The Bride Wore Blue by Mona Hodgson

Vivian Sinclair, the youngest of the Sinclair sisters, has finally joined her three older sisters in Cripple Creek, Colorado. She hopes that her sisters will see her as a grown, independent woman and not just as the baby of the family, but she has no confidence in herself since she made an irreversible mistake back in Maine. She now sees herself as having to make her way in the world without the benefit of a husband in the future. When every job that she applies for falls through, she feels like she has no choice but to accept a job as a hostess in a sporting house. As her life continues to spiral out of control, she learns that she should no longer rely just on herself, but put her life in God's hands.
I really enjoyed this book. I have not been able to read the second book in The Sinclair Sisters of Cripple Creek series, but I did read the first one and this book was just as good as that one was. I thought that the character of Vivian Sinclair was very well written. She had a lot of depth to her struggles and she seemed more relatable than many other characters I have read. She made a mistake and felt that because of this mistake, she could never have the life she had dreamed about. She was no longer worthy to even be on the same level as her sisters. She felt like a hypocrite and that God would never forgive her for what she had done. The author did an excellent job with showing that no matter what someone does, God is always willing to forgive and you can move past your mistakes. I also really like how the author integrated an adoption story in the book. Adoption is something that is close to my heart and I really enjoyed reading about one in a fictional story. Overall, this was a great story and I am looking forward to the next book by Mona Hodgson to read more about the Sinclair sisters.

Chasing the Sun by Tracie Peterson

Hannah Dandrige was a tough girl. When her stepmother died in childbirth, in his grief, her father moved her, along with her little brother and her baby sister from Virginia to Texas. Hannah was in charge of bringing up her younger siblings and taking care of the house. When her father received a letter saying that his mother was dying, he decided to travel back to Virginia to see her. While her father is gone, Mr. Lockhart, her father’s business partner, tries to persuade Hannah into a marriage of convenience. Further trouble occurs when William Barnett returns to his family ranch to find that it has been given to Hannah’s family. He and his family had been considered traitors when they decided to fight for the Union. Complications abound and both William and Hannah have to learn to rely on God to show them the way.

I thought this was a pretty good book. I thought that the ending seemed a little abrupt, but as this is the first book in a series, and I don’t know what the other books will be about, more of the storyline may be brought out in the other books. The character of Hannah was very well-developed and my favorite character in the book. I loved how she would follow the Lord’s promptings even if it meant going against the norm or making her look foolish. She also stood up for herself and didn’t cave under the pressure that she was being put under. Overall, I was very pleased with this book and would definitely recommend reading it.

I received this book from Thomas Nelson Publisher for free in exchange for my honest review. I was not obligated to post a positive review.

Giveaway!!!!!! Illusion by Frank Peretti

So, I am conducting my first blog giveaway. I was given an extra copy of Illusion by Frank Peretti for a giveaway on my blog. For my review of the book, please look at the previous post. If you would like to see other reviews, there are more on Amazon.com. I have decided to make this competition have a beneficial effect. I have a heart for the orphans of the world, especially the ones on the Reece's Rainbow site. As much as I would love to have everyone to donate to help with these children's adoptions, I understand that not everyone can.
So, here are the rules. I only ask that you visit the Reece's Rainbow site and look at the waiting children and commit to praying for one of them. Please leave a comment with the name of the child that you are committed to praying for and after two weeks, I will pick one name randomly to receive a free copy of Frank Peretti's new book, Illusion. If you do decide to donate to one of the children, please leave me another comment telling me you donated and you will receive another entry.
Good Luck!!!!!!!

Please visit this link: http://reecesrainbow.org/new-family/thechildren

Illusion by Frank Peretti

Dane and Mandy Collins are one of the greatest magic acts of all time. They met while they were both young and Dane was just a magician's assistant, but they saw a future together and spent their lives building up their magic act. Dane's world is shattered when they are in a car accident and Mandy is killed. As he tries to move on with his life, he is haunted by her memory. He thinks he is seeing his wife as a much younger version of herself in a young magician whose name is Eloise.
Mandy in 19, in 1970 on the fairgrounds with her friends. She buys lunch and sits under a tree and suddenly everything changes. She is in a hospital gown and the people around her are different. She is picked up by the police and taken to a mental hospital to be evaluated where she finds out that the year is 2010 and there are no records on her identity. She has a vision that changes her environment and she escapes the hospital. She is found by a family who take in troubled girls and tries to make her way using the only gifts she has, magic, going under her middle name, Eloise. When Dane meets Eloise, he takes her on as a protege and together they embark on the greatest journey of their lives.

Although I did really enjoy the book and the story line was good, it just didn't seem to have the gripping quality that other Frank Peretti books seemed to have. There didn't seem to have the spiritual elements that his other books have had. It was a great story and it was gripping towards the end, but it didn't hold my attention like other books. That said, it was a great story. It was a novel against the scientific advancements that deal with manipulating life and death. It really made you think about science and the ethics involved with all the new headway they have been making. It makes you ask the question, how far is too far? Are the scientific advancements we are making worth the risks? The story line did a great job of laying out the problems without forcing them on you. The book had a definite opinion on the subject, but it let you make your own conclusions.
I would definitely recommend this book to anyone. It was another great novel by Frank Peretti.

I received this book free as an advanced copy from the publisher. I was not required to post a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own.

Brush of Angel's Wings

Brush of Angel's Wings by Ruth Reid, is about an Amish girl and a Englisher man whom God brought together through extraordinary circumstances. Rachel has waited years for a man to pick her. For someone to ask to escort her home from a singing or to show any interested in her at all. At twenty, she is no longer considered the prime age for courting. She decided that she was probably more suited to be a teacher than a wife.
Jordan just returned to the Amish community that his mother left when she chose to marry his father. He wanted to fulfill his promise to his mother while she was dying that he would go back to the Amish community and try it out for a little while. All he wanted to do was to do his duty and then leave and become a truck driver. He had absolutely no intention to remain in the Amish community and had no intention to fall in love. With the help of the angel Nathaniel, both Rachel and Jordan learn God's true plan for their lives.

I really enjoyed this book. This was my second delve into Amish fiction and I was very pleased with the book. It was different from the other Amish book I read and from other books that I have read about. I really enjoyed how the book added aspects of spiritual warfare by telling the angel's and the demon's side of the story. It had a Frank Peretti kind of  feel to it. It was not a thriller, it was definitely a romance, but it had another aspect to it that other romance novels do not have. It seemed to have more depth to it. It wasn't just a romantic story with God working out the details from afar, it made it so that God was a direct part of the story. It was showing how if we trust God to write our love story, He actually takes an interest and will guide us in His path. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who wanted more than just the traditional love story.

 I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com <http://BookSneeze®.com> book review bloggers program. 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 

Fundraiser!!!!!!!

This family needs our help to bring their son and daughter home. Please follow the link and look at the giveaways and consider donating!!!!
http://upcycledpurpose.blogspot.com/p/two-times-love-giveaway.html

Adoption

Adoption is something that I have grown up considering. My parents once thought about adopting and even though they ended up not, it instilled the idea in me. Since my husband and I have been unable to conceive so far, it has been creeping further and further to the forefront of my thoughts. I would really like to do embryo adoption someday. I really want the experience of being pregnant at least once, and I love the idea of saving a little baby that wouldn't have a chance for life otherwise. We are also considering special needs adoption. It is not something that I would have considered before I found Reece's Rainbow. After I saw this site and saw the plight of these poor children, I can't get them out of my head. I have five of their pictures on my prayer list and I have my list up at work behind my computer, on the fridge, and right beside my bed so that I can see their pictures throughout the day and remember to pray for them. We are not able to adopt any of these children right now due to our finances and the fact that we are 23 and most countries require one parent to be at least 25 years old. All I can do right now is pray. Pray for these children and that God shows what His plan is for our lives.