true reason for Christmas each time they saw the star atop their holiday tree.  Most of all, it disturbs me to make fictional characters part of such a scared Bible story.  Children take everything literally therefore I would not want to mislead them concerning God’s Word or the birth of His Son.

In exchange for my honest review, I received a copy of the book from Waterbrook Press  Publishers.

When I started reading this book I thought it was going to be an Amish fiction novel.  When I saw it wasn’t, at first I was disappointed.  As I continued reading it I was pleasantly surprised. 

I have always been fascinated and admiring of the Amish and their way of life.  This book gave me an even greater insight into not only their day to day living but a chance to peek inside the mind of an Amish woman and view life’s experiences through her eyes.

Cindy and Miriam had much in common in their lives as wives and mothers.  At the same time there was such a contrast in their view points and how they handled what came their way. It was fun to read about their family customs and traditions.   I could easily relate to Cindy’s modern life with all conveniences and technology.   Then I would read Miriam’s account of a similar incident in her life had see a totally different point of view. 

At times I could feel myself rushing around with Cindy in her busy schedule only to turn around and sit around Miriam’s kitchen table to visit and relax. 

I like the book in other ways too.  It was written in such a way that I could easily put it down and pick back up at any time. 

Each chapter begins with a scripture is meaningful to both ladies and also that relates to the subject they are sharing.

I was very excited about all the Amish recipes in the book.  I can’t wait to try them with my church and family.  They were not only tasty but so simple!  Just what I need!

The book was truly filled with just ‘plain wisdom’.  Both ladies caused me to think and examine my life and similar incidents I have faced.  Cindy is an author I always enjoy, but Miriam is a very talented writer herself.  Thank you ladies for sharing your friendship, your lives and your hearts.  Great job!

I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review.

Right away I will say this was a remarkable read!!  This is the first historical, romance, thriller, mystery Christian novel I have ever read!   As I began reading I thought it was a good book and I really enjoyed it.  Then it was like a roller coaster of suspense and surprises, one after another.  I read to relax at bedtime and I stayed up till 2 a.m. two nights in a row because I just HAD to see what happened next. 

Madeline Whittington, a young woman who has faced devastating losses in a short time.  The death of her two sisters, her brother and her father had left her numb with grief and even bitterness against the medical profession and God.  She no longer has an interest in the privileged, wealthy life she was accustomed to.

When she is injured in a riding accident handsome young Devlin Greyson is on hand to help and care for her.  Her attraction to him soon turns to anger when she realizes he was the doctor caring for her father the night he died.  The very doctor she has believed is responsible for her father’s death. 

Devlin is fighting his own battles.  As the Earl of Rayensmoore his pursuit of a medical career is frowned upon by the elite of English society.  He bravely battles rejection of his peers and doubt because of his belief it is God’s will for his life.

I found the references to medical practice in the 17^th century very interesting.  Most shocking was the appalling treatment of the mentally ill and conditions they lived in as patients of what were referred t then as insane asylums then. 

There were strong spiritual lessons throughout the book. One was the assurance that when the pain and despair of life’s circumstances overwhelm us and God seems far away, He has never left us and is still by our side.  Also the courage to obey and do God’s will no matter what others may think or say. 

I highly recommend this book to everyone!   You will definitely want more and will not be disappointed.  At the end of the book is the first chapter of the sequel to be published in 2012!

Special thanks to Anna Coelho Silva | Publicity Coordinator, Charisma House | Charisma Media for sending me a review copy.

It is the 1870’s and thirty year old Susannah has never married, never been courted or even had a man interested in her.  On top of that she is shy and never had close friendships with girls.  Her parents suddenly both die and she is left alone.  Her pastor suggests she become a mail order bride to his brother in the wild frontier of the Dakota Territory.

This is quite a culture shock from having lived all her life in a large city in Michigan.  Adding to her discomfort, Susannah was not only a loner as far as friendships went, but she was an only child raised by cold unaffectionate parents. She had been  attacked and almost raped before leaving Michigan.  All this leaves her  ill prepared for an isolated life with a friendly, outgoing, loving, faith filled man like her new husband, Jesse.

Her past leaves her feeling distrustful, unlovable and never able to measure up to what she thinks are Jesse’s expectations.  Her hardships have caused her turn her back on God and doubt His love too. Even though the young couple faces unbelievable adversities and pain, Jesse’s love, patience and faith in God help Susannah heal from her past and become the woman she truly was.

I especially liked this book, not only for its great story line, but also how much historical information I gleaned on mail order brides, and life in sod houses settlers built on the prairies. 

I have always tried to imagine what it must have been like for those brides to travel across the country to marry someone they had never met and face unbelievable hardships.  Through Susannah I was able to experience the fear, doubts, discomfort and awkwardness.  Many brides came from large cities like hers where they had life’s luxuries, only to move and live in very primitive conditions.  These were extremely trying conditions for any newlyweds.

I found it very interesting how they lived and functioned in a small soddy, with just the bare necessities.  I could almost feel the darkness and dampness not to mention claustrophobia as she first saw her new home. 

Ms. Richards does a wonderful job of conveying not only the emotions but physical experiences of the characters.  I saw such insight into the heart and mind of someone who has been raised in a dysfunctional family and how it affects their interaction with others.  It was wonderful to see what Susannah was thinking and where she was coming from, plus how others perceived her actions. It made me think of how misunderstood some people are. 

The only thing I did not like about the book was many references to their intimate relationship in the bedroom.  There was also a very explicit part where a doctor discussed birth control with Jesse.   I was a surprised to see this in a Christian novel.   Otherwise, the book was excellent and I thoroughly enjoyed it.  So much so I read all 343 pages in just 2 days!  I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.”

This is a wonderful Victorian “Prince and the Pauper” type story.  Wealthy, protected, spoiled and selfish Charlotte Gleason has her pampered life of privilege interrupted.  Without her consent, her parents prearrange her marriage to a fabulously rich, Conrad Tremaine, a young man in America.  

She longs to marry for love and isn’t at all impressed with Conrad’s photograph.   She fights going but feels she must go through with the marriage to save her family who are at risk of losing everything. 

Due to her mother’s illness, her parents send her long time personal maid and best friend, Dora Conners, accompany her.   The family dresses Dora in Charlotte’s gowns and jewels, giving her a crash course in being a society lady. 

Charlotte wants freedom, adventure and the chance to marry for love.  On her way to America, she decides that Dora will take on her identity and marry Conrad, and she will be free to start over, pursuing her dreams.  Dora of course is excited at the opportunity to live as most servants’ never imagine.  Upon arrival things go as planned for Dora as she leaves in the Tremaine carriage, but things go terribly wrong for Charlotte.  She finds herself in New York City, penniless, alone, and with no experience in life.

I very much enjoyed this book.  It was interesting to watch each girl mature and realize that the grass is not always greener on the other side.  Both young ladies found themselves relying on God as they never had before as they find themselves trapped in situations of their own making.

It made me think about how we often rush ahead without God and try to manipulate life to fit our desires, and find ourselves in dire consequences.  I like the way the author gave detailed insight into how poor immigrants lived during that era and the ridiculously wealthy.  I felt like I was there with the girls, experiencing both lifestyles during this time in history.  I highly recommend this book. 

In exchange for my honest review, I received a copy of the book from Bethany

House Publishers.

I found this book to be a VERY enjoyable read.  It was so well written.   I found many spiritual lessons to be learned that I could apply to my life. 

The setting is the 1930’s during the depression in Atlanta, Georgia.  Mary Dobbs was the daughter of a very poor but dedicated evangelist.   She had her family had little to spare and often times not enough.  Instead of this being a negative, their poverty had strengthened her faith in God and her focus was on sharing Christ and living for Him.  She was a very happy vivacious young woman, untouched by their hardships.  Her family sends her to live with her wealthy aunt and have the opportunity to receive an education they cannot afford.

When she moves to Atlanta, she meets Perri Singleton, the exact opposite of Mary.  She has only known wealth and privilege all her life.  She is unappreciative, intolerant, and petty.   At first the two girls do not like each other then tragedy brings them together and they become fast friends. 

Mary is strong in sharing her beliefs and living by them, but the longer she lives in affluence the more she begins to stray from her strong faith.  As her faith wanes and weakens she becomes more shallow and worldly like Perri. At the same time her sowing of the seed of God’s Word has taken hold in the hearts of the other socialite girls and Perri and they grow in faith.

I found such a lesson in this about how the focus on worldly things can crowd the Lord out of one’s life, and the more we have the more discontented we will become if we not careful.  It also showed the  strong influence of one’s peers on personal choices and beliefs. 

Both characters face many heartaches and struggles, yet the author always brought Bible principals into dealing with their problems.  Some parts made me really think about accepting my circumstances as God’s will and asking “what” He wants me to do, not “why”.   My thoughts were also directed to the fact that what we think is best for us may not be God’s best no matter how things appear or our feelings.

I like the way the author went back and forth between Mary and Perri, sharing each girls thoughts a view point of the situation.  It was fun being able to see both sides of the story that the other character wasn’t privy to knowing.

This book was like driving an Arkansas road; lot’s of twists and curves when you least expect it.  It was hard to put down!  There was definitely romance in the book but it was handled so tastefully. 

I really liked the ending, it was complete and I felt very satisfied, not like with some books where you are left hanging or expecting more.  I highly recommend this book!  I was sad when I finished it!

I have received this from book Bethany House in exchange for my honest review.

I have enjoyed all the movies from Sherwood Baptist Church, so I was anxious to read this book before the movie came out.   I enjoyed this book on many levels. 

First of all, since 9-11 there has been a new awareness of the sacrifices our policemen and firefighters make to serve us.  This gave me a very in depth and personal look at the even greater sacrifices and struggles they face with their jobs and their families.  Not only did I find it very insightful but it brought me to an even higher level of appreciation.

The police officers in the book came into contact daily with horrible sin and human depravity.  The story shows how difficult it was to leave work and not have these things affect them and their attitude.  Also the greater challenge of remaining a Christian while facing such difficulties. 

Secondly, what Fireproof did for marriages this book does for parenting.  I loved the way they wove scripture, biblical principles and applications into the intimate lives of the families.  There was so much to learn, the book really needs to be read more than once!  It gave not only the ideas but steps to implement to be the parent God wants you to be and for men to be the leaders of their families God intended. 

The story line was so real that at times I had to remind myself it was fiction. 

I cannot begin to stress how enjoyable this book was, and add to that the bonus all the valuable lessons and scripture.  I can’t wait to see the movie now!

Tyndale House Publishers has provided me with a complimentary copy of this book for my honest review

I found this book a very enjoyable read.  Emma is a young dedicated Amish woman who has seen more than her share of heart ache.  Her father is dead and her mother has just died of cancer when the story begins.  She lives with her elderly grandmother whom she loves very much.  To add to her heartache and confusion, her one true love, an Amish man named Adam, has left the church and Emma behind.  Emma is hurt and even resentful at the hand life has dealt her.

As she tries to grieve, Emma’s life is further complicated by Adam’s return and her sister, with whom she has a rocky relationship, is pushing to turn her grandfather’s beloved workshop into a fabric/yarn store.  As if all this is not enough, her sister’s brother-in-law, Mark King moves to the area with shady plans. I felt the book was well written.  I found myself getting caught up in Emma’s anguish and confusion.  There was just too much to deal with too quickly.  The author did a wonderful job of portraying all the emotions that Emma was facing.

The Grandmother’s steadfastness and loving guidance was reassuring in such a tumultuous time in both her and Emma’s life.  I reminded me of the wisdom and patience of the aged gleaned only from a life time of experience. 

Emma was a great example of standing firm in your faith in spite of your world being turned upside down.  I love the step by step journey of Emma from unforgiveness toward others and God to putting all her trust in Him.   I saw how when we hurt we often reject those that can comfort and help us.  The ending was quite a surprise! 

Another part I enjoyed was the Amish words used throughout the book and the glossary that gave the definitions.  It not only made the story and the characters come to life, but it was also very interesting.  I also appreciated the purity with which the book was written, even the romantic parts.  A book I would recommend!

I received this book free from the publisher through the http://www.BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255

I thoroughly enjoyed Sixteen Brides.  It focuses on five of the women who after the Civil War, thought they were heading to Nebraska Territory with the opportunity to own land (an unheard of thing doing that time) and to start new lives.  They soon find out they have been mislead and unknown to them, they were coming as prepaid mail order brides.

Some of the women were widowed, some divorced or fleeing bad relationships, but all of them had pain from their past they were trying to escape, and none of these 5 were interested in marrying.

They all banded together to support each other and make a life together in the harsh land they found themselves in.  The book was hard to put down as each woman’s individuality and past life was revealed and woven into the present.  I liked the fact that even with such diverse personalities and backgrounds they became a close knitted group of friends.  Everyone one of the ladies has some special and surprising talent or skill that filled a need.

The courage and personal growth each showed as they created a new existence and left their pasts behind was inspiring to me.   It reminded me that determination and perseverance with God’s help can overcome trials or heartaches not matter how difficult.  It also gave me insight of how the Civil War affected the personal lives of women during that era and the difficulty and hard work homesteaders faced.