With such a wide age range of children (a few months old up to nine-years), I’m always reading a variety of different story book Bibles to try to cover everyone’s needs developmentally.  Our current Bible time in the morning currently includes a story Bible for my 2-year-old, a story Bible for my 4-year-old, and a [...]

This week, the  Christian Fiction Blog Alliance  is introducing  Hurt  David C. Cook; New edition (January 1, 2013)  by  Travis ThrasherABOUT THE AUTHOR: After college, he targeted working in the publishing industry and was fortunate to find a job early after graduation. He worked as Author Relations Manager for Tyndale House Publishers, the publisher of [...]

Well – what a year it’s been!  House fire, two moves (one cross-country), new baby, house renovations (yes, these will be in progress for some time)!  All that being said, I don’t think we’ve EVER had a year like 2012.  It was pretty insane to say the least. I’m SO GLAD we decided to go [...]

Lately I’ve been reading some science fiction of the speculative nature (isn’t it all?) that has had me toying with the changing nature of celebrity and its potential dangers.  With celebrity becoming increasingly viral and web based, it’s growingly likely that anyone could experience unwanted attention.  I think updating my domain name contact information only [...]

Our family reviewed Ooka Island last year in 2011 and my now six-year-old STILL remembers it!  She continually asks to get Ooka Island back, and now that she’s blending consistently now and reading CVC words, I’m excited for her to try the program out again! Would you like to try out the program for yourself?  [...]

I’m SO overdue with this birth announcement!  This picture is old already! Our fifth baby (and first boy!) was born on November 8th at 4:41 A.M.  Johnathon is a sweet little baby (shown here at a couple of days old) who weighed 11 lb. 9 oz. at birth.  So thankful for his timely delivery – [...]

You might have heard me say this before (ahem), but I am absolutely in love with Anne Elisabeth Stengl’s Tales of Goldstone Wood Christian fantasy series.  Having read fantasy since the time I was a wee girl saying that Stengl’s work is a must-have series is saying a lot. Rich writing, heartbreakingly beautiful redemptive themes, [...]

This week, the  Christian Fiction Blog Alliance  is introducing  Judge  Bethany House Publishers (November 1, 2012)  by  R.J. LarsonABOUT THE AUTHOR: R. J. Larson is the author of numerous devotionals featured in publications such as Women’s Devotional Bible and Seasons of a Woman’s Heart. She lives in Colorado Springs, Colorado, with her husband and their [...]

This week, the  Christian Fiction Blog Alliance  is introducing  Starflower  Bethany House Publishers (November 1, 2012)  by  Anne Elisabeth StenglABOUT THE AUTHOR: Anne Elisabeth Stengl makes her home in Raleigh, North Carolina, where she enjoys her profession as an art teacher, giving private lessons from her personal studio, and teaching group classes at the Apex [...]

It is time for a FIRST Wild Card Tour book review! If you wish to join the FIRST blog alliance, just click the button. We are a group of reviewers who tour Christian books. A Wild Card post includes a brief bio of the author and a full chapter from each book toured. The reason [...]

It is time for a FIRST Wild Card Tour book review! If you wish to join the FIRST blog alliance, just click the button. We are a group of reviewers who tour Christian books. A Wild Card post includes a brief bio of the author and a full chapter from each book toured. The reason [...]

I just finished reading The Spirit Well – the third installment in The Bright Empires series, begun with The Skin Map and continued in The Bone House.  I just found out that there will be FIVE installments in the series in total and the next isn’t due out until next fall.  Sniff. If you aren’t [...]

When I was asked to review a PDF copy of Frank Perretti’s latest release, Illusion, how could I say no?  It was Perretti after all.  It was essentially accepted sight (and plot) unseen and unknown.  In all honesty, I was a bit surprised. When stage magician Dane loses his wife Mandy and magic partner of [...]

Opening with Creation and closing with the promise of happiness in heaven, My First Handy Bible presents 23 micro-Bible stories in chronological order over a total of 61 pages. These brief Bible story re-tellings for toddlers range from three to five sentences in length in most cases and come with a verse reference if you’d [...]

Yes!  We made it to Nova Scotia!  We arrived the evening of August 22nd, 2012 after 7 days of driving.  What an adventure .  Although I expected to be updating the blog as we drove along it just. didn’t. happen.  Whenever we stopped somewhere with WiFi I just ran in, grabbed food and headed back [...]

For the past four or so years my husband and I have lamented the long, bitterly cold Albertan winters.  Every winter I say, half in jest, ‘Let’s move to Nova Scotia!’  Determined to stay in Canada, Nova Scotia has always seemed to be the ideal combination of a more moderate climate paired with affordable property [...]

  This week, theChristian Fiction Blog Allianceis introducingThe KingdomCrossway Books (June 30, 2012)byBryan M. LitfinABOUT THE AUTHOR: Bryan earned a bachelor’s degree in print journalism from the University of Tennessee as well as a master’s degree in historical theology at Dallas Theological Seminary. From there he went to the University of Virginia, taking a PhD [...]

The Helping Hands series of books is designed to help you guide your child through difficult times of learning and adjusting in his life (new baby, bullying, strangers etc.)  Meant to be read by a parent to a child, the books also contain ten helpful tips at the end of each title by a child [...]

The Christian Writers’ Market Guide is without a doubt, the most comprehensive reference for breaking into the Christian writing market out there.  This thick, directory-type book includes contacts for many markets (adult fiction, children’s, cartoons), contact information for getting in touch with libraries, magazine article markets, and even photography.  Literary agents are included, poetry markets, [...]

Robin Parrish always writes stories with interesting premises (though there is one in particular that I did not appreciate), so I was excited to read his latest – Vigilante.  Once again, Parrish certainly doesn’t disappointed with a cookie-cutter plot or one that has been rehashed too many times in Christian fiction circles. Instead he delves [...]

When Peter and Julia discover a mysterious silver garden outside of their grandparent’s home on a summer visit, they are swept away into a world, which appears beautiful, but hides dark secrets of slavery.  Called to think beyond themselves and offer themselves up as leaders of an in-progress revolution, the two siblings discover they possess [...]

The ESV Grow! Bible is a full Bible containing the complete ESV translation of both the Old and New Testaments along with helps for young readers from 8-12.  This is the regular ESV version presented in two columns – no simplification for younger readers – so your child will need to be a confident, independent [...]

Mark Stone starts hearing a cacophony of agonizing screams when he talks with people on the telephone.  These screams are followed soon after by the death of the person he spoke to on the phone.  When he hears these same fearful screams when speaking to his wife (whom he is separated from) he springs into [...]

When astronaut Commander Christopher Burke and his crew return from Mars to Earth they find the planet deserted.  Embarking on a journey across a bleak, abandoned landscape they search for signs of life – for clues as to what took place.  As the crew struggles to stay together and maintain some sort of order they [...]

Spiritual Warfare for Women is written by Leighann McCoy – a pastor’s wife, women’s minister, mom, and cancer survivor.  Having survived her own personal struggles with the enemy, she has drawn much of the material from her work from her own life and her experiences in ministry. McCoy covers general spiritual principles such as God’s [...]