The Bridge of Peace

The Bridge of Peace is a book that takes place in an Amish community. Your taken inside the lives of several people, all going through their own struggles in life. Love, hatred, insecurity, and hurt are unseen by those around them. After many trials, and even death, will they finally have peace in their lives?

I was pleasantly surprised by this book. I had always been skeptical of Amish books, particularly Amish romance. But this book pulled me in, and had me on the edge of my seat on more than one occasion. It was heart wrenching at some points. I loved the different point of views from the characters in the story. I also learned so much more about the Amish culture that I hadn't known before. I would recommend this book to any young adult or adult. I'm already starting on my next Amish book!

I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

The Secret of the Indigo Moon by G. P. Taylor

The Secret of the Indigo Moon, book two in DG the Dopple Ganger Chronicles, was a great read to where the first book left off. Who built the secret tunnel underneath Isambard Dunstan's School for Wayward Children? Where did Miss Olivia disapear to? And who is robbing Lord Gervez? Join Saskia, Sadie, and Erik on their exciting new adventure as they uncover new mysteries, run for their lives, and run into old enemies.

This book had a little more of a faith element than the first one. Madame Rapheal doesn't admit to being an angel, but she does say, "I am a maker of straight roads and a sign post to someone else." I really liked seeing her character answer a couple of questions and leave more riddles. The book focused a little more on Erik than the first one, and tossed around the subject of the children's parents who have abandoned them. The dedication was beautiful:

For

All children who have never known their fathers

and

All fathers who have never known their children.

Let us know we are loved and adored just as we are...

One of the things I love about this series is that the author keeps it light and kid friendly while gently pushing in deeper topics. The only thing I don't particuraly like is some of the violent situations the kids find themselves in like being held at gun-point. It is very much an action and adventure book that kids of all ages will love.

I received a complimentary copy of this book for review purposes from Tyndale House. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

The Band That Played On by Steve Turner

"The Band That Played On" is a non-fiction book about the eight musicians who nobly continued playing as the Titanic sank in 1912. This book takes you deeper than just the fact that eight musicians gave up their lives with dignity-you learn more about who they were before the Titanic, and perhaps who they had hoped to become.

The research that was done for this book is, to me, incredible. I loved hearing about how the Titanic's band members were chosen-the story before the story. Although this book was a little slow going for my taste, I did enjoy all of the history that covered every page. The photographs were amazing and scattered everywhere throughout the book. I would recommend this book to anyone who has a love for history. Steve Turner did a great job painting a clearer and more accurate picture of what exactly those eight courageous men did on April 15, 1912.

I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

The First Escape by G. P. Taylor

The First Escape (the first book in the DG the Dopple Ganger Chronicles) by G. P. Taylor is about three orphans/abandoned children at Isambard Dunstan's School for Wayward Children. Just by the name of that school, you know they're going to try to escape a place like that. Sadie and Saskia Dopple are twins there who wreak havoc and chaos together - until Saskia is adopted by a wealthy woman and Sadie is left at the school. Former thief Erik was abandoned by his father at the all girls' school, but he stays there as a janitor and sits in the back of the classrooms. Sadie and Erik join forces to escape and plan to find Saskia. Will they succeed?

I like this book a lot. It's part book and part comic book and I was surprised how well it flowed all together. I loved it, and I usually don't like comic books. The characters in this book were very amusing. They always had tricks up their sleeves and made me giggle. The art work was awesome - eye candy to a generation used to television. My thirteen-year-old brother ooh-ed over the cover and said he would diffidently read this when I was finished with it. I think a lot of middle school aged kids would love this book (ages 10+). All in all, a great book!

I received a complimentary copy of the book for review purposes from Tyndale House.

Attack at the Arena by Marianne Hering and Paul McCusker

Attack at the Arena picks up where Voyage with the Vikings left off. Cousins Patrick and Beth now have to retrieve a Roman monk's missing silver cup from Rome before the new moon. The Imagination Station takes them on a new adventure that includes barely escaping being eaten by a tiger, wearing weird Roman costumes, and getting caught by soldiers. They also learn how dangerous it was for Christians back then - they could be killed just for sport!

I liked this book a lot. It is a quick and easy read for younger children (ages 7 and up/Grade Level 2.3) and it reminds me a lot of Magic Tree house, except with Christian principles. The story was exciting and I think it would definitely appeal to kids. I loved the artwork! So cute! It is also a great historical read and a great question starter for young kids about suffering for your faith like the apostles and Paul did.

Tyndale House Publishers has provided me with a complimentary copy of this book.

The Shape of Mercy by Susan Meissner

“We understand what we want to understand.”

Leaving a life of privilege to strike out on her own, Lauren Durough breaks with convention and her family’s expectations by choosing a state college over Stanford and earning her own income over accepting her ample monthly allowance. She takes a part-time job from 83-year-old librarian Abigail Boyles, who asks Lauren to transcribe the journal entries of her ancestor Mercy Hayworth, a victim of the Salem witch trials.

Almost immediately, Lauren finds herself drawn to this girl who lived and died four centuries ago. As the fervor around the witch accusations increases, Mercy becomes trapped in the worldview of the day, unable to fight the overwhelming influence of snap judgments and superstition, and Lauren realizes that the secrets of Mercy’s story extend beyond the pages of her diary, living on in the mysterious, embittered Abigail.

The strength of her affinity with Mercy forces Lauren to take a startling new look at her own life, including her relationships with Abigail, her college roommate, and a young man named Raul. But on the way to the truth, will Lauren find herself playing the helpless defendant or the misguided judge? Can she break free from her own perceptions and see who she really is?

I. Loved. This. Book. It was awesome. I'm a big fan of Meissner's book Blue Heart Blessed, but I didn't realize it was the same author until I got the book. I was hesitant to read this book. I usually stick with young adult and steer away from romances because I don't want to read about people making out (you'd be surprised at what's in some Christian fiction). But Meissner had just enough romance to make it sweet, no gagging. I immediately wanted to give this to my younger sister to read because she and I both adore The Witch of Blackbird Pond and this book reminded me of it sooooo much. But she's a little younger and I'd put the age range on this book teens to adults.

Lauren was an interesting character. I didn't like and yet I loved her all at the same time. She made some stupid choices, but her character still stayed real and likable. Mercy was awesome. I didn't think that I would like the diary entries but they were the best part! Especially when she wrote about John Peter. *swoon*

All-in-all, I really, really, really liked this book. The characters were awesome, the story was gripping, and I was close to tears several times. Y'all. I never cry when I read books. This one's a keeper.

I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

Voyage with the Vikings by Marianne Hering and Paul McCusker

"Voyage with the Vikings" is a book about two cousins who go on a mysterious and exciting adventure in the Imagination Station, which is a sort of time machine. They travel to Greenland to find a Sunstone for someone in need of help. Along the way, they meet rough vikings, some of which are mean, but they also make an unlikely friend. But they have to make it back to the ship before time runs out, or they may never get back home! Can they do it?

I liked the book. It was exciting, but not too scary, and at the end it left you wanting more! It encourages kids to stand up for their faith in God, and to do the right thing. I thought it was a very good book for younge readers, and I would recommend it to any child from first through third grade.

This review is my honest opinion. Thanks to the publishers for my copy to review.

The Charlatan's Boy by Jonathan Rogers

“I only know one man who might be able to tell me where I come from, and that man is a liar and a fraud.”

As far back as he can remember, the orphan Grady has tramped from village to village in the company of a huckster named Floyd. With his adolescent accomplice, Floyd perpetrates a variety of hoaxes and flimflams on the good citizens of the Corenwald frontier, such as the Ugliest Boy in the World act.

It’s a hard way to make a living, made harder by the memory of fatter times when audiences thronged to see young Grady perform as “The Wild Man of the Feechiefen Swamp.” But what can they do? Nobody believes in feechies anymore.

When Floyd stages an elaborate plot to revive Corenwalders’ belief in the mythical swamp-dwellers known as the feechiefolk, he overshoots the mark. Floyd’s Great Feechie Scare becomes widespread panic. Eager audiences become angry mobs, and in the ensuing chaos, the Charlatan’s Boy discovers the truth that has evaded him all his life—and will change his path forever.

This was a very interesting book. I had heard great reviews about it, but I wasn't sure what to expect when I cracked it open.

I have a read a lot of books, but never a book like this one.

Rogers takes you inside Grady's head, his writing style is very unique. It made me think of Gilbert Morris' Barney Buck series (just the writing style - all country like). The words in this book were my favorite. I'd laugh and read them out loud. Words/sentences/chapter titles like "feechiefolks", "In which we commence terrorizing the populace", "goozle", "gumption", etc.

And the plot was actually pretty good, the characters were quirky and felt almost real, and the feechies...Any book with feechies in it HAS to be good.

I'd never read a book about shows on the road (besides circuses) and charlatans, and I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed reading about it. It was interesting seeing Grady's point of view in the story - you usually never see it from an entertainers point of view.

I recommend this book to any who is interested in feechies, the world's most beautiful eighty-two-year-old woman, Pete's Dragon (and who DOESN'T love that movie?), alligators, or cowboys.

Find the book on:

• Amazon

I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

Holy Bible, ICB

This is the Holy Bible, for younge girls. It has a dictionary in the back, which could be very helpful for younge readers. It also had a section in the back of God's promises. I think that's great because children need to know what God says, and He does have many wonderful promises for them that they may not know about otherwise. There were "Memory Verses for Life" that I thought were really nice, because it can help encourage kids to memorize scripture, and gives them an idea of what verses they might like to memorize. I loved the translation, International Children's Bible (ICB). It was so easy to understand! It made the Bible seem more storylike and kept Biblical truths at the same time.

I think that this is honestly a great Bible. It's simple, and the Preface helped assure me that it was translated accurately. The design of the Bible is cute and girly, and the 3D designs on the front seem durable, like the rest of the Bible. I thought the print was easy to read, and wasn't too small, especially considering the size of the Bible. I would recomend this Bible translation to anyone with a child, and this Bible to anyone with a little girl.

I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

Show Us Your Singles - Anne of Avonlea in Tennessee, Sweet Sixteen

Rachel is the redheaded beauty "Anne of Avonlea in Tennessee", 16 years old.

(The beautiful one on the left!)

She's been my best friend for nine years and she has a heart of gold. She loves God and kids. Her dream is to adopt lots of kids and give them a home someday in the future. She likes reading, camping, laughing, Dr. Pepper, and she especially loves her family.

(She's so darn cute!!!!)

She wants to get to know a young, Christian guy who puts God first, is great with kids, and has a funny personality.

(Rachel, her brother, cousin, and sister.)

Leave a comment if you would like to get to know her better! Or email me at parisakins@gmail.com.