50 Women Every Christian Should Know - by Michelle DeRusha

About the book:

The inspiring stories of the women who helped to shape our faith.

Throughout history, countless women have boldly stepped out in faith and courage, leaving their indelible mark on those around them and on the kingdom of God. In lively prose Michelle DeRusha tells their stories, bringing into focus fifty incredible heroines of the faith. From Catherine of Siena, Teresa of Ávila, and Anne Hutchinson to Susanna Wesley, Harriet Tubman, and Corrie ten Boom, these admirable women live again under DeRusha's expert pen. These engaging narratives are a potent reminder to us that we are not alone, the battles we face today are not new, and God is always with us in the midst of the struggle.


My review:

This was a fascinating book full of inspirational women!  It went in order of when they were born, starting all the way back in 1098 through 1925, and averaged about seven pages each.  Some of the women I'd heard of, such as Florence Nightingale and Corrie ten Boom, and others were new to me.  I liked how each biography started with a scene in their life so it almost felt like a fictional story.  Then we were given some background, such as what their childhoods were like, their education, their family life and spiritual life.  It's explained how each woman got involved in what she's known for and the impact on her family and society because of it.  These women aren't shown as perfect Christians, but instead we see their mistakes and struggles, what they had to overcome from others and from themselves.  At the end of each biography, DeRusha sums up their accomplishments and points out how we can relate to each woman and what we can take away to use in our own lives.  She has done a lot of research for each biography, with the notes in the back of the book to prove it!  While there were a lot of women to admire, there were a few that while I understood why they were included in the book because of some accomplishment, I didn't agree with their beliefs or the way they carried them out.  Overall, this book is well worth the read and I highly recommend it!

I received this book free from Baker Books in exchange for an honest review.

 The Author

1. 

   Michelle DeRusha

   Michelle DeRusha writes a monthly column on religion and spirituality for the Lincoln Journal Star and is a regular contributor to The High Calling and other online journals. She also writes about faith in the everyday on her blog at...
   

   Continue reading about Michelle DeRusha 

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Quilts of Love | Review of SWEPT AWAY - by Laura V. Hilton & Cindy Loven

About Quilts of Love: Quilts tell stories of love and loss, hope and faith, tradition and new beginnings. The Quilts of Love 

series focuses on the women who quilted all of these things into their family histories. A new book releases each month and features contemporary and historical romances as well as women's fiction and the occasional light mystery. You will be drawn into the endearing characters of this series and be touched by their stories.

About the book: 

Sara doesn't think she wants love. But her grandmother has other plans.

Sara Jane Morgan is trying to balance teaching with caring for her ailing, stubborn grandmother. When school lets out for the summer, the plans are for Grandma to teach Sara Jane to quilt as they finish up the Appalachian Ballad quilt Grandma started as a teenager. But things don't always go as planned.

Andrew Stevenson is hiding from his past---and his future. He works as a handyman to pay the bills, but his heart is as an artisan, designing homemade brooms. When Sara Jane's grandmother hires him to renovate her home, sparks fly between Drew and his new employer's granddaughter.

Still, it doesn't take Sara Jane long to see Drew isn't what he seems. Questions arise, and she starts researching him online. What she discovers could change her life---and her heart---forever.

Learn more about this book and the series at the Quilts of Love website.

My review:  This was a cute romance with a strong faith message.  I really liked Sara Jane and Drew, though I did find Sara Jane too forward and a little desperate.  She wasn't a Christian, but Drew was, which always makes for an interesting conflict to resolve.  I felt that once Drew found out, he probably should have backed off more than he did, though I did admire his resistance overall.   Drew had a fear of rejection and assumed Sara Jane doesn't really like him, so he acted very reserved.  The authors do a good job of showing the attraction between the two.  The grandma is starting to having memory problems and it was frustrating how she would sometimes treat her granddaughter.  I found the idea of a quilt representing a song to be pretty cool and was a new concept for me.  It was interesting that Sara Jane was able to read journal entries from when Drew hiked the Appalachian Trail.  I didn't know that people did that.  There weren't a lot of entries, but those parts bored me a little.  His salvation story was great and I liked how it impacted Sara Jane.  I also liked that he explained the wordless book and the Scripture verses for each color.  This was one of the more enjoyable stories I've read in the Quilts of Love series and I would recommend it if you like romance.

I received this book free from Litfuse Publicity in exchange for an honest review.

More Reviews at Litfuse!

About the Authors: 

Laura V. Hilton is an award-winning author and a professional book reviewer. A stay-at-home mom and home school teacher, Laura lives with her family in Horseshoe Bend, Arkansas. Cindy Loven is active in the church and writes from her home in Conway, Arkansas, where she lives with her husband and their son.

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Frank Peretti meets a modern day Treasure Island! Review of Destiny Defied.

About the book:

Destiny Defied | Book One in The Destiny series.

A dramatic shipwreck emancipates Riki Hammad, but the island where she finds refuge is compromised. Unless she finds a power truly great enough to defeat her dark past, she will choose death over returning to captivity. Lord Vétis, high priest of a cultic underground, will stop at nothing to reclaim their chosen one. Using black magic, he manipulates Riki and her four self-assigned bodyguards, triggering a battle that consumes the entire island. The underground will never allow Riki to live out her dreams of a normal life . . . something she has never known.

My review: 

I really enjoyed this imaginative, exciting book!  It was a good mix of action, spiritual warfare, humor, and a little bit of romance.  The four young Christian guys who found her on the brink of death were each unique and brought something interesting to the story.  I liked the intelligence Sabio brought, the music and fun antics of Jase, and especially the strength and adventure of Isaac.  Their spiritual discussions were enlightening as they tried to figure out what was going on with Riki and wondering whether they could trust her or not.  I loved that they resolved to treat her with respect and to help her remain modest, even while one of them started to fall for her.  I admired Riki's strength and determination to carry on after everything that had happened to her and her sense of adventure.  There's some description of her horrible childhood, but nothing graphic.  I loved the different viewpoints, too.  The spiritual aspects were very cool and a little creepy and in line with what the Bible teaches.  There were a few times where a statement or word didn't make sense to me and I got a little frustrated with the boys' indecision over whether to trust her or not, but those were minor annoyances.  The story does end on a bit of a cliffhanger and I can't wait to read the next one!  I recommend this book to teens and adults who like to read stories filled with adventure and spiritual warfare!

I received this book free from Litfuse Publicity in exchange for an honest review.

More reviews at Litfuse!

Purchase a copy:  http://ow.ly/DZjrR

About the author: J.A. loves writing embattled spirit novels --- adventure and suspense with supernatural undertones. On the side, she dabbles in non-fiction articles and e-zine editing. J.A. owes many thanks Jerry Jenkins and the Christian Writer's Guild for their support and education.

Find J.A. online: website, Facebook, Twitter

Fire Up the Romance this Holiday with @RobinLeeHatcher’s “Love Without End” Kindle Fire Giveaway & Review!

About the book: Love Without End || A King's Meadow Romance (Thomas Nelson, November 2014)

Chet and Kimberly have both failed when it comes to love. Will they risk their hearts to love again?

Chet Leonard's life was forever changed when his 17-year-old son died and then, soon after, his wife walked out on their family. Over two years later, all he wants to do is hold onto his horse ranch and raise his remaining sons to be honorable men.

Kimberly Welch, widowed mother of Tara, a rebellious 15-year-old, has reached the end of her finances and nearly the end of her rope. She and Tara come to King's Meadow to try to piece their lives back together again. Kimberly has no intention of becoming involved with the residents of this remote mountain community and certainly not with any man.
When octogenarian Anna McKenna returns to King's Meadow and to the Leonard ranch, she becomes an agent of change and healing for the two hurting families. With her help, Kimberly and Chet may discover that true love has no end.

My review:  I was so excited when I saw that this book took us back to King's Meadow, the setting of Hatcher's recent book, A Promise Kept.  This book was almost as wonderful!  I loved Chet in the other story and getting to see a romance for him was so satisfying.  He's such a wonderful character, godly, gentlemanly, and a cowboy!  He's raising two wonderful sons and always helping others, from teaching Tara about horses and training both her and her horse to welcoming Anna back to the ranch she left many years ago.  I loved the strong faith Chet showed and the struggle he had to trust God when he was afraid of being hurt again.  Kimberly had a struggle, as well, as she had drifted away from God after her husband died and their money troubles began.  I loved Anna and her spunky ways.  We get to see some of her past as parts of the book go back and show us when Anna first came to the Leonard ranch when she was fourteen and different moments in her life there.  The rest of the characters were wonderful, as well.  It was nice to see the second chances for the characters and the impact their faith had on them.  The romance was sweet and I'm so excited to see that another book will be coming out in this series!  I definitely recommend this well-written book to romance readers!

I received a free copy of this book from Litfuse Publicity in exchange for an honest review.

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Purchase a copy: http://ow.ly/EjjGc 

About the author: Best-selling novelist Robin Lee Hatcher is known for her heart-warming and emotionally charged stories of faith, courage, and love. The winner of the Christy Award for Excellence in Christian Fiction, the RITA Award for Best Inspirational Romance, two RT Career Achievement Awards, and the RWA Lifetime Achievement Award, Robin is the author of over sixty novels.

Find Robin online: website, Facebook, Twitter

Fire up the romance this holiday with Robin Lee Hatcher's latest offering in the King's Meadow Romance series, Love Without End. For two single parents with bruised hearts, it’ll take more than a little courage to get back on the horse when it comes to love.

Celebrate love rising from the ashes of tragedy with Robin by entering her Kindle Fire giveaway.

 One grand prize winner will receive:

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• Love Without End and the rest of the King's Meadow Romance series from Robin Lee Hatcher

Enter today by clicking the icon below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on December 14th. Winner will be announced December 15th on Robin's blog.
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I Have Seen God - by Klaus-Dieter John

About the book: I Have Seen God: The Miraculous Story of the Diospi Suyana Hospital in Peru (Monarch Books, October 2014)

The miraculous founding of a top class hospital for some of the world's poorest people

Klaus-Dieter and Martina John---both brilliant, talented, and highly qualified doctors---turned their backs on lucrative careers to follow their dream to open a first-rate medical facility for the Indians of the Peruvian Andes, some of the world's poorest people. The Peruvian Andes natives suffer appallingly from the diseases of poverty and, although they make up approximately 40 percent of Peru's population, are ignored by the authorities.

Having studied at the universities of Harvard, Yale, and Johannesburg during his training as a surgeon, Dr. Klaus-Dieter John together with his wife, Dr. Martina John, a pediatrician, developed a concept for a modern hospital in the Peruvian Highlands.

Turning down other offers, including a professorship, they set themselves the task of raising the millions of dollars needed. God opened the hearts and consciences of individuals and companies to create not just a health center, but a fully equipped hospital. Their story and vision has captured attention around the world and today they have the backing of 180 corporations and 50,000 private supporters.

The hospital's name, Diospi Suyana, means "we trust in God" in Quechua, the native language of the people it serves. It is a testament to their experience that with God the impossible can happen. The incredible conviction and profound faith of the Johns will refresh your heart and stir your spirit.

My review:  This was an amazing story of what God can do!  Time and again, Dr. John and others prayed and asked for donations and people and companies came through and ended up donating millions of dollars, both in money and equipment.  Many times they were told no by a company, but Dr. John persisted and showed them the presentation on the hospital and their minds were changed.  He shared some of his growing-up years and his training to be a doctor and it was interesting to read his back story and that of his wife and family.  I got a little bogged down with all of the names and companies, but I understand they needed to be included for the full story to be told.  It was frustrating to read about the red tape and ineffective bureaucracy in Peru and how they faced so many obstacles, but amazing to see how God led them to the right person at the right time who could cut through all of that.  There were many miracles that occurred.  This story was truly inspiring!

I received a free copy of this book from Litfuse Publicity in exchange for an honest review.

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Purchase a copy:  http://ow.ly/DtGoz

About the author: Klaus-Dieter John studied at the universities of Harvard, Yale, and Johannesburg during his training as a surgeon. He and his wife Dr. Martina John, a pediatrician, have dedicated their lives to the establishment of the hospital in Peru.

Find Klaus-Dieter online: website