Riley Mae and the Ready Eddy Rapids by Jill Osborne

Book Description:

If you’re gonna run for your life, you gotta wear the right shoes.
Life is rapidly changing for pre-teen shoe spokesperson Riley Mae. After the last photo shoot and trek up the Half-Dome in Yosemite, Riley Mae and her Swiftriver friends find themselves in Northwest Montana, the perfect backdrop for a river sandal campaign. The first problem is a plane malfunction. Then the rigorous raft training for the “Ready Eddy” river sandal campaign brings more bumps and bruises. And given that she is in Montana for a shoe campaign instead of back home with her friends, Riley thinks life can’t get much worse. But then she meets Sunday, a 10 year-old boy from Kenya, who wrestles fish, battles bears, and tackles leukemia. And Riley soon learns that life is as unpredictable as the raging waters, which, if she is not careful, will sweep her away and into the hands of the enemy - who is even closer than she thinks.

This is a totally awesome book for preteens that love adventure.  It's not all about prissy girls, make-up, trying to be in fashion, boys and all the drama that goes with preteens these days.  It's about faith and living it, doing what is right.  The characters are fun and very age appropriate.  I would recommend this book and series to any middle school age child.  We need good clean Christian faith based books for our children.  Look out Babysitter club, Magic tree house and the others FaithGirlz is a super series and going to rise to the top.

About the Author:

Jill Osborne works in children’s ministry and has a passion for telling great stories. She has written plays, skits for youth groups and Sunday morning drama teams, curriculum for children’s ministry, countless articles for her church newsletter, and a blog about taking a sabbatical in a motor home. Good News Shoes is her first series for kids, and she plans to run with it! 

Find out more about Jill on her blog:  www.thegoodnewsshoesblog.com !  Tween girls can also enter to be featured on her blog!

a copy of this book was provided by Thomas Nelson in exchange for my honest review

The Lost Medallion by Bill Muir & Alex Kendrick

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing The Lost Medallion B&H Kids; Mti edition (June 1, 2013) by Bill Muir and Alex Kendrick

ABOUT THE AUTHORS:

Bill Muir is a popular speaker, an international award winning film maker and a sought-after consultant.

Having completed his new novels The Lost Medallion and A Hidden Treasure, Bill has turned his creativity to his new Children’s novel, Howdy Neighbors.

When Bill isn’t writing a novel, he’s busy directing and producing movies. He recently spent four months in Thailand filming, The Lost Medallion: the adventures of Billy Stone. The movie will be in theaters this fall. When he isn’t working on movies, he’s having fun with his family working their farm.

Alex Kendrick is associate pastor of movie outreach for Sherwood Baptist Church. He is also an actor, writer, and director whose film credits include Facing the Giants, Fireproof, and Courageous. He and his wife, Christina, have six children.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Archaeologist Dr. Michael Stone looked for the lost medallion his entire life, and now his son Billy has taken up the search. Amazingly, the medallion ends up in Billy's hands and a spontaneous wish in a precarious situation takes Billy and his best friend Allie, back 200 years to what they realize is a very different Aumakua Island. When Billy and his friends are not jumping off waterfalls, avoiding animal traps, crossing the ocean, sneaking through caves or escaping a prison they're facing their nemesis Cobra, who wants nothing more than for them all to disappear. With no other way to get home, and the well being of the entire island resting on his shoulders, Billy must discover the key to reclaiming the medallion and its tremendous power. One way or another, this adventure will change Billy, and life on the island, forever. Best-selling author and film director Alex Kendrick (The Love Dare, Courageous) and Youth for Christ veteran Bill Muir bring us this exciting novelization of The Lost Medallion movie.

If you would like to read the first chapter of The Lost Medallion, go HERE.

Humble Heart by Amy Meyer Allen

Meet Humble Honeybee and his virtue friends in this wonderful children's book of virtues. The pictures are bright, bold and colorful; the cover is  hardback with a soft cushion front cover. The characters will help reinforce those character traits that you are longing to instill in your child.  Each virtue is defined and then the story will go into detail showing how the virtue is carried out or experienced in the characters life.  At the end of each character trait there is a page that asks the reader if they have ever experienced a time when they put to use this virtue.  Good way to get your child to talk and reinforce the virtue.  There is also a scripture verse that corresponds with the virtue as well.  The character lessons are very simple that a two or three year old would benefit from this book.  7-8 year old might be a little bored with it.  Your young children will fall in love with the animal characters. 

Be sure to visit Humble Bumbles web site here for fun things to do . 

Check out Humble Heart page here for more information

A copy of this book and dvd was provided in exchange for this review by...

Here's Lily by Nancy Rue

Are you looking for a girly girls book?  A girl that is bit into fashion?  A book for a girl that is between the ages of 7-11 years old.  Then Here's Lily is just the book for her.  This is a cute fiction chapter book written about Lily a red-headed, spunky, spirited sixth grader. Lily is given a compliment and it grows into an obsession for her in the end she finds out what real beauty is all about.  This book is written with spunk and humor.  It is fun and entertaining for the fashionista with biblical truths and insights. There is also a companion nonfiction book that will help readers of this age group through their own growing pains.  A very realistic book and subject for this age group.  What a cute book set item to put under the tree or in the stocking for the tweetie girl on your Christmas list.

Product Description

Meet Lily Robbins, an awkward sixth grader who, after receiving a compliment about her looks from a woman in the modeling business, becomes obsessed with her appearance and with becoming a model. As she sets her sights on winning the model search fashion show, she exchanges her rock and feather collection for lip gloss, fashion magazines, and a private "club" with her closest friends. But when the unthinkable happens the night before the fashion show, Lily learns a valuable lesson about real beauty.

Find more information about this book here.

a copy of this book was provided by Thomas Nelson in exchange for my honest review

Found by Shelley Shepard Gray

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing Found Avon Inspire; Original edition (September 4, 2012) by Shelley Shepard Gray
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Since 2000, Shelley Sabga has sold over thirty novels to numerous publishers, including HarperCollins, Harlequin, Abingdon Press, and Avon Inspire. She has been interviewed by NPR, and her books have been highlighted in numerous publications, including USA Today and The Wall Street Journal.

Under the name Shelley Shepard Gray, Shelley writes Amish romances for HarperCollins’ inspirational line, Avon Inspire. Her recent novel, The Protector, the final book in her “Families of Honor” series, hit the New York Times List, and her previous novel in the same series, The Survivor, appeared on the USA Today bestseller list. Shelley has won the prestigious Holt Medallion for her books, Forgiven and Grace, and her novels have been chosen as Alternate Selections for the Doubleday/Literary Guild Book Club. Her first novel with Avon Inspire, Hidden, was an Inspirational Reader’s Choice finalist.

Before writing romances, Shelley lived in Texas and Colorado, where she taught school and earned both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in education. She now lives in southern Ohio and writes full time. Shelley is married, the mother of two children in college, and is an active member of her church. She serves on committees, volunteers in the church office, and currently leads a Bible study group, and she looks forward to the opportunity to continue to write novels that showcase her Christian ideals.

When she’s not writing, Shelley often attends conferences and reader retreats in order to give workshops and publicize her work. She’s attended RWA’s national conference six times, the ACFW conference and Romantic Times Magazine’s annual conference as well as traveled to New Jersey, Birmingham, and Tennessee to attend local conferences.

Check out Shelley's Facebook Fan page

ABOUT THE BOOK
 

A murder is solved and a quiet Amish community must deal with the repercussions. Amid the surprising revelations, can a newfound love survive?

As the search for Perry Borntrager's killer continues, Jacob Schrock feels like his world is about to crumble. Right before Perry went missing, he and Jacob got into a fistfight. Jacob never told anyone what happened that terrible night. He's good at keeping secrets—including his love for Deborah, Perry's sister. But when Deborah takes a job at his family's store and their friendship blossoms, Jacob senses everything is about to be revealed.

Deborah has been searching for a slice of happiness ever since her brother's body was discovered. When the police start questioning Jacob, Deborah can't believe that the one person she's finally allowed in could be the one responsible for her brother's death. Will she believe what everyone seems to think is the truth . . . or listen to her heart, and hope there is still one more person who is keeping secrets in Crittenden County?

If you would like to read the first chapter excerpt of Found, go HERE.

Live to Give by Austin Gutwein

It's hard to believe that a young boy can have it so all together.  I was so amazed as I read this book as to Austin's ability to bring such wonderful thoughts all together wrapped up in this book.  Very coherent and adult-like.  I was very impressed.  The theme throughout the book isn't about you but about God. You letting God use you.  God doesn't need you to accomplish His work, but He wants to use you to get the job done.  Austin tries to get his readers to see that God made us all unique and we shouldn't try to fin in a mold to be like someone else.  There is less stress in life if you just be yourself not try to be someone else.  Each chapter closes with study questions for the reader to ponder on as they endeavor to be who God created them to be and find where it is you fit in.  Austin helps the reader discover their own special gifts given to them by God. Austin challenges his peers to Live to Give and it is an awesome and much needed challenge for all teens. 

About the Book: 

Want to do something for God but don’t know what? Want to help others but don’t know who? Want to know what it is you’re really good at doing? Your gifts may feel small and insignificant. But God can use them to work a miracle!

Inspired by the biblical story of the feeding of the 5,000, "Live to Give" delivers a message of hope that we all have something to give. Written in the down-to-earth, candid voice of the gifted young man who as a kid founded a relief ministry that has saved and improved countless lives in Africa, "Live to Give" is the message that every teen needs to hear: You are more special than you know, and you can do big things.

Jesus proved that no gift is too small when He used five loaves and two fish to feed a crowd of thousands. And if no gift is too small, too ordinary, or too random, there is no limit to what the youth of today can accomplish!

A teenage philanthropist who has built a high school, two medical clinics, and a dormitory in Africa—all before the age of 16—Austin Gutwein shares how to take what may seem like the simplest of talents, gifts, and interests and use them for something Jesus can use to move mountains.

Link to buy the book

 Meet Austin

As founder of Hoops of Hope, Austin started what is now known as the worlds largest Free-Throw marathon. Austin's Hoops of Hope has raised more than $2.5M to help orphan children in Africa. Austin also serves as Co-Chair of Arizona Governor Jan Brewer's Youth Council. As a highly sought after speaker, Austin has spoken and shared his heart in venues around the world. In 2009, Austin was selected into the Caring Hall of Fame as one of the top 10 most caring Americans.

Austin's first book, "Take Your Best Shot" shared stories that captured readers hearts and won a Moonbeam Award. For information on booking Austin or general inquiries, please visit austingutwein.com.

Blog Tour Schedule

"Get and Give" Campaign! Win a Kindle Fire from @AustinGutwein and have $250 donated to the Charity of your choice!

Austin's new book Live to Give is about "Letting God Turn Your Talents into Miracles"! Celebrate with him by entering his "Get and Give" Campaign - you could win a Kindle Fire for yourself AND Litfuse will donate $250 to the charity of your choice!

See what people are saying about Live to Give.

One winner will receive:

• A Brand New Kindle Fire with Wi-Fi
• Five copies of Live to Give by Austin Gutwein
• $250 donated on the winner’s behalf to the charity of their choice

Hurry, the giveaway ends on 8/25/12. The winner will be announced on 8/27/12 on the Live to Give Landing Page!

Just click one of the icons below to enter. Tell your friends about Austin's giveaway on FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning.

A copy of this book was provided in exchange for my honest review by...

TJ and the Time Stumblers: OOPS! by Bill Myers

They're back and they're at it again.  Find out what kind of OOPS, TJ and the Time Stubmlers, Herby and Tuna, can find themselves in.  They're wacky and hilarious antics are enough to keep anyone turning the pages for more adventure and action. It's not the pictures that make this book it's the creative words and sound effects....

It's just that book that tweenies need to get caught up in.  fun, adventure and action.  Time travelers will love this too. 

Visit the author's web site here. 
For more information about this book visit here.

I copy of this book was provided in exchange for this review by...

You're Already Amazing by Holley Gerth

 The Best News A Woman Will Ever Hear: You’re Already Amazing
(in)courage cofounder & award-winning writer on stopping the quest for perfection

Every woman can relate to the feeling of instant inadequacy after walking into a room crowded with other women, comparing themselves to everyone else in the room. We’re transported back to the seventh grade lunch room, and our quest for acceptance and perfection seems never ending. But what if there was a way to quiet our insecurities and to embrace our differences to live the life God designed specifically for us?

Good news, there is. Award-winning author, (in)courage co-founder and life coach Holley Gerth
ask readers to pull up a chair and shares the best news we’ll ever hear: You’re Already Amazing. Her warm writing style, filled with sincere encouragement and confessions about her own shortcomings, makes it easy for readers to imagine they’re enjoying an intimate conversation over a cup of coffee.

If you need help  Embracing Who You Are, Becoming All God Created You to Be then this is the book for you.  Gerth helps the reader to see that You're Already Amazing in God's eyes, and that's all the counts.  If you don't feel amazing and loved when you start the book by the time you reach the end of the book you'll feel amazing, loved and that you matter to God. The book is designed for you to write and answer things right in it.  However, if you are like me you don't like to write in your book, then you can go to the books web site (given in book) and download a pdf file (44 page) pamphlet of all the questions that are in the book.  At the end of the book there is also a beautiful going deeper guide that complements each chapter.  It's a lot of amazing stuff all wrapped up in one small book.  This is one Amazing book and author you won't want to miss.  She even leaves ya with a dare first thing

The Dare
From You’re Already Amazing by Holley Gerth

Pssst . . . pull up a chair and I’ll tell you a secret. You’d better lean in close for this one.

Ready?

You don’t have to do more, be more, have more.

I’m sure there are security alarms going off somewhere. You should probably hide this book when your in-laws come over. And this could be the makings of a Sunday morning scandal. But it’s true.
It’s the kind of true that will change your life, set you free, and make you wake up smiling for the first time in a long time. I know because that’s what it did for me (and believe me, for this non–morning girl that’s nothing short of miraculous). I’ve seen it happen to a lot of other women too. I’ve read it in their words through thousands of comments on my blog. I’ve seen it in their faces on the couch in my counseling office. I’ve heard it in a new kind of laughter over coffee with friends.

So watch out, sister. If you keep reading, you just might be next.

Even if we’ve never met, I know this about you: you’re a daughter of God, a holy princess, a woman created with strengths you’ve yet to fully grasp and a story that’s still being written by the divine Author himself. And if you really take hold of who you are and what you’re called to do, there will be no stopping you. That’s because there’s no stopping him in you—and he’s got bigger plans for your life than you’ve even imagined.

Okay, you’ve been warned.

If you’re feeling brave, I dare you to turn the page . . .

Visit Holley's web site here.
For more information about the book visit here.
(Paperback ISBN: 978-0-8007-2060-5, 224 pages, March 2012, $13.99)

Holley Gerth is an award-winning writer, licensed counselor, certified life coach and speaker. She is cofounder of (in)courage, an online destination for women, which received more than one million page views in its first six months. She also reaches out to readers through her popular blog, Heart to Heart with Holley and through her partnership with DaySpring, a subsidiary of Hallmark. Holley lives in Arkansas with her husband, Mark.


“Available March 2012 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.”

A copy of this book was provided in exchange for my honest review by... 

Girl Talk by Nicole O'Dell along with daughters Natalie & Emily

I just received this book in the mail yesterday so I haven't had too much time to spend on reviewing the book; however, it does look like a most wonderful book.  Questions and Answers from teen girls written by mother/daughters team.  From what I've seen glancing through the book it looks like an excellent resource to have on hand for those issues that are bound to come to light in your daughters life.  The question is asked and then it is responded to by one of the daughters (either Natalie or Emily) and also Nicole, mom, answers the question from a mom's prospective.  Each Q&A has a scripture tagged to it that goes along with the question.  Below is a sample page of the book.  If you click on the picture it should blow it up so you can read it.  Also feel free to watch the video trailer below.  Visit Nicole with some Qs&As here.  I hope that I can review more of her upcoming books.  My teeny has read Nicole's Swept Away book and The Wishing Pearl.  She has totally enjoyed them. 

Here is a page of the Table of contents:
(again click on the image to blow it up)

You may also take a look inside the  book @ CBD



You may find Nicole here:
Nicole O'Dell, chooseNOWministries
 author and host of Teen Talk Radio
Visit me on Facebook!

Published books and Up-coming:

Scenarios Interactive Fiction: Dare to Be Different, Risky Business, Swept Away

The Wishing Pearl, book 1,  

The Embittered Ruby, book 2, (4/12)  

Diamond Estates series, Barbour

Girl Talk, Barbour, (2/12)

At Rainbow's End, Barbour, (3/12)

Hot Buttons, Issues 1 & 2, Kregel (5/12)

A copy of this book was provided by the author in exchange for my honest review.

Lilies in the Moonlight by Allison Pittman

This book was quite the page turner. You never knew which direction it was going to take. I can't say that I recall reading any of Allison's books so was very pleasantly pleased. I will be looking for more of her books in the future.  The theme of this book is letting go of the past and forgiveness. 

For more information about this book visit here.


 A copy of  this book was provided in exchange for this review by...

Married Mom, Solo Parent by Carla Anne Coroy

For married women who feel like single parents.

Bookstore shelves are full of parenting resources for moms who are newly divorced or widowed. But where do moms turn if they feel like a single parent--but they’re not? Whether he is away on business, deployed in the military, or obsessing over a computer game, dad may not be available for a variety of reasons. Moms who parent in this situation still need help and don’t necessarily relate to the advice given in divorce recovery or single parenting resources.

Married Mom, Solo Parent is a common-sense, down-to-earth look at the struggles wives and mothers face when their husband is not actively involved in family life. Writing from her own experience as a married single mom, Carla Anne Coroy will help wives and mothers sort through their questions, such as: Can I do this alone? How do I raise kids to honor their father? How do I give my children a healthy perspective of marriage if they never see one in action? With practical suggestions, anecdotes, and biblical teaching, this book will encourage moms to see their position as a high calling, to find healing for their worries and frustrations, and to tap into God’s strength for help in facing the daily challenge of being a married mom, solo parent.

Link to buy the book

Carla Anne Coroy runs the Married Single Mom blog at www.carlaannecoroy.blogspot.com. She speaks regularly and serves as a staff writer for an online Christian women’s magazine Mentoring Moments for Christian Women. Carla Anne lives in Canada with her husband and four homeschooled children. For more information, visit www.carlaanne.com.

 

When this book came out for review I thought it would be a book for single moms, but that isn't the case.  Don't let it fool you.  This book is for the married mom, but the husband is busy or always away for whatever reason, school, job, etc.  Therefore, that leaves the mom to parent the children solo.  I am neither a single mom or a solo mom, but I enjoyed reading this book.  The author speaks from experience.  She shares her heart and thoughts and ideas for solo moms to glean from.  You'll come to realize that there is no formula for preparing yourself for the solo parenting journey that you might one day find yourself in.  Women are often given little warning solo parenting just becomes your lifestyle. This book is a book of resource suggestions, tools, tips and ideas. Yes, I would recommend this book to the solo mom, it is the first I've read on the subject.   

Come to an encouraging MomChat party on Facebook…you could win a KindleTouch!

Don't miss Carla Coroy's MomChat Facebook Party on 10/25!

To celebrate the release of her new book Carla has partnered with her publisher, Kregel, to host a live MomChat party on Facebook!

The party will wrap up the blog tour and Carla will be hosting an encouraging MomChat about all things mom and wife related. There will also be a fun contest and she’s giving away a KindleTouch and a ton of other fun stuff (books, gift certificates and more!).

So RSVP today and then come back on 10/25 at 5pm Pacific, 8pm Eastern for the party.

Don't miss the fun ... and tell your friends.

Blog tour schedule

A copy of this book was provided for this tour by...