Riley Mae and the Rock Shocker Trek Review!

My 7 year old loves it when I get to review any type of children's book because it usually means that she gets it when I'm finished! So of course we were both excited to see a Christian girls book all about a girl and her shoes!!

"Riley Mae and the Rock Shocker Trek" by Jill Osborne is part of a new book series put out by Zonderkidz, called The Good News Shoes Series! Riley Mae is just an ordinary 7th grader who gets a chance of a lifetime opportunity to be the new spokesgirl for Swiftriver Shoe Company! Of course Riley wants to do it, but her parents want to pray about it as a family first to see if it's what God wants them to do.

Riley quickly gets her answer and is soon wearing the newest Riley Mae shoes, while attending many promotional events with her name and face plastered all over the place! It's everything she could have wanted! Or is it? Riley soon learns that being famous is not everything she thought it would be. There are things she has to give up, and her life is much more complicated now.

Along the way, Riley learns that this was really God's plan all along and He has a greater purpose for her becoming  famous. She'll learn that she has many more opportunities now to share the love of Jesus than she ever did before.

I am so excited that this new book series is available for young girls! My 7 year old loves to read, and is a bit ahead of normal 2nd grade reading books, so it's not always easy for me to find books for her to read that have acceptable content. So many books in her reading level are about boys and many problems that pre-teens face. I feel good giving the Riley Mae books to my 7 year old, because I know that she is reading good wholesome stories about a godly young lady! The title and and the front cover of this book were enough to pique my daughter's interest! She has been patiently waiting for me to finish it so she could begin and is now reading it as I type this! ;)

I would highly recommend this book to all young girls and rate it as 5 stars!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze.com® <http://BookSneeze.com> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

The Calling by Suzanne Woods Fisher

To go along with my new obsession of reading Amish books, I was quite thrilled to read Suzanne Woods Fisher's newest book, "The Calling" which is the second book in the Inn of Eagle Hill Series! I am a big fan of hers, and especially of her "The Adventures of Lily Lapp" Series, as is my 7 year old!

In "The Calling", Bethany is restless after a failed relationship, and doesn't quite know what God wants her to do with her life. A group of 5 Amish sisters have helped ease her mind of her problems by hiring her to help clean out their house, but she can't keep her mind off the annoying Jimmy Fisher who finds Bethany so enticing.

Meanwhile, Bethany's job of cleaning is not as easy as she thought as the group of sisters are quite the hoarders and refuse to get rid of anything. When she finds a trunk full of human bones and skulls, Bethany secretly wonders if the sisters are murderers and is apprehensive about returning to finish the job.

I did not read the first book in this series, and that did make it a bit confusing in the beginning, but after awhile I did get the hang of it. However, I would definitely recommend reading the first book in the series before reading "The Calling." This book does go back to some of the issues discussed in the first book though, and answers some questions about Jake, the man Bethany was previously interested in. There were definitely some twists and turns in this book and it was a bit suspenseful at times! I would rate this book as 4 stars!

I received this book for free from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group in exchange for my honest unbiased opinion.

The Dancing Master by Julie Klassen

Alec Valcourt, along with his mother and sister have come to Beaworthy to live with his Uncle Ramsey in search of a new life after losing his father, Mr. Valcourt. Little does Alec know, that there is not much of a career available for a Dancing Master in Beaworthy after an event that happened nearly 20 years ago. Lady Amelia Midwinter has made sure of that. Meanwhile, Alec finds himself employed by Mrs. Midwinter herself in an attempt to keep tabs on him. He soon learns though that there are certain stipulations he must follow while employed under her rule, and he is not quite sure he can follow all of them. Including staying away from her daughter, Julia.

Julia Midwinter is the only daughter of Amelia Midwinter, and never had much of a relationship with her father. Despite that, Julia has had quite a wonderful life if only by her mother's doing. But Lady Amelia is a woman of many secrets and refuses to share any of them with even her own daughter. Julia is determined to get to the bottom of her mother's and Beaworthy's mysteries, and forms an unlikely bond with Mr. Alec Valcourt despite her mother's warnings.

Oh goodness...if you love a good Jane Austen novel or Regency Romance, you will LOVE "The Dancing Master". It's packed with love, mystery, suspense and of course lots of dancing as the name implies! One of my favorite things about this book is that it is not a shallow read. The author really takes her time to develop her characters, and takes much effort not to reveal all of the book's secrets at once, which I love. Truly the best books are those that are suspenseful and leave you longing to read more! This is sure to become a classic that readers will love for years to come! I rate it as 5 stars!

I received this book for free from Litfuse to give my honest unbiased opinion.

For a special inside peek at the story behind "The Dancing Master" check out this exclusive author interview over at Litfuse!
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"Bedtime Prayers that end with a Hug" by Stephen Elkins

This week I am excited to share my book review of "Bedtime Prayers that end with a Hug" by Stephen Elkins! This is not the first book I have reviewed by Stephen Elkins. Last January, I did a review on "Bible Stories that end with a Hug" which was equally enjoyable!

This bedtime storybook is aimed towards children ages three to five, but also works for younger children. It includes 52 adorable bedtime prayers that cover topics such as patience, giving thanks, telling the truth, and fear among many others. I found the stories to be short yet the perfect length for children of that age group.

Each lesson includes a Bible verse, a thought, prayer, and of course a hug at the end! I will definitely be using this book with my 2 year old as it seems to be the perfect devotional for her age! I also love that this book has a padded hard cover, making it extra resilient in the care of a 2 year old. :) I rate it as 5 stars!

I received this book for free from Tyndale Publishers to give my honest unbiased opinion.

99 Stories From the Bible by Juliet David

This week I had the privilege of reading and reviewing "99 Stories from the Bible" by Juliet David and illustrated by Elina Ellis!

The book begins with Creation and ends with Jesus dying on the cross and ascending into Heaven, and includes 97 other stories in between! Between the Table of Contents and Stories, the book is 192 pages and includes a hardcover.

I found the stories to be short and easy to understand- perfect for little ones! My two year old loved it and was able to sit through multiple stories. She loved pointing out the colorful illustrations and telling me what they were!

I especially was happy with the way the author and illustrator depicted Jesus' crucifixion. I know that sometimes it seems like a scary subject when teaching young ones 5 and under, but I feel that the story was very tasteful and leaves room to teach the child more as they grow older when they are at an age where they can understand more. 

I think this is an excellent Bible Storybook to use for bedtime stories, preschool lessons, or even Sunday school lessons. I would recommend it for ages 2-6, but definitely not limited to those ages. This book has quickly become a favorite for our 2 year old, and I anticipate using it quite a lot in the near future! :) I rate it as 5 stars.

I received this book for free from Kregel Publications in exchange for my honest unbiased opinion.

"The Captive Maiden" by Melanie Dickerson

I cannot even begin to explain how excited I was for the release of "The Captive Maiden"! In case you are unfamiliar with Melanie's last two books, "The Fairest Beauty" and "The Captive Maiden", they are the retold fairy tales of Snow White and Cinderella! And even though the books completely stand on their own, they are also intertwined, which is always exciting for us book lovers!

In "The Captive Maiden", Gisela's father passes away when she was just a young girl, leaving her in her stepmother's care. Unfortunately, her stepmother treats her as nothing more than a servant girl, and makes Gisela cater to her every whim as well as to her stepsisters. Gisela doesn't plan to stay with her stepmother forever though, and hopes to someday get away.

Meanwhile, while in town one day, she meets the Duke's handsome son, Valten. He doesn't know who she is, but invites her to attend the jousting tournament the next day. But will she be able to sneak out of her stepmother's reach to be able to go?

I really did enjoy this book so much! :) I love that there were a few little details that were a little different than the classic Cinderella story and I felt that it really made the story stand apart from most of the retellings. I also loved that Sophie and Gabe from "The Fairest Beauty" were brought into this story!

Melanie Dickerson has definitely made a fan out of me, and I will continue to read her lovely books!

I rate this book as 5 stars. Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze.com® <http://BookSneeze.com> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Review of The God Puzzle by Valerie Ackerman

It was truly a delight for me to review "The God Puzzle" by Valerie Ackerman this week. I loved the bright illustrations and the way the author pieced together each lesson.

Throughout the 36 lessons in "The God Puzzle", children learn the answers to the ideas they question most! What is sin? What is Baptism? The lessons were kid-friendly and were explained by two friends, Theo and Christy.

While we love our children's programs at church, my husband and I feel strongly that we need to teach our children about Jesus in our own home as well as what they learn at church. I think far too many people are under the impression that their children get their Jesus "fix" in the small amount of time they attend church, but we realize as parents that this is simply not enough. We need to teach our children about Jesus everyday. As our youth pastor explained in church last week, we need to use everyday moments for teaching moments. Every experience we come in contact with can be a teaching moment for our children.

I feel that "The God Puzzle" is an excellent resource to hone in on those everyday teaching moments. Even if it's just half a page that you make it through, it's still making an impression on your child and still so very worth it! My 7 year old daughter and I both thoroughly enjoy reading through these lessons! I think this will become an essential book in our homeschool studies next year for third grade!

I received this book for free from Litfuse to give my honest unbiased opinion. I rate this book as 5 stars.

Review of Dragonwitch by Anne Elisabeth Stengl

If you are looking for a new fantasy series, look no further. "Dragonwitch" by Anne Elisabeth Stengl is book 5 in the Tales of Goldstone Wood series, and is probably one of the most interesting Christian fantasy books I have read. There is much depth to it though as it is not a "light" read. Be sure to have plenty of time to devote to this book before you begin.

Lady Leta follows her father's wishes and travels to the Gaheris Castle to meet her future husband, whom she has never even met. Alistair, her future husband and future King of the North Country is not exactly her ideal husband. He is somewhat gangly and awkward and is very much different from his future wife.

But so much is going on at the castle. Much more than what Leta and Alistair ever imagined. Alistair suffers from horrible nightmares, and the Dragonwitch is on the hunt for the sword that slayed her twice. Only one person can wield the sword and no one is safe until the Dragonwitch is slayed yet again.

I feel that if I had read the previous books and gained a better understanding of the back story, perhaps I would have loved this book, but instead I was left just liking it. It was a very compelling book, full of interesting characters and a wonderful story plot, but it did take some getting into once I started it. At times, I found myself confused with the many different characters, and again, it probably would have helped to read the previous books, which is my fault and not the author's.

I think this is a great Christian Fantasy series and I am eager to go back and read through the rest of the books! I rate this book as 4 stars!

I received this book for free from Bethany House Publishers in exchange for my honest unbiased opinion.

Ragamuffin Bible with devotionals by Brennan Manning

This week, I had the pleasure of reading and reviewing "The Ragamuffin Bible- Meditations for the Bedraggled, Beat-Up and Brokenhearted with Devotionals by Brennan Manning." There is so much that I love about this Bible! I was especially drawn in by the title because I'm sure at one point or another, we have all felt similar.

The Bible itself is a NIV (New International Version), which is one of two versions that I typically read. The second being NKJV (New King James Version). I love reading these versions of the Bible because I feel that they are closest to the way the Bible was initially written so long ago. In the short amount of time I have had this Bible, I have not read it in it's entirety, but I did read through the entire chapter of Zechariah.

As for the look and feel of the Bible, it is a hardcover that includes a dust jacket, but yet it is still pretty lightweight. I was thankful that the size of the words on the page are somewhat larger than in my regular Bible, now that I need to use my glasses on a daily basis. The chapters and verses were easy to navigate and altogether very lovely with the setup of the devotions.

Throughout the entire Bible, there are devotions available. Most of them take up about 3/4 of the page and have a suggested Bible reading. In between these devotionals, are small "Reflections" which include just a small devotional (think 2 or 3 sentences) along with a Bible verse.

I really enjoyed reading through the Ragamuffin Bible, and I will continue to use it as one of my main Bibles. I will highly recommend it and I give it 5 stars.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze.com® <http://BookSneeze.com> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

"The Christmas Quilt" by Vannetta Chapman

This holiday season, I had the wonderful privilege of reading and reviewing "The Christmas Quilt" by Vannetta Chapman! It was actually the first book of hers that I had read, but after I finished it, I immediately searched for more books by her! 

Annie and Samuel are busy as can be as they make their rounds to all of the sick people in their community, while still making time for each other and family and friends. It's Christmas time and Annie and her best friend Leah are both pregnant with their first boppli (babies). Amish do not believe in using medical technology unless absolutely necessary, but Leah's midwife is sure that Leah is carrying twins! It is even more special because Annie and Leah are actually sister-in-laws because Annie and Leah's husband, Adam are siblings! 

Everything seems to be going perfectly as the families prepare for the holiday season, but one night Leah wakes up to an excrutiating pain in her belly and must be transported to an Englisch hospital. 

While there, Leah learns that her body is trying to go into labor even though it is much too early for the babies to be born. The doctors must keep a close watch on her at all times, which makes it necessary for Leah to remain in the hospital for the duration of her pregnancy. Annie accompanies her on this trip as her support system, as Adam cannot leave the farm for that long. While there, Annie continues to work on her baby gift to Leah, a baby quilt. While in the hospital, Leah finds out so much about herself and what God is trying to show her through these trials. 

I think this was a lovely story and definitely a fantastic introduction to Amish fiction for me! I found it very hard to put down and finished this book in a matter of only two days! I love the family values and wonderful sense of community that was portrayed in this book. I also loved that the character's relationship with God was an essential key to the story. From what I understand about the Amish, they do not like to focus on material possessions and do not believe in the help of medical technology if it is not necessary. I found the author's description to be tasteful and very well written! I rate this book as 5 stars and will definitely read it again! 

I received this book for free from Litfuse to give my honest unbiased opinion.