About the Book

Book:  Priceless

Author: Vickie Burns

Genre: Devotional/Cookbook

Release Date: November, 2019

Priceless: A Devotional Cookbook Based on Proverbs 31 is a Bible study and cookbook combined. The author, Vickie Burns, takes the reader verse by verse through Proverbs 31, showing them how precious and loved they are. At the end of each day’s study, meal suggestions and recipes are provided to fill their homes with tantalizing aromas and great food. Even young children can help with meal preparation so they learn that dinner doesn’t just magically appear on the table.

For women who’ve read Proverbs 31 and felt inadequate, like they could not possibly live up to God’s description of the perfect woman, Priceless reveals that they have more in common with her than they ever imagined.

“Today’s busy mom rarely finds time to steal a few moments of peace and quiet to spend with the Lord each day,” Vickie says. “On top of that, she most likely does not take the time to flip through endless sections of cookbooks to plan a unique evening meal. Priceless encourages women to view their tasks as God’s call to an abundant life, empowers them by providing a daily word from Proverbs 31, and eases their minds by providing a full menu for the evening meal each day.”

Click here to get your copy.

About the Author

Vickie Burns is passionate about showing women how to love and live the abundant life that Jesus Christ offers. Through Bible study, public speaking, and writing inspirational cookbooks, Vickie inspires women to love the Lord with all their hearts, minds, souls, and strength; to see and love themselves as Christ does—PRICELESS; and to love others through genuine hospitality. She lives in Texas with the love of her life, Todd Burns, and they have two daughters.

More from Vickie

This book, Priceless, is not my story but it was birthed from it. I was raised in a single-parent Christian home after my parents divorced. I watched my mom handle everything: cooking, cleaning, bills, homework, a full-time job, etc. I had no idea until I became a wife and mother all that she must have been through while raising three children on her own. I do know that she had a strong relationship with the Lord and that she had friends and family support.

Today, I look back at my childhood with renewed respect for my mom. My husband, Todd and I did our best to raise our two girls to honor the Lord while we went to school for our master’s degrees and tried to keep our household running smoothly. I had the help of a husband and was still overwhelmed while working as a teacher, trainer, coach and administrator in public education. On top of that I was still a wife, mother, friend, sister, chef, chauffer, nurse and more. Over the years, as I have gotten to know other women, I realize that I am not alone. We all long for ways to balance work and family, cooking and cleaning, physical busyness and spiritual warfare.

As my heart broke for the busy women in my life (to whom I totally relate) I longed to try and make life a little easier for all of us. I began to study God’s Word for answers. As I studied, I learned that God created us for relationship with Himself and with others. I learned that sharing our burdens with one another is His design. I found out that love should drive every word and action as we relate to others. I discovered that the crazy life that we are trying to balance is actually our ministry to our families and communities. I also realized that hospitality isn’t just something that was dreamed up by Martha Stewart. God ordained hospitality from the beginning when He created Adam and Eve in His image and placed them in the garden of Eden. God touches the heart of mankind with a piece of His own. There are examples of this throughout scripture. The biggest deposit of God’s heart within us is the gift of His Spirit. This gift is what makes genuine hospitality possible today. When we touch another person’s heart with a piece of our own, we are showing hospitality, sharing the love of Christ, and making connections that impact our world. This revelation was the birth of my ministry. I call it The Heart of Hospitality. Through my writing and speaking engagements, I share with women how to see the tasks and responsibilities of our daily lives as a calling from God. Beyond that, I help women understand that viewing their lives in this way is what Jesus meant when He said He came to give us “abundant life”.

My prayer for you, as you read this book is:

• that you will be touched with a piece of God’s heart.
• that hospitality will come to mean something new to you.
• that each devotion in this book exposes your pricelessness in Christ.
• that you will know beyond the shadow of any doubt that you are rare, unique and have significant meaning to your Creator.

May God richly bless you and your household.

I love doing Bible studies and devotionals and am always looking for new ones to read. This devotional  has been a joy to read and study. it is a little different because it includes recipes that I found was a bonus to have. The author combines a devotional  with recipes  to give a balance for women as they care for themselves and their family . It is a good study for  because it encourages us to know we are loved and cherished.

I love how the study is set up with scriptures, questions and topics that will encourage women. The study goes through Proverbs 31 and breaks down what the scriptures mean while giving women hope, self esteem and joy.  The author reminds us that we are priceless, loved  and treasures. Each chapter is filled with wonderful topics that helped me understand my worth. It is easy to feel like we have disappointed our family but this book shows us we are too hard on ourselves. I loved the recipe that is given each day and will implement some of them into our dinner menu. 

If you are feeling overwhelmed, unloved, lonely or seeking more encouragement this book is for you.   God gives us words of wisdom in Proverbs 31 and those are the guidelines we should be following.  I would recommend this devotional to women of all ages. 

I received a copy of this book from Celebrate Lit. The review is my own opinion.

Blog Stops

Vicky Sluiter, January 1

For Him and My Family, January 1

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, January 2

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, January 3

Jacquelyn Lynn, January 3

Older & Smarter?, January 4

Texas Book-aholic, January 5

Mary Hake,January 5

janicesbookreviews, January 6

Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, January 7

Inspiration Clothesline, January 7

Inklings and notions, January 8

Blossoms and Blessings, January 9

For the Love of Books, January 9

She Lives to Read, January 10

Quiet Workings, January 11

Godly Book Reviews, January 11

Book Bites, Bee Stings, & Butterfly Kisses, January 12

A Rup Life, January 13

Emily Yager, January 13

KarenSueHadley, January 14

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Vickie is giving away the grand prize package of a copy of Priceless and a $50 Amazon Card!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

https://promosimple.com/ps/f425/priceless-celebration-tour-giveaway

About the Book

Book:  Common

Author: Laurie Lucking

Genre: YA Fantasy

Release Date: February 14, 2018

Only one person knows of the plot against the royal family and cares enough to try to stop it—the servant girl they banished.

Leah spends her days scrubbing floors, polishing silver, and meekly curtsying to nobility. Nothing distinguishes her from the other commoners serving at the palace, except her red hair.

And her secret friendship with Rafe, the Crown Prince of Imperia.

But Leah’s safe, ordinary world begins to splinter. Rafe’s parents announce his betrothal to a foreign princess, and she unearths a plot to overthrow the royal family. When she reports it without proof, her life shatters completely when the queen banishes her for treason.

Harbored by an unusual group of nuns, Leah must secure Rafe’s safety before it’s too late. But her quest reveals a villain far more sinister than an ambitious nobleman with his eye on the throne.

Can a common maidservant summon the courage to fight for her dearest friend?

Click here to get your copy.

About the Author

An avid reader practically since birth, Laurie Lucking discovered her passion for writing after leaving her career as an attorney to become a stay-at-home mom. When she gets a break from playing board games and finding lost toys, she writes young adult fantasy with a strong thread of fairy tale romance. Her debut novel, Common, won the Christian Editor Connection’s Excellence in Editing Award, placed third in the Christian Women Reader’s Club Literary Lighthouse Awards, and is a finalist in the ACFW Carol Awards. She has short stories published in Mythical Doorways, Encircled, and the upcoming Christmas Fiction off the Beaten Path. Laurie is the Secretary of her local ACFW chapter and a co-founder of Lands Uncharted, a blog for fans of clean young adult speculative fiction. A Midwestern girl through and through, she currently lives in Minnesota with her husband and three children. Find out more by visiting www.laurielucking.com.

More from Laurie

Common started with the simple premise that I wanted to write a friendship-first romance that would be innocent enough for pre-teen readers, but complex enough for teens and adults to enjoy it, too! My love for fairy tales soon kicked in, inspiring a Cinderella-type dynamic of a secret friendship between a maid and a prince. Then came the “what if” questions. What if the king and queen arranged a betrothal between the prince and a foreign princess? What if the maid tried to help the prince find happiness with his new fiancée, but accidentally made things worse? What if she then discovered a plot against the royal family and was the only one who could stop it?

Looking back, it’s fascinating to see how my story expanded from a sweet romance to so much more. The romance is still there, prominent enough to satisfy any reader who loves rooting for a fun couple. But there’s also so much personal growth for my main character, who learns though her journey that even a lowly maid is anything but common and that the biggest challenges and disappointments we must overcome are preparing us for something better. I didn’t set out to include a spiritual thread, but my protagonist kept contemplating and reaching out to God until I finally realized her story wouldn’t work without a faith component. And that faith component led to an entire group of characters – spunky, mysterious nuns who now form the backbone of my entire Tales of the Mystics series.

The end result is an inspirational, romantic fantasy adventure perfect for fans of Melanie Dickerson, Anne Elisabeth Stengl, and Jody Hedlund’s new Lost Princesses series. Book Two is in progress, and I can’t wait to see how much it will change and develop along the way!

The author is new to me and I am indeed happy to say I have found a new author to follow. The story is nothing short of enchanting with Kings, Queens and a handsome prince. The Prince Rafe is charming, humble and happens to have feelings for Leah. I loved how the author shows readers that just because we think of our ourselves as common, we are definitely more than that. 

Leah is a chambermaid with hair that shines and a heart that is filled with hope. When I think about the title I remembered what someone said to me once. I was a teacher for the Children's ministry and was asked to step into the role of Children's Pastor. The elders of the church saw something in me that I didn't. I explained to them that I was just  a teacher and couldn't possibly take a position like that. One of the elders looked at me and said, " Never say you are just a teacher or mother etc. You are a child of God and He sees your heart for children. He laid your name on our hearts and called you to lead children to Christ. You are more than to Him."

In this book Leah and others think of themselves as just common. They don't consider themselves worthy to be in the presence of royalty. Leah was not afraid to work hard and took on any responsibility given to her. Her humbleness gets her a new position that will change her life. What would you do if you overheard a plot to kill someone? I loved how brave Leah was and her willingness to put her life in danger in order to protect the Royal family of Imperia. The story follows Leah on her journey to get evidence of the evil plot to destroy the leaders of Imperia. 

I loved how the author gave us twists in the story and interesting characters that became very important on Leah's journey to find the truth. There is danger, intrigue , romance and an ending that will please everyone. I do look forward to the next book in the series and hope the author publishes it soon.

I received a copy of this book from Celebrate Lit. The review is my own opinion.

Blog Stops

Among the Reads, December 31

Books, Life, and Christ, December 31

My Devotional Thoughts, January 1

For the Love of Literature, January 2

Rory Lemond, January 2

Pause for Tales, January 3

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, January 3

Through the Fire Blogs, January 4

Texas Book-aholic, January 5

Library Lady’s Kid Lit, January 6

Rebecca Tews, January 6

Blossoms and Blessings, January 7

Emily Yager, January 7

Reading Is My SuperPower, January 8

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, January 9

Avid Reader Nurse, January 9

janicesbookreviews, January 10

Locks, Hooks and Books, January 11

For Him and My Family, January 11

Inklings and notions, January 12

A Reader’s Brain, January 13

Mary Hake, January 13

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Laurie is giving away a themed basket with a signed paperback copy of Common, a beaded velvet bookmark, a handmade book sleeve, and a wooden “Have courage & be kind” sign!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

https://promosimple.com/ps/f38c/common-celebration-tour-giveaway

About the Book

Book: The Amish Marriage Bargain

Author: Marie E. Bast

Genre: Amish

Release Date: December 17, 2019

Will a baby girl bring them together at last?

She’ll do anything for her niece…Even marry the man who broke her heart.

Nothing can keep May Bender in her Amish hometown—except caring for her baby niece. But the bishop insists that May also marry her widowed brother-in-law, Thad Hochstedler—the beau who jilted her to wed her sister. Can May risk her heart long enough to learn the real reason for Thad’s first marriage…and possibly rediscover their love?

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Marie E. Bast is a Publishers Weekly bestselling author. Her stories whisper words of hope and healing through complex characters and twisting plots. She enjoys writing Amish, contemporary and historical stories. Married for twenty-eight years, Marie and her husband have two grown sons and one daughter. When she’s not writing, she’s walking, golfing, gardening or spending time with her family. Visit her website at MarieBastAuthor.com or follower her on social media.

More from Marie

Did you know that until as late as the twentieth century, marriage was never based on love?

In fact, the institution of marriage predates recorded history. But in ancient biblical times, the reasons for marriage are numerous. The kings, nobility, wealthy, and aristocratic families used arranged marriages to ensure loyalty between kingdoms, which forced a united bound and ensured the integrity of their inheritance and the family wealth.

Arranged marriages, marriages of convenience, and marriage bargains were practical to keep property and kingdoms intact and in the family line. But these marriage contracts also spilled over into the commoners’ lives. In times of poverty, a daughter was only another mouth to feed and therefore a burden on the family. That fueled the arranged marriages where the groom gave the family money, animals, or some other commodity in exchange for the marriage.

Also, arranged marriages were instrumental for women over the age of 30 who were unwed. Even in the nineteenth century, many women would find that a marriage of convenience was the way to go. Often, a widower needed a mother and housekeeper for his family, and sometimes a woman without means to support herself would readily accept a marriage of convenience. Even today, some cultures still use arranged marriages.

But one of the most unique marriage of convenience is the marriage bargain, and that is the central theme to my newest book, The Amish Marriage Bargain, which releases in book form December 17, 2019, and eBook January 1, 2020. The marriage bargain is the specific negotiation of the terms of the agreement regarding a particular situation and often included land.

After her sister dies, May Bender will do anything for her niece…Even marry the man who broke her heart. But like the days of old, the bargain goes deeper than that.

This has been such a wonderful book to read. The story line is about an arranged marriage that finds May and Thad married so May can help raise her sister's baby. I enjoyed the way the author showed May's flaws and how she tried so hard to overcome them. It is hard for May to be married to Thad since he dumped her once before to marry her sister. After April dies, Thad is in need of someone to help him with Leah and finds a way to get May to marry him. 

I can't imagine how hard it was for May to be Thad's wife after he betrayed her. The author writes an incredible story about forgiveness and takes a look at marriages that open the eyes of what unconditional love is. Thad has a secret that he can't let May know about.  I found him to be a very caring and selfless person. He has his hands full running the farm and trying to make ends meet. I loved reading about dairy farms and how much work it takes to make a profit from it. The author does a very good job of giving readers details about farming and the day to day chores that are involved. The other aspect of making a living by making cheese intrigued me. I didn't know how much work it takes to make cheese.  

What I liked most about the story was  how real the author portrayed May and Thad. They each were struggling with emotions and wanted to make things work between them. There are moments in the story that we see a glimpse of May starting to forgive Thad for what he did to her. When she overhears a conversation one day, everything in her life changes. Betrayed and deceit rear their ugly head and the enemy comes in  try to destroy a marriage. 

The story held my attention and I really didn't want it to end. The characters draw you in and I could easily relate to May and and how angry she felt. Her love for her niece is very well defined throughout the story and their bond was wonderful to read. There is one character in the story that I did not like. Thad's mother is very hard on May and several times belittles her. I was hoping that Thad would stand up to his mother and defend his wife. May is a strong woman who is willing to sacrifice her happiness to care for her niece. Will she find love along the way as she and Thad try to make their marriage work? Can forgiveness mend a heart? The faith element in the book is good and I loved the prayers that both characters said when they turn to  God in their struggles. The book is a wonderful story that places two people together where God shows them how to work together and let go of the past.

I received a copy of this book from Celebrate Lit. The review is my own opinion.

Blog Stops

The Power of Words, January 2

For Him and My Family, January 2

The Avid Reader, January 3

Stephanie’s Life of Determination, January 3

Texas Book-aholic, January 4

Vicky Sluiter, January 4

Mary Hake, January 4

Adventures of a Travelers Wife, January 5

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, January 5

Among the Reads, January 6

Betti Mace, January 6

Older & Smarter?, January 7

Locks, Hooks and Books, January 7

Batya’s Bits, January 7

janicesbookreviews, January 8

Hallie Reads, January 8

For The Love Of Literature, January 9

Britt Reads Fiction, January 9

Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, January 10

Bigreadersite, January 10

mypreciousbitsandmusings, January 10

She Lives to Read, January 11

Through the Fire Blogs, January 11

Quiet Quilter, January 12

Pause for Tales, January 12

Inklings and notions, January 13

Because I said so — and other adventures in Parenting, January 13

Tell Tale Book Reviews, January 13

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, January 14

EmpowerMoms, January 14

Blossoms and Blessings, January 15

Splashes of Joy , January 15

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Marie is giving away to four winners each a $25 Amazon card will also receive a copy of the book!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

https://promosimple.com/ps/f426/the-amish-marriage-bargain-celebration-tour-giveaway

About the Book

Book: Fire Women

Author: Joanna Sanders

Genre: Non-fiction

Release Date: October, 2019

Combining biblical instruction and discipleship, Fire Women is a testimony to the powerful benefits of submitting even the most intense desires to the authority of Jesus Christ. It’s an intimate view of a woman with almost-untamable passion and the God who delivered her to live the passionate life she truly desired.

Having been married twice, Joanna candidly reveals a stark contrast between her two marriages, as well as the impact of her choices through three decades of being burned—and nearly destroyed—by the desire of the flesh. In hopes to inspire passionate women to godly living, Joanna shares practical applications from the difficult lessons learned within an intense five-year refining period between marriages and an honest account of a landscape laid ruin by a life of sin. Written from the perspective of one fiery woman to another, readers will hear of the worth of living God’s way, the importance of dying to self, the true measure of passion in God’s eyes, and that not all flame is bad . . .

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Joanna Sanders is a graduate of Villanova University and Moody Theological Seminary. She’s the founder and head writer of Colossians46.com, which provides biblical content support, writing, and editing. She loves helping other authors realize God’s purpose through their stories and reflecting His glory back through their words. It has been her lifelong dream to finally write her own story. Joanna writes and edits for several Christian publications and publishers and has a heart for women’s ministry.

Most importantly, she is wife to Geoff and mom to three godly-men-in-training. Cookies, pasta, music, and the beach also play integral roles in her life.

More from Joanna

My parents named me after a song about a woman who consumed her lover in such a way that even long after she had left him, he continued to find glory in the short, but intense way she had loved him. It was like my parents knew I would love with a fierceness that could not be contained, that would subject me—and those around me—to a thousand deaths by my own hand. They knew before I was born. This has been a long journey.

I spent many years trying to figure out my intense passion, wrestling with it, even trying to extinguish it by choking out its oxygen. I didn’t realize there was indeed a healthy place for it. In fact, I felt like each time I looked around this world, I could only see that there was no place for it where it wouldn’t set flame to those around it as well.

I hadn’t viewed my intense passion so much as a gift before, especially since it got me in more and more trouble as I followed it. But now I see it as a gift. My passion is what has driven me to finish this book and, God willing, hopefully inspire you with my testimony. My passion is what gives me endurance and drive to persevere, to finish well in all areas of my walk, and to meet Him at the finish line.

If you are a passionate woman like me, join me in the journey. I can’t wait to show you how I learned, and Who I learned was able to handle my passion. The same road is waiting for you.

The author reminded me of my teen years as she mentions Teen Beat and Tiger Beat. I couldn't wait for the new issues of these magazines to come out each month. I also hung posters on my wall of some of the celebrities highlighted in the magazines. I will expose my age with this statement but I really liked Bobby Sherman. I read everything I could about him. Then the Beatles become a favorite of mine. Those magazines I thought were full of exciting articles but little did I know that those magazines made me think I would able to attract someone like the stars featured in the magazines. It also made me think at times i wasn't good enough. 

I have to admit that I was having trouble following what the author's points were in the book at times. I did like the brief chapter about sexual purity. I do know that the Bible teaches us to not have intimate contact with someone until marriage. It is certainly been a subject that many people have had to face. The good news is that God does forgive us and will lead us back to Him.  I can't tell you how many times in my younger days I heard guys tell me, "If you love me you will have sex with me."  For me in my mixed up thinking I thought I would lose this person if I didn't give in and I had to prove I loved them so I wouldn't lose them.What a vicious circle I was trapped in and had no one to explain to me that what I was thinking was wrong.

I  did relate to the part about thinking the grass was greener on the other side. Oh how I know the hard way how false that statement is. The enemy loves to tell us we can do better than who we are with and it's okay to have wandering eyes. God designed intimacy to be pure and sacred between spouses. The enemy has distorted that by making us insecure, feeling unwanted and reminding us that it is okay to be intimate with  someone even though we aren't married to them.

 The author is bold enough to tell us the truth about sexual purity in a way that is easy to relate to. She gives us personal accounts of her struggles and doesn't hold anything back. Oh how I wish I had a book like this to read years go. I have made very bad choices but I also know that God has forgiven me.  

There are some points the author makes in the book that I didn't agree with. This is my own beliefs and I will leave it up to readers to decide for themselves. At times I felt the author repeated things and almost contradicted herself. The premise of the book is good, but I didn't like some of the judgmental ways she presented her point of view.One of the things I struggled with was the mention of older women teaching the younger women about the word of God. For me that reference means older women who are more mature in their walk with Jesus, not necessarily because of their age . There is much to be said for a younger woman who is strong in her faith to help others who are baby Christians. People get saved at different ages. 

The overall book is about sexual purity which I believe  is important to understand.  The author does give scriptures and uses people from the bible to illustrate her points.  I liked  some of her points but others I didn't agree with. I do appreciate her transparency and her ability to talk about subjects that may be uncomfortable to some. I will say that the book is from her heart and it is evident how passionate she is about the many topics she covers in the book. 

I received a copy of this book from Celebrate Lit. The review is my own opinion.

Blog Stops

Texas Book-aholic, January 3

janicesbookreviews, January 4

Inklings and notions, January 5

Artistic Nobody, January 6 (Author Interview)

Through the Lens of Scripture, January 7

Genesis 5020, January 8

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, January 9

For the Love of Literature, January 10 (Author Interview)

Just the Write Escape, January 11

For Him and My Family, January 12

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, January 13

Christian Bookshelf Reviews, January 14 (Author Interview)

CarpeDiem, January 15

Emily Yager, January 16

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Joanna is giving away the grand prize package of a $20 Amazon Gift Card and signed copy of Fire Women!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

https://promosimple.com/ps/f429/fire-women-celebration-tour-giveaway

AMISH COUNTRY KIDNAPPING BY MARY ALFORD

I have read several book by this author and they have always been very good. This book however is the best I have read from her. It is so intense and action packed I didn't move from my comfy place until the last word was read. It is so well written that the author had me reading as fast as I could to find out the ending.

The story centers around Rachel's sister who has been kidnapped. There seems to be no trace of her sister anywhere. The intriguing part is whoever has her sister wants Rachel as well. They will stop at nothing to get Rachel. The intensity grew as these mysterious men kept trying to get to Rachel.

I really enjoyed Noah and how determined he was to protect Rachel. His puts his life in danger as he fiercely protects her. I couldn't believe how many near tragedies happened to Noah as the men never gave up trying to get Rachel The big question is why do they want Rachel and why do they have her sister?

I thought the author did an excellent job of keeping who was after Rachel and why they were so desperate to get her a secret for most of the book. I think that is why I loved the story so much. The author didn't give anything away but kept me so involved in trying to figure out why they need both Rachel and her sister.   There is a past between Noah and Rachel that is explored a little but it is not the main focus of the story. The faith element is evident throughout the book and adds hope and trust to an exciting nail biting story. The ending is action packed and filled with a few surprises. I think I was holding my breath at times because the story is so intriguing and kept me guessing with twists at unexpected moments. I am excited to know that  the  author's next book  be  will coming out March 2020.

I received a copy of this book from the author. The review is my own opinion.