Monday, March 27, 2017

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? #258

Hosted by: The Book Date

Here is what I finished last week:
Really fun read!

What I am currently reading:
Loving this!

What I hope to read this week:
I currently am review book free so I may try to sneak this one in!

Hope you have a great reading week, thanks for taking the time to check out mine!
Leave your link below and I'll be sure to stop by!

Friday, March 24, 2017

Friday Memes 3/24

Book Blogger Hop

The Question:
How do you handle negative comments left on your blog?

My Answer:
I haven't really gotten any but if I did I would try to reply respectively. Though if they used language I don't agree with I'd have to delete it since this is a Christian blog.


Hosted by: Rose City Reader

"Please join me every Friday to share the first sentence (or so) of the book you are reading, along with your initial thoughts about the sentence, impressions of the book, or anything else the opener inspires. Please remember to include the title of the book and the author's name."

Javier laughed and shook his head as we reached the top of the sand dune, Centinela loping in a wide circle around us. "I do not know if I can court a girl from the future and have a pet wolf," he said in Spanish. "That is a lot to ask of one man."
Four Winds by Lisa T. Bergren

My Thoughts
Nice way to sweep you into the story!

Wednesday, March 22, 2017

When Tides Turn by Sarah Sundin

About the Book
When fun-loving glamour girl Quintessa Beaumont learns the Navy has established the WAVES program for women, she enlists, determined to throw off her frivolous ways and contribute to the war effort. No-nonsense and hoping to make admiral, Lt. Dan Avery has been using his skills to fight German U-boats. The last thing he wants to see on his radar is a girl like Tess. For her part, Tess works hard to prove her worth in the Anti-Submarine Warfare Unit in Boston--both to her commanding officers and to the man with whom she is smitten. When Dan is assigned to a new escort carrier at the peak of the Battle of the Atlantic, he's torn between his lifelong career goals and his desire to help Tess root out a possible spy on shore. The Germans put up quite a fight, but he wages a deeper battle within his heart. Could Tess be the one for him?
With precision and pizzazz, fan favorite Sarah Sundin carries readers through the rough waters of love in a time when every action might have unforeseen world-changing consequences.

My Thoughts
Sarah did it again! From the very first pages of her first novel this author catapulted herself onto my favorite authors list and with each following book she only cements her position there more firmly. WWII is my favorite time period and Sarah brings it to life like no one else with her vivid descriptions and attention to every little detail.
I've been so excited for this story ever since we were told it was going to be about by-the-book-no-nonsense Dan Avery and full-of-color-bubbly Quintessa (Tess) Beaumont. At first glance they seem to be the worlds least likely couple but as you get to know them you come to see how they're different in all the right ways. Their strengths and weaknesses compliment each other. She brings color to his black and white world and he grounds her. I absolutely adored both of their characters and their romance had me melting. I loved Dan's integrity. Even when he was treated unfairly he took the high road in a humble way even when given opportunities to strike back. It was great fun to watch Tess uncover Dan's playful smiling side that he'd kept buried since his childhood when he had to grow-up too early.
Everyone seems to view Tess as just a pretty face but there was so much more to her than that. She was always trying to help others, giving selflessly, and I admired her determination to not give up even when things got hard.
The mystery Tess was trying to unravel kept me guessing and I was attempting to figure it along with her. I loved all the details of Dan's work in the Navy, getting a glimpse of what the brave men who fought for our country's freedom experienced.
In short there wasn't a single part of this book I did totally love though I am sad to say goodbye to these amazing characters! I can't wait to see what's coming next!

Meet the Author
Sarah Sundin enjoys writing about the drama and romance of the World War II era. She is the author of nine novels, including the Waves of Freedom series.
A mother of three, Sundin lives in northern California, works on-call as a hospital pharmacist, and enjoys speaking to community, church, and writers' groups. Her novel Through Waters Deep was a 2016 Carol Award Finalist, won the INSPY Award, and Booklist named it to the 101 Best Romance Novels of the Past 10 Years and the Top 10 Inspirational Fiction: 2015. Her novella in Where Treetops Glisten was a finalist in the 2015 Carol Awards, and in 2011 she received the Writer of the Year Award from the Mount Hermon Christian Writers Conference. She belongs to American Christian Fiction Writers, Christian Authors Network, and Advanced Writers and Speakers Association. Please visit Sarah at www.sarahsundin.com, on Facebook at SarahSundinAuthor, and on Twitter at @sarahsundin.

I received this book free from the publisher in exchange for my review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

Tuesday, March 21, 2017

Worship Changes Everything by Darlene Zschech

About the Book
What Does Worship Look Like the Other Six Days of the Week?

With wisdom and joy, Darlene Zschech shares her thoughts on what worship truly is and what it looks like in real life--during your weekday commute, when the laundry's piling up, even while you're out for coffee with a friend. In Worship Changes Everything, you'll discover how to let praise and wonder invade every facet of your being and experience God in every moment of life. Get ready to be transformed by the purpose and freedom that come from living a life of worship.

My Thoughts
First of all, my apologies for how long it took me to get this review up! I started this ages ago but it wasn't really resonating with me and life got in the way so it just sat on the shelf. I decided to pick it back up but sadly I didn't enjoy it anymore this time around. Honestly there were just so many disconnects for me that I had a hard time really sinking my teeth into it. The main problems for me were the extensive use of quotes instead of original content and the fact the Message paraphrase was used most frequently instead of a translation of the Bible. Honestly it isn't a bad book, it just wasn't for me! So please don't take my word for it and check out some more reviews!

Meet the Author
Darlene Zschech and her husband, Mark, are pastors of Hope Unlimited Church (hopeuc.com), which meets in various campuses across the Central Coast of New South Wales, Australia. Acclaimed worldwide as a singer, songwriter, worship leader, author, and speaker, she is perhaps most famous for the chorus “Shout to the Lord,” a song that is sung by millions of churchgoers every week and has been covered by many other artists
Many years ago, the Zschech family made a life commitment to do everything they could to bring the message of Jesus Christ and to bring relief to human suffering. One of their great joys in life has been to work with Hope Global (hope-global.org), serving the world’s poorest of the poor, offering many different projects in many different developing nations.
Darlene and her husband and their family live on the Central Coast of New South Wales, Australia.

I received this book free from the publisher in exchange for my review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

Top Ten Novellas

Top Ten Tuesday is a meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish

This week's topic was all about one-sitting reads so I decided to feature some of my favorite novellas! All of these are either prequels to or continuations of one of the author's series but they can be read on their own. Though reading any of these will probably make you want to read the rest of the series!

Three Little Words by Melissa Tagg

Grace Like Rain by Julie Lessman

I Really Do Miss Your Smile by Susan May Warren

A Lady of Esteem by Kristi Ann Hunter

Gentleman of Her Dreams by Jen Turano

Out of the Storm by Jody Hedlund

Sophie's Other Daughter by Mary Connealy


The Husband Maneuver by Karen Witemeyer

Fairchild's Lady by Roseanna M. White

Love by the Letter by Melissa Jagears

Monday, March 20, 2017

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? #257

Hosted by: The Book Date

Here is what I finished last week:
Loved this one so much!

What I am currently reading:
This one is so good so far!

What I hope to read this week:
Not really sure what is next up for me!

Blog Posts
It's Monday! What Are You Reading?
Top Ten
Waiting on Wednesday #
Friday Memes

Hope you have a great reading week, thanks for taking the time to check out mine!
Leave your link below and I'll be sure to stop by!

Tuesday, March 14, 2017

Top Ten Books on My Spring TBR

Top Ten Tuesday is a meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish

#1. When Tides Turn by Sarah Sundin

#2. Then Came You & True to You by Becky Wade


#3. Playing With Fire & Burnin' For You by Susan May Warren

#4. Long Time Gone by Mary Connealy

#5. Behind the Scenes by Jen Turano

#6. Pursued by Lisa Harris

#7. Sandpiper Cove by Irene Hannon

#8. A Love So True by Melissa Jagears

#9. Four Winds by Lisa T. Bergren


#10. Love's Faithful Promise by Susan Anne Mason

Monday, March 13, 2017

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? #256

Hosted by: The Book Date

Here is what I finished the last two weeks:
Two thoroughly enjoyable suspense reads! I'll hopefully get the reviews up ASAP! 

What I am currently reading:
Loving this one!

What I hope to read this week:
Next review book on the docket!

Hope you have a great reading week, thanks for taking the time to check out mine!
Leave your link below and I'll be sure to stop by!

Friday, March 03, 2017

Friday Memes 3/3

Book Blogger Hop

The Question:
When you start reading a novel, do you prefer to be plunged right into the action, or do you prefer a slower, more descriptive introduction to the plot and characters?

My Answer:
I liked to be hooked in at the very start but it doesn't necessarily have to be action. I'm just as easily hooked by humor or a beautifully written opener!


Hosted by: Rose City Reader

"Please join me every Friday to share the first sentence (or so) of the book you are reading, along with your initial thoughts about the sentence, impressions of the book, or anything else the opener inspires. Please remember to include the title of the book and the author's name."

She'd come three thousand miles to burn to death.
"Kate, if you don't deploy right now, you're going to die!"
Where There's Smoke by Susan May Warren

My Thoughts
Definitely a beginning to capture the attention from the get go!