Review of When God Whispers Your Name

Max Lucado’s writings are like a breath of fresh air. His method of storytelling and of sharing God’s word is truly a gift -- one that he does an excellent job of using. I had read a few books of Lucado’s before this one, so I had high hopes for this book. Thankfully, it did not disappoint. Few authors can capture my attention the way Lucado does; he is truly an inspiration and a joy to read, and I always find a great deal of profound wisdom from his books. It is always good to be reminded of God’s love and purpose for mankind, and “When God Whispers Your Name” does just that. I wholeheartedly recommend Max Lucado’s books, particularly this one, to others. You won’t be disappointed!

I received this book for free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as a part of their book review program. I was not required to write a positive review; my opinions, therefore, are completely unbiased.

Review of Treasuring Emma

Emma has been brokenhearted by her mother dying and her love, Adam, leaving the Amish way of life. When Adam suddenly returns, however, she expects that he will leave again at any time, so she cannot easily find it in her heart to forgive him. With financial and familial problems building up, the only thing Emma can do is learn to take her grandmother's advice – trust in the Lord.

I haven't read much Amish fiction before, but Kathleen Fuller always captures my attention and holds it from the first page to the very end. This particular novel is an entertaining and satisfying read, and I look forward to reading more of Fuller's novels.

I received this book for free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as a part of their book review program. I was not required to write a positive review; my opinions, therefore, are completely unbiased.

Review of It's Not About Me

It's not about me. It's not about you. It's about God. To most Christians, this seems to be a given – OF COURSE it's about God... but do we really live our lives as if this were so? Lucado presents his case, allowing us to explore the truth in our own experience.

Max Lucado, one of the most humble Christian authors I have ever read, truly has a God-given gift for writing and speaking the truth in a unique yet simple way that touches my heart every time and often even leaves me in tears. Every Lucado book I have read has truly been a blessing to read, and this one is no exception! I highly recommend this book, and this author, to everyone who seeks the love and truth of God.

I received this book for free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as a part of their book review program. I was not required to write a positive review; my opinions, therefore, are completely unbiased.

Review of Courting Miss Amsel

Edythe Amsel, the new schoolmarm of Walnut Hill, Nebraska, is about to turn the tiny town upside down with her unorthodox teaching methods and strong determination. Almost immediately, many parents try to stand against her, with the prime exception of John Townsend, who finds her contemporary ways – not to mention her rosy lips and pretty eyes – delightful. Edythe must place her faith in God to trust that He will provide a way for her, and He, of course, is faithful to prepare her for plans that are greater than she could ever have imagined.

I love books that surpass my expectations, and this was one of them. I enjoyed it so much that I was a bit disappointed when it ended. I must admit, however, that I started getting a bit frustrated with John and Edythe, and I almost found myself wishing that John would be successful in moving on and finding someone else. All in all, this was a wonderful read, and Kim Vogel Sawyer is a very talented author.

I received this book for free from Bethany House Publishers as a part of their book review program. I was not required to write a positive review; my opinions, therefore, are completely unbiased.

Review of A Reluctant Queen

This is the story of the Biblical Queen Esther, with a twist. The author takes several artistic liberties to turn the tale into a work of fictional romance.

To be honest, I expected something more – something better – from this book. The book of Esther in the Bible always stirs my emotions and pulls at my heartstrings, but somewhere, I think the author just missed the mark for me on that majestic quality. I really wanted to like it, but I found it quite difficult to do so. I think I'll put this book aside and return to it someday at a later time and see if I change my views about it, because the story itself has so much potential.

I received this book for free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as a part of their book review program. I was not required to write a positive review; my opinions, therefore, are completely unbiased.

Review of Promises to Keep

Roz is an eleven-year-old girl whose world has been turned upside down when her mother decides to leave her alcoholic father and move the family to a new home. There, the family meets an elderly stranger named Tillie, who makes a significant impact on all of their lives. Despite multiple warnings, all Roz wants is her father back, and she, along with a new friend with a similar wish, is determined for this to happen. Secrets form and grow beyond Roz's control, and the consequences of them teach her important lessons along the way.

I feel as though I can't say enough about how much I loved this book. I hadn't expected to like it this much, but I found almost immediately that once I started reading, I didn't want to put this book down. The writing itself is powerful and beautiful, and the story is a truly captivating one. At first, I found myself annoyed with both Roz and Tillie, each for different reasons, but to my delight, they both developed into lovable characters (despite Roz's constant need to learn her lesson – until the end, of course). All in all, this was an excellent book, and I've already been recommending it to others.

I received this book for free from Bethany House Publishers as a part of their book review program. I was not required to write a positive review; my opinions, therefore, are completely unbiased.

Review of The Seraph Seal

The Seraph Seal begins with Paul Binder being pulled into a complex mission of a search for answers from apocryphal prophecies of long ago that are finally coming to fruition in the year 2048. The story mixes fiction with fact to bring a new perspective on the end-times prophecies.

I really wanted to love this book. Really, I did... but I couldn't. I found the book long-winded and very slow-paced. I kept hoping that it would get better, but it never did. The basis for the plot line of the book is amazing, but it, very unfortunately, just didn't hold up in this case. I didn't feel that the writing style fit the potential for the story. I couldn't even finish the book, and that rarely ever happens, particularly when my expectations are as high as they were for this book.

I received this book for free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as a part of their book review program. I was not required to write a positive review; my opinions, therefore, are completely unbiased.

Review of Max on Life

I was thrilled when Thomas Nelson announced they were releasing a new Max Lucado book. I was initially introduced to Lucado only a short while ago when Outlive Your Life was published, and I fell in love with his writings immediately. In his newest book, Max on Life, Lucado tackles some major life and spiritual questions that he has received over the years concerning issues such as love, death, grief, and the list goes on and on. With his relatable writing style and profound wisdom on a large variety of topics, Lucado definitely does not disappoint.

Max Lucado is the only author I have ever read who literally makes me read his books with a highlighter pen in hand so that I can go back and read certain special quotes over again and share them with others. Highly recommended author and book!

I received this book for free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as a part of their book review program. I was not required to write a positive review; my opinions, therefore, are completely unbiased.

Review of The Secrets Beneath

Bekah Yoder is a curious yet well-meaning Amish girl living in Middlefield. Her story here begins when she sees a stranger poking around the deserted house next door. Then, Bekah's sister Amanda comes to live with her and her family for the school-year, yet Bekah's parents will not tell her why. Bekah tries desperately to pry Amanda out of her shell as well as to resist her nosiness about the stranger next door. Bekah's curiosity eventually gets the best of her, however, putting her in serious danger. Fans of mystery should really enjoy this story.

The very first words I read upon opening this book was the author's dedication at the beginning: “To tweens and teens everywhere.” Since I am neither, I initially wondered if the book would be able to keep my attention the whole way through. My second hesitation was when I saw the list of Amish words to refer to from the text of the book; did I really want to have to keep referring to a list at the beginning of the book to understand the story? Thankfully, however, my fears were quickly allayed. The book definitely kept my attention all throughout the story, and the Amish words were easy enough to understand and clear enough in context that I rarely ever had to look back at the list. This was a wonderful book, and I feel that it's great for all ages, not just for the target “tweens and teens” audience.

I received this book for free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as a part of their book review program. I was not required to write a positive review; my opinions, therefore, are completely unbiased.

Review of Heaven is for Real

Colton Burpo is one extraordinary little boy. During an emergency appendectomy that he is not predicted to survive, Colton gets to visit heaven, see Jesus, and even converse with people like his great-grandfather, who had died long before Colton was born. His details of heaven, and especially of Jesus, were amazing.

I'm usually a bit wary of claims of experiences such as this, but this story definitely passed my test. Some “experiences” only confuse and scare readers, and as the Bible says, “God is love” and “There is no fear in love.” This book is not confusing or scary; it's actually the opposite! This was a refreshing, revitalizing read that brought me both laughter and tears. I finished reading this book in less than a full day because I literally didn't want to put it down. I kept having the desire to hear the blessing of Colton tell his story in person.

I received this book for free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as a part of their book review program. I was not required to write a positive review; my opinions, therefore, are completely unbiased.

Review of Masquerade

The year is 1886, and Charlotte, “Lottie,” Gleason is leaving her life in England to marry a wealthy heir from America, whom she has never met. In her journey to find herself and mature, Lottie's life is changed in numerous ways, most notably when she decides to exchange identities with her lady maid, Dora. Both women must trust God to give them strength and to be a guide in their paths.

Though I can't explain why, I've always been interested in servants finding love with the higher class, and I assume that that is what drew me to this book in the first place. Nancy Moser has done a wonderful job of exploring the lavish Gilded Age, and once I started reading this story, I found that I didn't want to stop! I liked that Lottie was flawed but not in the sense that it appears the author made a noticeable effort to make the main character imperfect. This was a lovely book by Nancy Moser, and I would love to read more from her in the future.

I received this book for free from Bethany House Publishers as a part of their book review program. I was not required to write a positive review; my opinions, therefore, are completely unbiased.

Review of Where Hearts Are Free

Bridget Barrington is a young girl who is desperately in love with Philippe Clavell, a former French noble who became an indentured servant following hardships he and his family faced upon escaping to the New World. Because of their various differences, including the fact that Philippe is a Huguenot and Bridget is Catholic, Bridget's parents refuse to allow the two to be together. Once Philippe is released from his service, Bridget's parents quickly arrange for her to be married to Edward Moorehead, but Edward is far from who he seems to be. Both Bridget and Philippe must trust God to make a way for them. This book is book three in Golden Keyes Parsons' “Darkness to Light” trilogy. Though I have not read books one and two, my understanding of this novel was not at all compromised. It's a great stand-alone book, though I am sure that, if this book was any indication, the entire series would be a wonderful read. This was an excellent book, and I tend to be pretty picky when it comes to this particular genre! I didn't find any of the characters to be obviously fake or annoying, so that was very refreshing. “Where Hearts Are Free” is a book I didn't want to put down, and I'd love to read more from this author in the future. I received this book for free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as a part of their book review program. I was not required to write a positive review; my opinions, therefore, are completely unbiased.

Review of Outlive Your Life by Max Lucado

Being immediately drawn to Max Lucado's idea of “outliving your life,” I was excited about reading this book. To my delight, it even exceeded my high expectations. Seriously, how wonderful would it be if we Christians shared the love and glory of Jesus Christ in our lifetime so that that message would blossom and grow in other people's lives even beyond our own lives? If more Christians would live their lives this way, the world as we know it would undergo a change for the better. This is my first book of Lucado's that I have read, and I love his writing style and inspiring viewpoints. I found myself looking forward to the selected Scriptures and directed prayers at the end of each chapter. The more I read of this book, the more absorbed I became in it, and I definitely didn't want to put it down! I've already been recommending this book to others, and I would love to read more of Lucado's works in the future. I received this book for free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as a part of their book review program. I was not required to write a positive review; my opinions, therefore, are completely unbiased.

Review of The Skin Map by Stephen R. Lawhead

The title, plot summary, and, admittedly, the front cover of The Skin Map is what initially drew me to the book; the suspense, plot execution, and writing style is what kept me reading excitedly all the way through. This is Book 1 of the “Bright Empires” series by Stephen Lawhead, and if the rest of the series is as great as this first book, then this should definitely be an excellent and quite popular series -- one I would love to follow all the way through. The novel follows Kit Livingstone’s mysterious adventures that begin when his great-grandfather appears to him and leads him to other worlds and times on a quest for the Skin Map. At just under 400 pages, this book is somewhat long, but it kept my attention throughout and was never tedious. I found myself not wanting to put the book down until the end, so length was never a problem. I would recommend The Skin Map to anyone interested in the fantasy and/or mystery genre. This will definitely be a book that I am more than happy to suggest to others! I received this book for free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as a part of their book review program. I was not required to write a positive review; my opinions, therefore, are completely unbiased.

Review of "Christian Encounters: Anne Bradstreet"

To be honest, I did not know very much about Anne Bradstreet before reading this biography, except for a little of what I learned about her a few years ago in an English literature class in high school, especially including the wonderful poem “To My Dear and Loving Husband.” I don’t generally read biographies, but this one caught my eye because of my desire to learn more about Bradstreet’s poetry and her Christian lifestyle as a Puritan. The book chronicles Anne and her husband’s move to and experiences in colonial America and Anne’s spiritual and poetic lifestyle. I felt that the author of this biography did a great job of detailing the history of the Puritans’ move from England to the “New World”, though I admittedly sometimes found the historical readings to grow tedious at times, particularly during the first half of the book, and I instead wanted to read more about Anne Bradstreet’s own personal experiences. I also found the writing to be a bit bland and perhaps I would recommend this as being more suited to a middle or high school reading level with research purposes in mind. With that said, however, I did learn a lot about Bradstreet and the Puritan life itself in the few pages of this book, and I do greatly appreciate the “Christian Encounters” viewpoint. I received this book for free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book review program. I was not required to write a positive review; my opinions, therefore, are completely unbiased.

Review of "Same Kind of Different As Me"

From the moment I read the very first page of Same Kind of Different As Me, I knew that I had in my possession a true gem of a book. I was immediately enraptured by the true story of how Denver and Ron's very different lives came together. Denver Moore is a black man raised as a twentieth-century slave to “the Man,” who, after a series of personal tragedies, becomes homeless and in trouble with the law, ultimately leading him to life on the streets in Texas. It is there that Denver meets the wealthy Ron and his wife Deborah Hall, who serve dinner to the homeless on Tuesdays. Deborah sees something special in Denver, despite his rough exterior, and urges her husband to befriend him, which impacts all of their lives far more than any of them could have ever imagined. I am generally turned off from books with changing points of view, but this was definitely the exception. In fact, I found this particular point of view, alternating between Ron's and Denver's, riveting, attention-catching, and never confusing. This book is going on my list of favorites, and I love recommending it to others! I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book review program. I was not required to write a positive review; my opinions, therefore, are completely unbiased.