The Road to Becoming: Rediscovering Your Life in the Not-How-I-Planned-It Moments by Jenny Simmons

★★★★★

Wake up each new day and say yes. 

There is a moment in all of our lives when leaning into the unknown becomes our only viable pathway forward. This is the moment you must ask, "Do I believe the Storyteller knows better than anyone else my part in the story?" If the answer is yes, pack your bags and get ready to follow God into the unknown.

In this vulnerable, laugh-out-loud book, Jenny Simmons shares her own journey through seasons of change and lostness, dead ends and detours, and finally into the terrifying, unknown, God-designed future. The road to becoming is not easy, but it is here you'll begin to discover that new life – life abundant – is always, ever among us. Dancing on the horizon.

The Road to Becoming: Rediscovering Your Life in the Not-How-I-Planned-It Moments is a gem of a book. Jenny Simmons writes openly about the challenges she has experienced in a life filled with loss, transition, the unknown, and a God who works through all of it, and tells her story well. It feels authentic and captures feelings that many readers can relate to. Overall, The Road to Becoming is an engaging, encouraging, and enjoyable read - I recommend it.

Thanks to Baker Book Bloggers, I received a copy of The Road to Becoming and the opportunity to provide an honest review. I was not required to write a positive review, and all the opinions I have expressed are my own.

Waiting on Wednesday: The Golden Braid

Hosted weekly by Breaking the Spine 
to spotlight eagerly-anticipated upcoming releases.

Title: The Golden Braid

Author: Melanie Dickerson

Publisher: Thomas Nelson

Expected Publication Date: November 2015

The one who needs rescuing isn’t always the one in the tower.

Rapunzel can throw a knife better than any man around. And her skills as an artist rival those of any artist she’s met. But for a woman in medieval times, the one skill she most desires is the hardest one to obtain: the ability to read.

After yet another young man asks for Rapunzel’s hand in marriage, Mother decides they need to move once again, but this time to a larger city. Rapunzel’s heart soars – surely there she can fulfill her dream. But Mother won’t let her close to a man. She claims that no man can be trusted.

After being rescued by a knight on the road to the city, and in turn rescuing him farther down the road, Rapunzel’s opportunity arrives at last. This knight, Sir Gerek, agrees to educate Rapunzel in order to pay back his debt. She just has to put up with his arrogant nature and single-minded focus on riches and prestige.

But this Rapunzel story is unlike any other and the mystery that she uncovers will change everything – except her happily ever after.

Deadlock by Diann Mills

★★★★★

Two murders have rocked the city of Houston. Are they the work of a serial killer, or is a copycat trying to get away with murder?

That is the question facing Special Agent Bethany Sanchez, who is eager for her new assignment in violent crimes but anxious about meeting her new partner. Special Agent Thatcher Graves once arrested her brother, and he has a reputation for being a maverick. Plus, their investigative styles couldn’t be more opposite: he operates on instinct, while she goes by the book.

When hot leads soon fizzle out, their differences threaten to leave them deadlocked. But an attempt on their lives turns up the heat and brings them closer together, and a third victim might yield the clue that will help them zero in on a killer. This could be the case of their careers…if they can survive long enough to solve it.

Before Deadlock, I hadn’t read any books by Diann Mills, but this book, even as the third in her FBI: Houston series, still hooked me from the start. Full of crime drama and suspense, I could not stop reading and just had to know how everything would be solved. Special Agents Bethany Sanchez and Thatcher Graves make an interesting pair, working together to solve the crime, and I enjoyed seeing them interact - not only in the context of crime, but romance and faith also. It’s an excellent read, and I think fans of the series will not be disappointed with Deadlock. Now, I’m certainly interested in reading more from Diann Mills.

Thanks to Tyndale BlogNetwork, I received a copy of Deadlock and the opportunity to provide an honest review. I was not required to write a positive review, and all the opinions I have expressed are my own.

When Love Returns by Kim Vogel Sawyer

★★★★★

Riddled with doubt and lingering regrets, will Suzanne and Paul find strength in God to explore a second chance at love?   

 
It wasn’t easy to move back to the Old Order Mennonite community from which quiet, responsible Suzanne Zimmerman was shamefully sent away as a pregnant teen. Returning twenty years later to take care of her mother, Suzanne and Alexa – the daughter she raised as her own – have spent months rebuilding relationships with her family. 
 
Now with the upcoming wedding of their biological daughter, Suzanne and Paul find themselves drawn to one another once again – but with new challenges to face. They have been single parents with painful pasts. Can Paul and Suzanne find the strength to rebuild the loving relationship that was torn apart by their teen pregnancy so long ago? 
 
Suzanne must also let go of Alexa as she heads back to Indianapolis to visit friends – and as her chance to find her birth parents. Leaving the bed-and-breakfast in Suzanne’s apprehensive hands, Alexa embarks on a journey that will certainly change her life completely. Can mother and daughter trust God to restore all things in His timing?

The third book in Kim Vogel Sawyer’s Zimmerman Restoration trilogy, When Love Returns picks up after the events of When Mercy Rains and When Grace Sings. (I would highly recommend that interested readers start reading at the beginning to the series in order to understand both character development and references to previous events.) It offers the perfect continuation to the series, revisiting now-familiar and beloved characters and satisfactorily tying together various storylines. I highly enjoyed this third inspiration and emotional read and would certainly recommend it to fans of the Zimmerman series. I can’t wait to read more from Kim Vogel Sawyer in the future.

Thanks to Blogging for Books, I received a copy of When Love Returns and the opportunity to provide an honest review. I was not required to write a positive review, and all the opinions I have expressed are my own.

Gather Around the Amish Table: Treasured Recipes and Stories from Plain Communities by Lucy Leid

Incorporate Amish cooking traditions this fall in your kitchen with Lucy Leid's Gather Around the Amish Table. Straight from Amish kitchens to yours, this cookbook offers favorite family recipes and charming stories from Amish and Mennonite cooks. Gather your family around the table to sample the nourishing fare and trademark charm of the plain people. In the words of one cookbook contributor: “Bake someone happy!”

Get your fall baking underway with an Amish baking basket giveaway from Lucy and MennoMedia!

 

One grand prize winner will receive:

• A copy of Gather Around the Amish Table
• An Amish baking basket full of goodies

Enter today by clicking the icon below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on September 29th. The winner will be announced September 30th on the Litfuse blog.

About the Book

★★★★★

Straight from Amish kitchens to yours, this cookbook offers favorite family recipes and charming stories from Amish and Mennonite cooks.

Bake the pecan rolls that taste best after an ice-skating party, or try the hoagies that a community sold to help an Amish family with hospital bills. Discover the cocoa cupcakes with instructions to "stir by hand" that one young cook took literally, or whip up the whoopie pies that one Amish woman took to market in her horse and buggy.

These cherished recipes speak of comforting traditions, lively communities, and strong Christian faith. Gather your family around the table to sample the nourishing fare and trademark charm of the plain people. In the words of one cookbook contributor: "Bake someone happy!"

When reading Amish fiction novels, I’ve noticed how authors always include the mouth-watering descriptions of a variety of home-cooked dishes and delicious desserts and make me long for such meals. Now, with cookbook Gather Around the Amish Table, compiled by Old Order Mennonite Lucy Leid, I can finally try my hand at these typical Amish meals. Leid’s cookbook is filled with simple, delicious, authentic recipes - highlighted with colorful, enticing pictures and interesting accompanying stories - for any time of day and any occasion and offers a wonderful resource for anyone who enjoys cooking, baking and trying new recipes. I would certainly recommend it.

Thanks to LitFuse Publicity Group, I received a copy of Gather Around the Amish Table and the opportunity to provide an honest review. I was not required to write a positive review, and all the opinions I have expressed are my own. To read other opinions, be sure to check out what other reviewers think here, and purchase a copy of the book here.

About the Author

Lucy Leid is an Old Order Mennonite wife, mother and cook in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.

Girl Meets Change: Truths to Carry You through Life's Transitions by Kristen Strong

About the Book

★★★★★

Whether chosen or unexpected, all change brings stress. Kristen Strong knows about change – especially the kind you didn't choose. Over the years, she's fought hard to learn an important truth: change is not something to be feared but something to be received as a blessing from a God who works through it, not in spite of it. 

In this hope-filled book, Kristen invites you to see all the ways you are loved and cared for in the midst of change. She walks alongside you as a friend, gently ushering you toward a new view of change, one that meets you at the crossroads of your own sense of anxiety and God's sense of purpose. With practical advice for coping in every part of life, she draws from her own experiences, the stories of others, and stories from Scripture to help you find contentment, purpose, and renewed strength.

Kristen Strong’s Girl Meets Change: Truths to Carry You through Life’s Transitions is indeed filled with relevant truths in approaching the many aspects of both expected and unexpected changes in life. Change is not always easy or wanted, but Strong, using her personal experiences, stories from friends, and biblical references, acknowledges the challenges and offers valuable perspective on seeing God’s purposes within the change. I really enjoyed Girl Meets Change. It’s a valuable and worthwhile read, and I would recommend it.

Thanks to Revell Reads, I received a copy of Girl Meets Change and the opportunity to provide an honest review. I was not required to write a positive review, and all the opinions I have expressed are my own.

Also, be sure to take the "Is Change your friend or enemy?" quiz here.

About the Author

Kristen Strong is a popular blogger at Chasing Blue Skies and DaySpring's (in)courage. Her work has appeared in MOMSense and Family Fun magazines. She and her husband, David, have three children. Together this military family has zigzagged across the country (and one ocean) several times. They currently live in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

A Wedding at the Orange Blossom Inn by Shelley Shepard Gray

About the Book

★★★★★

In the third book of New York Times-bestselling author Shelley Shepard Gray's Amish Brides of Pinecraft series, a wedding brings together two young widowed parents…and gives them a second chance at love.

Emma Keim was heartbroken when her husband, Sanford, passed away, leaving her to raise three young daughters alone. Though several years have passed, her relatives have made it no secret that they expect Emma to remain a widow, mourning Sanford indefinitely. But when she meets Jay Hilty – a handsome widower with three young sons of his own – Emma is delighted to have a new friend who understands her struggles. Still, she is dismayed that her family is so opposed to their friendship – and the idea of it ever becoming anything more. She honors her husband's memory every day, but is she destined to be alone forever?

Emma's gentleness with Jay's boys stirs something in his heart that's been quiet for far too long. But when his oldest son becomes engaged to a local woman, suddenly Jay, Emma, and their children are swept up in wedding preparations. Witnessing his son's joy, Jay wonders if it's time for him to move forward, too, and find happiness again.

Once again, love has come to Pinecraft. But can these two parties of four become a happy, healthy family of eight?

The delightful A Wedding at the Orange Blossom Inn is the third book in Shelley Shepard Gray’s Amish Brides of Pinecraft series, following The Promise of Palm Grove and The Proposal at Siesta Key. This novel focuses on two different romances - the second chance at true love for widow Emma Keim and widower Jay Hilty and the whirlwind romance between Jay’s eldest son, Ben, and the Orange Blossom Inn’s manager’s niece, Tricia. With plenty of humorous and heartwarming Brady-Bunch-esque moments, A Wedding at the Orange Blossom Inn tells a sweet story of overcoming the obstacles of the past and embracing new opportunities for love and happiness. Fans of the series won’t be disappointed with this third novel. It’s a quick and entertaining read that left me eager for the fourth one, A Christmas Bride in Pinecraft.

Thanks to LitFuse Publicity Group, I received a copy of A Wedding at the Orange Blossom Inn and the opportunity to provide an honest review. I was not required to write a positive review, and all the opinions I have expressed are my own. To read other opinions, be sure to check out what other reviewers think here, and purchase a copy of the book here.

About the Author

Shelley Shepard Gray is a two-time New York Times bestseller, a two-time USA Today bestseller, a finalist for the American Christian Fiction Writers prestigious Carol Award, and a two-time Holt Medallion winner. She lives in Southern Ohio, where she writes full-time, bakes too much, and can often be found walking her dachshunds on her town's bike trail.

Find Shelley online at her website, Facebook and Twitter.

The Chase: Trusting God with Your Happily Ever After by Kyle and Kelsey Kupecky

★★★★★

"I have watched Kyle and Kelsey chase after God, and I have seen His plans for them unfold like the most beautiful story. Now it's your turn!" –Karen Kingsbury, #1 New York Times bestselling author

Only God could have written a love story as beautiful as Kyle and Kelsey Kupecky's. From their teenage days thousands of miles apart when they separately wrote letters to their future spouses, to a chance meeting backstage at a concert, their story brings inspiration and hope to every girl.

It's easy to get impatient for the future to play out, especially when it comes to love. Before long you find yourself chasing the perfect guy and trying to write your own happily ever after. But the truth is, your best future won't be found chasing boys – it'll only come by first chasing God.

In The Chase, Kyle and Kelsey take turns telling their story, with Kelsey sharing secrets to a godly relationship and Kyle revealing the truth about what guys really think. Together they'll show you how to put God first, protect your heart, deal with the loneliness and peer pressure that come along with purity, and see yourself as God does.

Are you ready to trust God with your very own happily ever after? Let the chase begin!

In The Chase: Trusting God with Your Happily Ever After, Kyle and Kelsey Kupecky together offer their perspectives on relationships and allowing God to be in charge. They take turns sharing experiences from their relationship with each other, as well as from their individual journeys with conversational ease. In each chapter, they share helpful advice and insight for readers to pursue God-honoring relationships. Overall, it’s an enjoyable, easy read, and I think it would certainly benefit female teens and young adults.

Thanks to Revell Reads, I received a copy of The Chase and the opportunity to provide an honest review. I was not required to write a positive review, and all the opinions I have expressed are my own. 

Waiting on Wednesday: On This Foundation

Hosted weekly by Breaking the Spine 
to spotlight eagerly-anticipated upcoming releases.

Title: On This Foundation

Author: Lynn Austin

Publisher: Bethany House

Expected Publication Date: 6 October 2015

When news that the wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates have been burned with fire, Nehemiah, Jewish cupbearer to King Artaxerxes in Persia, seeks God's guidance. After fasting and prayer, he's given leave to travel to Jerusalem and rebuild the city wall, not anticipating all the dangers that await him on his arrival.

The leaders of the surrounding nations become his fierce enemies, plotting to assassinate him and halt the work. A drought, meanwhile, has left the country impoverished, many families resorting to selling their children as bondservants just to keep from starving.

Capturing the rebuilding of the wall through the eyes of a number of characters, On This Foundation is a powerful exploration of faith in the midst of oppression, and hope that, in spite of appearances, the gracious hand of God is upon those who believe.

Top Ten Tuesday: Books on My Fall TBR List

Hosted weekly by The Broke and the Bookish.

An Amish Christmas Gift by Amy Clipston, Ruth Reid & Kelly Irvin

★★★★★

“Naomi's Gift” by Amy Clipston: Naomi has started to think that she isn't meant to find love, but she might receive more than she ever hoped for this Christmas.

Twenty-four-year-old Naomi King, who has been burned twice by love, has all but given up on marriage and children. As Christmas approaches – a time of family, faith, and hope for many others – Naomi is more certain than ever her life will be spent as an old maid, helping with the family's quilting business and taking care of her eight siblings. Then she meets Caleb, a young widower with a 7-year-old daughter, and her world is once again turned upside-down.

“An Unexpected Joy” by Ruth Reid: Abigail has driven other suitors away, but can Micah find a way to show her he cares?

Abigail Kemp has managed to frighten off every bu who's ever driven her home from a singing. Sure she will live to be an old maid, Abigail starts saving her money to buy a horse so she can at least have some independence.

Micah Zook is looking for a caregiver for his grandmother, and Abigail needs a new job. He never expected that Abigail would talk so much…or that his grandmother would keep finding ways to set the two of them up.

Despite Abigail's constant chatter, she and Micah become friends – until Micah makes a decision that leaves Abigail feeling betrayed. With Christmas in their midst, can Micah find a way to reconcile with Abigail and to reveal what's on his heart?

“A Christmas Visitor” by Kelly Irvin: Frannie Mast returns to Bee County for Christmas, but her heart stays back in Missouri with an Englisch farm boy.

Frannie knows her parents have the best of intentions when they send her back to Bee County, Texas, to live with her aunt Abigail and her husband Mordecai. After all, she knows nothing can come of a relationship with Rocky, the handsome but Englisch farmer boy back in Missouri. It's best to put those feelings aside, no matter how hard it is. But all bets are off when Rocky follows Frannie to Texas to plead his case. Could he be the Christmas gift to end all gifts?

An Amish Christmas Gift offers another delightful collection of Amish-focused novellas (similar to An Amish Second Christmas and An Amish Cradle) just in time for the upcoming Christmas season. With contributions from Amish fiction writers Amy Clipston, Ruth Reid and Kelly Irvin, this collection tells sweet, romantic stories with the uniting aspect of Christmastime gift-giving. Each story is unique and heartwarming, filled with the warm, comforting feelings of Christmas cheer, and I thoroughly enjoyed each one. I would recommend it, for fans of Amish fiction are sure to enjoy this seasonal novella collection just as much during this Christmas season. It’s great for an entertaining afternoon or weekend read.

Thanks to BookLook Bloggers, I received a copy of An Amish Christmas Gift and the opportunity to honestly review it. I was not required to write a positive review, and all the opinions I have expressed are my own. (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.”)

Last Chance Hero by Cathleen Armstrong

About the Book

★★★★★

What happens when your heart is intercepted before you even know it's in play?

The folks in Last Chance, New Mexico, could not be more pleased. Dr. Jessica MacLeod has opened an office right on Main Street and Andy Ryan, the best athlete the little town ever produced, has come home from the NFL to coach the high school football team. Unfortunately, Dr. Jess immediately gets off on the wrong foot with this football-obsessed town when she admits that she's never seen a football game, isn't really interested in doing so, and in fact doesn't know a first down from a goalpost. 

Despite having little in common, Jess and Andy find themselves drawn to each other. But when a disagreement over the future of an injured player puts them both on the defensive, it begins to look like this game is over…

Cathleen Armstrong’s latest visit to Last Chance, New Mexico with Last Chance Hero will please fans of her series, A Place to Call Home. This fourth Last Chance novel follows newcomer Dr. Jessica McLeod, as she moves to the small town to be its doctor, and hometown hero Andy Ryan, as he returns to coach the local high school football team. With a lot of football and warm feelings of finding home, Last Chance Hero offers a cute, simple, quick romance. I enjoyed this novel and would recommend it to readers of contemporary romance.

Thanks to Revell Reads, I received a copy of Last Chance Hero and the opportunity to provide an honest review. I was not required to write a positive review, and all the opinions I have expressed are my own.

About the Author

Cathleen Armstrong lives in Orange County, California, with her husband, Ed, and their corgi. Though she has been in California for many years now, her roots remain deep in New Mexico. Her debut novel Welcome to Last Chance won the American Christian Fiction Writers Genesis Award for Women's Fiction. She is also the author of One More Last Chance and At Home in Last Chance. Learn more at her website. 

Making It Home: Finding My Way to Peace, Identity, and Purpose by Emily T. Wierenga

★★★★★

Growing up in the murky space between Gloria Steinem and Martha Stewart has left a whole generation of women struggling to define and embrace the meaning of home. There is constant pressure to do things a certain way and often intense criticism from those who think you're doing it wrong. But what if home isn't really about whether or not you homeschool or have a career or make your own artisan bread? 

What if home is more about who you are than what you do?

Former subversive Emily T. Wierenga takes you on an unconventional journey through marriage, miscarriage, foster parenting, and the daily struggle of longing to be known. In this soul-stirring quest for identity in the midst of life's daily interruptions, she shows us that homemaking is much more than old-fashioned tradition; rather, it's a timeless and essential art requiring mind, body, and spirit.

I first read Emily T. Wierenga’s writing last year in Atlas Girl: Finding Home inthe Last Place I Thought to Look, and really enjoyed her ability to weave a beautiful narrative from her experience. Needless to say, I was delighted to pick up Making It Home: Finding My Way to Peace, Identity, and Purpose and find a similarly beautiful narrative. In this book, Wierenga focuses mainly on a span of a few years and shares stories of her joys and struggles, revolving around the ideas of home, identity, and faith. Inspiring, heartfelt, emotional, Making It Home is a worthwhile read and I would have no problem recommending it to interested readers.

Thanks to Baker Book Bloggers, I received a copy of Making It Home and the opportunity to provide an honest review. I was not required to write a positive review, and all the opinions I have expressed are my own.

Chivalrous by Dina L. Sleiman

★★★★★

Strong and adventurous Gwendolyn Barnes longs to be a knight like her chivalrous brothers. However, that is not an option for her, not even in the Arthurian-inspired Eden where she dwells. Her parents view her only as a marriage pawn, and her domineering father is determined to see her wed to a brutish man who will break her spirit.

When handsome, good-hearted Allen of Ellsworth arrives in Edendale searching for his place in the world, Gwendolyn spies in him the sort of fellow she could imagine marrying. Yet fate seems determined to keep them apart. Tournaments, intrigue, and battles – along with twists and turns aplenty – await these two as they struggle to find love, identity, and their true destinies.

The sequel to Dauntless, Dina L. Sleiman’s Chivalrous captures the same spirit of adventure and independence found in the first Valiant Hearts book. Allen of Ellsworth, a prominent Dauntless character, takes a lead role in this second novel, as he travels to Edendale, where he hopes to find a place he can belong. There, he meets Lady Gwendolyn Barnes, another lead character who feels the constraints of society. They begin to form a relationship, when trouble erupts in Edendale and causes a number of problems for both Allen and Gwendolyn. With suspenseful plot twists, encouraging faith and knightly chivalry, Chivalrous offers a fascinating story, and I really enjoyed following their story to its satisfying conclusion. Fans of Dauntless will not be disappointed with the addition of Chivalrous. It’s a great read, and I would certainly recommend it to interested readers.

Thanks to Bethany House, I received a copy of Chivalrous and the opportunity to provide an honest review. I was not required to write a positive review, and all the opinions I have expressed are my own.

The Columbus Code by Mike Evans

★★★★★

When Christopher Columbus set out to discover the New World, was it because he wanted to serve the king and queen of Spain or because he wanted to escape them? Did he have stronger ties to Jerusalem than anyone suspected? Was Columbus actually a Jew fleeing the Spanish Inquisition? And could uncovering those secrets prevent international disaster in a world of terrorism today? Secret Service agent John Winters is determined to find the answers in this riveting novel based on recent scholarly discoveries. 

In The Columbus Code, Middle East historian and New York Times best-selling author Mike Evans uses rich story to unscramble a historical puzzle and remind us how the past is always a part of who we are.

In his novel The Columbus Code, Mike Evans crafts a fascinating novel around the idea of Christopher Columbus actually being a Jew. Reminiscent of Dan Brown’s The Da Vinci Code, Evans’ novel offers a fast-paced plot with plenty of surprising twists and turns stemming from Columbus’ identity. I couldn’t stop reading The Columbus Code, as the interesting characters, complicated relationships and the overall intrigue and suspense kept me turning page after page, eager to see how the several different storylines could come together. An enjoyable and thrilling read, The Columbus Code is a great choice for fans of thrillers and suspense.

Thanks to Worthy’s First Look, I received a copy of The Columbus Code and the opportunity to provide an honest review. I was not required to write a positive review, and all the opinions I have expressed are my own.

The Finishing School: How One Book Nerd Began Living What She Learned by Valerie Woerner

About the Book

★★★★✩

Are you tired of waiting for change to happen in your life? Do you feel stuck, even though you want to live more intentionally?

In today's world, our most precious pursuit of a life well lived gets squeezed out by the silliest of things: binging on Netflix or ice cream, shopping trips for things we don't need, bad habits we can't seem to get a handle on, and so much more. Valerie has been there despite knowing what she wanted for her life. Actually do it? That's the challenge.

After gobbling up all the non-fiction and self-help books her donut-filled belly could handle, she decided it was time to put her knowledge to good use and start actually living it out. You will hear about her journey through victories and plenty of failures and find practical tips to apply to your own pursuit of holiness. You will find homework at the end of each chapter that includes a worksheet to put real change in motion for your own life as well as recommended books to further study those topics that really test you.

In The Finishing School: How One Book Nerd Began Living What She Learned, Valerie Woerner addresses topics important to the Christian life as one might address the social graces in a proper finishing school - with the intention of learning and understanding, then practicing and doing. Woerner’s book covers topics, like prayer, Scripture reading and self-control, to name a few, with glimpses of ways she has put into practice what she has learned, followed by practical tips for readers. As I read The Finishing School, I can’t say I found any of the information incredibly new, especially compared to other books I’ve read (for I, too, am a book nerd…), but it does offer a compilation of useful basics and recommended reads for further study. For the reader in need of encouragement and help with living out faith intentionally, this could certainly be a beneficial read.

Thanks to LitFuse Publicity Group, I received a copy of The Finishing School and the opportunity to provide an honest review. I was not required to write a positive review, and all the opinions I have expressed are my own. To read other opinions, be sure to check out what other reviewers think here, and purchase a copy of the book here.

About the Author

Valerie Woerner is owner of Val Marie Paper. She and her husband, Tyler, live in Louisiana with their daughter, Vivi Mae. The Finishing School is her first book.

Connect with Valerie at her website, Twitter and Instagram.

Into the Fray: How Jesus's Followers Turned the World Upside Down by Matt Mikalatos

★★★★✩
Goodreads | Amazon

Rediscover the wonder of sharing the story.

In the earliest days of the Christian church, the gospel spread out from Jerusalem in a burst of incredible stories – about a man who calmed a stormy sea with a word, healed the lame and the blind, enraged the religious leaders, and even raised people from the dead. Compare this organic, even entertaining, method of spreading the good news with how we are often encouraged to evangelize today, with clever arguments and our defenses up.

Somewhere along the way, we've lost the plot to the greatest story ever told.

Matt Mikalatos invites us into God's story, both to find our place in it and to rediscover the wonder that the apostles and their listeners experienced. As you lose yourself in these modern retellings of the events of the book of Acts, you'll find that sharing the story is easier and more rewarding than you ever imagined.

Into the Fray: How Jesus’s Followers Turned the World Upside Down is quite the interesting read. Author Matt Mikalatos brings the events of the book of Acts into the modern day with well-told narratives that remain true to Scripture and highlight their theological insights and relevance. It’s a refreshing and valuable read that I really enjoyed, and I would recommend it.

Thanks to Baker Book Bloggers, I received a copy of Into the Fray and the opportunity to provide an honest review. I was not required to write a positive review, and all the opinions I have expressed are my own.

Waiting on Wednesday: Fire & Ice

Hosted weekly by Breaking the Spine 
to spotlight eagerly-anticipated upcoming releases.

Title: Fire & Ice

Author: Mary Connealy

Publisher: Bethany House

Expected Publication Date: 6 October 2015

Bailey Wilde is one of the best new ranchers in the West. She's been living disguised as a man for a while, but when Gage Coulter comes to drive her off her homestead, he quickly realizes he's dealing with a woman – a very tough, very intriguing woman at that.

Gage is an honest man, but he didn't make his fortune being weak. He won't break the law, but he'll push as hard as he can within it. Five thousand acres of his best range land is lost to him because Bailey's homestead is located right across the only suitable entrance to a canyon full of lush grass. Gage has to regain access to his land – and he's got to go through Bailey to do it.

Spending a winter alone has a way of making a person crave some human contact. In a moment of weakness, Bailey agrees to a wild plan Gage concocts. Can these two independent, life-toughened homesteaders loosen up enough to earn each other's respect – and maybe find love in
the process?

The Bishop's Son by Kelly Irvin

★★★★★

Two men offer Leila two very different futures. Will she choose with her heart or with her faith?

Leila Lantz has been in love with Jesse Glick from the day she first saw him at his father’s store, but she can’t make sense of his intentions. One day he wants to come courting, the next he seems to be putting distance between them.

Jesse may be the bishop’s son, but his faith has been wavering of late. If he is so unsure, is it fair to give Leila false hope for a future he doubts he can provide?

Then there’s Will, Jesse’s cousin. He has been trying to keep his feelings for Leila a secret, but he also knows Jesse is wrestling with his faith. Would declaring his feelings for Leila be in her best interest or simply serving his own selfish desires?

Leila knows she can choose Will and be secure in her own future. But when her heart speaks, it’s Jesse’s name she hears. When will God make His will known to her? Could leaving everything she knows – even her own faith – be a part of God’s plan?

Kelly Irvin returns to Bee County in The Bishop’s Son for another delightful Amish romance. Leila Lantz, the younger sister of The Beekeeper’s Son’s heroine, Deborah, stars in this novel, as two different yet capable men take interest and vie for her affections. She has a number of very difficult choices to make, involving her faith, family, future and feelings. As Leila struggles to make the best choices and weighs the impact of her different options, The Bishop’s Son tells an enjoyable story with diverse characters and offers a great read to fans of Amish fiction - and The Beekeeper’s Son in particular.  

Thanks to BookLook Bloggers, I received a copy of The Bishop’s Son and the opportunity to honestly review it. I was not required to write a positive review, and all the opinions I have expressed are my own. (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.”)

About the Book

Kelly Irvin is the author of several Amish series including the Bliss Creek Amish series, the New Hope Amish series and the Amish of Bee County series. She has also penned two romantic suspense novels, A Deadly Wilderness and No Child of Mine. The Kansas native is a graduate of the University of Kansas School of Journalism. She has been writing nonfiction professionally for thirty years, including ten years as a newspaper reporter, mostly in Texas-Mexico border towns. She has worked in public relations for the City of San Antonio for twenty years. Kelly has been married to photographer Tim Irvin for twenty-seven years. They have two young adult children, two cats, and a tank full of fish. In her spare time, she likes to write short stories and read books by her favorite authors.

Taming the To-Do List: How to Choose Your Best Work Every Day by Glynnis Whitwer

★★★★★

Ever just wish the world would stop for a day so you could catch up? 

No matter how much we accomplish in a day, we nearly always feel a little guilt over what we didn't do. But do we really have more to do than the women who came before us? Maybe not.

In Taming the To-Do List, Glynnis Whitwer exposes a seismic shift in society: from one in which most of us were proactive to one in which we carry the burden of having to respond – to every email, text, tweet, and message we receive. This creates a cycle where everyone else sets the priorities for our days rather than us directing our own lives. The result? We procrastinate, putting off the important stuff for later while we tend to the "urgent" stuff right now.

It's time to take back your schedule! Ready to tame that to-do list? This book shows you how.

In a society that fosters busyness and procrastination, the to-do list seems to easily stretch too long and become unmanageable and overwhelming. Glynnis Whitwer, with her Taming the To-Do List: How to Choose Your Best Work Every Day, addresses the to-do-list challenges so many face, as well as the reasonings behind them. She offers interesting, helpful insight and both practical and spiritual tips for the to-do list and time management. It’s a valuable read and I would recommend it.

Thanks to Revell Reads, I received a copy of Taming the To-Do List and the opportunity to provide an honest review. I was not required to write a positive review, and all the opinions I have expressed are my own.