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Sunday, May 4, 2014
World Watch List | Central African Republic
Saturday, May 3, 2014
Lost and Found by Karey White, A Ripple Effect Romance (Blog Tour + Review)
Lost and Found
by Karey White
A Ripple Effect Romance, Book 4
Fiction / Contemporary / Romance
Available April 2014
HEA Publishing
144 pages
About the Book
Blake feels like he’s been sent on a wild goose chase. While work is piling up back in Denver, he’s on the other side of the country, hunting for some mysterious box that his grandfather left him. Well, no more. Nothing inside that box could possibly be more important than the opportunity to make it as the youngest partner at his firm. So he’s going home, and that’s that. But that’s before he discovers his flight has been cancelled.
When these two strangers meet at the airport, they make a split-second decision to search for the box together. Maybe with both of them on the hunt, Lydia can have her adventure and Blake can find the box. And maybe, if they’re lucky, they’ll even find some romance.
My Thoughts
The premise of Lost and Found is unique. Lydia and Blake meet randomly at an airport when their flight is cancelled. They realize that if they team up and stay a few extra days Lydia will get the adventure she seeks, and Blake will be able to continue searching for his inheritance. It's not love at first sight ... more like a convenient partnership that is developed in a matter of seconds. But what a fascinating start to their journey!
Blake and Lydia make a great team. While I wasn't sure how this story would play out, the author did a great job of delivering a fun story without being cheesy or overly predictable. Lost and Found is a wonderful addition to the Ripple Effect Romance series, and I definitely recommend if you're looking for a fun, clean romance! [4 stars]
Blake and Lydia make a great team. While I wasn't sure how this story would play out, the author did a great job of delivering a fun story without being cheesy or overly predictable. Lost and Found is a wonderful addition to the Ripple Effect Romance series, and I definitely recommend if you're looking for a fun, clean romance! [4 stars]
I received a free copy of this book from the author in exchange for my fair and honest review.
About the Author
Karey is a USA Today best-selling author. She grew up in Utah, Idaho,
Oregon, and Missouri. She attended Ricks College and Brigham Young
University. Her first novel, Gifted, was a Whitney Award Finalist. She loves to travel, read, cook, and spend time with family and
friends. She and her husband are the parents of four wonderful children.
Karey White Online
Sneak Peek
Blake and Lydia stayed in their seats as the area around them cleared and a line formed. Finally, Blake stood, picked up his duffel bag and briefcase, then waited while Lydia gathered her things. They took a spot at the back of the line. After a minute, Lydia spoke.
“Since you have to change your flight anyway, maybe you should stay another day or two and try to find the box.”
The corner of Blake’s mouth twitched. “Maybe you should stay a couple of days and have an adventure.”
“Touché. I guess if the plane had gone down, I’d have had an adventure to tell about. Or not tell about.”
The line moved slowly. “You know,” Blake said. “Maybe your adventure could be staying and helping me find my grandfather’s box.”
Lydia nearly choked on her last bite of brownie. Was he joking? They didn’t even know each other.
“I have to be back for teacher’s meetings. And I need to get my classroom ready for school to start. The desks are all stacked up in a corner of the room and I need to get them set up and organized and I’ve got to put up a couple of bulletin boards. And I have to get papers for the parents copied for back to school night and…” Blake’s smile widened as she spoke. “And I’m babbling, aren’t I?”
“Yeah. Don’t worry about it. I should get back to the office anyway. It was a crazy idea.”
“Yeah,” Lydia said, relieved. A few minutes passed, and they neared the front of the line. A voice in Lydia’s head wouldn’t be quiet. You’re a coward. You don’t really want an adventure. You’re all talk. You could kill two birds with one stone. Have an adventure and help this guy find the box from his grandfather. But you’re too big of a wimp. She wanted to tell the voice to mind its own business, but it wouldn’t shut up. Chicken. Scaredy cat. But this wasn’t about adventure. This was about good, common sense, right? It wouldn’t be smart to stay with this man she didn’t know. And yet her instincts told her this guy was safe, that she didn’t need to fear his intentions.
It seemed the only way to stop the nag in her head was to speak. “It wasn’t a crazy idea. It was an adventurous idea. And I came here for adventure. I need something to tell Cambri when I get home, right? And you need to find that box or you’ll miss out on something important. And I don’t technically have to be back until Wednesday morning, so...”
“Really? Are you just talking a big game?” Blake teased.
“You’re not a psychopathic killer, are you?”
“No. But I certainly wouldn’t tell you if I was.”
“That’s true. That would really up the whole adventure factor, though.”
“See, you’re braver than you thought.”
Giveaway
As
part of the blog tour, there's a giveaway! The prize? A $25 Amazon Gift
Card or Paypal Cash! Open internationally. Ends May 12. Enter through
the Rafflecopter below.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
*** Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an
Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. 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 rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will
have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway
is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any
other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries
received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by
Inspired Kathy from I Am A Reader and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. ***
Friday, May 2, 2014
A Promise in Pieces by Emily Wierenga (Blog Tour & Review)
by Emily Wierenga
Quilts of Love series
Christian Fiction / Contemporary / Historical
Available April 2014
Abingdon Press
208 pages
About the Book
It’s been more than 50 years since Clara cared for injured WWII
soldiers in the Women’s Army Corp. Fifty years since she promised to
deliver a dying soldier’s last wish. And 50 years since that soldier’s
young widow gave her the baby quilt—a grief-ridden gift that would
provide hope to countless newborns in the years to come. On her way to
the National World War II Museum in New Orleans, Clara decides it’s time
to share her story. But when the trip doesn’t go as planned, Clara
wonders if anyone will learn the great significance of the quilt—and the
promise stitched inside it.
My Thoughts
A Promise in Pieces is one of the most unusual books (in a good way!) I've read in a long time. Clara is the focus of this story. While her family takes a trip to New Orleans, her grandchildren ask her to tell the story of her life. She takes us back to her time serving as a nurse during WWII and reflects on how that experience affects the rest of her life.
It's an amazing story. Poignant, adventurous, emotional, sweet. I loved that the author gave us a beautiful love story—without making it a romance. It focuses on the love that Clara has with all of the people in her life. It was just beautiful!
The author does everything an author is "not supposed to do." There's a bit of head-hopping. The time changes between the past and present (sometimes unclearly) throughout the book. There's more telling than showing. The main character's story is primarily told through a first-person narrative that feels a lot like stream of consciousness, with plenty of long sentences. But somehow, it totally worked! The author's style left me feeling like the characters were chatting with me over breakfast. It pulled me into the story in a way that few books do, and I was loathe to put it down. In fact, I read the story in two sittings!
This is a phenomenal book, and I'm happy to recommend it! [4.5 stars]
I received a free copy of this book from Abingdon Press through Litfuse Publicity in exchange for my fair and honest review.
About the Author
Emily Wierenga is a former editor, ghostwriter, freelance writer and
staff journalist, a monthly columnist for "The Christian Courier," and
the author of "Save My Children," "Chasing Silhouettes," and "Mom in the
Mirror." Emily and her family reside in Alberta, Canada. This is her
first novel.
Emily Wierenga Online
Compassion Prayer Partners | Honest
Compassion
sends out a monthly prayer partner newsletter from Mark
Hanlon, Senior Vice President of Compassion International. I love their suggestions
of how to pray for our sponsored kids and thought that I would begin
sharing these each month. Click here to download the April prayer calendar.
Recently I became a grandfather for the first time, and I can honestly say there is nothing in the world like it! It has brought my wife and me so much joy to be with our grandson. And being around a little baby has reminded me with fresh clarity that my grandson’s world is filled with discoveries.
What an honor it is to watch a child discover the world around him! To see him respond to voices, feel the sun on his face. To watch as he discovers his own fingers and toes. His world is filled with good things waiting to be revealed.
Our Compassion staff and sponsors get to witness a similar time of discovery in the children we serve. Except that these children are discovering love and respect. Safety and protection. For some, their first gift or letter was received at the student center. For others, the words “I believe in you” have never been heard — until now.
Would you pray this month that God will continue to reveal those good and beautiful things to millions of children in poverty? That their worlds will be filled with discovery and wonder, as God is pleased to do (Matthew 11:26).
Thank you for helping reveal God’s good and perfect gifts to children around the world.
At that time Jesus said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and
earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned,
and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this is what you
were pleased to do.”
~ Matthew 11:25-26, NIV ~
~ Matthew 11:25-26, NIV ~
Answered Prayers
Update: Last
summer we prayed for Peterson, a Leadership Development Program student
in Kenya who became blind from a brain tumor. She is now in a
rehabilitation facility and is learning braille.
Praise the Lord for sending a heavy rainfall after a recent eruption of Mount Kelud in Indonesia. The rain rinsed away much of the fallen ash around our beneficiaries’ homes.
Praise God for the 1,591 new children registered in local Compassion India programs in a recent month! Pray that sponsors will come alongside them quickly.
We praise the Lord for the liberation of sponsored child Franklin in Honduras, who had been kidnapped. He was released unharmed after two days!
Update: Last year we prayed for Miguel in Peru, who was suffering from leukemia. Miguel is receiving chemotherapy and is improving. Thank you for your continued prayer for Miguel.
Praise God that, because of generous donors, Roza was able to travel from Ethiopia to India for heart surgery. She is now home and in good health!
All children mentioned have sponsors and their monetary needs are supplied.
Praise the Lord for sending a heavy rainfall after a recent eruption of Mount Kelud in Indonesia. The rain rinsed away much of the fallen ash around our beneficiaries’ homes.
Praise God for the 1,591 new children registered in local Compassion India programs in a recent month! Pray that sponsors will come alongside them quickly.
We praise the Lord for the liberation of sponsored child Franklin in Honduras, who had been kidnapped. He was released unharmed after two days!
Update: Last year we prayed for Miguel in Peru, who was suffering from leukemia. Miguel is receiving chemotherapy and is improving. Thank you for your continued prayer for Miguel.
Praise God that, because of generous donors, Roza was able to travel from Ethiopia to India for heart surgery. She is now home and in good health!
All children mentioned have sponsors and their monetary needs are supplied.
Thursday, May 1, 2014
Righting a Wrong by Rachael Anderson, A Ripple Effect Romance (Blog Tour + Review)
Righting a Wrong
by Rachael Anderson
A Ripple Effect Romance, Book 3
Fiction / Contemporary / Romance
Available April 2014
HEA Publishing
144 pages
About the Book
Seven years ago, Cambri Blaine fled her small hometown of Bridger,
Colorado after her senior year ended in a fiasco. Only Jace Sutton knew
the real reason why—that she was a spineless coward. Now, seven years
later, her father’s been in an accident and needs help, and Cambri has no
choice but to return home. So with trepidation, she takes a leave of
absence from the landscape architecture firm where she works and boards a
plane, hoping against hope that Jace is no longer around and that the
past can stay where it belongs—in the past.If only life worked that way.
Jace never expected to see Cambri again. After she’d led him on, bruised his heart, and left town without a backward glance, he was forced to pick up the pieces and try not to hate her for it. Eventually, he put it behind him and moved on, creating a life for himself in his beloved hometown. But now that Cambri is back and looking more beautiful and sophisticated than ever, some of those old feelings resurface, and Jake instinctively knows, for the sake of his heart, that he needs to avoid her at all costs.
If only it were that easy.
My Thoughts
This post was supposed to go up on April 19 as part of a blog tour. Due to unforeseen circumstances, the post did not go live as I had originally planned. My apologies to the author and the tour coordinator for the delay!
Oh my! What a cute story! Righting a Wrong was a fast read that I flew through in just one day! I thoroughly enjoyed Cambri and found myself relating to her on a number of levels. She feels a responsibility to her dad—despite their differences—but really just wants to go back to her life.
Of course, Jace could have something to do with that! The sparks and the tension were palpable, and I loved the chemistry and awkwardness that characterized their interactions early in the book! The pacing was right on, and I felt like I got much more than a mere 144 pages!
I definitely recommend Righting a Wrong as a clean romance and am looking forward to reading more of this author in the (hopefully near!) future! [4.5 stars]
Oh my! What a cute story! Righting a Wrong was a fast read that I flew through in just one day! I thoroughly enjoyed Cambri and found myself relating to her on a number of levels. She feels a responsibility to her dad—despite their differences—but really just wants to go back to her life.
Of course, Jace could have something to do with that! The sparks and the tension were palpable, and I loved the chemistry and awkwardness that characterized their interactions early in the book! The pacing was right on, and I felt like I got much more than a mere 144 pages!
I definitely recommend Righting a Wrong as a clean romance and am looking forward to reading more of this author in the (hopefully near!) future! [4.5 stars]
I received a free copy of this book from the author in exchange for my fair and honest review.
About the Author
A USA Today bestselling author, Rachael Anderson is the mother of
four and is pretty good at breaking up fights, or at least sending
guilty parties to their rooms. She can’t sing, doesn’t dance, and
despises tragedies. But she recently figured out how yeast works and can
now make homemade bread, which she is really good at eating.
Rachael Anderson Online
Sneak Peek
Her father eyed her hand with disdain. “I feel fine. I don’t need a bunch of medication to mess that all up.”
“No medication, no breakfast.” Cambri wriggled her palm.
“What’s for breakfast?”
Her eyebrow lifted. “I can tell you it’s not the fatted calf.”
Although he harrumphed, a twinkle of humor appeared. “I almost forgot how cheeky you could be.”
“And I almost forgot how ornery you could be.”
He rolled his eyes, but grudgingly accepted the pills, swallowing them with a sip of water. Then he settled back against his pillow. “I always have sausage, eggs, and hash browns on Saturdays.”
“Believe it or not, I remember.” Cambri retrieved a breakfast tray from the kitchen and set it on his lap, mentally preparing herself for what would come.
“What’s that supposed to be?” Her father stared at the food in disgust.
“Oatmeal, whole wheat toast, and freshly squeezed OJ,” said Cambri smoothly. “Try it. You might like it.”
“Why isn’t there butter on this toast? Where’s my sausage and hash browns?”
“Your heart doesn’t want bacon and hash browns. It wants oatmeal.”
“Bullwinkle.”The Story Behind the Story | Rhinestone Jesus
Back in the fall, I joined up with other bloggers to assist in a grassroots fundraising campaign for Mercy House Kenya. I was floored by how God used moms, daughters, sisters, women—bloggers!—to raise over $74,000 to provide a new van, generator, classrooms, computer lab, and a second house for theses precious moms and babies.
Kristen Welch, founder of Mercy House Kenya, has written a book called Rhinestone Jesus and it releases today! I wanted to share some of what she recently shared on her blog about why she wrote this book. You know, the story behind the story.
I wrote Rhinestone Jesus because I want you to know the whole story.
It’s funny how easy it is to look at someone’s life and even their
God-sized dream and think, “I could never do that, be that, have that
sort of faith or courage or success or fill in the blank.”
I’m pulling back the curtains, revealing the dirt under the rug, and
I’m telling it all…the good and the bad, the beautiful and the ugly, the
shattered and redeemed chapters of my life. I want you to meet the
awkward teen who wore a sparkly Jesus pin to high school because I was
too afraid to do the talking myself. I want you to understand I was a
dreamer. But instead of chasing dreams, I mostly ran from them.
I want you to identify with me as a mother –weary and overwhelmed and
not always realizing I was seeing the face of God every time I wiped a
small smudged one. I want you to see just how damaged my marriage was
and how we fought hell itself to love again. I want to show you the ugly
places, the unwilling heart, the times I said no–you must see this to get a clear picture of who is really telling this story.
I want you to see past these gorgeous faces full of hope and a future and understand how against all odds, a broken girl with a broken past said yes to God in a most unlikely place. I want you to see that your small every day yes matters so much more than you think it does.
And most of all, when you read about my sometimes chaotic, troubled
and imperfect life, I pray it inspires you to look at yours and instead
of seeing a mess, you discover the perfect place for God’s glory.
I’ve spent the last year spilling my story onto the pages of this
book. It’s not for “just moms” because there’s no such thing. It’s for
everyone who has a yes inside them. It’s for women who would like to get
their life just right before they feel like they can do something for
God. It’s for those who are sick of stuff and the weight of the American
Dream. It’s for those who wonder if Jesus is enough. It’s for those who
have stopped dreaming. It’s for the broken.
But mostly, it’s for Jesus, not the sparkly one, but the one who
rescued me, the Savior who urged me out of my comfort zone into wild
obedience. I wrote it for His glory and for all those brave enough to say yes with me.
* Originally posted on We Are THAT Family. Re-posted with permission.
About the Book
In high school, Kristen Welch wore a big, sparkly rhinestone “Jesus” pin to school every day and carried her Bible wherever she went. (Yes, she was that girl.) But she didn’t realize her faith, though sincere, was shallow; much like her artificial accessory, it would one day tarnish, no longer a true fit for who she was. As real life catapulted Kristen into places and situations she’d never imagined, there came a day when she stood shocked in the slums of Africa and realized in one desperate moment that Jesus wasn’t enough for her. At least . . . she wasn’t living like He was. On the brink of a risk bigger than any she’d ever taken, Kristen knew she didn’t stand a chance—unless she was willing to put aside the rhinestones and get branded by the real thing. Rhinestone Jesus is the story of one woman’s journey from comfortably living a safe, “good-girl” faith that didn’t cost much, to realizing that God was daring her to say yes to a bolder, more authentic, more dangerous way. This story of spiritual adventure throws the doors wide open for any woman who’s ever thought of herself as “just a mom.” Kristen will inspire and empower you to say yes to God right where you are—and stand amazed at how your life will shine.
About the Book
In high school, Kristen Welch wore a big, sparkly rhinestone “Jesus” pin to school every day and carried her Bible wherever she went. (Yes, she was that girl.) But she didn’t realize her faith, though sincere, was shallow; much like her artificial accessory, it would one day tarnish, no longer a true fit for who she was. As real life catapulted Kristen into places and situations she’d never imagined, there came a day when she stood shocked in the slums of Africa and realized in one desperate moment that Jesus wasn’t enough for her. At least . . . she wasn’t living like He was. On the brink of a risk bigger than any she’d ever taken, Kristen knew she didn’t stand a chance—unless she was willing to put aside the rhinestones and get branded by the real thing. Rhinestone Jesus is the story of one woman’s journey from comfortably living a safe, “good-girl” faith that didn’t cost much, to realizing that God was daring her to say yes to a bolder, more authentic, more dangerous way. This story of spiritual adventure throws the doors wide open for any woman who’s ever thought of herself as “just a mom.” Kristen will inspire and empower you to say yes to God right where you are—and stand amazed at how your life will shine.
CRITICAL CONDITION Kindle HDX Giveaway from Richard Mabry!
Richard Mabry's latest medical suspense, Critical Condition, is receiving high praise. USA TODAY says, "Mabry combines his medical expertise with a story that will keep you on the edge of your seat."
Richard is celebrating the release with a Kindle HDX giveaway!
One grand prize winner will receive:
Richard is celebrating the release with a Kindle HDX giveaway!
One grand prize winner will receive:
- A Kindle Fire HDX
- Critical Condition by Richard Mabry
Don't miss a moment of the fun; enter today and be sure to stop by Richard's blog on May 13th to see if you won.
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