My Top 10 books for 2011

My top ten books of 2011

alphabetically arranged

A Marriage Carol by Gary D. Chapman

Ellie’s Haven by Sharlene MacLaren

Forbidden by Ted Dekker & Tosca Lee

Gray Matter by David Levy

Rooms by James L. Rubart

Shades of Blue by Karen Kingsbury

The Colonel’s Lady by Laura Frantz 

The Deepest Waters by Dan Walsh

The Wedding Kiss by Hannah Alexander

Throw the Devil off the Train by Stephen Bly

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

These books are also fantastic

Possession by Rene Gutteridge

Within My Heart by Tamera Alexander

Fatal Judgment by Irene Hannon

A Rush of Wings by Kristen Heitzmann

Pearl in the Sand by Tessa Afshar

Promises to Keep by Ann Tatlock

Canary Island Song by Robin Jones Gunn

The Bride Collector by Ted Dekker

Now I Walk on Death Row by Dale S. Recinella

The Betrayal by Jerry B. Jenkins

The Priest's Graveyard by Ted Dekker

The Chair by James L. Rubart

Lonestar Angel By Colleen Coble 

One Perfect Day By Lauraine Snelling

The Crossing by Serita Jakes

Gone to Ground by Brandilyn Collins

The Road Trip by Jo Lynn Crozier  

Happy New Year

Unto the Hills-A Daily Devotional by Billy Graham*A Review

ABOUT UNTO THE HILLS
The classic 365-day devotional from Billy Graham, now back in print.

No matter your place in life, this classic collection of devotional readings is designed to bring you daily to that special place of renewal-to help you pause and gaze "unto the hills" for help and inspiration.

Each of the 365 daily readings in this inspiring collection offers a carefully chosen passage of scripture, a brief, thoughtful message from Dr. Graham, and a heartfelt prayer composed especially for this book. Distilled from a lifetime of study and ministry, these devotionals supply daily food for thought about living fruitfully and joyfully in an often fretful world.

Simple, direct, encouraging yet challenging, this book offers itself as a heartening companion for your daily walk in the valley. This collection is a gentle but constant reminder that we can find help for all our needs as long as we remember to look up . . . unto the hills but especially unto the Lord.

Paperback: 432 pages
Publisher: Thomas Nelson; Reprint edition (December 28, 2010)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0849946212
ISBN-13: 978-0849946219
Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 5.9 x 1.3 inches
Shipping Weight: 1 pounds

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Billy Graham, the world-renowned author, preacher, and evangelist has delivered the gospel message to more people face-to-face than anyone in history and has ministered on every continent of the world. Millions have read his inspirational classics, including ANGELS, THE SECRET OF HAPPINESS, PEACE WITH GOD, THE HOLY SPIRIT, HOPE FOR THE TROUBLED HEART, and HOW TO BE BORN AGAIN.

MY REVIEW
  I love anything written by Billy Graham and this daily devotional entitled Unto The Hills was just so full of knowledge and compassion, but the thing I like the most is Billy Graham’s love of our Lord.
  Each day has a Bible verse and is full of wisdom and a story to make a point. Also it always ends with a prayer.
  I have put many of Billy Graham’s quotes on facebook from this book and was quite inspired by his words of healing and wisdom.
 I will keep this book and in a few years go through it again. This fantastic book will work for any year, it just has the date and not the year on the pages.
  I highly recommend this book and it will be treasure to you as it is to me. After reading it you could give it to someone else so they could share or buy an extra copy for a gift. Definitely a 5-star book.

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Disclosure of Material Connection: I receive books free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their Book Review Blogger program/BookSneeze. I am not required to write a positive review. The opinions I express are my own. This is true of any book I review for any publisher or author; I will not review books where a positive review is required and I will always express my own opinions of each book received and read.

The Attic in My Yard Ebook By Birgit Horvath-Muck

ABOUT THE ATTIC IN MY YARD
Most of us no longer dream and imagine the way we did as kids. Where we once saw pirate's ships sailing by or fairies dancing in the meadow we now see a cherry tree or the trash can. No one knows how this happens, but one day you look out the window and the ships and fairies are gone. Then again, maybe they are just hiding beneath a raspberry bush. And maybe all it takes is to lure them out again. From the attic in your yard … into reality.

a -thinking really deep thoughts- book

Includes 28 illustrations

The Attic in My Yard
Ebook By Birgit Horvath-Muck
Rating:
(5.00 based on 2 reviews)
Published: Oct. 04, 2011
Category: Non-Fiction » Inspiration » Personal inspiration
Words: 2342 (approximate)
Language: English




ABOUT THE AUTHOR
I'm a reader.
I'm a writer.
I'm a book blogger
Some random facts about me.

1. While I was at Uni I had a part-time job at a bookshop. Great for my arm muscles. Bad for my finances.

2. I love broccoli.

3. Apart from my obvious addiction to books I'm also crazy about handbags.

4. The northernmost city I've ever visited is Murmansk. The southernmost Melbourne. Oddly enough my hometown starts with M too.

5. I could literally live in a Kinkade painting.

6. Yes, I'm from Austria. No, I don't ski ... or wear a Dirndl, for that matter.

7. Photography is one of my favorite hobbies and usually I have a camera with me wherever I go.

8. I procrastinate. A lot.

9. Boyds Bears. My bedroom is basically a bear cave. Wish I could hibernate with them.

10. Clowns aren't funny. Period.

11. I've been a vegetarian for more than 20 years now.

12. James Caviezel is hot. And talented. But mostly, hot.

13. I don't like talking on the phone and rather send an e-mail.

14. "Pillow Talk" is my favorite movie. I have watched it so often I pretty much know all the dialogues by heart.

15. I'm a huge fan of Disney World.

16. If you should ever happen to be in my car when I'm driving, be prepared to learn some new ... uhm, vocabulary.

17. Tori Amos is one of my alltime favorite musicians.

18. I had budgies as a kid. Would have prefered a dog though.

19. One of my pet peeves is people who're late.

20. I wrote my thesis about the alien in Star Trek, looking at the series from the anthropological side.

21. One day I will be able to afford flying first class. Not sure whether this makes me an optimist or just delusional.

22. I love taking naps

http://the-book-garden.blogspot.com/


MY REVIEW
  This is a sweet little book that I really enjoyed. It really is inspiring and lets you know that no matter where you are in life or how old you are you can still have your dreams. Don’t give up and remember to look at things positively.
  One line in the book that I really liked was this “Just remember that running along with blinders will neither make you reach your goal faster nor will it make the journey enjoyable.”
  A lot of things in this book are very profound and have a lot of meaningful words.
  The pictures were really neat, even though I have a Kindle the pictures were interesting and lovely. I really love the cover to this book. It was just priceless.
  I was uplifted and inspired to keep working on my dreams and don’t give up.
  If you read this book you will be encouraged and really glad you read it. It won’t take you long to read at all. I was probably done in an hour or two.
  I highly recommend this book for your reading encouragement and to inspire you.

Order from Smashwords

Thank you to the author for providing this book for review. 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

Ellie's Haven by Sharlene MacLaren*A Review

ABOUT ELLIE'S HAVEN
A courageous young woman seeking refuge...

Ellie Booth was never the type to run away. But she'd witnessed her stepfather commit a heartless crime, and, knowing he'll stop at nothing to keep her quiet, she has no choice but to flee. Soon, she finds herself in Wabash, Indiana, scrambling for a cover identity to evade her stepfather. For lack of a better option, she answers an ad for a wife/housekeeper/nanny, praying that her lack of experience won't be obvious.

A widowed father with no domestic skills to speak of...

Gage Cooper is reaching the end of his rope. With four children between the ages of three and ten, he needs a reliable nanny, yet each one he's hired has thrown up her hands and deserted her post. When an attractive, spirited young woman applies for the "job," he knows he should pray about the matter, but his desperation for help propels him headlong into a marriage of convenience.

A trial by fire of their wedding vows...

Ellie immediately falls in love with the Cooper children, and, not long after, with their father. Soon, the "marriage of convenience" becomes less of a business arrangement as husband and wife yield to an attraction neither one had expected. When secrets of the past and dangers of the present arise in their lives, their marriage is put to the test, and God alone knows what will become of their union.


Paperback: 416 pages
Publisher: Whitaker House (March 1, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1603742131
ISBN-13: 978-1603742139
Shipping Weight: 0.5 ounces


ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Born and raised in west Michigan, Shar attended Spring Arbor University. Upon graduating with an education degree way back in 1971, she traveled internationally for a year with a small singing ensemble, then came home and married one of her childhood friends. Together they raised two lovely, wonderful daughters, both of whom are happily married and enjoying their own families. Retired in 2003 from 31-years of teaching, Shar loves to read, sing in the church choir and worship team, travel, and spend time with her family, in particular, her wonderful, adorable grandchildren, Dylan, Alexis, and Gavin!
A Christian for forty+ years, and a lover of the English language, Shar has always enjoyed dabbling in writing—poetry, fiction, various essays, and freelancing for periodicals and newspapers. Her favored genre, however, has always been romance. She remembers well the short stories she wrote in high school and watching them circulate from girl to girl during government and civics classes. “Psst,” someone would whisper from two rows over, and always with the teacher’s back to the class, “Pass me the next page.”
Shar is a an occasional speaker for her local MOPS organization, is involved in KIDS’ HOPE USA, a mentoring program for at-risk children, counsels young women in the Apples of Gold program, and is active in two weekly Bible studies. She and her husband, Cecil, live in Spring Lake, Michigan with their lazy, fat cat Mocha.

MY REVIEW
  I really love this book. Ellie’s Haven is such a tender, compassionate book that it will grip your heart. This is book two in the River of Hope series. Ellie’s Haven is one of my favorite books for 2011. Sharlene MacLaren is an excellent author and I love her writing style.
  I like that Ellie’s Haven has so many interesting parts. I couldn’t wait to read it each day, but was sad to finish. Very interesting, lovable characters.
  Ellie’s Haven has suspense, hate, mother-daughter love, friendship, family, new relationships, new beginnings, murder, forgiveness.
  Ellie and Gage make a good couple even though their age difference is really big. Gage sees Ellie as a young girl for quite a long time, but finds out she is really capable. She soon shows Gage that age isn’t all that important in a relationship.
  It’s really special how Ellie and her mom each come to the Lord, but at different times through different people and the love they have for each other.
  This book is highly recommended and I know you will love it. The release date is March 2012. Keep a look out for Ellie’s Haven and all books by Sharlene MacLaren.

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Thank you to Whitaker House for providing this book for review. 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

The Road Trip by Jo Lynn Crozier*A Review

ABOUT THE ROAD TRIP
The story is a tapestry of fantasy woven by the threads of reality. In the story, God takes the female lead character, Liz, on a road trip. On the trip, Liz interacts with many different and whimsical characters in fantastical locations. Each location is vastly different from the other, but each time she leaves a location, she receives a very important, relevant, and useful spiritual life lesson. The story is imaginative, entertaining, and humorous.

Hardcover: 184 pages
Publisher: Emmanuel House Publishing (November 1, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0615483674
ISBN-13: 978-0615483672
Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.7 x 0.8 inches
Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Jo Lynn Crozier, a member of the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews, draws her literary inspiration from her relationship with God. She attended the University of Texas at Arlington and works as a mortgage banker. Crozier resides in Granbury, Texas, with her husband, Bobby. They have one son, three daughters, and five grandchildren. Jo Lynn is devoting her writing career to reshaping the way we all relate to God.

MY REVIEW
  This is the first book I’ve read by Jo Lynn Crozier and it is a fantastic book. The Road Trip is a flight of the imagination. The first part of each chapter talks about the main character Liz taking a road trip with God. It is just amazing at the places they stop and the people they meet. In each chapter you learn the wrong way people do things, but God always explains and tells what we should do.
 Here are a few of the chapters and what they are about: The Comfort Zone, where people are afraid to go out and try new things and keep themselves crippled, but they would be so much better if they just tried it. Another one was in the Gardens of Humanity which I loved a lot. This is talking about in some people lives they have joy, peace, love etc, because they let the lord in, which is a beautiful garden, full of flowers and beautiful things, but in other lives-gardens people have fear, hatred, gossip etc, which is ugly and full of scary, sad things.
Each place has whimsical characters that represent each of the problems many people face.
 Each chapter is an adventure in the whimsical sense of the word and at the end of each chapter Jo Lynn gives certain Bible verses and gives an example of the meaning of the chapter. Each chapter has deep spiritual importance.
  This book is very whimsical with deep insight that will be such a help to any Christian. I really love this book and will keep it for my bookshelf. I highly recommend this book for your reading enjoyment and learning abilities.

  Order from Jo Lynn Crozier


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Thank you to the author for providing this book for review. 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

WINNER of My Life and Lesser Catastropes by Christina Schofield

The winner of 

My Life and Lesser Catastropes by Christina Schofield

go to karenk

Enjoy this wonderful book.

I will have a lot more book giveaways in the coming year.

Made by God Big Bugs, Little Bugs* A read by yourself book for children*A Review

Butterfly, Goliath Beetle, Lightning Bug, and Praying Mantis includes simple text perfect for I Can Read level two readers and provides basic facts about these bugs of all sizes and their habitat. Parents and teachers will enjoy introducing early readers to the wonders of God’s creation.

Description:
Did you know … There are about 18,000 kinds of butterflies? That the goliath beetle is the largest bug on earth? Learn more about these and other amazing bugs made by God.

Book & Bible Cover Size: Large
Page Count: 32

Paper Edge Description: Plain
Size: 6 wide x 9 high x 0.1 deep in. | 152 wide x 229 high x deep 2 mm
Weight: 0.165 lb | 74 gms

Available: March 2011

MY REVIEW
  These made by God books are so fantastic for children. It really is a help to get them to read. The pictures are so big and colorful. I know many children will look at them again and again. This one is called Made by God: Big Bugs, Little Bugs.
 These I can read books are high-interest stories for developing readers, which will capture and keep a child’s attention.
 The different parts of this book are called:
Butterflies
Goliath Beetles
Lightning Bugs
and Praying Mantises.
  One really fun, interesting thing I learned is that Butterflies can fly up to 12 miles an hour. I find that fascinating.
  Something about the Goliath beetle is when they fly their wings sound like a helicopter.
    There are about 2,000 different kind of lightning bugs.
   The head of a praying mantis can turn almost in a circle.
  God made some amazing bugs, some bad and some good. I really like these books because God is mentioned so much.
  I highly recommend these books for reading to your child, but mostly for them to learn to read better and it’s all full of the amazing things God created.

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Thank you to Zonderkidz for providing this book for review. 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