Review and Blog Tour: The Gospel-Centered Woman

The Gospel-Centered Woman by Wendy Horger Alsup

Release Date: January 1, 2013

Genre: Christian

Pages: 154

Format: eBook

Buy It: Amazon

Many Christian books written to women claim to present God's good instructions for their lives. Some expound on the value of marriage and children. Many extol the virtues of the Proverbs 31 wife. A good number teach the value of love, submission, and respect in Christian marriages. Though this book deals with these topics, The Gospel-Centered Woman addresses women from an entirely different perspective. The most important part of the Bible's instructions to women center around the gospel. Jesus' life, death, and resurrection brought about a seismic shift in our understanding of Scripture. After His resurrection, His disciples understood words written thousands of years before with a clarity they never had previously. The good news of Christ illuminates all other Scripture, including instructions to women.

I found this book very hard to follow. First of all, the ebook I had did not show up normally on my Kindle Fire so it was difficult to read which was very distracting. Also, I felt fairly lost through the first part of the book, and my mind often wandered to other topics. The ending became better, and focused on women who are not married or with children. Once that happened I felt I could connect with it better. It's not a bad read, just not for me.

I received this book free for review for a LitFuse Blog Tour. I was not required to post a positive review, simply an honest one.

Mini Review and Blog Tour: Love in a Broken Vessel

Love in a Broken Vessel by Mesu Andrews

Release Date: March 1, 2013

Publisher: Revell

Genre: Christian Romance

Pages: 448

Format: eBook

Buy It: Amazon

Hosea has been charged by God with a difficult task--marry a prostitute in order to show God's people the nature and depth of his love for Israel. When Hosea goes to Israel to proclaim God's message, the prostitute God tells him to marry turns out to be his childhood friend Gomer. He finds her broken and abused, unwilling to trust Hosea or his God. But when marrying Hosea becomes her only choice, Gomer does what she's good at--she survives. Can Hosea's love for God and God's love for Israel heal Gomer's broken spirit?

With her potent combination of in-depth research and masterful storytelling, Mesu Andrews brings to life a complex and fascinating biblical story of the power of love and forgiveness in the face of utter betrayal.

This book. My word. I can't even begin to put into words what it did to my emotions. I can relate to Gomer so much throughout this book. While I may not have been a prostitute, I definitely went through life being hurt to the point that I felt I could not be loved. Seeing her come to terms with her worth really connected with me and made me realize how special I can be!

On top of that, I love that Hosea made a point of letting Gomer have a say, despite her position as a woman. It made their love blossom even more, which causes me to simply fall in love with them and their story. An excellent romance!

I received this book free for review for a Revell Blog Tour. I was not required to post a positive review, simply an honest one.

Mini Review and Blog Tour: Firefly Island

Firefly Island by Lisa Wingate

Release Date: February 1, 2013

Publisher: Bethany House Publishers

Genre: Christian Romance

Pages: 384

Format: Paperback

Buy It: Amazon

At thirty-four, congressional staffer Mallory Hale is about to embark on an adventure completely off the map. After a whirlwind romance, she is hopelessly in love with two men--fortunately, they're related. Daniel Everson and his little boy, Nick, are a package deal, and Mallory suddenly can't imagine her future without them.

Mallory couldn't be more shocked when Daniel asks her to marry him, move to Texas, and form a family with him and motherless Nick. The idea is both thrilling and terrifying.

Mallory takes a leap of faith and begins a sweet, mishap-filled journey into ranch living, Moses Lake society, and a marriage that at times reminds her of the mail-order-bride stories. But despite the wild adventure of her new life, she discovers secrets and questions beneath her rosy new life. Can she find answers on Firefly Island, a little chunk of property just off the lakeshore, where mysterious lights glisten at night?

This book was better than I expected. I'm not a fan of whirlwind romances, so I wasn't sure how I would feel about it. However, I appreciated that Mallory was able to fall in love on her own, even if she did feel like it was a mail-order bride marriage at times. I also loved her relationship with Nick, and how that blossomed. However, it just seemed kind of... empty to me. Nothing about the story made me want to read it again. It just needs a little something more.

I received this book free for review for a LitFuse Blog Tour. I was not required to post a positive review, simply an honest one.

Review and Blog Tour: Chosen by Kristen Day

Chosen by Kristen Day

Release Date: January 27, 2013

Genre: Fantasy

Series: Daughters of the Sea #3

Pages: 324

Format: eBook

Buy It: Amazon

The essence of who we are lies not in what we have, but in what we are willing to give up. Because in the end, Time and Tide wait for no one.
After sacrificing all that she had, the evil princess of the Underworld is still successful in her bid to tear Finn from Stasia’s life. In the midst of her search to reclaim him, Stasia is summoned to the island nation of Cyprus to take part in an age-old ritual; unveiling the missing pieces of her ancestry and re-igniting an ancient war. As she struggles to both save Finn’s soul and free Carmen’s mind, Stasia’s bravery and determination will be pushed to its breaking point. A dark storm is forming on the horizon, and the forces who are vying to destroy her may be much closer than she thinks. Destiny weaves a sticky web of evil, betrayal, and revenge that can only be undone by the purity of love and the soul’s unyielding will to survive. In the last installment of the Daughters of the Sea trilogy, the past will collide with the present as Stasia’s future hangs in the balance. The prophecy that paved the way for her new life may indeed be the very thing that strips her of the ones she loves the most.

I have no idea what to say about this final installment, except these three words: OH. MY. WORD. After all of the twists and turns throughout the series, and the cliffhanger endings of the first two books, the ending could not have been more perfect. Everything that Stasia had to deal with throughout her journey was resolved in the best way imaginable. Sadly, she did still have to deal with a tragic loss, on top of the losses she had already experienced. In the end, he became stronger than even she could have predicted. If you want a series that will keep your emotions reeling from suspense, start with this series!

I received this book free for review for a Young Adult Novel Reader blog tour. I was not required to post a positive review, simple an honest one.

Mini Review and Blog Tour: Beautiful Battlefields

Beautiful Battlefields by Bo Stern

Release Date: January 18, 2013

Publisher: NavPress

Genre: Devotional

Pages: 192

Format: Paperback

Buy It: Amazon

Where is God in the midst of this? You’ve probably heard that question or perhaps asked it yourself. In the battle for your joy, your marriage, your finances, your health, an emptiness creeps in. Where is the peace You promised, God?

Bo Stern has been there—and is still there. Yet in studying the battles in Scripture, she came to a startling conclusion: God is using these fierce fights in our lives for an astonishing purpose.

This book is my life. That sounds heavy, but it's true. I've dealt with so much that I often wonder where God's peace is. This book helped ease that doubt. Pain is going to happen, whether we want it to or not, but God has a plan for it all and is still there even if we can't see or hear Him. This book reminds us of how to deal with the pain, and make it through back into the sunshiny days.

I received this book free for review for a LitFuse Blog Tour. I was not required to post a positive review, simply an honest one.

Review and Blog Tour: You're Made for a God-Sized Dream

You're Made for a God-Sized Dream by Holley Gerth

Release Date: March 1, 2013

Publisher: Revell

Genre: Devotional

Pages: 224

Format: eBook

Buy It: Amazon

We all long to live with more purpose, passion, and joy. Yet in the middle of our hectic lives, the God-sized dreams that have the potential to lead us into all God has planned for us are the ones that tend to get lost. With her intimate, approachable style and constant encouragement, popular blogger and author Holley Gerth invites women to rediscover the big dreams God has given them--and then dare to pursue them.

With the enthusiasm and honesty that we all want from our closest friend, Holley encourages women to overcome excuses--too busy, too late, too far out of my comfort zone--and believe that their God-sized dreams can become reality. She takes readers by the heart and says, "Yes! You can do this! Let's go!" and then guides them forward with a loving hand. A licensed counselor and certified life coach, Holley insightfully combines inspiration with practical application in this positive book.

I love Holley Gerth. I loved her other books, and I love this one. She has such a honest, personable writing style! It makes me want to get to know her in person. First of all, I love the cover! I love keys, and this cover was simple enough that it is so cute. As for the book, Holley goes through each step in accepting the dream, getting others' acceptance on the dream, and putting it into reality. While reading this I was planning a trip to work for Disney, and this cemented my belief that it is something I needed to do, despite what others in my life were telling me. If you have something you deeply desire, but are unsure about what to do or if you should proceed, I recommend checking out this book.

I received this book free for review for a Revell Blog Tour. I was not required to post a positive review, simply an honest one.

Review and Blog Tour: Faith, Fear and a Fistful of Chocolate

Faith, Fear and a Fistful of Chocolate by Debora Coty

Release Date: February 1, 2013

Publisher: Barbour Books

Genre: Devotional

Pages: 244 pages

Format: eBook

Buy It: Amazon

Are you ready to strip fear's power over you and become the confident woman you were meant to be? Have you found that tolerating your personal fear monsters only makes them growl louder?

Okay, sister - take my hand and let's boldly step up and yank the masks off those shadow-lurking, anxiety-churning, worry-generating beasts.

With her own brand of off-beat wit and wisdom, inspirational humorist Debora Coty addresses heart needs of women worn down by everyday fears - financial, health, relationships, loss, pain, the unknown, the what ifs ...

With fresh spiritual insight, Debora shares hope, true life stories, scriptural lifelines, and a few LOL's along with simple, practical tips for sidestepping fear with faith. And a fistful of chocolate!

I loved Too Blessed to Be Stressed, so I was very excited to read Debora's latest work. The title is catchy, and it is perfect for someone like me!

Coty highlights common fears that Christian women struggle with, and directly combats them with Scripture and fact. I identified with a majority of the fears mentioned, so it was refreshing to have a way to fight the fears that will continue to work.

My favorite part were her analogies, such as Xena the Warrior Princess! The humor makes it fun to read. Definitely an excellent read!

I received this book for  LitFuse blog tour. I was not required to post a positive review, simply an honest one.