The Christmas Pony by Melody Carlson*A Review

ABOUT THE CHRISTMAS PONY 
It is 1937, and Lucy Turnbull knows better than to wish for a pony this Christmas. Her mother has assured her in no uncertain terms that asking for a pony is the same as asking for the moon. Besides, the only extra mouths they need at their boarding house are the paying kind. Then an interesting pair of strangers comes to town, and Lucy's world changes forever.

From the Inside Flap
Lucy was about halfway to town when she heard a car coming down the road behind her. It was making a lot of noise, and when she looked, smoke was billowing all around it. She stepped to the side of the road as the pale yellow car slowly sputtered and clunked past her. It looked like a pretty car. Too bad it didn't work right.
When Lucy got to town, she noticed the pale yellow car parked in front of Hempley's Garage, and a man in a brown suit was talking to Mr. Hempley. But it was the lady getting out of the car who really captured Lucy's attention. Wrapped in a royal blue coat with a big silver fur collar, she had shining hair almost the same color as the pale yellow car and cut short with bangs that curled like a fringe around her pretty face.
As Lucy got closer, she could see the lady's rosy cheeks and lips of scarlet red. She looked just like a real movie star!
"Hello, doll." The lady smiled down at Lucy.
"Hello," Lucy managed to say back to her.
"Is there a place I can buy a soda around here?" Her voice sounded as sweet as sugar and honey.

Hardcover: 169 pages
Publisher: Revell (September 1, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0800719271
ISBN-13: 978-0800719272
Product Dimensions: 5.5 x 0.8 x 8.5 inches
Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Melody Carlson is the award-winning author of over two hundred books, several of them Christmas novellas from Revell, including her much-loved and bestselling book, The Christmas Bus. She also writes many teen books, including Just Another Girl, Anything but Normal, the Diary of a Teenage Girl series, the TrueColors series, and the Carter House Girls series. Melody was nominated for a Romantic Times Career Achievement Award in the inspirational market for her books, including the Notes from a Spinning Planet series and Finding Alice, which is in production as a Lifetime Television movie. She and her husband serve on the Young Life adult committee in central Oregon. Visit Melody's website at www.melodycarlson.com.


MY REVIEW
  This is my first Christmas book of the season and I knew anything Melody Carlson writes would be fantastic and I was right.  The Christmas Pony is a very sweet, touching, romantic story.
  Lucy was eight years old, but had many thoughts and wishes. Would they all come true and if not which ones. She wished and prayed for a pony, more boarders to help them make it through the winter and to see Mama smile again.
  Ponies cost so much to buy, feed and take care of. Boarders didn’t come much in the winter or around Christmas since they stayed close to home. Also Mama didn’t smile anymore before Lucy’s Dad died three years ago.
  The characters are very realistic and they feel like family. Lucy, her Mom and Grandma are very poor, but a loving family whom tried very hard to keep the farm going.
  The newcomers whose car broke down while Lucy was in town are very out of the ordinary and different. They are George and Veronica. When they come to stay as boarders until the car can be fixed many things happen and things become interesting.
 This story is told by Lucy and it would many very fascinating reading for all, but I believe younger girls would really love it.
 I highly recommend The Christmas Pony for everyone. Very sweet, appealing book.

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I received my free copy from Donna Hausler from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group for my 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 Time and Again by Deborah Heal

Greetings Friends!

The Winner of the book Time and Again by Deborah Heal is

Apple Blossom!

So if you send me your name and address here

wandaelaine at gmail dot com

I will give your info to the author right away.

Blessings and Congrats,

Trinity Rose

Full Disclosure by Dee Henderson A Review

ABOUT FULL DISCLOSURE
Ann Silver is a cop's cop. As the Midwest Homicide Investigator, she is called in to help local law enforcement on the worst of cases, looking for answers to murder. Hers is one of the region's most trusted investigative positions.

Paul Falcon is the FBI's top murder cop in the Midwest. If the victim carried a federal badge or had a security clearance, odds are good Paul and his team see the case file or work the murder.

Their lives intersect when Ann arrives to pass a case off her desk and onto his. A car wreck and a suspicious death offer a lead on a hired shooter he is tracking. Paul isn't expecting to meet someone, the kind that goes on the personal side of the ledger, but Ann Silver has his attention.

The better he gets to know her, the more Paul realizes her job barely scratches the surface of who she is. She knows spies and soldiers and U.S. Marshals, and has written books about them. She is friends with the former Vice President. People with good reason to be cautious about who they let into their lives deeply trust her. Paul wonders just what secrets Ann is keeping, until she shows him the John Doe Killer case file, and he starts to realize just who this lady he is falling in love with really is...

Paperback: 473 pages
Publisher: Bethany House Publishers; 1 edition (October 2, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0764210890
ISBN-13: 978-0764210891
Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.5 x 17 inches
Shipping Weight: 1 pounds

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Dee Henderson is the bestselling, award-winning author of 15 previous novels, including the acclaimed O’MALLEY series and UNCOMMON HEROES series. She is a lifelong resident of Illinois.





MY REVIEW
  I love anything and everything from Dee Henderson. This book Full Disclosure is very good, but not Dee’s best work.
  I love how Paul really wants to get married and knows it right away. Ann really holds back from relationships except for friendship. She really doesn’t like to fail in anything so she would rather not try in marriage.
  One thing I didn’t care for in this book was how Dee has Ann to be the writer of the O’Malley series. I don’t think it fits in with the story very well.
Also Ann seems to be able to do everything and know everyone, but doesn’t want to trust herself in a serious relationship.
  I love all of the police work and crime scenes that Ann and Paul work on. Dee writes really great crime/mystery stories.
  I feel the romance doesn’t work well in this story, because it doesn’t seem to be much of it in the book. Also Ann is to perfect, but very flawed. She believes in the Lord, but rarely does she trust Him to help her with a serious relationship.
  Paul is just a wonderful character and gives in to Ann’s every whim and I don’t believe that’s possible in a real relationship. Both sides need to give or it doesn’t work.
  Even though I’m not thrilled about every part of the story I still really recommend it. The lady killer part is very interesting.

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Thank you to the  Author/Publicist  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

REVIEW AND GIVEAWAY Father of Lights DVD

About Father of Lights
FATHER OF LIGHTS chronicles the journey of filmmaker Darren Wilson and his team as they fearlessly travel the globe, far from the daily existence of the typical evangelical believer in the West. By thoughtfully documenting the stories of extraordinary believers and candidly filming miracles, visions and other supernatural occurrences, Wilson engages viewers in modern day examples of the true nature and character of God.

Wilson gives honest access to his own spiritual questions as he tackles the religious misconceptions he has struggled with throughout his life.  “I went into making this film by asking the simple question: who is God? I wanted to know His character, His personality, and who He truly is. To answer this question, we had to peel back the many layers of religious garbage that has been passed onto him through generations. That He is angry. Vengeful. Wrathful. And in general, that He doesn’t like you very much. The truth, as you will see vibrantly in this film, is that He is the most loving, compassionate, and wonderful Father you can imagine.”

DARREN WILSON

About Wanderlust Productions
Wanderlust Productions is a video production company focusing on creating content for various media that highlights, informs, and is designed to spiritually stretch our audience.  Created by Darren Wilson, Professor at Judson University, Wanderlust’s focus is on telling stories that inspire and agitate, that are unwavering in their honesty yet are emotionally compelling.  While our content will always be Christian in nature, we are not afraid to explore themes, concepts, or areas that may be considered “risky” by the Christian establishment.  Wanderlust prides itself on its willingness to put the story above the message.  That being said, the message will never waver.

Website: http://fatheroflights.wpfilm.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/fatheroflights

Twitter: https://twitter.com/wanderdarren/

YouTube Channel: http://www.youtube.com/wanderlustproduction


MY REVIEW
  Father of Lights is quite a nice DVD. It tells of how different believers listen to God’s voice and how they tell others of the Lord.
I was quite taken with the first man they showed on the DVD who became a Christian and says he hears God’s voice every morning telling him where to go and what to do. This man talks to witch doctors, hindu holy men, gang members etc.. I really believe he has the spirit of the Lord.
  Also we meet another man who loves the Lord and heals people with laying his hands on people and praying. This part of the movie for me wasn’t all that believable, because you never see how bad the person was before he was healed. You just see the person walking and talking after healing. I guess I like to see the person before and after.
  This group of believers want you to only love others and show them love, not tell them about their sin. I know we do need to show love more and be more compassionate, but we also need to warn them of their sin and help them see themselves.
  I recommend watching this DVD, but watch with a discerning spirit.

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"Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. 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."

==============================================================

GIVEAWAY   FATHER OF LIGHTS DVD
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The Sanctuary by Ted Dekker*A Review

ABOUT THE SANCTUARY
THE SANCTUARY is the gripping story of vigilante priest, Danny Hansen, who is now serving a fifty year prison term in California for the murder of two abusive men. Filled with remorse, Danny is determined to live out his days by a code of non-violence and maneuvers deftly within a ruthless prison system.

But when Renee Gilmore, the woman he loves, receives a box containing a bloody finger and draconian demands from a mysterious enemy on the outside, Danny must find a way to escape.

They are both drawn into a terrifying game of life and death. If Renee fails, the priest will die; if Danny fails, Renee will die. And the body count will not stop at two.

THE SANCTUARY is Ted Dekker at his best, a powerful thriller that relentlessly plumbs the depths of punishment and rehabilitation, both in a flawed corrections system and in the human heart.

Hardcover: 416 pages
Publisher: Center Street (October 30, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1599953358
ISBN-13: 978-1599953359
Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.2 x 1.5 inches
Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds

ABOUT TED DEKKER
Ted Dekker was born to missionaries and grew up among cannibals of Indonesia, and his peculiar upbringing gives him a unique perspective outside the cultural bubble, allowing him the freedom to share provocative insights in his fiction. After leaving Indonesia, Ted  Dekker graduated from a multi-cultural high school and took up permanent residence in the United States, earning his B.A. in philosophy and religion, and then went into business.
In the early nineties, Ted decided to pursue his desire to write fiction, selling his company, moving his family to the mountains of western Colorado, and writing full-time. Two years and three books later his first novel, a supernatural thriller called Heaven's Wager, was published. Ted proceeded to write 6 more supernatural thrillers, rising to the top of many bestsellers lists and earning himself critical acclaim and legions of fans. "Thr3e" heralded his launch into mainstream fiction and was followed by "Obsessed," "Skin," "Adam," and "BoneMan's Daughters," all of which hit the New York Times bestseller list.
Ted Dekker's fans are comprised of readers of all ages, backgrounds, and belief systems who love his compulsively readable stories, authentic characters, and universal and relatable themes that he explores from a unique point of view.
He resides in Austin, Texas with his wife and children. You can find him at Teddekker.com and Facebook.com/teddekker.


MY REVIEW
  I enjoyed the first book I read of Danny the priest and this one was just as good. I didn’t see any way it could end well, but it did.
  The love Danny and Renee have for each other is amazing. Even when they are separated for years when he is in prison, they still have such a strong love that nothing or no one can change.
  Danny has taken a code of not being violent and has kept to it for years, but he get transferred to a new prison where the warden is determined to make Danny pay for his sins and tries to get Danny to be violent. What does it take to make Danny violent or will he become violent?
  Renee tries to help Danny because she has been told that he will die if she doesn’t do the crazy, insane requests of someone who is tormenting her. She gets help from a former cop/lawyer. Is he a help or hindrance to Renee?
  I enjoyed this book, because it is full of thrilling scenes and won’t let you put it down until you reach the last page. I LOVED the ending. If you are a thriller fan or fan of Ted Dekker you really will want to read this book.

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I received my free copy from Sarah Reck at Center Street/HachetteBookGroup, for my 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

High Desert Haven by Lynnette Bonner* A Review

ABOUT HIGH DESERT HAVEN
Is Jason Jordan really who he says he is?
Everything in Nicki’s life depends on the answer.

Oregon Territory, 1887

When her husband dies in a mysterious riding accident, Nicki Trent is left with a toddler and a rundown ranch. Determined to bring her ranch back from the brink of death, Nicki hires handsome Jason Jordan to help. But when William, her neighbor, starts pressing for her hand in marriage, the bank calls in a loan she didn’t even know about, bullets start flying, and a burlap dummy with a knife in its chest shows up on her doorstep, Nicki wonders if this ranch is worth all the trouble.

To make matters worse, terrible things keep happening to her neighbors. When her friend’s homestead is burned to the ground and William lays the blame at Jason’s feet, Nicki wonders how well she knows her new hand…and her own heart.

A desperate need. Malicious adversaries. Enticing love.
Step into a day when outlaws ran free, the land was wild, and guns blazed at the drop of a hat.

File Size: 1013 KB
Print Length: 334 pages
Simultaneous Device Usage: Unlimited
Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
Language: English
ASIN: B008C2MS6C

ABOUT LYNNETTE BONNER
Born and raised in Malawi, Africa. Lynnette Bonner spent the first years of her life reveling in warm equatorial sunshine and the late evening duets of cicadas and hyenas. The year she turned eight she was off to Rift Valley Academy, a boarding school in Kenya where she spent many joy-filled years, and graduated in 1990.

That fall, she traded to a new duet--one of traffic and rain--when she moved to Kirkland, Washington to attend Northwest University. It was there that she met her husband and a few years later they moved to the small town of Pierce, Idaho.

During the time they lived in Idaho, while studying the history of their little town, Lynnette was inspired to begin the Shepherd's Heart Series with Rocky Mountain Oasis.

Marty and Lynnette have four children, and currently live in Washington where Marty pastors a church.

MY REVIEW
  This is the second book in The Shepherd’s Heart series and after reading it I want to read the first book and any that come after it. High Desert Haven is an excellent book full of love, mystery, intrigue, death and happiness. I will be adding High Desert Haven to my favorite books for 2012 and giving it a 5-star rating.
  To me Nicki was a very unselfish, precious follower of Jesus in this fantastic book. In every page from the first to the last Nicki puts her family, her husband, son and friends ahead of herself. After her husband dies even though she only married him to help her family and didn’t really love him she cared deeply for him and wanted to keep his ranch going for their son.
  When the larger ranches tried pushing her off her ranch and the other smaller ranches she didn’t give in. Nicki ran an ad for a ranch foreman because she didn’t know anything about ranches. Then Jason, a new Christian, comes and things start happening not all for the good, but he doesn’t want Nicki to give up without a fight even when the bank calls in her loan. How will she make it? Will she find how God wants her to survive? Will Nicki give in  to pressures to sell and marry the next door rancher or will her heart and head win out and do the right thing?
  I really love this book and so glad I read it. Lynnette is such a brilliant author, I’m glad I found her writing because she is one of my new favorites. So I HIGHLY recommend this book High Desert Haven.

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Thank you to the  Author/Publicist  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

Book Review Unclaimed Legacy by Deborah Heal

ABOUT UNCLAIMED LEGACY
"I call it time-surfing," Abby said. "It's like being there,
 except no one can see or hear us."

"Whatever you call it," John said, "that was crazy--what we just did.
 Beyond realistic. I mean, I was in that guy's head
and knew everything he was thinking."


Abby's weird computer program is working again. And it comes in handy when they agree to help the Old Dears next door with their family tree. Except Abby and John learn more about one of the ladies' ancestors than they ever wanted to know. Convicted in 1871 of murder and arson, Reuben Buchanan is a blight on the family's reputation. But was he really guilty? Abby and John get inside the mind of a murderer to find out.

But while they're rummaging around in the Old Dears' family history, they discover the truth of God's promise to bless a thousand generations... and a legacy waiting to be reclaimed.

Paperback: 286 pages
Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform (August 17, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1478311495
ISBN-13: 978-1478311492
Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.5 x 0.7 inches
Shipping Weight: 15.4 ounces

ABOUT DEBORAH HEAL
Deborah Heal is a former high school English teacher who loves reading, gardening, and learning about southern Illinois history. She is married and has three grown children, three grandchildren, and two canine buddies named Digger and Scout. Today she lives in the St. Louis Metro East area, but for many years she lived not far from the setting of her first novel, Time and Again. In Unclaimed Legacy, the second in the trilogy, Abby, John, and Merrideth must clear the name of a man wrongly accused of murder--in a 150-year-old case! The author is currently working on book three.

MY REVIEW
  Unclaimed Legacy is book 2 in Time and Again series and it’s very enjoyable to read. The characters are all the same with a couple of new ones and the setting is mostly the same, but in a new small town.
  Abby is still working on her summer project of helping tutor a young girl whom is doing well even though she is going through a lot of family problems.
  Even though I said this is a nice book to me it’s to much the same. I know the story is about different people, but the time surfing on the computer from different houses seems all the same to me. This book is just continuing from book one almost like one continuing book. I grew tired of the same story line even though it was different. Hard to explain unless you have read the book.
  I also found Abby’s “boyfriend” tiring with his quick escapes from any kind of emotions. Like holding hands, showing affection, quick kiss etc. You can control yourself without completely staying away from someone.
  This book is sweet for younger girls and Abby would be a good role model for them. If you like this kind of book it is a quick, easy read.

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Thank you to the  Author/Publicist  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