Friday, November 18, 2011

The House of Hope


The House of Hope

by Elisabeth Gifford

From the back of the book:

In 1998 Robin and Joyce Hill gave up their wealthy expatriate life in China to take sick and abandoned orphans into their home. With their two youngest children the couple moved into a small apartment miles outside Beijing, setting up the first cot in their dining room.

In October 2000 Hope Foster Home received its first tiny children. All had been abandoned and many needed urgent surgical assistance. As news spread, so help arrived, along with more orphans. Before long directors of Child Welfare Institutes across China were asking Robin and Joyce to step in. 

To date Robin and Joyce and their dedicated team have rescued over 1000 children. 

This book was so inspiring. Knowing that the Hills helped and are still helping so many children is amazing to me. I have to admit I did not read the whole book because I had a bit of a hard time getting into the story. I think if it had been written in first person - at least some portions of it - it would have been more enjoyable to read, and more personal. That being said, I still think the story is amazing and the Hills' ministry is worthwhile for many people to read about. 

One hundred percent of proceeds of this book go to fund the work at Hope Foster Home. You can visit the website here. Also, click here to learn more about how you can get a $50 Amazon gift card and $50 in your name to Hope Foster Home!

About the author:

Elisabeth Gifford is a journalist who has written for the London Times and the Independent Newspapers. She lives in Kingston, England, and teaches children with dyslexia.


Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from LitFuse Publicity Group. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Friday, November 11, 2011

The Christmas Shoppe


The Christmas Shoppe

by Melody Carlson

The mysterious Matilda Honeycutt has recently bought  the old Barton building in Parrish Springs to open a store called The Christmas Shoppe. The whole town is suspicious of her odd ways and style of dress. However, everyone who steps foot in The Christmas Shoppe ends up undergoing a transformation of sorts. What is Matilda selling in her store? Will Parrish Springs finally accept this mysterious woman?

I liked this light, easy read. It is the perfect book to go with a cup of hot cocoa on a snowy day. If you like short, heartwarming stories, this one is for you!

About the author:

Melody Carlson published her first book in 1995 and she has been writing prolifically ever since. To date, Melody has published over 200 books, making her one of the top 20 most prolific authors of all time. With total sales of over 1.4 million her award-winning books include: Homeward, Love Finds You in Sisters, Oregon; Limelight; the Diary of a Teenage Girl series; the True Colors series; and the Charter House Girls series.

In her professional life, Melody has worn many hats: from pre-school teacher to political activist to senior editor. Currently, she writes full-time, and freelances from her home. She has two grown sons and lives in Sisters, Oregon with her husband, Chris, and Bailey, her chocolate lab. They enjoy skiing, hiking, and biking in the  beautiful Cascade Mountains

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Revell Books. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Saturday, November 5, 2011

The Baker's Wife


The Baker's Wife 

by Erin Healy

From the back cover:

To save her husband and son, Audrey Bofinger must rescue her enemy.

The Bofinger family has lost their church ministry in a scandal exposed by Officer Jack Mansfield. Hoping to heal and to restore their reputation, Audrey, Geoff, and their son Ed take over a failing bakery in the small community.

Driving to the bakery one morning, blinded by fog, Audrey hits a motor scooter owned by Jack’s wife, Julie. The mangled scooter is crushed and bloody. But Julie is nowhere to be found. Her disappearance coincides with a sudden illness that nearly cripples Audrey.


Jack believes the Bofingers have hurt Julie to take revenge on him, but the evidence dries up and her trail goes cold. At a breaking point, Jack takes the tiny bakery and its patrons hostage, issuing only one demand: Audrey has six hours to return Julie to him, or lose Geoff and Ed forever.

With only an excruciating and intuitive gift, an ex-con, and Julie’s estranged daughter to help search for clues, Audrey starts the search of her life for a woman who has vanished like the fog.


I love reading suspense novels. When I am on the edge of my seat, wondering what is going to happen next, I know I am reading a good book. This book took me a bit of time to get into, but I blame that on being too busy to sit down and read large chunks at a time. By the time I got halfway through the book though, I was completely into the book. 

This book had many twists and turns. One intriguing part for me was the fact that I really had no idea how the book was going to end, or what happened to Julie. Many times I will be reading a book and have some sort of idea, or have some insight due to the characters' thoughts. But this one was a true enigma to the end! 

I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves reading suspense - it will keep you up reading late into the night!


Let the flour fly! Beginning October 24th, Erin's celebrating the release of her latest page turner, The Baker's Wife, with an outstanding KitchenAid baking prize package giveaway that includes a brand new KitchenAid Mixer, cook books, and all you need to whip up some fabulous bread or sweets! Then and on November 10th she'll be wrapping up the release of The Baker's Wife with an Author Book Chat Party on Facebook! Don't miss a minute of the fun!




One grand prize winner will receive:

  • Empire Red 4.5 QT Ultra Power KitchenAid Stand Mixer
  • Black & White Kitschy Apron
  • Black Silicone Oven Mitt
  • Black OXO Rolling Pin
  • Wilton 9X5 loaf pan
  • At My Grandmother's Knee Cookbook by Faye Porter
  • Second Helpings with Johnnie Gabriel Cookbook
  • The Baker's Wife by Erin Healy
Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on November 9th. Winner will be announced at The Baker's Wife Author Book Chat Facebok Party. Erin will be wrapping up the The Baker's Wife celebration with a book club chat and giving away a bunch of "sweet treats"! So grab your copy of The Baker's Wife (it's okay if you don't have one yet- you might win one!) and join Erin on the evening of November 10th for a book chat, some "baking" trivia and lots of "sweet" giveaways (books, and Amazon, iTunes & Starbucks gift certificates)!


Enter via E-mail Enter via FacebookEnter via Twitter


Don't miss a moment of the fun. RSVP today and tell your friends. Hope to see you on the 10th!


About the author:

Well-known to critics and reviewers, Erin Healy has established herself as an award-winning editor and a best-selling co-author with Ted Dekker. Healy received wide acclaim for her two debut novels Never Let You Go and The Promises She Keeps. Her work focuses on the psychological and spiritual, driven by high moral stakes. She lives and writes in Colorado with her family.

For more information please visit www.erinhealy.com. 

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from LitFuse Publicity Group. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Thursday, November 3, 2011

Moon White



Moon White

by Melody Carlson

Heather Sinclair is only dabbling in Wicca when her Christian friend tells her she won't be friends with her anymore unless she stops. When her life seems to start spinning out of control, she delves even deeper into Wicca and looks to it to help her get her life back into control. Little does she know what it is really doing to her soul. And little does she know that the more she tries to gain control, the more control she loses.

This was a fascinating book. Before I picked it up, I had no idea how or why people got involved in Wicca. I liked how Carlson portrayed Heather's feelings, and her exploration of spiritual things. It made me realize that people who don't understand the truth about Christ really are lost, and are susceptible to all kinds of untruths in the world. 

I would highly recommend this book to anyone who is exploring their faith and showing interest in spirituality or the occult. I would also recommend it as a good book for teenagers to read.

For more information on why teenagers get involved in the occult, read Melody Carlson's guest blog here

About the author:


Melody Carlson published her first book in 1995 and she has been writing prolifically ever since. To date, Melody has published over 200 books, making her one of the top 20 most prolific authors of all time. With total sales of over 1.4 million her award-winning books include: Homeward, Love Finds You in Sisters, Oregon; Limelight; the Diary of a Teenage Girl series; the True Colors series; and the Charter House Girls series.

In her professional life, Melody has worn many hats: from pre-school teacher to political activist to senior editor. Currently, she writes full-time, and freelances from her home. She has two grown sons and lives in Sisters, Oregon with her husband, Chris, and Bailey, her chocolate lab. They enjoy skiing, hiking, and biking in the beautiful Cascade Mountains