Beauty, Skincare, and a bit of Lifestyle
This past week I was stuck on a airplane for several hours. I wasn’t flying with my (totally amazing!) husband, so I decided to get in some reading to help the time pass quickly. And, boy, did it pass quickly with this book!
I haven’t posted a book review in forever, but I hope my new beauty followers will enjoy it nonetheless and maybe discover a new book to add to their wishlist. 🙂
About Jill Williamson
Jill Williamson is a chocolate loving, daydreaming, creator of kingdoms
and the award-winning author of several young adult books including the
Blood of Kings trilogy, Replication, the Mission League series, and the
Safe Lands trilogy. She lives in Oregon with her husband and two
children and a whole lot of deer. Visit her online, where adventure comes to life.
About Rebels: Book 3 in the Safe Lands Series
My Review:
I read the first book, Captives, and was completely ‘captivated’ by the world that Jill Williamson created in front of me. When the adventure continued in Outcasts, the intensity of the plot continued to mount with every page. It ended with a pretty significant cliffhanger, and ever since then I’ve been so curious and anxious to find out how this series ends. Finally! The last book, Rebels
, released earlier this month and I’ve already flown threw its pages.
Wow, what an adventure! There are a lot of characters in The Safe Lands series — starting with the three main characters, brothers Levi, Mason, and Omar — and each one of them had their own little suspenseful adventure going on throughout the book. Surprisingly, Jill Williamson was able to weave them all together so seamlessly, I never felt confused or lost amid all the different events going on in different character’s lives.
While this book is marketed
as a young adult novel, I personally feel that the many sexually
suggestive aspects of the book makes it for an older audience. And not
necessarily only for adults — things are only eluded to and never
outright said or explained — but definitely not appropriate for
preteens or young teens. Again, this is just my personal opinion, but
know that sexual undertones are sprinkled through the book.
Throughout the series, the mystery of ‘Liberation’ has always been looming — and much to my surprise and delight, the mystery is finally uncovered. I’m not sure what I had guessed Liberation might be, but I wasn’t expecting what Mason and Omar discovered.
Williamson created such a unique– but realistic — dystopian worth in the Safe Lands series and writes in such a way as to completely submerge her readers into the moment. And while there were hero’s and heroine’s, none of them are perfect. I loved how the author kept it so realistic in this regard. The characters experience heartache, temptation, lust, addiction, fear, and shame, just like anyone would if they were thrust into this world. Yet, at the end of it all, we see the Lord bring characters like Omar from the depth’s of despair to walking on the clouds of promise.
The whole series brings such a strong feeling of hope and redemption, I think whoever reads this series will take away something special. I highly recommend the whole series!
I
reviewed this book for the author. It was not required
that I give a positive review, but solely to express my own thoughts and
opinions of this book, which I have done.
About the Author…
Ronie Kendig is an award-winning, bestselling author who grew up an Army
brat. She married a veteran, and together their lives are never dull
with four children and two dogs–a a Maltese Menace and a retired
military working dog, Vvolt N629. Ronie’s degree in psychology has
helped her pen novels of intense, raw characters.
Since
launching onto the publishing scene in 2010, Ronie and her books have
hit bestseller lists and garnered awards and critical acclaim.
About the Book…
His team. His mission. A mission that comes at the highest cost!
Captain Dean Watters keeps his mission and his team in the forefront
of his laser-like focus. So when Dean’s mission and team are threatened,
his Special Forces training kicks into high gear. Failing to stop
hackers from stealing national security secrets from the military’s
secure computers and networks isn’t an option.
Zahrah Zarrick is a missionary teacher to Afghan children in Mazar-e
Sharif. And a target. When Zahrah is captured because of her expertise
in quantum cryptology, compromising the U.S. military, Dean is forced to
crack the lockbox around his heart—a move that might come at the
highest cost.
My Review…
You all know I am a HUGE fan of Ronie Kendig’s books. I’ve read — and loved — each and every book that she’s ever published, and I hope to continue to be up to date with her works. 🙂 Her newest release, Raptor 6, is another wonderful military suspense read that will keep you turning the pages long into the night!
Normally, Kendig’s opening scene has you hitting the ground running — and not slowing down until the final chapter! I felt Raptor 6 was a little different than this. It starts with an intense opening scene, but then goes back 6 months and shows how the character got there. But that’s not to say that it was hard to get into or too slow — oh no! There was still TONS of twists and surprises that kept me holding my breath throughout the book! I don’t think Kendig could ever write a dull book! It’s just not in her blood! But I did enjoy the change in tempo, teasing the reader with a sneak-peak and then allowing things to simmer and build before you find out what happens next. 🙂
As a little caution for readers: there were a few torture scenes in this book. Wolfsbane had a scene, but this was a bit more intense. If you don’t like to read any kind of torture scenes, this might make you a bit uncomfortable. But that’s the beauty of a book — you can skim over the torture scenes and still read enough to understand what’s going on and enjoy the book! I, personally, am not really comfortable reading/watching torture, so that part of the book did have me shuddering and wincing.
With all that said, I highly recommend that you give this book a try — especially if you enjoy military suspense books. This has it all, and more! There’s a beautiful love story that blossoms throughout the book between Dean and Zahrah, and of course there is lots of humor sprinkled generously throughout the book. Everything about this book was great! I can’t wait till the next book in the series come out! 🙂
I
reviewed this book for Shiloh Run Press via Litfuse. It was not required
that I give a positive review, but solely to express my own thoughts and
opinions of this book, which I have done.
The Giveaway…
Don’t miss the first book, Raptor 6, in Ronie Kendig‘s new Quiet Professionals series!
Ronie combines a dangerous romance and explosive action for a thrilling and satisfying ride. “Lock and load for this Spec Op, fighting under God’s ‘rules of engagement.'” —Bob Hamer, veteran FBI undercover agent and award-winning author
Ronie is celebrating with a Kindle HDX Giveaway!
One winner will receive:
A Kindle Fire HDX
Raptor 6 by Ronie Kendig
Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on June 15th. Winner will be announced June 16th on Ronie’s blog.
Don’t miss a moment of the fun; enter today and be sure to stop by Ronie’s blog on June 16th to see if you won.
About the Author…
Tracy L. Higley started her first novel at age eight and has been hooked on writing ever since. She has authored nine novels, including Garden of Madness and So Shines the Night. Tracy is currently pursuing a graduate degree in Ancient History and has traveled through Greece, Turkey, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, and Italy, researching her novels and falling into adventures. See her travel journals and more on her website (below).
About the Book…
From the servant halls of Cleopatra’s Egyptian palace to the courts of Herod the Great, Lydia will serve two queens to see prophecy fulfilled.
My Review…
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I’ve read several books written by Tracy Higley, and each one of them I’ve thoroughly enjoyed. She has a talent for bringing her stories to life and I always come away from them appreciating the time and research that she puts into each of her books. I think Tosca Lee describes her writing as “spell-bindingly written with luscious prose…”, and I’d have to agree!
I love many different time periods in history, and the years of Egyptian power and majesty are definitely one of them, so I jumped at the opportunity to review The Queen’s Handmaid
. From the very beginning, I was caught up in the palace intrigue and danger that surrounded and followed at the heals of where ever Lydia seemed to go. The secret Samuel entrusted to her with his dying breath really amped up the danger-level in this book! I was a bit mystified why Samuel didn’t tell Lydia about her parentage well before he died — as she was, at that time, old enough to handle herself — but I suppose there are many things many people do in our own lives that we never understand why, right?
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It is amazing how the royal people’s lives were not their own! In our day and age — I felt Tracy did a wonderful job of portraying how difficult this was for some people and how much it effected their lives and spirits. Everything was about power and getting ahead — so many feelings were crushed and lives ruined because of greedy people. It is amazing how power and wealth can completely twist a person’s thinking and how quickly they can become a monster in many people’s lives.
The plot of The Queen’s Handmaid
was really intriguing. I enjoyed every moment I spent in the book — from the palace intrigue to the mystery and danger surrounding the scrolls. I know a lot of why I enjoyed this book was because I just love history — and Tracy puts a lot of history into this story, and I just ate it up! There are certain author’s that I always keep my eye out for when looking at new releases, and Tracy Higley is definitely one of them. If you like history sprinkled generously with intrigue, danger, romance, and suspense, this is one of the author’s you should definitely check out!
I reviewed this book for Thomas Nelson via Litfuse. It was not required that I give a positive review, but solely to express my own thoughts and opinions of this book, which I have done.
The Giveaway…
Tracy L. Higley is celebrating the release of The Queen’s Handmaid with a fun giveaway.
Retailers + Resources gave it this glowing review: “Rich in historic detail, Higley’s vivid writing brings to life the plots and intrigues that swirled through the ancient world as alliances were built and broken on the calculated schemes of power-mad monarchs.”
A Kindle Fire HDX
The Queen’s Handmaid by Tracy L. Higley
Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on April 19th. Winner will be announced April 21st on Tracy’s blog.
Don’t miss a moment of the fun; enter today and be sure to stop by Tracy’s blog on April 21st to see if you won.
Yep, it happened — Monday night I hit (and passed!) 900 followers on here and 700 likes on my Facebook page! Thank you to each and every one who follows me on any or all of my social media pages. I know I haven’t been constant on all of them in the past, but my New Year’s resolution was to get more engaged with you all on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest! 🙂
So let’s get into today’s review now! 🙂
About the Author…
Mesu Andrews is the award-winning author of Love Amid the Ashes, Love’s Sacred Song, and Love in a Broken Vessel. Winner of the 2012 ECPA Christian Book Award for New Author, she has devoted herself to passionate and intense study of Scripture, bringing the biblical world vividly alive for her readers. She lives in Washington.
About the Book…
In a kingdom controlled by cruel and manipulative women, one princess will discover the power of truth and love.
Trained as a priestess in the temple of Baal, Princess Jehosheba strives to please the demanding Queen Athaliah, daughter of Jezebel. But when a mysterious letter from the dead prophet Elijah predicts doom for the royal household, Jehosheba realizes that the dark arts she practices reach far beyond the realm of earthly governments.
Forced to marry Yahweh’s high priest in order to further Athaliah and Jezebel’s power plays, Jehosheba enters the unfamiliar world of Yahweh’s Temple. Can her new husband show her the truth and love she craves? And can Jehosheba overcome her fear and save the family–and the nation–she loves?
With deft skill, Mesu Andrews brings the Old Testament to life, revealing a fascinating story of the power of unconditional love.
My Review…
I’ve read all but one of the books Mesu Andrew’s has published so far and with each one I’ve closed the book feeling so impressed with her work. She has such a beautiful way of presenting a character’s story and I love how they always point towards and end with showing the power and mercy of Yahweh. And In the Shadow of Jezebel
is no different!
It didn’t take me long to get wrapped up in the dangers and intrigue of Jehosheba’s world — or better known as ‘Sheba’. I can’t imagine growing up the way she did — the only ‘motherly influence’ she ever knew was someone who used her cruelty and power as a tool to control her. Mesu did a wonderful job of showing how deeply Athaliah had affected and controlled Sheba — and the long, painful journey Yahweh and Jehoiada walked through with her to undo the evil vines and thorns that were growing on her spirit and threatening to choke out her life.
Sheba was a very complex, deep character. Because of her past, she had so many facets to her, you discovered them along with Jehoiada after the two are wed. I thought it was neat that Jehoiada wasn’t the ‘perfect suitor’ — he was much older than Sheba, was a long-time bachelor with many old habits, and had a couple of shortcomings he had to deal with. It made these two characters very life-like and three dimensional. They didn’t have a perfect marriage — in fact, it was pretty rocky for a while. But as the reader, you got to watch them grow, learn how to live with an imperfect person, and mature in their marriage. I thought it was beautiful.
One thing I really appreciate about Mesu and her writing is that her books to not focus so much on the physical intimacy side of a relationship, as many Christian writers do today. There were several times in the book where the story could have progressed and given you a glimpse “into the bedroom”, so to speak, but Mesu kept it very appropriate and didn’t delve into any of that. Not that there wasn’t any tenderness between Jehoiada and Sheba in the story — oh no, there was lots of that! But it was shown and reflected in words and acts of love towards each other, not in marital intimacy. And I really appreciated that, making this a book I would recommend for girls of all ages!
If you haven’t read any of Mesu Andrew’s books, I highly encourage you to give them a try. Especially if you like Biblical fiction. I highly recommend In the Shadow of Jezebel
! It won’t take you many pages until you are caught up in the palace intrigue and the stress and terror that soon becomes a part of Sheba’s life….until she marries a humble priest named Jehoiada and learns of the great Yahweh. 🙂
I reviewed this book for Revell. It was not required that I give a positive review, but solely to express my own thoughts and opinions of this book, which I have done.
I am SO excited to bring you my review for this book today. It’s a very special book – one I have loved ever since I first read it, around the age of 10. And not only is this in easy-to-read novel for kids, but it’s also being made into a movie and will be coming out later this year! More on that later, so keep reading to the end. Don’t miss the giveaway at the end, either!
Tracy Leininger Craven loves history and retelling real-life stories in her historical fiction books. She also loves spending her free time in the great outdoors with her husband David and their four children.
About the Book:
Settled in the Blue Mountains of Pennsylvania, deep within America’s new frontier, the Leininger family celebrates the blessings of a beautiful homestead and bountiful harvest. That is, until tragedy strikes with the beginning of the French and Indian War and the devastating raid known as the Penn’s Creek Massacre.
The lives of this simple, God-fearing family are forever altered when Barbara and Regina, two young sisters, are carried away by the Delaware tribe. Driven by their faith in God and the powerful bonds of family, Barbara and Regina hold firmly to the belief that they are never alone, even in their darkest hour, and that they will be reunited again.
Rich in historical details, Alone Yet Not Alone is an inspirational, true story of a family caught in the cross fire of the French and Indian War.
I first read Alone Yet Not Alone – the original full-length novel – back when I was around 10 years old…and completely feel in love with every aspect of this book! From the characters and the suspense to the fact that it was a true story — this actually happened to two sisters!! I totally became enthralled with everything about this book. And I’ve read it so many times over the years…I’ve long lost count!
So, when I found out that Alone Yet Not Alone was coming out on film – and had a special ‘movie edition’ book for younger readers (8-12) – I was beyond excited! I immediately agreed to review this book, when it was offered to me, and was so excited to read it. I’ve given it to my younger sisters to read, and am looking forward to hearing their feedback on it. Because this is rewritten for teen and preteen readers, it is much shorter than the full-length novel I own, and so made it an easier – and quicker – read. The author did an excellent job of not leaving out any details, but still making it easier for younger readers to understand everything that’s going on. Another really fun aspect of the book is that in the middle, it has a bunch of pictures from the movie included. This was REALLY neat, as it let the reader picture all the characters easily. And it got me excited for the film to release!
The story was amazing! I really cannot say enough good things about this book. And the fact that the characters written about were real is even more amazing. Barbara really did go through all those harrowing adventures to escape her life as an Indian, and Regina really did endure over 9 years of living with the Indians and still kept her Christian faith strong. It’s such an AMAZING story, filled with characters that give a wonderful testimony of Christ, that I – as a Christian – am greatly encouraged after reading about these heroines of Faith. Barbara and Regina make wonderful role-models for today’s teens!
All in all, I love Alone Yet Not Alone and will be reading it for years to come – and keeping this new, special edition handy when I have kids. If they end up being a bookworm like their mom, Alone Yet Not Alone is one book that I want them to fall in love with, just as I have done. Now I am just waiting on pins and needles for the movie to come out!! 🙂
A crew has been hard at work turning this amazing, true story account into a film. And the waiting is almost over! Next month – September 27th – the movie will be released in theaters! I am SO excited about its upcoming release! It sounds like they have kept very true to the book, and the original novel, so I cannot wait to sit down and watch this well-loved story come to life right in front of me!
Families will love this film based on a true story! Awarded 5 Doves from the Dove Foundation!
Alone Yet Not Alone is starring: Kelly Greyson, Natalie Racoosin, Clay Walker, Jenn Gotzon, Joanie Stewart, Ozzie Torres, Tony Wade.
For more information on the website – and to keep up with announcements as its release date approaches – check out the following sites!
So for today’s giveaway, all you have to do is enter in the Rafflecopter form below in order to get a chance to win your own paperback copy of Alone Yet Not Alone and read it so you’re ready for when the movie releases on September 27th! This giveaway will run until September 10th at midnight.
