spring_greetings photo springgreetings.gif

Thursday, September 30, 2010

The Mayan Apocalypse by Mark Hitchcock & Alton Gasky




This week, the




Christian Fiction Blog Alliance




is introducing




The Mayan Apocalypse
Harvest House Publishers(September 1, 2010)




by
Mark Hitchcock & Alton Gansky


ABOUT THE AUTHORS:

Mark Hitchcock is the author of more than 17 books related to end-time Bible prophecy, including the bestselling 2012, the Bible, and the End of the World. He earned a ThM and PhD from Dallas Theological Seminary and is the senior pastor of Faith Bible Church in Edmond, Oklahoma. He has worked as an adjunct professor at DTS and has served as a contributing editor for the Left Behind Prophecy Club for five years.



Alton Gansky is the author of 30 books—24 of them novels, including the Angel Award winner Terminal Justice and Christie Award finalist A Ship Possessed. A frequent speaker at writing conferences, he holds BA and MA degrees in biblical studies. Alton and his wife reside in Southern California.

ABOUT THE BOOK
On the heels of Mark Hitchcock’s prophecy bestseller 2012, the Bible, and the End of the World comes a suspenseful novel (coauthored with bestselling novelist Alton Gansky) about the supposed expiration date of planet earth—December 21, 2012.

Andrew Morgan is a wealthy oil executive in search of the meaning of life. In his quest for answers he encounters the ancient Mayan predictions that the world will end in 2012. That the claims seem supported by math and astronomy drives him to check on them. Then he meets Lisa Campbell, an attractive Christian journalist also researching the Mayan calendar. When he learns that she is a Christian, he quickly dismisses what she has to say.

As the time draws closer to December 21, 2012, a meteorite impact in Arizona, a volcanic eruption, and the threat of an asteroid on a collision-course with earth escalate fears. Are these indicators of a global apocalypse? Will anyone survive? Does Lisa’s Christian faith have the answers after all? Or has fate destined everyone to a holocaust from which there is no escape?

Watch the book trailer:



If you would like to read the first chapter of The Mayan Apocalypse, go HERE.







books

Wednesday, September 29, 2010

Stay by Allie Larkin

stay banner



Savannah “Van” Leone has loved Peter since the day they met. The problem is, Peter has loved Van’s best friend, Janie, since the moment they met. And now they’re walking down the aisle, with Van standing nearby in a Halloween orange bridesmaid dress, her smile as hollow as a jack-o-lantern. After the wedding, Van drowns her sorrows in Kool Aid-vodka cocktails and reruns of Rin-Tin-Tin, and does what any woman in her situation would do: She buys a German Shepherd over the internet.
The pocket-sized puppy Van is expecting turns out to be a clumsy, hundred-pound beast that only responds to Slovakian. Van is at the end of her rope—until she realizes that this quirky giant may be the only living being who will always be loyal to her, no matter what. And thus begins a friendship that will alter Van’s life in ways she never imagined.
Joe leads Van to Dr. Alex Brandt, a rugged vet with floppy blond hair and winning smile. But just as things are starting to heat up, the newlyweds return from their honeymoon, forcing Van to decide just how much she’s willing to sacrifice in order to have everything she ever wanted. Warm and witty, poignant and funny, Stay marks the arrival of an irresistible new voice

Read an excerpt here!

I loved this book except for the author's choice of words in places. (see my words policy) For being her first book it was wonderful. Loved the setting, characters and plot. If you read Stay you'll fall in love with Joe, he's a wonderful character and has a personality all his own. He's the best friend anyone could ask for.

What I didn't like about the book was the author's choice of words it gets me every time when I try to read a secular book. Most people think nothing of their language. I am a Christian and taking my Lord and Saviors name lightly I don't & I don't care to hear (or read) others do it either. Too many times in the book did the author use language that I very strongly feel was poor choice. Other than that is was a very, very excellent Chicky, witty book.






Allie Larkin lives in Rochester, New York, with her husband, Jeremy, their two German Shepherds, Argo and Stella, and a three-legged cat.
She is the co-founder of TheGreenists.com, a site dedicated to helping readers take simple steps toward going green.
STAY is her first novel.
You can visit Allie’s website at www.allielarkinwrites.com.
Read an interview with Allie @ Pump up your Book
A copy of this book was provided for review by Virtual Book tours











books

Whatcha Reading ~ The Ice Cream Theory


This is how "Whatcha Reading Wednesdays" works this week...

Go to page 1 type in the first sentence. If it is a spoiler at all be sure to put **Spoiler Alert** at the top of your comment (like if the selection announces the death of an integral character or something).


Link up over at Busy Moms Who Love to Read


I like ice cream.  
That actually might be the biggest understatement  in the history of the world.

I'm infatuated with ice cream. 
 

 The Ice Cream Theory by Steff Deschenes


Book tour and my review will be posted next Wednesday on this book. Be watching for it.


books

Tuesday, September 28, 2010

Judgement Day by Wanda Dyson





This week, the




Christian Fiction Blog Alliance




is introducing




Judgment Day
WaterBrook Press (September 21, 2010)




by
Wanda Dyson


ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Wanda Dyson – "a shining example of what Christian fiction is becoming..." (Christian Fiction Review). She's been called a "natural" and a "master of pacing," but her fans know that whether it's police thrillers, suspense, or bringing a true story to life, Wanda knows how to take her readers on a journey they'll never forget.

Wanda is a multipublished suspense author, currently writing for Random House/Waterbrook. Her one attempt at a nonfiction book was picked for an exclusive release on Oprah. In addition to writing full time, she is also the appointment coordinator for the CCWC, Great Philadelphia Christian Writers, and ACFW conferences.

Wanda lives in Western Maryland on a 125 acre farm with a menagerie of animals and when she's not writing critically acclaimed suspense, or away at conferences, you can find her zipping across the fields on a 4-wheeler with Maya, her German Shepherd, or plodding along at a more leisurely pace on her horse, Nanza.

With the release of her newest hit, Judgment Day, Wanda is heading back to the keyboard to start on her next high-octane thriller, The Vigilante.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Sensational journalism has never been so deadly.

The weekly cable news show Judgment Day with Suzanne Kidwell promises to expose businessmen, religious leaders, and politicians for the lies they tell. Suzanne positions herself as a champion of ethics and morality with a backbone of steel—until a revelation of her shoddy investigation tactics and creative fact embellishing put her in hot water with her employers, putting her credibility in question and threatening her professional ambitions.

Bitter and angry, Suzanne returns home one day to find an entrepreneur she is investigating, John Edward Sterling, unconscious on her living room floor. Before the night is over, Sterling is dead, she has his blood on her hands, and the police are arresting her for murder. She needs help to prove her innocence, but her only hope, private investigator Marcus Crisp, is also her ex-fiancĂ©–the man she betrayed in college.

Marcus and his partner Alexandria Fisher-Hawthorne reluctantly agree to take the case, but they won’t cut Suzanne any slack. Exposing her lack of ethics and the lives she’s destroyed in her fight for ratings does little to make them think Suzanne is innocent. But as Marcus digs into the mire of secrets surrounding her enemies, he unveils an alliance well-worth killing for. Now all he has to do is keep Suzanne and Alex alive long enough to prove it.

Watch the book trailer:



If you would like to read the Prologue and first chapter of Judgment Day, go HERE.


books

Teaser Tuesday ~ No Distance too Far




Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, f hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along, so I thought I would play for un! Just do the following:
  • Grab your current read
  • Open to a random page
  • Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
  • BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
  • Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!




"Thorliff, don't tease your mor." Haaken was having a hard time keeping from laughing, so Ingeborg pushed back her chair and stood. "The polite children in this family and those who are kind to others will now have pie for dessert. the rest of you can continue your harebrained schemes in the parlor. Uff da! The things you come up with."


Taken from of Lauraine Snelling's No Distance Too Far

Read my review here.


books

Monday, September 27, 2010

The Secret of the Shroud by Pamela Ewen






This week, the






Christian Fiction Blog Alliance






is introducing






The Secret of The Shroud
B&H Books (September 1, 2010)






by
Pamela Ewen


ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Pamela’s first novel, Walk Back The Cat (Broadman & Holman. May, 2006) is the story of an embittered and powerful clergyman who learns an ancient secret, confronting him with truth and a choice that may destroy him.

She is also the best-selling author of the acclaimed non-fiction book Faith On Trial, published by Broadman & Holman in 1999, currently in its third printing.

Although it was written for non-lawyers, Faith On Trial was also chosen as a text for a course on law and religion at Yale Law School in the Spring of 2000, along with The Case For Christ by Lee Stroble. Continuing the apologetics begun in Faith On Trial, Pamela also appears with Gary Habermas, Josh McDowell, Darrell Bock, Lee Stroble, and others in the film Jesus: Fact or Fiction, a Campus Crusade for Christ production.

Her most recent novel, The Moon in the Mango Tree (B&H Publishing Group, May 2008) is currently available online and in bookstores everywhere. Set in the 1920’s and based on a true story, it is about a woman faced with making a choice between career and love, and her search for faith over the glittering decade. Pamela’s upcoming book, Dancing On Glass, which was recently short-listed as a finalist for the Faulkner/Wisdom creative writing novel award, will be released in the spring of 2011, and she is currently working on a sequel.

ABOUT THE BOOK

A frightened apostle in AD 33, a tragic child in the 1950s, and a slick, twenty-first century church leader are all linked by the secret of the Shroud of Turin, the purported burial cloth of Jesus-and by something more.

Wesley Bright, a corrupt, media-savvy clergyman, is out to destroy the Christian church of the God who abandoned him in his boyhood. Likable and entertaining, Bright keeps his motives well hidden. But as he seeks revenge, leading the church toward unknowing destruction, the mysterious Shroud of Turin stands in his way.

Strange characters and clues emerge like shadows limned in mist as the most recent discoveries on the Shroud connect the pieces of a fascinating puzzle. When Wesley learns the ancient secret, he’s forced to confront a terrible choice: keep the secret—and the power, wealth, and fame he’s won over the years—or expose it...and lose everything.

At stake is one thing: absolute truth.

If you would like to read the first chapter of The Secret of The Shroud, go HERE.


books

Mailbox Monday ~ Sept. 27, 2010





Join Mailbox Monday meme
@ The Printed Page



Summary ~ Lydia's Charm

Visit Amish Country during the fall as Lydia King attempts to make Charm, Ohio, feel like home after losing her husband. But is her heart ready to open back up to love when gifts appear on her porch from a mystery source? Could it be from the widowed father of four energetic boys, or is it from the man who has rejected romance to be his family’s caregiver? When life hands Lydia another challenge, will the gift giver be there to support her?

Summary ~ The Bedtime of the Sky

In this, Ms. Wolfe’s fifth book, she has returned to her roots. Wolfe started writing childrens stories in verse in the early 80’s in order to have her nephew and nieces enjoy them. Now, she has compiled them into a short collection to be enjoyed by everyone! As you can tell from the title, “The Bedtime Of The Sky and Other Sleepy Bye Stories” was specifically written for reading at bedtime. From Dragons hiding in the sock drawer, to a Mom designing the Universe, these stories are full of magical imagery and beautifully colored illustrations that are designed to delight any young heart and let them drift peacefully off to dreamland!

Summary ~ Do you Know who I Am?

In her book Do You Know Who I Am? Angela Thomas asks God if He knows her—and ultimately does He love her—as she is, right now, today. In each chapter, she names a different identity issue, such as: "I am invisible," "I am worn out," "I am undisciplined," "I am ordinary," and "I am afraid to dream." With each honest admission, Angela teaches that God lovingly replies, "Yes, I know your heart. I see your struggle. Now…do you know who I AM?"
Ultimately Angela reveals that the secret to being known and loved lies in an intimate understanding of who God is. Each identity struggle is answered with a short biblical study on the character of God that assures readers that their personal, spiritual, and eternal fulfillment is not dependent on getting themselves together. Rather, God has a purpose for them just as they are—broken, afraid, disappointed, disillusioned.
Through vivid storytelling, biblical teaching, and practical application, readers will find the heartfelt answers they seek.

Summary ~ Snow Day

In this debut novel, Peter is a simple man who lives by a simple truth--a person gains strength by leaning on his constants. To him, those constants are the factory where he works, the family he loves, and the God who sustains him. But when news of job cuts comes against the backdrop of an unexpected snowstorm, his life becomes filled with far more doubts than certainties. With humor and a gift for storytelling, Billy Coffey brings you along as he spends his snow day encountering family, friends, and strangers of his small Virginia town. All have had their own battles with life's storms. Some have found redemption. Others are still seeking it. But each one offers a piece to the puzzle of why we must sometimes suffer loss, and each one will help Peter find a greater truth--our lives are made beautiful not by our big moments, but our little ones.



Everyone knows how Dorothy and Toto save Oz from the Wicked Witch of West…or do they? How will Dorothy survive in a land filled with haunted bags of straw, hollow metal men and giant smelly cats? How will she fight off killer bees, mad wolves and really annoying monkeys? How will she defeat a witch with mind control and an all-seeing eye? And how will Dorothy ever find the way home? The simple truth is that she won’t, at least not alone. Of course, she’s not alone–she has Toto, her best friend. That is, Toto used to be her best friend. But in Oz, Dorothy spends more time talking to a cat than to him. And Toto finds new friends, too. Maybe, he should just take his wolf friends back to Kansas instead…


The One Year Mother-Daughter Devo is designed to be used by a mother and her tween daughter; both can read and understand the same devotion and share in the “girl gab” section to discuss their understanding of Scripture and their relationship with God. The devotion will strengthen mother-daughter relationships as well as their relationships with God. Topics for the devotions are centered around issues that the best-selling author (Dannah Gresh) is known for addressing through her books and mother-daughter conferences. Topics include modesty, purity, self-esteem, handling emotions, witnessing, living the faith. Dannah will encourage mother-daughter devotional time as a part of her conference curriculum for 2010- 2011, which will present a natural connection for the devotional.

Summary ~ Let's Eat!

Denise Burroughs combines her rich Italian heritage with years of southern tradition in Let’s Eat!, her debut cookbook. Her love for cooking shines through in this comprehensive book, suitable for all levels of cooking experience. Let’s Eat! provides readers with simple, inexpensive dishes. Recipes range from “Potato Flake Chicken” to “Chocolate Italian Cookies.”

Her strong Italian background shines through in many recipes, combining her love of tradition and her passion for rich flavors.

Burroughs’ unique dishes have been cultivated through years of experience, filling the hearts and stomachs of her friends and family. She writes: “Enjoy what you do! Your kitchen is your way of self expression and the heart of your home.”

In Let’s Eat!, Burroughs goes on to share cherished childhood memories of her family cooking authentic Italian meals. Burroughs recalls: ” Back when my great grandmother used to make pizza they called it ‘Tomato Pie’. It was not like pizza we get today. It was square and had sauce, oregano, and grated cheese on top.”

Burroughs includes helpful cooking tips for first-timers and some useful veteran secrets. She takes great pride in her recipes and is excited to share them for the very first time. She is confiedent these recipes will satisfy your family and friends.

Summary ~ Seaside Romance

Relive yesteryear’s glory days in Capernaum Island, Providence, and Newport, Rhode Island, through the eyes of three young women on the tide of love. Judith lives at the lighthouse her father operates, but when an old friend returns, will his fears keep him from reaching her? Becca’s first day on the job as a maid ends with a marriage proposal to a business tycoon, but can she trust his sincerity? Francesca is being pressured to enter a prestigious marriage, but can true love be within her reach? Enjoy this delightful collection of historical romances.

Summary ~ Within My Heart

Widow Rachel Boyd struggles to keep her ranch afloat and provide for her two young sons, though some days it feels as though her efforts are sabotaged at every turn. When her cattle come down with disease and her sons' lives are endangered, she must turn to Rand Brookston, Timber Ridge's physician and reluctant veterinarian. While Rachel appreciates his help, she squelches any feelings she might have for Rand--her own father was a doctor and his patients always took priority over his family. Rachel refuses to repeat the mistakes her mother made. But when she's courted by a wealthy client of the local resort, she faces a choice: self-sufficiency and security or the risk inherent in the deepest of loves.

Summary ~ Embers of Love

The logging industry in eastern Texas is booming, and Deborah Vandermark plans to assist her family's business now that she's completed college. Unexpectedly, her best friend, Lizzie Decker, accompanies her back home--fleeing a wedding and groom she has no interest in. Deborah, the determined matchmaker, puts her sights on uniting her brother and dear friend in a true love match. Deborah soon meets Dr. Christopher Clayton, a much-needed addition to the town. As their lives intersect, Deborah realizes that she has a much greater interest in medicine and science than the bookkeeping she was trained in. But when typhoid begins to spread and Lizzie's jilted fiance returns, Deborah wonders if true love can overcome such obstacles...for those dearest to her, and for herself.

Summary ~ While We're Far Apart

In an unassuming apartment building in Brooklyn, New York, three lives intersect as the reality of war invades each aspect of their lives. Young Esther is heartbroken when her father decides to enlist in the army shortly after the death of her mother. Penny Goodrich has been in love with Eddie Shaffer for as long as she can remember; now that Eddie's wife is dead, Penny feels she has been given a second chance and offers to care for his children in the hope that he will finally notice her and marry her after the war. And elderly Mr. Mendel, the landlord, waits for the war to end to hear what has happened to his son trapped in war-torn Hungary. But during the long, endless wait for victory overseas, life on the home front will go from bad to worse. Yet these characters will find themselves growing and changing in ways they never expected--and ultimately discovering truths about God's love...even when He is silent.

 My Second Hand Find





Summary ~ Small Miracles

These paintings of mothers and children and young ones at play illuminate the reflective text, escorting you time and again into a child's land of wonder and discovery.

books

Friday, September 24, 2010

My review of The Bedtime of the sky


The stories that Wolfe shares with her young readers in this book is just adorable.  She has written them in rhyming verse. They are unique her own creations.  The illustrations are just as fantasy and bedtimey. The main picture fits each story and then the boarder compliments each subsequent page of the story.   My favorite story was There's a Baby in the Sink. The little boy finds out that a kitchen sink can be used for more things than washing dishes when mom uses it to wash his baby sister.  Dolly Dear was cute too; as was The Bedtime of the Sky.  Don't forget that Christmas is coming.  Give books they last a long time.  You child will love the stories that Wolfe has made up.  I'd like to thank the author, Carolyn Wolfe, for supplying me with a copy of this book for this review.

You may visit this book tour here.




In this, Ms. Wolfe’s fifth book, she has returned to her roots. Wolfe started writing childrens stories in verse in the early 80’s in order to have her nephew and nieces enjoy them. Now, she has compiled them into a short collection to be enjoyed by everyone! As you can tell from the title, “The Bedtime Of The Sky and Other Sleepy Bye Stories” was specifically written for reading at bedtime. From Dragons hiding in the sock drawer, to a Mom designing the Universe, these stories are full of magical imagery and beautifully colored illustrations that are designed to delight any young heart and let them drift peacefully off to dreamland!






Carolyn Anne Wolfe is an author and free-lance writer whose body of work includes four previously published books, poetry, short stories and a number of newspaper articles and editorials. Wolfe is an animal and human rights activist as well as a vegetarian and these beliefs are strongly reflected in her writing. She lives with her husband and many animal companions in the heart of the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia.
You can find Carolyn at www.whenthemoonspeaks.com



This book review was also posted at the Fall Children's book festival held @ 5 minutes for books. Click here for details some book reviews have giveaways.




A copy of this book was provided by the author for this review purpose only

books

Blogger Hop ~ Sept. 24, 2010


 This week I decided to do Book Blogger Hop.  Check it out here.

This week's question comes from Elizabeth who blogs at Silver's Reviews.

When you write reviews, do you write them as you are reading or wait until you have read the entire book?

Generally, I jot down a few things I want to remember as I'm reading then do the review after I'm finished with the book.  One book I did write it as I was going because I had access to my computer while I was reading the book so just wrote in the post draft.  


books