From This Day Forward by Lauraine Snelling

"Deborah longs to marry , But she never thought she'd have to choose between an old love and a new possiblity..."




Hey Readers,
Can you believe that November starts this week?!
I cannot believe how fast this year is going by...
So I just finished several new books, some of which have definitely made it on my "Must Read" list. So, lets take a look at the first book that I read this month which was From This Day Forward by Lauraine Snelling.

From This Day Forward is the continuing story of the residents of a small town named Blessing. At the start of the book you meet Deborah MacCallister who is 25 years old, the head nurse and is still single. She has been in love with Toby Valders for years but he has not given any hints that he feels the same way.
Toby Valders feels like he is in over his head. He is in charge of getting the school for the blind built so he works from sun up to sun down everyday and barely has time to eat. He is grateful when he discovers that his friend Deborah is bringing him food to eat because he is so tired after work that he just wants to go home and rest. Toby does not understand why he is so hesitatant to court Deborah,  She is absolutely beautiful and he knows that she likes him, but something is holding him back from making such a huge commitment.
Deborah's patience with Toby is getting thin so she enlists the help of all of the women of the community to pray for wisdom in this ordeal with Toby and that means all hands on deck. The women of the town decide to take matters into thier own hands and try several matchmaking techniques but nothing seems to work... That is until the new school teacher Anton Gendarme comes to town. When Anton is introduced to Deborah he is immeadiately attracted to her.  Anton starts to spend time with her and her family so that he can get to know her better. But when Toby finds out that Anton and Deborah are hanging out  he is very upset. He is not sure why he would be upset that the two of them have become friends because Deborah is not his girlfriend... Could he be jealous?
When Toby realizes that he loves Deborah will he let her know in time? Or will Anton sweep Deborah off her feet?
You will have to read the book to find out!


What did I think of the book?
So this is book 4 in the Song of Blessing series but I read it as a standalone. I recommend reading the other books in the series before reading this book because I was very confused about who everyone was. I liked the characters and the close knit community that the author portrayed but I was really lost on the storyline.  The story was well written and easy to read except for the foreign names of the main characters like Thorliff and Ingeborg.  Overall I would say that it would be on my "Must Read" list IF you have read the first 3 books in the series. Overall I rate the book 3 out of 5 Stars.***


So if you like this book, want to check out the first books in the series or want to see what else she has written, Here is her link!

http://www.laurainesnelling.com/html/books.html


Happy Reading :) 


I would like to thank Bethany House for allowing me to read and review this book in return for a free copy. I was not asked to write a favorable review, Just a honest one.

Gratitude A Prayer and Praise Coloring Journal

"Always be Joyful. 
Never Stop Praying."
 1 Thessalonians 5:16-17


So I had the opportunity to review a different kind of "Must Read" this week.
So everyone is now into adult coloring books.
Seriously, You can go to just about any store and find a coloring book that may have classic pictures such as Starry Night by Vincent van Gogh or a landscape by Thomas Kinkade.
So what makes this coloring book so special? I am glad you asked!

Gratitude is a Prayer and Praise Coloring Journal. It has places to color and blank spaces so you can write down your thoughts, prayers or maybe a Bible verse or two that stuck out to you when you read your devotions that day.
I have included some pictures so that you could get an idea of what's on the inside of the book. (Even though the cover itself is beautiful)

This is one of my FAVORITE pages!

 I love the beautiful artwork displayed on both sides of the page. As you can see,  on the left side of the page there is the blank spot to be used as a journal.

 So this one does not have much to color but it does have a wonderful Bible verse about how amazing God is and a prayer to God to help us remember to cherish every moment. It also has a space on the bottom of the page so that you can write out your thoughts or anything else you may want to write down.

One thing that I love about this journal is the ability to be versatile so that people of different ages can enjoy it. The above picture is one that my Mom had fun coloring. and believe it or not the picture below was colored by my Sister.  When I saw how she colored the flowers all I could do was stare because they were so beautifully and masterfully done.

 So the picture below is the picture that my other sister who is 9 years old like and she decided that she wanted to help me out (really? I need help coloring?) .   These two pages have an adorable young girl on the right side, a prayer, a Bible Verse and a place to write your thoughts on the left. It does appear to be childlike in appearance but the verse on the page is one of my favorites.

What did I think about the book? 
I loved it! I was pleasantly suprised by the book because I thought it was just going to be an ordinary coloring book but it has so much more inside. I love that each page has a Bible verse and a prayer for you to think about while you're coloring.  The Bible verses are from the New Living Translation so they are very easy to understand. I also liked the suggestion that on the journal pages, you do not have to write anything if you did not want to,  You could draw or doodle on the page. I would recommend this book for Girls age 8 and older because most of the pictures are very detailed and a young child might get very frustrated, very quick.

Overall I loved the book and I give it 4 out of 5 Stars ****


If you like this book, Check out the other creative books and ideas from Tyndale House Publishers by clicking on the link below
https://www.tyndale.com/l/living-expressions

Happy Coloring :)


I would like to thank Tyndale House Publishers for allowing me to read and review this book in return for a free copy and I was not asked to write a favorable review, Just a honest one. 
                                                                    

Catching Heat by Janice Cantore

Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to avenge; I will repay," says the Lord.                   -Romans 12:19

 So I have been writing so many reviews and reading so many books that I wanted this introduction to be short and sweet. Here is my latest " Must Read" .
Catching Heat by Janice Cantore. It is the last book in the Cold Case Justice Series and it is the explosive conclusion to Detective Abby Hart's search for justice for her murdered parents.


In Catching Heat , Detective Abby Hart is frustrated because she has finally found a vital piece of  her puzzle, A clue to who murdered her parents and burnt down their restaurant ( aka The Triple Seven Murder ) The problem was... it just slipped right through her fingers. Abby had arrested Kelsey Cox after Kelsey admitted to having a part in the crime but once She got Kelsey in court, Kelsey would not testify that she had anything to do with it. She just implied that she had a part in killing her father but would not say anything about the Triple Seven murders. Abby is outraged, She feels like she was so close and it was ripped away from her. but she tries to take her mind off of it by joining her friends Robert Woods ( Woody) and P.I. Luke Murphy on a special task force that investigates cold cases (cases that were never solved). The first case they are given is for a college girl who went missing years ago. They have been granted access to the suspect list but it has been so long that they are worried that the trail has gotten so cold that they will not be able to find any answers but they start with the two main suspects, Harkin and Considine.  While they are investigating the two suspects and the events surrounding the disappearance, Abby discovers a lead about the person she believes orchestrated her parents deaths. She thinks that they lived near where the case took them so she decides to investigate. But when Luke finds out that she went by herself to investigate her "supposed" lead, he is furious! Not only was it reckless to go alone into the wrong side of town but her lead is too shaky, and he honestly believes that it is no a lead at all.  When they find out that Kelsey escaped her prison transport, Luke and Woody decide that Abby is not to look into her lead unless one of them is with her because they are worried that Kelsey may try to get revenge. Abby feels like Woody and Luke are treating her like a child so she decides to investigate on her own but more discreetly, Unfortunately it starts consuming her life and she lets it distract her from the missing girl case .When that lack of focus causing Abby and Woody to be put in the middle of a dangerous situation, Will they be able to escape unharmed or will Abby mistake cost one or both of them their lives?

Find out by reading this exciting conclusion to the Cold Case Justice Series! 

What did I like about the book? 

So this is the third book in the Cold Case Justice series and I think that it was the perfect conclusion to the series. I would recommend reading the first two books in the series first so that you understand the plot better but the book could also be read as a stand alone.  Throughout the series you get to see Abby work through  feelings of revenge, loneliness, hurt, loss and love but even though she stumbled a few times, She was able to pick herself back up because she would remember that vengeance was the Lord's job and that one day justice would be served.  One of my favorite things about the series was the friendship that Woody, Luke and Abby had. That it did not matter the time, place or situation, they always had each others back.
 Overall I give the book 5 out of 5 Stars ***** and the Series gets 7 out of 5 Stars *******.


 

If you would like to check out more information on the Cold Case Justice series or any of her other books, Here is the link,

http://www.janicecantore.com/books/


Happy Reading :)

 

I would like to thank Tyndale House Publishers for allowing me to read and review this book in return for a free copy and I was not asked to write a favorable review, Just a honest one.
                                                                   

A Lady Unrivaled by Roseanna M. White

Lady Ella just wants to keep the diamonds from hurting those she loves the most in the world...

So I just finished an amazing new book by one of my favorite authors, Roseanna M. White called A Lady Unrivaled  and it is definitely my newest "Must Read".

In A Lady Unrivaled Lord James Cayton has broken two hearts and is determined to live a better life both for himself  and for his young little girl Addie. He never expected to meet someone like Lady Ella Myerstein though. He was shocked when she accidentally ran into him as she came barreling out of his cousin's library yelling something about how men and animals always fall at her feet  and immediately he was captivated by her smile, He'd never seen such a sweet, genuine smile before...

Lady Ella was shocked to see Cayton at his Cousin Stafford's castle because the two did not get along. Everyone knew that Cayton had dumped a girl who loved him only to turn around and marry another girl just for her money. 

But for some reason she could not stop thinking about him so she decides to focus instead on the diamonds, The Fire Eyes to be exact. The Fire Eyes were a very rare set of red diamonds from India that were believed to be cursed. Ella does not believe in the curse herself but she knows that greed and a need to have the Fire Eyes have proven to be a danger for her family before and she is determined that she will find the diamonds and hide them so that her brother and his new wife will never be put in harms way because of them again. Cayton and Ella keep bumping into each other and soon they become comfortable with each others company but when Ella tells Cayton about her plan for the Fire Eyes, he is furious! He will not allow her to put herself in danger for them. Unfortunately before he can convince Ella to stop this insanity, someone who has sought the Fire Eyes for years knows that Ella has them and is waiting for the perfect moment to steal them from her. When they discover that Ella has put them in a secure safe, they result in a sneakier plan. They convince Cayton to earn Ella's affection and court her so that he can convince her to wear the Fire Eyes so that they could be stolen from her. Cayton has no choice in the matter because they threatened his daughter. Cayton informs Ella of what happened and they decide to go along with the plan until they can get evidence of the person's crimes. Unfortunately the more time they spend pretending to be "courting" the more they both wish that it could be real instead of pretend. Ella is sure that she is falling in love with Cayton  but is not sure if he feels the same about her because he is always looking at her with a scowl  on his face and is always arguing with her about everything. But though he appears stern or mean at times, she has also been able to see a softer, sweet side of him, the side that looked into the clouds and saw a castle, the man who paints beautiful paintings but hides them away from the world because people might judge him for them, the man who has done everything he can to protect her... So she decides that she will do everything her power to protect him and his daughter. But when the danger reaches them, Will they be able to beat this "curse"? Or will it destroy them all? 

You will definitely want to read this amazing end to the series! 

What did I think of the Book?

First, I did want to let you know that this is book 3 of the Ladies of the Manor Trilogy and though it is part of a series you definitely could read it as a stand alone. 

Anyway,  I thought that the book was AMAZING! I love the way the characters interact with each other, especially Cayton and Ella. I love Ella's charming personality, that she is always smiling and is happy all the time. There is one part when Ella was in a bad mood and in the middle of talking with Cayton, he burst out laughing because it was funny to see her in such a mood since she is always so happy. He actually remarks to her that she looks so funny when she is in a bad mood because it does not seem to fit the who she is. I love the witty banter between Ella and Cayton and I love that the author brought in the characters from Book 1, The Lost Heiress and Book 2 The Reluctant Duchess into the story. Overall, I give this book 5 out of 5 Stars ***** and I give the Ladies of the Manor Series 10 out of 5 Stars ( it was THAT good) ***********

Hey Readers, Don't forget to check out her other books and series by clicking on the link! 

http://roseannawhite.com/wordpress/?page_id=2

Happy Reading :) 


I would like to thank Bethany House for allowing me to read and review this book in return for a free copy. I was not asked to write a favorable review, Just a honest one.

When Love Arrives by Johnnie Alexander

Dani had planned to spy on Brett- So how did she end up on a date with him? 





Interesting...
The quote that put on the top of this post is the reason that I chose to read this book. When I was given the chance to read and review this book I was going to say no because of the title. To me the title When Love Arrives screamed ROMANCE NOVEL and romance novels are not really my choice genre. But something about that line on the back cover caught my attention and got me interested in the story...

So if you are looking for a good romance novel to pass away the hours or are curious about the story, look no further, here is my newest "Must Read" When Love Arrives by Johnnie Alexander.

When Love Arrives by Johnnie Alexander is the story of Brett Somers, A rich, young orphan who was raised by his Grandmother when his parents were killed in a plane crash. Now Brett is in his twenties and is reaping the wild seeds that he has sown in his past. He just found out that he has an 8 year old son who is in a coma from a car accident and the boy's mother will not allow Brett to see him. Brett has asked God to forgive his past sins but is having a hard time forgiving himself.
Dani Prescott wants revenge. Her mother died in a plane crash and her father is a drunk who does not want her and never has. Even though life has been hard, she has made her way through college and had a good job until Brett Somers went on television and in front of the whole world, announced that her mother murdered his parents, that it was pilot error that caused the plane crash. Dani is determined to make Brett pay for his careless words but the question is how?
Dani followed Brett one day from his office in hopes of catching him doing something wrong and was shocked that he went to the Children's hospital. Did he know someone there? As she watched him from her car, She saw such pain and anguish on his face that she felt bad for him. She stood looking at the lights that shone through the hospital windows when suddenly Brett was right beside her asking if she was OK...
Brett wanted to make sure that the petite girl was OK, She appeared to be standing taking pictures of the lights but he wondered what exactly she was doing there. She appeared so lonely and she intrigued him when she gave him a fake name from an old movie that he used to watch with his Grandmother before she passed away. Suddenly before he realized what he was doing, he asked her on a date and she said yes!
Dani panicked on the inside, How had she gotten into this mess? She was looking for a way to get even with him and now she was going on a date?! Well, I don't want to tell you everything that happens in the book but Brett and Dani go on more then one date and though they have nothing in common with each other ( except their love for classic movies) they find themselves growing closer together even though they both insist that they are not "dating" they are just "not-dating"
Brett knows that Dani is hiding something but she will not tell him what... Dani is not sure how the man that claimed her mother was a murderer was the same man she has fallen in love with. He seems so different then she thought that he was, but will he still love her once he finds out who her mother is?
You will have to read the book to find out!


What did I think about the book? 
Well for a romance novel it was not that bad. The author started the plot within the first few pages and the suspense of Dani's and Brett's secrets continue until the very end of the book. I love the humor that is intertwined in the book with both Dani and Brett's witty answers. This is the second book in the Misty Willow series but I read it as a stand alone and it was good. I have to say that the plot was engaging and reminded me of a Hallmark movie. Overall I liked the book and will give it 4 out of 5 Stars ****



So if you would like to check out her other books, here is the link 
http://johnnie-alexander.com/johnnies-books/


Happy Reading :) 

I would like to thank Revell , A division of Baker Publishing Group for allowing me to review this book in exchange for a free copy, I was not required to write a favorable review, just an honest one.

Deadly Encounter by DiAnn Mills

"I don't want you to be destroyed by any poison," 
                  " Is this about God too?" 
 " Yes, He's bigger then our problems."
 Conversation between Whitt and Stacy, Deadly Encounter by DiAnn Mills

Hey Readers,
So have you ever played the game of Clue ? You know how it is, you hold your cards in your hand, excited because you have almost solved the mystery. You have looked at all the clues and you wrote all of them down, Finally when you are sure you know who did it you guess and find out... that.. you .. are... wrong.  That is how I felt when I read my latest " Must Read"
It is filled with twists and turns and just when I think I know what happened, the story changes!
This book is one that will keep you guessing until the very end.

Deadly Encounter by DiAnn Mills is the story of  Veterinarian and Airport Ranger Volunteer Stacy Broussard. While Stacy was out on her patrol one morning she came across a man who was shot an next to him was a motorcycle, a military grade drone and a injured dog. She immediately contacts 911 who contacted the FBI since the drone was military issue and this could potentially be a act of terrorism. Special Agent Alex LeBlanc enters the scene. He is sure that what he sees is a clear case of terrorism though he cannot figure out if the person who was shot was the victim or the perpetrator. Because of events and people in his past he is suspicious of everyone including Stacy even though she is the one who reported the crime. When strange events seem to happen and they all seem to surround or involved Stacy, Alex begins to wonder if somehow Stacy was being targeted. First Stacy gets a letter from the health department saying that there is something in the water in her neighborhood that is giving people flu-like symptoms, then several of her neighbors are hospitalized. Stacy cannot figure out if it is a hoax or if it is real, and if it is real why won't anyone help her neighborhood? If it is not real, then why are her neighbors getting so sick? Throughout the story you see that Stacy is trying to adopt or become a foster parent to Whitt McMann a young boy with an amazing IQ. But the circumstances that keep involving her are not helping her chances at proving that she can be the mother that he needs Suddenly Stacy develops the flu like symptoms and is hospitalized, the doctors discover what the symptoms are and make a unfortunate diagnosis... Stacy and all of the other people that were infected have a very rare disease that is only found in dogs but this is a strain that has been genetically altered. Why would someone go to such great lengths, knowingly infecting several people with a deadly disease?  What are they after and why did they target Stacy?
Why is every lead that Alex finds a dead end?
You will have to read the book to find out because I refuse to give spoilers!

What did I think of the book?
It was AWESOME!
I love the twists and turns that kept me guessing but I also like the fact that there are some moments that are part of real life like when she patches her relationship with her parents or when Alex asks Stacy on a date. The author also includes the characters journey in their faith. Each one is in a different part in their walk with the Lord. Alex has not felt he needed God but is slowly seeing that he needs Him more then he thought ,Stacy is getting back to a relationship with God after such a long time apart from him and Whitt cannot think of God being a loving Father because he only knows how his earthly father was.  I suggest this book to someone who is looking for a novel with the perfect blend of romance and suspense. Overall I rate this book 5 out of 5 Stars *****


SPECIAL TREAT!
Here is the first chapter of the book!

 Deadly Encounter – Chapter 1

I Loved this book and am definitely checking out some of her other books, If you want to here is the link:
http://www.diannmills.com/books/

Happy Reading :) 



 I would like to thank Tyndale House Publishers for allowing me to read and review this book in return for a free copy and I was not asked to write a favorable review, Just a honest one. 
                                                                    
  

To Follow Her Heart by Rebecca DeMarino

" The important thing for you to remember, Patience, is to put God first and then follow where He leads your heart, in faith , knowing that He holds your hand."   - Joshua, To Follow Her Heart by Rebecca DeMarino


Hey Readers, Why is there so much to read but there is so little time!

Here is my next "Must Read" if you like to read historical romance books.

To Follow Her Heart by Rebecca DeMarino is the continuing story of the the families of Southold, Long Island. The year is 1664 and Patience Terry has been in love with Captain Jeremy Horton since she met him but he has another love... Jeremy loves the ocean. Patience has pleaded with him to stay with her but he still goes out on the ocean on his beloved ship. One day Patience receives word that Jeremy's ship had been shipwrecked off the coast of Barbados and there have been no survivors found. Patience refuses to believe that he is dead because she knows that she would have felt it in her heart if he died. While everyone is mourning Jeremy at his funeral, Jeremy shows up right in the middle of the service! Patience is ecstatic! Finally her beloved Jeremy has returned to her and they can finally start their lives together. But Jeremy has agreed to lead the militia with orders to attack New Amsterdam. Patience agrees to wait for him while he away and after the attack goes better then planned  Jeremy returns home to Southold, Patience knows that Jeremy will finally marry her and they will get to live happily ever after... right?
Well, not exactly because Jeremy decides that he needs to do a few things first like get a job, help Harry build a ship etc... Patience is getting tired of waiting for Jeremy, How many times must she endure him leaving her? When a tragedy strikes his estate in England Jeremy must decide, Does he go help the servants at his childhood home or does he stay with his sweet Patience? And if Jeremy decides to leave, Will Patience agree to wait for him again or will she give up on love?
You will have to read the book to find out!


What did I think about the book?
So this is book 3 of The Southold Chronicles and it is also the final book in the series. I read book 2, To Capture her Heart ( Book Review link) but this book could also be read as a stand alone. I love the historical details that the author used in every chapter of the book, like the detail of the ships or the little recipes that she included... They all fit together to tell the love story of Patience and Jeremy. I recommend this book to anyone who has read the first two books because the author concludes the series well and I also recommed this book to anyone who likes a historical romance novel with lots of ups and downs. Overall I give this book 4 out of 5 Stars ****

If you want to check out the first two books in the series or any of her others books, here's the link:
http://www.rebeccademarino.com/


Happy Reading :) 


I would like to thank Revell , A division of Baker Publishing Group for allowing me to review this book in exchange for a free copy, I was not required to write a favorable review, just an honest one.