Review: Loving Luther by Allison Pittman

About the book:

Germany, 1505

In the dark of night, Katharina von Bora says the bravest good-bye a six-year-old can muster and walks away as the heavy convent gate closes behind her.

Though the cold walls offer no comfort, Katharina soon finds herself calling the convent her home. God, her father. This, her life. She takes her vows—a choice more practical than pious—but in time, a seed of discontent is planted by the smuggled writings of a rebellious excommunicated priest named Martin Luther. Their message? That Katharina is subject to God, and no one else. Could the Lord truly desire more for her than this life of servitude?

In her first true step of faith, Katharina leaves the only life she has ever known. But the freedom she has craved comes with a price, and she finds she has traded one life of isolation for another. Without the security of the convent walls or a family of her own, Katharina must trust in both the God who saved her and the man who paved a way for rescue. Luther’s friends are quick to offer shelter, but Katharina longs for all Luther has promised: a home, a husband, perhaps even the chance to fall in love.

My rating:
4 stars

(View my rating system)

My thoughts:

Review: Chance of Loving You by Terri Blackstock, Candace Calvert, Susan May Warren

About the book:

An anthology by three bestselling romance authors

For Love of Money by Terri Blackstock Trying to launch her own design firm while waitressing on the side, Julie Sheffield was drawn to the kind man she waited on at the restaurant last night . . . until he stiffed her on the tip by leaving her half of a sweepstakes ticket.

The Recipe by Candace Calvert Hospital dietary assistant Aimee Curran is determined to win the Vegan Valentine Bake-Off to prove she’s finally found her calling. But while caring for one of her patients―the elderly grandmother of a handsome CSI photographer―Aimee begins to question where she belongs.

Hook, Line & Sinker by Susan May Warren Grad student Abigail Cushman has agreed to enter the annual Deep Haven fishing contest. She’s a quick learner, even if she doesn’t know the difference between a bass and a trout. But nothing could prepare her for competing against the handsome charmer she’s tried to forget since grief tore them apart.

One chance for each woman to change her life . . . but will love be the real prize?

 Author Terri Blackstock - view author info 

Author Susan May Warren - view author info 

Author Candace Calvert - view author info 

 My rating:

 

(View my rating system)

My thoughts:

Review: When I Fall In Love by Susan May Warren

About the book:

Hawaii was the last place Grace Christiansen ever imagined she'd vacation, much less fall in love. But when her family surprises her with a cooking retreat in paradise, she is pulled-or maybe yanked-away from her predictable, safe life and thrown headfirst into the adventure of a lifetime.

Max Sharpe may make his living on the ice as a pro hockey player, but he feels most at home in the kitchen. Which is why he lives for the three-week culinary vacation he takes each year in Hawaii. Upon being paired with Grace for a cooking competition, Max finds himself drawn to her passion, confidence, and perseverance. But just when Grace dares to dream of a future beyond her hometown, Max pulls away.

Wrestling with personal demons, Max fights against opening his heart to a love he knows he should never hope for. And as his secrets unfold, Grace is torn between the safe path in front of her and what her heart truly desires. If love means sacrificing her ideal happily ever after, Grace's faith will face its toughest test yet.

My rating:

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My thoughts:

"Waiting On" Wednesday: When I Fall in Love (Christiansen Family) by Susan May Warren

Hosted by Breaking the Spine.

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event that spotlights upcoming releases that we're

eagerly anticipating.

 This week's pre-publication "can't-wait-to-read" selection is:

Review: It Had to Be You by Susan May Warren + Prequel Novella "I Really Do Miss Your Smile"

It Had to Be You by Susan May Warren
Christiansen Family series: Book Two
Find on: Amazon, Goodreads

About the book:

Eden Christiansen never imagined her role as her younger brother Owen’s cheerleader would keep her on the sidelines of her own life. Sure, it feels good to be needed, but looking after the reckless NHL rookie leaves little time for Eden to focus on her own career. She dreamed of making a name for herself as a reporter, but is stuck writing obits—and starting to fear she doesn’t have the chops to land a major story. If only someone would step up to mentor Owen . . . but she knows better than to expect help from team veteran and bad-boy enforcer Jace Jacobsen.

Jace has built his career on the infamous reputation of his aggressive behavior—on and off the ice. Now at a crossroads about his future in hockey, that reputation has him trapped. And the guilt-trip he’s getting from Eden Christiansen isn’t making things any easier. But when Owen’s carelessness leads to a career-threatening injury and Eden stumbles upon a story that could be her big break, she and Jace are thrown together . . . and begin to wonder if they belong on the same team after all.

My rating:

My thoughts:


Is this book really over?? *sighs* It Had to Be You is the second book in the Christiansen Family series and one that I truly savored. Before starting it, I could not wait to begin the journey through it and, once I did, I did not want the story to end. I ended up having to set the book aside for other review books, but I kept anticipating the time when I could pick it back up and read more.

I loved this book so much! Maybe it's because I'm a huge hockey fan and loved how hockey played a very big role in the story (I mean, the main character is a HOCKEY PLAYER!), but just thinking about this story makes me smile. The characters and overall story were just so good! I got annoyed with Owen when he treated Eden like a maid/servant and didn't seem to appreciate all the things she did for him. There were also some sad moments when you couldn't help but feel for the characters.

I was already familiar with the Christiansen family from reading Take A Chance On Me (book one) and the prequel novella, so it was great to get this view of Eden's life. While the majority of It Had to Be You took place in the city, not Deep Haven like the last book, I enjoyed the setting.

I could go on about the things I loved about this book (like the story of grace, the ending, etc.), but I'll stop. Suffice it to say, another fantastic contemporary read from Susan May Warren. I can't wait to read the next Christiansen's novel, When I Fall In Love (set to release July 1st, 2014). I recommend It Had to Be You to fans of contemporary romance novels. It's not a fluffy read, as there are several deep moments in the novel. I loved it!

*Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention/review it on my blog. I was not required to give a positive review, only my honest opinion - which I've done. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own and I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.*

Prequel Novella to The Christiansen Family Series

My rating:

My thoughts:

I really loved this novella! In some ways, most novellas seem very short and rushed - not so with I Really Do Miss Your Smile. I loved how the book was written - each chapter had its own year in which it took place. I think that is one of the reasons the book felt longer, because the story traversed several years' time.

The story was touching and after finishing it, I was anxious to continue the Christiansen Family series with Take A Chance On Me. I recommend I Really Do Miss Your Smile - this prequel novella can be found at the end of book two, It Had To Be You. Great read!

*Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention/review it on my blog. I was not required to give a positive review, only my honest opinion - which I've done. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own and I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.*

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Check out an author Q&A with Susan May Warren: Tyndale

Review: Chronological Life Application Study Bible-NLT

Chronological Life Application Study Bible NLT
ISBN-13: 978-1414339276
Tyndale House / 2012
  Find on: Amazon, Goodreads

About the book:

2013 ECPA Christian Book Award winner!
The Bible is the story of God’s interaction with his creation. It is a story that occurs over time, in many places, and through many events. It includes the lives and lessons learned by many people from many cultures. It’s often easy to lose sight of the way in which God’s story fits together when our primary way of looking at the Bible is a bit here and a bit there.

The new four-color Chronological Life Application Study Bible combines the proven resources of the Life Application Study Bible with a chronological format and several brand-new resources. The Bible is arranged in 10 chronological sections that help the reader to see how the various pieces of the Bible fit together. New section intros and timelines set the stage for the passages in each section. New archaeological notes and photographs help to bring God’s story to life in a whole new way. And of course, the Life Application resources answer the all-important question—“so what?”

This edition of the CLASB features the New Living Translation.

My rating:

My thoughts:

The Chronological Life Application Study Bible is a great study Bible. I absolutely love how the Bible is arranged chronologically, so that you can read straight through instead of flipping to certain books/chapters when you want to read things in the order they happened. I really liked how, in the introduction, they said that "While helpful as a tool for gaining insight into the meaning, message, and significance of Scripture, a chronological Bible is not a substitute for a traditional Bible." (A17) - I completely agree!

Things I like: I like the timeline, the chronological header system at the top of every page, the maps, the personality profiles, the archaeological notes, the charts/diagrams, the life application notes, and the full-color illustrations.

The personality profiles are great because they list the strengths & accomplishments, weaknesses & mistakes, life lessons, vital statistics (i.e locations, occupation, relatives, etc.), and key verse(s) of the person being profiled. I found these features helpful and interesting.

The illustrations are one of my favorite things about CLASB. The one of the Tabernacle was especially helpful in giving me a visual of the layout of the Tabernacle.

The only complaint I have is that in the "Canonical Table Of Contents" (which is a reference page to show you where to find certain books/chapters in this chronologically-arranged Bible) several of the little colored squares that indicate which section the passage appears in have similar shades and, since the squares are tiny, it's hard to tell the difference between them. It's not a big deal, since next to each passage is the page number where it's located, but I wish the colors would have been more distinct.

Overall, the CLASB is a great study Bible. It took a little bit for me to get used to the layout, but I see myself using it more and more this year as I make my way through the Bible chronologically. There are a lot of helpful aspects to this Bible, so I definitely recommend it!

The CLASB is available in KJV & NLT.
 
*Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention/review it on my blog. I was not required to give a positive review, only my honest opinion - which I've done. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own and I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.*

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Review: Born of Persuasion by Jessica Dotta

Born of Persuasion (Price of Privilege) by Jessica Dotta
Tyndale House / 2013
Find on: Amazon, Goodreads

About the book:

The year is 1838, and seventeen-year-old Julia Elliston’s position has never been more fragile. Orphaned and unmarried in a time when women are legal property of their fathers, husbands, and guardians, she finds herself at the mercy of an anonymous guardian who plans to establish her as a servant in far-off Scotland.

With two months to devise a better plan, Julia’s first choice to marry her childhood sweetheart is denied. But when a titled dowager offers to introduce Julia into society, a realm of possibilities opens. However, treachery and deception are as much a part of Victorian society as titles and decorum, and Julia quickly discovers her present is deeply entangled with her mother’s mysterious past. Before she knows what’s happening, Julia finds herself a pawn in a deadly game between two of the country’s most powerful men. With no laws to protect her, she must unravel the secrets on her own. But sometimes truth is elusive and knowledge is deadly.

My rating:

My thoughts:

I think Born of Persuasion is a book you either love or don't. I've seen many reviews that raved about this book, but also know of people who couldn't get into it and/or didn't like it. Unfortunately I fell into the latter group and this book took me SO long to get through - I ended up having to skim/skip sections just to finish!

The main problem for me was I couldn't connect with the writing style. I liked that it was written in first person, but didn't like when it seemed as though the story was being told after the fact. I just found that not to my personal liking. Another thing I didn't like were the characters. Julia, as well as some other characters (particularly Mrs. Windham) annoyed me. I did, however, like Edward's character - for the most part.

All that said, I thought the last part of Born of Persuasion was good and there were a couple scenes that really held my attention. So, all in all, this was just an OK read for me.
 
*Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention/review it on my blog. I was not required to give a positive review, only my honest opinion - which I've done. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own and I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.*

Was my review helpful? If so, please click "yes" on Amazon. Thanks!

Review: Critical Pursuit by Janice Cantore

Critical Pursuit by Janice Cantore
Tyndale / 2013
Previously published in 2007 as The Kevlar Heart by Oaktara publishing
Find on: Amazon, Goodreads

About the book:

Officer Brinna Caruso has built a reputation at the precinct as the cop to call when a child goes missing. For Brinna, it’s personal because she was once one of them. Brinna and her K-9 search and rescue dog, Hero, will stop at nothing to find a missing child, no matter the stakes.

Detective Jack O’Reilly isn’t ready to return to his homicide duties, after losing his wife to a drunk driver. He’s on the downside of his career, and bent on revenge, when he’s assigned as Brinna’s partner. While on patrol, Jack struggles between his quest for personal justice and his responsibility to those around him, especially his partner.

Skeptical of Jack’s motives, Brinna isn’t sure she can rely on her new partner, whose reckless abandon endangers the safety of those around him. But when a man surfaces with an MO similar to the criminal who abducted Brinna twenty years earlier, Brinna and Jack must cast aside previous judgments and combine efforts to catch the kidnapper, and finally allow Brinna the peace stolen from her as a child.

My rating:

My thoughts:

Critical Pursuit is the first book I've read by Janice Cantore and, when I first learned about it, I didn't know it was previously published by Oaktara in 2007 as The Kevlar Heart. I really liked this book and it reminded me a little bit of some of Lynette Eason's books. I thought the story was interesting throughout and, while it wasn't a secret to the reader who the villain was, there were still some suspenseful moments.

I liked the characters and seeing them grow as the story progressed. I'm definitely interested in reading the next book with Officer Brinna Caruso, Visible Threat, as Critical Pursuit ended with me wondering what was going to happen next in Brinna's and Jack's life.

Overall, Critical Pursuit was a really good suspense read. There wasn't a lot of romance, but there are hints of it developing. I recommend it to fans of this genre.

*Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention/review it on my blog. I was not required to give a positive review, only my honest opinion - which I've done. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own and I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.*

Was my review helpful? If so, please click "yes" on Amazon. Thanks!

Check Out Tyndale's New Site - Tyndale Direct!

Hey everyone! Tyndale House has a new site called Tyndale Direct. Here's a little about it in their own words:

"Introducing TyndaleDirect.com where you'll find special offers, gift suggestions and a selection of our favorite devotional titles—direct from the publisher at great prices. Plus, keep an eye on the Deal of the Day page—just in time for holiday gifting!"

 Right now you can get 25%-50% off special products and free shipping!

Review: Hook, Line & Sinker: A Deep Haven Novella by Susan May Warren

Hook, Line & Sinker: A Deep Haven Novella by Susan May Warren
Find on: Amazon, Goodreads

About the book:

The annual Deep Haven fishing contest draws professional and amateur anglers from across the country, but this year, Ross Springer is determined to win the top cash prize. In fact, he has no choice. It’s his last chance to leave a lasting legacy at Bethel College. He just never imagined his fundraising scheme would hook Abigail Cushman, the grad student who reminds him of all they’d had—and lost—every time she glances his way.

Abigail Cushman may not know the difference between a bass and a trout, but how hard can it be to catch a fish? She’s a quick learner, and she’s certain her smarts can net her a win over Ross Springer, the handsome charmer she’s tried to forget since grief tore them apart.

In the ultimate showdown between brains and heart, will Ross and Abby reel in more than they bargained for?

My rating:

My thoughts:

I've only read one or two books in the Deep Haven series, but from what I've read so far, this is a great series and Hook, Line, and Sinker was a really good novella!

The characters were very nice and I loved the whole fishing aspect in Hook, Link, and Sinker. The only read negative I had was that, unlike some other novellas I've read, this one just seemed really short. It was still an engaging read, but very short.

All in all, Hook, Line, and Sinker was a good read and I recommend it to fans of Susan May Warren's novels. I look forward to reading more of the Deep Haven series.

*I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher for my review. I was not required to give a positive review, only my honest opinion - which I've done. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.*

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