The Sin of Forgivness

Today's "forgiveness" does just the opposite of what forgiveness is meant to accomplish - put another way, secular forgiveness causes more harm than good. The one forgiving is never made whole again, while the sinner is left in the same wretched condition. But true Christian forgiveness brings a blessing to all. We are to forgive, but it must be according to the example and teachings of Christ. Anything less is a sin.

This book makes you think about the act of forgivness, do we really ask for forgivness or are we simply "sorry" for what we have done. Its a hard yet needed lesson to learn.

I would highly recommened this book.

I recieved this book for review, by the Author: Edward F. Mrkvicka, Jr.

God's Not Dead

A compelling argument for Christianity that equips believers like never before.
 The goal of God’s Not Dead: Evidence for God in an Age of Uncertainty is straightforward: to help readers develop “a faith that is real and credible—and strong enough to help others find faith in God.” To that end, Rice Broocks outlines a roadmap that guides seekers to acknowledge the most basic truths of Christianity:

• There is overwhelming and exciting evidence for God’s existence
• The God who exists is indeed the God of the Bible
• God has revealed his nature through his Son, Jesus Christ

Persuasive arguments crafted with tools borrowed from logic, science, and philosophy, as well as scripture, solidify the faith of the Christian reader and provide starting points for discussions with skeptics. With clear, easy-to-follow explanations of key concepts and controversies, God’s Not Dead is apologetic for the twenty-first century, presented in layman’s terms. Readers will be empowered not only to talk about their own faith with confidence but to lead others to a relationship with Jesus.
This book can make you think about what you believe in and the reasons behind it.
I would highly recommend this.
I recieved this book for review through Thomas Nelson.

Think 4:8

The best-selling author of The 4:8 Principle and 40 Days to a Joy-filled Life returns with a special edition for teens. In just 40 days, teens can change their minds and their attitudes. Tommy Newberry, together with writer Lyn Smith, takes teens from thinking negatively to thinking positively, which will change their entire outlook on life. Not only will this devotional make teens think more positively and have a better attitude, this devotional also points teens to Scripture and helps them understand more about God. The devotions not only help teens understand how their thought life determines their perspective, but they also help them focus their minds on godly truths so they can live out their faith.

This book is the perfect way for teens to get a new attitude and start living a fulfilling, joy-filled life in just 40 days.

Its a great book for teens.

I would recommenced this to Christian Teens.

I received this book for review through Tyndale House Publishers for review.

Burning Sky

“I remember the borders of our land, though I have been gone from them nearly half the moons of my life. But who there will remember me? What I have seen, what I have done, it has changed me.
 
I am the place where two rivers meet, silted with upheaval and loss.
 
Yet memory of our land is a clear stream. I shall know it as a mother knows the faces of her children. It may be I will find me there.“
  Abducted by Mohawk Indians at fourteen and renamed Burning Sky, Willa Obenchain is driven to return to her family’s New York frontier homestead after many years building a life with the People. At the boundary of her father’s property, Willa discovers a wounded Scotsman lying in her path. Feeling obliged to nurse his injuries, the two quickly find much has changed during her twelve-year absence—her childhood home is in disrepair, her missing parents are rumored to be Tories, and the young Richard Waring she once admired is now grown into a man twisted by the horrors of war and claiming ownership of the Obenchain land.
 
When her Mohawk brother arrives and questions her place in the white world, the cultural divide blurs Willa’s vision. Can she follow Tames-His-Horse back to the People now that she is no longer Burning Sky? And what about Neil MacGregor, the kind and loyal botanist who does not fit into in her plan for a solitary life, yet is now helping her revive her farm? In the aftermath of the Revolutionary War, strong feelings against “savages” abound in the nearby village of Shiloh, leaving Willa’s safety unsure.
 
Willa is a woman caught between two worlds. As tensions rise, challenging her shielded heart, the woman called Burning Sky must find a new courage--the courage to again risk embracing the blessings the Almighty wants to bestow. Is she brave enough to love again?

This book was amazing, i loved reading this. It was very well written and had a mysterious feel to it during different parts of the book. Such an amazing first book by: Lori Benton. It was an great story that shows that anyone can change and overcome their past. 

I received this book for review through WaterBrook Press. 

The one year Devotions for Women

From the Back Cover

What wouldn’t we give to have a little more peace?
What is your typical day like? Filled with meetings? Scheduled to the max? Spinning out of control? Does the to-do list go on and on? In the craze of modern life, it’s easy to lose touch with the peace that is freely available to us.

The One Year Devotions for Women: Becoming a Woman at Peace helps you take hold of the peace God offers—a peace far richer and more satisfying than anything you can imagine.

Bestselling author Ann Spangler has a deep desire for women to experience greater peace in their lives. She provides an uplifting devotion for each day that includes a key Scripture verse, a devotional reading, and a suggested prayer for connecting with God. These daily readings will help open your heart to the peace that God wants you to experience every day.

Whatever your life looks like right now, breathe deeply and spend a little quiet time in God’s Word. As you do, you’ll discover a life that is filled with confidence, joy, and unending peace!

Do-able. Daily. Devotions. Start any day the One Year way.

Do-able. Every One Year book is designed for people who live busy, active lives. Just pick one up and start on today’s date.

Daily. Daily routine doesn’t have to be drudgery. One Year devotionals help you form positive habits that connect you to what’s most important.

Devotions. Discover a natural rhythm for drawing near to God in an extremely personal way. One Year devotionals provide daily focus essential to your spiritual growth. It’s convenient and easy to grow with God the One Year way.

This book was very well written and was well written. It is a great length for devotions, short yet long enough to give you a something to ponder and think about. I would recommend this to all women or teens (like me).

I received this book for review through Tydale House Publishers, I was not made to write a positive review, only to express my opinion. 

Shenandoah Crossings By:Lisa Belcastro

Spunky Tess Roberts is more than ready for a grand adventure-and a lasting love-of her own. And the Shenandoah might be her last chance. Tisbury, Massachusetts, Martha's Vineyard: Tess Roberts may live on Martha's Vineyard, vacation spot for movie stars and presidents, but the Island feels anything but idyllic. Tess has had it with lousy dates, lying, cheating men, and the rules that forbid her from working on her family's centuries-old schooner, Shenandoah. Lucky for Tess, she knows a secret-the Shenandoah has magical powers. Her best friend, Rebecca O'Neill, once stayed in Cabin 8 and discovered a time portal that transported her to 1775. A month after Rebecca's "disappearance," Tess's father, brother, and Shenandoah's annoying first mate, Hawk, plan to shut down the time travel for good by dismantling the cabin. But what if Rebecca might someday need to come home? What if Tess isn't ready to say good-bye forever? Sneaking onto the ship late at night, Tess slips into Cabin 8 and drifts off to sleep. She wakes anchored off the New England coast amidst the American Revolution in 1776. The British frigate HMS Greyhound has seized Shenandoah and taken the crew, cargo, and all onboard hostage. To make matters worse, Hawk is relentlessly tracking her, determined to bring her back to the twenty-first century against her will. Sparks begin to fly, from more than cannonballs and gunpowder.... A Vineyard Romance: Romance, history, adventure. Get swept into the exciting Winds of Change series. Book 2. Don't miss Book 1: Shenandoah Nights.

 

This book is very well written and has a great story line, i love how it is set in two different time periods; the 1775's and the present. It was very well written and is a great read. I am a huge lover of Historical Fiction so this book was a very enjoyable book for me to read. I would recommened this to those who love historical fiction set in the 1775. I recieved this book for review through the Author to write an honest review.

Riding Freedom

From Publishers Weekly

The true story of Charlotte "Charley" Darkey Parkhurst, a woman who lived her life disguised as a man so she could be a stagecoach driver, is the basis for this ebullient and tautly structured novel. Charlotte, a girl who "couldn't sew a stitch and didn't know a petticoat from a pea pod," does have a deep respect and a sixth sense for horses. When the head of her New Hampshire orphanage tells her she's banned from riding because she's a girl, she disguises herself as a boy, runs away to Worcester, Mass., and secures a job as Mr. Ebeneezer's stable hand. He takes "Charley" under his wing, teaching her to be the finest horseman and the best coachman in the state. As she guides her coach across the countryside, she tells her passengers, "I know my horses by heart and I'm not one for bad drivin', so hold tight!" Along the way, she encounters a wealth of characters, some good (Hay, her orphan friend; Vern, a freedman who tends the orphanage stables) and some bad (Mr. Millshark, the orphanage head), but all fully realized by Mu?oz (Armadillos Sleep in Dugouts). Eventually, the heroine moves West, suffers a blow to her left eye that earns her the name "One-Eyed Charley," realizes her dream of owning her own property and, still disguised as a man, votes in the 1868 California presidential election?now recognized as the first woman ever to vote in the U.S. With a pacing that moves along at a gallop, this is a skillful execution of a fascinating historical tale. Selznick's drawings, which have an "American Gothic" feel, highlight the dramatic moments. Ages 8+.

I must say i really enjoyed this book. Even though it is geared more towards younger kids i found it to be entertaining and a look at how women were forced to live and were treated in that time period. I would really recommend this book to younger girls who love horses and are looking for a short educational read.

For One More Day

This is the story of Charley, a child of divorce who is always forced to choose between his mother and his father. He grows into a man and starts a family of his own. But one fateful weekend, he leaves his mother to secretly be with his father--and she dies while he is gone. This haunts him for years. It unravels his own young family. It leads him to depression and drunkenness. One night, he decides to take his life. But somewhere between this world and the next, he encounters his mother again, in their hometown, and gets to spend one last day with her--the day he missed and always wished he'd had. He asks the questions many of us yearn to ask, the questions we never ask while our parents are alive. By the end of this magical day, Charley discovers how little he really knew about his mother, the secret of how her love saved their family, and how deeply he wants the second chance to save his own.

I really enjoyed this book more then i thought i would. First i thought it was going to be about suicide and more focused on that, but it was so much more different then i expected, i found myself thinking over different parts of the story long after the last page had been read. Mitch Albom cant write a book that wont change or touch your life in some way. I would highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a life changing book.

The Specialists, Model Spy

(The Specialist, Book 1)

Teen genius Kelly James is in a lot of hot water. A whiz with computers, she agrees to help her college RA, David, uncover some top-secret information. After all, she doesn't have many friends and David has always been nice to her. It doesn't hurt that he's super cute and irresistible, too. All she has to do is hack into the government's main computer system. But a few hours later, her whole life changes. She is caught and taken in for questioning, only this isn't your run-of-the-mill arrest. Rather than serve a juvenile detention sentence, she accepts the option to change her name and enlist in a secret government spy agency that trains teen agents to go undercover. As if that wasn't overwhelming enough, she discovers that David works for this agency as well! And before she even begins to understand what is going on, she's sent on her first mission as an undercover model. And who better to partner with than David himself!

This book was a great start to this series. It was a shorter title but kept your attention from page one to the last one. It is geared more towards middle school, but i feel would fit into high school age better since that's how old most of the characters are. I would highly recommend this book to teens who like spy/mystery novels. 

The Emerald Atlas

Called “A new Narnia for the tween set” by the New York Times and perfect for fans of the His Dark Materials series, The Emerald Atlas brims with humor and action as it charts Kate, Michael, and Emma's extraordinary adventures through an unforgettable, enchanted world.
 
These three siblings have been in one orphanage after another for the last ten years, passed along like lost baggage.
 
Yet these unwanted children are more remarkable than they could possibly imagine. Ripped from their parents as babies, they are being protected from a horrible evil of devastating power, an evil they know nothing about.
 
Until now.
 
Before long, Kate, Michael, and Emma are on a journey through time to dangerous and secret corners of the world...a journey of allies and enemies, of magic and mayhem.  And—if an ancient prophesy is correct—what they do can change history, and it is up to them to set things right.

This book is like Narnia, just altered a little bit and a different kind of story but it has the same basic story to it. I loved it so much, its crazy. It's so plot twisting and mysterious at the same time. 

Dancing from the Shadows

Successful businesswoman Tori St. John is haunted by the verse “To whom much is given, from him much is required.” Despite a marketing coup that guarantees her an executive management position, Tori abandons her career. Instead, she and husband Phillip adopt two children from a third-world orphanage.
At five, Lydia is sugar-coated dynamite. Two-year-old Gabe avoids eye contact, prefers a silver bowl over shiny new toys and fears the vacuum cleaner. His diagnosis of autism leaves Tori obsessed with helping her son, angry at God and at odds with her husband and daughter. 
At stake is Gabe’s future. Tori marshals the skills that made her a business diva and plunges into the special-needs world. As she struggles to defeat Gabe’s disability, Tori’s world unravels. School’s not working for Gabe, their church rejects him, Lydia’s resentment of Gabe escalates and a sultry co-worker is pursuing Phillip.
As she battles to save her family, Tori must learn how to balance a life she can’t control and embrace a different concept of normal.

I could really get into this book and it reminded me so much about my own life. I have two younger brothers with Down Syndrome and this book reminded me about a lot of the feelings and the daily struggle to get everything done and to allow everything to work in Gods way. And this book is so accurate in describing how hard it is to live with a disability in the family much less two. 
I would really recommend this book to anyone who wants to get into the life of a family that has disability in it and understand more of what they are going through. 
I received this book from the author for review, i was not made to write a good review.

Shine, How to Walk The Talk

Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. Matt 5:16 The Bible tells us we need to "shine before men," but what does this mean and how do we do it? In Shine: How to Walk the Talk, Nancy Segovia lays out a series of simple steps you can to take to walk the talk: to love God above all and your neighbor as yourself. Using parables, folk tales, and struggles from her own life, she provides uplifting insights into the Christian walk that can make your first steps easier. She examines scripture for clues on what it means to shine, how to reflect God’s love, and what to do when the muddy messes of life blot out God’s light in you. You will relate to her failings, those "Duh!" moments when spiritual understanding begins to dawn. Most important, you will learn how to apply that understanding; you will learn how to turn your talk into your walk and how to help others to do the same.
This book was very well written and was soooo worth the read. it challenges you to walk the talk and to not just say you are a Christian but to live the life God would want you to live. Not to be a luck warm Christian and to shine bright to all those around you and show you the love of God to everyone to draw them closer to Him. I would highly recommend this book to all new Christain's to read to learn how to live your life fully for God. 
I have recieved this copy of the book through the author for review, i was not made to write  a good review.

Selling Simplified

Written by Michelle Moore, a real estate selling and training expert with more than 40 sales and leadership awards, Selling Simplified: 55 Fast Tips to Jump-start Your Real Estate Business shares what it takes to reach the highest levels of success in real estate. Whether you are considering getting your real estate license, are new in the real estate business, or you have been selling real estate for over twenty-five years, this book is for you! Selling Simplified is an indispensable source of information that includes fifty-five fast tips to successfully sell real estate in any market, in any city, and in any state. The book is chock-full of wisdom, proven and factual tips, tools, and techniques that are guaranteed to give you the edge you need to excel in today's competitive real estate business environment. The beauty is that they can be implemented immediately and mastered over time. Selling Simplified is for anyone who is ready to realize their goals and fulfill their highest potential and is endorsed by Bob Schultz, One of the 50 Most Influential People in Home Building - Builder Magazine.
If i was going to start my own real estate business, i would be going to this book to do it. It is very informative and very simple to figure out and to understand.
I recieved this book from the author and was not made to write a good review. 

365 Pocket Devotions

Learn to walk more closely with God each passing day! 365 Pocket Devotions is a convenient, easy-to-carry, quick-access book containing daily reflections on topics like trusting God, making wise choices, and loving others. Each day begins with an inspirational, thought-provoking reading and ends with a promise from Scripture. A new edition in the popular 365 Pocket series that has touched so many lives, 365 Pocket Devotions is created specifically for those who want daily devotional time with God. (Adapted from the perennial favorites The One Year At His Feet Devotional and The One Year Walk with God Devotional.)

I really love this little book, it has a soft, leathery orange cover and a ribbon bookmark. I love how its not written for a certain year like some devo's are which drives me insane. The devo's are short and sweet, long enough to give you a complete picture but short enough for those of us who are to busy to sit and read a whole chapter of the Bible plus a severl paragragh devo. I would recommend this cute little book to those who want a short devo, in a compact size that would fit easily into a purse or other bag.

I received this book for review from Tyndale House Publishiers.