Saturday, October 31, 2015

All Is Bright... a book review

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All Is Bright
All Is Bright

by Colleen Coble
A Hope Beach Christmas Novella
Publisher:Thomas Nelson 
Available October 2015
Christian fiction / Mystery / Suspense / Romance

Publisher's Description:
A romantic Christmas wedding at Tidewater Inn gives Delilah's unique gifts a chance to shine. But will her light be snuffed out before the bride and groom say 'I do'? A romantic, Christmas wedding at her seaside hotel gives Delilah a chance to shine with her unique gifts. But will her light be snuffed out before the bride and groom say “I do”?

As manager of the Tidewater Inn, Delilah Carter has been planning a spectacular Christmas wedding for her friends at the grand hotel overlooking the ocean. While picking up still more twinkly lights and some last-minute groceries for the reception dinner, a huge truck runs her off the freezing, wet roads into the dark night. Her car stops just short of an enormous tree and the truck speeds off into the night. Delilah escapes with her life and has almost convinced herself the whole thing was an accident, but then she begins to receive threatening phone calls. With the wedding just hours away, she’s distracted and anxious. Then Sheriff Tom Bourne stops by the inn and volunteers to help.

Tom has always had a soft spot for Delilah, and he’s determined to protect her. But he is pulled away by a bizarre Christmas stunt that has the neighborhood reeling, and Delilah is attacked again.  Will Delilah have to cancel the Christmas wedding at Tidewater Inn? And will Tom’s protection be enough to save Delilah from the shadowy figure looming in the background?

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All Is Bright is another keeper for my bookshelf to revisit over the years!  I have enjoyed many of Colleen Coble's novels and this one did not disappoint.  Novellas concern me that the author is only able to scratch the surface of the story line, but that is not the case with All Is Bright.  Colleen Coble seamlessly develops the characters and the story line in a way that makes the reader feel as it you are reading a full novel.  I enjoy vising Tidewater Inn and those that reside there.

So, grab All Is Bright, your favorite warm beverage, and curl up with a heart-warming read that will give you a break from your own hectic life!

I received a complimentary digital copy of All Is Bright from Thomas Nelson and BookLook Blogger program for my honest review.

Happy Reading,

     Ellen

Sunday, October 25, 2015

Ties That Bind... a book review

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Thresholds

The Amish of Summer Grove, Book One
ISBN: 978-1-60142-699-4
WaterBrook Press
September 2015

Book Description:

Ariana s comfortable Old Order Amish world is about to unravel. Will holding tightly to the cords of family keep them together or simply tear them apart? 

Twenty-year-old Ariana Brenneman loves her family and the Old Ways. She has two aspirations: open a cafe in historic Summer Grove to help support her family's ever-expanding brood and to keep any other Amish from being lured into the Englisch life by Quill Schlabach.  Five years ago Quill, along with her dear friend Frieda, ran off together, and Ariana still carries the wounds of that betrayal. When she unexpectedly encounters him, she soon realizes he has plans to help someone else she loves leave the Amish.  Despite how things look, Quill's goal has always been to protect Ariana from anything that may hurt her, including the reasons he left. After returning to Summer Grove on another matter, he unearths secrets about Ariana and her family that she is unaware of.  His love and loyalty to her beckons him to try to win her trust and help her find a way to buy the cafe because when she learns the truth that connects her and a stranger named Skylar Nash, Quill knows it may upend her life forever.  

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I always enjoy a wonderfully written story of the Amish and Ties That Bind did not disappoint.   Author Cindy Woodsmall introduced me to a close-knit family and their Amish community living a simple, God-fearing life in Summer Grove, Pennsylvania.  I was drawn into the lives of Ariana and her family from page one.  I found myself cheering her on as she works toward buying the cafe and felt my heart stop when she learned the truth regarding the night she was born.  I was wondering how Cindy Woodsmall was going to tie up all the storylines in the book and then realized this was the first book in a new series!  I was so excited and disappointed... I love the book and now I have to wait for the next book to learn the outcome of Ariana's life!

For more information on Cindy Woodsmall, her books, and Amish recipes, check out her website.

I received a complimentary copy of Ties That Bind from WaterBrook Press and their Blogging for Books program for my honest review.

Happy Reading,

     Ellen

Saturday, October 10, 2015

Eve... a book review

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ISBN: 978-1-5011-0142-7
Available: September 2015
Publisher: Howard Books: An Imprint of Simon and Schuster, Inc.


Eve by Wm. Paul Young takes an elaborate look at Creation and God’s unending love, grace, and mercy.  Woven into a story of one girl’s search for meaning in her broken life, we find ourselves seeing a new side of God and His all-consuming desire of reconciliation with us.  It did take a while for me not to focus on the characters titles: Collector, Guardian, Healer, Mender, Scholars, and Engineer just to name a few, but to focus on their jobs and accomplishments.  As I neared the end of the story, I saw truths in my own life which were mirrored in the novel, Eve.  This will be a story which will be revisited often – in book and in thought. 
A few of the many nuggets gleaned from this story:
“Prayer is mostly about talking to God – about life and people and what is before us and who matters to us in that moment” (p. 101).  ~ Gerald
“… trust is about relationship, not power.  When two dance, each is always respectfully attuned to the other.  There is a timing of relationship, and that is Ruach’s (the Holy Spirit) playground” (page 257).  ~  God / Adonai
I received a free copy of Eve from NetGalley and Howard Books for my honest review.
Happy Reading!
      Ellen
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