Beside Still Waters

Since my unfortunate lack of gainful employment, I’ve had a lot of reading time on my hands, well that and all the Dr appointments I’ve had, lots of waiting and lots of boredom equals lots of reading. Luckily this book was one on my list to read, Beside Still Waters by Tricia Goyer.

I’ve read my share of Amish books, but this one resonates with me more than any other Amish book has. Beside Still Waters follows the Sommer family as they make an unexpected move from one amish community to another trying to get passed the past. Marianna Sommer is a conflicted but dutiful heroine. I could feel her turmoil as she followed as the “perfect daughter” to care for her family instead of staying behind and following her dream of marrying Aaron Zook. My heart ached when she realized there was more to life, more to God and knowing him than what she had been taught from birth. I understood the conflict she felt what trying to reconcile what her Ordung had told her was right and wrong, with that of what felt right and wrong.

Marianna’s journey to a relationship with God that was hers and hers alone is one that I have taken myself. I know what it is like to find that my relationship with God has nothing to do with that of my parents, my church or anyone else. It is tough to realize that everything “taught” is not always true. Tricia delves in to this topic in an amazing way. She presents it to you in a story that is not only believable but that pulls you in and makes you think about your own relationship with God, how it came about and how it needs to grow. I can’t wait to read more about the Sommer family in the next Big Sky novel by Tricia Goyer.

I do want to thank the folks over at Litfuse for allowing me to participate in this blog tour! They sent me the book to read, and asked nothing more in return than an honest review!

About the book: Marianna Sommer believes she knows where her life is headed. Nineteen years old and Amish, her plan is to get baptized into the church, marry Aaron Zook, and live in the only community she’s ever known.

When Marianna’s family moves from Indiana to Montana she discovers life and faith will never be the same. As she builds an easy friendship with local guy, Ben Stone, Ben not only draws her heart, he also gets her thinking about what loving God and living in community is all about.

As Marianna struggles to find “home”, she also encounters God in intimate ways.

To order this book, go here: Amazon, or CBD

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

About Tricia: Tricia Goyer is the author of twenty-four books including Songbird Under a German Moon, The Swiss Courier, and the mommy memoir, Blue Like Play Dough. She won Historical Novel of the Year in 2005 and 2006 from ACFW, and was honored with the Writer of the Year award from Mt. Hermon Writer’s Conference in 2003. Tricia’s book Life Interrupted was a finalist for the Gold Medallion in 2005. In addition to her novels, Tricia writes non-fiction books and magazine articles for publications like MomSense and Thriving Family. Tricia is a regular speaker at conventions and conferences, and has been a workshop presenter at the MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) International Conventions. She and her family make their home in Little Rock, Arkansas where they are part of the ministry of FamilyLife.

For more about Tricia please visit www.triciagoyer.com.

Excitement!

As you can tell by the title, I’m excited! About what? You ask?

This: Bloom Book Club

I am joining in with the gals at (in)courage.me in a book study of One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp. I took one look at the book and knew I wanted to read it. This is just from an online posting of the picture. Then when I read the synopsis, watched the video by Jess and Angie, I knew I had to participate. Then today I watched the video of Ann, Jess, and Angie talking about Ann, her life, and the book, and I got totally psyched about it.

I want to hold the book in my hands

I want to smell the pages

I want to read, read, read

I want to absorb

I want to be changed.

I have a feeling this book will help me with this change. Wanna join me? There is plenty of time! Just click here.

Great book to add to your Library

Beautiful full-color maps and charts illuminate the Scriptures.
This is an amazing tool for anyone who teaches, preaches, or studies the bible. This book includes everything you need to help you “see” the bible as you read it and study it. Nelson’s Complete Book of Bible Maps and Charts, 3rd edition , is a perfect addition to any church, christian school or personal library. Being able to see the places, and learn about the politics, events, people involved in those events brings a totally new perspective to reading the Bible.

This updated edition of Thomas Nelson’s popular Complete Book of Bible Maps and Charts has everything your customers need to visualize the events, places, and people in the Old and New Testaments. The resources include:
* New, full-color, high-resolution maps and charts.
* Downloadable PDFs of maps and charts for presentations and classes.
* Tables, charts, and diagrams that organize Bible information for ease of learning and memorization.
* Historical articles providing insight into Bible times.
* Introductions to each book of the Bible.
Perfect for small-group leaders, Bible school teachers, and anyone curious about biblical times or wanting to locate key events from Scripture, Complete Book of Bible Maps and Charts provides a visual overview of the Bible in its entirety

I have to start out by saying I’ve not been a huge fan of Sandi Patty. I guess I could just never really relate to her. I’ve always admired her voice, and her determination, especially when she was essentially shunned by the christian community after her divorce and the tabloid like rumors that followed. But her latest book, The Edge of the Divine has changed my mind.

The Edge of the Divine was an easy read, you could definitely ‘hear’ Sandi’s voice while reading it. It was almost like sitting in a coffee shop, sharing girl talk over a cappaccino. Starting with her first visit to the lap-band clinic, you walk with Sandi as she goes through the procedure, recovers and starts losing the weight. This is a great book for someone considering lap-band surgery, and for women who suffer from obesity, its a light at the end of the tunnel seeing her transformation. It is an encouraging book, not life-changing, but one that leaves you with the notion, that “hey, Sandi did it, maybe I can too!”.

**I was sent this book in exchange for my honest review from The Media Collective, I am in now way compensated for my words, or my opinions**

Life in Defiance by Mary DeMuth

Life in Defiance by Mary DeMuth.

In a town she personifies, Ouisie Pepper wrestles with her own defiance. Desperate to become the wife and mother her husband Hap demands, Ouisie pours over a simple book about womanhood, constantly falling short, but determined to improve.

Through all that self-improvement, Ouisie carries a terrible secret: she knows who killed Daisy Chance. As her children inch closer to uncovering the killer’s identity and Hap’s rages roar louder and become increasingly violent, Ouisie has to make a decision. Will she protect her children by telling her secret? Or will Hap’s violence silence them all?

Set on the backdrop of Defiance, Texas, Ouisie’s journey typifies the choices we all face—whether to tell the truth about secrets and fight for the truth or bury them forever and live with the violent consequences..

I had never read any of Mary DeMuth’s books until this series came to my attention. I honestly didn’t know what I was missing. Mary is they type of author that grabs you from the first phrase and keeps you wrapped completely in the stories she tells until the very last syllable.

Life In Defiance is the final book of the Defiance trilogy telling the story of the horrifying murder of Daisy Chance and its reprecussions to not only her family but the towns people around them. Ouisie Pepper, knows who killed Daisy and refuses to tell, she doesn’t even let anyone else know that she knows. As things escalate, Ouisie is confronted with difficult decisions all the way around. Trying to save an impossible marriage by becoming the perfect wife, keeping her children from learning the truth, and being the best friend, confidant to Daisy’s mom Emory all take Ouisie on a path of deep introspection and she learns more than she ever bargained for about herself.

Laced with suspense and intrigue Life in Defiance shows how God’s mercy, and grace are intertwined in our every moment even when we don’t notice them.

Mary DeMuth
Author and speaker Mary DeMuth helps people turn their trials to triumph. Her books include Ordinary Mom, Extraordinary God; Building the Christian Family You Never Had; Watching the Tree Limbs; Wishing on Dandelions; Authentic Parenting in a Postmodern Culture and the first two books in the Defiance, Texas Trilogy: Daisy Chain and A Slow Burn.
National media regularly seek Mary’s candid ability to connect with their listeners. Her radio appearances include FamilyLife Today, Moody Midday Connection, Point of View and U.S.A. Radio Network and is frequently featured on Chuck Colson’s BreakPoint. She has published articles in In Touch, HomeLife, Writer’s Digest and The Writer.
Mary lives with her husband Patrick and their three children in Texas.

Learn more about Mary at http://marydemuth.com.

PERSONAL

Tell me a little bit about your background and your family.
You can read my testimony on my website (www.marydemuth.com). I came from a difficult upbringing, but Jesus saw fit to find me at fifteen. He has utterly changed my life.

I’ve been married 18 years to my husband Patrick (who’s been told he looks like George Clooney on more than one occasion). Interesting side note: I’ve been told I look like Laura Dern, and we share the EXACT same birthday. Twins separated at birth? Possibly. If you’re reading this and you’re chums with Laura, could you probe a bit?

George (er, Patrick) and I have three kids: Sophie, Aidan and Julia. Sophie’s learning to drive—and what’s interesting is that I’m not worried about it. She’s a careful driver. My son Aidan is thirteen. He’s passionate about finding water for a small village in Ghana. We got to go on the trip of a lifetime to meet the village of Sankpem last summer. Our daughter Julia is ten and is deeply kindhearted, beautiful inside and out. We also have an overly needy (farting) dog and a fat & fuzzy (sometimes cranky) cat.

What do you like to do in your spare time? Hobbies?
I love to cook and garden and sew and decorate and take pictures. I’m really quite a homebody. I also keep in shape by training for small triathlons, emphasis on small.

When you were a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
This may sound strange, but I wanted to be a doctor. But even then, the writer in me came out because I liked the cadence of my maiden name with the title doctor. Mary Walker, Medical Doctor.

Where are you headed next?
I just finished a standalone book for Zondervan—a mystery set in Rockwall, TX, which is where I live! And it has a romantic element to it. I’m also dabbling into YA (young adult) fiction, hoping to write for that demographic. So many of the things I write about can impact teen girls (identity, authenticity, beauty, abandonment, etc.). I look forward to see how God orchestrates that.

How did you get involved in writing?
I’ve been writing since college when the bug hit me. I wrote my first short story about a missionary going to Russia (when it was firmly encased behind the iron curtain) and having to do all these clandestine things to share the gospel. I’m embarrassed to write this, but the piece started with these four words: Thump, thump, thump, thump (representing the protagonist’s heartbeat, of course).

I’ve been actively writing since 1992 when my daughter Sophie was born. I created a newsletter that helped moms manage their homes. I bought my first computer from the proceeds. I also designed and edited church newsletters, wrote homeschooling curriculum, and even wrote a script for an ultrasound training video. Soon after, short stories started flying out of me. When we moved from East Texas to Dallas for my husband to go to Dallas Seminary, I decided to get serious. I met my friend Sandra Glahn then, a professor at the seminary and a published writer. She shepherded me through the query-letter-writing process and has been an incredible cheerleader.

In 2002, I wrote my first novel. In 2003, I signed with an agent, then signed two nonfiction books. Since then, I’ve had five books published (those included), Daisy Chain being my sixth book. The first novel I wrote is yet to be published.

What is your goal or mission as a writer?
To write and tell stories in such a way that readers find healing and no longer feel alone.

What are some of the challenges you face as an author?
Balancing marketing, writing, and speaking. Worrying about making ends meet. Pushing against burnout. It’s hard to walk the tightrope between thinking in terms of the Kingdom of God (and having lasting, eternal impact) and having to pay bills. It’s ministry, but it’s also work. And anyone who has tried to make a living at writing knows it’s usually feast or famine (with lots of dips into the famine pool).

What do you enjoy most about the writing process?
I love the initial flurry of words on the page where I’m uninhibited. I love fleshing out a story as it comes to me. I see my novels on the movie screen of my mind, which may account for the visual nature of my narratives.

What was the most difficult aspect of the writing process?
I am not in love with rejection.

I also don’t cherish rewriting. But it’s a necessary and important evil.

What would you say to someone who wants to become a published author?
Here’s the analogy you need to memorize and internalize: Beginning the publishing journey is like wearing a sweatshirt and toting a sack lunch at the base of Mount Everest, thinking, Hmm, this should be a breeze!

In addition: know you are called. Know you have talent. Know you’re full of tenacity. All three things will help you succeed along the journey.

Another idea is hang out at The Writing Spa and its corresponding blog WannabePublished. I tackle nearly every question a new writer would have. I offer weekly free critiques and I have guest authors cameo there. I evaluate the saleabilty of a book idea. Hop on by at http://www.thewritingspa.com.

WRITING:
Life in Defiance, the book

Where did you get the idea for the book?
My husband and I have helped women caught in the middle of domestic violence, and we’ve seen the church grapple with how to help women in this situation. Writing about Ouisie Pepper, a pastor’s wife who is trying to hide a huge secret helps bring to light the complicated issue.

I have encountered folks who hide, who seem to be upstanding Christians in public, but who hide their issues behind closed doors. I’ve seen the tortured state of their souls, and I’ve wondered why folks hide so much. Based on those encounters, I formulated the Defiance, TX trilogy to address hiding versus authentic, amazing faith.

Is any part of the book true?
Only in terms of walking alongside women who have experienced domestic violence. My story is not that at all. But I have seen the devastation up close with friends.

And then of course, I am writing the book, so there’s always a lot of me woven through all the characters.

Do you have a favorite character in Life in Defiance? Why?
I would say Emory Chance because she is so lost throughout the series, and deeply broken, but in this book she truly starts to absorb the beauty of Jesus. That, in a way, is the story of my life. I was a broken, needy girl who Jesus rescued.

What do you hope readers will take away from your book?
That you may encounter Jesus in outcasts. It’s not always the folks who promote themselves as believers who truly walk as Jesus did. Jesus comes in distressing disguise. Will we miss Him?

A room without books is empty
A Spacious Place
About dreams and broken glass
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Heading Home
GriefWalk: Hope Through The Dark Places
His Marvelous Work
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Hope of Glory
J’s Spot
Johnna Postic
Karen R. Evans
Latte Just 4 Me
Legacy
Life in Review
Life on the Wild Side
Marci Seither
Mocha with Linda
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My Alabaster Box
My Book Addiction and More
Net’s Book Notes
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Pix N Pens
Ponderings by Andrea
Reflections
Refresh My Soul
Rose McCauley
Scraps and Snippets
Sherri Woodbridge
Sisterhood of Beautiful Warriors
Sprightly Amy Anne
Tasra Mar
The 160-acre Woods
The Christian Naturalist
The Hahn Hunting Lodge
This Mom’s Delight
This That and The Other
Unfinished Work
Walking Daily
Word Vessel
Writer for a Reader

The Choice by Suzanne Woods Fisher

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The Choice by Suzanne Woods Fisher, is a book I was hesitant to review, mainly because it is based on Amish lifestyle. Typically, books on the Amish lifestyle, whether fiction or non-fiction, to me tend to be on the bland side, unable to keep my attention. Suzanne Woods Fisher, proved me wrong.

I was intrigued with the the baseball storyline, after all, how does an Amish boy get recruited to play baseball? And what would it take for a young, in-love Amish couple to leave their families, homes, and everything they have ever known to pursue a dream of big league, money and fame, two totally contradicting lives.

Carrie Weaver is a young woman in turmoil. In the pages of The Choice, she runs the gamut of emotional, physical, and spiritual turmoil. Questioning her faith and her God at every turn, and with a “right” so to speak to do so. Many times her life as she knows it is ripped to shreds then put back together again, each time making her that much stronger, that much more resilient, that much more faithful, even if she doesn’t realize it. Bringing to mind the Nietzsche quote “What doesn’t kill us makes us stronger”. Carrie is exactly what Nietzsche was referring. Letting us know that we are never too old, young, or far away to come to God, as he is right beside us the entire time, no matter how grueling, heart breaking our trip might be, God is beside us, waiting for us to reach out to him.

I can’t wait until Suzanne Woods Fisher’s next installment in the Lancaster County Secrets is published in October 2010!

This book was provided to me by the great folks at Litfuse Group and Revell Books in exchange for a review.

To read other reviews on this book, http://www.litfusegroup.com/Blog-Tours/blog-tour-for-the-choice-by-suzanne-woods-fisher.html

ABOUT THE BOOK!

One moment, Carrie Weaver is planning to elope with Lancaster Barnstormer Solomon Riehl, leaving their Amish community behind. The next, she is staring into a future as broken as her heart. Now Carrie faces a choice. An opportunity. But will this decision, this moment in time, change her life forever? “Fisher kicks off a refreshing new series, Lancaster County Secrets, with characters that are strong, both in body and spirit. They also have weaknesses that develop into strengths with the choices they make.”
4 stars, Romantic Times

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Suzanne is a wife and mom, raiser of puppies for Guide Dogs for the Blind, and an author of Christian books, both non-fiction and fiction.

Her relatives on my mother’s side are Old Order German Baptist Brethren, also known as Dunkards. That’s where her interest in Anabaptist traditions began. Suzanne’s grandfather was born into a family of 13 children, started his career as a teacher in a one-room school house in Franklin County, Pennsylvania, and ended it as one of the very first publishers of Christianity Today. “We called him “Deardad” even though he was a very stern fellow. Still, Deardad’s life inspired me to write.”

After college, Suzanne was a freelance writer for magazines and became a contributing editor to Christian Parenting Today. Her work has been featured in Today’s Christian Woman, Marriage Partnership, Worldwide Challenge, among others. She took the plunge into books a few years ago and now she’s hooked. To learn more about Suzanne, visit her website at www.suzannewoodsfisher.com

mini’s

Yes I have been quiet. Again. I know I keep drifting in and out. I’m sorry for that
Life is keeping me extremely busy, my work schedule keeps changing, I started going back to the gym, and am trying to stay on top of my book reviews.

Speaking of book review, I have posted a new one every day this week, and a lot of them are up for giveaway, so please check them out. I’ve been blessed to have receive some really good books, and would love to share the wealth!

Like this one:

Stretch Marks, by Kimberly Stuart from David C. Cook on Vimeo.

5714122

Piece De Resistance by Sandra Byrd

Peice De Resistance is the third book in the series by Sandra Byrd. Having read the first in the series, Let Them Eat Cake, I was excited to read Peice De Resistance and wasn’t disappointed.

I immediately was able to pick up with Lexi Stuart even though I missed the 2nd book of the series, Bon Appetit. In this third installment, Lexi has just returned to the States after spending some time in Paris doing an internship, her dream world. Now coming back to the states, she is faced with living in a retirement center, opening a new bakery and making it profitable and trying to straighten out her love life. What more can a girl ask for?

Sandra Byrd’s characters are always well thought out, and developed. I love Lexi for her faults as much as I do for her strengths. A wonderful, light hearted read. I am giving away my copy of this book leave a comment here, deadline is Oct 9 at 11:59pm!

It is time for a FIRST Wild Card Tour book review! If you wish to join the FIRST blog alliance, just click the button. We are a group of reviewers who tour Christian books. A Wild Card post includes a brief bio of the author and a full chapter from each book toured. The reason it is called a FIRST Wild Card Tour is that you never know if the book will be fiction, non~fiction, for young, or for old…or for somewhere in between! Enjoy your free peek into the book!

You never know when I might play a wild card on you!

Today’s Wild Card author is:

Sandra Byrd

and the book:

Pièce de Résistance

WaterBrook Press (September 15, 2009)

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Sandra Byrd is a best-selling author of books for adults, teens, and children. Her notable series include the Friends for a Season series, the Secret Sisters series and the French Twist series, which includes the first two Lexi Stuart novels, the Christy Finalist Let them Eat Cake and its sequel, Bon Appetit. A regular contributor to newspapers and magazines, Sandra lives in Washington state with her husband and two children.

Visit the author’s website.

To Order from Amazon

Or to Order from Christian Book Distributers

Product Details:

List Price: $13.99
Paperback: 304 pages
Publisher: WaterBrook Press (September 15, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1400073294
ISBN-13: 978-1400073290

Three Weddings & a Bar Mitzvah by melody Carlson

With Three Weddings & a Bar Mitzvah, Melody Carson has outdone herself! I have truly enjoyed the 86 Bloomberg Place series, and anxiously awaited this final installment of the series. I have grown to know and love Lelani, Kendall, Anna and Megan, and while I hate to not have a peek into their lives any more, this book was a great way to end the run.

It is time for a FIRST Wild Card Tour book review! If you wish to join the FIRST blog alliance, just click the button. We are a group of reviewers who tour Christian books. A Wild Card post includes a brief bio of the author and a full chapter from each book toured. The reason it is called a FIRST Wild Card Tour is that you never know if the book will be fiction, non~fiction, for young, or for old…or for somewhere in between! Enjoy your free peek into the book!

You never know when I might play a wild card on you!

Today’s Wild Card author is:

Melody Carlson

and the book:

Three Weddings & a Bar Mitvah

David C. Cook (2009)

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Melody Carlson has published more than one hundred books for adults, children, and teens, with many on best-seller lists. Several books have been finalists for, and winners of, various writing awards, including the Gold Medallion and the RITA Award. She and her husband live in the Cascade Mountains in Oregon and have two grown sons.

Visit the author’s website.

To Purchase from Amazon, or ChristianBook.com

Three Weddings and a Bar Mitzvah, by Melody Carlson from David C. Cook on Vimeo.

Product Details:

List Price: $14.99
Format: Paperback
Number of Pages: 320
Vendor: David C. Cook (2009)
ISBN: 1589191080
ISBN-13: 9781589191082

Cottonwood Whispers by Jennifer Erin Valent

Cottonwood Whispers
Cottonwood Whispers
Jennifer Erin Valent

Cottonwood Whispers by Jennifer Erin Valent was a book I wasn’t too sure about reading, just being honest. Partly because I hadn’t read her first book, and part because I wasn’t thrilled with the time setting. I tend to read more contemporary books, either that or old west stories. But I will be the first to admit the old adage “never judge a book by its cover” is true. I was pleasantly surprised with Cottonwood Whispers. I enjoyed the book so much that I am now searching down a copy of the first book by Ms Valent, Fireflies in December, which is also the prequel to Cottonwood Whispers.

Upon meeting Jessilyn Lassiter, I was taken with her. A spunky just turned 17 year old living in the 1936 south, not a child, yet not a woman, Jessilyn isn’t afraid to speak her mind. From letting her best friend Gemma know she disapproves of her relationship with the youngest son of the Hadley family for whom Gemma works, to speaking up for a dear friend who is falsely accused of murder. Jessilyn is trying to find her place in this world in a time that is wraught with racism, and vigilante justice, not to mention figuring out how Lke fits in with all that is going on in her life.
Cottonwood Whispers is a fantastic read and I can’t wait to get my hands on the next book by Jennifer Erin Valent.

For a chance to read my ARC copy of this book, just leave a comment on this post. Dead line is midnight, EST, Sept 18.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jennifer Erin Valent is the winner of the Christian Writers Guild’s 2007 Operation First Novel for Fireflies in December, her first published novel. She lives in Central Virginia where she has worked as a nanny for over fifteen years. A lifelong resident of the South, her surroundings help to color the scenes and characters she writes.

Visit Jennifer’s website at jennifervalent.com

You can find her books at christianbook.com, amazon.com

Or go here to read a sample chapter.

For a chance to win my copy of this book, which is the ARC of it, please leave a comment on this post by midnight Sept 20.

It is time for a FIRST Wild Card Tour book review! If you wish to join the FIRST blog alliance, just click the button. We are a group of reviewers who tour Christian books. A Wild Card post includes a brief bio of the author and a full chapter from each book toured. The reason it is called a FIRST Wild Card Tour is that you never know if the book will be fiction, non~fiction, for young, or for old…or for somewhere in between! Enjoy your free peek into the book!

You never know when I might play a wild card on you!

Today’s Wild Card author is:

Jennifer Valent

and the book:

Cottonwood Whispers

Tyndale House Publishers (August 17, 2009)

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Jennifer Erin Valent is the winner of the Christian Writers Guild’s 2007 Operation First Novel contest for Fireflies in December, her first published novel. She lives in Central Virginia, where she has worked as a nanny for over fifteen years. A lifelong resident of the South, her surroundings help to color the scenes and characters she writes.

Visit the author’s website.

Product Details:

List Price: $12.99
Paperback: 352 pages
Publisher: Tyndale House Publishers (August 17, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1414333269
ISBN-13: 978-1414333267