Mark of Distinction by Jessica Dotta

I am a huge fan of period Christian fiction so I was delighted to give Jessica Dotta's series a try,so far this series has not overly impressed me,but maybe it is just me as a lot of people seem to love it. I guess for me the character just did not really click and the story line did not engage me.Like I said a lot of people like this series but as far as I am concerned this book did not do too much for me. That being said the author has potential and I am willing to give her books a try when she starts a new series.
I do have to say whoever designed the covers did a fabulous job,they are one of the best book covers I have seen!

I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest opinion.

Telling yourself the truth by William Backus and Marie Chapian

I was a bit skeptical of yet another self help book but I was very delighted to find that this book really is insightful and isn't just a self help book but is grounded in Biblical truths and is very uplifting. As someone who struggles with self doubt and negativity this book did an excellent job at helping me realize how much disbelief I really have in my life and how that is keeping me from experiencing true joy!

I highly recommend this book to anyone who is struggling with or has struggled with self doubt and being able to achieve joy in their lives.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest opinion.

A Draw of Kings by Patrick Carr

I have been looking forward to final book in the series ever since I devoured the second one and I am so glad that the wait if over and that the stunning conclusion to the series did not disappoint. Patrick Carr is probably my favorite newer author and has written some of the best Christian fantasy on the market. Whoever tries his series out will not be disappointed at all.
Once again Errol and his friends drew one into their world and I really like how the author writes from different perspectives and has some many characters weaved into the story, at times it is hard to keep them all straight, but I like more complex stories.

I highly recommend this book to young adults on up,it is just a fantastic read!!
I received this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

A Sky without Stars by Linda Clare

###

{MORE ABOUT A SKY WITHOUT STARS}

A Sky Without Stars | A Quilts of Love Book

In 1951, Frankie Chasing Bear is a Lakota caught between cultures. She wants to raise her son Harold to revere his Lakota heritage, but she knows he will need to become as a white man to succeed. After his father’s killed in a barroom brawl, Harold and Frankie move to Arizona, where she begins a Lakota Star pattern quilt for Harold with tribal wisdom sung, sewn and prayed into it.

She distrusts Christians, as her own parents were forced to convert at an Indian School, until she meets BIA agent Nick Vandergriff, a half-Lakota who’s also caught between cultures. Nick must convince Frankie that white men and Christians aren’t all bad as he tries to win her heart in order to put the stars back into her sky.

Purchase a copy and learn more at the Quilts of Love website.

{MORE ABOUT LINDA S. CLARE}

Linda S. Clare is an award-winning coauthor of three books, including “Lost Boys and the Moms Who Love Them” (with Melody Carlson and Heather Kopp), “Revealed: Spiritual Reality in a Makeover World,” and “Making Peace with a Dangerous God” (with Kristen Johnson Ingram). She is also the author of “The Fence My Father Built.” She has taught college-level creative writing classes for seven years, and edits and mentors writers. She also is a frequent writing conference presenter and church retreat leader. She and her husband of thirty-one years have four grown children, including a set of twins. They live in Eugene, Oregon, with their five wayward cats: Oliver, Xena the Warrior Kitty, Paladine, Melchior, and Mamma Mia!

Find out more about Linda S. at http://www.lindasclare.com.

My opinion: I have always been a huge fan of anything Native American so I was so delighted to read this book,I mean how could one go wrong with Native American and Quilting being the premise? And this book certainly did not disappoint, it was a great read with realistic and very likable characters.

I thought Linda Clare did a great job talking about the conditions of the Native Americans and the problems that they faced,she did not sugar coat them or gloss over them but handled them in a tasteful way.

I received a copy of the book from the publisher in exchange for my honest opinion.

Crash the chatterbox by Steven Furtick

I was very intrigued by the title of this book and it was an interesting read.Steven Furtick talks about too often we are bombarded external and internal dialogue and are not able to hear God speaking His truths, this book talks about ways to get rid of that chatter and realize that it is indeed something that we do not have to be a slave to.

This was a good read with great insight and good examples.I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

The Before-You-Marry book of Questions by Bill and Pam Farrel

I have always been a  huge fan of Bill and Pam Farrel's books and this book was no exception with such great questions that are essential to know before you get married.
It is amazing how little some people know about the person they are going to marry and that starts your marriage off at a great disadvantage. I know before I got married my husband and I talked a lot and made sure we were on the same page when it came to finances, spiritual things,in-laws,children,etc and we still had a lot we found out about each other after the wedding!
I feel like this book helps facilitate great conversations and helps one get to know your future spouse,I cannot recommend this book enough!!!

It had to be you by Susan May Warren

A Christensen Family Novel.

Eden Christiansen never imagined her role as her younger brother Owen’s cheerleader would keep her on the sidelines of her own life. Sure, it feels good to be needed, but looking after the reckless NHL rookie leaves little time for Eden to focus on her own career. She dreamed of making a name for herself as a reporter, but is stuck writing obits—and starting to fear she doesn’t have the chops to land a major story. If only someone would step up to mentor Owen . . . but she knows better than to expect help from team veteran and bad-boy enforcer Jace Jacobsen.

Jace has built his career on the infamous reputation of his aggressive behavior—on and off the ice. Now at a crossroads about his future in hockey, that reputation has him trapped. And the guilt-trip he’s getting from Eden Christiansen isn’t making things any easier. But when Owen’s carelessness leads to a career-threatening injury and Eden stumbles upon a story that could be her big break, she and Jace are thrown together . . . and begin to wonder if they belong on the same team after all.

Learn more and purchase a copy at Susan’s website.

My thought on the book:

I have always enjoyed Susan May Warren's books and this book was no exception. With likable characters that are a bit more realistic than most I really liked it.I appreciated the character of Eden because she struggled with her own self worth and talents.I always appreciate characters that are realistic and I feel like that is something that Ms. Warren is the master at doing.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a quick,enjoyable read. I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

Love Idol by Jennifer Dukes Lee

I think all women struggle with not feeling good enough and not measuring up to the world's standard for us. Jennifer Dukes Lee does a great job at addressing how so often we feel that we do not measure up and yet we need to realize that God loves us just the way we are and that in His eyes we are enough. I thought the author did an outstanding job about reminding women about what their true purpose is and of the love of God that is all encompassing.

I received a copy of this book from Tyndale in exchange for my honest opinion.

The Deeper life by Daniel Henderson

For anyone who has longed for something more and wants to know how to aid that journey, this is an excellent book with some great tips and inspiration.This book does not merely talk about having a deeper life,but it talks about how to best accomplish the deeper life. With lots of practical tips and real life experiences this book is highly recommended for anyone who is looking into having a more satisfying fuller life.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

The Israeli Solution by Caroline Glick

For anyone interested in the Middle East conflict, this is a must read! This is a superbly written, well researched book about the Israeli and Palestinian conflict that argues passionately for Israel and settles many misconceptions about the true situation. I know there is so much information in here that I never realized and I feel like it was presented in a very readable way.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who is even remotely interested in supporting Israel and wants to be better informed on the matter.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher but the opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Life Support by Candace Calvert

I have never read any of Candace Calvert previous books so I was curious if I was going to enjoy "Life Support" by her,I am happy to report that it was a good read,even if medical crimes are not my top choice.
Nurse Lauren Barclay is a giver,whether in her job or her personal life she is helping, including putting her life on hold so help her troubled sister yet again. When moving back to Houston puts her in the path of the handsome Physicians Assistant who hurt her before,what good can come of it? But as Lauren and Eli are thrown together as a powerful hurricane threatens to hit their beloved city,will it helps heal or hurt their fragile relationship?

This was an interesting, good read and I was glad I gave it a try.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher but the opinions expressed are entirely my own.

A broken kind of beautiful by Katie Ganshert

The fashion industry is a brutal industry to be in, which Ivy Clark knows after being in it for 10 years,but after giving her life to the industry she is deemed too old and as a result is sent back to South Carolina to model wedding dresses for her step-Mother. What Ivy doesn't know is this step might be the best thing to happen to her, having only found value in her looks Ivy meets Davis Knight, a mysterious photographer who gave up the fame Ivy craves to be a church maintenance worker who seems to treat Ivy far different than she has even been treated by a man before. Will Ivy learn that God loves her and that there is a different kind of beauty then that which the world values?

I was skeptical about this book at first.I know nothing about the fashion world nor have I struggled with being too beautiful (ha!), but this book exceeded my expectations and was very well written, giving one a lot of food for thought.I recommend this book to anyone who struggles with finding their worth in Christ and struggles to understand what true beauty is.

I received this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest opinion.

Scraps of Evidence by Barbara Cameron

For quilt lovers and mystery lovers this is an excellent read,it was kind of fun how the author inserted two things that many people enjoy and incorporated into one good read. I am not a quilter myself, but I did not find the quilting information tedious at all,it was just enough information to make one curious without too much to where it is cumbersome. The mystery was pretty simple,I figured out who the killer was early on, but they characters were still enjoyable and it was an overall good read.

{MORE ABOUT SCRAPS OF EVIDENCE}

Scraps of Evidence: A Quilt of Love book.

Tess has taken some ribbing from her fellow officer, Logan,for her quilting hobby. He finds it hard to align the brisk professional officer he patrols with during the day with the one who quilts in her off-time. Besides, he’s been trying to get to know her better and he’d like to be seeing her during those couple nights a week she spends with her quilting guild.

Then one afternoon Tess and Logan visit her aunt in the nursing home and she acts agitated when Tess covers her with the story quilt. Aunt Susan seems to be communicating a message to them about Tess’s uncle. There’s a story behind this quilt, they realize, one that may lead them to a serial killer. Will they have a chance to have a future together or will the killer choose Tess for his next victim before they find him?

Learn more about this book and the series at the Quilts of Lovewebsite.

{MORE ABOUT BARBARA CAMERON}

Barbara Cameron is a best-selling author who has a heart for writing about the spiritual values and simple joys of the Amish. She is the author of more than 38 fiction and nonfiction books, three nationally televised movies, and the winner of the first Romance Writers of America Golden Heart Award. Barbara is a former newspaper reporter. Some of her non-fiction titles include the “Everything Weddings on a Budget Book” and “Her Restless Heart: A Woman’s Longing for Love and Acceptance.” Cameron currently resides in Edgewater, Florida.

Find out more about Barbara at http://barbaracameron.com.