GIVEAWAY! Don't Make Me Come Up There! Quiet Moments for Busy Moms by Kristen Welch

Book Description:  A calm moment is a rare find in a mom’s chaotic day. But she needs it. She needs the moment to refocus and refresh her soul. She needs the inspiration to find God in the mess and the mundane that often defines her. She craves the solitude of a moment with the Master to quiet the storms. She needs to laugh and remember why she loves being a mom. 

Don't Make Me Come Up There!  is filled with inspirational and hilarious true-life stories and reflections written by a very human mom. Moms will recognize themselves in the pages of this book written for real, everyday mothers who know what it’s like to catch vomit with one hand while starting a load of laundry with the other (and never confusing the two!). The fifty-two reflections encourage moms to revel in the everyday beauty of their lives and grow closer to God through it all.

My Review: Like most moms I seem to have little, if no time at all, to myself in a typical day.  Sometimes I have gone as far as locking the bathroom door just to get a few moments of "me time."  

In this devotional book, Don't Make Me Come Up There by Kristen Welch, moms find encouragement in knowing that we are not alone.  Kristen writes of true family happenings from  wearing her pj's when her car stalled to a locked bathroom door where a young child is "cleaning" with a full bottle of hand soap. And that "parenting is hard work."

This is one of those laugh.out.loud but serious about God devotionals.  

Ever have one of those "Don't Make Me Come Up There" days?!?!  Then this is the read for you.  Fifty-two quiet moments with a prayer and a scripture to end each chapter.

You may know Kristen from her blog We Are THAT Family.  She's also an advovate for Compassion International and has started The Mercy House, a maternity home in Kenya.

All the proceeds from her book will go to The Mercy House.

GIVEAWAY:

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Giveaway ends, April 29!

Rugged and Relentless (Husbands for Hire) by Kelly Eileen Hake

Book Description:  Roll into Hope Falls, Colorado, where three women are seeking mates to help them establish a sawmill. Evelyn Thompson never dreamed their husbands-for-hire ad would bring so many bachelors to their tiny town. How will she ever figure out which feller to choose? Jacob Granger, a logger-turned-bounty hunter, is hot on the trail of his brother’s killer. When a clue leads him to Hope Falls, he has no choice but to pretend to court Miss Thompson while waiting for the killer to show his hand. Will Jacob’s unexpected adoration of this sweet cook prompt him to speak vows before getting vengeance?

My Review:  Three friends set out for Colorado to help an ailing friend, to re-claim lost money and to find husbands!

These three best friends get.more.than.they.bargain.for when two dozen men descend on the small town after hearing the these beautiful ladies are in town.  

Jake has the most wonderful memories of a lady back East who can cook like nobody's business.  He longs to see her again!  So, imagine his utter surprise when he finds her and her two friends ensconced in "his" town with many admirers at their beck and call.

This dying mining town has never seen the likes of three women who are determined to change all for good.  And Jake fears for the ladies since not all of the mining men are honorable and reputable.  He tries to reason with them but Lacey is determined that what this town needs is not mining but to concentrate on the lumber!  Uh oh! Clash of the wills!  

Jake is hurting and believes that the mysterious Mr. Twyler is responsible for his brother's death.

The mystery of Mr. Twyler and Jake's murdered brother brings an element of suspense to this delightful read!

The ladies are non-conventional but  they still wear corsets, have desire to wives of honorable men and stick.to.thier.guns when overbearing men think they know what is best for them.

A wonderful, fast paced read with delightful dialogue and characters.

*Thanks to NetGalley and Barbour Publishing for this great read!*

SKIP-A-FLICK CHALLENGE

SKIP-A-FLICK CHALLENGE Do you love movies? Tired of being disappointed by Hollywood's values?     Do you cringe at some of the content you're exposed to for the sake of entertainment? It's time to vote with your feet and your wallet...

SKIP-A-FLICK DETAILS In the next 30 days, pick a flick you would have gone to see or theatres or would have rented and... 1. Skip it. Don't go or don't rent. Make a conscious choice not to support Hollywood and all its [adjective] + [noun]. (EMAIL your two-word description of Hollywood movies to us and you might win a Reload t-shirt!) 2. Spend it. Spend that time doing something positive with your family and loved ones. Play some games. Do a service project. Intentionally spend THAT time on a positive alternative. 3. Send it. Take the money you would have spent and donate it to  Reload. Send THAT money to a positive alternative. 4. Pass it. Challenge one friend or family member to take the Skip-a-Flick Challenge, too.

RELOAD'S FIRST FEATURE The first feature film to be produced by Reload is an adaptation of the novel Bad Idea by brothers Todd and Jedd Hafer. Three documentaries are also in pre-production, two of which have recently signed book deals with a CBA publishing house. Learn more about Reload projects here.

WHAT IS RELOAD? Founded by Emmy-winning director Steve Feldman and groundbreaking publicist and author Rebeca Seitz, Reload was formed to produce motion picture content that will stir the soul and awaken the mind to ideas of eternal significance. Reload: What we shoot matters.

Lie Down In Green Pastures The Psalm 23 Mysteries #3 by Debbie Viguie

Book Description: Even though they work right next door to each other, Cindy and Jeremiah come from two different worlds. Cindy is a church secretary; Jeremiah is a Reformed rabbi with a mysterious past full of danger and excitement. Together they have faced down a serial killer at Easter and a murderer of homeless people. 

The two unlikely companions continue to forge a strong friendship as they explore personal history and faith with each passing adventure. 

This third volume in the Psalm 23 Mysteries series finds Jeremiah and Cindy matching wits with an unscrupulous land developer. In a fast-paced story set around St. Patrick's Day, murder invades an idyllic landscape, challenging them to save hundreds of teens even as they try to discover the source of their unexpected danger. 

My Review:  Church secretary, Cindy Preston, runs into another dead body. This time the "body" is driving a car that crashes into Rabbi Jeremiah Silverton right in front of his synagogue. Cindy immediately calls Detective Walters to the scene. Mark Walters can't believe another crime is happening again that involves Cindy!

Cindy is determined to find the murderer even though both Mark and Jeremiah want her to leave it alone.  Cindy feel that this death and the death that occurred at Green Pastures, a nature Preserve, on the outskirts of town are somehow related and she wants to follow through on clues before the trail grows cold.

But as Cindy begins to question people the situation quickly begins to go from bad to worse. Someone is shot, another person is murdered by poison and dies in her own living room.  Cindy is hurt and must go to the hospital with a separated shoulder.  But she continues to investigate! Following a tip she heads for the local pub where she discovers the crime ring.  She tries to take them out using darts!  

Meanwhile, Jeremiah is in a battle of his own, trapped with 14 kids at a camp in Green Pastures. Soaking rains have washed out the bridge and they cannot get back to the highway. When a bomb blows up their cabin, they are on the run from someone who is trying to kill them all.

This is the third book in Viguie's Psalm 23 series. A story that explores ways people deal with death, dangerous situations and relationships. 

A faced-paced somewhat funny read about life, love and not giving up!

*This ebook was provided for review by Net Galley and Abingdon Press*

Rest In Peace (Hometown Mysteries) by Frances Devine

Book Description:  Ride along on a hair-raising adventure with Victoria Storm and her cohorts as they comb Cedar Chapel for clues to a murder. When the local pet store owner is found dead, the coroner deems it due to a fall. But Victoria, her fiancé Benjamin, and the residents of Cedar Chapel Lodge, a senior boardinghouse, think it’s murder. As they begin to uncover evidence, things go from bad to worse and their friend Miss Aggie disappears, leaving her blood-stained clothing behind. Will Victoria catch the killer or be the next victim?

My Review:  Victoria Storm runs/owns a boarding house for senior citizens.  She takes her beloved dog to the vet for his shots and low.and.belold! the vet is dead AND lying in a pool of his own blood. Not one to be faint of heart, Victoria immediately calls the local sheriff.  The sheriff is none to pleased with Victoria!  <I think the sheriff is afraid Victoria may get his job>
Victoria is determined to find the murderer!  With the help of her somewhat quirky boarders, a nine year old, a parrot and a dog things just can't get any more exciting or confusing!
The mystery of who killed Clyde, the vet, is a tangled web.  Then more suspense builds when one of the main characters goes missing!  What does it all mean?  And why in tarnation would someone kill good 'ol Clyde?
Victoria Storm is spunky and feisty and isn't afraid to get to the bottom of this terrible crime even when it seems the killer may after her.  
If you enjoyed the Miss Aggie books then you should enjoy this Hometown Mystery.
There quite a few Laugh Out Loud scenarios that make Victoria and her homies true to life!  

*This ebook was provided for review by Net Galley and Barbour Publishing*

The Caregiver by Shelley Shepard Gray

Book Description: Two lives converge one stormy night on a train headed to Cleveland.

Lucy is traveling by herself via train to Jacob's Crossing to help care for her cousin Mattie, recently diagnosed with breast cancer. Trying to overcome the sudden death of her husband, she's glad to get away and focus on someone else for a while.

The only other Amish people on the train are Calvin Weaver and his little sister, Katie. When their train breaks down outside of Cleveland, Calvin and Lucy band together to face the outside world. But Calvin also carries the weight of past hurts. When an altercation brings both their wounds to light, they question whether they can trust each other.

Once in Jacob's Crossing, Lucy is occupied with caring for Mattie, while Calvin does his best to run his family's farm. But they can't stop thinking about those special hours spent together. Will the bond they formed last? And will Lucy and Calvin be able to put away the pain in their pasts to recognize the happiness that is suddenly in their grasp?

My Review:  Lucy Troyer has some deep dark secrets but when her cousin, Mattie, is diagnosed with breast cancer Lucy knows she must go help her.  Mattie had been there for Lucy when Lucy's husband passed away and helped her through the years of his abuse.

Mattie fears that the cancer is draining the life from her.  She's already lost one breast in this battle and with the chemotherapy she isn't sure she can continue.  She is counting on Lucy's visit and her next door neighbor, Graham, to help her through this harrowing time in her life.  

Lucy boards a train bound for Mattie's place when she meets Clavin Weaver and his young sister who are also on a train trip.  AH!  The train breaks down and Lucy finds that God has a much bigger plan for her life!

The romance between Calvin and Mattie is such a different romance than Lucy and Graham's romance.  Two love stories, Two cousins and One All Loving God who knows what is best for each of us!

This is, perhaps, one of the best Amish love stories I have read!  I loved the two women and their men.  And Graham's younger sister!  

*Kleenex Alert*  Have your Kleenexes close by for this is one of those sweet but heart rending reads that brings a totally different perspective to the Amish community.

This is also the first book in the Families of Honor series and can't wait to read them all. This book is available in paperback and eBook formats.

*This book was provided by Zondervan*

If you would like to read the first chapter of The Caregiver, go HERE.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Shelley Shepard Gray is the beloved author of the Sisters of the Heart series, including Hidden, Wanted, and Forgiven. Before writing, she was a teacher in both Texas and Colorado. She now writes full time and lives in southern Ohio with her husband and two children. When not writing, Shelley volunteers at church, reads, and enjoys walking her miniature dachshund on her town's scenic bike trail. 

Lightkeeper's Ball (A Mercy Falls Novel) by Colleen Coble

Book Description:  This Mercy Falls novel has romance, mystery, secrets and a bad guy. Coble wows the reader with a fresh storyline. Readers will enjoy peeling back the layers and discovering this is more than your average romance book. The characters are strong not only in themselves but also in their faith. 4 stars. --Romantic Times

Coble spins a tangled web in this third book in the Mercy Falls series (after The Lightkeeper's Bride), with red herrings and oodles of duplicity. -- Publishers Weekly

My Review:  The Lightkeeper's Ball by Colleen Coble is the third book in the Mercy Falls series.  Although this is a series each book is stand alone read.  

Olivia has strong suspicions that her sister's death is foul play because her sister was deathly afraid of water!  So, why would she commit suicide using water or why would she be swimming?  Olivia decides she will investigate this case herself!  And find the truth of her sister's death.

Olivia's search brings suspense, mystery and romance!  This read also has some great history included in the story---Haley's Comet in 1920, bloomers, and the suffragette cause.

If truth is to prevail then half-truths or omissions can cause trauma.  Olivia finds that omitting truth can cause a good deal of grief!  Olivia is stressed by the omission of truth and it plagues her throughout the story.  A great lesson for us all.

After an attempt on her life, Olivia, is housed in the lighthouse.  Then a storm strikes.  and Olivia decides to have a Lightkeeper's Ball to replace all that was lost in the storm.

This read is full of how our actions and behavior can make or break us in life.  Also, if one of our close relatives passed away would we know that relative well enough to know the truth or fiction of what others tell us about said relative?  

A most.wonderful.read!  Colleen Coble outdid herself in this third Mercy Falls book!

*This book was provided for review by Thomas Nelson/BookSneeze and Net Galley*

About the Author:

I'm a reading addict. I'll read anything: cereal boxes, flyers, toilet paper bags. I grew up on Nancy Drew so I still love reading things that have some mystery or suspense in them, but romance is always at the heart of my books.