Tuesday, October 11, 2011

My book review of Heaven is for Real by Todd Burpo with Lynn Vincent



Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Publication Date: November 1, 2011 (deluxe edition).

Approximately 8 years ago, little Colton Burpo had an incredible experience where, during emergency surgery for a burst appendix, he journeyed to heaven. He recovered from the surgery, and upon waking started sharing clear details about what occurred. Heaven is for Real documents this true story of what occurred, as told by his father Todd, but also including Colton’s own words of what he saw, everything from seeing the horse Jesus rode to the people that he met while in Heaven.

Heaven is for Real is well-written, conveying an almost unbelievable story that some may be sceptical to trust. I encourage people to put aside their scepticism until the end and simply soak in the truths that are conveyed by this book, about God’s love for his children and the awesome place that God is preparing for us. I did not read anything that disagreed with what the Bible speaks of about heaven, although there are some details that we will just have to wait to find out if they are true or not, such as whether we will have wings or not! Todd writes with a refreshing honesty about his struggles and his reactions to the circumstances that he experienced, and readers are sure to relate to his story while being intrigued by Colton’s words.

The message of this book is one of hope and comfort, and it would be difficult to read this book and not come away inspired and excited to be in Heaven. So many people have the wrong view of heaven, as if it is a place where we will sit around bored playing our harps. People with this view should definitely consider reading this book to stretch their minds and their imaginations and their faith to consider all that God has in store for them. The deluxe edition contains all the great material as the original book, but adds to that a 16-page color photo section and a “Reflecting on Heaven” guide.

I highly recommend this book, as it has the potential to change the lives of those who read it, and give it 5 out of 5 stars.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the 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. 

Tuesday, October 4, 2011

My review of Thank you God for loving me



Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Publicaton Date: October 4, 2011

Hermie and Wormie are two caterpillars who have been the focus of many children's books and dvd's written by Max Lucado. They are now pictured in a board book, Thank you, God, for loving me, where Little Hermie talks to God about all the different ways that God loves him, such as the fact God takes care of him every day, is with him when he's afraid, and helps guide him to know what it is right and wrong.

My children enjoyed looking at the pictures in this book, and they have long been fans of Hermie, though this is the first time they've been read a book in this series about "Little Hermie".  The book contains God's truth about His amazing love for us, a truth that is a foundation that any child needs to learn. The pictures are bright and interesting, and the rhyme that is used is catchy. I have no doubt I’ll be reading this book numerous times in the future!

Parents who are looking for board books for their toddlers should be sure to add this book to their list, as should grandparents or aunts or uncles who are looking for the perfect gift for the little one in their life. Even through reading this book to someone else, we as adults are sure to be reminded of the wonder of God’s love and of his promises. I give this book 5 out of 5 stars and give it a high recommendation.

Book has been provided courtesy of the publisher, Thomas Nelson, through their booksneeze program, for the purposes of this review.

Saturday, October 1, 2011

11 MORE FREE christian fiction ebooks!

Check out the following ebooks newly made free for your Kindle, Nook, Kobo, Sony ereader, etc.:

  or  NOOKBOOK or EPUB from Christianbook.com
  or  NOOKBOOK  or EPUB from Christianbook.com
  or  NOOKBOOK or EPUB from Christianbook.com 
 or  NOOKBOOK or EPUB from Christianbook.com 
 or  NOOKBOOK or EPUB from Christianbook.com


Christianbook.com also has several more ebooks made free today (and some are free as Nook books and Kindle ebooks as well). They are:

Hero's Ransom - eBook                                       Not yet available as NOOKBOOK or Kindle
Hero's Ransom - eBook    

Micah House Media / 2010 / ePub



Maid to Match - eBook                                      Nookbook               Kindle

Bethany House / 2010 / ePub



Imaginary Jesus - eBook                                      Only free on Christianbook.com as of today.

BarnaBooks / 2010 / ePub



The Brotherhood - eBook                                        Only free on Christianbook.com as of today (and Amazon tomorrow).

Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. / 2011 / ePub

When All My Dreams Come True - eBook                                      Nookbook               Kindle 

Harvest House Publishers / 2011 / ePub

Prairie Rose - eBook                                        Only free on Christianbook.com as of today (and Amazon tomorrow).

Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. / 2009 / ePub

Thursday, September 29, 2011

Book Review: Forbidden by Ted Dekker & Tosca Lee




Publisher: Center Street
Publication Date: September 13, 2011

Book Synopsis as provided by the publisher: 

New York Times bestselling author Ted Dekker teams with Tosca Lee to create this gripping thriller set in a desolate future.

Many years have passed since civilization's brush with apocalypse. The world's greatest threats have all been silenced. There is no anger, no hatred, no war. There is only perfect peace... and fear. But a terrible secret has been closely guarded for centuries: Every single soul walking the earth, though in appearance totally normal, is actually dead, long ago genetically stripped of true humanity.

Fleeing pursuit, with only moments to live, a young man named Rom stumbles into possession of a vial of blood and a piece of cryptic writing. When consumed, the blood will bring him back to life. When decoded, the message will lead him on a perilous journey that will require him to abandon everything he has ever known and awaken humanity to the transforming power of true life and love.

But the blood will also resurrect hatred, ambition, and greed.

Set in a terrifying, medieval future, where grim pageantry masks death, this tale of dark desires and staggering stakes peels back the layers of the heart for all who dare to take the ride.

My Review:

What a FANTASTIC read! I was swept up by the story from the very first sentence as I considered this scary world where all emotions except fear have been stripped away. I cannot imagine what that would be like - the inability to love or feel empathy or sorrow or any of these emotions that God has given us. Each of the characters was well-portrayed and Rom was both likable and needed a smack upside the head at the same time for some of the choices that he made. My pulse was literally racing as I read through the book, and I can barely wait for the second book to continue this powerful story.

I truly loved this book and give it a full 5 out of 5 stars.

Wednesday, September 28, 2011

3 free christian ebooks from Abingdon Press and Authors Debbie Viguie, Ronie Kendig, and Jennifer Hudson Taylor

3 more Christian Fiction ebooks have become FREE for a limited time, from publisher Abingdon Press.
Here they are:

For your Amazon Kindle, click on the following links:








Barnes & Noble and Christianbook are also offering these ebooks for free as well if you do a quick search on their websites. If you download the epub from Christianbook.com then you can put it onto your Kobo or Sony Ereaders.

Enjoy!  

Tuesday, September 27, 2011

Free christian non-fiction ebook for Kindle, Nook, and Kobo from author Matt Sorger

Grab this newly made free ebook entitled "Power for Life", currently available for free from Amazon, Christianbook.com, and Barnes & Noble:



Or for a universal epub go to: Christianbook  
Or for a nook book follow this link: Nook Book

Enjoy!

Monday, September 26, 2011

Free non-fiction Christian ebook for Kindle, Nook, and as a universal EPUB for Kobo, Sony

Today another nonfiction Christian book became free for a temporary time from Publisher NavPress. The book is available on Amazon.com, Barnes&Noble.com, and on Christianbook.com.

Amazon.com


 

  NOOK







If you download the book from Christianbook as an epub, you can put the ebook on your Kobo or Sony or other ereader device.
Happy Monday!


Happy Monday!

Saturday, September 24, 2011

2 free ebooks for your Kindle

Summerside Press is currently offering 2 ebooks for free on Amazon.com in kindle format. Get them while you can as these offers are always time limited!





Enjoy!

Thursday, September 22, 2011

Book Review: The Mountains Bow Down by Sbiella Giorello




Publisher: Thomas Nelson
2011

Product Description
Everything's going to work out. Time away always makes things better . . .

That's what FBI Special Agent Raleigh Harmon believes as she boards a cruise to Alaska. A land of mountains and gems and minerals, the Last Frontier is a dream destination for this forensic geologist who's hoping to leave behind a hectic work schedule and an engagement drained of romance.

But when a passenger goes missing and winds up dead, Raleigh's vacation suddenly gets lost at sea. The ship's security chief tries to rule the death a suicide, but Raleigh's forensics background points to a much darker conclusion: Somewhere onboard, a ruthless murderer walks free.

Engulfed by one of her toughest cases yet, Raleigh requests assistance from the FBI and receives her nemesis-handsome Special Agent Jack Stephanson. As the cruise ship sails through the Inside Passage, Raleigh has five days to solve a high-profile murder, provide consultation for a movie filming onboard, and figure out her increasingly complicated feelings for Jack-who might not be as arrogant as she originally thought.

And that's only her work life. Family offers even more challenges. Joined on the cruise by her mother and aunt, Raleigh watches helplessly as disturbing rifts splinter her family.

Like the scenery that surrounds the cruise ship, Raleigh discovers a mystery so daunting that even the mountains might bow down before it.

MY REVIEW

There is definitely a reason that Giorello has won a Christy award. Her character of Raleigh is one of the most interesting and enjoyable characters to read about in a long time, and I have enjoyed the entire series so far. In The Mountains Bow Down, the author's descriptions are bang on, her dialogue fast-paced and often humerous, and the plot is solid. I found myself laughing out loud on several occasions, and yet this book also had well-crafted suspense. The author has added a host of supporting cast who were unique and likeable. Jack is definitely a fun addition in this book, and the author unveils a whole new side to his character that wasn't viewed in the previous book he was a part of. Raleigh's relationship with her mom is especially well-done and is heart-breaking to watch unfold as Raleigh has to make difficult choices due to her mom's mental illness. Raleigh's spiritual journey is also deftly handled.

I loved this book from start to finish, and highly recommend it to reader's who enjoy FBI thrillers. 4.5 out of 5 stars.

Wednesday, September 21, 2011

Sweet! Free Ebooks for Kindle, Kobo, Nook

I'm always so excited when ebooks become free temporarily!

Check out the following options available on amazon.com, christianbook.com, and barnes&noble.com:



I























I myself am always so excited to download some ebooks from Christianbook.com and then save them for reading onto my Kobo. I hope you enjoy these books!

Friday, September 2, 2011

Book Review: Over the Edge by Brandilyn Collins



B&H Publishing
Publication Date: May 1, 2011

Product Description

Janessa McNeil’s husband, Dr. Brock McNeil, a researcher and professor at Stanford University's Department of Medicine, specializes in tick-borne diseases—especially Lyme. For years he has insisted that Chronic Lyme Disease doesn't exist. Even as patients across the country are getting sicker, the committee Brock chairs is about to announce its latest findings—which will further seal the door shut for Lyme treatment.

One embittered man sets out to prove Dr. McNeil wrong by giving him a close-up view of the very disease he denies. The man infects Janessa with Lyme, then states his demand: convince her husband to publicly reverse his stand on Lyme—or their young daughter will be next.

But Janessa's marriage is already rocky. She's so sick she can hardly move or think. And her husband denies she has Lyme at all.

Welcome to the Lyme wars, Janessa.

MY REVIEW

A fantastic new novel from one of my favorite authors, Over the Edge was simply amazing. This is one of my favourite Brandilyn Collins books so far! The plot raced along, the dialogue was crisp, the writing is stellar. I can't think of a single thing I would want to improve about this book. Most interesting of all was the information about Lyme disease and the emotions the author was able to bring out in Janessa due to the author's own experience of having Lyme disease. As I imagined no one believing there was anything wrong with you, I couldn't help feeling sympathy for the real sufferers of Lyme disease out in the world.

I highly recommend this book and give it 5 out of 5 stars.

Thursday, September 1, 2011

Wow! Many free ebooks for kindle, nook, and epubs for the kobo!

Wow! A whole bookcase full of free ebooks, both fiction and non-fiction, have been released today on Amazon.com, Barnes&Noble, and Christianbook.com. Here's what's available, for a limited time:
My Heart Remembers - eBook

Friday, August 12, 2011

Book Review: Her Daughter's Dream by Francine Rivers



Publisher: Tyndale House

Product Description


In the dramatic conclusion to the New York Times best seller Her Mother’s Hope, Francine Rivers delivers a rich and deeply moving story about the silent sorrows that can tear a family apart and the grace and forgiveness that can heal even the deepest wounds. Growing up isn’t easy for little Carolyn Arundel. With her mother, Hildemara, quarantined to her room with tuberculosis, Carolyn forms a special bond with her oma Marta, who moves in to care for the household. But as tensions between Hildie and Marta escalate, Carolyn believes she is to blame. When Hildie returns to work and Marta leaves, Carolyn and her brother grow up as latchkey kids in a world gripped by the fear of the Cold War. College offers Carolyn the chance to find herself, but a family tragedy shatters her newfound independence. Rather than return home, she cuts all ties and disappears into the heady counterculture of San Francisco. When she reemerges two years later, more lost than ever, she reluctantly turns to her family to help rebuild a life for her and her own daughter, May Flower Dawn. Just like Carolyn, May Flower Dawn develops a closer bond with her grandmother, Hildie, than with her mother, causing yet another rift between generations. But as Dawn struggles to avoid the mistakes of those who went before her, she vows that somehow she will be a bridge between the women in her family rather than the wall that separates them forever. Spanning from the 1950s to present day, Her Daughter’s Dream is the emotional final chapter of an unforgettable family saga about the sacrifices every mother makes for her daughter—and the very nature of unconditional love.

MY REVIEW

Francine Rivers is one of my favorite authors, writing both historical fiction and contemporary fiction that I find engaging and impossible to put down. Her Daughter's Dream is no exception, and I absolutely loved this book! The characters are realistically portrayed, and the family tensions are ones that we all can relate to, men or women. Who of us doesn't have disagreements with our parents, differences of opinions on how to live life, misunderstandings between us? As with the first story in this series, my emotions were readily engaged, and I even had some tears in my eyes! The story is skillfully written, and brought to life God's truth, his forgiveness, the power of reconciliation.

I highly recommend this book, and give it 4.5 out of 5 stars.

Monday, August 1, 2011

Book Review: Falls Like Lightning by Shawn Grady



Publisher: Bethany House
Publication Date: July 1, 2011

Book Synopsis as provided by the publisher:


Smokejumper Silas Kent never expected to see pilot Elle Westmore again. In fact, reuniting makes him realize what a mistake he made all those years ago. But before he has a chance to try to make amends, he's called to lead a new crew into battle against a massive fire in the Sierra Nevadas.

And then things go very wrong, very quickly.

A suspicious engine explosion forces the crew to parachute early while Elle barely survives a crash landing. Silas reaches the ground safely, but in beginning a desperate race to reach the downed plane, he soon realizes he has more to fear than just a raging forest fire.


MY REVIEW: 

I plunged into this book with great anticipation, and what a wild ride it was! Grady clearly knows his stuff, and his books are great for the male audience, as my dad really liked this book. I find the author to be a solid suspense writer, and this book was no exception. I will say I didn't find it perfect, that some of the first half was a bit slow for my liking. However, I thought the latter half zinged along, and I really enjoyed the setting of the world of forest fighters, the hidden mine, the shady characters. All of the characters seemed to be well-developed, the diaglogue moved the story along, and the conclusion was satisfying.

All in all, a great read. I give this book 4 out of 5 stars.