Find a Book Friday: Unafraid by Carey Scott

Posted on July 27, 2018July 18, 2018 by abbasprayerwarriorprincess

Let me ask you a personal question. How authentic are you? Perhaps being authentic and allowing people to know the real you is frightening. If so, this will be a book that you will enjoy. I certainly did. At times I felt like it was written just for me. Other times I would nod my head knowingly in understanding having traveling that road. Whether you are a reformed scaredy cat or struggling to find your footing, this book is a mind opening, thought provoking, helpful book taking biblical wisdom.

“Unafraid – Be you. Be authentic. Find the grit and grace to shine.” by author Carey Scott is a delightfully encouraging book by Barbour Publishing, Inc. This 256 page paperback was filled to the brim with inspiration and words to ponder long after the book has been finished. It is a book I will keep around to share with others or read again when I need it.

This is an extremely well written book. It was well thought, planned and organized. The author’s style of writing is nice and easy to read as well as understand. I felt like I was chatting with a new friend over coffee. It was lovely to read some of the thoughts and ideas shared. The author did her research and uses Biblical truths for encouragement and teaching. For me that is crucial for any Christian book, fiction and non-fiction.

This book was extremely uplifting and inspired me to persevere, trust My Heavenly Father’s direction, and be the person I was created to be. Failures happen and it is best to learn from them instead of sweep them under the rug. The most important thing I took from this book was to be myself. Don’t be afraid to be myself, to be authentic. If I am having a good day, share the joy. If I am having a bad day, don’t brood but don’t say everything is just fine.

Practical tips and tricks that can be applied are presented. These are jewels that you will use now and want to share with friends. This is a helpful book that would make a fabulous book club read. Even if you just gather a few friends for some positive reinforcement, read this book together and discuss it. You will be enriched.

I highly recommend this terrific book. Five out of five stars were gladly given for the rating. Anyone or group would benefit from the wisdom, biblical teachings, and encouragement gleaned from it. A copy was provided by Barbour Publishing for my honest review.

Read a Book Monday: The Hope Jar, a 5 Star Read

Posted on July 23, 2018July 22, 2018 by abbasprayerwarriorprincess

Do you read to feed your mind just as you eat to feed your body? Most people read but like we often eat we don’t consider the “nutritional contents” in reading. Today I have a book that will nourish your mind. No junk food in it at all. It is a clean Christian Amish novel that is engaging, thought provoking, provides information, inspiration, and even recipes. Are you interested? Great, I will tell you more.

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New York Times Best Selling author Wanda Brunstetter has penned a new series entitles The Prayer Jars. Book One, The Hope Jar, is a delightful 311 pages that will transport readers between the modern Englisch world and modern Amish world. The book is much different than any other I have read by author Brunstetter. Her writing style hasn’t changed but the story and information given has. This book was extremely well thought, planned, and organized as well as well written.

The book centers around an elderly Amish couple, two twenty something young women, and two young men. Many tough topics are tackled in this fiction work. Things in which we can all relate are presented in these pages such as family issues, parental rules, teenage and young adult disobedience, death, deceit, lies, abuse, dishonesty, betrayal, and someone struggling with faith. It would be an injustice to divulge much about the plot. Reading it and discovering this delightful story on one’s own is much better.

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The characters are lovely and some despicable. The author does a great job defining them and rounding them so that we come to love or really dislike them. I became invested in their lives and emotions. Certain situations were relatable either first hand or through a friend. Dialog flows smoothly and some Amish words are slipped in with definition. Readers will learn a few Amish or Pennsylvania Deutsch words by the end of this book. Much information on the Amish is provided. It would be the perfect book for someone wanting to know the what’s and why’s of Amish life.

After the story, readers will be delighted to find recipes that were mentioned in the story. As a bonus there are discussion questions for book clubs or if you want to dig a bit deeper yourself. Author information, a listing of all of the author’s works and a sneak peak at the cover of Book Two, The Forgiving Jar close out this book.

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Definitely I recommend for a variety of reasons. It provides information some readers may not currently know about Amish, farm life, and scripture. Topics broached are tough, real life issues, and someone might need help with their situation. Recipes used or discussed in a book and then given are a favorite thing of mine, and this book follows through with that. Don’t tease me. If you are going to tempt me with making a delicious dish, then please share the recipe. The life lessons and inspirational lessons are phenomenal. Rating this book a 5 out of 5 star is warranted. This reader is eagerly awaiting Book Two. A few of author Brunstetter’s works have been turned into plays. I for one am hoping for a movie next.

A copy of The Hope Jar was provided by Barbour Publishing for my honest opinion. I can and will give no other.

Find a Book Friday: River to Redemption by Ann Gabhart

Posted on July 20, 2018July 20, 2018 by abbasprayerwarriorprincess

River to Redemption was magnificent. From the beginning pages I was enthralled. Dishes piled up, chores went undone, but I could not put this masterpiece down. I loved most everything about it. Set in Springfield, Kentucky during 1833 the author tackles commoners’ views on slavery and abolition. The fiction tale is rich with history, beginning with the tragic cholera epidemic. Women’s rights, attire, and what society deemed proper were at times unbelievable, but rang true to stories I had heard from my grandmother who was raised in Kentucky.

The characters, both main and secondary, are fabulous. We first meet seven year Adria Starr and quickly it is twelve years later and she is a young lady. Adria is a feisty southern young lady with a mind of her own and a huge heart. Two young men are after her hand, but Adria has many things on her mind as well as in her heart. Prim and proper Ruth is a character that like Adria lost family to cholera. They become a family out of necessity. A new young minister comes and with him good instruction on praying.

Louis is the slave that rescues Adria at the beginning of the book and helps the entire town of Springfield. His faith is as strong as his big heart. His master is an old man and when he becomes ill things look grim for Louis. Aunt Tilda is a sassy cook that brings life and laughter to the book. She was one of my favorites along with a well-meaning match-making widow. There are even more characters, some lovable and others not.

Everyone is thrown together through tragedy and need. Faith in God and believing in prayer sustains them and they thrive. There are bumps and bruises along the way, but that is true to life. The absence of a pet was disappointing for me, but I loved that the characters baked a lot. The author described the cakes, breads, and pies so that I could almost smell the cinnamon.

Author Gabhart has written a beautiful, captivating tale of love, disappointment, hope, loss, faith, freedom, and family. There are so many inspirational messages in this book. For me, that is the mark of a good Christian book. This one had that and more. Scripture, encouragement, life lessons, issues from the past and present are all found within these 319 pages. It is full of emotion and thought provoking subjects. In fact, it is so delightful I hate to give away any of the story. You will revel in discovering it for yourself.

I very highly recommend this charming book. In fact, I devoured it in one sitting. You will be entertained, educated, encouraged, and enlightened. There are no study questions at the back, but like I often say, this would be a nice book club selection. It would be nice to have someone to chat over coffee about this page-turner. I rated it 5 out of 5 stars only because I couldn’t figure out how to squeeze one more out to make it 6. This should win awards and yes, be made into a Hallmark movie. A copy was provided by Revell for my honest review.

Read a Book Monday: As the Tide Comes In by Cindy & Erin Woodsmall

Posted on July 16, 2018July 14, 2018 by abbasprayerwarriorprincess

Have you ever read a book that is hauntingly beautiful? It is emotional, unbelievable yet believable, and has a multitude of twists and turns in it. These types of books are ones that keep you reading and provide food for thought. As the Tide Comes In by authors Cindy Woodsmall and Erin Woodsmall is a Christian novel unlike any I have read. It is a contemporary Southern tale that softly took my hand to lead me into its story. Within a few pages its grip tightened until I was unable to turn loose of this powerful book until I had finished it. It held me tightly. I experienced this book which is much better than merely reading it.

In this exceptionally well written, well thought, and well planned book, the characters are so artfully crafted that they come alive on the pages. The same with the scenes. It felt like I was watching a movie play out before my eyes. Yes, this book would make a wonderful movie! The sights and sounds were spot on. The authors did not over elaborate or bore, but they gave just the right amount. Perfect wording to pick a reader up from a chair and magically transport her (in my case) in to her pages. Dialog between characters flowed smoothly which is crucial for me in books. Not only did I make new friends, but I could put myself in the place of the book’s heroine, Tara. I felt her entire gambit of emotions and at times I was in tears. Only an expertly written book could make that happen.

Opening with an eighteen year old Tara, As the Tide Comes In tells her story. She is contacted by her younger half-brothers’ grandmother, a favorite secondary character for me. Things quickly move ahead twelve years in the future. It is also the story of Firefighter Gavin and his four mothers. Yes, I said four mothers. There are twists and turns, heartbreaking moments, inspiration, encouragement, mystery, and intrigue. No more details. You really must read this fabulous book.

It would be a disservice to disclose much about this amazing book in a review. It should be savored and relished on its own. Trust me when I tell you the authors do a great job writing a story that captivates, teaches, and inspires. It brings glory to God. This is a tale of faith, hope, trust, love, forgiveness, struggle, and triumph. Character, overcoming crisis, family, and loss are topics tackled with finesse. There are so many life lessons in this 339 page book.

If you or your book club are looking for a great book, this is it. You will want to discuss it with someone because of how stirring it is. I highly recommend it and can only hope to see it on the big screen or television one day. Five out of five stars are gladly given. Don’t miss this experience.

Minding the Light by Suzanne Woods Fisher

Posted on July 13, 2018July 12, 2018 by abbasprayerwarriorprincess

Welcome to the Minding the Light tour with Celebrate Lit. I am thrilled you found my stop. Minding the Light by author Suzanne Woods Fisher is an intricate, beautiful, touching historical tale filled with emotion and inspiration. History buffs will swoon over this jam packed detailed story that was so expertly researched. Readers that like to learn about different sects will enjoy hearing about Quakers. Romance readers will get their fix, too. Yes, this is a book for everyone. Minding the Light is Book Two in author Fisher’s Nantucket Legacy series, but it could easily be read as a stand alone. However, you won’t want to miss Book One which was spectacular, too. Definitely read them both.

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This is the story of dashing sea captain Reynolds “Ren” Macy. Six years ago, Ren sailed out leaving his bride in pursuit of whale oil. Unfortunately he returns home to grief, but there are also surprises. The road ahead is difficult for Ren, and it will cost him quite a lot. However, the transformation he made throughout this book was downright inspiring to anyone of any time period.

It is also the story of Daphne. She is the heroine, a strong, compassionate Quaker, who happens to be engaged to Ren’s cousin and business partner. Daphne faces hypocrisy among peers, friends, and elders. However, she remains steady and true to herself and her beliefs. A great romance is told here. Her character is extremely relatable and likable. She quickly became my friend and I was invested in her life. It takes a great writer to pen a good friend.

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Another character is Mary Coffin Starbucks. We become acquainted with her through her journal entries in this novel. While Mary Coffin Starbuck is a real person, her journal was completely made up for this story. Mary was an important figure in Nantucket history. It is interesting seeing the island’s earliest days through her eyes. I loved the journal even though I knew it was fiction.

Besides the main storyline there were subplots that were fascinating, also. This book has a lot of things going on in it. It is extremely well written, well researched, and well planned. I adore reading historical books where I glean things from them. This was a treasure trove for me. Besides the facts about Nantucket there was a wealth of information about Quakers, too.

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Author Fisher has a delightful writing style that brings her well described characters to life. Her descriptive wording transported me to Nantucket to a time and place I had never been. I could almost hear the sounds of the ocean and smell the salty air. The dialog between characters flowed effortlessly and was one of my favorite parts of the books. It was fascinating reading well known surnames throughout the book. This is a book that was hard to put down until the end!

In this captivating novel, I was given food for thought. Things to think about long after I had finished the last page. How do I handle adversity and disappointment? Is my faith strong enough? The author made me realize that we all deal with issues no matter in what era we are born. Hypocrisy has been around since the beginning of time and romantic problems will always exist along with disappointment and bad decision making. We all sin and fall short of how we hope to live, but Jesus is always there to guide us. The Lighthouse shining the way. He is the true Light of the World. My favorite thing for a Christian novel is to have a Christian message. This one gets an A+ for that.

I highly recommend Minding the Light for anyone that enjoys historical Christian romance. This was a wonderful book. You won’t be disappointed. It would really be a great book club read because there are so many things to discuss. It definitely gets a 5 out of 5 star rating.

Please read the sections below. There is a giveaway and some really neat facts about Nantucket provided by our gifted author. Thanks for stopping by. I hope you will return.

Thanks to CelebrateLit for making it possible to read and review this beautiful story.

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About the Book

Book Title: Minding the Light

Author: Suzanne Woods Fisher

Genre: Historical Romance

Release date: July 3, 2018

FIsher_MindingtheLight(2) Six long years ago, Captain Reynolds Macy sailed away from his bride, looking forward to the day when he would return to Nantucket Island with a ship’s hold full of whale oil. But when that momentous day finally arrives, Ren soon discovers that everything has changed in his absence. Everything. “Is nothing on this island as it appears to be?” he whispers in despair.

Unlike most islanders, bold and spirited Daphne Coffin doesn’t defer to Ren as an authoritative whalemaster, but sees through his aloofness to the aching heart beneath. She encourages him to return to his Quaker roots and “mind the Light,” finding solace in God and community. As Ren becomes the man she believes him to be–honorable, wise, faithful–she finds herself falling in love with him.

But how can she, when her heart is spoken for? Tristram Macy is Ren’s business partner, cousin, and best friend–and Daphne’s fiancé. Love always comes at a cost, but when is the price too high?

Suzanne Woods Fisher welcomes readers back to the Quaker community on Nantucket Island for this riveting love story, full of unexpected moments.

About the Author

Carol-award winner Suzanne Woods Fisher writes untold stories about inspiring people. With over one million copies of her books sold worldwide, she is the bestselling author of fiction and non-fiction, ranging from Amish Peace: Simple Wisdom for a Complicated World to the historical novel Anna’s Crossing.

Guest Post from Suzanne

8 Curious Facts you Probably Didn’t Know about Nantucket Island

This beautiful island, thirty miles off Cape Cod, is steeped in history. Here are just a few interesting reasons to add a visit to Nantucket to your bucket list.

1) During the first half of the nineteenth century, Nantucket was considered to be the wealthiest port in the world…all because of whale oil.

2) Petticoat Row is a 19th century nickname for a portion of Centre Street between Main Street and Broad Street. Many shops on Nantucket were run by women while the men were off to sea in whaling ships for years at a time. Quakerism, with its emphasis on equality, provided working women with community respect, value and esteem. The next time you’re visiting Nantucket, be sure to stop by the Petticoat Row Bakery for a morning glory muffin.

3) The use of laudanum (opium) was described by a visiting French as prevalent among the women of Nantucket. Loyal Nantucketers vehemently denied his claim. However, in the 1980s, construction workers digging to Nantucket’s sewer lines found heaps of opium bottles buried in the ground.

For centuries, laudanum was considered to be not only harmless but beneficial. Its very name in Latin is landare, which means to praise. Other names for it: Mother’s Helper (to sedate children), Sea Calm (for seasickness). It was used for all kinds of ailments, from sleeplessness to menstrual cramps to treatment of chronic pain, and available without prescription up until the twentieth century, when it was found to be highly addictive.

4) Nantucket Cent Schools were a carryover from England and the cost was exactly what the name implied. In New England they were kept by refined, thrifty women who often taught their own or their neighbors’ children until they were old enough to enter schools of a higher grade. I came across a story of a boy whose mother stuck a penny in his mouth each day so that he would remember to pay the teacher.

5) Moby Dick, written by Herman Melville in 1851, was based on a true-life event that occurred in 1820 to the Nantucket whaleship Essex and her crew. You can find out more about this ill-fated voyage if you visit Nantucket’s awesome whaling museum.

6) Speaking of…the whaling museum on Nantucket Island is called the Peter Foulger Whaling Museum. Peter Foulger was one of the early settlers to the island, and could be considered a Renaissance Man: inventor, surveyor, teacher, missionary to the Wampanoag Indians. And his grandson was none other than Benjamin Franklin.

7) Nantucketers were, for the most part, related to each other in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. The prosperous island was settled by a small group of families, with less than a dozen surnames: Coffin, Macy, Starbuck, Bunker, Hussey, Gardner, Mayhew, Swain, Barnard, Coleman, Worth, Mitchell. Those names are still common on the island.

8) There’s a good reason those surnames sound familiar to you—many of those early settlers had descendants who started business empires. Recognize these? Macy (retailer) and Folger (coffee).

Blog Stops

Carpe Diem, July 3

Livin Lit, July 3

midnightbookaholic, July 3

The Avid Reader, July 4

Margaret Kazmierczak, July 4

The Power of Words, July 4

A Baker’s Perspective, July 5

Blossoms and Blessings, July 5

A Reader’s Brain, July 5

Just the Write Escape, July 6

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, July 6

Bibliophile Reviews, July 7

Mary Hake, July 7

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, July 7

Texas Book-aholic, July 8

Simple Harvest Reads, July 8 (Guest post from Mindy Houng)

Janices book reviews, July 9

Captive Dreams Window, July 9

Book by Book, July 9

Back Porch Reads, July 10

Reading Is My SuperPower, July 10

Splashes of Joy, July 10

The Morning Chapter, July 11

Vicky Sluiter, July 11

Book Bites, Bee Stings, & Butterfly Kisses, July 11

Among the Reads, July 12

proud to be an autism mom, July 12

Two Points of Interest, July 12

Abbas Prayer Warrior Princess, July 13

Tell Tale Book Reviews, July 13

Blogging With Carol, July 13

Truth and Grace Writing and Life Coaching, July 14

Maureen’s Musings, July 14

Southern Gal Loves to Read, July 14

Godly Book Reviews, July 15

Inklings and notions, July 15

Bigreadersite, July 15

Connie’s History Classroom , July 16

Locks, Hooks and Books, July 16

Pause for Tales, July 16

Have A Wonderful Day, July 16

Giveaway

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To celebrate her tour, Suzanne is giving away a $10 Starbucks gift card to five winners!!

Be sure to leave a comment on one of the blog stops for 9 extra entries into the giveaway. Click link below to enter. https://promosimple.com/ps/d1c4/minding-the-light-celebration-tour-giveaway

Read a Book Monday: The House at Saltwater Point

Posted on July 9, 2018 by abbasprayerwarriorprincess

The House at Saltwater Point written by Hoosier author Colleen Coble is quite a captivating read. If you are in the mood for a sweet little bit of romance fluff, you’d better save this one for later. There is no fluff about this. It is a powerful suspense, mystery that is action packed. Although this is Book Two in her Lavender Falls Series, it could be read as a stand alone. Book one was just as breathtaking so I would encourage you to read it, too.

This is the story of Ellie Blackmore. Ellie buys houses and flips them, and she is quite happy doing it. The next project is her dream house and she plans on keeping it. Her sister, MacKenzie, turns up missing. Ellie learns unpleasant things about her sister. There are blood stains on MacKenzie’s boat. It is unknown if she is missing or dead.

We also meet Coast Guard investigator Grayson Bradshaw. He comes to investigate missing drugs and suspects MacKenzie. Things happen and he learns shocking and surprising news about his own life. Wow. This book keeps your interest and is hard to put down.

The author has a variety of secondary as well as her main characters in this book. Each one is well defined, has believable characteristics, and interacts well with the others. Dialog flows smoothly. The plot has been well thought, right down to mind blowing twists and turns that are so unexpected. The writing is so well executed that I felt as though I was there. I felt the emotions and saw what was happening like in a movie. Only a gifted wordsmith is able to transform words on a page to my surroundings and author Coble does it every time.

If you like international intrigue, mystery, action, terrorism suspense, danger, family secrets, With a little romance, this is the book for you. It has a light handed sprinkling of inspiration and scriptural content. Ellie struggles with letting God handle things in her life. That in itself is a great life lesson we all have faced at one point. I wish it had a heavier dose of it. It is still a fantastic book. I definitely recommend this captivating, don’t put me down until you are finished book. I rated it 5 out of 5 stars.

Chatting with Author, Illustrator SE Foster…..You’re Never Too Old to Color

Posted on June 22, 2018June 14, 2018 by abbasprayerwarriorprincess

It is my pleasure to chat with author, illustrator SE Foster today. Previously she sent me copies of her coloring journals. What lovely products! If you are not into coloring or journaling, I would encourage you to try both and start with hers. I loved them.

Her journal coloring books are such a delightful change from the other tedious intricate designs with minuscule parts in them. Often I start those and become discouraged that I won’t be able to finish, so I give up. These are different, doable. The pictures are larger and very pretty. The scripture and journal questions provide food for thought. While reflecting I was able to color, pray, and write down thoughts. The author has designed well organized, thought, beautiful books.

I highly recommend her beautiful journal/coloring books. The format is easy to use and would be great for any age whether a beginner or seasoned pro. It would make a fantastic gift for camp. I give it a 5 out of 5 stars. Now let’s chat a minute with the creator of them.

Hi Shannon! Tell us about the type of book you write?

Okay, I write and illustrate books in the Christian/Spiritual Genre that are coloring journals. I wanted to offer more than just a coloring book and thought the scriptures reflection and journal prompts would make a nice addition and maybe set it apart from other coloring books on the market.

I totally agree and see a great potential for these. Women’s groups, youth groups, camps. I could go on about them, but let’s learn about you. Do you have a job in addition to writing?

Yes, I do. When I am not writing, painting, drawing or making jewelry I teach water aerobics at the local YWCA for 2 hours a day Monday-Friday.

Wow! You are a busy lady. Tell us your story of how you came to be published.

My first book came to be after I started drawing flowers for the 100 Days Project that is popular on Instagram. One particular day I was having trouble uploading my daily sketch to Instragram and decided to post it on my Facebook page instead. One of my author friends said I should make a coloring book. I, of course, told her “no I don’t think I could do that”.

Well, I for one am glad you did. Your newest book is a bit different from your first.

Yes, my second book is called Coloring Through the Seasons with God: 12 month Prayer Journal with Coloring Pages. I published my first Prayer Journal with Coloring pages in July of 2017 and around September the idea came to me to do a 12 month one instead of a 30 day one like the first book.

How long did it take you to create this book?

To be honest I am not entirely sure how long this one took as I didn’t keep track as closely as I did with my first book. My first book took well over 300 hours. I sketched out each floral element and word and then inked them onto tracing paper. Then scanned those into my computer and I turned them into vecotor images. After cleaning them up I was finally able to place them in the document to create the pdf file to upload. My second book the pages were drawn entirely on my Ipad Pro that I purchased with proceeds from the local sales of my first book. That eliminated so much of the work as I could drawn an entire page and then send it to my computer to be put into the file to be uploaded and published.

Yes, much more efficient. Is this dedicated to anyone?

I dedicated both of my books to my husband. He allows me to do the things I love and be creative. The ladies in my weekly bible study groups were also instrumental in the process of both books and I acknowledged them as well.

Shannon, when did God first call you into this ministry?

I felt the nudge from God to make my first coloring book in April of 2017. My initial response was no as was my response to the second and third nudge. Finally after the fourth nudge I took the plunge and started creating my first book at the end of April 2017 and published on July 6, 2017.

It falls in place when God has His hand on it, doesn’t it? How quickly did doors open for you?

Well, I haven’t had many doors open for me. I do have copies of my book in a local Christian Book store. I have been researching and praying for guidance on what to do next to get my book out there to those who need it.

Did God send you an answer?

In February 2018 I had sent my book to an author who spoke at our local ISI Women’s Conference for her to review. She loved the book and wanted to send me a proposal to work with her on promoting my book. I knew that there was no way I could afford her so I told her not to waste her time sending me something I knew I couldn’t do. She then asked me what I could afford. I told her (it wasn’t much as we had to put a roof on our house in March and had taxes to pay in April).

“I prayed specifically”

She asked me to pray about it and let her know. So the next day while I was teaching water aerobics, I told one of my friends about the conversation. I said that I was going to pray about it and I was going to be very specific. “Ok God” I was going to say, “IF I am supposed to work with this woman the money for the fee is going to have to come from sales in my Etsy shop or I won’t be able to do it.” I went home and said that exact prayer before bed. When I woke up in the morning there had been a $45 sale. Later that day a $152 sale, and then the entire amount was there within about 12 days from when I offered my prayer to God. With pleasure I have started working with her and am very hopeful about what will come of our time together.

God is so good!

Tell us a few of your favorites:

Book: Gone with The Wind

Color: Purple and Teal (again just can’t pick one)

Food: Cheesecake

Smell: Lily of the Valley

Animal: Elephant

Hymn: It is well with my Soul

Song: Fear is a Liar by Zach Williams

Drink: Diet Ginger Ale

Candy: Lily’s Sugar free Salted Almond Dark Chocolate bar.

Movie: That is a tie between Gone with the Wind and Brigadoon

Place: The foothill mountains in Colorado by Boulder.

Chocolate or Vanilla: Both and Strawberry. Neapolitan is my favorite flavor.

Coffee? Cream, cocoa powder and Stevia

Scripture: Be Strong and Let Your Heart Take Courage ~Psalm 27:14

What would be your dream vacation: A trip with my two sisters.

Destination and mode of travel: I would love to fly to Ireland, France, Italy, Scotland, and Sweden( I have a pen pal there from when I was in 7th or 8th grade).

Anything you want to leave the readers with today?

Yes, they may keep in touch with me or purchase my books using the following links:

Website

Http://sefosterauthor.com

Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/s.e.foster.Author/

Instagram

@s.e.foster.author

Links to purchase signed copies of both books

Http://www.etsy.com/shop/fosterscreations

A Stroke with God

Amazon

http://a.co/4RGyQxC

Barns and Noble

Coloring Through the Seasons with God

Amazon

http://a.co/8NzwpQ8

Thank you very much, Shannon, for this lovely time.

Read a Book Monday: The Hawaiian Discovery by Wanda & Jean Brunstetter

Posted on June 18, 2018 by abbasprayerwarriorprincess

If you like tropical locations, Hawaii, and Amish then I have a fabulous novel for you. Tropical Amish sounds like I misspoke, but no, this is accurate. The Hawaiian Discovery is the second in author Wanda and Jean Brunstetter’s Hawaiian quilt series. Even though it is Book Two, you could read it as a stand alone book. However, I would encourage you to read book one because of the back story and just how great it was!

This is the tale of best friends Mandy and Ellen. It is set a few years after Book One, Amish Quilt. 97BD31E8-CD38-41F1-BEC9-3B8E00A801FA

We find Mandy and hubby running a Bed and Breakfast in Indiana. Her best friend, Ellen works there along side her. One day Mandy and her family receive word of a family emergency which causes them to need to quickly pick up and relocate to Hawaii. Ellen jumps in requesting permission to go and help, too, when another crisis hits. She receives permission and flies, on a plane, to Hawaii. Oh the places you’ll go, Ellen! Who could imagine Hawaiian Amish? Wanda and Jean, of course!

The girls and Ken, Mandy’s husband, all work on his family’s chicken farm. There they meet Rob. Immediately sparks start to fly between Amish Ellen and Englischer Rob. Rob carries a secret he does not want to share. However, Mandy warns Ellen about Rob’s background.

The authors do a lovely job with their descriptions. The soft sounds and sights of Hawaii drew me in and I was ready to pack my bags right now. Noises and unpleasant smells from the chicken farm descriptions were on point. Yuck! That would not be the job for this city girl. My point is these authors know how to grab readers and transport them into a story. I felt like I was there. The characters were very authentic, well redescribed with flaws and all. The storyline was well planned and flowed. A few parts were predictable and some had twists and turns. I was not disappointed.

This book gave me a page or two to gently ease into to it and then, bam! I could not put it down. Yep, it is a definite page turner where you want to hurry and see what happens, but don’t want the book to end. Oh, the problems we readers have with a good book.

Many lessons can be gleaned from this sweet romance and the Amish. It teaches readers to cast our cares on God, 4ED194A7-3C82-4201-AAFB-CFCD9494603C

to trust Him, and have faith. Friendship is shown throughout this book. Giving readers pause to reflect upon what kind of friend they are? What would they do for a friend? Do we pray with our friends? Also, family and religious dynamics are explored. What happens when you are away from the guidance of family? How does it effect the family if you marry outside your (their) cultural beliefs?

I enjoyed this book overall, but liked the Indiana more traditional Amish part of it better. It is not your typical Amish novel which is reason enough to give it a try. Just remember to go into it with an open mind. Don’t expect the old Amish things in everything. Expect some surprises. See things through Ellen’s eyes and you will love it. I rated this 5 out of 5 stars. Certainly I would highly recommend it. Anyone who loves Christian fiction, romance, or Hawaii will enjoy this book. I. received a complimentary copy of it from Barbour Publishing and was under no obligation to post a review.

Find a Book Friday: I AM My Beloved by Caryl McAdoo

Posted on June 15, 2018June 15, 2018 by abbasprayerwarriorprincess

Do you enjoy reading biblical fiction? You know, stories about things written in the Bible? Today on Find a Book Friday that is what I have found for you. A biblical novel about people from the Old Testament. Is it any good, you ask? Well, I read it all in one setting!

Author Caryl McAdoo has written a biblical fiction entitled “I AM My Beloved”. This 178 page book was easily devoured by me in one setting. I was immediately drawn into the interesting story and could not put it down. It is normal for author McAdoo’s to grab my attention and not let go.

Author McAdoo’s writing style is graceful and flows smoothly. Her characters are well defined and well rounded with attributes and flaws. The descriptive writing style took me back to ancient days and places. I felt like a visitor.

This is the tale of Solomon and Abishag. She was a chaste wife married to King David and still a virgin after his death. Then she is summoned to be with the new King Solomon. The book kept my attention but it is no action, adventure, big romance book. There are bedroom scenes when Abishag is sent in to be King David’s blanket by warming up a King whose failing heart cannot do the job. However, there is nothing sexual about it. This is a sweet book that will help you grow in your journey with God.

Abishag runs through a wide range and depth of emotions. The writing was so well done that I was taken with her, too. My heart broke for Abishag often and then I was able to laugh and rejoice. It was interesting reading the story of Song of Solomon acted out in a novel. Author McAdoo is so creative, fun, and emotional in her writing of this story. It gives it a breath of fresh air, although I did not agree with how everything was portrayed. It was captivating and hard to put down.

Definitely this book gets my recommendation. If you like biblical fiction you will not want to miss this. It is sweet yet gives you things to reflect upon during and after reading it. Get a group together because this would be a nice book club selection. I received a copy of this book from the author. I rated it 5 out of 5 stars. The opinions and review are my own, honest ones.

Read a Book Monday: John David’s Calling by Caryl McAdoo

Posted on June 11, 2018June 10, 2018 by abbasprayerwarriorprincess

John David’s Calling by Texas author Caryl McAdoo is Book One in her new series The Revivalist. This is a 342 page Christian romance set in 1960s and 1970s Texas. I was surprised it was classified as historical. It took me one page to get drawn into this delightful story. Author McAdoo does that effortlessly with her God honoring writing.

This is the story of John David Nightingale. His father and grandfather are both revivalist preachers. Now he, too, is hearing that same calling for his life. Both of his parents live in extremely different families. One was mainstream, one was charismatic, and David was caught in the middle. His sweetheart is Hannah, and she is ready for marriage.

Author McAdoo tackles some tough issues head on in this book. 3DF577C3-ADA3-418B-8FBE-83D9EF7A27AC

She discusses religious differences among Christians, drugs, war, faith, trust, and love. How about trying to make everyone happy? Who hasn’t been in that situation before? John David’s Calling is very inspiring and will encourage readers to think long after they have finished it. Leaning on God is stressed, as is trusting in Him.

The writing style of this author is so pleasing to me. She always provides characters that you do not want to give up. They are well defined and well rounded complete with flaws that they own. Her descriptive text is on point and transported me to that time and place. My emotions were all over the place along side the characters. I was laughing and tearing up within a matter of pages. That is the mark of a good author, giving me a roller coaster ride. I read it fast to see what would happen next but didn’t want it to end! Thankfully there is an entire series coming so I will not need to say farewell to these dear friends.

I highly recommend this lovely, moving book for any and everyone. It would be a great summer book and new series. A book club would benefit from reading and discussing this. There are plenty of issues to chat about here. I gladly, freely give this a 5 out of 5 stars and eagerly await the next installment. A copy was provided by the author but I was not obligated to write a review. The opinions stated are my own, honest ones.