Death at First Sight by Lena Gregory

It doesn’t take a crystal ball to see that something’s not right on Bay Island...

Since she left her psychiatric practice in New York City to open up a psychic shop in her hometown on Long Island, Cass Donovan has given her fair share of readings to conflicted customers. But what she sees in Ellie Hawkins’ future doesn’t bode well. 

When Ellie’s mother Marge publicly confronts Cass about the reading, the embarrassment makes her want to curl up and die. But when she later stumbles across Marge’s body—and is arrested for her murder—Cass is suddenly the star of Bay Island’s rumor mill.

Out on bail, Cass is determined to prove her innocence and save Ellie from meeting the fate in her unfortunate vision. But even with the help of her friends Bee and Stephanie, Cass will have to channel some serious sleuthing instinct to find the real killer...


My Take:   I don't really believe in psychics.  I have my opinions about how that all comes about.  I do know I like a good cozy mystery and this is one of those.  The mystery itself is a good one that has you guessing what will happen next.  It did pique my interest that Cass was a psychiatrist that then went on to open a psychic shop.  

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

Cold Case Christianity by J. Warner Wallace and Susie Wallace

Cold-Case Christianity for Kids(David C. Cook, October 2016)

Between the ages of 8 and 12, kids often start to wonder if Christianity is true.

In Cold-Case Christianity for Kids, detective J. Warner Wallace draws readers into the thrill of high-stakes investigation by showing them how to think rather than telling them what to think. In this children’s companion to the bestselling Cold-Case Christianity, detective Wallace gets kids excited about testing witnesses, examining the evidence, and investigating the case for Christianity. Includes author illustrations and links to a website where kids can download activities, fill in case notes, and earn a certificate of merit.

Learn more and purchase a copy.

{MORE ABOUT J. WARNER AND SUSIE WALLACE}

J. Warner and Susie Wallace have been training young people in the church setting for over a decade. J. Warner is a cold-case homicide detective who has been featured on Dateline, FOX News, Court TV and other crime-related television shows. A former atheist, he is the author of Cold-Case Christianity: God’s Crime Scene and Forensic Faith. He has a master’s degree in theology and is the founder of ColdCaseChristianity.com. Susie has a master’s degree in speech pathology and co-writes (and edits) all the kids books in this series. J. Warner and Susie have four children and live in southern California.

Find out more about J. Warner and at http://www.coldcasechristianityforkids.com.

My take:  I am always on the lookout for books and materials that will help when my grandchildren have questions about the Christian faith.  This book is a good one to have on hand as it goes through the evidence from the lens of a detective putting together the facts to solve the case.  It is interactive as the kids fill out the case notes and come to the conclusions themelves.  I will gladly give my grandkids this book when they are old enough.  

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

At the crucial age between 8 and 12, many kids begin to wonder if Christianity and the Bible are true. Help your kids become truth-seeking detectives with the help of J. Warner and Susie Wallace's Cold-Case Christianity for Kids. Detective Wallace gets kids excited about testing witnesses, examining the evidence, and investigating the case for Christianity. The book includes author illustrations and links to a website where kids can download activities, fill in case notes, and earn a certificate of merit.

Encourage your kids to investigate the case for Christianity by entering to win a faith examination kit and a copy of J. Warner and Susie's new book.

 

One grand prize winner will receive:

• A copy of Cold-Case Christianity for Kids
• A Kindle Fire so your kids can visit the Cold-Case Christianity for Kids website and explore its many activities
• A shock-proof, kid-friendly, convertible Kindle Fire case (your kids' choice of color)

Enter today by clicking the icon below, but hurry! The giveaway ends on November 4. The winner will be announced November 7 on the Litfuse blog.

Christian's Hope by Ervin R. Stutzman

Christian’s Hope (Herald Press, October 2016)

When Christian Hochstetler returns to the Amish after seven years in captivity, he finds that many things have shifted.

Captured as a child during the French and Indian War, Christian has spent much of his life among Native Americans, who cared for him and taught him their ways. Now that Christian is home, his father wants him to settle back into their predictable Amish life of farming, and Christian’s budding friendship with Orpha Rupp beckons him to stay as well.

Yet Christian feels restless, and he misses his adoptive Native American family—who raised him as their own son. When faced with a life-altering decision, will Christian choose the Amish identity that his father desires for him? Or will he depart from his family and faith community yet again?

Christian’s Hope tells the story of the younger brother of Joseph and son of Jacob, whom readers have come to love in the first two books in the Return to Northkill series. Based on actual events and written by a descendant of the Hochstetler family,Christian’s Hope brings the sweeping epic of the Return to Northkill series to a soul-stirring end.

Learn more and purchase a copy.

{MORE ABOUT ERVIN R. STUTZMAN}

Ervin R. Stutzman is author of “Jacob’s Choice,” “Joseph’s Dilemma,” “Tobias of the Amish,” and “Emma, A Widow Among the Amish.” Born into an Amish home in Kalona, Iowa, Stutzman based the Return to Northkill series on the life of his ancestor, Jacob Hochstetler. He has been featured on TLC’s “Who Do You Think You Are?”

Find out more about Ervin R. athttp://www.mennomedia.org.

My Take:  This is the third book in a series but I don't feel like you had to have read the other books to enjoy this book.  This book is a different kind of Amish story.  The Main character was kidnapped by Indians when he was young.  He is reunited with his family and other Amish but isn't really accepted because he preferred is life with the Indians. The Amish don't accept him because he is different from them.  There are other things that go on in the story that were interesting.  This series is based on a true event.  This was not your typical Amish book.  

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

Book Spotlight Chaste by Jesse Teller

From Goodreads.com

When her devout parents died, Cheryl turned her back on her god. Years of denial and self-loathing have defeated her. Her life consists of taking orders and succumbing to abuse. A group of strangers stops in Chaste for the night, but an unnamed threat is preying on the town. Tragic deaths have become more and more frequent. Cheryl wants to protect these travelers, expose the evil force, and save her fellow citizens, but she must find a way to believe in hope.

A Sister;s Wish and An Amish Family Christmas by Shelley Shaprd Gray

A Sister’s Wish (Avon Inspire, September 2016)

In Shelley Shepard Gray’s third book in her Charmed Amish Life series, a respectable young woman finds herself falling for an Amish man from the wrong side of the tracks.

Amelia Kinsinger is the perfect Amish woman—at least according to her neighbors. And while Amelia takes pride in her role as homemaker, she’s also harboring a secret: She’s been in love with bad boy Simon Hochstetler for as long as she can remember. Too bad he’s about as far from “perfect” as an Amish man could get… but that’s exactly why she’s so drawn to him.

Life hasn’t been kind to Simon. He ran away from an abusive home at fifteen and things went downhill from there. Eventually, Simon landed in prison. But the experience changed him. Now back in Charm as a grown man, he’s determined to make a new life for himself and not think too much about his wild past…unless it pertains to Amelia.

He’s loved Amelia for years. To him, she represents everything good and kind in the world. When he realizes that she returns his affections, he starts calling on her in secret, even though her older brother Lukas—who just happens to be Simon’s best friend—has made it perfectly clear that Amelia deserves better. Simon disagrees and believes he’s the only one who can truly make her happy.

But when Amelia gets hurt, it sets off a chain of events that forces them to consider their future together—and face their past mistakes. There’s a chance for love… but only if Simon dares to trust Amelia with the secrets of his past.

Learn more and purchase a copy.

My Take: I really enjoyed this installment of the Charm Amish series.  I was glad to see Amelia get the respect that she deserved.  I was a bit surprised to see Amish treat Simon bad because of his past.  God forgives and the Amish claim to forgive  especially after the person has joined the church.  I was sad to learn about Simon's family life.  No one in the church bothered to reach out.  That just makes me sad. 

An Amish Family Christmas (Avon Inspire, October 2016)

In Shelley Shepard Gray’s fourth book in her Charmed Amish Life series, an unlikely Amish romance reveals that Christmas is a time for family, miracles—and love.

Ever since his father died in a tragic fire, Levi Kinsinger has felt adrift. Newly returned to Charm, Ohio, Levi is trying to fit into his old life, only to discover he seems to have outgrown it.

But when Julia, his young widowed neighbor, asks for his help with a Christmas project, Levi finds a sense of purpose for the first time in months. She and her daughter are new to Charm and could use a friend, a job Levi takes personally. Soon enough, friendship grows into attraction, but Levi can’t help having doubts. There’s something about Julia that doesn’t ring quite true…

Like Levi, Julia Kemps has survived her fair share of hardships—but only by hiding the truth of her past. Being an unmarried mother in an Amish community was unthinkable. Feeling hopeless, Julia did the only thing she could do: she moved to a new town and pretended to be a widow. But meeting Levi, she’s hopeful for the first time. Little by little, she begins to imagine telling him her darkest secret, and eventually…perhaps even sharing her life with him.

Christmas is a time for family, and as the holiday draws closer, Julia and Levi will have to face their pasts together…in order to find the healing, support and love they so desperately desire.

My Take:  I really liked this fourth book in this series.  I liked getting to know Levi the fourth Kinsinger sibling.  I Also liked getting to know Julia and her daughter.  This book brought home the fact that the Amish are still tempted the way we all are.  Again there was a situation in this book that I was surprised that the church didn't help.  I was very sad about this too.  

Learn more and purchase a copy.

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 athttp://www.shelleyshepardgray.com.

A SISTER’S WISH AND AN AMISH FAMILY CHRISTMAS BY SHELLEY SHEPARD GRAY | BLOG TOUR AND 5-BOOK GIVEAWAY

Author: Shelley Shepard Gray

Don’t miss books three (A Sister’s Wish) and four (An Amish Family Christmas) in Shelley Shepard Gray’s Charmed Amish Life series. In A Sister’s Wish, when Amelia gets hurt, it sets off a chain of events that forces Amelia and Simon to consider their future together—and face their past mistakes. There’s a chance for love . . . but only if Simon dares to trust Amelia with the secrets of his past. In An Amish Family Christmas, Christmas is a time for family, and as the holiday draws closer, Julia and Levi will have to face their pasts together . . . in order to find the healing, support and love they so desperately desire.

Enter to win a book pack (a copy of A Sister’s Wish and a copy of An Amish Family Christmas) from Shelley. Five winners will be chosen! Click the image below to enter to win. The winners will be announced November 7th on Shelley’s blog!

I received a review copy of these two books in exchange for my honest opinion. 

The Legend of the Pumpkin Thief by Charles Day

The Legend of the Pumpkin thief by Charles Day

Recently nominated for a 2012 Bram Stoker Award®

As the townsfolk sleep, something creeps into the neighborhood. Hidden in shadows, its presence is as old as time itself, its intent not born of goodness.

Nick, a teenager who fancies himself a detective, wakes to find his carved masterpiece missing. Now a mystery is afoot, and Nick has his first assignment, to find out who or what is snatching up the town’s pumpkins and why.

Unfortunately, as with all great detectives, obstacles stand in Nick’s way—the neighborhood bully and his cronies, and the strange old lady and her dog who share the run-down house at the end of Nick’s block. As Nick investigates, an urban legend unravels . . . .

The Legend of The Pumpkin Thief.

Nick fears the legend as he embarks on the most dangerous adventure of his young life. Collecting clues, getting ever closer to the true nature of evil, he learns that curiosity comes with a high price. 

My Take:  I don't know if I would label this a YA book maybe more of a middle grade.  I think most YA readers would consider this way beneath them.  I did find that looking at it from a middle grade level it was cute and a bit on the suspense/thriller level but not really scary.  I am a bit jaded though as I compare things to Stephen King to measure scary. But even from a middle grade level this might be a little on the mild side.  I would recommend that parents read it first just so you are sure that this would be ok for your Child. 

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

Dewey's 24 hour readathon

I will be updating this post throughout the day.

Opening questions.

1) What fine part of the world are you reading from today? I am reading from outtside Lancaster, Pa.
2) Which book in your stack are you most looking forward to? Gemina
3) Which snack are you most looking forward to?Celery and peanut butter
4) Tell us a little something about yourself! I am a recently disabled 56 year old woman.  I homeschooled all three of my children.  I have 3 granddaughters that I adore to pieces.  Books are one of my favorite things.
5) If you participated in the last read-a-thon, what’s one thing you’ll do different today? If this is your first read-a-thon, what are you most looking forward to? I will try to spend less time on the computer and more time reading. 

Start of hour 3

Pages read 98

have a slight headache because I didn't get alot of sleep last night.  I took advil so hopefully will be feeling better soon.

Hubby got home from work so talked to him for a bit before he laid down to sleep.  So should have uninterrupted reading for at least 3 hours.

Hour 6 update.  I slept from 11-12.  Just couldn't keep my eyes open.  Just ate lunch.
total pages read  187

Slow going.  But I hope to get at least two books read.


hour 9 update
total pages read 236
Finished Gemina
Currently reading A Sister's Wish by Shelley Shepard Gray

Hour 16 update.

I will going to bed in a bit but I will starting An Amish Family Christmas by Shelley Shepard Gray

I finished A Sister's Wish by Shelley Shepard Gray.

So I achieved my goal of finishing two books.

Happy reading for all of you who are continuing through the night.

Union with Christ by Rankin Wilbourne

Union with Christ: The Way to Know and Enjoy God (David C. Cook, July 2016)

Nothing is more basic or central to knowing and enjoying God than Union with Christ.

Have you ever had difficulty connecting what you know to be true about God with how you feel or how you live each day? Have you ever longed to change but just felt stuck?

The Bible makes a stunning claim: God has provided a way for your life to be united to Christ’s. What does that mean? Is it really possible for me, now? What would it look like?

In Union with Christ, Rankin Wilbourne makes union with Christ accessible and beautiful, for you. Union with Christ is not an abstract idea. It is a powerful reality. And recovering a sense of your union with Christ can change everything for you, like finally putting on a pair of desperately-needed glasses.

Discover how coming to see your life through the lens of union with Christ can help bridge that gap between your head and your heart, between your belief and your experience. Union with Christ is what we most need in order to know and enjoy God.

Learn more and purchase a copy.

{MORE ABOUT RANKIN WILBOURNE}

Rankin Wilbourne grew up in Louisiana and was educated at the University of Mississippi and Princeton Theological Seminary. He is now the senior pastor of Pacific Crossroads Church in Los Angeles. As a former commercial banker, Rankin understands the “gap” between the gospel preached on Sunday and the world people face on Monday. Leading a thriving church in a city driven by stories, he’s concerned with drawing connections between what we believe and how we live. Rankin and his wife, Morgen, reside in Los Angeles with their three children.

Find out more about Rankin athttp://www.rankinw.com.

My Take: Union with Christ is a often hard for older Christians to understand let alone new Christians.  When we become a Christian our life becomes united with Christ.  We should then be enjoying all the benefits of being a child of God just like Christ.  Our lives should be showing a clear difference before and after although it is hard at times.  I have been a Christian for almost 46 years and I still feel like I have a hard time growing and learning.  This book brings these things more into focus.  I will be rereading this book in the future to remind myself.  

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

Experiencing God through His names by Sheryl Giesbrecht

Experiencing God Through His Names (Bold Vision Books, June 2016)

What’s in a name?

Names are more than groups of letters that represent a person or identify objects. Names are powerful. A person’s character and destiny can be influenced by his or her name. God’s attributes and personality support His unique and distinct names. If we comprehend the meanings of His titles, we can know God more intimately. InExperiencing God Through His Names, Sheryl Giesbrecht walks with you on an exciting journey to discover and absorb the truth about God’s character. In the next 31 days, God wants you to get to know Him. Are you ready?

Learn more and purchase a copy.

{MORE ABOUT SHERYL GIESBRECHT}

Sheryl Giesbrecht has written three books, hundreds of articles, blogs, and columns. A nationally syndicated radio host, Sheryl is a sought after inspirational speaker who facilitates leadership training for thousands internationally.

Find out more about Sheryl athttp://www.FromAshesToBeauty.com

My Take:  This is a very nice book that has 31 devotions that go along with 31 of God's names.  I enjoyed learning what each of the names meant and how I could rely on God in that area of my life.  I developed a chronic illness a little over two years ago and have being slowing learning how to rely on God for things that I was able to rely on myself for in the past.  I will be using this book in my devotions for the forcible future.  

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

Jesus and the Beanstalk by Lori Stanley Roeleveld

Jesus and the Beanstalk: Overcoming Your Giants and Living a Fruitful Life (Abingdon Press, September 2016)

What if a fairy tale and ten Bible verses could free you to live an effective, fruitful life in Christ?

We live in unsettling, challenging times. Everywhere we look, we see giant problems: giant obstacles to sharing faith, giant barriers to peaceful lives, giant strongholds of fear. But what if you knew eight small secrets to unlocking a strength big enough to overcome whatever obstacle life may bring?

Using allegory and a bit of humor, Jesus and the Beanstalk explores a passage in 2 Peter 1 to uncover eight truths that will help you unleash a larger-than-life faith:

—Faith
—Goodness
—Knowledge
—Self-control
—Perseverance
—Godliness
—Affection for others
—Love

In this creative, refreshing perspective on spiritual growth, you will discover an unyielding strength when you tap the power of a God who is stronger than any beanstalk and bigger than your biggest giants.

Learn more and purchase a copy.

{MORE ABOUT LORI STANLEY ROELEVELD}

Lori Stanley Roeleveld is the author of “Running from a Crazy Man (and other adventures traveling with Jesus)” and “Red Pen Redemption.” Her blog, LoriRoeleveld.com, was voted Top 100 Christian Blogs by RedeemingGod.com and has enjoyed over 1.5 million views. Lori lives in Hope Valley, RI.

Find out more about Lori Stanley athttps://loriroeleveld.com.

My Take:  This book was very good at reminding me that God is in control over all of the problems in our lives whether they are giants or ants.  I liked the way the author used biblical images to remind us of this.  At the end of each chapter the author gave us small steps to take to slay our giants.  She also gave us one stone (a saying to apply) to use against our giants.  This is a book that I will be referring to over and over again.

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