When God Made You by Matthew Paul Turner and Illustrated by David Catrow

Initially I was attracted to this book because of the illustrator David Catrow.  This book is filled with clever and heart warming drawings.  But I also discovered an awesome author Matthew Paul Turner who has a true gift with words.  His poetry is like music.  It flows beautifully from page to page and the illustrations enhance his words.  This book is equally pleasing to the child and adult who shares the book with the little one.The emphasis over and over on the unique blessing each individual is to the world, to their family and to God makes this an important message all children should hear.  I really liked how the author emphasized how God made the child and planned for good things and sees good things in the child.  This is a precious book filled with love and sweet affirmations.

Sandpiper Cove by Irene Hannon

Hope Harbor and Sandpiper Cove have a way of making a home in your heart.  Who wouldn’t want to live in such a beautiful place with such remarkable friends?  Adam Stone is an ex-con who has given his heart and life to Christ.  Just as the town people begin to see and value Adam things also begin to heat up between him and police chief Lexie Graham.  How far does trust go when the odds seem stacked against your relationship?  How far from the past mistakes can a person grow beyond?  How much risk is worth the risk to try?  Adam and Lexie face these questions as rumors fly about his involvement in a crime.  The way they deal with the situation and the way the towns people react are tear jerkers and reason enough to read this book.  While this is the third book in the Hope Harbor Series it can be read as a stand-alone novel. 

I received this book from the publishers and was not required to write a positive review.

To the Farthest Shore by Elizabeth Camden

This book grabbed my attention at the get-go and held it.  It is an intriguing story about espionage, missing persons, long-lost loves, And the angst of what might have been.  There's a lot of turmoil and emotional chaos in this story but don't give up!  Keep reading!  As the plot thickens so does the reader's understanding of the two sides of a wrong committed and the consequences of lost trust.  Which is the greater sin?  Is it to withhold information?  Or is it to withhold forgiveness?  Can trust severed in a devastating way ever be regained?  Travel the journey with Ryan and Jenny for a story that will stay with you long after you come to the last page.

I received this book from the publishers and was not required to write a positive review.

Love Letters from God Bible Stories for a Girl's Heart by Glenys Nellist

Magnificent!  This is a child's book that is just as meaningful for adults.  I read the first story and was in tears.  Tears of absolute wonder at God's goodness.  It starts with the story of Eve and how God gave her clothing to not only cover her body but as a symbol of His covering love over her.  Each story of a woman in the Bible has a flap-letter for the child to open.  The first letter has these words in it:  "Even if you make some bad choices, talk to me about it.  I will cover you with my love and forgiveness."  Each story is a powerful testimony to the love God has and His might to help girls in the Bible stories through any situation.  The flap-letters are beautifully worded to help the girl reading the book feel the love God has for her.  The stories deal with forgiveness, overcoming fear, putting the past behind, trusting God, hope in a waiting period, witnessing, standing for the right, being called of God, etc.  The story of salvation is in these pages in a very dynamic, deep hearted, personalized way.  The illustrations are out of this world goregous and just enhance the soothing message of this book.  This is such an awesome, awesome book!  Everyone should have this book for their daughter, granddaughter, niece, student, friend!  God bless this author for her heart so in tune with God's great love!

I received this book from the publishers and was not required to write a positive review.

When Tides Turn by Sarah Sundin

When Tides Turn by Sarah Sundin

As inspiring as it is informative this historical novel is awesome!  Sarah Sundin’s characters just come to life on the pages of this book.  She is an amazing researcher giving details of naval service of men and women during WWII while giving readers a marvelous mystery and love story.  In this book you will learn about WAVES (Women Accepted for Voluntary Emergency Service) and the strict naval code for men and women in their professional capacities.  The ins and outs of life in service and the intricacies of falling in love are written in a spellbinding way that keeps the reader glued to the pages till the very end.

I received this book from the publishers and was not required to write a positive review.

Uninvited by Lysa TerKeurst

This is absolutely one of the best reads ever!  I love, love, love, LOVE this book and I wish I could give Lysa a big hug for being brave enough to write it.  She gets it!  She gets me!  She is so honest, so open and so caring as she writes each chapter.  She expresses in such raw terms the pain from feeling rejected and yet with such triumph assurance that we don't have to stay living that way.  She not only deals with the pain but she points to ways to climb out of that pit.  Lysa deals with rejection/pain along the spectrum from the point of self-pity all the way to wrongs done to us that we have no control over.  I found this book well rounded in it's approach and totally Biblical in its applications for emotional health.  She encourages the reader on how to overcome feelings of rejection by being rooted in God's love.  At the same time she gives practical and specific, detailed advice for various situations where someone could feel rejected.  This is what excited me about this book.  She wasn't just writing platitudes - she wrote from personal experiences of very deep rejection.  She's also "tested" the ways to overcome it in her own life.