Learning to Live (ENDED)

26, May 2010 by ·

We all deal with problems in our lives.

I’m a woman of faith. When my life seems as if it is spinning out of control I look upward for guidance and steering. God has been beyond goo to me. I have been blessed with two children when I didn’t know if I would have any. When my marriage hit a rough patch He was there to deliver us through it, and when we lost our third child it was by His grace that I survived.

Even with all of the wonderful thing God has done in my life, there are times when I lose sight of how wonderful He really is. When I hit this point it’s through the stories of other that draw me closer to God. And no story has awed me more then the story of Kristen Anderson.

Life in Spite of MeIn her book “Life, in Spite of Me,” written with Tricia Goyer, Kristen tells her story. The story of a young girl who finds herself trying ot deal with the loss of three friends and her grandmother in just two years. The story of a girl who finds herself the victim of rape. The story of a girl who dives into a deep and seemingly endless depression.

The story of a seventeen year old girl who doesn’t see a way out and so decided to end her life. She lays down on a set of railroad tracks and wits for her pain to end.

But her story doesn’t end, it just begins.

In her book Kristen talks about her miraculous survival that night and the aftermath she faced and the hope that replaced despair. Kristen’s story is one filled with not just hope, but courage and grace.

It reminds us all that there is truly only one person in charge and through Him we will either be delivered into, from, or through the fire. No matter which it is, He will be there.

This book touched me in such an amazing way. I want you to experience it also. Thanks to WaterBrook Multnomah publishing I have two copies of this incredibly inspiring book to giveaway.

RULES FOR ENTRY:
Leave a comment telling me where you find your inspiration when having a rough day.

EXTRA ENTRIES (leave a separate comment for each):
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GIVEAWAY ENDS JUNE 9TH! 2 WINNERS!

That’s not all! Tricia Goyer is also holding a special giveaway in honor of this book. For a chance to win a 5 book Tricia Goyer libarary (any 5 books of your choice!) Tweet this:

Don’t miss Life, In Spite of Me by @TriciaGoyer! The amazing story of #KristenAnderson journey back from #suicide! http://bit.ly/98PKmo

Check out what others are saying about the book by visiting the participants in the Blog Tour.

*Dislosure: I was given a copy of this book to review as part of the LitFuse Flock. I also received additional copies from the WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group.*

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A Sweet Melody

17, April 2010 by · 3 Comments

It’s just amazing to me that I have been blessed recently with amazing books to read. And LitFuse has done it again! They have provided me with a book that really spoke to me. It touched me, it made me look at my life and allowed me to find an area in my relationship with God that I can strive to make better.

A Distant Melody is the debut novel by Sarah Sundin. Not only is the it the debut novel, it is also the first book in a trilogy planned by Ms. Sundin called Wings Of Glory which will follow all the Novak brothers, B-17 bomber pilots with the US Eighth Air Force stationed in England during World War II.

Here’s a brief synopsis of the book:
Never pretty enough to please her gorgeous mother, Allie will do anything to gain her approval–even marry a man she doesn’t love. Lt. Walter Novak–fearless in the cockpit but hopeless with women–takes his last furlough at home in California before being shipped overseas. Walt and Allie meet at a wedding and their love of music draws them together, prompting them to begin a correspondence that will change their lives. As letters fly between Walt’s muddy bomber base in England and Allie’s mansion in an orange grove, their friendship binds them together. But can they untangle the secrets, commitments, and expectations that keep them apart?

My take on the book:
Obviously I loved it! I just really felt this book. Yes it’s a love story, yes it’s set in war and those really add to the story. But I love really loved that it was about a woman finding her way through her relationship with God. Not only that but the man in her life is nothing but supportive telling her to go after the yearning that she is experiencing. She risks losing everything to follow the path God has laid for her knowing full well that He will take care of her.

To celebrate this release, Sarah is hosting a super fun Social Sharing Contest!

Enter the Netflix and Nostalgia contest from author Sarah Sundin!

THE CONTEST:

A Distant Melody, Book 1 in Sarah Sundin’s exciting Wings of Glory series, is in stores now! To celebrate the release, one Grand Prize winner the chance to get nostalgic!

THE PRIZE:

The Winner of our ‘NETFLIX® & Nostalgia’ giveaway will receive a vintage prize package, including:

  • A 6 month NETFLIX® subscription
  • $25 Starbucks® gift card
  • A box of See’s Famous Old Time Chocolates®
  • A jar of homemade strawberry jam
  • A Big Band music CD
  • A Mini B-17 Model airplane
  • Vintage stationery and pen
  • British specialty tea
  • WWII style playing cards

To enter just click on the icon above! Contest will be live April 5th and run through April 25th!

And if you want to check out the book it’s available from Amazon!

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This Little Prayer of Mine

16, April 2010 by ·

Having the opportunity to review books is one of my favorite aspects of being a blogger. I’ve been a reader for so long that sharing my love of literature with my kids is super important to me. I want them to grow up looking forward to a reading assignment in school instead of dreading it which I see so many kids now do.

I’ve recently started saying nightly prayers with my kids. Being 5 and 3 they are often confused about what they should pray for. I try to tell them that they should pray for things that are on their heart or thank God for something he has done for them. But still most nights are filled with more questions than prayers.

The book This Little Prayer of Mine by Anthony DeStefano is really a prayer in a book. A prayer that includes asking God to be there with us when we are scared, sad, and even asking for forgiveness when we are doing things we know aren’t right.

In addition to asking for these things, there is also praise. Praise to God for the things that we do have and the things that He creates for us to see.

The prayer asks God to help us be like Him. To share His love by caring for others, giving back, and sharing our talents.

It concludes by just asking God to continue to love us, because that really all we want. That love will give us the tools we need to accomplish everything.

The illustrations by Mark Elliott are beautiful and really helped my kids see what it was we were praying about.

If you would like to purchase this book to share with your family, you can do so from the Random House website.

Or, I have a 2nd copy of this book to GIVEAWAY!

Rules for Entry:

  • Leave a comment telling me one of your loves that you plan on sharing with your children or even nieces and nephews.

Extra Entries (Leave separate comment for each):

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CONTEST CLOSES ON APRIL 23RD!

GOOD LUCK!

Disclaimer: “This book was provided for review by the WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group.”

Filed Under: Books, Giveaways · Tagged With: , ,

My Candle Burns Bright!

26, March 2010 by ·

I love when a book surprises me.

When I first started reading Here Burns My Candle, I had a hard time getting into the story. For starters I’m not the biggest fan of historical fiction. I much prefer a book set close to present time, mainly because I can relate to it more.

And that’s where the surprise came in.

First, here is the synopsis the publisher gives of the book.

Here Burns My CandleLady Elisabeth Kerr is a keeper of secrets. A Highlander by birth and a Lowlander by marriage, she honors the ‘auld’ ways, even as doubts and fears stir deep within her.
Her husband, Lord Donald, has secrets of his own, well hidden from the household, yet whispered among the town gossips.
His Mother, the dowager Lady Marjory, hides gold beneath her floor and guilt inside her heart. Though her two abiding passions are maintaining her place in society and coddling her grown sons, Marjory’s many regrets, buried in Greyfriars Churchyard, continue to plague her.
One by one the Kerr family secrets begin to surface, even as bonny Prince Charlie and his rebel army ride into Edinburgh in September 1745, intent on capturing the crown.

So, remember how I said I didn’t think I could relate to this book? I related more than I thought possible.

In my opinion this book is about, first of all, finding your true faith and the strength of a woman. The Heroine experiences so many trials in her life. She struggles like so many of us to make it through and conquer. I was so enthralled in this book that I actually stayed up until about 4am one night to finish it. I just HAD to know what would happen to Lady Elisabeth next because there were several things that she went through that I have as well. I was just so inspired with the dignity in which she handled herself and the situations that arose. I know that in the 1700′s a prim and proper woman was much more common that it is now. I’ll be the first to admit that I’m not as proper as I should be at times. But here is a woman that must deal with a not so nice mother-in-law, a sister-in-law who looks down at her, and a husband who is the talk of the town for his extra curricular activities and yet she handles it beautifully. I’m not going to give too much away in the book but really, Lady Elisabeth is the woman many of us should strive to be like.

As a special treat Waterbrook Multnomah Publishing, who provided me with the book for review, has also created a trailer for the book. I just love that publishers are doing this now. Take a look.

And now I have a surprise for you! I have a 2nd copy that I get to give to one of my readers!

Rules for Enter (You must do one of the following, leave a separate comment for each entry):

  • Follow Mad Hatter Mom on Google Friend Connect
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  • Become a Fan of Mad Hatter Mom on Facebook
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  • Go check out another post on Mad Hatter Mom and leave a comment

Contest Ends April 4th at Midnight PST

Open to the U.S. and Canada

GOOD LUCK!

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My screening of Screen Play

13, March 2010 by · 1 Comment

My book shelves are overflowing with books lately. And I love it!

Recently, I finished Screen Play by Chris Coppernoll. It again is a Christian Fiction book and I have to tell you, I’m enjoying this genre more than I ever thought I could.

First off, I like to provide with the synopsis from the publisher before giving you my opinion.

At thirty, Harper fears her chances for a thriving acting career and finding true love are both fading fast. After a devastating year of unemployment and isolation in Chicago, Harper is offered an unexpected role in a Broadway play – as understudy to New York’s biggest diva – and everthing in Harper’s world changes.

Harper also hopes to find love in NYC, but when it doesn’t happen, she reluctantly signs up to an online matchmaking site. Frustration mounts when the only match Harper is even remotely interested in lives in a remote territory on the opposite coast, thousands of miles away. A faith conversation during her year in Chicago shapes how Harper sees everything. She wants to see God at work in her life, but His ways are mysterious, and she’s faced with challenges in a secular world of Broadway. Harper feels like an actress who doesn’t act and a woman in love with someone she’s never even seen, but God’s about to change all that.

There is more but I wanted to get a word in here too. :)

The thing that struck me the most was that this book is written from Harper’s point of view. Why was this impressive, well because Chris Coppernoll is a man. I know it’s very sexist of me but hear me out. I have not read many books written by a male that the main character is a woman. And he did it very well!

Probably my favorite aspect of this book is how Harper has the courage to keep her faith and act on it even though everyone and thing around her is telling her to do otherwise. It is truly a wonderful example of giving it up to God and just following him and he will take of you, or those you love.

Faith, friends, and love. What more could you ask for in a book?

*I received this book to review as a blogger for B & B Media Group*

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Thunderous Applause

11, March 2010 by · 1 Comment

I am super blessed to be a part of the LitFuse flock of bloggers.

Through LitFuse I get to check out the latest books from a variety of publishers, which really works for me because I absolutely LOVE to read! Books are such a passion and when there is a book that teaches me a lesson along the way, I fall in love with literature all over again.

This week I am participating in the Blog Tour for the newest novel by Susan May Warren. Sons of Thunder is actually the first in a collection of books Susan is writing which will be called the Brothers in Arms Collection.

Sons of Thunder is a wonderfully written romantic and suspenseful book. Set in the early 1900′s, it tells the story of 2 brothers who flee Greece for America. They are thrown into the American ways all the while trying to keep some sense of who they are. Added into the mix is a love interest who is torn between the two. Susan transports you from a fishing village in Greece to the mob war ridden streets of Chicago onto the World War II battlefields of Europe. Sons of Thunder is really the 3 separate stories of Brothers Markos and Dino and Sofia, the girl who has won their hearts.

Honestly though the thing that touched me the most about this book was the message. In every hurt, God heals and repairs. Through Him our regrets, transgressions, and emotional wounds will be wiped clean and cured. I think this is something that is easy for us to forget. Many of us have a hard time leaving a past behind when it is just that. The past. We must buckle down look toward the future and what we will do with our lives then.

Along with this review I’m happy to pass on some great contests that Susan and LitFuse are offering.

Susan recognizes that all of us have a story. Were your great-grandparents ‘fresh off the boat’? Was your great uncle a war hero? Did your grandmother make unbelievable sacrifices to help or protect the family? Did your father harbor a family secret until his death? Are you related to someone famous? Do you have a family treasure? Whatever it is that is unique in your family history – share it with us. Visit the Brothers in Arms website, click the SHARE button on the right sidebar. Enter your story in the form at the bottom of the page. If you have a photo to go along with your story email it to amy@susanmaywarren.com

One grand prize winner will win a Memory Prize package containing a gift certificate to create your own hard cover photo book, a 6 month membership to Netflix (to satisfy that flick fix!) and a signed copy of Sons of Thunder!

5 runners up will also win signed copies of Sons of Thunder!

The other great thing is your story will be featured on the website!

You can also be entered to win a copy of Sons of Thunder by helping spread the word during the blog tour!

TWEET THIS :( must use hashtag #SonsofThunder to be entered – no limit on entries! Tweet away!)

Please RT! @susanmaywarren launches new Romantic Suspense #SonsofThunder. Share your story 2 win a fab prize pack! http://ow.ly/1digM


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