Paper Angels by Jimmy Wayne and Travis Thrasher

This book needs to be noted as a life-changing fiction book  that everyone should read before Christmas.  The principles of this book obviously reach far beyond Christmas time, but the setting is Christmas which is perfect for this time of year.  It's not often that I read a fiction book that challenges me.  Several times I would set the book aside to go finish cleaning or something and I would find myself thinking about how much I lack in giving.  I wasn't prepeared for this book to challenge me.

Written from experience, Jimmy Wayne knows what it means to be a recipient of the Angel Tree program from the Salvation Army.  I imagine that Thomas is a character patterned after Wayne in some ways.  I had never heard of Jimmy Wayne or Travis Thrasher but now I want to read more about them.  The writing of this book was excellent and was a story that was beautifully told in a challenging way.

My heart broke reading about the challenges that both Kevin, the one who chose to take Thomas' name off the tree, and Thomas' families faced.  I hated to hear of the conditions that Thomas lived in, but loved seeing the generosity and answered prayers that each family received.  Thomas had such a sweet spirit and was able to turn seemingly bad things, like bullying, into a blessing for someone else.  I couldn't believe the ending when I read about Thomas' presents.  I was amazed and kept wondering if I would have done that.  In my selfishness, I'm sure I wouldn't have. 

I'm really glad that I read this book.  I tend to be a bit on the stubborn side and like it when messages are subtle in a story not directly telling me how I need to change.  It made me see for myself that I still have a long way to go to be what I really want to be.  In all honesty, I thought I was a giving person.  I know now that materialism has seeped it's way into our families without us really knowing it.  I'm very appreciative for this eye-opening fact and this thought-provoking, hopefully life-changing book.

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I received this book free from Howard Publishers, a division of SimonandSchuster Publishing in exchange for my honest opinion of this book.

Christmas Roses by Amanda Cabot

I fell in love with the characters of this book right away.  A widow with a baby who is working hard to provide for her family is incredibly easy to love.  Then there's a man on a search whom you watch as he falls in love with a woman and you can't help but hope he gets what he never thought he needed.  This story is such a beautiful reminder of how God wants us, no matter how we try to convince ourselves that God couldn't possibly want us anymore.  It also reminds us that He is a merciful and sovereign God when everything within us can't understand why He would do certain things.

Amanda Cabot writes with in a way that draws you near and into the spirit of Christmas.  She captures what you dream Christmas should be about and not on money or other materialistic things.  She is able to create such vivid imagery where you come up with the perfect boardinghouse in your own mind with these people who are involved so intricately in the story.

I personally loved Celia and her personality.  She had a sweet spirit, wasn't bitter (although she had been), and she even admitted that she might be falling in love.  She was gentle in her denying of the men who wanted to court her and she was honest with Mark about her previous marriage.  I found that I didn't want this book to end and I wished it could have been longer.  However, I do know it's a Christmas story and isn't supposed to be long.  I was just so endeared to Celia and Mark's story.

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I received this book free from Revell Publishers in exchange for my honest opinion of this book.

The Christmas Pony by Melody Carlson

A beautiful Christmas novel from the perspective of a little girl is the perfect way to begin any Christmas season.  I always anticipate the sweet Christmas novels that come out because they are shorter and easy to read during a busy holiday season.

Set in 1937, Lucy is the main character from which this story is told.  She longs for a pony for Christmas, but her mother says that only rich people have ponies.  Her father died and her mother is left struggling and relies on boarders in order to feed her family.  The last thing Lucy ever expected to get for Christmas is the very thing that she and her mother receives.

I definitely had a hard time liking Veronica.  She was an annoying character to me because of her attitude.  I was very glad when she left the pages of the book and I didn't have to hear from her again!  However, George was a man that I instantly liked and hoped that he would be smart and not fall for the wrong woman.  I wish that I knew more about Lucy's mom, but I think that helped to make the book more special as I only know about her through Lucy's eyes.

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I received this book free from Revell Publishers in exchange for my honest opinion of this book.

Resurrect by David E. Stevens

I am not really for sure what I originally expected this book to be about, but I know that I would have never anticipated this book containing such a complex and action-packed plot.  I did expect action, but the plot was nowhere near what I anticipated. I had to let go of what I had planned in my head and grab hold of what David E. Stevens had originally planned for me, as the reader, to understand.

The style of writing was the first thing that I noticed.  I enjoyed his details and his knowledge about the military that he was able to incorporate into the book.  I really haven't ever given much thought to comets or asteroids hitting earth, but he writes with such conviction that it does make you consider the possibility.  He has done much research on the science behind this book and it is displayed throughout his book.

This is the first book of a trilogy, and this one ends with a bit of wonder left for the reader.  It's not your typical book, but it is very good and is one that will provoke some thought.

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For more reviews on this book,go to

http://litfusegroup.com/author/DStevens.

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I received this book free from Litfuse Publicity Group and Monarch Books/Kregel Publishers in exchange for my honest opinion of this book.

The Breath of Dawn by Kristen Heitzmann

I'm not certain if this book is part of a series or not.  I researched it and I do know that "A Rush of Wings" and "The Still of Night" precede this book and this book continues on with the story that has been created in the other two books.  Having read neither one of those books, I was pleased to find this book easy to follow, the characters were clear to me with a little bit of history and I felt as though this novel could stand alone by itself.  I am going to track down the other two books, though, because I just can't stand to not know what came before this book!

 

I was gripped from the very first chapter.  The prologue did a great job explaining the history and my heart broke for Morgan and for his wife and precious daughter.  Knowing this was only a story, I found it so easy to relate as a real-life scenario in which loved ones are taken away by accidents daily.  Even though I barely knew Jill as a character, I felt as though I needed to grieve along with Morgan for a bit before I could begin to accept him possibly having an interest in someone else.  I liked Quinn and her personality.  It was endearing and an easy-to-like kind of girl. 

 

The cover of this book was intriguing.  It is kind of mysterious looking, but draws you to pick it up to discover what this book about.  The back synopsis does a good job highlighting the book without giving too much information away.

 

Suspenseful and romantic, this book has it all.  It is one that you will think about long after you have closed the book for the final time.

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For more reviews on this book, go to http://litfusegroup.com/campaigns/breathofdawn.

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I received this book free from Litfuse Publicity Group and Bethany House Publishers in exchange for my honest opinion of this book.

Courting Cate by Leslie Gould

I know not to judge a book by its cover, but I must say that this cover caught my eye and I immediately wanted to read it.  The cover is beautiful and quite attractive.  That goes for the back cover, too.  Most of the books don't carry over their beauty from the front of the book to the back, but I found that was just another part that made this book so desiring for me to read before I even opened it to the pages.  I also really like the slick feel of the book.  It's very clean cut and I actually liked taking it with me places because other people asked about it's beautiful cover.  It reassured me that I wasn't the only one who hadn't seen such a beautiful cover in a while!

As I started the book, I was immediately drawn to Cate.  I enjoyed reading about Cate in first person because I could envision myself as being her.  I think of it as I'm reading a play part and playing a character.  I was able to get into the character of Cate quite easily.  I liked her spunk at first and how opinionated she was.  However, as the story went on, she kind of got on my nerves a bit.  I felt that she was very bitter and it annoyed me that she didn't want to just let it go that she had been hurt before.  I did like how she went to Pete's house after they were married and slowly, she began to change.  Her old self was chipped away into something beautiful.  I would absolutely love to see how marriage changes her in future books.  Her sister, Betsy, was very manipulating and I couldn't figure out my thoughts on her.  Even now as I've finished the book and have pondered on it a day, I just can't seem to form an opinion on her.  Pete was very sweet and he captured my heart from his first entrance.  He seemed to be very devoted and had morals.  He also seemed up to the task of convincing someone who didn't want to be loved that she did, in fact, need to be loved. 

I was very glad at the ending and glad things happened as they did.  At the rate Cate was going, I don't think she would have pursued marriage on her own!  I'm looking forward to the next books in the series and would love to see updates on Cate and Betsy.  There were parts of this book that I laughed out loud because of something Cate had said or thought.  I loved the lightness of this book, yet it held some deeper thoughts of forgiveness and choosing your attitude and moving past circumstances.  Any reader of Amish fiction will definitely want to add this to their bookshelves.

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To read more reviews on this book, go to http://litfusegroup.com/author/LGould

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I received this book free from Litfuse Publicity Group and Bethany House Publishers in exchange for my honest opinion of this book.

Placebo by Steven James

This book gripped me from the first sentence.  I was hooked even when I didn't want to be!  I have never heard of this author and was a little unsure if I would even like this book.  I figured that I would give it a chance, but had set my mind to think I would end up not liking it.  I was so wrong. 

My heart broke from the first pages and those pages were intense.  The rest of the book grew in intensity and at times I thought I wouldn't be able to take any more!  Many times I would try to set a time limit to reading it so that it wouldn't consume my thoughts, but too often I turned the timer off and sat back down to read "just one more chapter."

I personally liked the first person storytelling.  It's something different that I hadn't read in quite a long time.  It made me feel as though I was, in fact, one of the characters and I think that's partly what made it more intense.  Of course, I wanted answers and I didn't want to be hurting by my wife's actions!

This book is the first book in the Jevin Banks Experience Series.  I'm very much looking forward to the second book in this series and to see how the story all plays out.

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I received this book free from Revell Publishers in exchange for my honest opinion of this book.

Prayers of a Stranger by Davis Bunn

I really enjoy the stories written by Davis Bunn.  He is such a beautiful storyteller and knows just how to tug at the heart of the readers.  He paints vivid pictures with his stories and makes you feel as if your own heart is on the same journey that his characters are on. 

Amanda and Chris have suffered the most difficult loss that a parent could ever experience.  Their firstborn baby was born stillborn last Christmas and they have spent the past year figuring out how to heal.  Amanda's neighbor, Emily, has asked Amanda to go to Israel with her since her husband, Frank, can't go because of an impending surgery.  The both have their own reasons for wanting to go, but they are both seeking a miracle.  Amanda wants to be healed in her marriage, in her life, and in her heart.  She wants to be able to risk loving and being loved again. 

I was very fond of the story taking place in Israel and how much of an importance it played in the healing process.  I also liked the friendships that formed between Frank and Chris and how Chris held himself in the world of business.  I also liked watching the healing process play out over the pages of the book.  It was so real and yet so beautiful to see them learning to love again and to take risks. 

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I received this book free from Booksneeze Program and Thomas Nelson Publishers in exchange for my honest opinion of this book.

A Promise to Love by Serena B. Miller

I was so sad at the very beginning of this book!  I hate to see in the prologue that a man's wife has died and left him with 4 girls and a 3-month-old baby.  However, as the story went along, I became less sad and was able to reconcile the fact that perhaps Ingrid and Joshua belonged together.  However, to make them see that was a little harder to happen!

Ingrid was a delightful character, one that I sympathized with and felt sorry for.  I felt for Joshua as he walked through widowhood and had girls that he didn't know what to do with but dearly loved.  Then top it off with inlaws who were spreading rumors that he killed his wife and my heart was heavy for him.

When Ingrid is treated less than kind by Millicent, the lady who she is "hired help" for, she leaves Millicent for a nice, kind, older lady.  I actually loved watching Millicent get what she deserved.  I didn't like her from the beginning and I had a hard time with her throughout the book.

I was captivated by the book from the prologue.  It drew me in and got me to the point that I had to continue despite all of the house cleaning that needed to be done.  I just had to see how things ended up for Joshua and Ingrid and whether or not they could learn to actually love each other or if it would just be going through the motions.

I am looking forward to more books by Serena Miller since I am fairly new to her.  I have been pleased with her writing-style and at how well she can get her story across.

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I received this book free from Revell Publishers in exchange for my honest opinion of this book.

People Can't Drive You Crazy If You Don't Give Them the Keys by Mike Bechtle

I was intrigued by the title of this book alone.  I'm typically a people pleaser and find that those people who are a bit type A really stress me out.  I take it personally if people get mad at me, whether they've had a bad day or not.  I try to avoid difficult people when given the opportunity but sometimes God puts me smack dab in the middle of them.

I liked how he talked about Mood Mastery and how to focus on the things that you can change and not necessarily the things that you can't change.  Another piece of wisdom that I needed to hear was about temperament and how we need to understand the other person's temperament and accept it.  It's not that we are saying that their behavior is right or acceptable, but we are saying that we understand their behavior is a part of them in some way.

The fact that some people like being negative is not a new insight, but it was very encouraging to know that I'm not the only one who encounters people who are so negative.  That whole section offered encouragement and lifted my spirits a bit as I learned a little about how to react to their negativity.

This book is a great book for absolutely anyone who is around another human being that they find is difficult to love or work with, which I think would sum up to be everyone.

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I received this book free from Revell Publishers in exchange for my honest opinion.

Flight of Fancy by Laurie Alice Eakes

I am thoroughly enjoying this series by Laurie Alice Eakes.  This is the second book in the Daughters of Bainbridge Series and I think the series keeps getting better and better.  I'm looking forward to the third book and what I expect will be more of Honore's story and future.

I found the whole concept of ballooning very interesting.  I have never stopped to think about how people actually figured out how to balloon.  I was impressed with the knowledge and research that must have went into learning about ballooning by Eakes.  The formulas, the correct concoctions, and many experiments where you hope you have it right all made the side of balloons fascinating. 

I took an immediate liking to Cassandra and LordWhittaker.  Major Crawford made my skin crawl from the very beginning.  There was just something about him that I didn't like.  I think it's quite good when an author can make a reader's skin crawl!  I did get a little tired of Cassandra and her view of the incident that left her less than perfect.  I was ready for her to overcome it a little sooner than when she did.

Being the second book in the series, there is no difficulty in picking up this book to read first and then going back to read the first one later.  Eakes did a great job at filling in some information from the first book as a review for those who had read it and as a fresh start to those who were starting with book number 2.  I am definitely excited to read book 3 and see what the Bainbridge girls will do and what trouble they will either cause or be in!

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I received this book free from Revell Publishers in exchange for my honest opinion of this book.