Alissa

Alissa approaches life with joyful enthusiasm. She maintains an A average, sings in our chapel choir, plays every girls’ sport, volunteers for community service, and takes part in school plays and concerts. Her heart is tender towards God, and her passion for Him inspires me.

I enjoy having Alissa in my English class because we both respond to the power of stories. And another interest we have in common, Alissa loves to write. She wants to be an author and is working on an epic fantasy. So when she came to me looking for reading material, I knew just what to pull off the shelf—Sharon Hinck’s The Restorer.

To say Alissa loved this book would be an understatement. Alissa lived this book. She lost herself in the story. As she devoured the novel during study halls, she would periodically burst out with, “Now that’s a game changer” or “Wow, I really didn’t see that coming” or “I love this part. I have to read it again.” Each time she saw me she would say, “By the way, this is the best book ever.”

Alissa's pick to play Tristan, actor Ed Speelers from the movie Eragon

What drew her in? She enjoyed picking out similarities between The Restorer and the Old Testament—the elements that brought to mind the twelve tribes of Judah, the divided kingdom, and the work of the prophets. She especially loved how the Lord was woven through every part of the story and considers author Sharon Hinck on par with JRR Tolkien and better than Christopher Paolini. She fell in love with a character named Tristan—part guardian, part avenging angel—and even chose an actor to play him.

After finishing this expanded edition, Alissa hung onto my copy so she could delve into the devotions, songs, recipes, and other bonus material. She now has my book two but has added all three books to her wish list because she wants to own them for herself.

So what are you waiting for? I bet you or someone you know would enjoy this story. Follow this link to buy The Restorer for the fantasy-lovers in your life.

Sharon Hinck

About the author: Sharon’s undergrad degree is in education, and she earned an M.A. in Communication from Regent University in 1986. She spent ten years as the artistic director of a Christian performing arts group, CrossCurrent. That ministry included three short-term mission trips to Hong Kong. She has been a church youth worker, a choreographer and ballet teacher, a home-school mom, a church organist, and a bookstore clerk. One day she’ll figure out what to be when she grows up, but in the meantime she’s pouring her imagination into writing. She’s published dozens of articles in magazines and book compilations, and released her first novel in 2006. In April, 2007, she was named “Writer of the Year” at Mount Hermon Christian Writers Conference.

Connect with Sharon on her website.

Connect with Sharon on Facebook.

Alissa’s favorite recipe from the book: Tara’s Pepper Soup

• Saute your choice of veggies in butter
• Add 2 cups of diced chicken
• Add 2 cups cream of potato soup
• Flavor with Worcestershire Sauce
• Don’t forget the cracked pepper!

This week I’m linking up with Miss Elaine-ous Monday, Playdates with God, The Better Mom, On Your Heart Tuesday, Thought-provoking Thursday, Heart 4 Home Thursday.

Do right. Fear nothing.

These simple words sum up the moral code that guides Sam Hopkins, the teenage hero of Andrew Klavan’s Crazy Dangerous.

Sam is a preacher’s kid from a loving family, whose mom, dad, and brother are all a little too busy to spend time with him. When he is tapped by the biggest troublemaker in school to become part of a bad-boy entourage, he feels cool for the first time in his life. Initially, his bad choices lead to a dilemma that only affects himself. Then he stumbles upon a plot so evil he must risk his life to save his town.

This novel is a thrill ride sure to please readers from young adult on up. From the moment I opened the book, I became lost in the adventure as Sam struggles to make sense of the crazy, dangerous tangle his life has become. And one of the things I love most about this story is how Sam learns to look past the trappings of social standing and popularity, recognize the bullies of the world for who they really are, and stand up to them.

But after reaching the end—which was even more exciting than the beginning—I briefly wondered if a boy Sam’s age would have been so quick-thinking, sacrificial, and courageous. I ran down the list of young men I’ve taught in my twenty-five years of working at a Christian high school. My conclusion? Yup! Many of the boys who once sat in my classroom definitely followed Sam’s moral code in their youth and were ready even then to stand for right. Now, they’ve moved on to raise families, serve their country in Iraq and Afghanistan, and become leaders in their communities.

So this book holds a special place in my heart because the humble hero reminds me of those guys. I wish there were more like them—and Sam—on the world stage today!

***Thanks to Litfuse for providing a copy for me to review. You can purchase Crazy Dangerous at this link.

About the author: Andrew Klavan was hailed by Stephen King as “the most original novelist of crime and suspense since Cornell Woolrich.” He is the recipient of two Edgar Awards and the author of such bestsellers as True Crime and Don’t Say a Word.

His books and screenplays have been turned into films directed by Clint Eastwood and starring Michael Douglas, Ed Burns, Michael Caine among others. Hometown: Santa Barbara, California Books Sold to Date: over 1.5 million. For more about Andrew and his books for young adults, visit him at the Adventure Page on Facebook.

Follow this link to see what everyone else is saying.

Celebrate with Andrew Klavan by entering his Crazy Dangerous giveaway and connecting with him during the Author Chat Party on 5/29!

• A $100 Visa Cash Card
• A copy of Crazy Dangerous by Andrew Klavan for YOU and 5 of your Friends!

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends at noon on May 28th. Winner will be announced at the “Crazy Dangerous” Author Chat Facebook Party on 5/29. Andrew will be hosting an Author Chat, testing your survival trivia skills, giving away books and gift certificates to iTunes and Amazon.com! Don’t miss a second of the “danger”!

Grab your copy of Crazy Dangerous and connect with Andrew on the evening of 5/29/12 for an author chat and lots of giveaways.

Don’t miss a moment of the fun. RSVP today and tell your friends via FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning. Hope to see you on the 24th!

(You didn’t miss the Spring Fling Giveaway Hop–it’s at this link!)

If you love sagas that feature multi-generations of plucky, conflicted heroines and provide sweeping portraits of bygone eras, Susan May Warren’s Daughters of Fortune series will give you that same feeling.  For me, these books brought to mind Showboat, Giant, Forsyte Saga, Zoya, A Woman of Substance, even Downton Abbey, and all those richly-costumed, lose-yourself-in-the-story dramas from the golden age of TV mini-series.

The story begins in Heiress and continues with the next generation in Baroness. Set in the Roaring 20s, Baroness focuses on Rosie and Lilly, a pair of high society cousins whose family fortunes provide lives of ease. But the two girls want more. They set out searching for what makes life meaningful and end up in all the wrong places. We follow the girls’ adventures and misadventures from Paris to New York City to Chicago and the wilds of Montana as they pursue exotic careers.

Lilly becomes a wing walker on an airplane, and Rosie chases the dream of being a star on the silver screen. They rub shoulders with adventurers, baseball stars, pilots, and mobsters. Meanwhile, their families wait in the wings and hope for them to come to their senses. But the girls, for the most part, make disastrous decisions—until finally God gets through to one of them and we enjoy a half happy/half cliffhanger ending. Now I can’t wait for book three!

****Baroness is an eventful page-turner that will satisfy your dramatic cravings for quite some time!  You can purchase Baroness at this link. Thanks to Litfuse for providing a copy for me to enjoy and review.

Celebrate with Susan by entering her Roaring 20s Giveaway!

One grand prize winner will receive:

• A Kindle Fire
• Signed copies of Baroness and Heiress by Susan May Warren

But hurry, the giveaway ends on 5/7/12. The winner will be announced on 5/9/12 on Susan’s blog, Scribbles!

Just click one of the icons below to enter! Tell your friends about Susan’s giveaway on FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning.

About the author: Susan May Warren is the RITA award-winning novelist of over thirty novels. A five-time Christy award finalist, a two-time RITA Finalist, she’s also a multi-winner of the Inspirational Readers Choice award, and the ACFW Carol Award. A seasoned women’s events speaker, she’s a popular writing teacher at conferences around the nation and the author of the beginning writer’s workbook: From the Inside-Out: Discover, Create and Publish the Novel in You! She is also the founder of www.MyBookTherapy.com, a story-crafting service that helps authors discover their voice. You can find her online at www.susanmaywarren.com.

UPDATE: This giveaway has ended, but there will be another one soon!  (June 7th)

I’m glad you stopped by because this week we’re celebrating Spring with a great Spring Fling Blog Hop! All week long you can hop around from blog to blog and scoop up some great book-related prizes without leaving the comfort of your own home. This exciting event was organized by Inspired Kathy of the I Am A Reader, Not A Writer Blog.

The hop will run from Monday Night, April 30th, to Monday, May 7th, at 11:59 pm. Do you remember how it works? You can enter my giveaway and then hop to any blog on the linky list (at the end of this post) to see what they’re offering. Who knows what wonderful prizes are out there!?

The Doorkeeper Prize: I’m giving away TWO $10 Amazon Email Gift Cards. That means two winners! Just to show my appreciation for those of you who follow and visit my blog! I will email the winners on May 8th and post their names after they respond.

Steps to enter . . .

1. For your mandatory entry, leave a comment on this post. 2. In that one comment, you can list any bonus entries you’ve completed. You don’t need to leave separate comments. (Since I do have to moderate some comments—especially if you’re new to the blog—don’t worry if your your comment doesn’t show up right away.)

**Also, I believe you have to enter your email address in order to comment. Though you can’t see your email address here, I can view it from my blog dashboard. So don’t feel you need to write your email address again in your comment.

Bonus Entries:

• +1: Follow my Facebook page here.
• +1: Sign up for my monthly newsletter here.
• +1: Follow me on Twitter at this link.

Now are you ready to hop somewhere else? Remember—these blogs aren’t necessarily inspirational but are family friendly. And all prizes are book related. Here’s the linky list:

Kristof

Here’s a bit of his history: Kristof was born with two holes in his heart as a result of Noonan’s Syndrome. His first days were so precarious that his father couldn’t even hold him until weeks after he was born. During his early years, the doctors kept a careful watch on him and decided that the perfect time for his open heart surgery was age eight.

After hours on the table, Kristof remembers waking to his mom anxiously hovering over him. “You’re going to be fine, honey.”

Kristof replied, “It’s okay, Mom. If I die, I know where I’m going,” and promptly dropped off to sleep again.

Kristof’s parents had never presented his medical condition as life-threatening or discussed the possibility of death. But through the lessons at church, Sunday school, and Christian school, God impressed on Kristof the need to be ready to meet Christ face-to-face at a young age.

A month ago, we were all reminded of Kristof’s condition when he experienced heart pain during study hall. He immediately called his parents and his buddies at 911. (He’s a volunteer fireman with first-responder training.) Fortunately, his doctors found nothing significant.

Though Kristof has a quick mind, he has struggled with learning disabilities that affect his reading comprehension and ability to memorize. In elementary school, his mother homeschooled him, and they often read together. Then, with the help of a tutor, he enrolled in our Christian high school. He’ll be graduating in a few weeks and joining his dad and brothers in their family construction business. Though he is a mature, responsible nineteen-year-old, his mother recently asked if she could read to him again. The book she chose was Todd Burpo’s account of his son Colton’s story. Heaven Is for Real touched their hearts (pardon the pun) in a special way. For them, this book puts into words what they know and believe and have experienced. Kristof highly recommends it!

Here’s Amazon.com’s preview of the book . . .

“Do you remember the hospital, Colton?” Sonja said. ”Yes, mommy, I remember,” he said. “That’s where the angels sang to me.”

When Colton Burpo made it through an emergency appendectomy, his family was overjoyed at his miraculous survival. What they weren’t expecting, though, was the story that emerged in the months that followed—a story as beautiful as it was extraordinary, detailing their little boy’s trip to heaven and back.

Colton, not yet four years old, told his parents he left his body during the surgery and authenticated that claim by describing exactly what his parents were doing in another part of the hospital while he was being operated on. He talked of visiting heaven and relayed stories told to him by people he met there—people he had never met in “real” life. He shared events that happened even before he was born. He also astonished his parents with descriptions and obscure details about heaven that matched the Bible exactly, though he had not yet learned to read.

With disarming innocence and the plainspoken boldness of a child, Colton tells of meeting long-departed family members. He describes Jesus, the angels, how “really, really big” God is, and how much God loves us. Retold by his father, but using Colton’s uniquely simple words, Heaven Is for Real offers a glimpse of the world that awaits us, where as Colton says, “Nobody is old and nobody wears glasses.”

Several other students are now reading this book and have been raving about it. I can’t wait to get my copy back so I can dive in. Do you know someone who might appreciate this story? You can purchase your copy at this link.

This week I’ll be linking with Soli Deo Gloria, On Your Heart Tuesdays, Playdates with God, Teach Me Tuesdays, Gratituesday, Winsome Wednesdays, and Thought-provoking Thursday.

Anna

Though fifteen-year-old Anna loves Facebook and iPods and all the perks of modern technology, she is totally enchanted with Amish stories. One of Anna’s favorites is The Englisher (Annie’s People Series #2) by Beverly Lewis. She loves this book because she can relate to the main character, Annie Zook. What do the two have in common? A big heart for hurting people and a rebellious streak that shows itself when the folks in their worlds least expect it.

According to Anna, the main character of the book, Annie, promises her father she will forget all about her love of art—which is forbidden among the Amish—in order to join the church. However, then she ends up in a relationship with an Englisher named Ben. That’s when she hides what she’s doing from her father. Anna and Ben secretly go places together, but things don’t always go as planned.

My student Anna was impressed by Ben’s love for Annie and Annie’s love for everyone—including her tormented friend Zeke, who has domestic violence issues. Zeke’s history touched Anna’s heart and brought a few tears to her eyes. She can’t wait to move on to book #3 and finish this series.

Maybe, like me, you assumed the teens you know wouldn’t be interested in Amish fiction. But I found that students from the most difficult backgrounds (my dear student Anna was taken from a dangerous home and placed in foster care until her present loving parents adopted her and her little brother) love the caring community and simple life presented in the Amish books. You can find the Annie’s People Series at this link.

About the author: Beverly Lewis was born in the heart of Amish country—Lancaster, Pennsylvania. At the tender age of nine, she began writing short stories and poetry. Prior to that, she made up lyrics to the “little fingers” piano pieces she learned, at the age of five. “My mother saved everything I wrote, even the stories I dreamed up during my grade school years,” Beverly says.

One such tale is semi-autobiographical, about a young girl whose parents can no longer afford to give her piano lessons. The manuscript was 77 pages long and titled “She Shall Have Music,” penned under the shade of a lone willow tree. “Reading, writing, and playing piano have been top three on my list of favorite things,” she says.

Not until her own children were well into middle school did Beverly seek to publish her work, first in magazines such as Highlights for Children, Dolphin Log, and Guideposts for Kids. Her first book followed in 1993—Mountain Bikes and Garbanzo Beans—presently retitled Big Bad Beans (book #22 in the popular Cul-de-Sac Kids series of chapter books—see list of Bev’s children’s books). You can connect with Beverly at her website here.

Follow this link for more books teens love.

The most helpful truth I ever learned about my emotional state was the maxim: Right feelings follow right actions. When I think the right thoughts and do the right things, the right feelings will eventually follow. Never have I seen this lived out more powerfully than in the life of Corrie ten Boom.

Sisters Corrie, Betsie, and Nollie

Corrie and her sister Betsie were interned in a concentration camp during World War II. After months of deprivation and cruel treatment at the hands of the guards, Betsie died there. Corrie was released alone. When the war was over, Corrie shared Betsie’s testimony of the love and forgiveness she found in Christ with all who would listen. The following excerpt concerns one of those speaking engagements:

“The hunger for Betsie’s story seemed to increase with time. I [Corrie] traveled all over Holland, to other parts of Europe, to the United States. But the place where the hunger was greatest was Germany.

Germany was a land in ruin, cities of ashes and rubble, but more terrifying still, minds and hearts of ashes. Just to cross the border was to feel the great weight that hung over that land.

It was at a church service in Munich that I saw him, the former S.S. man who had stood guard at the shower room door in the processing center at Ravensbruck. He was the first of our actual jailers that I had seen since that time. And suddenly it was all there—the roomful of mocking men, the heaps of clothing, Betsie’s pain-blanched face.

Betsie

He came up to me as the church was emptying, beaming and bowing. ‘How grateful I am for your message, Fraulein,’ he said. ‘To think that, as you say, He has washed my sins away!’

His hand was thrust out to shake mine.

And I, who had preached so often to the people the need to forgive, kept my hand at my side.

Even as the angry, vengeful thoughts boiled through me, I saw the sin of them. Jesus Christ had died for this man. Was I going to ask for more?

Lord Jesus, I prayed, forgive me and help me to forgive him. I tried to smile. I struggled to raise my hand. I could not. I felt nothing—not the slightest spark of warmth or charity.

So again I breathed a silent prayer. Jesus, I cannot forgive him. Give Your forgiveness.

As I took his hand the most incredible thing happened. From my shoulder along my arm and through my hand, a current seemed to pass from me to him, while into my heart sprang a love for this stranger that almost overwhelmed me.

And so I discovered that it is not on our forgiveness any more than on our goodness that the world’s healing hinges, but on His. When He tells us to love our enemies, He gives—along with the command—the love itself.

Follow the links below for more lessons from the life of Corrie ten Boom.

• Corrie ten Boom lesson #1: Praise for the weak things
• Corrie ten Boom lesson #2: The strongest force in the world
• Corrie ten Boom lesson #3: Just in time
• Corrie ten Boom lesson #4: This too

This week I’m linking up with Soli Deo Gloria, Playdates with God, The Better Mom, Teach Me Tuesdays, Gratituesday, Thought-provoking Thursday, Hearts 4 Home Thursdays, and Homegrown Families Friday.

All it took
To open her eyes
To the truth that
He was with her always
Was her name on His lips . . .

At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus. He asked her, “Woman, why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?” Thinking he was the gardener, she said, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him.” Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” ~from John 20~

“My sheep recognize my voice. I know them, and they follow me.” ~John 10:27~

Fearless is the story of Adam Brown, a man of extremes, whose courage and determination was fueled by faith, family, and the love of a woman. It’s about a man who waged a war against his own worst impulses and persevered to reach the top tier of the US military. Always the first to volunteer for the most dangerous assignments, Adam’s final act of bravery led to the ultimate sacrifice.

Looks good, doesn’t it? (You can pre-order here if you’re interested, too.)

How about you? What are  you looking forward to reading soon?

Danielle

So first up, please meet Danielle, one of my happy, hard-working freshmen. Danielle has kept a solid B+/A- average in spite of transitioning from homeschooling to attending our Christian high school. As you can imagine, this means lots of studying. In spite of the workload, Danielle makes time to read.

Well, that’s an understatement. She’s an avid reader.

Without missing an assignment and in the midst of helping take care of her five siblings, Danielle finished Bound by Guilt in two days. Here’s what she had to say about C. J. Darlington’s story . . .

“Bound by Guilt was a thrilling book. Darlington really brings her characters to life. Never judge a book by its cover because this book was thrilling, adventurous, and not what I expected. It was definitely a page-turner. I couldn’t put it down. And it seemed like real life to me. Darlington uses a realistic situation to show how love triumphs over hardships and trials—and that the love of God is stronger than anything.”

Are you interested in what made Danielle love this story? You can purchase Bound by Guilt at this link.

Need more info? Here’s the book blurb: Roxi Gold has been shuttled from one foster home to another for most her life. She longs for a family and will do anything to fit in even if it’s against the law. Soon she’s traveling the country in an RV, stealing rare books from unsuspecting bookstores. She knows it’s wrong, but if she refuses, she’ll be put out on the streets.

Police officer Abby Dawson has seen the worst of society, and not just at work. Her ex-husband wrested her daughter away from her in a bitter custody battle. The job she once loved has become a chore, the world isn’t any safer, and there’s no joy in her life.

One fateful night a man’s innocent blood changes both Roxi’s and Abby’s lives forever. One searches for justice; the other finds herself on the run until a first edition of The Great Gatsby catches up with her. Will the power of forgiveness set them free, or will they both remain bound by guilt?

About the author: C. J. Darlington won the 2008 Jerry B. Jenkins Christian Writers Guild Operation First Novel contest with her first novel, Thicker Than Blood. She has been in the antiquarian bookselling business for over twelve years, scouting for stores similar to the ones described in her novels before co-founding her own online bookstore. In 2006 C. J. started the Christian entertainment web site Title Trakk with her sister, Tracy, and has been actively promoting Christian fiction through book reviews and author interviews. A homeschool graduate, she makes her home in Pennsylvania with her family and their menagerie of dogs and cats. You can find her website at this link.