I Like Giving by Brad Formsma

Although I haven't read Formsma's book yet, I totally identify with this lovely woman's story!! I am blessed to have family members who have given me life-long examples of selfless giving!  I actually have a great-aunt who is, herself, alsmost 98 and she still drives!  Giving of ourselves gives us wealth that cannot be measured in dollar amounts!  Take a look!

Maybelle In Stitches - by Joyce Magnin - REVIEWED

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing Maybelle In Stitches Abingdon Press (March 18, 2014) by Joyce Magnin

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

A word from the Author:

I am the author of seven novels. Five adult novels and two middle grade readers. I never wanted to do anything else but write and every day I wake up astonished that I get to do what I always dreamed about. My days are filled with words and images along with the usual family stuff. I have three children, Rebekah who is married to Joshua. They have three of the most adorable boys on the planet, Lemuel, Cedar and Soren. My daughter Emily Kate is a lovely young woman anthropologist and my son Adam is fourteen and a student--he's a genius who loves frogs and lizards and fish and plants. He amazes me.

I have never eaten a scallop. I love cream soda. Drink way too much coffee. I do not like elevators but I do enjoy needle arts and of course books. I prefer jazz over country (no offense), milk chocolate over dark, but not roller coasters although my life has often resembled a roller coaster ride.

One of my life's desires is to meet Amy Grant so I can tell her she saved my life.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Maybelle can’t sew. But when she finds an unfinished quilt in the attic of her mother’s house, she gets the crazy idea to complete it. At first, it’s just a way to fill the lonely nights while her husband, staff sergeant Holden Kanzinzki, is away fighting in World War II.

Yet when Maybelle discovers that the quilt is made from scraps of material that can be traced back through her family heritage, the project is suddenly much more important. Then word comes that Holden is missing in action, and with little else to do, Maybelle clings to the quilt as much as to the hope that her husband is still alive. As neighborhood friends gather around Maybelle to help her through the unknown days and nights ahead, it is the quilt that becomes a symbol of her unflagging belief that Holden will return—to her, to their home, and to their quilt-covered bed.

My Thoughts:

“No. You keep doing what you’ve been doing.  That’s all any of us can do.  You keep doing what you’ve been doing until you hear otherwise.” (p.74)

From the moment Doris utter these words to Maybelle until Maybelle answers her with the words:

“Hope is why we’re calling the quilt that, remember?  It’s all we got.  And maybe hope means different things for different people.”  (p. 178)

Many, many things have taken place to create a realistic picture of what the lives of many women consisted of during WWII.  The reader is taken back to the 1940’s when letters and telegrams made the slow trek back and forth across the ocean.  Sometimes the news was good.  Other times the news was devastating.  Sometimes the news couldn’t be contained in written words.  All of these experiences are made accessible to the reader through the very well-written tale, Maybelle In Stitches, penned by Joyce Magnin. 

This installment in the quilts of love series is packed with well-developed characters, poignant story lines, emotionally powerful situations  - all sewn together with the threads of hope that keep this strong generation going forward amid some very daunting circumstances.  WWII stories have always been some of my favorite, and Maybelle In Stitches was a very satisfying addition to that group of tales!!  I was drawn into the story from the first pages and my interest never waned.  As a matter of fact, there were moments it seemed I couldn’t read fast enough!

I grew to genuinely care for all of the characters, and the friendship between Maybelle and Doris reminded me of my lifelong best friend.  Theirs is a solid and faithful friendship that gives them strength to weather the trials unique to wartime.  I highly recommend Maybelle  In Stitches to everyone!  This is a very well-written, satisfying story on many levels!

If you would like to read the first chapter of Maybelle In Stitches, go HERE.

Raw Faith by Kasey Van Norman - CAN'T WAIT TO READ THIS!!

Water Walker by Ted Dekker - Episode One - Reviewed

About this episode:
A thirteen year old with no memory beyond the past six months - Abigail.  A woman who has been searching for her daughter for thirteen years - desperate to have her back in her life. Olivia - an FBI agent who lost her daughter seven years ago - a fact that makes her the best at finding those children who suddenly are missing.  

These are some of the main characters in Ted Dekker's latest story, Water Walker.  The entire novel was just released, but after finishing episode one, I know that I have to discover the real story behind this novel! Written in a style familiar to Dekker fans, the story is rife with suspense from the first pages.  The characters are unique in their circumstances but portray universal truths about everyone. Why becomes the haunting refrain in this first episode as each character is left to sort through circumstances that are uncomfortable and frightening.

Toward the end of this episode, chapter Seven, a familiar character appears.  I wasn't expecting that, but neither was I surprised.  Dekker is taking readers on a personal journey of discovery - the discovery of the grace, the love and the mercy that pursues us regardless of the circumstances we allow to imprison us.  There is freedom.  There is forgiveness.  There is grace.

Like I said, I've only experienced the first episode, and I am hooked! Dekker has found his voice - his strong, true voice, and he is telling a story that must be shared!! Don't miss the opportunity to take this journey.  It will change your life!  I can't wait to dive deep into the story!

About the Author:

Ted Dekker (born October 24, 1962) is a New York Times best-selling author of more than twenty novels. He is best known for stories which could be broadly described as suspense thrillers with major twists and unforgettable characters, though he has also made a name for himself among fantasy fans.

The Legend of George Jones Told By Those That Knew Him Best in New Book

(NASHVILLE, Tennessee) -- Heritage Builders Publishing is pleased to announce that The Legend of George Jones will be in stores everywhere on April 15, 2014. Nearly one year after the world said farewell to the Grammy Award-winning Country Music Hall of Fame and Grand Ole Opry member, Charlene and Earl “Peanutt” Montgomery remember their best friend of thirty years in this new, tell-all biography from Heritage Builders Publishing.

The Legend of George Jones is a collection of stories spanning many decades, five marriages and a marvelous career unequaled in the genre of Country Music. From humble beginnings playing the guitar and singing on the streets of Beaumont, Texas, George Jones became one of the most important and influential singers in music history. He was the voice behind many of Country music’s most enduring hits, such as “White Lightning,” “She Thinks I Still Care,” “Walk Through This World With Me,” “The Door,” “I Was Country When Country Wasn’t Cool” and “He Stopped Loving Her Today,” which is widely regarded as one of the greatest country music singles of all time. 

With The Legend of George Jones, Charlene and Peanutt wanted to set the record straight. Throughout Jones’ life, the tabloids chronicled his struggle with personal demons and often painted a less-than-flattering picture. Throughout the book, Charlene and Peanutt tell it like it is and make no excuses, but they document the real heart and soul of George Jones. 

Peanutt wrote seventy-three songs for George Jones including some of his best-loved number one hits. No other music star had a more faithful and loyal writer and musician with the talents of Peanutt Montgomery. Charlene, Peanutt’s wife and partner, is a prolific songwriter in her own right, and she had a personal relationship with Jones that spanned decades, and she remains today a revered and beloved friend of all the Jones children. 

The book, which has been endorsed by all four of Jones’ children, contains many never-before-told stories about his life. Among the highlights: 

• The attempted murder of Peanutt by George Jones 
• The culprits who brought Jones to bankruptcy, and his knees, are revealed.
• Unexplained mysteries concerning Jones’ fifth wife Nancy, and the way that his children were treated at his funeral.

The book also includes a CD of nine popular Peanutt Montgomery/George Jones hits plus two previously unreleased songs, newly recorded by some of country music’s top players.

For more information, visit www.heritagebuilders.com.

Tide and Tempest by Elizabeth Ludwig - REVIEWED

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing

About the Book:

Two years ago, her fiance perished
during their voyage to America.

Now she discovers it may have been murder...
Dreaming of a better life, Tillie McGrath leaves Ireland behind and, with her beloved fiance by her side, sets sail for America. But when illness robs her of the man she holds dear, she's left alone with only a handful of tattered memories. While forging on proves difficult, Tillie soon finds some new friends at her New York boardinghouse, and begins pursuing a new dream--to open a home for orphaned children.

Despite two years passing, Captain Keondric Morgan has never forgotten the lass who left his ship so heartbroken. When a crewman's deathbed confession reveals her fiance's demise was the result of murder, the captain knows he must try to contact her. But his attention draws the notice of others as well--dangerous men who believe Tillie has in her possession something that could expose their crimes. And to their way of thinking, the best way to prevent such an outcome is to seize the evidence and then hand Tillie the same fate as her naïve fiance.

My Thoughts:

“Her only hope would be to follow his lead and pray that somehow they would discover who was harboring a vendetta against her.”  (p. 138)

Tillie McGrath never expects to meet, much less depend on, Captain Keondric Morgan.  Tillie has already lost everything that gave her life meaning on her voyage to America, now trying only to create a new life in a new land, she discovers that someone wants to see her dead and she has idea how she wound up with a target in her forehead.  But she has unmistakably become someone’s target, and it seems that Captain Morgan and his brother can’t move fast enough to uncover the reasons behind the murders that are occurring with increasing frequency all around Tillie.

Tide and Tempest is the third book in the Edge of Freedom trilogy, so there is a significant amount of backstory that gives this novel significance to the reader. However, if you dive into this series at this point you will still find a tremendous amount of suspense and romance awaiting you!  Elizabeth Ludwig weaves a fascinating story, and time will evaporate in massive quantities before you realize it!

I was particularly frustrated and intrigued by the relationship between Tillie and the Morgan brothers. Even when she understands that their purpose is to protect her and allow her to realize her dream of an orphanage, she still stumbles and falters in her emotional bond to these two! The lines blur a bit too easily! That makes the suspense all the greater as you near the end of the story!  This is truly a race to the finish!

I am happy to recommend not only this novel, Tide and Tempest, but the entire Edge of Freedom series to everyone!!

About the Author:

Elizabeth Ludwig is an award-winning author whose work has been featured on Novel Rocket, the Christian Authors Network, and The Christian Pulse. Her first novel, Where the Truth Lies (co-authored with Janelle Mowery), earned her the 2008 IWA Writer of the Year Award. This book was followed in 2009 by "I'll be Home for Christmas", part of the Christmas anthology collection, Christmas Homecoming.

In 2011, her second mystery, Died in the Wool (co-authored with Janelle Mowery) was nominated for aCarol Award. In 2012, the popular EDGE OF FREEDOM series released from Bethany House Publishers. Books one and two, No Safe Harbor and Dark Road Home, respectively, earned 4 Stars from the RT Book Reviews. Book three, Tide and Tempest, received top honors with 4 1/2 Stars.

Elizabeth is an accomplished speaker and teacher, often attending conferences and seminars where she lectures on editing for fiction writers, crafting effective novel proposals, and conducting successful editor/agent interviews. Along with her husband and children, she makes her home in the great state of Texas.

Poison Town by Creston Mapes - REVIEWED

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance

is introducing

                                           

About the Book:

There's More Than One Kind of Poison in This Town 

People are sick and dying. Rumors are swirling. Some claim chemicals leaking from a manufacturing plant are causing the cancer that's crippling people on the poor side of Trenton City, Ohio. Yet nothing at the plant appears amiss. The problem remains a mystery until reporter Jack Crittendon's long-time mechanic falls ill and he investigates. Soon Jack becomes engulfed in a smokescreen of lies, setups, greed, and scandal. The deeper he digs, the more toxic the corruption he uncovers. As he faces off with the big-time players behind the scenes and tries to beat the clock before more people die, he realizes the chillingly unthinkable-he knows too much.

My Thoughts:

“Greed…That’s all it was.  And ever since the very second I agreed – it’s been nothing but poison.” (p. 281-282)

“My unforgiveness has been wrong; it’s been poisoning me.” (p. 307)

Creston Mapes has created a tense, ever-increasingly fast paced novel that could have been ripped from today’s headlines.  He sets a large corporation against the residents of a small-town.  As the residents uncover the truth that is the underlying cause of the death and destruction tearing apart lives and families, they also discover the spiritual poison within their own hearts.  The choice to forgive and rebuild lies before them.  The battle to make the right choice and still see justice done becomes increasingly difficult when the lives of those they love hang in the balance.

When we were introduces to Jack Crittendon and his family in the novel Fear Has A Name, we experienced a personal attack within the Crittendon household.  Two families’ stories intertwined and set the stage for the second installment found within the pages of Poison Town.  Mapes continues to explore the effect of past sins levied upon the Crittendon family while introducing another, seemingly more insidious evil upon their community.  I love the way Mapes is so purposeful about drawing the reader into the lives of the characters – creating an emotional investment within the storyline. He uses this very effectively and builds the suspense layer upon layer until the pages are stirring up quite a breeze by the time you reach the final chapters.

The characters in Poison Town are flawed and justifiably frightened out of their minds.  As they try to navigate their everyday lives, they must face loss, the consequences of wrong choices, and the weight of making the right choice when their lives and the lives of the ones they love are in great danger!  

If you enjoy realistic suspense novels, I highly recommend Creston Mapes Crittendon Files!  You won’t get much sleep, but you will be a very satisfied reader!

About the Author:

Creston has fond memories of his boyhood in Bath, Ohio, where he became enchanted with his future wife, way back in the fourth grade. His father, Bernie, owned and operated The Weathervane Furniture Shop in town. The whole family lived right upstairs in the century-old house known as "The Shop." Creston studied journalism at Bowling Green State University, then began his writing career. During the past 30 years, he has worked as a reporter, corporate copywriter, creative director, freelance writer, and author.