Thursday Giveaway! 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.

Amazon, B&N, Goodreads

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I ended up having two copies of this fabulous book, so I've decided to give away the extra copy! You can read my review by clicking here and be sure to enter the giveaway below.

Enter for a chance to win a copy of When I Fall In Love by Susan May Warren! Giveaway is open to the US and ends 8/14.

How to enter: Sign into the Giveaway Tools form below (it might take a moment to load) and submit each entry you complete. Commenting alone will not get you entered – you must click enter on the form. Happy entering!

Entry-Form

Open only to those who can legally enter. Winning entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by Giveaway Tools and announced here as well as emailed and will have up to one week to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Giveaway Tools or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. I am not responsible for any packages lost or damaged in the mail. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

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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:

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Review: Firewall by DiAnn Mills

About the book:

After a whirlwind romance, Taryn Young is preparing to board a plane at Houston International Airport, bound for a dream honeymoon, when a bomb decimates the terminal. Injured but still alive, she awakens to discover her husband is missing and they’re both considered prime suspects in the attack. Further, the FBI is convinced her husband isn’t who he appears to be.

Agent Grayson Hall’s number-one priority is to catch those responsible for the day’s act of terror. All evidence is pointing to Taryn and her new husband. But his instinct tells him her pleas of innocence are genuine. Is her naiveté just for show, or could she truly be another victim of a master scheme, possibly linked to the software she recently developed for her company?

With both their lives and reputations on the line, and the media outcry for justice increasing with each passing minute, Taryn and Grayson have no choice but to trust one another . . . and pray they can uncover the truth before they become two more casualties.

My rating:

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Review: Know the Creeds and Councils by Justin S. Holcomb

About the book:

In every generation, the Christian church must interpret and restate its bedrock beliefs, answering the challenges and concerns of the day. This accessible overview walks readers through centuries of creeds, councils, catechisms, and confessions--not with a dry focus on dates and places, but with an emphasis on the living tradition of Christian belief and why it matters for our lives today.

As a part of the KNOW series, Know the Creeds and Councils is designed for personal study or classroom use, but also for small groups and Sunday schools wanting to more deeply understand the foundations of the faith. Each chapter covers a key statement of faith and includes a discussion of its historical context, a simple explanation of the statement's content and key points, reflections on contemporary and ongoing relevance, and discussion questions.

My rating:

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Weekly Giveaway Link-up #29

Welcome to Weekly Giveaway Link-up hosted by Crystal @ Just Another Book Lovin' Girl and me. This is a linky where you can submit your blog's Christian book and book-related giveaways and find other giveaways. A new link-up will be posted every Monday.

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Review: The Choice by Amanda Tru

About the book:

If you could go back in time and save someone you loved, would you do it?

Hannah’s ability to time travel has always been something she feared. It was uncontrollable and came with life-threatening risks. However, when Hannah is unable to cope with grief, she decides to use that which had been her enemy. She is going to travel back in time to prevent the tragedy from ever happening.

Unfortunately, nothing goes according to plan. Seth finds out about Hannah’s intentions and takes measures to protect her. But when they discover that the reality of history isn’t what it had appeared, a simple mission to save a life becomes much more complicated. Their intervention has now changed their own future and endangered many lives, including their own. Can they elude their enemies to find the vital evidence they need to fix the timeline? Or will Hannah’s choice have an even greater cost than she can imagine?

My rating:

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Review: Today by Amanda Tru

About the book:

Hannah was supposed to get married. She was supposed to live happily ever after. And she was definitely NOT supposed to ever time travel again.

But when Hannah’s fairy tale turns into a nightmare, she discovers seemingly random events in the past have a deadly reality for the man she loves. She now must use what she learned to protect him from pursing a path that would cost him his life. But certain secrets may cause irreparable damage.

When tragedy strikes, will Hannah be able to face today with no happily ever after in sight?

My rating:

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Cookbook Review: Vegan Ice Cream: Over 90 Sinfully Delicious Dairy-Free Delights

About the book:

This revised edition of Vice Cream features more than 90 delicious ice cream recipes using all-vegan ingredients like nuts, dates, coconut milk, maple syrup, and fruit, plus recipes for raw vegan ice creams and sauces.

Whether you’re vegan, lactose intolerant, or following a dairy-free diet, you don’t have to miss out on one of the world’s favorite desserts. Although ice cream substitutes are available, none of them achieves the richness of the real thing or offers the breadth of delicious flavors—until now. Vegan Ice Cream offers decadent frozen alternatives that don’t rely on milk, cream, or refined white sugar. Instead, these luscious recipes use nut milks, fresh fruit, and natural sweeteners to create simple and inventive ice cream flavors, from old favorites like Chocolate Chip and Strawberry to exotic creations such as Pecan Pie, Pomegranate, Kiwi Mandarin, Piña Colada, Chai, Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip, Gingersnap, and many more.

This fully revised edition now features more than 90 recipes, including raw vegan ice creams and sauces, and full-color photography throughout. From the very first taste, you’ll be astonished at just how tasty and rich vegan ice cream can be. So make room in your freezer, and never miss out on the joys of ice cream again.

My rating:

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Weekend Wrap-up (July 25th) + Giveaway Winner!

Weekend Wrap-up is where I share what I read this past week, am currently reading, and hope to read this coming week, and (when applicable) the current giveaways/giveaway winners. Occasionally I'll post some other stuff as well. Be sure to follow my Pinterest boards "Free Kindle Books" and "Book Deals" to see the good deals/freebies I share about. :)

Feel free to join along and post your own Weekend Wrap-up on your blog/site (if you do, please leave the link in a comment so I can stop by) or, in a comment, share what you've accomplished (reading-wise) this past week. :)

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Interview & Giveaway: Lissa Marie Niederer ~ Author of The Sky We Walk Upon!

Welcome to Christian Bookshelf Reviews, Lissa!! Will you tell us a little about yourself? 

Hi! Thank you so much for having me. I’m a wife and stay-at-home mom of 3 super cute kiddos. We live in Maine, where I graduated from the creative writing program at UMaine Farmington. I love books, being active (especially outdoors), baking, arts and crafts, and spending time with family. I’m really good at finding four-leaf clovers. Oh. And I’m scared of ostriches.

What is your novel, The Sky We Walk Upon, about?

The Sky We Walk Upon is a contemporary Christian romance, set at a snowmobiling camp in Western Maine. Hannah, the main character, has been hurt in the past, and so finds it difficult to let herself be loved, or to believe that there is a God who would love her endlessly, without question or judgement or boundaries. It’s as much a story about her struggling with a very new faith as it is a love story.

When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?

I can’t remember ever not wanting to be a writer. In fact, I recently found my actual first book, “The Lost Rabbit,” which I wrote when I was about six I think and have kept all this time. It’s posted on my blog, if you’re interested in a good, hearty chuckle. http://lissamarieniederer.wordpress.com/2014/05/29/my-first-book-for-your-amusement/ 

What would you say is your most interesting writing quirk? 

I tend to write titles first. A great title will pop into my head, and I try to form a story around it.  

Where do you like to write?

I love to journal or write poetry outdoors—in a field or on a cliff by the sea somewhere. But if I’m working on something longer, I like to be at my computer when the house is quiet. Which doesn’t happen terribly often. 

What is your favorite genre to read and why?

I prefer contemporary Christian fiction to read and to write. I also love young adult literature, especially the classics like The Chronicles of Narnia or The Giver.

What is your least favorite genre to read?

Not a big fan of historical fiction. And I don’t read anything scary!

Is there a place you'd like to visit, but haven’t yet?

Lots of them! Alaska and Greece are at the top of my list. 

Do you have a favorite Bible verse?

Philippians 4:6-7 “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests by made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”  

What is your favorite season and why is it your fav?

I like the transitional seasons, Fall and Spring. Fall for the harvest and the snuggly sweaters and the beautiful colors of our foliage here in Maine. Spring for the end of our long winters and the promise of new life!

Some this-or-that questions:

Snowstorms or Thunderstorms? Thunderstorms.

Chocolate or Vanilla? What’s vanilla?

Tea or Coffee? Coffee!

Call or Text? Both. Is that a legal answer?

Cats or Dogs? Mmmm. Dogs.

Early-bird or Night-owl? I’m not really either. I really like to sleep. Like, 10 hours a night.

Introvert or Extrovert? Extrovert, I guess.

Facebook or Twitter? Facebook. I have Twitter, but I don’t use it much. I’m sort of Twitter-challenged.

Mystery or Romance? Romance.

Sneakers or Sandals? Sandals, if I must have something on my feet.

Are you currently working on any new novels? If so, could you give us a hint?

Yes! I am working on another contemporary Christian title, Close To Me. It’s set in coastal Maine this time, and is focused around an unlikely friendship between two women—a young, widowed mother new to the small town of South Point, and a cantankerous older woman who is secretly mourning a loss of her own. And there may or may not also be a tall, dark, handsome stranger, because that’s how I roll.  

Thank you so much for being here! Is there anything else you’d like to tell readers and where can we find you on the web?

Yes, I love to hear from readers and/or aspiring writers! You can find me on Facebook at www.facebook.com/lissamariebooks or follow my blog at www.lissamarieniederer.wordpress.com. The Sky We Walk Upon now has its own website also, where you can find ordering information and a complete description. www.theskywewalkupon.com

Thanks so much for having me!

Enter for a chance to win an e-copy of The Sky We Walk Upon by Lissa Marie Niederer! Giveaway is open internationally and ends 8/7.

How to enter: Sign into the Giveaway Tools form below (it might take a moment to load) and submit each entry you complete. Commenting alone will not get you entered – you must click enter on the form. Happy entering!

Entry-Form

Open only to those who can legally enter. Winning entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by Giveaway Tools and announced here as well as emailed and will have up to one week to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Giveaway Tools or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. I am not responsible for any packages lost or damaged in the mail. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

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"Waiting On" Wednesday: From the Start by Melissa Tagg

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:

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Review: Here To Stay by Melissa Tagg

About the book:

After playing nomad for five years, Blake Hunziker has finally had enough of adventure. Not sure what reception he'll get from everyone back in Whisper Shore, he's stunned at not only a warm welcome from his hometown but also a job offer. The job is his if he can successfully pull off the annual Christmas Festival. If only he knew the first thing about coordinating events...

If there's one thing Autumn Kingsley knows, it's Whisper Shore. For years, she's been stuck running her family's inn when all she wants is to see the world. Now she has a visit scheduled from a potential investor who could take over the inn, as well as a dream job offer in Paris. But with just two weeks to whip the inn into shape, her chance at escape is a long shot.

The Hunzikers and the Kingsleys may not get along, but Blake knows Autumn's the only one who can help him. She agrees to a trade--she'll help with the Festival and he'll help with inn repairs. But what was meant to be a simple deal quickly becomes much more than that when the guy who's done running away joins forces with the girl who can't wait to leave.

My rating:

 
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My thoughts:

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