Before Amen by Max Lucado

About the book: 

We all pray . . . some.

We pray to stay sober, centered, or solvent. When the lump is deemed malignant. When the money runs out before the month does. When the marriage is falling apart. We pray.

But wouldn't we like to pray more? Better? Stronger? With more fire, faith, and fervency?

Yet we have kids to feed, bills to pay, deadlines to meet. The calendar pounces on our good intentions like a tiger on a rabbit. And what about our checkered history with prayer? Uncertain words. Unmet expectations. Unanswered requests.

We aren't the first to struggle with prayer. The first followers of Jesus needed prayer guidance too. In fact, prayer is the only tutorial they ever requested.

And Jesus gave them a prayer. Not a lecture on prayer. Not the doctrine of prayer. He gave them a quotable, repeatable, portable prayer. Couldn't we use the same?

In Before Amen best-selling author Max Lucado joins readers on a journey to the very heart of biblical prayer, offering hope for doubts and confidence even for prayer wimps. Distilling prayers in the Bible down to one pocket-sized prayer, Max reminds readers that prayer is not a privilege for the pious nor the art of a chosen few. Prayer is simply a heartfelt conversation between God and his child. Let the conversation begin.

Pre-order a copy of Before Amen by 9/29 and receive a FREE ebook copy of Max's best-selling Second Chances: More Stories of Grace.

Purchase a copy:  http://ow.ly/BbwcL

About the author: More than 120 million readers have found comfort in the writings of Max Lucado. He ministers at the Oak Hills Church in San Antonio, Texas, where he lives with his wife, Denalyn, and a sweet but misbehaving mutt, Andy.

Find Max online: website, Twitter,Facebook

My Take:  I am always trying to improve on my prayer life and am always on the lookout for what has worked for others and might work for me.  That is exactly the way I approached this book.  We all need to realize that prayer is not a one size fits all or even that one size fits most. Prayer is a very intimate one of a kind experience between you and God.  I have tried different things and tweaked things a bit to make it work for me which it what I will  be doing with material in this book.  If you are looking for a simple starting off place this may be just the book you have been waiting for.  This is a great start but you will want to grow your prayer time into a meaningful time between you and God.  

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

Joyful by Shelley Shepard Gray

About the book: A young Amish couple gets a second chance at love in New York Times bestselling author Shelley Shepard Gray's final book in her Return to Sugarcreek series.

Randall Beiler is doing his best to put his family and the farm's needs first, even forsaking love. But though he tries, Randall knows he needs help caring for his younger siblings and keeping the house together.

When his brother offers pretty Elizabeth Nolt a job taking care of the house and cooking for the family, Randall is furious---and guilty about the way he once broke Elizabeth's heart. But when he learns that Elizabeth and her grandmother are struggling to make ends meet, he knows the offer, no matter how painful, is the right thing for everyone.

Elizabeth wants to refuse---to stay far away from the man who hurt her---but she needs the money. Though she vows to protect her heart, spending time in the Beiler household makes Elizabeth realize that, while she's older and wiser, her love for Randall still burns strong.

Randal, too, seems to want something more. But does he want Elizabeth because he truly loves her---or because he needs a housekeeper? If Randall sincerely wants something more, he must find a way to show Elizabeth---or risk losing his chance at love forever.

Purchase a copy:  http://ow.ly/BeIYd 

About the author: Shelley Shepard Gray is a two-time New York Timesbestseller, a two-time USA Todaybestseller, a finalist for the American Christian Fiction Writers prestigious Carol Award, and a two-time Holt Medallion winner. She lives in Southern Ohio, where she writes full-time, bakes too much, and can often be found walking her dachshunds on her town's bike trail.

Find Shelley online: website,Facebook

My Take:  There are a few authors that I know I will love their books when I am in the mood to read about the Amish and Shelley Shepard Gray is one of those authors.  As is the case in so many Amish romance books there are circumstances that could be easily resolved if it wasn't for traditions and ways of the Amish but if there wasn't some kind of conflict it would be a pretty boring book.  This book is a great addition to the series and as with all of her series' you will want to read all the books just because you will love the story so much you will want more. 

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

Tried and true by Mary Connealy

About the book: Saddle up for a wildly fun ride with the Wilde sisters!

Kylie Wilde is the youngest sister---and the most civilized. Her older sisters might be happy dressing in trousers and posing as men, but Kylie has grown her hair long and wears skirts every chance she gets. It's a risk---they are homesteading using the special exemptions they earned serving in the Civil War as "boys"---but Kylie plans to make the most of the years before she can sell her property and return to the luxuries of life back East.

Local land agent Aaron Masterson is fascinated with Kylie from the moment her long hair falls from her cap. But now that he knows her secret, can he in good conscience defraud the U.S. government? And when someone tries to force Kylie off her land, does he have any hope of convincing her that marrying him and settling on the frontier is the better option for her future?

Purchase a copy:  http://ow.ly/AS8Js

About the author: Mary Connealy writes fun and lively "romantic comedy with cowboys" for the inspirational market. She is the author of the successful Kincaid Brides, Lassoed in Texas, Montana Marriages, and Sophie's Daughters series, and she has been a finalist for a Rita and Christy Award and a two time winner of the Carol Award. She lives on a ranch in eastern Nebraska with her husband, Ivan, and has four grown daughters.

Find Mary online: website, Facebook,Twitter

My Take:  Another Wilde Ride out west with Mary Connealy.  This is an excellent start to a new series.  It is a tale that helps us remember that it really wasn't that long ago that women didn't have as many rights as they do today. This book has plenty of humor and will have you laughing out loud throughout the book.  This book has me anxious for the next book in the series and eagerly awaiting it's release to see where this series is going.  

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

Christmas at Rose Hill Farm by Suzanne Woods Fisher

About the book: 

Bess Riehl is preparing Rose Hill Farm for her Christmas wedding, but her groom isn't who she thought it would be. Billy Lapp is far away from his Amish roots working as a rose rustler for Penn State and wants nothing to do with Stoney Ridge, his family, or Bess. And that suits Bess just fine. Why should she think twice about a man who left without a word, without any explanation? It's time she moved on with her life, and that meant saying yes to Amos Lapp, Billy's cousin and best friend. But as Bess and Amos's wedding day draws near, her emotions tangle into a tight knot. She loves Amos. Yet she can't forget Billy.

When a "lost" rose is discovered at Rose Hill Farm, Billy is sent to track down its origins. Get in, identify the rose, and get out. That's his plan. The only catch is that he's having a hard time narrowing down the identity of the lost rose, and he can't get those tropical blue eyes of Bess Riehl out of his mind.

As the history of the lost rose is pieced together, it reminds Bess and Billy---and Amos, too---that Christmas truly is the season of miracles.

"Filled with heart-twisting moments amid the sweet anticipation of love, this story will charm readers into the holiday spirit."

Purchase a copy: http://ow.ly/ARPVX 

About the author:  Suzanne Woods Fisher is the bestselling author of the Inn at Eagle Hill series, Lancaster County Secrets series, and the Stoney Ridge Seasons series, as well as nonfiction books about the Amish, including Amish Peace. She is also the coauthor of a new Amish children's series, The Adventures of Lily Lapp. Her interest in the Anabaptist cultures can be directly traced to her grandfather, who was raised in the Old Order German Baptist Brethren Church in Franklin County, Pennsylvania. Suzanne is a Carol Award winner and a Christy Award finalist. She is a columnist for Christian Post and Cooking & Such magazines. She lives in California.

Download Suzanne's free app! http://bit.ly/10Tygyi

Find Suzanne online: website, Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest

My Take:  I have enjoyed every book that I have read by Suzanne Woods Fisher and this book is no exception.  While looking around the greenhouse one day Bess Reihl notices an unnamed rose. Her father decides to contact the local college that has a rose rustler (someone who can help identify roses).  When he arrives the family realizes that he is Billy Lapp an old beau of Bess's and Bess's fiancee's best friend and cousin Amos.   This is a sweet story that has Christmas time as the setting which just seems to make everything more special.  

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

Book Spotlight of Revelation by Jim Richards

The book of Revelation is a love letter to the church. Yet most view it as troubling, and many misunderstand what the Lord is trying to tell us. Didn’t the Jews in Jesus’ day have some of the same problems? 

Early biblical prophecy, already fulfilled, helps define what is about to happen. Are some bad, scary events looming on the horizon? Yes, and you’ll learn about that. But even more important, you’ll see what Scripture has to say about you as the overcomer. The puzzles of Revelation are coming together, and we who love and serve the Lord are seeing that the best is yet to come. 

Revelation: The Best is Yet to Come provides a simple running commentary and interpretive guide for the beginner. Our hope is that laypersons and preachers not familiar with the book of Revelation will be encouraged to do a more in-depth study. The material takes an unashamed pretribulation, premillennial position within a traditional dispensational framework. 

About the Author

Jim Richards is eagerly anticipating the return of the Lord after pastoring more than twenty years, having served as an associational Director of Missions and traveling and ministering in 50 states and 19 countries. His background includes serving as the first Vice President of the SBC and Executive Director of the SBTC since its founding in 1998. He’s earned a Master of Divinity from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary and a Doctor of Ministry from Mid-America Baptist Theological Seminary. The Criswell College awarded him the Doctor of Divinity in 2013. 
Jim has authored numerous books and writes a regular column in the TEXAN newsmagazine. He and his wife, June, have three children and three grandchildren. 

All's Fair in Love and Cupcakes by Betsy St. Amant

About the book: 

Kat Varland has had enough of chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry.

At twenty-six years old, Kat is still living in the shadows of her family in Bayou Bend, Louisiana. Still working shifts at her Aunt Maggie's bakery. Still wondering what to do with her passion for baking and her business degree. And still single.

But when Lucas Brannen, Kat's best friend, signs her up for a reality TV bake-off on Cupcake Combat, everything Kat ever wanted is suddenly dangled in front of her: creative license as a baker, recognition as a visionary . . . and a job at a famous bakery in New York.

As the competition heats up, Lucas realizes he might have made a huge mistake. As much as he wants the best for Kat, the only thing he wants for himself---her---is suddenly in danger of slipping away.

The bright lights of reality cooking wars and the chance at a successful career dazzle Kat's senses and Lucas is faced with a difficult choice: help his friend achieve her dreams . . . or sabotage her chances to keep her in Louisiana.

Purchase a copy: http://ow.ly/AZIVZ

About the author: 

Betsy St. Amant lives in Louisiana with her young daughter and has a heart for sharing the amazing news of God's grace through her novels. A freelance journalist, Betsy is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers. When she's not reading, writing, or singing along to a Disney soundtrack with her daughter, Betsy enjoys inspirational speaking and teaching on the craft of writing.

Find Betsy online: website, Facebook

My Take:  This was a really cute romance that was light and fluffy.  It is the perfect read when you don't want to read something to heavy.  I like to read books that the characters that have known each other forever realize that maybe their is just maybe a little something more.  This was a fun read and if you like to watch cooking shows on tv then this just maybe the right fit for you.  Nice sweet story. 

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

A Grand Design by Amber Stockton

About Quilts of Love: Quilts tell stories of love and loss, hope and faith, tradition and new beginnings. The Quilts of Love seriesfocuses on the women who quilted all of these things into their family histories. A new book releases each month and features contemporary and historical romances as well as women's fiction and the occasional light mystery. You will be drawn into the endearing characters of this series and be touched by their stories.

About the book: 

A getaway on a charming island may be just what Alyssa needs---if only she can let go of her past.

When Alyssa Denham, a single career woman, wins a fun getaway for two on Mackinac Island where her grandmother lives, she gives her carefree best friend a call. Together, they tour the old shops and hidden treasures of the quaint island while helping Alyssa's grandmother piece together an heirloom quilt. Their quest gains them entrance into the homes of many longtime residents of the island, parts of the city that are otherwise off limits to tourists.

As the quilt's story takes shape, Alyssa gains amazing insight into her grandmother's life . . . and attracts the attention of the handsome Scott Whitman, an island resident in charge of hotel transportation. Will memories of her past keep Alyssa from letting go? Or will the quest to piece together the heirloom quilt restore Alyssa's fractured heart---and bring healing to her entire family?

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

About the Author: 

Amber Stockton is an award-winning author, a national speaker, and a direct-sales brand partner with Nerium International. She lives with her husband and fellow author, Stuart Vaughn Stockton, in Colorado. They have a daughter and a son, and an Aussie/retriever mix named Roxie. Three of her novels have won annual reader's choice awards.

Connect with Amber: website, Facebook, Twitter

My Take:  This is another great addition to the quilts of love series.  There really wasn't a big mystery to solve but the romance was a sweet one.  This was a sweet book and kept my interest in the story about the gathering of the pieces of for the quilt.  Although I do not quilt my mother does and I know how much time and skill it takes to make a quilt.  I do like the stories that have a little more action than this one had it had enough that kept my attention.

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

Home to Chicory Lane by Deborah Raney

About the book: Landyn longs for home, but her mother may have other plans.

Audrey Whitman's dreams are coming true. Now that their five kids are grown, she and her husband, Grant, are turning their beloved family home into a cozy bed and breakfast just a mile outside of Langhorne, Missouri.

Opening weekend makes Audrey anxious, with family and friends coming from all over to help celebrate the occasion. But when Audrey's daughter, Landyn, arrives, the U-Haul she's pulling makes it clear she's not just here for a few days. Audrey immediately has questions. What happened in New York that sent Landyn running home? Where was Landyn's husband, Chase? And what else was her daughter not telling her? One thing was for sure, the Chicory Inn was off to a rocky start. Can Audrey still realize her dream and at the same time provide the comfort of home her daughter so desperately needs?

Purchase a copy: http://ow.ly/ApPTf 

About the author: Deborah Raney's books have won numerous awards, including the RITA, National Readers Choice Award, HOLT Medallion, and the Carol Award, and have twice been Christy Award finalists. She and her husband, Ken, recently traded small-town life in Kansas---the setting of many of Deborah's novels---for life in the (relatively) big city of Wichita, where they enjoy gardening, antiquing, movies, and traveling to visit four children and a growing brood of grandchildren who all live much too far away.

Find Deborah online: website, Twitter, Facebook

My Take: As with all the other books I have read by Deborah Raney this book draws you in and engages you from the very start.  I am in basically the same time of life as Audrey and Grant as my oldest daughter is getting married this weekend and we have all adult children.  I would also have alot of questions if one of my children just showed up at my house with a Uhaul.  This book is basically about the story of Landryn and her husband Chase.  Chase is literally chasing his dream but it seems as if he is leaving Landryn out of the dream. I enjoyed this start to this series and look forward to reading the next installments.  

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