The Last Ride by An Andrea Carter Book Review

The Last Ride
An Andrea Carter Book

Susan K. Marlow

Andi's newest adventure may be more than she can handle--even with her family's help

Andrea Carter is turning sweet 16 and life could not be better. She's about to finish school, her sister Melinda is getting married, and her older brother Justin has a new baby to spoil. There will be plenty of time to work with the colt of her treasured palomino horse, Taffy, and best of all, Andi will finally get to work full-time for the ranch she loves.

There's just one problem: a city-slicker cousin named Daniel. Left there by his father, with a cryptic warning that New York City life has done damage to the young man's character, Daniel wants nothing to do with the ranch. He ignores Andi's lessons, walks away from responsibility, wrecks valuable equipment, and even runs away to San Francisco.

The Carter family is in a frenzy trying to keep Daniel under control. When Andi discovers a horrifying secret about him, he forces her to stay silent. But all that changes when Daniel's actions put lives in danger. Andi's anger over her loss threatens to destroy not only Andi but her entire Circle C world. Can anyone break through the wall around Andi's bitter heart and help her find healing?

Loyal long-time readers of Susan Marlow's historical fiction will line up for an older Andi's newest adventure, and her discovery of how powerful love can be.

My Review:

This is a fun book for girls to read. It has a great message and great ethics. What young girl does not wish that she had horses? However life is not perfect and the author added school issues, peer issues and issues that readers can relate to. This was a fun book for me to read as an adult. I am giving this book a 4/5. I was given a copy, all opinions are my own.

The Captivating Lady Charlotte by Carolyn Miller Book Review

The Captivating Lady Charlotte
Carolyn Miller

Her heart is her own--but her hand in marriage is another matter

Lady Charlotte Featherington is destined for great things on the marriage market. After all, as the beautiful daughter of a marquess, she should have her pick of the eligible nobility when she debuts. She, however, has love at the top of her list of marriageable attributes. And her romantic heart falls hard for one particularly dashing, attentive suitor. Sadly for Charlotte, her noble father intends her betrothed to be someone far more dull.

William Hartwell may be a duke, but he knows he was Charlotte's father's pick, not the young lady's own choice. And the captivating Lady Charlotte does not strike him as a woman who will be wooed by his wealth or title. While she has captured his heart, he has no idea how to win hers in return--and the betrayal and scandal his first wife put him through makes it difficult for him to believe that love can ever be trusted. His only hope is that Charlotte's sense of responsibility will win out over her romantic notions.

Can a widowed duke and a romantically inclined lady negotiate a future and discover love beyond duty? Will they be able to find healing and hope from the legacy of grace? Poignant and charming, this is another beautifully written, clean, and wholesome Regency romance from Carolyn Miller.

My review;

Lady Charlotte Featherington has a real problem. Her father is just about to make her marry someone that she thinks is very boring. She believes that there are many other men that she could have been happy with, but she was not given a choice. She really believes that there is someone else that she does love, but William Hartwell is her father's choice. He has fallen for her but he does not want to repeat what happened to him in his first marriage. William wants her father to persuade her to marry him. Can an arranged marriage ever be a happy and loving one? Will they have a future that they both really want? I give this book a 5/5. I was given this book for a review and these are my opinions.

Death in the Shadows by Paul McCusker Review

Death in the Shadows

Paul McCusker

When Father Gilbert traded in his detective's badge for an Anglican priest's collar, he never expected he would be pulled into a different kind of mystery--the mystery of the spiritual world.

Attending a conference in a seaside town, he has yet another supernatural encounter, this time with a murdered girl who worked at a local massage parlor. Details of the murder lead Father Gilbert to approach the police with clues in common with other cases, bringing him into contact with a detective from his days with Scotland Yard.

Meanwhile, a local monastery has been vandalized, with grotesque images and profane graffiti defacing the altar and walls. The head of the monastery accuses the local sex-trade industry of retaliating against his outspoken stand against it. Then, one of the brothers at the monastery is found dead in the local red-light district. All evidence points to his having been a regular at a massage parlor--the same one where the murdered girl had worked.

My review:
This is a really good story. I love a few things about it. The time period, Scotland Yard, spirits, and the religious world are all woven into one great mystery. I am a fairly religious person and I believe in angels and I love a story that mentions spirits and the other side. Ones with unfinished business make for a great read. It is not your normal Christian Fiction that is all flowers and rainbows. It has the true issues that cities in trouble face every day. I am giving this book a 4/5. I was given a copy, all opinions are my own.

My Toddler Bible by Juliet David Book Review

My Toddler Bible
Juliet David

Fans of Chris Embleton-Hall's cheerfully distinctive artwork will be eager to see this new Bible! Twenty stories--nine from the Old Testament and eleven from the New--are retold in a concise and friendly manner in a rounded, easy-to-read font. Very, very bright, and very, very fun!

My Review
"My Toddler Bible" by Juliet David is so cute. It is told so that children can understand it and they will love the pictures on each page. This is great for an individual child or a group of students who are learning about the Bible at a young age. I would highly recommend this. I absolutely love it. I give this book a 5/5. I was given a copy. These are my opinions.

The Kill Fee By Fiona Veitch Smith Review

The Kill Fee

Poppy Denby Investigates

By Fiona Veitch Smith 

About the book:

Poppy Denby, Arts and Entertainment Editor at The Daily Globe, covers an exhibition of Russian Art, hosted by White Russian refugees, including members of the surviving exiled Romanov Royal family. There is an armed robbery, a guard is shot, and the largest Fabergé Egg in the collection is stolen. The egg itself is valuable, but more so are the secrets it contains within -- secrets that could threaten major political powers. Suspects are aplenty, including the former keeper of the Fabergé Egg, a Russian Princess called Selena Romanova Yusopova. The interim Bolshevik Russian ambassador, Vasili Safin inserts himself into the investigation, as he believes the egg -- and the other treasures -- should all be restored to the Russian people. Poppy, her editor Rollo, press photographer Daniel, and the other staff of the Globe are delighted to be once again in the middle of a sensational story. But, soon the investigation takes a dark turn when another body is found and an employee of the newspaper becomes a suspect...The race is on to find both the key and the egg -- can they be found before the killer strikes again?..

My Review:

I really enjoyed reading about this era. I loved the mystery of who took the egg and the Russians are not normally in the types of mystery books I read, I also like Poppy! She is one of those characters that you can not help but like. She was great in book 1 and even better in this book. I love how she uses Shakespeare to relate to her suspects. I liked the ending and feel as though it will be a nice beginning for book 3. I also read the author's note and am now researching where Poppy can go next! I am giving this book a 5/5. I was given a copy, All opinions are my own,.

The Peacock Throne by Lisa Karon Richardson Review

About the book:

A mysterious throne holds the key to two murders; an epic adventure steeped in treachery and romance

When Miss Lydia Garrett's guardian is murdered, and the authorities refuse to investigate the odd circumstances, she vows to catch the culprit. The same night the Earl of Danbury is murdered in his bed. Against all odds it appears that the murders are related—and Anthony Douglas, the new Lord Danbury, is bent on revenge.

The clues point to the former earl’s first naval command. In 1758 the earl spirited away and hid the magnificent Peacock Throne at the behest of the Indian royal family. To draw out the murderer, Anthony and Lydia agree that they must locate the throne.

They are not the only ones interested in the Peacock Throne, however. Marcus Wiltshire, a British intelligence, has received hints that Bonaparte intends to return the throne to India and leverage its mystical significance to foment rebellion and cut England off from her most important trading partner.

When the amateur sleuths join forces with the professional agent, the quest for the throne leads them around the globe on an adventure steeped in danger, treachery, and romance.

My Review:

I was really interested in this book. I could not stop reading it and I thought that Lydia was a really strong character that cared about her guardian, and was so worried about avenging his death that she would get herself killed. I also thought that Anthony was going to be a jerk and that all he cared about was revenging his father's death. As the book went on I started to really like these characters and I wanted them to stop searching so they would be safe. They were both stubborn and that made for some interesting conversations. I was surprised by how eagerly the throne was used at the end of the book, and in fact it was kind of a let down for me. After all the searching and all the traps I would have liked more to come of it. The saboteur was a surprise and I hope that the author comes out with a sequel to tie up loose ends. I am giving this book a 3/5. I was given a copy to review, however all opinions are my own.

The Jazz Files by Fiona Veitch Smith Review

The Jazz Files

Fiona Veitch Smith

Introducing Poppy Denby, a young journalist in London during the Roaring Twenties, investigating crime in the highest social circles It is 1920. Twenty-two year old Poppy Denby moves from Northumberland to live with her paraplegic aunt in London. Aunt Dot, a suffragette who was injured in battles with the police in 1910, is a feisty and well-connected lady. Poppy has always dreamed of being...


When Poppy  Denby's Aunt Dot needs her help in London , she moves there from Northumberland to help. This is the first book in this new series and it looks like it is going to be a great series. These stories are called "Poppy Denby Investigates" take place in the 1920's and Poppy has just gotten a position as a journalist at The Daily Globe Newspaper. It just so happens that on her first day someone gets killed and she has to take over their job and finish the story. This is the beginning of her solving crimes. I was given this book for a review by Kregel Publications. I give this book a 4/5. These are my opinions. 

Saints & Sailors by Pam Rhodes Review

About the book:

Fourth in the Dunbridge Chronicles series, Neil Fisher's old and new congregations come together on a cruise round the British Isles

Three groups of people come together for a more-or-less godly cruise around the British Isles to visit Lindisfarne, the Loch Ness Monster Museum, the isles of Iona and Mull, Dublin, and the Scilly Isles. There are familiar faces from St Stephens, Dunbridge; some new folk from Neil’s new parish in Derbyshire; and the slightly long-suffering crew, not least its skipper.

A cruise is a great place to make new friends, with leisure for decent conversations. It can also be an awkward, confined space with those you would really rather avoid. Some of the party face tough decisions--not least of which is whether to say "yes"--and some tensions just cannot be left on land.

This book is a delight, full of compassion, humor, and Pam Rhodes's astute observations.

My review;

Author Pam Rhodes has written another book in her series called "The Dunbridge Chronicles" called  "Saints & Sailors". This is Book 4 in the series.  Vicar Neil Fisher is going on a cruise and he has new and old parishioners aboard. This the story of their cruise. While they are on the ship they meet new people and they learn a lot about each other. I really liked this story and I, as before in other books in this series liked the characters. This was a very nice book to read and it gave insight into what a Christian cruise is like. I give this book a 4/5. I was given this book for a review by Kregel  Publications. and these are my opinions.

A Thousand Shall Fall by Andrea Boeshaar

A Thousand Shall Fall

Nineteen-year-old Carrie Ann Bell is independent and spirited. The only thing she really fears are the Union soldiers fighting against her Confederate friends. When her youngest sister runs away from home, brave Carrie Ann is determined to find her and bring her back. Disguised as a soldier, she sets off--only to find she's fallen into the hands of the enemy.

Her childhood friend Confederate Major Joshua Blevins has warned her against these Yankees: they're all devils, ready to inflict evil on unsuspecting young women. When Colonel Peyton Collier arrests her for her impersonation of an officer, it seems to confirm all her fears.

Soon, though, she finds herself drawn to the handsome, gallant colonel. He rescued her, protected her, and has been every inch the gentleman. Carrie Ann discovers that her foe has become her ally--and more than that, someone she could love. But the arrival of Joshua in the Union camp as a spy will test her loyalties. Will she protect someone who has been like family or be loyal to this stranger to whom she wants to offer her heart? When her world is being torn apart around her, whom should she trust?

Set against the backdrop of the American Civil War, A Thousand Shall Fall is framed around compelling characters and a very romantic setting in Virginia's Shenandoah Valley. Andrea Boeshaar’s extensive research guarantees historical accuracy and romance genre enthusiasts and Civil War buffs alike will enjoy the Christian perspectives on actual historical events.

Andrea Boeshaar

Nineteen-year-old Carrie Ann Bell is independent and spirited. The only thing she really fears are the Union soldiers fighting against her Confederate friends. When her youngest sister runs away from home, brave Carrie Ann is determined to find her and bring her back. Disguised as a soldier, she sets off--only to find she's fallen into the hands of the enemy. Her childhood friend Confederate Major...

My Review:
"A Thousand Shall Fall" by author Andrea Boeshaar tells the story of one family's struggle to live through The Civil War. Carrie Ann Bell is only nineteen years old when her sister decides to run away. She in turn decides that she must go and look for her even if there is a war going on. When she is captured by Yankees even her disguise as a soldier doesn't save her from prison. Now she is alone and afraid to trust anyone. Even the man who has arrested her and has been very nice to her. What can she do all by herself? This is a novel full of detail love and family. I give this book a 4/5. I was given this book for a review and all opinions are mine.

The Midnight Visitors By Juliet David & Jo Parry Review

About the book:

Miriam was glad to be warm and cozy. There were so many people in the town but it was nice and peaceful inside her cowshed. Little did she know that she would soon be joined by Midnight Visitors . . . and not just any old visitors!

Snuggle up and enjoy the warm, soft feel the art and narrative bring to this delightful Christmas picture book with a difference. 

My Review:
This is a cute story about the night Jesus was born and how a cow made room in his barn for not only a family of rabbits, a fox, The Holy Family and The Three Kings. This just goes to show that if there is room in your heart, they God will come to you. I loved the pictures and the easy read for young children. This is a nice story to read every Christmas. I am giving this book a 5/5. I was given a copy to review, however all opinions are my own. 

Bible Stories Gone Crazy! by Josh Edwards & Emiliano Migliardo Review

Eight Bible stories are depicted in bright color and comic, cartoony illustrations. There is a sentence or two explaining the scene at the top, and then details to spot, mistakes to find, and questions to answer along the sides of the picture, such as, "Did Noah's workmen REALLY have power tools?" and "How many rabbits are in the picture?" Children will love scouring the illustrations to find the answers and spot more amusing details in the busy artwork of Emiliano Migliardo.

The stories are Noah and His Great Ark, Moses Crossing the Red Sea, Joshua and the Fall of Jericho, David and Goliath, Daniel and the Lions, Jonah and the Big Fish, Feeding the 5,000, and Man Through the Roof.

My Review:

This was a fun book. I had fun with my niece going over the stories and then asking silly questions. The authors used a lot of thought when asking these questions and it really makes the reader stop and think. I am convinced that any child that reads this book will fall in love with it. I give this book a 5/5. I was given this book for a review and these opinions are all mine.

The Methuselah Project by Rick Barry Book Review

About the book:

Nazi scientists started many experiments. One never ended.

Roger Greene is a war hero. Raised in an orphanage, the only birthright he knows is the feeling that he was born to fly. Flying against the Axis Powers in World War II is everything he always dreamed--until the day he's shot down and lands in the hands of the enemy.

When Allied bombs destroy both his prison and the mad genius experimenting on POWs, Roger survives. Within hours, his wounds miraculously heal, thanks to those experiments. The Methuselah Project is a success--but this ace is still not free. Seventy years later, Roger hasn't aged a day, but he has nearly gone insane. This isn't Captain America--just a lousy existence only made passable by a new-found faith. The Bible provides the only reliable anchor for Roger's sanity and his soul. When he finally escapes, there's no angelic promise or personal prophecy of deliverance, just confusion. It's 2015--and the world has become an unrecognizable place.

Katherine Mueller--crack shot, genius, and real Southern Belle--offers to help him find his way home. Can he convince her of the truth of his crazy story? Can he continue to trust her when he finds out she works for the very organization he's trying to flee?

Thrown right into pulse-pounding action from the first page, readers will find themselves transported back in time to a believable, full-colored past, and then catapulted into the present once more. The historical back-and-forth adds a constantly moving element of suspense to keep readers on the edge of their seats.

My Review
I just finished reading author Rick Barry's new novel called "The Methuselah Project" and I really liked the story. Roger Greene was captured during the war in 1943 and experiments were performed on him. Many years later he finally breaks free but he is not an old man in fact he is still young. Of course, no one will listen or believe him. What can he do to convince everyone who he really is? Will he find anyone to help him?  I give this book a 4/5.  I was given this book for a review by Kregel Publications and these are all my opinions.

Only With Blood by Therese Down Book Review

About the book:

Jack Flynn, strong and aggressive but slowly dying of tuberculosis on his farm in Tipperary in the Republic of Ireland, decides to acquire--purchase--a young wife who can bear him sons to inherit his family's land. His choice, Caitlin Spillane, is less than half his age, attractive and intelligent, and resents bitterly the obedience that is forced upon her.

When a young firebrand, a supporter of the IRA, arrives in the village, he and Caitlin are drawn together in their detestation of Flynn. Flynn, traumatized by his own insurgent IRA experiences twenty years earlier, is secretly convinced that Eamonn de Valera's more diplomatic, peaceful approach to Ireland's problems is the only sane one.

Could Caitlin be won for the cause, and leave her unloved husband?

A novel set against the struggle for the heart of Ireland in the Second World War, when the IRA notoriously sought assistance from the Nazis, Only with Blood explores flawed characters placed in extraordinary situations.

My review;

Caitlin Spillane has been purchased by an older husband to give him sons so that he will have heirs. Her husband, Jack Flynn is a farmer in the nwe Reublic of Ireland. He is very sick with tuberculosis. A young IRA activist shows up and decides that he is going to help Caitlin escape from her husband.  Jack Flynn has had a horrible life. This story is also about history and the IRA.

Direct Hit by Mike Hollow Book Review

Direct Hit

By Mike Hollow

9781782641278 | $14.99 | Paperback

Lion Fiction

About the book:

The jagged blast of high explosives rips through the evening air. In the sky over East London the searchlights criss-cross in search of the enemy.

On the first night of the Blitz, a corpse is discovered in a van in the back streets of West Ham. Detective Inspector John Jago recognizes the dead man as local Justice of the Peace Charles Villers. But then a German bomb obliterates all evidence.

Villers was not a popular man, both powerful and feared. As the sirens wail, the detective must start matching motive to opportunity--and it doesn't help when his boss foists an intrusive American journalist on him.

Jago soon discovers the dead man held many secrets, some reaching back to World War I. A lot of people wished Villers dead--and an air raid is a good time to conceal a murder.

My review;

Detective Inspector John Jago has just identified a dead man as a local Justice of the Peace. His body has been found in West Ham on one of the streets in a van.  Jago has to find the killer before something else happens. All this while it is the beginning of the Blitz and already  there are enough problems. Maybe an air raid is a perfect place to commit a murder. I really liked this storyline and I liked the characters. I give this book a 4/5. I was given this book for a review and these are all my opinions.

Day of Atonement By David A. deSilva Review

Day of Atonement

A Novel of the Maccabean Revolt

By David A. deSilva

978-0-8254-2471-7 | $15.99 | Paperback

Kregel Publications

About the book:

The Greeks have taken over the world, but Jerusalem is still the same backwater city Jason has always known. He wants to help his hometown rise to a new age of prosperity and influence. If that means stretching the terms of the city's divine covenant, so be it. But how far is he willing to go to achieve Greek greatness for this Jewish city? It will take the willingness of a handful of Jews to die rather than violate the covenant in order to turn the tide back to God.

Written by an internationally recognized expert in the period between the Testaments, Day of Atonement invites readers into Judea during the tumultuous years leading up to the Maccabean Revolt. It was this pivotal decade that reminded Jews of the centrality of the covenant to their national security and taught them that the covenant was worth dying for. The story is so foundational, it is still told every year at Hanukkah. The lessons learned during this turbulent time also shed light on just what was at stake in the ministry of Jesus, whose radical message seemed to threaten the covenant once again.

Day of Atonement joins the perennially successful novels Pontius Pilate andThe Flames of Rome by renowned historian Paul Maier on Kregel's premier list of captivating and historically accurate biblical novels.

My Review:

I liked that this book covered times between the 2 testaments. It was a time of war and of greatness. There was so much to be gained and lost. After reading this book, some of the New Testament made more sense to me. I thought a lot about how the preachers and places would have been different. This was not a quick read for me, only because there were a lot of places and people to remember. I also had to take my time and read through the history. The list of characters helped a lot. I would have liked a glossary as well. There was a map, but I would have liked it bigger and more detailed. I am giving this book a 4/5. I was given a copy to review, however all opinions are my own. 

The Lost Garden By Katharine Swartz Review

The Lost Garden

(Tales from Goswell)

By Katharine Swartz

978-1-78264-091-2 | $14.99 | Paperback Lion Fiction

About the book:

Marin Ellis is in search of a new start after her father and his second wife die in a car accident leaving her the guardian of her fifteen-year-old half-sister, Rebecca. They choose the picturesque village of Goswell on the Cumbrian coast and settle into Bower House, the former vicarage, on the edge of the church property. When a door to a walled garden captures Rebecca’s interest, Marin becomes determined to open it and discover what is hidden beneath the bramble inside. She enlists the help of local gardener Joss Fowler, and together the three of them begin to uncover the garden’s secrets.

In 1919, nineteen-year-old Eleanor Sanderson, daughter of Goswell’s vicar, is grieving the loss of her beloved brother Walter, who was killed just days before the Armistice was signed. Eleanor retreats into herself and her father starts to notice how unhappy she is. As spring arrives, he decides to hire someone to make a garden for Eleanor, and draw her out of—or at least distract her from—her grief and sorrow. Jack Taylor is in his early twenties, a Yorkshire man who has been doing odd jobs in the village, and when Eleanor’s father hires him to work on the vicarage gardens, a surprising—and unsuitable—friendship unfolds.

Deftly weaving the dual narratives, Katharine Swartz explores themes of loyalty and love through her memorable characters and strong sense of place.

My Review: 

I love to garden and I love when I see new life grow. That is why I liked this book so much. The garden has a special meaning to Marin and Eleanor, even though they live a century apart. Plants are also fragile and need to taken care of. Just like a relationship. I also liked how the author finished the plots and how the men's past came into light. I am giving this book a 5/5. I was given a copy to review, however all opinions are my own.

Bible Dominoes Review

Bible Dominoes Juliet David & Jo Parry This domino game helps children to learn about the Bible and Jesus while playing! It also encourages communication, sharing, counting, and matching skills. The pieces are large and colorful, so they're easy to pick up, and the pictures are clear. The set includes 28 dominoes with a mixture of Bible story characters, numbers, and animals to match, as well as instructions and a story booklet explaining the stories featured on the cards. A useful resource for home, school, or Sunday school. - See more at: http://www.kregel.com/childrens-activities/bible-dominoes/#sthash.IHfOm6xE.dpuf

My Review:
These are great because children can learn about God in a fun way. I would have liked them in plastic. However they are colorful and sturdy. I liked that they had animals and numbers as well as the Bible Characters because it was not overwhelming. Matching is always a great way to learn! I am giving these a 5/5. I was given a game to review from Kregel, however all opinions are my own.

Andrea Carter's Tales From Circle C Ranch by Susan K. Marlow Blog Tour and Book Review

About the book:

The independent tomboy Andrea Carter and her beloved horse, Taffy, were first introduced in Andrea Carter and the Long Ride Home in 2005. Since then, popular author Susan Marlow has penned five more books in the Circle C Adventures series, filled in Andi's early years with the Circle C Beginnings series, and started a chronicle of Andrea's teen years in Circle C Milestones.

Published to celebrate the tenth anniversary of this positive role model for girls, Andrea Carter's Tales from the Circle C Ranch is a collection of short stories inspired by fan questions that fills in many of the gaps between Circle C Beginnings and Circle C Adventures. Taking place between 1873 and 1880, each story is prefaced by an explanatory note that pinpoints the action of the story in relation to events in the existing Andrea Carter books.

Wholesome fun, and with a clear Christian message throughout, Andrea Carter's Tales from the Circle C Ranch is a must-read for fans of the series and a fun introduction for those who haven't yet discovered these historical gems.

My review;

I just finished reading "Andrea Carter's From Circle C Ranch" and I had some questions that I had about the series answered. This is a book with 11 short stories broken into 2 parts. Part One : The Early Years" and "Part Two: The In- Between Years". We are able to read about how much Andrea wanted to wear britches like the boys. We learn how much she loved her father and her horse. This is a great book for young people. I give this book a 4/5. I was given this book by Kregel Publications and all opinions are my own.

Too Many to Jail by Mark Bradley Review & Book Sale

Too Many to Jail
The Story of Iran's New Christians
by Mark Bradley


About the book:

In 1979, there were fewer than 500 known Christians from a Muslim background in Iran. Today there are at least 100,000 new believers. Church leaders believe that millions can be added to the church in the next few years--such is the spiritual hunger that exists. The religious violence that accompanied the reign of President Ahmadinejad drained its perpetrators of political and religious legitimacy, and has opened the door to other faiths.
This book sets the rapid church growth in Iran in the context of the deteriorating relationship between Iranians and their national religion. There is a major focus on the Ahmadinejad years, but the author also covers the history of the church before 1979, developing the central idea that the spark may have become buried in the ashes but has never been extinguished.
Careful, proportionate, well-informed, and accurate, Too Many to Jail is a powerful reminder of the Christian revival that the headlines ignore. The stories of faith, persecution, and encouragement will inspire every reader to see anew God's work in the world.

My Review:

I thought that this would be an interesting book to read. I was curious what makes new followers, of any religion really. It was the same as my ancestors. The need to have the right of believing in your own God, and to have faith is why I think people change their religions. There was a lot about Iran and the reasons the people there are changing to Christian beliefs. Over all this was an informative book about a different culture, for me, and I liked the map and pictures. It is sad to me that in today's age we can not let people be themselves. I am giving this book a 4/5. I was given a copy to review from Kregel, however all opinions are my own. 

Mercy's Rain by Cindy K. Sproles Review

When your life is built around a father's wrath, how can you trust in the love of Father God?
Mercy Roller knows her name is a lie: there has never been any mercy in her young life. Raised by a twisted and abusive father who called himself the Pastor, she was abandoned by the church community that should have stood together to protect her from his evil. Her mother, consumed by her own fear and hate, won't stand her ground to save Mercy either.
The Pastor has robbed Mercy of innocence and love, a husband and her child. Not a single person seems capable of standing up to the Pastor's unrestrained evil. So Mercy takes matters into her own hands.
Her heart was hardened to love long before she took on the role of judge, jury, and executioner of the Pastor. She just didn't realize the retribution she thought would save her, might turn her into the very thing she hated most.
Sent away by her angry and grieving mother, Mercy's path is unclear until she meets a young preacher headed to counsel a pregnant couple. Sure that her calling is to protect the family, Mercy is drawn into a different life on the other side of the mountain where she slowly discovers true righteousness has nothing evil about it--and that there might be room for her own stained and shattered soul to find shelter. . . and even love.
Mercy's Rain is a remarkable historical novel set in 19th century Appalachia that traces the thorny path from bitterness to forgiveness and reveals the victory and strength that comes from simple faith.

My Review:
Mercy's father is not a nice man. This book is not for everyone. Once I gt through the horrible things that Mercy went through I started to understand why she did what she did. Her mother was no better, but I think she lived in so much fear that she had no choice. The Pastor was mean to the townspeople too. I am surprised that Mercy was the one to stop him. Mercy had lost everything that day. Her fear, her mother and her best friend. She also gained anger. I felt for Mercy and wanted her to live happily ever after. However she has scars that will never heal. The preacher she meets on her travels is the worst person for her to meet, but also the best. He is the worst because she has preconceived notions for men of God. The best because he teaches her what her name finally means. As visitors from her past show up Mercy has to decide if she will forgive them or if she will continue to hold hate in her heart. There are times when Mercy is so strong that i felt overwhelmed. The ending was bitter sweet and I would like to see how the characters end up in the future! Especially some of the babies that Mercy brought into the world. I am giving this book a 4/5. There was a little too much sadness to make this a 5/5 for me. I was given a copy to review from Kregel, however all opinions are my own.