CelebrateLit

About the Book:

Book: Who Brought the Dog to Church?

Author: Tracy L. Smoak

Genre: Christian Contemporary Fiction

Release Date: June, 2023

Betty is sure that Ida Lou does not belong in their church when the woman shows up to the Good Friday service with her small dog in tow. But before she knows what’s happening, Betty is pushed into helping the woman as she deals with the sudden hospitalization of her husband. Having lost her own husband just one year ago, Betty is chosen as the perfect person to help walk through this valley with the newcomer—along with the other women of the WUFHs (Women United For Him).

Sarah McAdams knows her husband loves her. He just loses his temper sometimes. It comes with the stress of being a highly recognized police officer. But when Sarah makes the decision that this is not the life she wants for her young son, will she be able to get out alive? Where can she go? And who will help her?

God works in mysterious ways—and through ordinary people. The town of Prosper is about to experience some drama—and it all starts with a dog who comes to church.

My Thoughts:

Some books catch my interest as soon as I start reading them. Who Brought the Dog to Church? was one of those. When I saw the request for reviewers, I looked up the preview on Amazon to decide if I wanted to read the book. I read the three or four chapters that were available there, and was hooked, so I signed up for the review. Then, I had to decide when to read the book. Should I read the ebook that was sent to me, or wait until a friend could bring the physical book in their suitcase from the States? Since the physical book would arrive here in time to read before the review was due, I decided to wait. There is something about holding a print book and reading it that is quite different from reading on my Kindle! It was worth waiting for. 

I spent a week reading Who Brought the Dog to Church? We were away from home on a family vacation, so I didn’t have time to read more than a couple of chapters each evening before bed until one day we were driving a long distance and the road was straight enough to be able to read for awhile and I could find out how the story ended. This was a book that caught my attention and held it, so much so that when I was not reading I often thought about it and wondered what would happen next to Sarah.

I don’t think I’ve ever read a book based on domestic violence before. When I started reading this one, I wondered how in the world all these characters were connected. The story shifted from Betty watching Ida Lou and her dog in church, to Letitia mixing up a message on the prayer chain, to Sarah being hurt by her angry husband—where could a story with such a collection of characters be going? After awhile, everything came together, however, and started to make sense. The thoughts and feelings of each person were described so vividly that I found myself wrapped up in this story and emotionally invested in several of them. This debut novel is gripping, and offers many tips for helping to recognize and help victims of domestic violence, as well as those grieving the loss of loved ones.

I received a review copy of this book from the author, and these are my honest thoughts about it. Links may be affiliate links, which will benefit Esther’s website if purchases are made through them.

About the Author:

A native Floridian, Tracy L. Smoak grew up riding horses and climbing citrus trees. Her passion is to encourage others in their faith journey. Smoak writes for Guideposts. Ambassador International released her debut novel, Who Brought the Dog to Church?. Bold Vision published her Bible study about encouragement titled Refuge of Grace: Finding Your Safe Place.

She loves photography and authored two hardcover devotionals with her original nature art (Living Water to Refresh Your Soul – tranquil lake scenes; and Arranged with Love– floral landscapes).

Smoak holds a master’s in Education and a bachelor’s in Communication. At her church home, she leads small-group Bible studies. She is an active member of Word Weavers International.

More from Tracy:

What secrets are hidden behind your neighbor’s door? What do you try to hide?

The idea for this contemporary fiction began in a small country church during an Easter prayer vigil a decade ago. As I sat in the pew late at night, I heard a strange scratching noise. When I turned to locate the sound’s source, I saw a woman across the aisle with a little Yorkie.

The vigil was silent, so I didn’t approach the lady, but I did wonder why that pooch accompanied her in the sanctuary. That scenario, connected with others in my weekly involvement in several volunteer roles, sparked imagination. We judge appearances and may completely miss needs of the heart. Do we know our neighbors?

Experiences as an advocate for survivors of domestic violence started me wondering how do people get free from damaging situations? What are the obstacles holding them back?

Serving as a Stephens Ministry leader in my home church exposed me to people suffering loss. How are we to stand with those crushed with grief?

Another volunteer role helping immigrants settle in the U.S. reminded me of the difficulties they face. How can one fill out an online job application when a person relocates from a refugee camp with no electricity and never has had a computer?

The story’s heart is learning to really see, and know, our neighbors. Three women and their friendships reveal how doing good unites a community. Through comic misunderstandings and risky undertakings, the characters show us how to be Christ’s hands and feet.

Short videos to introduce the main characters can be viewed at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5kuEoU7pFvU&list=PLf6ZzeQjavMcocMuZDOZUvLxZG48BiWm5&index=1.

Audio book excerpts can be found at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bwxqS2mNisI&list=PLf6ZzeQjavMcocMuZDOZUvLxZG48BiWm5&index=9.

Video resources for survivors of domestic violence are at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f3Aq2myofjo&list=PLf6ZzeQjavMd0mkdKujmZeq7iKDzi8IoQ&index=2.

To purchase your copy, click here.

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To enter a fun giveaway, click here.

About the Book:

Book: What I Promise You

Author: Liz Tolsma

Genre: Christian Fiction / Romance / Historical Fiction

Release Date: February 1, 2024

A Family’s History Is Lost to the Ravages of WWII in Southwest France

1942
Noémie Treves, a young, pregnant Jewish woman, had her entire world shattered when she is arrested and taken to the Camp de Rivesaltes transit camp in Southwest France. No sooner does she arrive, though, than she assists in helping two young girls scheduled for transport escape to a nearby maternity hospital. The matron there befriends her and changes her name to help hide her. But nothing goes according to plan, and Hannah finds herself doing the unimaginable to save one precious life.

2022
Caitlyn Laurant is haunted by recent events in her life and hopes becoming a nurse on the mission field will help her forget. While in training, she and her friends travel to France where her grandfather was born. What should have been an easy search for his birthplace turns into anything but and reveals secrets that no one alive has ever heard.

My Thoughts:

I discovered Liz Tolsma’s books a few years ago, and for awhile now I have been reading all the books she publishes. She is very skilled at writing split-time fiction that draws me in and keeps me reading. I really enjoyed What I Promise You, and seeing how the two strands came together. I figured out the truth long before the end of the book, but certainly didn’t lose interest in seeing how everything turned out!

When I finished reading What I Promise You and read the author’s notes at the end, I realized that this was the second book I read this year based on the maternity hospital and the woman who founded it, helping expectant mothers and protecting Jewish children. Both books were quite engrossing, but I appreciated the Christian faith that came through in this book. The matron continually pointed Noemie to God, and Caitlyn was also pointed to God and His love, over and over. I loved the way her story turned out and the realizations she came to! If you love split-time fiction, and historical fiction set in World War II, you will enjoy this book. 

WARNING: Chapter 24: A gunshot. Chapter 28: A body is laying on the floor. Chapter 33: All the employees of a factory were shot by the Gestapo.

I received a review copy of this book from the author, and these are my honest thoughts about it. Links may be affiliate links, which will benefit Esther’s website if purchases are made through them.

About the Author:

Liz Tolsma is the author of several WWII novels, romantic suspense novels, prairie romance novellas, and an Amish romance. She is a popular speaker and an editor and resides next to a Wisconsin farm field with her husband and their youngest daughter. Her son is a US Marine, and her oldest daughter is a college student. Liz enjoys reading, walking, working in her large perennial garden, kayaking, and camping.

More from Liz:

The Story behind the Cover of What I Promise You

In the late summer, I got the preliminary cover for What I Promise You. While Barbour Publishing always does a great job with their covers, and the one they sent was very nice, I wasn’t crazy about it because it didn’t tell the story at all. The mansion that plays such a big part in the novel was nowhere to be seen. Barbour is fantastic when it comes to working with me to get great covers, so I asked if we could include the real mansion that the story is based on. Turns out that they were having trouble getting copyright permission to use any image they could find of the maternity home.

That was disappointing. But I got brave and let them know that I took a picture of it when I was in France last year, and they could use it, but I’m not a very good photographer and I only used my iPhone. I attached the photo to the email and didn’t hear anything for a while.

Then in October, I wanted to include a preorder link to the book on social media or something and went to Amazon to grab it. And there was the cover. I went back and forth between the cover and my picture, and sure enough, it was the picture of the maternity home I had sent them! So I not only wrote What I Promise You, but some of my photography is on the front. I never thought that would happen. Am I in the wrong profession?? Just kidding!

To purchase your copy, click here.

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To enter a fun giveaway, click here.

About the Book:

Book: Reckless Yes: Exchanging Worldly Ease for God’s Eternal
Adventure

Author: Johnna Hensley

Genre: Christian memoir

Release Date: June 6, 2023

After a shocking diagnosis in 2007 sent her life in an unexpected direction, Johnna Hensley had a decision to make. Though she had walked with God for nearly two decades, she had to choose whether she would follow His leading on a strenuous journey to find the narrow gate that leads to eternal
life; or would she take the easy, wide path offered by the temporal world? As she chose to say yes to selfless love, through God’s guidance, she discovered this was the first of many forks in life’s road that would ultimately lead her to a life full of adventure, surprises, and sometimes,
even hardships.

Inspiring and encouraging, this true story of one family’s journey is intertwined with relevant teaching of who God is and why we can trust Him in the midst of life’s chaos. Through relatable storytelling, wit, and wisdom, readers will be challenged to shift their perspective toward God’s eternal adventure.

My Thoughts:

Anytime I see a Christian memoir come up for review, I take a closer look. I have often found memoirs to be inspiring and encouraging when they are written well. Reckless Yes sounded, from the description, like it might fall into that category. I was a bit surprised when I started reading it, though, because it was quite different than any other I have ever read. It turned out not to be a memoir at all, but rather the story of how a woman learned to say yes to God, when a “yes” doesn’t seem to make sense. I like the subtitle: Exchanging worldly ease for God’s eternal adventure.

I found myself very inspired and challenged by reading Reckless Yes. Johnna Hensley retells stories from the Bible in which various people were told by God to do things that did not make sense. She draws lessons for us today from the stories. Then, she tells part of the story of her family’s life, showing how a reckless yes to God resulted in great blessing. Their path led through living with chronic disabilities, foster care, adoption, and emotional issues. It is an amazing story of how one woman learned to depend on God. I was challenged to spend more time reading the Bible and learning about God myself.

In closing, here is a paragraph from Chapter 11 that really spoke to me: I started making decisions based on that mindset. Was there a way I could help someone? Would I look more like Jesus by doing it? Could I do anything today that would serve another person? If all of those questions were answered with a yes, I moved forward – even knowing that to the world it would look reckless, and maybe even stupid. What a challenge! This is a book that I think every woman should read. The way God works will be different in everyone’s life, but the principles are the same. 

I received a review copy of this book from the author, and these are my honest thoughts about it. Links may be affiliate links, which will benefit Esther’s website if purchases are made through them.

About the Author:

Johnna (pronounced John-NUH) is an author, blogger, and all-time coordinator of chaos. Managing her family of eight, built through biology and adoption, means there’s rarely a dull moment in her days. Through herwriting, she boldly shares the eternal hope and restoration heaven offers.
She and Ryan, her husband of eighteen years, reside in the suburbs of Dallas, Texas and are avid supports of foster care, adoption, and disability awareness and advocacy as each has impacted their family. When the chaos subsides, you’ll find Johnna spending time outdoors, enjoying an early morning workout, or on the patio of a Tex-Mex restaurant with friends

More from Johnna:

Reckless Yes is Johnna’s first book, although certainly not her last! This book was years in the making and began through blog posts where she would chronicle the insights she gained from living life caring for her disabled son. It was her insights and experiences during her son’s grand entrance into the world, and many years following, which began to shape and solidify her eternal perspective and the hope of heaven. Reckless Yes is a Christian memoir that reads nearly like a Bible study as Johnna uses a unique strategy of alternating teaching chapters with memoir chapters. Not only will you see her life unfold on the pages, but you’ll see the character of God come to life as well with Johnna’s simplistic, yet interesting, explanation of Scripture. When you’re done with this book, you’ll be asking yourself what YOUR next yes will be! You’ll be equipped and capable, ready to move your life forward into action and be reckless for the Kingdom.

To purchase your copy, click here.

To visit more of the blog stops on this tour, click here.

To enter a fun giveaway, click here.

About the Book:

Book: Winds of Ruach

Author: D.M. Griffin

Genre: Biblical Fiction

Release Date: October 18, 2022

Winds of Ruach is a compilation of five novellas fictionally traversing a period in Israel’s history that spans three hundred years. God used the prophets to speak to His people during a tumultuous time when faith was challenged and spiritual discipline was necessary. Five prophets lived out the message of God in a way that girded their faith and inspired those who truly listened to God’s voice. Jonah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Obadiah, and Malachi were God’s chosen spokesmen.

Book One: Jonah felt he had every right to be angry when tragedy struck his household. He would soon learn that anger was a barrier to a right relationship with God no matter how justified the source of that anger. What happens when Jonah realizes that his deep-seated anger might cost him everything? Will he learn to embrace his forgiving God?

Book Two: Nahum was a victim of God’s wrath as it fell on the land of rebellious Israel. Intimidated for the majority of his life with little memory about his origin, Nahum struggles to trust God for vindication. Grappling to understand why everything keeps going wrong, will Nahum surrender to the only One who can truly defend him?

Book Three: As a child, Habakkuk’s faith was pure and unadulterated. As a priest serving in the Temple, however, Habakkuk realizes that something is keeping him from experiencing the fullness of that faith. He doesn’t truly trust God’s heart toward him. Will he learn to be brave despite the circumstances that threaten the very existence of the Temple?

Book Four: Obadiah lived in two worlds while feeling as if he spiritually belonged to one. Born to an Edomite father and Jewish mother, he was constantly at war with his brother. How long would it take for Obadiah to learn that the Lord was with him in the battle? Even if he lost it all, would having God be enough?

Book Five: Malachi wrestles with what he knows to be true about God and how his life is unfolding in contrast to that knowledge. What does it mean to worship with a pure heart, not with ulterior motives? As God has the final say with His people, will they listen and faithfully wait for the promised future of redemption?

Explore the themes woven into the books of the minor prophets through these fictional journeys that reveal how mighty the Winds of Ruach (Spirit) truly are as they blow across history into today.

My Thoughts:

The cover first caught my eye when I saw Winds of Ruach offered for review. I tend to look for books that are not straight-up romance, and those are fairly easy to spot most of the time, just from the cover. With this one, it was easy to see that it was historical, so I read the description. That really caught my attention, so I signed up for it. When I sign up for tours with CelebrateLit, they send me a digital copy of the book, as well as a physical copy; the print book is sent to my mom because it costs too much to send it here. Mom holds the books for me until there is a way to get them to us in someone’s suitcase. When this book arrived, she texted me that it was quite big. Just my kind of book! I was a little apprehensive about what she would have to say about it, since she reads all the books I have sent to her, and I really didn’t know if she would enjoy this one. What a relief when I talked to her after she had read the first two novellas and enjoyed them! That made me think I would like this book, as well.

I really appreciated D. M. Griffin’s imagination of what life may have been like for five men whom we know next to nothing about. She has obviously done a lot of research into life in Ancient Israel; almost everything rang true with what I have read from other sources. Human nature being as it is, I can sure see those prophets acting the way she portrays them—I especially saw myself in Jonah and his struggle to obey God! I think that one and the one about Habakkuk were my favorites. The story about Obadiah struck me as rather melodramatic (my mom called it anachronistic), and the way the major conflict was resolved in the story of Malachi felt too perfect. Otherwise, though, I loved his story and how he tried to maintain pure worship of God in an apostate culture. 

I will have to mention, though, that some of the word choices in Winds of Ruach jarred me a bit. Several times, guards would “parole” an area, and there were a few other words here and there, sometimes repeatedly, that sounded wrong. 

There were, however, so many gems in the story that I loved it despite its need for more proofreading. In the section about Jonah, an Assyrian soldier is quoted as saying, “Yours is a God who extends an invitation to life while our gods only threaten and taunt with death.” Wow! What a contrast. Or a couple of chapters on, Jonah is admonished, “Jonah, do not love God for what He gives you. Love Him for who He is.” Then there is the passage in Nahum’s story: “Yahweh didn’t understand His people’s pressing concern. If Yahweh knew the details, then His Word would be adjusted. If Yahweh knew what was happening now, He would see the foolishness of council given in the past.” Ouch! I know I tend to think that way at times. Wrong! How about this sentence, from the part about Habakkuk? “The Lord owed them nothing. They owed Him everything.” Good reminder! 

In almost every chapter, all through the book, are quotes from various parts of the Bible. Most of them, of course, are from the Old Testament, but some are from the New. All are footnoted. At the end of the book are group discussion questions for all the stories. I found these helpful for thinking more deeply about each story and how it relates to my life. Winds of Ruach would be a good book for a group to read and discuss together. There is so much in each chapter about God and how He wants a relationship with us!

I recently read all eight of Lynn Austin’s books about Hezekiah and his son Manasseh, and the return to Jerusalem after the captivity and the rebuilding of Jerusalem, and Winds of Ruach felt like a great companion to those books. I would say that both men and women would enjoy this book; I’ll recommend that my sons listen to it if there is an audiobook of it.

WARNING: Jonah Prologue: Woman brutally killed by Assyrians. Chapter 1: Woman dismembered, baby killed, man’s leg cut off. Chapter 3: Man going after women, caught with a married woman. Nahum Chapter 1: Prostitute tries to get a man to be with her. Chapter 3: Man beaten up. Chapter 5: Attempted rape, man knocked out, kiss. Chapter 6: Man knocked out, beaten up. Chapter 8: Man knocked out. Obadiah Chapter 4: Woman bitten by snake. Chapter 9: People shot with arrows. Malachi Chapter 5: Man beaten up. 

I received a review copy of this book from the author, and these are my honest thoughts about it. Links may be affiliate links, which will benefit Esther’s website if purchases are made through them.

About the Author:

D.M. Griffin currently resides in Northern California with her husband. They met in middle school a few days after she was transplanted to the West Coast at the tender age of twelve. She has three adult children who have been an endless source of delight and inspiration. She also has a precious new grandchild who brings her joy.

As a native New Hampshire girl, she fondly remembers spending her summers there as a child. Thick accents, small towns, and fascinating weather stirred the imagination of her young heart. She has always had a fondness for stories thanks to her imaginative mother who would make up wild, adventurous tales to tell her while tucking her into bed as a child.

She truly believes that a book that sits on a shelf unread is like a planted seed that never blossoms. Nothing delights her more than sharing a story.

More from D M:

I am a creature of habit who thrives on predictability. That being said, Winds of Ruach fell outside my comfort zone. If you have ever heard the phrase – if you want to make God laugh, tell him your plans – you get the idea. I was deep in the throes of researching and writing a twelve-book series on the disciples of Jesus. My schedule was set. The routine was fixed. I had spent two years dedicated to The Follower Series. In between writing the first draft of book seven and editing book one, I was divinely halted. I didn’t exactly hit a block, so to speak. Instead, I was inspirationally diverted. It frustrated me for a short time.

Looking back on it now, I realize it was a blessing in disguise. At the time, my daily bible reading took me through the book of Jonah. Jonah 4:4 snagged my attention like a burr clinging to a pant leg. “Is it right for you to be angry?”  That single phrase snared my heart with a compulsion to self-reflect. That meditation took me to places I had not been before. I followed the thread of anger woven throughout my life. Not the anger that manifests itself in hot, fiery outbursts but the hidden, silent anger that can turn into deadly pride or unrecognizable prejudice.

Anger wears many disguises. Some of those are loneliness and grief. I began wondering what might have happened in Jonah’s life to make him, a man of God, so angry that he would directly and blatantly disobey the Lord. The first short story was the beginning of a five-month diversion in my predetermined writing schedule.

I was inspired by other verses as I walked the landscape of Scripture through the books of the minor prophets.

With Nahum, I pondered how tragedy affects the trajectory of a life. With Habakkuk, I explored the difference between authentic worship and disingenuous faith. Obadiah is a short and sweet book of the bible, but it packs a punch. The theme of the resulting short story is about claiming one’s true identity as a child of God. Finally, Malachi wove the final thread into the fabric of this anthology which is ultimately about the Spirit of God moving through history to accomplish His will and purpose. Malachi is a story about knowing when to remain silent and when to ask questions of God. As I wrote Winds of Ruach, I thought about the importance of destiny and promise.

Some of my early readers asked me which was my favorite prophet. Honestly, the only way I could answer that question is to say that it is whichever story I am reading at the time. I was greatly blessed while writing Winds of Ruach, drawing out biblical themes I had never noticed before. These five prophets are near and dear to my heart. Truly, the imagination is a gift from God. And yes, I did go back to the ‘routine’ in writing. It took three and half years (half a year over my schedule) but the series I was working on prior to Winds of Ruach is now complete. God is good even in the distractions.

To purchase your copy, click here.

To visit more of the blog stops on this tour, click here.

To enter a fun giveaway, click here.

About the Book:

Book: New Chicks at The Peaceable

Author: Caryl “Grami” McAdoo

Genre: Children’s Animals Picture Book

Release Date: November 23, 2023

Chickens from newborns to old hens have a “pecking order” but bullying is never right! What to do if you’re bullied by those around you!

My Thoughts:

My little girls enjoyed this story. They loved the pictures; we happened to read it on a day that we had chicks of our own hatching in the incubator, so they could really relate to it. On the other hand, I found it hard to read because there were typos on almost every page. I also struggled a bit with having the story chopped up with the author’s personal notes to the reader in between bits of the story. On the last page of the story, she talks to children about how they don’t have to be afraid of anything because God takes care of them. This would be a good book for children who have a lot of fears, or for little people who love chickens. The photography is beautiful!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from CelebrateLit, and these are my honest thoughts about it.

I received a review copy of this book from the author, and these are my honest thoughts about it. Links may be affiliate links, which will benefit Esther’s website if purchases are made through them.

About the Author:

Award-winning, Christian author Caryl McAdoo prays her story brings God glory. Of her best-selling novels, readers love her historical Christian romance family sagas most, but also enjoy their contemporary cousins, Caryl’s Biblical fiction, her new historical mystery series, and tales for young adults and mid-grade booklovers as well as the new picture books for the still younger set. The majority of reviewers award her stories five-stars and praise Caryl’s writing style and the depth of her characters, feeling as though they get to know them well.

The prolific writer loves singing the new songs God gives her almost as much as penning new novels—hear a few at YouTube! She’s been married to Ron fifty-five years, and they share four children and twenty-seven grandsugars. The McAdoos live at The Peaceable in the woods south of Clarksville, seat of Red River County in far Northeast Texas, waiting expectantly for God to open the next door.

More from Caryl:

As the chicken population grows at The Peaceable Farm & Bookery, troubles come–all based all on the true story! One of our beautiful ‘Golden Laced Wyandotte’ hens got broody and wanted to sit on a nest and hatch a clutch of chicks!

The wee peepers, designated the “Songsters” and named Reba, Celine, Loretta, and Miley (the last by a reader’s daughter), experience the famous and proverbial “pecking order” chickens are so famous for. In human terms that can be called bullying though, and so Goldie, their mother teaches the girls how to respond those bully chickens!

Grami loves her “backyard birds”, and so does O’Pa! She expects the name of the twenty acres she and O’Pa live on in Red River County—The Peaceable—to be the spur for all its inhabitants to cohabitate peacefully with one another—and that includes the chickens!

She and O’Pa, her husband of fifty-five years have bought an incubator to hatch purebred chicks then raise fine, healthy birds to their laying age—usually four to five months—before finding them forever homes. We love our flock, and the babies grow so fast. Watching them is so much fun and relaxing, too!

Grami knows each hen and rooster by name, and they all are so affectionate! They come running whenever I head out the door (mostly because they want to see if I brought any food! ) I love thinking about what they are saying to each other with all their clucking and purring and cackling!

This is why the books are partially written from the hens’ point of view as our first animals’ series, The River Bottom Ranch Stories featuring horses and goats and dogs among other wild animal characters. And all those farm animals were real ones that we owned and loved, too—like the chickens!

This series ‘Grami’s Stories for Children’ also has a narrator speaking throughout—that’s me, Grami McAdoo! I talk to the children through a few pages full of dialogue to teach them about poultry and things of God. In NEW CHICKS at the Peaceable, I talk about bullies and how Jesus teaches us to respond, how they can be scary, but God is always with us and sends His angels to protect us!

The illustrations are photographs of our real chickens and The Peaceable Farm & Bookery. In the back of the book, there are a few pages of “Chicken Terminology” and fun “Chicken Facts” to teach the little ones more about the wonderful world of chickens!

I pray the precious little ones so dear to God’s heart will love the story and be blessed by it! 

To purchase your copy, click here.

To visit more of the blog stops on this tour, click here.

To enter a fun giveaway, click here.

About the Book:

Book: Building Character Through Picture Books: 25 Family Devotions Based on Favorite Picture Books

Author: Terrie Hellard-Brown

Genre: Devotional

Release Date: May 27, 2023

Bring the Bible into bedtime. After reading the picture book together, families can read the short devotion, discuss compelling questions (questions for younger and older children provided), and end with prayer together as the children prepare to sleep. The book includes 25 devotions matched with 25 popular and classical picture books. Each devotion includes a section for parents to go further in the discussion or to add an activity to continue the conversation the following day.

My Thoughts:

I love picture books. I love reading them to my little girls—although when I’m honest I’ll admit that I don’t read them nearly as many as I read to my oldest children. Now, my read-aloud time is spread among a wide range of ages, most of whom want me to read chapter books—middle-grade novels—to them. The little girls enjoy listening to those books, as well, but when I have time to sit down and read several picture books to the youngest one, I tell myself I should do this more often! Recently, a friend of mine taught a class on finding literary devices in picture books, and she has referred a number of times to the possibility of teaching all sorts of scientific concepts from picture books. Then, I saw Building Character Through Picture Books, and was quite intrigued. 

I have not yet used Building Character Through Picture Books with my little girls. I was sent a digital copy of it to look over for this review, and frankly, that doesn’t work very well with a book like this. In a few months I will have the opportunity to get the hard copy here, and I know that will be easier to use. Then, if I can find the picture books that are used for these devotions, I would love to try Terrie Hellard-Brown’s ideas out with my little girls! Some of the books used are favorites with our children, as well as many others. We love Miss Rumphius and Caps for Sale! We have also read Courduroy, Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day and The Little House. I know my daughter would love to have me read these books and the others to her and discuss them.

I received a review copy of this book from the author, and these are my honest thoughts about it. Links may be affiliate links, which will benefit Esther’s website if purchases are made through them.

About the Author:

Terrie Hellard-Brown uses her experiences as a mother of four (three on the autism spectrum), 35+ years in ministry (15 in Taiwan), and 35 years teaching to speak to the hearts of readers. She writes and speaks to empower children and adults to embrace everyday discipleship every day. She teaches workshops and writes devotional books, children’s stories, and Christian education materials.

Her podcast, Books that Spark, reviews children’s books that spark imagination, emotion, questions, and discussion leading to teachable moments with our kids.

Her blog discusses living as a disciple of Christ while discipling our children. She challenges us to step out of our comfort zones to walk by faith in obedience to Christ and to use the nooks and crannies of life to disciple our children.

More from Terri:

As an English teacher, pastor’s wife, and missionary, I LOVE books. I’ve taught every grade from pre-K to community college in my career and taught the Bible to people who didn’t know anything about the Bible or Jesus, and through it all, I’ve come back to the joy of picture books and the simplicity of sharing stories that change lives. Of course, I love teaching Shakespeare, Dickens, and C. S. Lewis, but picture books are still where my heart is. So, it was only natural that I combined my two favorite things: picture books and the Bible.

My friends affectionately call me the Picture Book Lady since I have one to offer for almost any topic, event, or purpose. This new devotional book is no different. A dear friend said one day, “You should write a devotional book based on picture books!” Who wouldn’t jump at such a fun project!?

I chose some of my favorite picture books where I found connections to Scripture, and I began to write devotions to go along with each book. I wanted to use general market books so that we can use whatever book we’re reading with our children to make spiritual connections and bring in lessons naturally in those teachable moments. That’s how Building Character Through Picture Books was born.

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About the Book:

Book: Demolishing the Stronghold

Author: Allen Brokken

Genre: Middle Grade Fantasy

Release Date: November 4, 2023

Lauren, Aiden, and Ethan finally found respite for their whole family in the grove surrounding the Wellspring of Life. However, the threat of the Dark One’s forces still looms over the Heathlands, and lighting the tower of Light in Blooming Glen is their only hope of cleansing their land of The Darkness once and for all. While the family plans a surprise attack on the stronghold at Blooming Glen, the Bishop calls forth the Calamitous Drake, a monster forged from the essence of The Darkness in the corrupted heart of the Iron Mountain. In the midst of the battle, the monster scatters the family, leaving Mother, Uncle, and Tye in the hands of Lord Refi’Cul and the evil giant Skull Crusher who aims to make Tye his wife and become the Master of the Heath Wardens

The children must take to the skies to forge a weapon capable of defeating the Calamitous Drake. Will Lauren, Aiden, and Ethan’s faith give them the strength to Demolish the Stronghold?

My Thoughts:

My 11- and 13-year-old sons loved this series, so when the last book became available, I decided to get it, too, and read the books myself. Even though fantasy/allegory is not my favorite genre, I found myself racing through the series, wanting to find out how the children got free of the current attack. Especially this book, the last in the series, was gripping. Because it is fiction, I knew they would win in the end—but how? How could they conquer the evil that was taking over the land and turning everything to Darkness? And, would their friends survive, or would the children be the only ones to live through the battles?

I recommend this book for children 10 years old and older who love action-packed stories. The battles are too intense for  younger children, so I won’t be reading these books aloud for a good while yet, and I’m not letting my 8-year-old daughter read them for a couple more years. I love the contrast between good and evil, though. This author has done a great job of portraying the fight between Light and Darkness, God and the Devil in a way that children can understand. One thing my boys did not pick up on, though, until I pointed it out, was that two of the words/names that are hard to read are actually words turned backwards, and knowing the original word made the story more meaningful. Parents may want to find those and explain them to their children. (I’m not going to elaborate more, to avoid spoilers!)

One problem I had with this book, and the rest in the series, was the lack of proofreading. There were frequent typos and grammatical errors which jerked me out of the story. I found them both in print and in digital versions. By the way, you can read my review of the first book in the series here.

I received a review copy of this book from the author, and these are my honest thoughts about it. Links may be affiliate links, which will benefit Esther’s website if purchases are made through them.

About the Author:

Allen Brokken is a teacher at heart, a husband, and a father most of all. He’s a joyful writer by the abundant grace of God. He began writing the Towers of Light series for his own children to help him illustrate the deep truths of the Bible in an engaging and age-appropriate way. He’s dedicated 18 years to volunteer roles in children’s ministry and youth development. Now that his children are off to college, he’s telling stories and sharing clean humor on social media.

More from Allen:

As I worked to close out the Towers of Light series, I had to work hard to develop something new and different that still fit the 1800s frontier setting.  I had a lot of pressure from my readers to bring a dragon to the prairie.  On multiple occasions, I had to remind my biggest fans that there aren’t any dragons on the prairie.  But they were insistent that dragons make an appearance.

So, as I put the final touches on the previous book, Wellspring of Life, I thought that the censors spreading evil could bring evil things into the world to corrupt the prairie. So, the concept of a dragon formed from the censor’s smoke made a lot of sense.  But what would a “Smoke Dragon” be like?  I shared the idea with my Realm Makers critique group, and they helped form something that early feedback says works well.  The dragon’s name, The Calamitous Drake, is also an homage to a line from “The Hobbit” that refers to Smaug as a great calamity.

With a dragon flying about, I also had to devise a way for the kids to engage it in the air.  This took significant research as I didn’t want to introduce giant eagles or something else that didn’t exist on the frontier.  As I investigated different options, I discovered that hot air balloons were more common in the 1800’s than I thought.  It turned out they served in minor roles during the Civil War and used a technology they called a gasifier to fill them up.  I took some artistic liberty with that, and Lauren, Aiden, and Ethan now had a way to get off the ground to meet the dragon in the air.

This story was so much fun to write, and early reviews from my biggest fans say it was the perfect end to the series.

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About the Book:

Book: The Two-Cent Piece Audiobook

Author: Dennis Conrad

Genre: Christian 1800s Historical Fiction

Release Date: August 2, 2023

Anne wonders what secret her three older brothers are hiding. When she finds out they joined to fight with the Union Army and would leave the next day, she give them each one of her favorite two-cent pieces, and says, “I want you to take one of my new two-cent pieces. I learned these coins are the first with the word ‘In God We Trust.’ I just memorized Psalm 91:2. ‘I will say to the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress: My God, in him will I trust.’”

Out of a heart of love, Ann gives six of her special coins away, hoping the message on the two-cent piece will strengthen each person’s faith.

My Thoughts:

I love the pictures in this book. They are beautiful! I also like the historical aspect of it; I had never heard of American two-cent pieces before. I remember two dollar bills when I was young, but never these coins, and I found it really interesting to learn that they were the first to contain the words “In God We Trust.” However, I did not appreciate that this book seems to promote Christians going to war. According to Matthew 5:39, Christians are not to resist evil, not to mention not going to war. For this reason, even though I like the portrayal of generosity, and the history included, I can’t recommend this book.

I read this book in January for a review, and now was asked to review the audiobook. It was well-done and easy to listen to. Each page turn is indicated by a “ding,” so this would be a great audiobook for little children who also have the hard copy. I know my little girl loves audiobooks like this when she also has the physical book to follow along in!

I received a review copy of this book from the author, and these are my honest thoughts about it. Links may be affiliate links, which will benefit Esther’s website if purchases are made through them.

About the Author:

A former coin collector for over fifty years, Dennis combines his love for the Bible, children’s literature, and sharing stories about the history behind coins.

He retired as a professor of Speech Communications from Barstow Community College. He and his wife served as English and public speaking teachers ten summers overseas.

He became a life member of the Numismatic Association of Southern California in 1973. He is also a life member of the American Numismatic Association.

Dennis is a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators and a Fellow of the National Writing Project.

Learn more about coin collecting. Dennis offers free resources for children on his website about coin collecting: https://dennisconradauthor.com/coincollecting4/

More from Dennis:

Collecting Coins Can Change Your Life! It Did Mine…

As a child, my friends and I wanted to know everything about coins.

We learned about coins through stories: Who was on each coin? What were coins made of? How were coins made? Where were they made? Why were some more valuable than others? and How could I start collecting on my limited budget?

Coin collecting is a hobby where collectors never stop learning! For example, when I started to watch coin prices, without realizing it, I was learning basic economics.

Over the years, I kept adding to my collection. Decades passed. I attended coin conventions, read books and articles about coins, and remembered where I had found and/or acquired each coin.

One day, my wife looked at me. “Will you ever sell your coins?”

“No.”

That is when I heard God’s still small voice.

God pointed out to me that my coins had become more important than Him. Without my realizing it, my coins had become an idol.

At that time, at the top of the market, I sold my collection without regrets, and used the money to pay off my home mortgage.

Now, God has given me the privilege of writing stories about coins, and encouraging others to embrace a hobby that has given me a lifetime of joy.

Blessings to you and yours,

Dennis Conrad

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About the Book:

Book: Powerful Whispers: A 7-week Journey Discovering Who You Are To God

Author: Christa Joy Spaeth

Genre: Christian non-fiction, devotional

Release Date: February 22, 2023

Powerful Whispers gives you a glimpse of how awe-inspiring God’s whispers of His love are for you. He desires to capture your heart, to communicate personally with you, to encourage and strengthen you.

Each daily devotional offers God’s life-giving words, suggests powerful worship, and provides an activation step applying that day’s principe to your life. Let the Lord fill your cup to overflowing as you embark on this amazing 7-week journey.

Whether you’be been walking with the Lord for years or have been recently saved, you will discover in fresh new ways that: God Knows You – God Loves You – God Fights for You – God provides for You – God Chose You – God’s Peace is for You – God’s Powerful Whispers Can Change your Life

My Thoughts:

I have been reading this devotional for over six weeks now, and have appreciated a lot of the thoughts offered here. At the same time, I have been a bit disappointed. The main focus seems to be on what God does/can do for me, rather than on Who He is. While there is a place for talking about what God does for us, that tends to lead to a self-centered religion, rather than a God-centered religion. I would have preferred a devotional that pointed me more towards God rather than toward myself and what God says/does to/for me. There are some real gems in these pages, though. I appreciated the suggestion to transfer water from one glass to another, drop by drop, thanking God for a blessing from Him with each drop. Another day, I appreciated this quote: “Abundant life doesn’t mean it is an especially long life. Abundant life isn’t an easy, comfortable life. Abundant life is a life of satisfaction and contentment in Jesus.” I also liked the one about the glory of God, and one that talked about a way to study the Bible. However, in one place, the recommendation was made to have communion by yourself, and another day to say, “Holy Spirit” with an inhale and “Breathe on me” with the exhale. I am not comfortable with this kind of suggestion; I struggle to see it as Scriptural. So, while there is much good in this devotional, there are also a number of reasons that I am not interested in having a physical copy on my shelf.

I received a review copy of this book from the author, and these are my honest thoughts about it. Links may be affiliate links, which will benefit Esther’s website if purchases are made through them.

About the Author:

Christa Joy Spaeth is the founder of Christa Joy Ministries. It was in 2022 when Minnesota-based author Christa received a compelling message from God. In a prayer cabin called “Whisper,” He prompted her to write a seven-week devotional.

Since then, Christa’s eyes, heart, and ears were opened to more whispers, so that she may start fulfilling her new purpose of helping the hurting and share the love of Christ.

This blessed wife, mother of two, and businesswoman is passionate about living up to God’s plans for her every day. So much so that in 2022, she stepped down from her decades-long career as a Registered Dietitian at a large food manufacturing company to pursue the promptings of the Lord and encourage others in Christ.

Today, Christa owns and operates Christa Joy Ministries where she publishes her own books, writes daily encouragements and God whispers on her social media accounts. In addition, she does guest blog posts for various social media accounts.

More from Crista:

One morning while I was away at a prayer cabin, the Lord laid on my heart that I was to write a book. My first thought was, “Oh, my!  Lord, I have never written anything other than work-related documents.  Where do I begin? What do you want me to write?”

I am so honored and humbled that the Lord placed amazing book experts in my path over the next year to launch this unique devotional book in a mere 55 weeks. This feat is spectacular as I didn’t know anything about the publishing business.

Two components of Powerful Whispers that my readers love are the suggested worship and the activations. After each devotional was written I searched for the perfect worship song. You will find several suggested indie artist songs and a few popular worship songs too.  Daily you will find an activation which engages your entire body to be able to get the daily truth deeper in your soul.

The Bible verse I read before I starting to write Powerful Whispers is found in James 1:5, “If you need wisdom, ask our generous God and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking.” God continually showed His faithfulness to me by providing wisdom to share with my readers.

My heart’s desire is that readers will soon learn through this daily devotional that God chose them, He loves them, and He wants to share His powerful whispers daily for their life.

To purchase your copy, click here.

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About the Book:

Book: MOVING to The Peaceable

Author: Grami McAdoo (Caryl McAdoo)

Genre: Children’s Animals Picture Book

Release Date: December 22, 2022

Moving can be hard for any age, but the wise old hens might make it easier for the little ones in your life! Follow their journey!

My Thoughts:

The photography in this book is beautiful! My littlest girl enjoyed looking at the pictures and hearing the story read to her. She has no concept of moving, since she was born in this house, but I can see that this book would be a good resource to help children who will be moving to understand what is happening. Some pages tell the story of the move from the chickens’ perspective, and other pages contain dialogue from the author to the child reading the story. Here, she tells the story from her perspective and encourages and reassures them that change can be good, moving is an adventure, and they can trust their parents and God. 

I received a review copy of this book from the author, and these are my honest thoughts about it. Links may be affiliate links, which will benefit Esther’s website if purchases are made through them.

About the Author:

Award-winning, Christian author Caryl McAdoo prays her story brings God glory. Of her best-selling novels, readers love her historical Christian romance family sagas most, but also enjoy their contemporary cousins, Caryl’s Biblical fiction, her new historical mystery series, and tales for young adults and mid-grade booklovers. The majority of reviewers award her stories five-stars and praise Caryl’s writing style and the depth of her characters, feeling as though they get to know them well.

The prolific writer loves singing the new songs God gives her almost as much as penning new novels—hear a few at YouTube! She’s been married to Ron fifty-four years, and they share four children and twenty-four grandsugars. The McAdoos live in the woods south of Clarksville, seat of Red River County in far Northeast Texas, waiting expectantly for God to open the next door.

More from Caryl:

This is the story of how I became a Chicken Lady from start but not the finish! I have two more “chicken”! books planned based all on the true story! Before we had “backyard birds”—except mine are also front and side yard!—I called our back in the woods twenty acres in Red River County The Peaceable. After the chickens, I added “Farm & Bookery”

My husband of fifty-five years Ron and I now incubate purebred chicks and raise them to laying age—usually four to five months—then sell them. We both love being around our flock, and the supplemental income is nice as well. They grow so fast; watching them is both so much fun and also relaxing!

I know each hen and rooster by name, and they all are so affectionate! They come running whenever I head out the door (mostly because they want to see if I brought any food! ) I love thinking about what they are saying to each other with all their clucking and purring and cackling!

This is why the books are partially written from the hens’ point of view as our first animals’ series, The River Bottom Ranch Stories featuring horses and goats and dogs among other wild animal characters. And all those farm animals were real ones that we owned and loved, too—like the chickens!

This series ‘Grami’s Stories for Children’ also has a narrator’s story throughout, and that’s me, Grami McAdoo! I talk to the children through a few pages full of dialogue to teach them about poultry and things of God. In MOVING to the Peaceable, I talk about changes and how they can be scary, but God is always with us wherever we go.

The illustrations are photographs of our real chickens and The Peaceable Farm & Bookery. In the back of the book, there are a few pages of “Chicken Terminology” and fun “Chicken Facts” to teach the little ones more about the wonderful world of chickens!

I pray they will love the story and be blessed by it! 

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