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Saved by the Fireman by Allie Pleiter

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing Saved by the Fireman Love Inspired (October 21, 2014) by Allie Pleiter

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Enthusiastic but slightly untidy mother of two, Allie Pleiter writes both fiction and nonfiction. An avid knitter, harp player and non-reformed chocoholic, she spends her days writing books, doing laundry, running carpools and finding new ways to avoid housework. Allie grew up in Connecticut, holds a BS in speech from Northwestern University and currently lives in suburban Chicago, Illinois. The "dare from a friend" to begin writing eight years ago has blossomed into a career that includes numerous public speaking engagements, two books on parenting; Becoming a Chief Home Officer and Facing Every Mom's Fears and now novels for Steeple Hill Books. She is the mother of two children and, most recently, a Havanese dog named Bella.


ABOUT THE BOOK

Building their future

Charlotte Taylor isn't good at playing it safe. Reeling from the sudden loss of her job and her beloved grandmother, Charlotte knows buying a dilapidated cottage in Gordon Falls isn't exactly practical. Especially since she just hired the one man who may love the property more than she does to help renovate it. Volunteer firefighter and part-time contractor Jesse Sykes can't stay mad at Charlotte for very long. Though she snatched up the home he'd planned on purchasing, Charlotte's dreams are big enough for both of them…if only she'd let him in. Charlotte promised she'd never fall for a first responder, but is it already too late?

Gordon Falls: Hearts ablaze in a small town

If you would like to read the first chapter of Saved by the Fireman, go HERE

Somewhere Safe with Somebody Good by Jan Karon - REVIEWED

About the Book:
After five hectic years of retirement from Lord’s Chapel, Father Tim Kavanagh returns with his wife, Cynthia, from a so-called pleasure trip to the land of his Irish ancestors.

            While glad to be at home in Mitford, something is definitely missing: a pulpit. But when he’s offered one, he decides he doesn’t want it. Maybe he’s lost his passion.

            His adopted son, Dooley, wrestles with his own passion—for the beautiful and gifted Lace Turner, and his vision to become a successful country vet. Dooley’s brother, Sammy, still enraged by his mother’s abandonment, destroys one of Father Tim’s prized possessions. And Hope Murphy, owner of Happy Endings bookstore, struggles with the potential loss of her unborn child and her hard-won business.

            All this as Wanda’s Feel Good Café opens, a romance catches fire through an Internet word game, their former mayor hatches a reelection campaign to throw the bums out, and the weekly Muse poses a probing inquiry: Does Mitford still take care of its own?

            Millions of fans will applaud the chance to spend time, once more, in the often comic and utterly human presence of Jan Karon’s characters. Indeed, they have never been more sympathetic, bighearted, and engaging. 

My Thoughts:
Well folks, Jan Karon has just won my redoubled adoration!  Her Mitford series is one of only two series I've read multiple times.  Actually, I just looked at my copies, and all of the books are ragged.  When I heard Karon had published another book set in Mitford I couldn't purchase it fast enough!  It was like going home for a visit. Hours spent with good friends.  Time melted away, and I was home.

I laughed out loud several times as Father Tim gathered with the menfolks at the cafe!  And Lord Have Mercy at the new fad in town that had everyone color-coded!  Another ridiculously common event that, if you think about it, is easily identified in your own life - just maybe in a different form!   And the contest in the paper, and the way everyone cared for Hope, and Dooley and Lace figuring out life from a college kid's point of view, and the way Dooley helps Cynthia and Tim care for his siblings. and dear old Harley and his landlady Helene.  Just like going home!

This has been one of several, rather lengthy, pauses that I have taken in my fiction schedule.  This was a balm to my soul and renewed my heart to face the very un-Mitford like world that I must face. I am encouraged to pray the prayer that never fails and keep the faith!  I know God cares about the details in my life just as he does for those who inhabit Mitford.  That's why I am so drawn to this book - this series.  Jan Karon puts flesh on faith, and the citizens of Mitford walk out their faith in very imperfect, but real ways! God moves in their hearts and among their heart aches to accomplish what only He can do!  This will preach folks!! So amazingly real and honest!

If you've never been introduced to this amazing series, what are you waiting for!???

About the Author:

Jan Karon 

Several years ago, Karon left a successful career in advertising to move to the mountain village of Blowing Rock, North Carolina, and write books. “I stepped out on faith to follow my lifelong dream of being an author,” she says. “I made real sacrifices and took big risks. But living, it seems to me, is largely about risk.”

Enthusiastic booksellers across the country have introduced readers of all ages to Karon’s heartwarming books. At Home in Mitford, Karon’s first book in the Mitford series, was nominated for an ABBY by the American Booksellers Association in 1996 and again in 1997. Bookstore owner, Shirley Sprinkle, says, “The Mitford Books have been our all-time fiction bestsellers since we went in business twenty-five years ago. We’ve sold 10,000 of Jan’s books and don’t see any end to the Mitford phenomenon.”

Daily Audio Bible Invites You to Experience Israel in Vivid Clarity with PROMISED LAND on Blu-ray and DVD

(NASHVILLE, Tennessee) -- Whether you’ve been to the land of the Bible or always wanted to go, you’ve never experienced it like this before. Three years in the making, Daily Audio Bible is proud to present “Promised Land” - a feature-length cinematic achievement and a sweeping masterpiece. For a limited time, “Promised Land” is available on Blu-ray and DVD exclusively at DailyAudioBible.com, and each order comes with a free soundtrack CD while supplies last. See the places you’ve imagined and read about in Scripture filmed in vivid high definition from angles never seen before. “Promised Land” immerses you in the stories of the Bible, where they happened, as author and leader of the Daily Audio Bible, Brian Hardin, takes you from the wilderness to the Galilee and out onto the coastal plain before entering the most holy city in the world...Jerusalem. The history and geography of the Bible will come alive as the Scriptures unfold before your eyes. Says Hardin, “The Biblical locations in Israel have been filmed plenty of times but when we set out to create this project, we didn’t just want to document it - that’s been done. We wanted to capture its beauty and the way it feels to be there. ‘Promised Land’ connects the history and stories to the places where they happened in short, concise vignettes allowing people who might never consider visiting Israel to truly see the beauty of this rich, historic place.” Tom Doyle, e3 Partners’ Middle East Director and author of the Thomas Nelson best-seller, "Dreams and Visions,” (who has led over 70 trips to Israel) endorsed “Promised Land” following an advance screening: "I must say that I was pretty overwhelmed to see the quality of 'Promised Land.' It made me feel like the first time that I journeyed to Israel. After the first two minutes I sat back in my chair and said out loud, 'They got it! They understand the miracle of Israel. They got it!'" With over 1.5 million listens monthly and over 70 million downloads, Daily Audio Bible (www.dailyaudiobible.com) is one of the most-listened-to podcasts in the world. Created by Hardin in 2006, Daily Audio Bible is one of the world wide web’s biggest success stories. For more information on “Promised Land” and to view the official trailer, visit http://promisedland.media.

Noah: A Wordless Picture Book - REVIEWED

About the Book:

A hundred years before the Great Flood, a man named Noah came home talking crazy. God wanted him to build the biggest ship the world had ever seen. The future of humanity depended on it. How would his wife respond? What would the neighbors think? Was it even feasible? 

This lavish re-imagining of one of the greatest stories of all time will fascinate children and adults alike. Nuanced and playful, yet meticulous in following the biblical narrative, Mark Ludy's world-class art digs deeper than the Sunday-school tale of cuddly animals, exploring Noah's relationship with his family, the natural world, God--and a formidable engineering challenge. Immerse yourself in this stunning wordless epic. Whatever your age, you'll never read this story in the same way again. 

My Thoughts:

This is my favorite picture in the book:

Don't you just LOVE the detail in this picture!?  Every single page is just this rich!  The expressions, the actions, the entire story of the flood is richly told in pictures!  

My children are 19 and 21 years old, and we had a blast telling the story of Noah with these pictures!   My oldest son was brilliant in the telling!  

The fact that three adults can sit down and enjoy this book is proof of its brilliance!  I can't wait to "read" it to my great-niece this weekend!  She is the target audience, and I bet she will love it!

This book was my introduction to Mark Ludy's work, and he has totally captured my imagination!

About the Author: ( from his website)

Mark and his family have recently moved back to Colorado (33 years of life have already been lived here so this is more "home" then anywhere.) and they are living in the South Denver area. He is an author and illustrater of a number of children's books as well as being a regular speaker in schools. 

 

At a young age he loved to draw... draw on everything and anything. He never would have thought he would one day make a living from his doodles and crazy ideas. But he is now very happy to use his gifts in the arts to make people smile, feel good, be encouraged, inspired... and challenged. 

 

The Promise by Beth Wiseman - REVIEWED

About the Book:

Mallory's search for happiness leads her to a faraway place. There she finds heartache, betrayal---and danger.

Mallory Hammond is determined that no one will stand in the way of her goal---to save a life. She had that chance years ago, and she failed to take it, leaving her adrift and in search of the real meaning of her life. Finally, she meets a man online from a volatile corner of the world who offers her the chance to find that purpose. But she will have to leave everyone she loves behind in order to take it.

Tate Webber has loved Mallory for many years. He understands that Mallory will never be happy with him until her deepest heart's desire is satisfied. When Mallory decides to travel across the world to fulfill her dreams, Tate begs her not to go but tries to give her the space she needs. Mallory embarks on her dangerous journey only to discover how swiftly and easily promises can be broken. And Mallory can only pray that she will make it out alive.

Inspired by actual events, The Promise is a riveting love story that asks the question: how far will we go for love?

Purchase your copy HERE.

My Thoughts:

“I PROMISE I will get you out of there.” (p. 252)

There are a lot of promises made in this book, but THIS promise was the most significant.  I won’t even begin to tell you the circumstances surrounding this promise, but I will tell you that when I slept after reading the conclusion of this book, I dreamed about this story!! And I was so grateful to wake up in my home safe and sound!  If the characters in a book make their way into your dreams….that, my friend, is very good writing!!

I think what I found so disturbing about this entire story was how easily I identified with the motives behind the choices these characters made.  Thankfully, I could also identify the fact that their choices weren’t very wise choices, but the motives behind their choices was very familiar.  The love and loyalty that drives Mallory is one of the many things Tate loves about her, but it is the very thing that almost cost her very life!

Another chilling fact, to me at least, was that this novel is based on actual events!  This takes my level of skepticism to a whole new level! Beth Wiseman writes a very compelling, believable story that will keep you up reading! The faith element of the story is also believably challenged, as is the relationship that struggles to exist between Tate and Mallory.

Don’t miss this very important piece of fiction!  This story contains a dose of reality that will rock your world!

About the Author:

Award-winning, bestselling author Beth Wiseman is best known for her Amish novels, but she has also written several successful contemporary novels, set primarily in her beloved Texas, including Need You Now and The House that Love Built. Both have received glowing reviews. Beth's The Promise is inspired by a true story. Website: www.bethwiseman.com Twitter: @bethwiseman Facebook: Fans-of-Beth-Wiseman

Quilted by Christmas by Jodie Bailey - REVIEWED

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing Quilted by Christmas Abingdon Press (October 21, 2014) by Jodie Bailey

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

A note from the Author: Well, I’m a regular ol’ person. Who just happens to write. A lot. Probably more than I should. I firmly believe that God created me to be a writer. From the time I learned how to string letters together into words I’ve been making up stories. Believe me… I have a very rich imagination. I used to think I was weird; now I know God just put me together that way. I can’t even watch commercials without expanding them into stories in my head. I am humbled and honored all at the same time that God looked down from heaven on me and said, “Jodie, do what you love.” Wow… how awesome is that?

I have always loved to write. I have stories that I wrote when I was in first grade. I used to sit at my grandmother’s yellow electric typewriter for hours, banging out my own little stories. When I was eleven, she bought me a typewriter of my own (It was 1984, okay?) and I would write and write on it. I wrote stories out by hand, and they ran to hundreds of pages. I got my first computer when I was eighteen, and the first thing I did was write a story on it. I wrote for school. I wrote for fun. I wrote for my friends. I’d get them on the phone and make up stories for them. (I earned the nickname “Dreamweaver” for that one. Nobody calls me that anymore, but it still stands as the coolest nickname I ever had.)

ABOUT THE BOOK

Taryn McKenna believes she’s easy to forget. Abandoned by her parents and left behind when her high school sweetheart joined the army, she vows to never love again and throws herself into her love for the outdoors and the pursuit of a college degree—something no one else in her family has ever accomplished. Her goal, as a young teacher in the hills of North Carolina, is to leave a legacy in the lives of the middle-schoolers she teaches. When Taryn’s grandmother Jemma, the only other person who ever held her close, has a heart attack that reveals a fatal medical condition, Taryn is corralled into helping Grandma work on a final project—an Irish chain quilt that tells the story of her history and the love Jemma knows is out there for Taryn. As the pieces of the quilt come together, Taryn begins to see her value. Can she learn to believe that God will never leave her behind even though others have?

My Thoughts:

“Somebody needs to hear this tonight….Love cam down at Christmas….Not because we asked for it.  Not because we deserved it.  But because it’s how God is. Unconditional. No matter what we do.”  

(p 199)

Okay, I have a confession to make.  Before I read these sentences, I was ready reign a bunch of negativity on this book.  For someone to basically refuse to live their life, their dreams because of a fight with a teenage boyfriend….really?  There is only one person in the world for you – really?  You are all mopey because your best friend married her childhood sweetheart and yours walked away….really?  I was having some serious angst with this book – the story.  I spent most of the book wanting to tell Miss Taryn to grow up and get a life.  Mr. Justin can live his life independent of you and there are more fish in the sea.

Vent over.  I don’t have a very healthy view of romance right now.  I admit it.  I was probably not the right audience for this book.  But God thought differently.  He pulled me up short on page 199.  And then I said…really?  Did you really forget how much you’ve been forgiven?  Did you really forget God’s greatest gift  - His Son? 

So, when I discovered some of the reasons behind Taryn and Justin parting ways, I rethought it.  Grace and forgiveness…still the most important things in our lives regardless of our choices.  Christ has poured out His life for us….grace and forgiveness in unmerited measure.  What mercy! 

So, even if I find this story a bit over-the-top-mushy in general, and even though I know life’s circumstances aren’t tied off with a neat bow at the end of story, I DO KNOW that God’s forgiveness and grace are very real.  And His love for us is boundless.  Taryn and Justin learn this. And God put His truth right before my eyes in the most unlikely place – and I am very, very thankful for that!

The Quilts of Love have never failed to surprise and uplift me in the most unlikely ways, so I am happy to recommend Quilted By Christmas to readers!

If you would like to read the first chapter of Quilted by Christmas, go
HERE.