Daisies are Forever by Liz Tolsma

I am a history buff. World War II is one of my favorite periods of history, and because of that I love fiction set during that period. Daisies are Forever by Liz Tolsma is a book that I just couldn't put down. Very historically accurate and bursting with fascinating characters, this book brings World War II era Germany to life.

The story begins in Heiligenbeil, East Prussia, as the Russians are marching steadily towards the little town where Gisela Cramer lives with her grandfather, her cousin, and her cousin's two little girls. Forced to leave her home, Gisela suddenly becomes the caretaker of the two girls. As she makes her way toward Berlin where she hopes to find her mother, an unlikely little band forms around her: a couple of forgetful elderly ladies, some British prisoners of war recently escaped from the prison camp, a German soldier, and a would-be actress. As alliances form and danger increases for some members of the odd little party, unlikely attractions emerge and Gisela finds herself being fought over by one of the British soldiers and the German officer.

For more information or to purchase the book, you can visit the Thomas Nelson product page here: Daisies are Forever




Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the Booklookbloggers.com http://booklookbloggers.com/ book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html>: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Firstborn by Lorie Ann Grover

While reading through the list of books available for review through the BookLook Blogger program, the synopsis of Firstborn by Lorie Ann Grover caught my eye. Tiadone is a firstborn daughter in a land where her people, the R'tan, are ruled over by the Madronians. And Madronian law is that no firstborn female shall live. The parents of newborn girls have a choice: either declare their infant a male or sentence her to death by exposure on a harsh mountainside. All those years ago Tiadone was declared male and grew up as a boy. Now that she is reaching maturity, feminine traits are beginning to show up, confusing her, and she must decide what to do about it.

One of the first things I noticed when I opened the book was that it was written in first person, present tense (if you've read the Hunger Games books, you know what I mean). With that writing style, a book can be a little hard to get into, at least for me. Also, Tiadone's culture is a somewhat primitive one, and since the book is written in her words, the words chosen are often somewhat primitive and simple. But once you get used to it, it only adds to the feel of story.

I would not recommend this story to a young teen audience. Some of the descriptions of things, the words used, and events that take place are not fully in line with Christian morals, are a little more explicit than I would desire for a young audience, and are not what I would want my young teens reading. If you are a parents considering giving this book to your child, I would recommend reading through first yourself. Other than that, it is a great story for a mature enough audience.



Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the Booklookbloggers.com http://booklookbloggers.com/ book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html>: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Running Lean by Diana L. Sharples

Anorexia is a topic that I don't see too much in fiction. Few authors, at least Christian authors, are bold enough to approach it. Which is why I really appreciate Running Lean. Diana L. Sharples shows the issue from both sides: that of the anorexic person and that of someone close to her. And I believe it to be a very honest depiction.

Stacey is obsessed with dieting. She's been chubby since she was a child and is determined to change that. Sure, she's lost some weight, but it's not enough. She needs to be a few sizes smaller, weigh a few more pounds less. And she will do whatever it takes to get there. But would she say her methods are extreme? Not at all.

Calvin is her devoted boyfriend. He becomes concerned when Stacey keeps feeling dizzy and passing out. She always has a good excuse, but he's not convinced. He observes her more closely and expresses concerns, which annoys her. But what he sees only serves to convince him that his worst fears are true.

Stacey's eating disorder slowly eats away not only at her health and weight, but also at their relationship, and Calvin begins to fear that they may not be able to make it through this together.

I really recommend this to all young women. It might not be a true story, but it speaks a truth about a harsh reality.



Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the Booksneeze.com <http://BookSneeze.com> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html>: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Loveology by John Mark Comer

Loveology is an amazing book. "God. Love. Marriage. Sex. And the never-ending story of male and female." It is an honest and unapologetic look at what the Bible says about all of those topics. John Mark Comer makes excellent points, woven together with a bit of his own love story, and rooted and based in Scripture.

There were a number of things in the book that really stood out to me. One is that while Christian culture tells us what we shouldn't do in relationships, it really doesn't tell us what we should do. Which when it comes down to it, really isn't too helpful.

Another thing I really loved was an explanation of the Hebrew words originally used for love in the Bible and what each specifically meant. In the English language we have one word for love and we use it for everything from puppies to chocolate to our family and friends to God. So I think it has lost a lot of its impact. But in Hebrew, there were multiple words, and each had a specific meaning.

The other thing I want to mention that really impacted me (there were many, but I had to narrow it down to the top few) was the breakdown of Psalm 37. It was written by David during a time when he was waiting, hiding from King Saul and waiting to become king. And from this psalm we can learn the eight steps to waiting well. When I read the chapter dedicated to that, I was blown away by the depths of meaning I had never noticed before in that psalm. It is things so simple, but so powerful. And I think it is something we all need to learn, no matter who we are or where we are in life.

To buy this awesome book (I really really recommend you do. And buy a highlighter too. You'll need it.) or learn more about it, click here: Loveology



Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the Booksneeze.com <http://BookSneeze.com> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html>: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Pilgrimage by Lynn Austin

I don't read a lot of non-fiction. I would much rather read something with a good storyline, characters, a plot. But when I read the description of Pilgrimage, I was instantly intrigued. For years I have had something of an obsession with Israel, and the opportunity to read and review a book about an author's spiritual journey during her time there? I just couldn't pass it up.

Within the first chapter, Lynn Austin had caught not only my attention, but also my heart and soul. It seemed like the book had been written just for me. The issues she was struggling with-- adapting to change, feeling adrift in her relationship with God, desiring a deeper faith-- I was struggling with too. And as I read, I was traveling with her through Israel, seeing the sites and feeling old familiar Bible stories come alive in new ways. As I read the scripture verses she included, I learned with her all the lessons God was teaching her. And I can honestly say my faith has been positively impacted by Pilgrimage. My copy of the book is highlighted and marked so that I can flip through and easily find the passages that influenced me. And to me, that is the mark of a truly great book-- if it impacts you enough that you don't want to forget what it taught you.

I recommend Pilgrimage to everyone. It may not touch each of you in the same way it touched me, but I believe that it will still impact your life and you will walk away from it changed in at least some small way.


I received this book free from Bethany House publishers as part of their blogger book review program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own.  

Last Light by Terri Blackstock

The Restoration Series, of which Last Light is the first book, has always been my favorite series by Terri Blackstock. She is a masterful author and this series of four books is pure gold. So I was thrilled to be given the opportunity to review Last Light.

Doug Branning and his daughter Deni land at the Birmingham, Alabama airport minutes before planes begin falling from the sky. Everything happens at the same moment. All the cars are dead. The electricity is out. Cell phones, radios, even watches don't work. At first they think it is just the Birmingham area. But after walking the long miles home and finding their neighborhood of Crockett in the same condition, they begin to suspect that this is something much bigger than a local fluke. And when in the days that follow someone makes it all the way from the east coast with news that conditions are the same there, the truth starts sinking in. Nothing is going to be changing anytime soon.

The big changes in the lives of the Branning family begins to change their ideas of what is important. To Deni, it is somehow getting to Washington D.C. to be with her fiance. To her parents, it brings into clear focus how little value they have placed on family and God and how much they need to change that. And in the midst of it all, a killer is loose in Crockett. Neighbor begins to suspect neighbor and relationships are tested.

Terri Blackstock brings out deeper themes in her books than I can ever hope to summarize in a review. There is so much more to her stories than what is immediately obvious in the plot. I find myself feeling as though the story is speaking to me and teaching me. The Restoration series is one I can read again and again. So I encourage you to read Last Light and any other book she has written that you can get your hands on.To view or purchase the book on the Zondervan website, click here.


Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the Booksneeze.com <http://BookSneeze.com> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html>: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

The Secret Keeper by Beverly Lewis-- Review

The Secret Keeper is the fourth book in Beverly Lewis's "Home to Hickory Hollow" series. However, these books are only somewhat tied together and in my opinion can each be read without reading any of the others. I have only read the third and fourth books in the series (find the review of the third book, The Guardian, here.

Jenny Burns has always felt out of place in the modern American world. From a well-to-do family, she has always found it hard to be happy living the lifestyle that most of us take for granted. Instead, she longs for a simpler way of living and closer communion with God. So in a move that shocks her family, and the Amish community, she decides to leave her life behind and join the Amish.

Thus begins her time of testing to see if she is truly sincere and should be allowed to join the Amish and receive baptism into their church. Things quickly become far more complicated that she expected. Her Amish penpal and many other young Amish men and women are considering leaving the Amish. Her heart begins to grow fonder toward a handsome young Amishman. The attitude, language, and daily life of the Amish is challenging. And worst of all, she learns a secret that threatens either to tear apart the lives of some people she holds very dear or force her to give up her quest to become Amish. And suddenly Jenny is faced with some of the most difficult decisions she has ever had to make.

I have always been curious about the Amish. I spent a lot of childhood vacations in Pennsylvania Amish country, owned several Amish dolls, and loved to imagine myself in their world that was so different than mine. So I really connected with Jenny and her desire to be Amish. As an adult, I no longer want to join the Amish, but their simple life, close-knit communities, and dedication to God still inspire me in the way I live my own life. This is another fabulous book for all lovers of Amish fiction like me, and an excellent introduction to the genre for those eager to try it out.



I received this book free from Bethany House publishers as part of their blogger book review program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own.