Book Spotlight of There Once Were Stars (Dome 1618 #1 by Melanie McFarlane

Peace. Love. Order. Dome. That’s the motto that the Order has given the residents of Dome 1618 to live by. Natalia Greyes is a resident of Dome 1618, a covered city protected from the deadly radiation that has poisoned the world outside for four generations. Nat never questioned the Order, until one day she sees a stranger on the outside of the dome. Now Nat wants answers. Is there life outside the dome and if so, what has the Order been hiding from everyone?

Here Skies Surround Us (Dome 1618 #2) by Melanie McFarlane

Nat leaves her home, Dome 1618, just as they begin to colonize on the outside. She travels with Evan to his home, Dome 569, to deliver a replica of the immune serum and allow Evan to report back to his mother, Caroline. But when they arrive, members of the “New Order” take them into custody and Nat and Evan are separated, once again.

Thankfully she is reunited with her uncle, Alec, who takes Nat under his protection. But Nat has a lot to learn about Evan’s home, a progressive dome that colonized on the outside over a decade ago. There are many rules in Dome 569 put in place by Caroline; some that come with sharp and sometimes deadly consequences when broken. Here, Nat learns of the struggles that can come with change, and how tearing down the old ways doesn’t always make things better overall. In the process, she uncovers truths that could tear down the kingdom Caroline has sacrificed to protect, and in turn puts Nat at risk.

Will Nat be able to protect Evan from the lies, or will he succumb to them for the sake of his family, just as his mother did many years before? As Nat uncovers the secrets of Dome 569, will she be willing to give up her morals and values to pay the price for freedom, or die fighting for what she believes in?

My Take:  This is the second in the Dome 1618 series.  It is a Young Adult dystopian series.  In this book Nat and Evan go to Evan's home Dome 569.  The Leader of this dome isn't fair and is very strict and unwavering.  Nat is determined to find out what is going on.  Change comes very hard for some people and Caroline the leader doesn't like change much at all.  I would recommend reading the first book in the series before reading this book.  Recommended if you like dystopian young adult fiction.  

I received a review copy from Chapter by Chapter in exchange for my honest opinion.   

In the Middle of the Mess by Sheila Walsh

How do you turn your struggles into strengths? Beloved Bible teacher Sheila Walsh teaches readers how the daily spiritual practices of confession, meditation on God’s Word, and prayer result in fresh freedom in Christ.

In her long-awaited new book, Sheila Walsh equips women with a practical method for connecting with God’s strength in the midst of struggle. From daily frustrations that can feel like overwhelming obstacles to hard challenges that turn into rock-bottom crises, women will find the means to equip themselves for standing strong with God. Using the spiritual applications of confession, prayer, and meditation on Scripture to form a daily connection to Jesus, women will learn how to experience new joy as a child of God who is fully known, fully loved, and fully accepted.

In In the Middle of the Mess, Walsh reveals the hardened defenses that kept her from allowing God into her deepest hurts and shares how entering into a safe place with God and practicing this daily connection with him have saved her from the devil’s prowling attacks. Though we will never be completely “fixed” on earth, we are continually held by Jesus, whatever our circumstances. 

My Take:  I found this book very encouraging and very helpful.  Although I do not suffer from mental illness except for occasional depression because of my several other chronic illnesses I found that illness is illness and problems are problems even though we as humans seem to place more significance on certain ones over others.  Christians especially even though we are suppose to be more forgiving than others have a tendency to be less tolerant of mental illness as we tend to think if we truly believed you would not have problems in this area.  I thought that Shelia Walsh was very brave to come forward and talk this openly about her issues.  I found it very helpful for myself.  I would recommend this book if you are having a hard time just with life in general.  

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

The Sacred Slow by Alicia Britt Chole

If yesterday’s word was “simple,” tomorrow’s word will be “slow.”

Our culture is shifting from fast food to health food both physically and spiritually. Self-care, soul-care, life coaches, and spiritual retreats all show our dissatisfaction in quick fixes and fast faith. The Sacred Slow is an invitation to unhurried honesty before God. Formatted as 52 experiences, The Sacred Slow reminds readers on every page that God never wanted to use them: He always wanted to love them.

Experienced devotionally or in small groups, each chapter features a short but unexpected reading and two options for application: a thought focus or a heart exercise. The content is the overflow of Dr. Alicia Britt Chole’s thirty+ years as a spiritual mentor to leaders and learners. The tone is personal, practical, and penetrating. The fruit is sustainable (as opposed to event-based) intimacy with God.

My Take:  In today's world of fast everything and instant gratification this book is about slowing down and taking the time to really developing your relationship with Jesus.  This book is perfect to take one chapter a week for a whole year and really working on that particular weeks topic and putting in the work. Each week is meant to bring you closer to Jesus and to take your spiritual walk to the next level.  I would recommend if you are seeking to grow closer to Jesus.

I received a review copy from Handlebar in exchange for my honest opinion.  

Book Spotlight of Fraying at the Edge by Cindy Woodsmall

"Family, community, faith, and love. These "quilt blocks" sewn together made Ariana's beautiful life. When they are pulled to pieces, will anything familiar remain? The Old Order Amish life Ariana Brenneman loved vanished virtually overnight with the discovery that she was switched at birth twenty years ago. Now she's immersed in the Englischer world, getting to know her mother, and under the authority of her biological father, an atheist intellectual with resolute plans to expand Ariana's worldview. Only Quill Schlabach, a childhood friend living Englisch, can help steady Ariana's tilting ground between the two worlds, but can she trust him after so many betrayals? At the same time, Skylar Nash is forced to choose rehab or spend several months with her true relatives, the large Brenneman family and their seemingly backward life--no electricity, no technology, no fun. What the young woman can't leave behind is her addiction to illegal prescription drugs and deep emptiness from the belief that she doesn't belong in either family. New ties are binding Ariana and Skylar to the lives they were meant to have. Can they pray for the wisdom and strength they'll need to follow God's threads into unexpected futures? Fraying at the Edge is the second novel in The Amish of Summer Grove series"

Book Spotlight of Ties That Bind by Cindy Woodsmall

Ariana’s comfortable Old Order Amish world is about to unravel. Will holding tightly to the cords of family keep them together—or simply tear them apart?

Twenty-year-old Ariana Brenneman loves her family and the Old Ways. She has two aspirations: open a café in historic Summer Grove to help support her family’s ever-expanding brood and to keep any other Amish from being lured into the Englisch life by Quill Schlabach. 

Five years ago Quill, along with her dear friend Frieda, ran off together, and Ariana still carries the wounds of that betrayal. When she unexpectedly encounters him, she soon realizes he has plans to help someone else she loves leave the Amish. 
*
Despite how things look, Quill’s goal has always been to protect Ariana from anything that may hurt her, including the reasons he left. After returning to Summer Grove on another matter, he unearths secrets about Ariana and her family that she is unaware of. His love and loyalty to her beckons him to try to win her trust and help her find a way to buy the café—because when she learns the truth that connects her and a stranger named Skylar Nash, Quill knows it may upend her life forever. 

Ties That Bind is the first novel in the Amish of Summer Grove series.

Gathering the Threads (The Amish of Summer Grove #3) by Cindy Woodsmall

Gathering the Threads(WaterBrook, August 2017)

Finally back in the Old Order Amish world she loves, will Ariana’s new perspectives draw her family closer together—or completely rip them apart?

After months away in the Englisch world, Ariana Brenneman is overjoyed to be in the Old Order Amish home where she was raised. Yet her excitement is mixed with an unexpected apprehension as she reconciles all she’s learned from her biological parents with the uncompromising teachings of her Plain community. Although her childhood friend, ex-Amish Quill Schlabach, hopes to help her navigate her new role amongst her people, Ariana’s Daed doesn’t understand why his sweet daughter is suddenly questioning his authority. What will happen if she sows seeds of unrest and rebellion in the entire family?

Meanwhile, Skylar Nash has finally found her place among the large Brenneman family, but Ariana’s arrival threatens to unravel Skylar’s new identity—and her sobriety. Both Ariana and Skylar must discover the true cords that bind a family and community together and grasp tight the One who holds their authentic identities close to His heart.

Gathering the Threads is the third and final novel in The Amish of Summer Grove series.

Learn more, read an excerpt, and purchase a copy.

{MORE ABOUT CINDY WOODSMALL}

Cindy Woodsmall is the “New York Times” and CBA best-selling author of nineteen works of fiction and non-fiction with more than a million copies sold. Her connection with the Amish community has been featured in national media outlets such as ABC’s “Nightline,” the “Wall Street Journal,” and a National Geographic documentary on Amish life. Cindy and her husband reside near the foothills of the North Georgia Mountains.

Find out more about Cindy at http://www.cindywoodsmall.com.






My Take:  This is the third and final book in the Series The Amish of Summer Grove,  I have enjoyed all of the books that I have read by Cindy Woodsmall.  She writes the Amish as real people not some goody goody people who don't do any wrong.  Any way This book has Ariana and Skylar both displaying what they have earned in their time with their respective biological families.  I would recommend reading the first books in the series so you can see what transpired.  Recommended for people who like their Amish Fiction with realism.  I really enjoyed this series.  

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

Chords of War by Christopher Meeks and Samuel Gonzalez Jr.

Inspired by Sam Gonzalez’s true story, "The Chords of War" is the tale of punk rock teenager Max Rivera from Florida, who seeks purpose as he tries to understand why his life always teeters between music and mayhem. After he's kicked out of his band on tour, he joins the Army to change his life. It's after 9/11, and he finds himself under fire in Iraq, part of the surge in Baquabah. In order to deal with his teen angst and raging hormones among daily patrols, coordinated battles, and women fighting alongside him, Max creates a new band with soldiers. Will Max and his friends make it? 

My Take:  What a great book for today's world.  It is the true story of Samuel Gonzalez Jr.  but all the names have been changed to protect the innocent , just kidding about the protect the innocent part.  This is the story with the trappings of a modern army with the gadgets and such but also with the bad things that come with war like the toll it takes on relationships and on the human beng themselves.  I would recommend this book to anyone who in interested in a more modern take on the toil of war.

I received this book from Virtual Author Booktours in exchange for my honest opinion. 

Book Spotlight of God's Grace in your Suffering by David Powlison

It's easy to see God's grace when things are going well. But in the midst of suffering--when we don't sense any positive change in our circumstances on the horizon--we can start to question God's goodness. Exploring the biblical truths found in each stanza of the classic hymn "How Firm a Foundation," experienced biblical counselor David Powlison invites us to hear God's perspective and see God's purpose in our suffering. Rather than offering abstract theory or mere sentimentality, Powlison writes to anchor our hope in the God who promises to be with us and transform us in the midst of even our darkest trials. 

Book Spotlight of Retribution Rails by Erin Bowman

REDEMPTION IS NEVER FREE
When Reece Murphy is forcibly dragged into the Rose Riders gang because of a mysterious gold coin in his possession, he vows to find the man who gave him the piece and turn him over to the gang in exchange for freedom. Never does he expect a lead to come from an aspiring female journalist. But when Reece's path crosses with Charlotte Vaughn after a botched train robbery and she mentions a promising rumor about a gunslinger from Prescott, it becomes apparent that she will be his ticket to freedom—or a noose. As the two manipulate each other for their own ends, past secrets are unearthed, reviving a decade-old quest for revenge that may be impossible to settle.

In this thrilling companion to Vengeance Road, dangerous alliances are formed, old friends meet new enemies, and the West is wilder than ever. 

Pupcakes by Annie England Noblin Book Spotlight

Sit! Stay! Speak! author Annie England Noblin’s novel takes one woman starting over, adds an aging pug named Teddy Roosevelt, and proves the power of a well-baked dog treat. 

All she wants is a settled-down life.

What she gets is a dog—and a whole new normal . . . 

There he stood in the doorway: overweight, depressed and nearly homeless—a pug named Teddy Roosevelt. Teddy was Brydie Benson’s latest problem, arriving on top of her messy divorce and sudden move. Brydie needed a place to start over, so this rent-free home seemed a great idea. She just never counted on Teddy, or his owner, the Germantown Retirement Village’s toughest customer, Pauline Neumann.

And because rent-free doesn’t mean bills-free, Brydie gets a night-shift job at a big-box grocery. Whoever guessed there were so many people who wanted baked goods after midnight?

Then, she gets an idea—why not combine her baking skills with her new-found dog knowledge? And so her store Pupcakes is born. Along with a new start comes a possible new love, in the form of Nathan Reid, a local doctor with a sassy Irish Wolfhound named Sasha. And as fall turns to winter, and then to Christmas, Brydie begins to realize that life is a little bit like learning a new recipe for puff pastry—it takes a few tries to get it just right!

Unexpected Family by Abigail Fisher free kindle book check price before buying

A wounded girl praying for love in her life. 
A tragic accident. 
A young boy lost in the world...

When a devastating accident leaves a young, Amish boy mute and orphaned, his uncle Simon steps up to care for him, but Simon is unsure how to help his innocent nephew Abram through his trauma.

Lucy, a kind and nurturing young school teacher, finds her heart going out to this sweet new boy in her classroom. Due to her own secret past, she can relate to his tragic experience and non-verbal response, and she feels God’s hand in guiding him to her. 

She also cannot help but notice his handsome, caring uncle who is showing interest in her.

But when Lucy’s past and shame are revealed, will Simon still be interested? 

Should Lucy even allow the attraction to grow knowing what she knows about herself?

Only God knows how past pain and sorrow can bring hope to a questionable future for all of them. Can these three faithful souls truly become an "Unexpected Family?"

Click here for Kindle copy.  check price before buying. 

Zenith: The Androma Saga by Sasha Alsberg and Lindsay Cummings Book Spotlight

Most know Androma Racella as the Bloody Baroness, a powerful mercenary whose reign of terror stretches across the Mirabel Galaxy. To those aboard her glass starship, Marauder, however, she's just Andi, their friend and fearless leader.

But when a routine mission goes awry, the Marauder's all-girl crew is tested as they find themselves in a treacherous situation and at the mercy of a sadistic bounty hunter from Andi's past.

Meanwhile, across the galaxy, a ruthless ruler waits in the shadows of the planet Xen Ptera, biding her time to exact revenge for the destruction of her people. The pieces of her deadly plan are about to fall into place, unleashing a plot that will tear Mirabel in two.

Andi and her crew embark on a dangerous, soul-testing journey that could restore order to their shipor just as easily start a war that will devour worlds. As the Marauder hurtles toward the unknown, and Mirabel hangs in the balance, the only certainty is that in a galaxy run on lies and illusion, no one can be trusted.

The Charles Stanley Life Principles Bible NIV

The Charles Stanley Life Principles Bible, NKJV Full-Color, Hardcover Loved and respected by millions for his Bible teaching, Dr. Charles Stanley, "America's Pastor", has helped lead believers all over the world into a life-changing relationship with Jesus Christ, full of growth and maturity. The Charles Stanley Life Principles Bible takes the life-changing principles Dr. Stanley has gleaned through years of Bible teaching and ministry and pairs them with NKJV scripture for a Bible unlike any other. Through helpful articles on what the Bible has to say about key topics and answers to life's questions, you will learn important life principles that lead to a full and mature Christian experience. Life Principles articles What the Bible Says About articles Answers to Life's Questions articles Life Examples (people) sidebars God's Promises for Life, index of highlighted scriptures notes Life Lessons Book Introductions Front Matter Listing of the Life Principles 

My Take:  I have been using this Bible the last month or so for my reading in while I watch my church's Sunday service, during my devotions and while I am doing Bible Study.  I really like the Life Principles that are scattered throughout the Bible and the overview that is at the beginning of the books.  This is the NIV version.  

I received a review copy from Amazon Vine in exchange for my honest review. 

Book Spotlight of All Saints by Michael Spurlock and Jeanette Windle

Discover the true story behind the film ALL SAINTS, and be inspired by one church's extraordinary response to a group of refugees in need. Pastor Michael Spurlock's first assignment is to close down the tiny church building of All Saints. But when its people begin welcoming refugees, Michael is called to discover new depths to the words love your neighbor.

Free Kindle Book Colors of Christmas by Olivia Newport check price before buying

Celebrate the joyful hope of the Christmas season as characters find healing in the midst of heartbreak.
New from Olivia Newport!

Christmas in Blue
In the wake of a personal loss deeper than anyone realizes, Angela plans to bypass as much of the season as possible and get through her duties as the church organist by going on autopilot. Instead, she finds herself in charge of the town’s celebration. After a mysterious young man arrives, townspeople suspect he is the reason that one set of plans after another disintegrate until little is left of their traditions. Yet Angela warms to Gabe because she suspects they share a secret—his real reason for coming to town. Even when all they have to work with is a garish supply of blue Christmas decorations, Gabe helps Angela discover the hidden beauty of hope.

Christmas in Gold
After eighty years, change is nothing new for Astrid. By the time she was twenty, she survived the destructive Nazi regime, caring for her family under brutal circumstances, moving to America, and losing her husband. At forty she was widowed again and left to build a new life with her children. Now, when she faces a move into an assisted living community and meets a young woman on the brink of despair, she resolves to stir up hope through tragedy one more time. 

Get book here. 

Christmas in Icicle Falls by Sheila Roberts

Join USA TODAY bestselling author Sheila Roberts this Christmas as she returns for the final installment in her treasured Icicle Falls series When Muriel Sterling released her new book, A Guide to Happy Holidays, she felt like the queen of Christmas. She's thrilled when the new tree she ordered online arrives and is eager to show it off--until she gets it out of the box and realizes it's a mangy dud. But rather than give up on the ugly tree, Muriel decides to make a project out of it. As she pretties up her tree, she realizes there's a lesson to be learned: everything and everyone has potential. Maybe even her old friend Arnie, who's loved her for years. Except, she's not the only one seeing Arnie's potential... Meanwhile, Muriel's ugly-tree project has also inspired her friends. Sienna Moreno is trying to bring out the best in the grouchy man next door, who hates noise, hates kids and hates his new neighbors. And while Olivia Claussen would love to send her obnoxious new daughter-in-law packing, she's adjusting her attitude and trying to discover what her son sees in the girl. If these women can learn to see the beauty in the "ugly trees" in their lives, perhaps this might turn out to be the happiest holiday yet. 

My Take:  This is the final book in the Icicle Falls series by Sheila Roberts.  I haven't read any of the other books but I felt right at home in Icicle Falls.  Sienna Moreno is new in town and is starting over with her son.  She is having a hard time with her neighbor but tries hard to bring him around.  The other characters are heart warming and just as endearing.  I just might go back and pick up the first book in this series.  I don't read much contemporary romance but I found this book to be sweet.  Recommend if you like romance.  

I received a review copy from Pump Up Your Book in exchange for my honest opinion.  

Pass It On by Champ Thornton

Pass It On: A Proverbs Journal for the Next Generation (New Growth Press, October 2017)

Let Scripture reform the next generation.

There are many different kinds of legacies we can leave, but sharing yourself and your faith with the next generation will always stand the test of time. Through showing himself and his wisdom in the book of Proverbs, God has also left his legacy with us and relies on us to share it with our children and grandchildren. But before we can share that wisdom, first we must grow in our own understanding and knowledge and record, reflect, and consider what we have learned.

Pass it On provides readers with an opportunity to create a legacy of wisdom and faith and to share it with their children and grandchildren. As readers are guided through the book of Proverbs, they are asked to create their own personalized, wisdom journal with the aim of giving it to someone they love. Through careful study, answering questions, writing out prayers, and sharing personal stories, readers can create a lasting keepsake for themselves and for their families and friends.

Created by Champ Thornton, best-selling author of The Radical Book for Kids, Pass It On is an innovative resource to strengthen families and help them grow in their love for God and each other. This is a perfect gift for an older and wiser friend or relative, so they can share themselves and what they have learned about God with the next generation.

The fresh and careful translation provided comes from Dr. Bruce Waltke, who, now in his eighties, has devoted his life to a humble and Christ-focused study of God s Word, and especially the book of Proverbs. His two-volume work on Proverbs is considered by many as the premier commentary in the English language. As you study the translation of individual chapters, add your own comments in the margins. And feel free to circle, underline, and connect key words or phrases as you see them in the chapter for the day.

Learn more and purchase a copy.

{MORE ABOUT CHAMP THORNTON}

Champ Thornton, MDiv, is associate pastor at Ogletown Baptist Church in Delaware. He has pastored in South Carolina and served as director of SOMA, a ministry training school in Columbus, OH. He is also the author of “The Radical Book for Kids: Exploring the Roots and Shoots of Faith,” “God’s Love: A Bible Storybook,” and Bible curriculum for early and upper elementary-aged children. Champ and his wife, Robben, have been married since 1996 and have three children.

Find out more about Champ at http://www.champthornton.com.






My Take:  This is a journal on the proverbs that you can write in and give to your children, grandchildren or just to someone you are discipleling.  I like the idea of journaling my thoughts and insights on this great book that I can then share with the future generations.  Great concept , great execution your supply the wisdom and insight. 

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

Deadly Proof 5 Book Giveaway

DEADLY PROOF BY RACHEL DYLAN | BLOG TOUR AND 5-BOOK GIVEAWAY

Author: Rachel Dylan

After a whistleblower in the pharmaceutical cover-up case dies, attorney Kate Sullivan knows the stakes are much higher than her other lawsuits. Get ready to stay up way past your bedtime turning the pages to find out what happens next in Rachel Dylan’s new legal thriller, Deadly Proof. Trying to forget the past, former Army Ranger turned private investigator Landon James is hired by Kate to look into the whistleblower’s allegation. He also soon finds himself falling for the passionate and earnest young lawyer. As the case deepens, it appears someone is willing to risk everything—even murder—to keep the case from going to trial.

Enter to win a copy of Deadly Proof. Five winners will be chosen! Click the image below to enter to win. The winners will be announced December 7 on the Litfuse blog!

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{MORE ABOUT DEADLY PROOF}

Deadly Proof (Bethany House, September 2017)

Riveting new series offers legal suspense with a romantic twist

In the biggest case of her career, attorney Kate Sullivan is tapped as lead counsel to take on Mason Pharmaceutical because of a corporate cover-up related to its newest drug. After a whistleblower dies, Kate knows the stakes are much higher than her other lawsuits.

Former Army Ranger turned private investigator Landon James is still haunted by mistakes made while serving overseas. Trying to forget the past, he is hired by Kate to look into the whistleblower’s allegation and soon suspects that the company may be engaging in a dangerous game for profit. He also soon finds himself falling for this passionate and earnest young lawyer.

Determined not to make the same mistakes, he’s intent on keeping Kate safe, but as the case deepens, it appears someone is willing to risk everything—even murder—to keep the case from going to trial.

Learn more and purchase a copy.

{MORE ABOUT RACHEL DYLAN}

Rachel Dylan writes Christian fiction including legal romantic suspense. Rachel has practiced law for over a decade and enjoys weaving together legal and suspenseful stories. In addition, Rachel writes the Danger in the Deep South including “Lethal Action” and “Devoted Defender,” which appeals to fans of edge of your seat romantic suspense. Rachel also writes the Windy Ridge series including “Trial & Tribulations” and “Fatal Accusation.” These legal thrillers with elements of spiritual warfare are great for fans who enjoy books by Peretti or Dekker. “Trial & Tribulations” was a Selah finalist in 2016. Rachel lives in Michigan with her husband and five furkids—two dogs and three cats. Rachel loves to connect with readers.

Find out more about Rachel at http://www.racheldylan.com.

The Gift by Shelley Shepard Gray

The Gift: The Amish of Hart County (Avon Inspire, November 2017)

A special Christmas story about love and blessings in the next book in the Amish of Hart County series

The Schwartz family is happy to be spending Christmas on their new farm in Hart County. But when Susanna Schwartz hears gunshots that causes her buggy to overturn, and then her little sister falls through a wooden bridge into the icy creek, it becomes clear from these dangerous “accidents” that someone wants them gone.

Neil Vance has been heartbroken ever since his parents lost their family farm. He knows it’s not the Schwartz family’s fault, but he can’t help but be resentful. Until he meets Susanna. She is kind-hearted and bold, and Neil can’t stop thinking about her pretty green eyes.

Neil thinks the accidents are just that, but Susanna’s father is convinced the Vance family is responsible. Susanna refuses to believe Neil would do anything to harm her. She’s fallen in love with him and knows he is a good man. But her family is ready to pack up and move, and time is running out to uncover the truth before someone gets hurt . . . or worse.

Learn more and purchase a copy.

{MORE ABOUT SHELLEY SHEPARD GRAY}

Shelley Shepard Gray is a “New York Times” and “USA Today” bestselling author, 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 out more about Shelley at http://www.shelleyshepardgray.com.







My take:  I have really been enjoying this series.  This is the third book in the series but they don't have to be read in order as each book deals with mostly new characters and situations.  This book deals with Neal and Susanna.  Neil's family have lost their farm and are forced to live with Neil's uncle.  They also blame Susanna's family because her family bought the Vance's farm.  Strange things start to happen around the farm and Neil and Susanna set out to find the culprit.  A very nice story with a good mystery and a bit of romance.  Highly recommend if you like Amish fiction.

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

Free Kindle Book Noelle's Golden Christmas please verify price before you buy.

When it comes to the Christmas season, Noelle Holiday is a real Scrooge...

December isn't filled with the magic of Christmas for Noelle, just the looming dread she's about to lose something else dear to her. Will she ever be rid of her Christmas curse?

When she adopts an injured shelter dog, she discovers the love of her life... a Golden Retriever named Abby. Perhaps being single is God's plan for her, but at least she isn't alone.

Her meddling family, however, is convinced she needs a man in her life. They introduce her to two irresistible men who couldn't be more alike. Or more different. Both men sweep into her life, testing her faith, and stirring up desire and confusion in equal measure.

If she can just get through this humbug holiday without another heartache!

In the spirit of Hallmark movies, this sweet Christian romantic comedy tells the story of a believer, struggling to implement her faith in her everyday walk and battling fear to find the agape love that drives it away. 

Find it here.

Book Spotlight of All She Left Behind by Jane Kirkpatrick

Already well-versed in the natural healing properties of herbs and oils, Jennie Pickett longs to become a doctor. But the Oregon frontier of the 1870s doesn't approve of such innovations as women attending medical school. To leave grief and guilt behind, as well as support herself and her challenging young son, Jennie cares for an elderly woman using skills she's developed on her own. When her patient dies, Jennie discovers that her heart has become entangled with the woman's widowed husband, a man many years her senior. Their unlikely romance may lead her to her ultimate goal--but the road will be winding and the way forward will not always be clear. Will Jennie find shelter in life's storms? Will she discover where healing truly lives? 

Through her award-winning, layered storytelling, New York Times bestselling author Jane Kirkpatrick invites readers to leave behind their preconceived notions about love and life as they, along with Jennie, discover that dreams may be deferred--but they never really die. Based on a true story.

Book Spotlight of pH by Nancy Lord

When marine biologist Ray Berringer and his student crew embark on an oceanographic cruise in the Gulf of Alaska, the waters are troubled in more ways than one. Ray's co-leader, a famed chemist, is abandoning ship just as the ocean's pH is becoming a major concern. Something at their university is corrosive, and it's going to take more than science to correct. Powerful bonds are forged among offbeat characters studying the effects of ocean acidification on pteropods, a tiny, keystone species, in this cutting-edge CliFi novel. (Includes author Q&A and reading group discussion questions.) 

Book Spotlight of Fragments of the Lost by Megan Miranda

From the New York Times bestselling author of All the Missing Girls and The Perfect Stranger comes a suspenseful psychological mystery about one girl's search to uncover the truth behind her ex-boyfriend's death. Perfect for fans of We Were Liars and 13 Reasons Why . 

Jessa Whitworth knew she didn't belong in her ex-boyfriend Caleb's room. But she couldn't deny that she was everywhere--in his photos, his neatly folded T-shirts, even the butterfly necklace in his jeans pocket . . . the one she gave him for safe keeping on that day.

His mother asked her to pack up his things--even though she blames Jessa for his accident. How could she say no? And maybe, just maybe, it will help her work through the guilt she feels about their final moments together.

But as Jessa begins to box up the pieces of Caleb's life, they trigger memories that make Jessa realize their past relationship may not be exactly as she remembered. And she starts to question whether she really knew Caleb at all. 

Each fragment of his life reveals a new clue that propels Jessa to search for the truth about Caleb's accident. What really happened on the storm-swept bridge?

Free Kindle book of the day, Finding Riley by Dan Walsh check price before buying

An unexpected surprise brings the Mitchell family of Savannah a chance to experience the Christmas trip of their dreams. An unexpected disappointment threatens to turn it into the worst Christmas of their lives. John Finch and his friend Alfred live in the woods. Been doing it for decades. He likes wintering in Florida, but this year’s been particularly harsh. Between the cold, freezing rain and terrifying lightning storms, John’s starting to wonder how much more of this lifestyle he can take. A new friend enters the picture and changes everything. Kim Harper, the dog trainer introduced in Rescuing Finley, is contacted by a billionaire philanthropist seeking her help with a new dog training project that will help the homeless. Is he for real? And is her co-worker right? Does this rich, handsome man’s interest in Kim go much deeper than her dog-training skills? 

Bestselling author Dan Walsh is known for page-turning, character driven novels. Fans of Dan’s other novels, especially Rescuing Finley, as well as dog-lovers everywhere will love Finding Riley. 

Coming in 2017: Book 3 in the Forever Home Series – Saving Parker 

Free here.