Jesus Calling for Little Ones by Sarah Young

From the publisher:

Jesus Loves You and Is Always With You

From bestselling author Sarah Young, Jesus Calling for Little Ones reassures toddlers and preschoolers of Jesus’ never-ending love. Devotions are written as if Jesus is speaking directly to your child’s heart—showing that Jesus knows us from our head to our toes and is always taking care of us. Along with adorable illustrations and a durable format, this is sure to be a treasure for your precious little ones.

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This board book is a wonderful book.  I have a toddler and this is just the right thing to do morning worship with him.  It is little sentence and Bible verse for each page.  This is enough for a little one because it gets a beautiful message of love from Jesus to them and a Bible verse without it being a long worship.  

This could easily be a jumping point for older kids if you wanted to combine family worship.  The illustrations are multi-cultural and beautiful.  I can easily see giving this as a gift to other parents.

I also like that it is a board book because then my toddler can carry it around and look through it himself and I don't have to worry about him tearing the pages.

I recommend this book.

I received this book free from BookLook Bloggers in exchange for my honest review.

A Worthy Pursuit by Karen Witemeyer

From the publisher:
A teacher on the run. A bounty hunter in pursuit. Can two enemies learn to trust each other before they both lose what they hold most dear?

Stone Hammond is the best tracker in Texas. He never comes home empty-handed. So when a wealthy railroad investor hires him to find his abducted granddaughter, Stone eagerly accepts.

Charlotte Atherton, former headmistress of Sullivan's Academy for Exceptional Youths, will do anything to keep her charges safe, especially the orphaned girl entrusted to her care. Charlotte promised Lily's mother she'd keep the girl away from her unscrupulous grandfather, and nothing will stop Charlotte from fulfilling that pledge. Not even the handsome bounty hunter with surprisingly honest eyes who comes looking for them.

When Miss Atherton produces documentation that shows her to be Lily's legal guardian, Stone must reevaluate everything he's been led to believe. Is she villain or victim?


Then a new danger forces Charlotte to trust the man sent to destroy her. Stone vows to protect what he once sought to tear apart. Besides, he's ready to start a new pursuit: winning Charlotte's heart.

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There is something that keeps me coming back to Karen Witemeyer's writings. Her stories feel clear and focused. Not muddled in any of the common ways that stories feel overcrowded with information or lacking in depth of character development. Instead the characters are revealed later by later as the story progresses. 

This latest novel is another fantastic story by Karen. Charlotte's love of music and teaching come through the pages and make the reader want to listen to her play and send pupils to her school.

I really liked that both Stone and Charlotte already have faith in their lives and that this story is not one person teaching the other about God but rather two people of faith going through some very hard times together as they grow and trust in God. I feel this is good because just because we are in a relationship with God doesn't mean things are easy, that the person has all the answers, or that things are easy. 

The story keeps you turning each page but the setting is such that you feel that you get to know the characters without missing any details. 

I love reading Karen's books and highly recommend this one or any others of her as well. 

I received this book free in exchange for my home review.

Hearts Made Whole by Jody Hedlund

From the publisher:
After her father's death, Caroline Taylor has grown confident running the Windmill Point Lighthouse. But in 1865 Michigan, women aren't supposed to have such roles, so it's only a matter of time before the lighthouse inspector appoints a new keeper--even though Caroline has nowhere else to go and no other job available to her.

Ryan Chambers is a Civil War veteran still haunted by the horrors of battle. He's secured the position of lighthouse keeper mostly for the isolation--the chance to hide from his past is appealing. He's not expecting the current keeper to be a feisty and beautiful woman who's angry with him for taking her job and for his inability to properly run the light. When his failings endanger others, he and Caroline realize he's in no shape to run the lighthouse, but he's unwilling to let anyone close enough to help. Caroline feels drawn to this wounded soul, but with both of them relying on that single position, can they look past their loss to a future filled with hope...and possibly love?
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This is the second book in the Beacons of Hope series, but if you haven't read the other book you won't find yourself lost.  I highly recommend reading the previous book, as well and the prequel novella, but that is only because Jody Hedlund is an amazing author and you won't want to miss any of the stories.

Jody Hedlund is a master storyteller.  She takes history and teaches you but you don't even know you are being taught because of how the story draws you in.  The characters are authentic and flawed.  There is romance and mystery in this book, but that doesn't mean the Jody leaves out God.  Instead she makes a deep impact in her writing as the characters hearts are made whole by God and God alone.  I truly appreciated that Jody Hedlund can create romantic, historical, Christian fiction and do it in a way that I could easily recommend this book to anyone.

I highly recommend this book as well as her other books.

I received this book free from Bethany House Publishers in exchange for my honest review.

Married 'til Monday by Denise Hunter

Ryan McKinley has tried to move on from his ex-wife, Abby. He’s sulked, he’s gotten angry, and ultimately he bought her dream house. Big mistake. Living alone in the massive two-story has only made him miss her more. When her parents call him out of the blue about their anniversary party in Summer Harbor, Maine, Ryan believes God has dropped a golden opportunity straight in his lap.

Abby McKinley never exactly told her parents about the divorce. A strained relationship with her dad has culminated in a distant relationship with her parents, but she’s finally succumbed to her mom’s pressure to make the drive for their 35th-anniversary party.

Then Ryan shows up on her doorstep, looking as handsome as ever. When he insists he’s going to Summer Harbor, with or without her, Abby knows she can’t say no. Her parents still think they’re married and now Ryan knows it too. It’s just a one-week road trip with the man who broke her heart. What could possibly go wrong?

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This is the fourth book in the Chapel Springs series. Denise Hunter has written each book in the series and a compelling and hearts during way. I was excited to review this last and fourth book in the series.

This book can stand alone even though the references to the previous characters. I highly recommend read the other books just because they are each so good.

As soon as I opened this book, just like her other books, I was drawn in. I finish this book in one day because I couldn't put it down. I love the character development of Ryan and Abby. The emotional and romantic tension in the book was palatable. 

Abby's backstory of her family came out bits and pieces. As did Ryan and Abby's backstory. Both of these created day deeper level to the book than just a romance novel. Also Abby's friend Gillian was a key supporting character as she helps take the book to a deeper level.

Denise Hunter is a fabulous author and you won't be disappointed when you pick up this book.

I received this book free in exchange for my honest review.

The Gifting by K.E. Ganshert

Setting:
Tess Eckhart has always felt things nobody else can feel. Then the Ouija board incident happens at a high school party. Her complete freak out sends her family across the country--next to a nationally-renowned facility for the mentally ill. Worried Tess suffers from the same illness that tormented her grandmother, her parents insist she see a psychiatrist.

Tess is more concerned about fitting in at her new school, and hiding the fact that she's seeing a therapist at the Edward Brooks Facility. She's used to whispers and stares, but when it comes to Luka Williams, a reluctantly popular boy in her class, she's unused to a stare that intense. Then the headaches start, and the seemingly prophetic dreams that haunt her at night. As Tess tries to hide them, she becomes increasingly convinced that Luka knows something--that he might somehow be responsible.

But what if she's wrong? What if Luka Williams is the only thing separating her from a madness too terrifying to fathom?
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Review:

I'll be honest, as a Christian reader I felt uncomfortable with the Ouija board scene and the man that Tess sees in the beginning of the story. But I think that was the point.  I just wasn't far enough in.  So I stopped to see if I really wanted to continue reading this book.  But I have a lot of faith in this author (her other books are a completely different genre) and so I decided to press on.  And I am glad I did.  If you pick up this book, and are uncertain, keep reading, I was pleasantly surprised at the twists and spiritual aspects of the book that I wasn't expecting.  It shows you that just because you think you know where a book is going, you don't always know.  The discomfort I felt, I was supposed to feel as a reader.

The Gifting is a face paced, edge of your seat, kind of story.  I was reading as fast as I could to see what would happen next, and there was no way you could guess what twist would happen next.  I cannot wait to read the other two books in this series.  This could easily become the next biggest thing in YA lit.  The story line is a dystopian, romance, that includes the supernatural.  

The romance is clean but Luka and Tess will draw you in as K. E. Ganshert writes their stories in such a unique and powerful way that you feel that you could be Tess or Luka experiencing those things.  The romance written is a strong force that goes beyond a typical high school romance.  It shows what real love can be.

The dystopian aspect will cause you to stop and think.  Analyzing our society and how it is similar and yet different to the setting of Tess and Luka.  In ways that the Hunger Games or Divergent made you consider society's "norms" and question them, so will The Gifting.  

The supernatural or paranormal aspect will give you chills.  The further I got into the book and the more I read the more certain I was about the underlining truth that Ganshert was telling.  I am eager to read the rest of the series to find out.  

Fan of Frank Peretti,and Ted Dekker will definitely want to check these books out.

I received this ebook in exchange for my honest review.