Monday, August 21, 2017

Kerfuffle by Kristin N. Spencer



                                                 Click here to purchase your copy.


About the Book


 
Book title: Kerfuffle  
Author: Kristin N. Spencer  
Release date: June 1, 2017  
Genre: Young Adult

Olive’s best friend needs her now more than ever, but can she piece together everything in time to help him? When an anonymous email circulates through Normandie High, everything Olive knows about her family, church, and friends will change. In the midst of controversy, Olive finds she has been entrusted to protect her best friend and his secrets, though revealing them would make her life much easier. Meanwhile, she struggles to figure out what the Bible teaches about homosexuality while the members of Revive church lobby accusations back and forth, threatening to cause a church split. In a twist that even Olive couldn’t anticipate, family relationships waiver as Olive tries to decode her mother’s mysterious behavior. When the past stirs up new accusations against Olive’s family, she learns that some secrets are more painful to reveal than others. Though a helpful guy in Spanish class has her attention, Olive realizes that boy problems are the least of her worries. Can she balance drama, schoolwork, and still be the supportive friend and daughter God wants her to be?





My Review

First of all, just wow- great job by Mrs. Spencer. The high school drama was on point through the eyes of a Christian girl trying to follow the Lord. Olive and her family were fun, caring, and overall just endearing even while dealing with great spiritual conflict. The characters were so real to me, and the plot was so much like reality, I forgot I was reading a fiction. Having worked with many in the young adult age, I would recommend it without reservation. Mrs. Spencer fearlessly "goes there" which is something we as the church should've done a long time ago. Kerfuffle reminded me that just because we are uncomfortable with a certain sin, doesn't mean the Lord doesn't call us to love and share the Gospel with these people. There were no exceptions to the Great Commission. There is no sin or past that is too much for the Lord to forgive or heal. I have to say I cried- although our characters are fictional, I know the issues tackled in this book have to do with real people who have been hurt and who may know they have a need for the Lord, but don't feel welcome at all by His people. In many topics, young adults today are told that the temptation to have sex, do drugs, etc. is normal and should be fully explored and celebrated by outside influences. We as the church should be able to talk about the hard topics and lift up those struggling in any of these areas. We should have an atmosphere in the church that anyone struggling with temptation in any sin should be able to come forward without judgment and seek understanding and accountability from his/her church family. Biblical truth, honest reality, and an eye-opening experience await you in Kerfuffle. 

I received this book for free, and all opinions given are my own. 



About the Author



Kristin N. Spencer is an American expat living in a 68 square meter flat with her husband and three kids near the Aegean Sea. When she isn’t wifing, mothering, counseling, discipling, or writing, she enjoys sewing cosplay costumes for her family, baking, and hanging out with other geeks. She writes whatever she wants, including Non-Fiction, Contemporary Fiction, Sci-Fi, and Fantasy. Her favorite person is Jesus and her favorite X-men character is Jean Grey. Kristin studied Comparative World Literature at California State University, Long Beach and received a Bachelors, which she fondly calls a degree in reading

Guest Post from Kristin N. Spencer

Retrospective thoughts are so powerful, aren’t they? Now that I’m an adult I often look back on my adolescence and think, “Why didn’t anyone tell me?” As a YA author, I read a lot of books in my own genre, and I’ve noticed a pattern. Though many of the secular YA authors are brave enough to talk about the tough stuff, not many Christian authors go after the real world difficulties that face our young people. The passage of time constantly rips through generations creating new problems and situations. The world that my children are growing up in is very different from what I experienced, and the challenges that they face as Christians are also different. The Desires & Decisions series was born out of the need for me to able to address these controversial topics with my own children. Olive, a teenage girl growing up in Southern California, serves as the lens of perspective as we see almost everything from her point of view. Her world provides a safe, fictional place for Christians to flesh out these thoughts and think through what the Bible teaches about topics like racism, bullying, loving one’s neighbor, what real love is, and addiction.
Kerfuffle specifically explores the complex emotions associated with the Church and the temptation of same sex attraction. We get to experience the conflict Olive feels and also witness the varied reactions from different generations through Olive’s parents and other members of Revive Church. This issue isn’t going away, and as a Church we must be able to talk about it without alienating ourselves from those that struggle with this temptation. There is hope for every person through the blood of Jesus Christ, whether you struggle to love those who experience same sex attraction or you struggle with that temptation yourself. I hope Kerfuffle encourages you as you seek to walk closer to Christ.



Blog Stops

August 15: Bukwurmzzz
August 18: Blogging With Carol
August 20: Carpe Diem
August 21: A Reader’s Brain
August 22: Remembrancy
August 25: Baker Kella
August 27: The Power of Words (Spotlight)
                                                   August 28: JosephineAnneWrites




Giveaway!





To celebrate her tour, Kristin is giving away a grand prize of all three of her books: Newfangled, Flummoxed, and Kerfuffle and a T-shirt of your choice from the WritersLife Artist Shop ( https://writerslife.threadless.com)!! Click below to enter. Be sure to comment on this post before you enter to claim 9 extra entries! https://promosimple.com/ps/bb66

Monday, August 14, 2017

A God of All Seasons by TH Meyer & Amy Breitmann


 
                                                    Click here to purchase your copy.


About the Book



Book title: A God of All Seasons  
Author: TH Meyer & Amy Breitmann  
Release date: August 28, 2017  
Genre: Non-fiction

What if your spiritual life landed in the grip of a wintered soul? How does one’s faith survive?
Discover the beauty and challenge of spiritual seasons as Tammy & Amy remember parts of their stories in order to draw out your own. Learn to perceive God’s companionship even when you don’t sense His nearness. And unearth, not only a God who created the seasons, but one who also walks with you through them.”



My Review


Raw emotions and vulnerability in the everyday human life are shamelessly tackled in this inspiring read!  I think we all have at least points in our life where we feel like we're holding on for dear life trying to survive everyday life. It may be self-inflicted guilt from past lifestyles or decisions, or outside circumstances that we've had no personal hand in. The blunt truth is that we all struggle with these issues inside on our own and feel alone and that perhaps God is not listening or not aware of our status. This read is unconventional in that it is not just testimonies of seasons that were challenging in our author's  lives, but finds its' true mission in knowing the God who walked through these seasons with our authors. The same God who will walk through and lead us through our individual seasons of life. The challenge we see in this book is- do we see God and keep our eyes on Him in the storm, or are we drowning in the storm all around us? The beauty of nature,  the blunt reality of ever-changing life seasons, and the quest for growing mercy, grace, and hope seated in our precious Savior come together in this inspirational and challenging read! I recommend for any Christian or non-Christian who is tired of doing life alone- reach out to the open arms of Jesus!

I received this book for free, and all opinions given are my own. 


About the Authors


 
After living in Asia and Europe, T.H. Meyer’s family planted roots on their Texas farm in 2008 where they live among fields of Rye and Bermuda. Tammy is a writer and creative strategist who also moonlights as a social media specialist. She’s the mother to three children and author of, A Life of Creative Purpose: Embrace Uniqueness, Explore Boldness, Encourage Faith and Social Media Strategies: Discovering Powerful Tools of the Trade without Losing Your Soul for Christian entrepreneurs maneuvering the daunting and soul-sucking world of online marketing.
Join Tammy on her website: The Art of Fear Not: An Adventurous Life of Faith http://www.tammy-h-meyer.com/.
Or stay in touch with her at:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tammy.h.meyer/ for personal photos and thoughts from home.
Or Twitter: https://twitter.com/tammy_h_meyer/lists & find out what’s on her Twitter “Lists.”


 
Amy’s (Amy Breitmann) bio: Amy weaves together ministry and writing alongside her husband and two children in Augusta, GA. She is a writer, speaker, and founder of “The Lydia Project,” a national ministry for women facing cancer and is a storyteller for ViBella Jewelry, an international company that employs artisans in Haiti and Mexico. Her published works include pieces in Chicken Soup of the Soul, Mosaic: Sojourners of Faith, and Guideposts Magazine.



Blog Stops

August 12: Just Jo’Anne
August 13: Splashes of Joy
August 14: A Reader’s Brain
August 15: autism mom
August 16: autismchristianmom
August 17: Karen Sue Hadley
August 19: Bigreadersite
August 20: Eat,Read,Teach,Blog
August 22: Breaking Ordinary
                                            August 23: Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations



Giveaway




To celebrate her tour, T.H. Meyer is giving away a Kindle Fire!! Click below to enter. Be sure to comment on this post before you enter to claim 9 extra entries! https://promosimple.com/ps/bd4e

Monday, August 7, 2017

The Return by Suzanne Woods Fisher



                                                       Click here to purchase your copy.



About the Book



Book title: The Return  
Author: Suzanne Woods Fisher  
Release date: Sept 1, 2017  
Genre: Amish  

In a wild country, the true cost of love may be more than they can bear Beautiful and winsome, Betsy Zook never questioned her family’s rigid expectations, nor those of devoted Hans—but then she never had to. Not until the night she’s taken captive in a surprise Indian raid. Facing brutality and hardship, Betsy finds herself torn between her pious upbringing and the feelings she’s developing for a native man who encourages her to see God in all circumstances. Greatly anguished by Betsy’s captivity, Hans turns to Tessa Bauer for comfort. She responds eagerly, overlooking troubling signs of Hans’s hunger for revenge. But if Betsy is ever restored to the Amish, will things between Hans and Tessa have gone too far? Inspired by true events, this deeply layered novel gives a glimpse into the tumultuous days of prerevolutionary Pennsylvania through the eyes of two young, determined, and faith-filled women.  





My Review

History and the Amish collide in The Return to create a masterpiece. A side of Amish fiction rarely seen, The Return tackles some of American history that was tumultuous and caused a lot of fear in a lot of people. Among this constant conflict are the Amish and their pacifist ways. Among this are hearts that are drawn together, some hearts that are rejected and others that are embraced. Among the horror of Indian raids and capture, Betsy grows in strength in the Lord and develops into a different woman. Meanwhile, Hans finds comfort in Tessa who wishes all too much that Hans heart was truly hers. The plot will keep you riveted to the page until you see the conclusion. The faith and Amish ways in the midst of a very uncertain time of history interested me and showed me a side of history I had not before discovered for myself. The characters were truly endearing, beautifully described, and very life like to me. This book meets the reality of the horrors of conflict between settlers and Indians, but among it shows the hope our Amish friends have to build bridges and avoid further violence and hurt. Truly inspiring, emotional, and oh so historically interesting, this read will delight any Christian fiction enthusiasts! Don't miss this unique and riveting read! 

I recieved this book for free, and all opinions given are my own. 




About the Author



Suzanne Woods Fisher is an award-winning, bestselling author of more than two dozen novels, including Anna’s Crossing and The Newcomer in the Amish Beginnings series, The Bishop’s Family series, and The Inn at Eagle Hill series, as well as nonfiction books about the Amish, including Amish Peace and The Heart of the Amish. She lives in California. Learn more at www.suzannewoodsfisher.com and follow Suzanne on Twitter @suzannewfisher.

Guest Post from Suzanne Woods Fisher

The Three Sisters’ Garden: Corn, Squash & Beans! Corn was a new food to the immigrants to the New World, introduced to them by Native Americans. Soon, it became an essential part of their daily diet, in one form or another. Growing it brought yet another new discovery: companion planting in the form of the Three Sisters’ Garden.


According to Iroquois legend, corn, squash and beans were three inseparable sisters who only grew and thrived together. 18th century Native Americans wouldn’t have understood the science behind why companion planting worked, but they knew it did. Beans, like all legumes, have bacteria living on their roots that help them absorb nitrogen from the air and convert it to a form that plants can use. Corn, which requires a lot of nitrogen to grow, benefits from the legumes and provides a pole support for the beans to climb. Low growing squash leaves shade the soil and prevent weed growth. Their sharp and prickly leaves deter pests. This tradition, of planting corn, beans and squash in the same mounds, became a sustainable system to provide long-term soil fertility among Native American tribes that farmed. The wisdom of planting Three Sisters’ Garden was adopted by the immigrants, including our own Betsy Zook from The Return. Betsy learned of the technique while a captive among a tribe of Indians and later, after she had been returned to the Amish, shared her knowledge with Anna and Bairn.  




Have you ever considered growing a Three Sisters’ garden? All you need is the right kind of seeds, a mound of dirt in a sunny spot, and to not forget to water. Mother Nature will do the rest. Suzanne Woods Fisher is a bestselling, award-winning author of novels about the Old Order Amish. Her interest in the Plain People began with her grandfather, who was raised as a Dunkard (German Baptist) on a farm in Pennsylvania. Suzanne loves to connect with readers! You can find her on-line at www.suzannewoodsfisher.com.




*Images courtesy of Dream Home Improvement and Technology Exchange Lab




Blog Stops

August 1: Quiet Quilter
August 1: Remembrancy
August 2: Bigreadersite
August 2: lighthouse academy
August 3: Genesis 5020
August 3: Book by Book
August 4: Carpe Diem
August 6: Artistic Nobody
August 7: A Reader’s Brain
August 7: Pause for Tales
August 7: Splashes of Joy
August 8: Live.Love.Read.
August 9: Mary Hake
August 9: Simple Harvest Reads (Spotlight)
August 11: The Power of Words
August 11: Karen Sue Hadley
August 11: Neverending Stories
August 12: Cafinated Reads
August 12: TinaTruelove
August 14: Vicky Sluiter
August 14: By The Book



Giveaway




To celebrate her tour, Suzanne is doing an amazing giveaway from August 1 through 14! Check it out:
Four winners will receive one of the prizes below:
  • An Amish Gift Basket and a copy of The Return
  • Amish popcorn sampler and a copy of The Return
  • The Amish Beginning 3 book set series
One grand prize winner will receive:
  • An iPad Mini
You can enter at Suzanne’s website (http://suzannewoodsfisher.com/contests/) or on her Facebook page (http://gvwy.io/q1kb9u4)