Title: Gilt Hallow
Author: Lori Langdon
Publisher: Blink
Pages: 304
ISBN: 9780310751854
Publication Date: September 27th, 2016

Synopsis:

Willow Lamott’s best friend is a murderer, and no one in the small town of Gilt Hollow will let her forget it. For four long years, she’s tried to fade into the background—but none of that matters when Ashton Keller comes striding into school, fresh out of juvie and fueled by revenge. The moment their eyes meet, Willow no longer feels invisible. Drawn to the vulnerability behind Ashton’s mask of rage, she sinks deeper into his sinister world and begins to question whether he’s a villain, a savior, or both.

Ashton thought he wanted vengeance, until Willow reminded him what he’d been missing. Now he longs to clear his name and become the person she sees in him. But the closer they get to uncovering the truth, the darker the secrets become, and Ashton fears his return to Gilt Hollow will destroy everyone he loves, especially the girl he left behind.

Review:
I have been anxious to read Lorie Landon's books. I have heard nothing but praise for her co-authored Doon series. Then when I head that she was coming out with her own story I was very excited to read it, especially after I read how intriguing it sounded.

Gilt Hollow is a book that just captures you with the just the description. It is also a book that grabs a hold of you and pulls you in and doesn't let go. This story offered a lot of questions for you to think about as you read through. It gave you glimpses and then sent you to think about something else. Lorie's writing style was fun!

Willow is a girl who is in a different type of circumstance then most will find themselves in. You are put right in the middle of her story. Ashton is a boy who has had four years of his life taken from in in prison. He has hardened and is angry, which considering everything is understandable.

These two friends have led very different lives in these four years, but it was an interesting story to follow as we dove into there experiences. It was hard to turn away from the pages once started. It was a very gripping story. The level of emotions you could feel with the people of this story was great. There was good depth to them that made this story pop. I can't wait to go and read Doon now.

Too Read
4 out of 5

About the Author:
Lorie Langdon is one half of the author team that writes the best-selling DOON series, a YA reimagining of Brigadoon!, published by Blink/HarperCollins. She has longed to write her own novels since she was a wee girl reading every Judy Blume book she could get her hands on. So a few years ago, she left her thriving corporate career to satisfy the voices in her head. Now as a full-time author and stay-at-home mom, she spends her days tucked into her cozy office, Havanese puppy by her side, working to translate her effusive imagination into the written word.



Thank you to BookLook, I received a copy of this book for free in exchange for an honest review.

Title: Night Night, Farm
Author: Amy Parker
Illustrator: Virginia Allyn
Publisher: Tommy Nelson
Pages: 20
ISBN: 978-0-7180-8831-6
Publication Date: July 12th, 2016

Synopsis:

Moo moo, cows!

Baa baa, sheep!

When the sun sinks low down on the farm, the animals are all tuckered out from the day’s adventures. Join these adorable farm animals in pajamas as they say night night to the farm, to their mommies and daddies, and to God.

Your little ones will sleep until the rooster crows knowing that the God who made them loves them too.

Night night, farm!

Amy Parker’s children’s books have sold more than 800,000 copies including two Christian Retailing’s Best award-winning books and the bestselling A Night Night Prayer. She lives outside Nashville with her husband and two children.

Review:
Night Night, Farm is a sweet board book for young children. Amy Parker writes a sweet and engaging bed time story for young children. In addition to the writing, Virginia Allyn completes this book with some wonderfully bright and sweet animal pictures. They are eye catching and cute.

Night Night, Farm is a nice length for a board book, but not overly crowded with words. It has a nice rhyming rhythm to keep the pace and attention of children.

The story and illustration of Night Night, Farm was just nice and fun. I would definitely recommend this book to parents with young children.

Too Read!
5 out of 5

About the Author:
Amy Parker has written more than twenty books for children, teens, and adults, including the best-selling A Night Night Prayer , Thank You, God, for Mommy, and Thank You, God, for Daddy. She has also collaborated with authors ranging from New York Times bestsellers to her very own son. Most importantly, she is a wife to Daniel and a mom to their amazing sons, Michael and Ethan.






Thank you to Booklook Bloggers, I received a copy of this book for free in exchange for an honest review.

Title: Adventure Bible: Heroes of the Bible Treasury
Illustrator: David Miles
Publisher: Zonderkidz
Pages: 192
ISBN: 978-0-310-75096-3
Publication Date: May 3rd, 2016

Synopsis:

The Adventure Bible Bible Story Collection is a six book treasury of level 2 Adventure Bible I Can Read titles designed for newly independent readers and based on the Adventure Bible—the #1 Bible for kids!

Read all about people in Bible times and their adventures in these well-known Bible stories.

This 6-book bind-up includes: • Elijah and the Power of God ISBN: 9780310750819 • A King, A Statue and a Fiery Furnace ISBN: 9780310750932 • Miracles of Jesus ISBN: 9780310732426 • A Father’s Love ISBN: 9780310732402 • The Good Samaritan ISBN: 9780310746621 • Paul Delivers God’s Message ISBN: 9780310750765

Review:
The Adventure Bible: Heroes of the Bible Treasury is a very well put together book. I have read a few of the smaller books to my kiddo before, and she really liked them. Now to have an assortment together, that works its way through several of the most well known Bible stories was a nice treat.

The reading level for this book is on a 2, and I will say it spot on. It wasn't so easy, that we flew through it, but it wasn't too hard to where she couldn't understand what was happening. It was a book that was nice size for my kiddo to read to me.

The pictures are bright and drawn in a very eye catching way and helped emphasize and explain perfectly what she was reading. She loved the Noah's Ark story and the fact it had giraffes. That was a win/win for her. The detail was fun and helped keep attention on the stories.

This book was enjoyable and I loved how it help build reading confidence in my kiddo and offered her the ability to read to me.

Too Read!
5 out of 5

Thank you to Booklook Bloggers, I received a copy of this book for free in exchange for an honest review.

Title: I AM: 40 Reasons to Trust God
Author: Diane Stortz
Illustrator: Diane Le Feyer
Publisher: Tommy Nelson
Pages: 224
ISBN: 978-0-5291-2066-3
Publication Date: February 2nd, 2016

Synopsis:  

God’s names tell us who He is, what He is like, and what He does. This beautiful book covers 40 of the Bible many names and descriptive titles for God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit.

 
Jehovah Jireh 

The Lord My Shepherd 

Immanuel  

Rabbi  

I Am  

Through Bible stories, short devotions, and prayers, children discover the meaning of each name and how it relates to their lives. As they develop understanding of God’s character and His love for them, children will grow to know, love, and trust the great I Am more and more.

Those who know your name put their trust in you. —Psalm 9:10

Review:
 When I first saw this book, I knew I wanted to review. The cover was gorgeous and the idea for this devotional was unique. It's taken me a little longer to get through this book, but only because, I decided  to let my kiddo read it and let me know what she thought.

When my mom saw the book, she decided she wanted to use it for my kiddo's Bible class. So every day for the last several weeks, my littles has read this book.

This first thing the kiddo told me was how pretty all the pictures are are so pretty. My mom said that the kiddo loved to look at the pictures as they worked on the devotional. They kept her attention through all of Bible. As time progressed, my kiddo would start telling me about the new names of God she had learned, but not only that, but the Hebrew way of pronouncing them. She loved learning about the names and the stories that corresponded with it. My mother even enjoyed learning Hebrew.

This devotional has been fantastic in offering more insight in to the Bible, plus also offering many different areas of learning. The illustrations are stunning, the Biblical insight and verses are great for kids. I honestly can't recommended this book enough.

Too Read!
5 out of 5

About the Author:
 Born in Detroit and raised in Southern California, Diane Stortz has lived in Cincinnati, OH, since graduating from Arizona State University with a BA in journalism. For ten years she led the book group at Standard Publishing as editorial director.
Diane is married and has two married daughters and three grandsons. These days Diane devotes time to baby care rather than bunny care. Two baby boys joined the family this year!

Thank you to Booklook blogging program, I received a copy of this book for free in exchange for an honest review. 

Title: How to Catch a Prince
Author: Rachel Hauck
Publisher: Zondervan
Pages: 368
ISBN: 978-0-310-31554-4
Publication Date: February 24th, 2015

Synopsis:

 Corina Del Rey is happy with her life in Melbourne, Florida. She spends her days engrossed in her career as a journalist and has her sights set on climbing the corporate ladder-if for no other reason, to distract herself from her dissolving family. But when she is confronted with the past she fought so hard to put behind her, she struggles to make sense of her future.
Prince Stephen of Brighton Kingdom has moved on since the tragic death of his buddies in Afghanistan. A star professional rugby player, he has no intention of looking over his shoulder at what could've been.

But when a notice arrives in the mail requiring his and his wife's appearance before the courts to dissolve their marriage, he must deal with the questions rumbling around in his heart. He thought his marriage had been annulled long ago, but his memories of Corina Del Rey remain close. Does he still love her? Can he even find her? Above all, can he tell her the truth about that fateful night in Afghanistan seven years ago? If he does, he might really lose her forever.

I have to admit sadly, that this is the first book I've read by Rachel Hauck, I have all the rest of her books sitting on my TBR shelf as I type, and I could kick myself for waiting so long to read her books!

How to Catch a Prince was just a fantastic story. I didn't know what to expect when diving into the pages, but I was pleasantly surprised as I worked my way through. This wasn't just some fluffy romance. No! There was so much more to it. The depth of the characters and the emotions and issues they have to work through, and the fact that their faith play a big part. They show that when you have one set of plans, God looks at them and says...yeah, no. He has plans for us, and when we let them happen, it will be so much better then what we could have planned for ourselves.

I really enjoyed this book and the contemporary fairy tale feel of it, because really, every girl would love to find her own prince, real royal title or not. This book just captured me up into Stephen and Corina's story. The writing was just amazing and the characters worked so well together. I can't wait to go back and read the other two books in this series. This book was a delight in so many ways!!

Too Read
4 out of 5

About the Author:
Rachel Hauck is an award winning, bestselling author. Her book, The Wedding Dress, was named Inspirational Novel of the Year by Romantic Times, and Once Upon A Prince was a Christy Award finalist. Rachel lives in central Florida with her husband and two pets and writes from her ivory tower.







Thank you to BookLook, I received a copy of this book for free in exchange for an honest review.

Title: The Dandelion Field
Author: Kathryn Springer
Publisher: Zondervan
Pages: 352
ISBN: 978-0-310-33963-2
Publication Date: January 27th, 2015

Synopsis:

This handsome firefighter makes a living coming to the rescue, but Gin doesn't need a man to fight her battles.

After Raine's dad walked out, Ginevieve Lightly never lived in one place too long, a rambling lifestyle that defined her daughter's youth. When their car dies in Banister Falls, Wisconsin, Gin promises Raine they can stay until she finishes her senior year of high school. Gin will do anything to make sure her daughter has a bright future . . . a future that's compromised when Raine reveals she's pregnant.

Dan Moretti has only ever called Banister Falls home. After losing his best friend in a tragic accident, Dan devoted himself to responding to fires, rescuing the helpless, and guiding Cody Bennett, his best friend's son, through life. With Cody being the epitome of the good kid, it was an easy job. Until he says four little words: "The baby is mine."

Knowing gossip of Raine's pregnancy will erupt sooner or later in the small town, Gin's reflex is to grab the suitcase and escape to a new city, a new life. But with each passing day, Gin's feet stay rooted in Banister Falls, and she falls a little more for this local firefighter who shows her not all men abandon women at the first sign of smoke.

As Gin and Dan do the best they can to guide the two teenagers through their early entry into adulthood, they discover together that romance can bloom in the rockiest of situations. And God can turn the pieces of a broken past into a beautiful new beginning.

Review:
This was a book that was hard to put down. It had raw emotions flowing through the whole story and it kept pushing you to see what decisions were going to be made. It had a very real story line that is being played out in almost every city in US. You may even know someone who is dealing with the tough decisions faced.

Ginevieve is a woman who has had a long and hard road in her thirty six years. She has dealt with more then some do in their whole life. And for half of her life, she's been on her own, raising her daughter, who she loves more then anything. She is a young mom, who is proud that her daughter has done so well in school and is looking forward to her going to college. Having lived the life she did, when her daughter announces she is pregnant, she doesn't hesitate to support and love her daughter and be there for her. She does everything opposite to how her mother treated her. Gin's strength and determination is just beautiful to see.

Raine is a young girl, who has been dragged pillar to post in her mom's gypsy lifestyle. She demanded that for her senior year, that she finish in one school. She is an innocent girl who would love to have friends and fit in. However, the doubts she has is heartbreaking. Cody is her rock of a friend and a great show that not all boys are creeps. However, a mistake is made and they have to step up and be responsible and handle everything together.

I have to say, I give major props to Cody. He is an awesome kid.

Now Dan...I loved his character. He is the epitome of what a bookish hero is. He is a guy who really is kind of pushed into the center of this new family's troubles, even though he isn't related by blood. Instead of running, he jumps in with both feet and offers support to everyone. As the story progresses and he and Gin get to know each other, you just root for him more and wish that the Dan's of life were easier to find!

I enjoyed this story a lot. I was kind of sad to see it end in all honesty. With the ending, I was left wondering over some things...and quietly hoping that there is a possibility of revisiting Banister Falls.

Too Read!
5 out of 5

About the Author:
Kathryn Springer is a USA Today bestselling author. She grew up in northern Wisconsin, where her parents published a weekly newspaper. As a child she spent many hours sitting at her mother's typewriter, plunking out stories, and credits her parents for instilling in her a love of books --- which eventually turned into a desire to tell stories of her own. Kathryn has written nineteen books with close to two million copies sold. She lives with her husband and three children in Marinette, Wisconsin.





Thank you to BookLook, I received a copy of this book for free in exchange for an honest review.

Title: The Princess Spy
Author: Melanie Dickerson
Publisher: Zondervan
Pages: 352
ISBN: 978-0-310-73098-9
Publication Date: November 4th, 2014

Synopsis:
I'm always excited when Melanie Dickerson has a new book out. She has a fantastic ability to take such well known fairy-tales and change them into something new and unique, but still hold on to the foundation of the story.

The Princess Spy followed the same pattern and it brought a new twist to the Frog Prince. Plus, we finally got to know Margaretha better in this story. We were briefly introduced to her in the previous story in this series, but this book allowed her to shine. She is a girl who loves to talk and I loved how her mother didn't put her down about that. She turned what Margaretha's brother thought was annoying, into something good. Not only was Margaretha a talker, but she was eager to try things despite the dangers. She was very out going and also loved to help people and willing to protect those she loved. And she can weld a candlestick with the best of them.

Colin is the opposite of Margaretha. He doesn't talk much, but he is driven and shows it with action. When first introduced to him, it isn't under the best of circumstances. Then he out of his element after he gets back on his feet. He is in a foreign country, he doesn't know the language, and he has no money. He is forced to rely on the kindness of the people of the village. In this time, he is still pressing forward to accomplish his mission he set out for.

I thought Colin and Margaretha were fun together. Colin was series and Margaretha was able to balance them out with a little lightness between them with her chatter. We see characters from the previous books, and this book tied The Merchant's daughter into the others. I loved how that was done. Even though the other characters weren't in the spotlight, they still stayed to true to how you knew them previously and added a nice depth to the story. Margaretha's cousin Anne, definitely was the same as she was in the previous story...my goodness, that girl didn't have a clue.

This book started off with action and had it all the way through. I think this story had the most fighting yet with schemes and plans floating around. It kept the pages turning and it was a lot of fun to see where it would go.

Too Read
4 out of 5

About the Author:
Melanie Dickerson is the author of The Healer’s Apprentice, a Christy Award finalist and winner of the National Reader’s Choice Award for Best First Book. Melanie earned a bachelor’s degree in special education from the University of Alabama and has been a teacher and a missionary. She lives with her husband and two daughters in Huntsville, Alabama.





Thank you to BookLook Bloggers, I received a copy of this book for free in exchange for an honest review.

Title: Palace of Darkness
Author: Tracy L. Higley
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Pages: 368
ISBN: 978-1-4016-8750-2
Publication Date: September 9th, 2014

Synopsis:

In an ancient city carved from stone, one desperate young woman searches for peace—in the calm before the deadly clash of empires.

 In 106 AD, a single mother can be certain of one thing—destitution. So Cassia and her six-year-old son flee to Petra, her late husband's birth city, in hopes of finding refuge in the loving arms of family.

But the great stone city is not what Cassia imagined. And a secret about her husband reveals her son's true bloodline, making the boy the target of a royal conspiracy.
In her darkest hours, Cassia finds herself surrounded by followers of the Way, a subversive new religious group whose disciples are frequently sentenced to arenas with starved lions and blood-soaked sand. Why would this sect seek out more danger by helping her? And what kind of religion gives freely and asks for nothing in return?

Roman soldiers soon surround Petra, immersing the city in panic and further endangering her son, and Cassia realizes he cannot be saved by human efforts alone. Her only hope lies with the followers of the Way . . . and her willingness to trust their One True God.

Review:
I have always loved Petra, like most, I was introduced to it in Indian Jones. Since then, I've looked up what I could and have just been amazed at this city in the stone. On Tracy's web site, I was able to scroll through her adventures in Petra and then as I read through the book, each place just popped off of the page. She took the details of this ancient city and brought it back to life.

We view the life of Petra through the eyes of Cassia. She is a woman who has had a very hard life. When we meet her, she is in a relationship with an abusive man, she has no family to turn to, she is alone and has no money. All she cares about is her son, Alex. He is the only good thing in her life. One day, after a deal her "husband" made turned sour, comes to haunt Cassia and her son. The man she has despised is dead and she and her son are free. All she wants is her son to be cared for, so on impulse, she follows the only lead she has. Cassia's "husband" mentioned he had family in Petra. She and her son soon set out for there.

Julian is as Roman as they come...or so it appears. Except he is a follower of Jesus and His teachings. Sadly though, the group he worships with is caught and are thrown in to the arena. He is alone, except for his parents who are followers as well, but the guilt of the loss follows him and he flees to Petra. It is here in Petra that Julian and Cassia meet and where their reliance on each other start.

I enjoyed Julian and his character. He is a strong lead. He is a quick thinker, even if his thoughts aren't always the best, he seemed to always have an idea. He is knocked down a few pegs when he sees his plans aren't always the right way, but he wants to learn. Cassia, I was flipping back and forth on her character. I hated that she was in horrid relationship and hoped she could get out. When she did, it felt good, but her ideas made me want to slap some sense into her.

Cassia was a girl who should have known better. She arrives to Petra on a small amount of information, but she she receives a big dose of information upon arriving, instead of stopping and thinking and researching more, she plows on a head and puts herself and her son Alex in danger. She decides to go against powerful people thinking she can get what she wants and there won't be consequences. I was so glad that Julian was there to level her out, as was a secondary character, Malik, the leader of the Followers. He was a strong character and offered the grandfatherly comfort and advice.

All in all, it was a good story. It was a story that focused on how power hungry people can be and how evil can grab hold and fight to hold on to the power with all of its strength, and the only way to face it is to be strong in the Lord. It was also interesting to see an idea of what Petra could have been like at it's strongest.

Too Read
4 out of 5

About the Author:
Tracy L. Higley started her first novel at age eight and has been hooked on writing ever since. She has authored nine novels, including Garden of Madness and So Shines the Night. Tracy is currently pursuing a graduate degree in Ancient History and has traveled through Greece, Turkey, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, and Italy, researching her novels and falling into adventures.

See her travel journals and more at TracyHigley.com.
Twitter: @TLHigley
Facebook: tracyhigley


Thank you to BookLook, I received a copy of this book for free in exchange for an honest review.

Title: Revolutionary
Author: Krista McGee
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Pages: 336
ISBN: 978-1-4016-8876-9
Publication Date: July 15th, 2014

Synopsis:

Back in the hands of the State, Thalli is caught in a horrible game of power—with consequences reaching further than she ever imagined.

After several months aboveground, Thalli had almost forgotten what living in the State was like. Programmed to be without emotions or curiosity, she was always an anomaly there. Too emotional. Too curious. Citizens of the State should behave exactly the way the Scientists designed them to behave: work in their assigned fields, maintain productivity.

Thalli’s entire genetically engineered generation has been eradicated by a scientocracy that believes human life is expendable. Now a pawn in a mad game of manipulation, held hostage, and tortured in the name of the State, Thalli can barely summon the strength to hope that the future of humanity could be any better.

She clings to her new faith in the Designer. But when she discovers that even the few villages aboveground are in danger of State domination, that fragile faith begins to crumble.
As Thalli, Berk, and Alex make plans to overthrow the evil Dr. Loudin, a chilling secret explains why they have been left alive at all . . . a personal secret that will haunt Thalli forever. And as she struggles with this new truth, she also struggles with decisions of the heart.

Can the State’s expansion be stopped? Or will humanity—above and below the surface—be irreparably damaged? Thalli is faced with a purpose both overwhelming and undeniable: to assume the role of a Revolutionary.

Review:
We are coming to a close in the Anomaly series. I'm sad to see this end. It has been a fun and adventurous ride as we followed with Thalli through this dystopian, sci/fi world.

Revolutionary picks up right where Luminary ends. Thalli, Alex, and Kristi are all on their way back to the State. All of their friends are left behind and we find out what Dr. Loudin wants from them. To this point, we've only seen glimpses of Dr. Loudin here and there, we finally get to see who he really is and what his past was really like and how it all comes into play. And I just have to say, Dr. Loudin can easily rival Hitler in the crazy idea department. Wow!

Thalli is a girl on a mission in this story. Through these three books we have been able to watch her grow and learn and really find out who she is. In this book, she is determined. She has found out about the Designer and is ready to live how she is supposed to, but she faces opposition and she deals with what a lot of people have when new in the faith, doubt. But she pushes through. Life isn't easy for her but she keeps going.

I also have to say, Thalli was levelheaded. She knew what needed to happen and she didn't let the idea of a boy make her stray. Yes, it was there, but she knew what she need to do was more important. Out of the triangle, Thalli is the only one who didn't let her emotions decide her actions. Alex plowed head first with his emotions. It was like, Whoa, boy, she is trying to help save the people you care about, give her some room to breathe. Berk was a little better, but he let his emotions come into play as well. I enjoyed how Thalli put her priorities in order.

There was a lot of things answered and revealed in this story. It was a page turner. Escapes, chases, fights, the battle of minds, and revelations. However these two groups could fight, they did. It was cat and mouse game of survival.

I was happy with the ending. I don't think it could have turned out any differently. And a small jump forward in the epilogue was nice to see. It was the perfect closure for each of the characters and good look into how things turned out after everything.

Too Read
4 out of 5


About the Author:
When Krista McGee isn't living in fictional worlds of her own creation, she lives in Tampa and spends her days as a wife, mom, teacher, and coffee snob. She is also the author of Anomaly, First Date, Starring Me, and Right Where I Belong.
Twitter: @KristaMcGeeYA
Facebook: krista.a.mcgee






Thank you to BookLook Bloggers, I received a copy of this book for free in exchange for an honest review.