The Imagination Station: Voyage of the Vikings {Book 1}

Book Description:  While visiting Mr. Whittaker at Whit's Soda Shoppe, Beth and Patrick find a mysterious letter in the Imagination Station requesting a Viking sunstone. The letter is old and says that someone named Albert will be imprisoned if the sunstone isn't found. Mr. Whittaker sends cousins Patrick and Beth to Greenland circa 1000. On their quest for the sunstone, the cousins meet Vikings Erik the Red and Leif Eriksson--and find the sunstone as they join Leif on his first voyage to North America. But the adventure is just beginning, for when they return to Mr. Whittaker's workshop with the sunstone, there is another note waiting for them, requesting a silver goblet. 

Join Patrick and Beth as they continue their travel to various lands and time in the Imagination Station book series.

My Review:  Beth and her cousin Patrick are at Mr. Whitaker's Soda Shoppe (i.e. Whit's End).  Whit's End is one of those places that kids love to visit and have a treat.  Beth and Patrick are enjoying some good old fashioned ice cream.  After finishing their treat they are off to the Bible Room.  Patrick is a first time visitor to Whit's End and wants to play video games.  Beth informs that there are no video games but something called the Imagination Station.  Patrick's curiosity is piqued because he likes the words Imagination Station.

But the Imagination Station is missing!  Off the two go to find Mr. Whitaker the owner of Whit's End.  He informs the two that the Imagination Station is not working; however, after a few twists and turns of a few knobs Whit (Mr. Whitaker) thinks the kids can have a go.  First, they go to the costume closet and dress up for their adventure.  Then Whit asks them to look for Viking Sunstone....as the two climb into the machine they find a note that tells them, "To save Albert I need a Viking Sunstone before the new moon or Lord Darkthorn will lock him inside the tower."

So the adventure begins!  

This is a great adventure story for dyed-in-the-wool Adventures in Odyssey fans!  Even if your child isn't familiar with Odyssey this is a wonderful 5 star read full of action, adventure and learning to rely on God!  "The key to adventure lies within your imagination!"

*This book was provided for review by Tyndale*

Can buy at Christian Book (CBD.com)

Springtime of the Spirit by Maureen Lang

Book Description:  By the fall of 1918, the Great War has ended and the world is at peace, but there is little to celebrate in Germany. After four years of fighting for his homeland, Christophe Brecht returns to find there is little left of what he once called home. So when family friends ask him to travel to Munich to bring back their runaway daughter, Christophe agrees. 

When he finally locates Annaliese Duray, he discovers she is far different from the girl he once knew. Headstrong, idealistic, and beautiful, she is on the front lines of the city’s political scene, fighting to give women and working-class citizens a voice in Germany’s new government. 

As the political upheaval ignites in Munich, so does the attraction between Annaliese and Christophe. With an army from Berlin threatening to squash everything Annaliese has worked for, both she and Christophe are forced to choose between love and loyalty.

My Review:  An interesting and thoughtful read on the Great War.  A defeated Germany and two young people with two very different "takes" on how to cope with a defeated homeland. But sometimes love is a battlefield . .  . Christophe returns to his homeland after fighting in the Great War.  Disillusioned and wondering how they lost the Great war when so little combat was actually fought on his homeland.  He heads to Braedon.  When he reaches home he finds that his sister has left for the US, Milwaukee, to be with their uncle.

Christophe hopes to find the girl he loves, Annaliese.  He remembers a sweet, gentle young woman.  The Great War has changed his home land and Annaliese. Annaliese has become a fiesty.not.fraid to speak her mind kind of girl.  Christophe finds Annaliese in Munich where she is unabashedly trying to have a say in their Communist.gone.to.the.dust homeland.  But peacekeeping troops are sent from Berlin to Munich to squelch any of those citizens who may want true peace and equality in Germany. Annaliese has worked hard to help give women and the working-class a fighting chance and will not just sit idly by and let it all go down the tubes!

Christophe believes that one should trust God and live as peaceably as possible.  While Annaliese believes one should speak out and help others.  Christophe and Annaliese have both seen the war first hand but each has a different view of how to combat the enemy.

This is a 5 star historic thriller with a romantic subplot, learning to rely on God and choices between love & loyalty!

*This book was provided for review by Tyndale*

The Blackberry Bush by David Housholder

Book Description:  Who are You, and what are you doing here?

Two babies—Kati and Josh—are born on opposite sides of the world at the very moment the Berlin Wall falls. You'd think such a potent freedom metaphor would become the soundtrack for their lives, but nothing could be further from the truth.

Despite his flawless image, Josh, an artistic and gifted California skateboarder, struggles to find his true role in the world, and his growing aggression eventually breaks him.

Kati, a German with a penchant for classic Swiss watches and attic treasure-hunting, is crushed with disappointment for never being “enough” for anyone—most especially her mother.

Craving liberation, Kati and Josh seem destined to claim their birthright of freedom together. After all, don't the “chance” encounters transform your life…or are they really chance?

My Review:  The Blackberry Bush by David Housholder is one of those reads that beckons the reader from the Prologue.  As I began reading the Prologue I was enthralled with this story.

The story of two families, two kids and two different "lands." 

The story is told in the first person point of view, switching between Katie and Josh as they each tell their story.  

Reading about Katie's life and Josh's life was like reading a story of two sweet kids growing up and the choices and "chances" that greet them along the way.  This read made me truly take a look at "chances" in our lives. 

The characters of Katie and Josh are fabulous and well rounded; however, there are other people in this book who will also tug at your heart.  For me this character was Nellie.  It wasn't so much that I could relate to Nellie and her lifestyle but I felt her pain.  How could people you'd grown up with be SO mean and SO cruel!  I cried....Nellie was truly the character who caught my heart.

This is one of those 5 star fantastic reads that once you begin you simply won't be able to put down ( I just looked at the wonderful cover of this book when it arrived and made the mistake of "just" reading the Prologue....stayed up until 2 am!).

I love the verse, Psalm 51, that Oma Nellie writes on Janine's birthday card!  This verse is so appropriate for this story!

My favorite part of this story is written on the last page, "Let me tell you a secret.  If you are old enough to read this book, we have intervened in your life at least twice.  Your story makes no sense without this fact."

This book would be a great read for a book club or small group.  Questions For Discussion and Your Backstory are included at the back of the book.

*This book was provided for review by The B & B Media Group, Inc*

The Author:

David Housholder is a Fulbright Scholar (University Bonn '88-'89) and international conference speaker, earned his M. Div. at Chicago's Lutheran School of Theology.  He is an avid philosophical-spiritual influencer, sponsored snowboarder and surfing instructor.  Currently he leads an indie-warehouse church in California, where he dreams and works for a better world.  

Read more at ThornHeart.com

You Can Raise Courageous & Confident Kids by Mary E. DeMuth

Book Description:  With sensitivity and a passion to help families experience authentic, life–changing relationships with God, mother of three Mary DeMuth reveals effective ways for parents to communicate with and encourage their kids. Practical ideas and illustrations guide parents to develop strong family connections, learn along with their children, and create a safe haven for kids to explore their worlds.

With a mentor’s skill, DeMuth shares effective ways to raise confident kids and leads parents to:

• communicate the gospel effectively to their children in a way they will understand
• equip their children (and themselves!) to relate successfully with others and avoid isolating themselves from those who need Christ
• lead their families even when they don’t have all the answers

This unique resource offers everyday moms and dads the tools and encouragement they need to inspire great confidence and deep faith in their kids for all they’ll encounter in the world today.

My Review:  As  a parent I know that I "do" many things correctly and "do" many things incorrectly when it comes to raising my children.  So, when a great book comes out that will encourage me and teach me as a parent I grab it and read it!

You Can Raise Courageous & Confident Kids by Mary DeMuth is a book that all parents will want to read.  Mary gently but thoroughly takes us chapter by chapter through areas that may call for  tough parenting but the end purpose is raising courageous and confident kids.  Also, I sensed that Mary must be a parent herself since the encouragement and advice "sounds like"  a seasoned parent....a parent who has been there and done that AND is passing on the learning to other parents.

Chapter 6 on page 59 spoke to me. This chapter is entitled "Conversation."  There is a quote beneath the title and the quote by Marjorie Thompson states, "The Jewish family has been characterized as a 'table spirituality' in which the central feasts and holy days are celebrated around the altar of the family table."  Mary talks of the family dinner table where children are encouraged to share happenings from the day.  Her family plays a game called "high-low."  This where the children share the high from their day and the low.  By eating together the family bonds and the children learn.  A most.excellent chapter!

Actually this is one of those 5 star books that needs to be in every parents home library and passed on to new parents.  I will be giving this book as a baby shower gift. 

** This book would also make a great-tastic small group study book.  Included, as a resource guide at the back of the book are "Notes" and "Questions for Discussion." 

*This book was provided for review by the author and 

Harvest House Publishers*

About the Author:

I'm a freelance writer and novelist living in Texas with my husband of nineteen years and my three wonderful children.

I have been writing since 1992, first as a newsletter editor, then as a freelance writer, followed by a fiction and nonfiction author. My articles have appeared in Marriage Partnership, In Touch, HomeLife, Discipleship Journal, Pray!, Bon Appetit, Kindred Spirit, The Writer, and Writer's Digest. For two years I penned a lifestyle column for Star Community Newspapers in Dallas (circulation 100,000). My books include Ordinary Mom, Extraordinary God (Harvest House, 2005), Building the Christian Family You Never Had (WaterBrook, 2006), Watching the Tree Limbs, Wishing on Dandelions (NavPress, both novels releasing in 2006), Authentic Parenting in a Postmodern Culture (Harvest House, 2006), Daisy Chain, A Slow Burn (Zondervan 2009), Life in Defiance (Zondervan 2010), Thin Places: A Memoir (Zondervan 2010), 150 Quick Questions to Get Your Kids Talking (Harvest House 2011), You Can Raise Confident and Courageous Kids (Harvest House, 2001) and The Muir House (Zondervan 2011).

I'm more than my books. I love to cook, try my hand (body!) at triathlons, have a nose ring, and am passionate about singing.

I love to help people overcome a difficult past and blog about it five times a week at http://www.marydemuth.com. My facebook page is http://www.facebook.com/authormarydemuth and you can follow me on twitter at http://www.twitter.com/marydemuth

pitch black by Melody Carlson

Book Description:  If Morgan thought her life was tough before--what with a drug-addicted, klepto brother and a cradle-robbing mother--it just got worse: Her friend Jason took his own life.

Morgan copes--or tries to--by attempting to piece together vague clues that might explain Jason's suicide. Making matters worse, she can't help but feel responsible somehow. Sometimes she thinks maybe Jason had the right idea all along.

This fourth book in the teen fiction series TrueColors deals with the important topics of grief, suicide, self-worth, identity, and handling tragedy.

My Review:  Morgan seems to have a tough life.  Imagine having a mom who acts more like your friend ~ always looking for a younger guy and seemingly trying to "out do" you in the skinny jeans and makeup department.

Morgan's brother is not only addicted to drugs but he's addicted to the thrill of stealing.  Kleptomaniac is one of his "lesser evils."

Morgan doesn't think life can get any worse until a close friend commits suicide.  Morgan feels like all of life is against her and goes into depression.

This is one of those "heart tuggers" of a read.  It makes the reader feel the pain that Morgan is going through and even though this story deals with the negative side of life ~ Melody Carlson delves into the world where teens who don't have parents to "bring" them up ~ deal with SO much more than teens who parents care about their upbringing and help them deal with life-to-life issues.

This is a book that I would consider an "older" teen book or older YA read.  It's not a particularly sweet read but it does bring out what teens face when confronted with parents who have never gotten past their high school years.  Children raising children. 

Ms. Carlson does bring out that God can and will help us when we call out to Him in our time of need....(page 174) ".... Let's remember that God is our help in times of trouble.  And let's remember that God gives us each other to help carry the load when the weight gets too heavy...."

This 4 star read would be great for the unsaved teen.

*This book was provided for review by NavPress*

  About the Author:

Melody Carlson has written more than 200 books for teens, women, and children. Before publishing, Melody traveled around the world, volunteered in teen ministry, taught preschool, raised two sons, and worked briefly in interior design and later in international adoption. "I think real-life experiences inspire the best fiction," she says. Her wide variety of books seems to prove this theory.

Author Website:

http://www.MelodyCarlson.com

Spring for Susannah by Catherine Richmond

Book Description:  When Susannah goes to Dakota territory as a mail-order bride she finds something she never dreamed she would-true love.With no prospects for marriage and her parents recently deceased, Susannah Underhill agrees to go west to the Dakota territory to marry her minister's homesteading brother, Jesse. 

But Susannah is painfully shy, doesn't see herself as worthy of love from either a husband or from God, and lives in constant fear that Jesse is going to ship her back to Detroit.In spite of her petite size and the fact that Susannah doesn't look like she could survive on the prairie, Jesse quickly discovers that his new wife is a greater blessing than he even hoped for. The years she spent as her father's veterinary assistant allow her to save Jesse's ox and twin calves and to help neighboring farmers with their animals.

But Susannah's feelings of unworthiness are deeply rooted, and she can't believe that Jesse's praise-or the tenderness and love he shows-could possibly last. The thawing of her heart seems almost as distant as Spring in the midst of the winter blanketing the Dakota prairie.

My Review:  Susannah is all alone in the world.  She has no parents and no prospects of a husband.  Susannah feels unworthy and she feels abandon by God....not sure that she even believes in God.  

But when the local preacher approaches Susannah about being a mail-order bride for his brother who lives in the small community of Fourth Sidling, North Dakota, she accepts the proposal.

Susannah isn't sure, after getting to North Dakota, that she is worthy of being Jesse's bride.

However, Jesse is a loving and patient husband.  He truly loves Susannah and in spite of herself Susannah finds her love for Jesses growing.  But what if Jesse learns of her secret?  Will he still love her?  

This is a great read about finding love, being forgiven and yes, there is a hope and a future.  

The author does and excellent job of writing about faith, hope and love when we trust an Everlasting Father!

This is one of must.have.great.summer reads for your summer enjoyment!

*This book was provided for review by Thomas Nelson Pubishing/Book Sneeze*

COTT: Clash Of The Titles

Christine Lindsay crowned COTT champ!

Shadowed in Silk won the vote for Best Back Cover Blurb against competitor Sunny Eads.

A clip of her winning excerpt:

After the Great War, Abby Fraser returns to India with her small son, where her husband is stationed with the British army. She has longed to go home to the land of glittering palaces and veiled women . . . but Nick has become a cruel stranger. It will take more than her American pluck to survive.

read the full blurb here

A few reader comments: 

• I'm drawn to the post war aspect of the second one.
• Both really pulls you in but the romance of India under the Bristh rule caught my attention.
• Oh, India! Sounds mysterious!! Makes me wonder if this is a romance or not. Would def give this book a go.
• Blurb B is just so intriguing! Definitely makes me want to read the whole thing. So much clearly going on.

Christine says: 

The only reason I write is in order to encourage readers to love Christ and follow Him. He's God---if He wants me to succeed, then He'll make it happen. And if He wants me to have quiet success, then I'll praise the Lord for that. 

read the full interview here.

About her experience with COTT she writes: 

I'm so thankful for this opportunity. Thank you every one, especially Sunny and Lisa. What a fun contest. And to every one for their positive comments.

Want to get in on the voting action? Head over to Clash of the Titles now and cast your ballot for this week's Clash!

PLEASE CHECK 

OUT OUR EXCITING NEW VENTURE:

Join us in June as we premier COTT's book club! Karen Witemeyer and her COTT winning novel, A Tailor-Made Bride is up as our first read (The books is offered as a free e-book here; if you don't have a Kindle, you can download the program to your pc or mobile device free here). More details and to vote for July's book, CLICK HERE.  



Michelle Massaro is a homeschooling mom and aspiring novelist. She is Assistant Editor for the literary website Clash of the Titles and writes for COTT's Blog Alliance. Michelle also serves on the worship team and teaches origins science to the youth at her church. She and her husband of 15 years live in sunny So Cal with their four children. Connect with her on twitter @MLMassaro, facebook, Clash of the Titles, and her blog Adventures in Writing.

Bombus the Bumblebee by Elsie Larson

Book Description: Meet the portly Bombus, a bumblebee created by God during the creation week, as he struggles to feel good about himself, in the midst of smaller, more mobile honeybees. This delightful, full-color story allows children to see their own uniqueness. The book concludes with some quick facts about bumblebees.

My Review:  I love children's books especially when they have a wonderful message and beautiful illustrations!

Bombus The Bumblebee is a lovely book with a strong biblical message geared towards children.  I was impressed with the vocabulary in this read. The author uses words that describe as well as explain the different parts of a bumblebee.  At the beginning of the read Ms. Larson uses descriptive words such as bobbed, lurched, clumsy and swooping.

Then the story begins with honeybees and the biblical account of God speaking the world into existence and declaring it good. The honeybees notice that Bombus is larger than they are and that he drinks a whole more nectar than they do.  The honeybees begin to resent Bombus so they decide to trick him into thinking that he was a mistake and that he was never created to fly.

The story deals with the fact that Bombus was not a mistake.  God's sweet assurances that Bombus was created for a purpose and plan and that Bombus is fulfilling his plan on earth is the message of this great read.

Everyone is not created to look exactly alike nor do we all serve the same purpose on earth but like Bombus God created us for His glory AND God does not mistakes.

Such a great  5 star read for children (well, actually for all ages).  A lesson that we all need to be reminded of....God loves each and everyone of us because He created eachone of us to be different and unique!

At the back of the book, after the story is completed, there  is a two page spread about bumblebees and the unique way that they are hand crafted by God.  Did you know bumblebees have fur?  Or that they can change direction in midair with their wings?

There are also discussion pages and a few pages that have fun, creative activities to do and make that are all inspired from the book! David and Elizabeth Haidle have done a marvelous job in illustrating this amazing book!  The illustrations bring this book "to life."  Bombus The Bumblebee is the first book in a series of two by Elsie Larson and illustrators David and Elizabeth Haidle.  This book is published by Master Books and can be bought HERE!

*This book was provided for review by New Leaf Press*

WOW {Warm Oven Wednesday} Martha Stewart's Peaches, basil and red onion salad

With warmer weather salads are always a tasty treat!

Ingredients:

Serves 4

• 3 peaches, sliced 1/2 inch thick
• 1/4 red onion, very thinly sliced
• 1/3 cup fresh basil (leaves torn if large)
• Juice of 1/2 lemon
• 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
• Freshly ground pepper
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

Directions:

Toss peaches with red onion, basil, lemon juice, salt, and some pepper. Drizzle with olive oil.

A Daughter's Regret SHATTERED by Melody Carlson

Book Description:  Everybody does it—sneaks out of the house now and then. It's harmless enough, right? Not this time. Cleo Neilson faces the chilling consequences of her actions. Now she has a secret and can’t tell anyone, and it’s breaking her heart. As Cleo fights through her grief and guilt, she learns about faith in God and forgiveness through him. As teenage girls read Cleo's journey, they too will learn the value of having faith and receiving forgiveness as well as just how dangerous it really is to keep a secret.

My Review:  Shattered by Melody Carlson is the second in the Secrets Series.  Cleo's best friend, Lola, will be moving.  Before she moves Lola wins two tickets for a christian concert.  Cleo is determined to go to the concert, since Lola will moving the next day, even when her mom remains firm that she not attend the concert.

Cleo begs, as teens do, to borrow the car but Cleo’s mother needs the car to attend a party and Cleo's father is out-of-town on a business trip.  So, Cleo and Lola secretly make plans to take the city bus to the Colosseum, instead of ordering pizza and watching a movie.   Well, Cleo buys pizza at the concert so it's not a lie ~ they did eat pizza!

After attending the concert, the girls return to Cleo's house.  Cleo's mom doesn't seem to hear the girls so Cleo decides her mom is asleep and goes on to bed.  The following morning Cleo's mom is not home.  So unusual....Cleo is trying to decide what to do when there is a  knock at the door, a police officer, BAD NEWS! and Cleo's life is SHATTERED!  Instead of turning to God in this tragic time Cleo turns to drugs/pills.  Cleo can't come to grips with the secret she hides .... this tragedy weighs like a mountain on Cleo's spirit.  But Cleo's aunt Kellie comes to help out and Cleo gets a different perspective on her mom's "obsessive" protectiveness.

A great 5 star read about forgiveness, redemption and letting God put the shattered pieces of our soul back together again.                                                                                                                                

The discussion questions at the back of the book will enhance the lessons learned from this series, and could be used by a youth group, teen book club, or for personal use.  I highly recommend this for the older teen in your life. 

*This book was provided for review by NavPress*

About the Author:  Melody Carlson is the best-selling author of more than 150 books, including the TrueColors series (TH1NK/NavPress). Her first book in the Secrets series is titled Forgotten. She has won various awards for her writing, including The Gold Medallion and The Rita. Melody currently lives in the beautiful Oregon Cascade Mountains with her husband.

COTT: Clash Of The Titles

 This clash's host: Jennifer Slattery

How long does it take you to decide whether or not a book's worth your money? Five minutes? Two? A precursory glance at the back cover? Perhaps you've heard, "You can't judge a book by it's cover." I'm not sure if that's true, but I do know, we judge novels by their covers--both front and back--all the time. Because we have to. With so many great fiction works vying for our attention, and a limited amount of time and money, we must be selective. For me, the book's gotta grab me right away, otherwise I'll move on.

Today we're asking you to discard the diplomacy urged in the previously quoted phrase. Yep, it's time to make a quick judgement, based solely on the back cover blurb--those 200-500 words able to make or break an author with a single scan.

Ready? Let the Battle of the Blurbs begin!

Excerpt A:

Robyn can’t help but notice the handsome new guy at her school. She ignores, however, the arrival of another being at Brookfield Central High School—a demon assigned to destroy her…

Robyn loves her friends, enjoys her youth group, and looks forward to meeting cute Caleb Montague. But when a caustic news reporter challenges her school’s prayer team, Robyn must choose: defend their right to meet on campus and pray for whomever they wish or back down at the principal’s request.

Now she must learn what God wants her to do. And she had better learn fast, because there’s a supernatural enemy in town whose sole mission is to stop her—no matter the cost.

Excerpt B:

How do you restore a soul? One brush stroke at a time …

Suz Mitchell is a determined dreamer, and won’t allow her ex-husband’s jail sentence to ruin their young son Jeremiah’s life. An accomplished artist, Suz moves with her child across the country to California’s central coast, and lands a job restoring priceless art for the historic Hearst Castle overlooking the sea.

But even dreams have shocking twists. To her surprise, a serious old flame, Seth, works at the castle and jumbles the new aspirations in Suz’s heart. While sorting through their past and a palette of spiritual differences, an even bigger brush with yesterday awaits. Suz must learn to let God be the true restorer of all that once seemed lost.

Vote for you favorite below then join the discussion: Ever bought a book based on the back cover blurb alone and if so, what about it captured your attention? If not, what process do you normally go through when selecting your next book?

CLICK HERE TO VOTE ON THE BOOK!

Susan May Warren Mission of Mercy {Litfuse Publicity} Blog Tour

The Mission of Mercy Series by Susan May Warren. Three heroes, all on missions of mercy, who discover that God not only saves us from evil, but from the darkness inside.   

Book Description~An American boy and a warlord's engaged daughter have disappeared-together-in an Eastern European border country. Only one man can find them in time to prevent an international meltdown-Chet Stryker. But Chet is taken aback when he realizes the boy is the nephew of Mae Lund, Chet's former flame. When Mae insists on rescuing her relative herself, Chet knows he has to protect her from the enemy on their trail. Yet can he protect himself from falling for Mae again?

Buy book HERE!

Book Description ~ Brody "Wick" Wickham is a former Green Beret turned security agent-with a 100 percent mission success rate. No way is his new assignment changing that. Even if it's protecting a diva American rock star while she's on tour in Europe. Except Veronica "Vonya" Wagner isn't just a beautiful celebrity used to having her way-she's the daughter of a U.S. Senator. And she's hiding a dangerous secret. When Wick discovers what's at stake, how far over the line will he go to keep them both alive? 

Buy book HERE!

Book Description ~ The only way to get security agent Luke Dekker to a wedding? An undercover mission as groomsman. He'll bust the groom, a drug cartel heir, before anyone can say "I do." Then Luke can escape all this love and romance nonsense-and the too pretty bridesmaid/agent assigned as his "fiancée" for the weekend. Until Luke discovers that sweet, vulnerable Scarlett Hanson isn't his contact. Isn't an agent. Isn't trained for the high-stakes mission now trapping them both. And worse, Luke's falling for her-which is not part of the assignment. Buy book HERE!   My Review:  WOW!  I truly enjoy Love Inspired Suspense reads!  So, getting to read THREE (in a row) by one of my favorite authors was like having an early birthday present! All three of these books are stand-alone reads.  Each one is packed with action, adventure and good, clean romance.  Did I mention action packed?!  Yes.  Well, these fast, fun reads have so much action, twists and turns that if one is not careful the chair will tilt sideways as one reads <smile!> Each read was enjoyable but book two was so fresh and unusual that if I had a favorite it would be Mission Out of Control.   These reads are suspenseful without being gory, faith filled without being preachy and love filled without being ooey-gooey. Each book can easily be read in a day.  Making the reader hope there is another book close by!   Susan May Warren has done it again with a 5 star rating for all her Love Inspired reads!  So, if you love action/suspense/love/faith filled reads then be sure to pick up a copy or simply order one or all three for your summer reading enjoyment! *These books were provided for review by Litfuse Publicity Group*

Visit Suzy's Place (her website) HERE!

Susan May Warren is the RITA Award–winning author of more than thirty novels whose compelling plots and unforgettable characters have won acclaim with readers and reviewers alike. She served with her husband and four children as a missionary in Russia for eight years before she and her family returned home to the States. She now writes full-time as her husband runs a lodge on Lake Superior in northern Minnesota, where many of her books are set. She and her family enjoy hiking, canoeing, and being involved in their local church.

Susan holds a BA in mass communications from the University of Minnesota. Several of her critically acclaimed novels have been chosen as Top Picks by Romantic Times and won the RWA's Inspirational Reader's Choice contest and the American Christian Fiction Writers Book of the Year award. Four of her books have been Christy Award finalists. In addition to her writing, Susan loves to teach and speak at women's events about God's amazing grace in our lives.  

She is also the founder ofwww.MyBookTherapy.com, a story-crafting service that helps authors discover their voice.

Missions of Mercy Giveaway:

To celebrate the series, Susan is giving away a Missions of Mercy Prize Pack worth over $200! One grand prize winner will receive:

* A brand new FLIP HD Camera

* The entire Missions of Mercy series

Enter today - the contest ends on May 31st and tell your friends! Winner will be announced on June 1st here and at Susan May Warren's website.

Enter via Facebook

Enter via Twitter

Enter via Email 

Check out other blogs that will be featuring Susan's books during this tour!   http://litfusegroup.com/blogtours/text/13307091