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Thursday, July 7, 2016


PRAISE IS MY WEAPON by DAN WILLIS

Love is the universal language. Everyone one of us wants to be loved , but sometimes we don't feel loved. When you just love Jesus, you are taking a "want to" approach and not "a have to" approach. I really like when the author said that. We don't have to love Jesus but I sure "want" to love Him. When you love Jesus you have a desire and want to make Him happy. We shouldn't  do it because we want something from Him, but because of who He is and what He did for us. He died on the cross because He loved us so much He wanted our sins to be washed away. What a sacrifice He made for us.

The author brings up a very good point about becoming numb or inactive when we are hurt or wounded. We look like a little child in a fetal position with no hope . We need to stand strong in our trials , praise Him through the storms and overcome the enemy. "On Christ the solid rock I stand." It is so encouraging to read the author talk about being more than conquerors. He says  to fight the spirits controlling whatever it is that is pushing us down. As I continued to read this powerful book, I could feel strength rising in me. Yes, I want to praise Him and yes I will praise Him no matter what.

"Praise means to magnify, glorify, and exalt the Lord." Are we doing that? Have we become too complacent and forget that we need to praise Him at all times? As we are praising Him, the enemy can't distract us. We need to place our focus on Jesus . "Praise is what manifests the promises of God! " The victory is in the Word of God. "

I cannot tell you how much this book has encouraged me to praise Him more and stop worrying about my circumstances. The author so plainly says, " If it's good, then it's from God; if it's evil, it's from the enemy." We need to recognize when it is the enemy is trying to do and ignore him. He is cunning and subtle, but  Jesus says, "My sheep hear my voice , and I know them, and they follow me." Thank you for a book that is uplifting , encouraging and reminds us to praise him at all times.

" Let every thing that hath breath praise the Lord. Praise Ye the Lord," (Psalm 150:6)

I received  a copy of this wonderful book from The BookClub Network for an honest review.

Wednesday, July 6, 2016


SISTER EVE and THE BLUE NUN by LYNNE HINTON

Sr. .Eve is back with another mystery that was pretty interesting. She has come back to the monastery to make some hard decisions. Should she continue her life as a nun? Will the church ever accept her even though she is a woman?

St. Eve is looking forward to attending a conference that she finds very intriguing. It is about The Blue Nun who is a  sister from Spain. The Blue Nun is said to have mystical powers that allowed her to convert a Native American tribe in the 1600s.im sure that was a hard feat to accomplish and I can't imagine how she was welcomed at first. Did the native Americans fear her ?  That was a very intriguing topic and I liked how the author pulled history into the story which made it more interesting.   Before the conference can even begin a murder happens. Who is murdered? What is stolen that could be vital to the Blue Nun? The race is on to find out who the killer is. I enjoyed the twists and turns of the story. It was a nice read and I look forward to more adventures with St.Eve. As a side note, the story of The Blue Nun is true. I highly recommend you look her up. It is fascinating to read about her and how she struggled to be accepted by the church.

I loved that St. Eve rides a motorcycle . It reminded me of the show "The Flying Nun." She was always getting into messes, but found her way out of them. The struggle St. Eve has with her faith is very emotional and I found her journey for answers very heartfelt and real.

"Sometimes nuns and priests and monks choose a different path later in their lives. It doesn't mean they broke their vows or left the order . It could mean they received guidance leading them into new areas of service."

I received a copy of this book from The Fiction Guild for an honest review.

SISTER DEAR by LAURA McNEILL

Allie has had a long time to think about her past. She has been behind bars for 10 years for a crime she knows she never committed. She had to leave her family and precious daughter and sit in a prison cell day after day being reminded that her freedom was gone. The author does a great job of expressing Allie's  anguish over her unfair life.

What would it be like to be accused of killing someone and being sent to prison? Allie is determined that someday she will prove her innocence. Her time finally comes when she gets released on parole. She goes back to her hometown where she is shunned, sneered at and avoided by the townspeople. I can't imagine what it would feel like to go back to the town where everyone believed you were a murderer. The author does  a great job of developing characters. Her writing style is engrossing and intense.


The story is electrifying with twists and turns. Allie and her sister Emma are as different as night and day. Does Emma know something about the night of the murder? Why is Emma so jealous of her sister? When Emma takes in Allie's daughter , Caroline she becomes very protective of her. Will their relationship change once Allie decides she wants her daughter back? The mystery is so multi-layered  that it keeps you on the edge of your seat. There are several characters in the book that are questionable when it comes to their loyalty. The story talks about family relationships, deceit , trust and forgiveness. Get ready for a powerful book that delves into the depths of a person's conscious and delivers an unforgettable ending. Will Allie prove her innocence?

I received a copy of this book from The Fiction Guild for an honest review.

Sunday, July 3, 2016


SILENT TAKEOVER by JACQUELYN SHEPPARD

I have often heard that if someone in your family such as your parents drink or smoke, your chances of doing the same is pretty high. This book talks about how our brain can desire or want those things and how they may have been introduced to us as children. I think of it as generational dependency. No it doesn't mean you will automatically start drinking and smoking, but that desire is in your brain.

I found it interesting that the author talked about the struggles many of us go through with emotional or mental health. "It may be the result of a difficult nine months in your mother's life." I grew up in a very violent home as a child and this really opened my eyes to many things. Maybe in the womb we experience some of the trauma that our mom was dealing with.

The book is chalked full of information that will benefit each of us. As I read the chapters, I began to understand more of why I feel certain ways, and how to change those unhealthy feelings. I loved how the author wrote with easy to understand examples and explained her findings with great examples and insights . The book is a wonderful tool to use to help us understand more clearly how we think and why certain triggers  can change our health or emotions . Just by changing our diet, we may see changes in our health. I hope that as I re read this book over and over again, I can implement some of these useful tools to make my life healthier.

I really enjoyed the chapter about the enemy and how he can use anything to attack us. As long as we know who we are in Christ, we have someone to stand with us. "What if he is cunning enough to try to get at God by getting at us?" Prayer is a great tool to use against the enemy and he hates when we talk to God.

The book is one I would recommend to everyone to understand how our brain and body work. We need to get them to work together , not against each other. Thank you for including scriptures throughout the book that emphasizes how His word is helpful, encouraging and gives us hope.

"The peace of God , which transcends all understanding , will guard your hearts and you minds in Jesus Christ."
Romans 8:6

I received a copy of this book from The BookClub Network for an honest review.

Saturday, July 2, 2016


SHATTERED TRUST by J. CHRIS RICHARDS

For a debut novel, the author hit this one out of the park. It is well written with  Logan as  the main character finding himself on the wrong side of the law. There is a small problem though, he is a cop himself. There seems to be a little under the table bets going on in the squad room of who can arrest the most suspects in a shift. Logan finds himself arresting someone with his partner one day and things get out of hand. The author brings to the surface the headlines of police brutality . The arrest turns violent and at one point Logan sees his reflection . What he saw was a police officer that had turned bad. His anger, his bully tactics and his quest to win a bet had taken him to the depths of darkness. Has  your anger ever overtaken you? Logan knew he had gone to far.

What follows is a heart wrenching journey that Logan will take to put his life back together. I liked the way he is shown as a person who struggles with good vs evil. He contemplates his action and makes a decision that will take his life on a roller coaster. His vulnerability was well defined as he struggled to do the right thing. Could you admit you had done something wrong that could cost you your job and perhaps your freedom? Would you turn your friends in or take all the blame? Logan must learn who to trust and allow God to lead him to the right path.

I loved reading about the behind the scenes of a police department. There is one character that I absolutely loved. I will let you discover who it is, but let's just say this person is feisty with a heart of gold. The kids that interact with Logan is a great example of how police officers can make a difference in the youth when they take time to work with them and  show then they are important.

This story touches on corruption not only in the police department but also in the school system. The question arises of who can you trust? Will evil win out? I'm glad the author brought to the light the issue of child support. It affects many , with  a system that is flawed . The emotions in the book are realistic and at times heartbreaking. This is one book that will be hard to put down. It raises the question of when trust is broken , can it ever be repaired?

""Jesus didn't come to save perfect people. He came to heal those who have sinned ."

"Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God."  John 11:40

I received a copy of this book from the BookClub Network for an honest review.