Review: The Cokeville Miracle DVD with Giveaway

The Cokeville Miracle

On May 16, 1986, in the small, ranching community of Cokeville, Wyoming, David and Doris Young took an elementary school hostage for several hours before detonating a bomb inside a classroom that held every teacher and student in the school. In the wake of the madness, Ron Hartley, whose children were inside the classroom, must fight his skepticism and unbelief as he hears eyewitness accounts from the students about miraculous, heavenly intervention during the crisis. When tragedy strikes ... what do you see?

Rated: PG-13
Run Time: 94 minutes
Source: I received a copy in exchange for an honest review
My Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars

My Review: 

What a touching story of faith and miracles. I was in 5th grade when this event occurred and I remember a little about it. I remember being scared about this incident as a child, but now as a mother? I just can't imagine the terror these children and their families felt. It was inspiring to watch the events unfold and see some of the details that I wasn't aware of. It truly is miraculous that things didn't end up differently.

I enjoyed the way the movie follows a man who is struggling with his faith. When he sees these events and witnesses many children's accounts of what happened, he can't deny that a greater power was at work, yet he still doubts. I love the messages of forgiveness, love, and the power of prayer. This man's journey is very real and also very encouraging. The Cokeville Miracle is a great story for anyone of any faith/religion.



Giveaway:

One DVD copy of The Cokeville Miracle to a US resident only.

• You must be a 18 or older
• You must be a resident of the US
• The winner will be notified by email and have 48 hours to respond or another winner will be chosen

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Review: A March Bride by Rachel Hauck

A March Bride (A Year of Weddings Novella) by Rachel Hauck

ebook, 120 pages

Published February 25th 2014 by Zondervan

Source: I received a copy through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

My Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars

Description:

Susanna has found her true prince, and their happily ever after is just around the corner. But when Nate asks her to give up something precious to her, Susanna can’t help but wonder if it’s a sign that their love is not meant to be.
Susanna Truitt (Once Upon A Prince) is three weeks from royalty. She’ll soon marry King Nathaniel II of Brighton Kingdom. But when the government insists she renounce her American citizenship before the wedding, coupled with the lack of involvement by family and friends, her heart begins to doubt whether this marriage is God’s plan for her.

Nathaniel would do anything for his bride-to-be. But he knows his position requires that she give up a lot to be with him. Her life will never be her own — right down to her very identity. When she travels home to St. Simon’s Island, Georgia, right before the wedding, Nathaniel fears she won’t return. Gathering his courage, he devises a plan to win his bride all over again, and together they seek out a kingdom to treasure above all. 

My Review:

I loved getting a little more of Susanna and Nathaniel's story. Life in the palace would be tough, especially if that's not how you were raised. As much as I would love to trade places with Susanna, the reality of princess life would be difficult to adjust to. I can't imagine everyone watching everything I wear, everywhere I go, everything I say and do. I thought Susanna handled things well, considering.

Is love enough to keep this couple together? Sometimes the sacrifices in life require a lot of self-evaluation, pondering, and determination. Digging deep to decide what's really important is something Susanna must do. I enjoyed the path and watching her come to a decision about her future.

I really do like this couple and thought this was a great addition to the both the Royal Weddings series, as well as the A Year of Weddings Novellas.

Content: mild, clean romance; moderate Christian themes and elements (talking to and about God). Clean!

Buy Links:

About the Author:

RITA finalist and award winning author Rachel Hauck writes from sunny central Florida.

With strong southern stories, she infuses faith and real life into the lives of her fictional characters.

Rachel loves to encourage new writers and is the book therapist for My Book Therapy and writing community founded by
Susan May Warren.

Rachel graduated from Ohio State University with a BA in Journalism. She's and avid OSU football fan.

Visit her web site to find out more and click on the icons to follow her on Twitter and Facebook.

www.rachelhauck.com  

Review: Once Upon a Prince (Royal Weddings Book 1) by Rachel Hauck

Once Upon a Prince (Royal Wedding Series) by Rachel Hauck

352 pages

Published May 7th 2013 by Zondervan 

Source: I received a copy through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

My Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars

Description:

Once Upon a Prince, the first novel in the Royal Wedding series by bestselling author Rachel Hauck, treats you to a modern-day fairy tale.

Susanna Truitt never dreamed of a great romance or being treated like a princess---just to marry the man she has loved for twelve years. But life isn’t going according to plan. When her high-school-sweetheart-turned-Marine-officer breaks up instead of proposing, Susanna scrambles to rebuild her life.

The last thing Prince Nathaniel expects to find on his American holiday to St. Simon’s Island is the queen of his heart. A prince has duties, and his family’s tense political situation has chosen his bride for him. When Prince Nathaniel comes to Susanna’s aid under the fabled Lover’s Oak, he is blindsided by love.

Their lives are worlds apart. He’s a royal prince. She’s a ordinary girl. But everything changes when Susanna receives an invitation to Nathaniel’s coronation. 

My Review:

I'm one of those girls who wished to be a princess. When I was very young, Princess Diana was the one in the spotlight and I couldn't have been more fascinated with her. I love the movie The Prince and Me and thought of how amazing it would be to become a princess after being a normal girl. This story just reinforced those feelings. What girl doesn't like to dream?

Poor Susanna. The story begins with her being jilted by her boyfriend/almost fiance of 12 years. 12 YEARS!! At first, I was almost appalled at how a girl could waste so much time in her life on one man. If he isn't going to propose after a few, he probably never will, but after reading more about Susanna, it makes sense. She's isn't a stupid girl--she has issues and insecurities and deals with them the best way she knows how. I really did come to like her and enjoyed the journey right along with her.

Prince Nathaniel longs to be ordinary, yet that's not in his future. I love the way this couple first meets. He treats her like a princess and is so sweet. Nate battles with his wants and his duties and I thought he did a great job at compromise and balance.

Some of the other characters were a lot of fun, and strange, as well. I love Avery, Susanna's enthusiastic younger sister and the strange woman in the woods, who almost seems psychic. Such a fun setting and fun story line!

Content: mild, clean romance; moderate Christian themes (talking to and about God). Clean!

Buy Links:

About the Author:  

 

RITA finalist and award winning author Rachel Hauck writes from sunny central Florida.

With strong southern stories, she infuses faith and real life into the lives of her fictional characters.

Rachel loves to encourage new writers and is the book therapist for My Book Therapy and writing community founded by
Susan May Warren.

Rachel graduated from Ohio State University with a BA in Journalism. She's and avid OSU football fan.

Visit her web site to find out more and click on the icons to follow her on Twitter and Facebook.

www.rachelhauck.com 

Second Chance Ranch by Liz Isaacson {Review and Giveaway}

Second Chance Ranch: An Inspirational Western Romance (Three Rivers Ranch Romance Book 1) by Liz Isaacson

Kindle Edition, 188 pages

Publication: September 15th 2015 by AEJ Creative Works
Source: I received a copy from the author in exchange for an honest review
My Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars


Description:

After his deployment, injured and discharged Major Squire Ackerman returns to Three Rivers Ranch, anxious to prove himself capable of running the cattle operation so his parents can retire. Things would be easier if the ranch wasn’t missing 1.6 million dollars, which forces Squire to hire Kelly, the girl who rejected his high school prom invitation, as his accountant.

She’s back in town with her four-year-old son, living in her parent’s basement until she can get her life back together. With fresh ink on her divorce papers and open gashes on her heart, she’s not ready for much beyond her new job on the ranch.

Squire wants to forgive Kelly for ignoring him a decade ago. He’d like to provide the stable life she needs, but with old wounds opening and a ranch on the brink of financial collapse, it will take patience and faith to make their second chance possible.

For fans of inspirational western romance authors Kimberly Krey, Becky Wade, and Denise Hunter.

My Review:

I absolutely love a story about second chances and this one delivered! Squire is recently returned from the military, where he was honorably discharged after an injury. Hats off to those who serve in the military because I don't think I could do it and I truly appreciate all that they do for our country. I love that Squire is a deep character. He's working through issues resulting from his service, as well as trying to balance his wants and his duties for the future. He's a great all-around guy, if a little grumpy at times.

When Squire discovers a large sum of money missing from the ranch, he hires an accountant and the only applicant is a girl who jilted him back in high school--Kelly. She's back, recovering from a divorce, and trying to get on her feet again. I really like Kelly and she's the kind of person I would love to have for a friend. She tries hard to make good impressions and to come off strong, but she's only human. Misunderstandings and mistakes happen and she's not afraid to own up to them...eventually. She has a darling son and I love his place in the story.

I love the interactions these characters have with each other, with their families, and with other residents of the town. Speaking of the town, the setting is fabulous and makes me wish I lived in a place such as this. I love the added dash of mystery that brings this clean romance to a new level. This description says this is Book One and I'm definitely looking forward to more books in this series! As it also says in the description, if you're a fan of any of those authors listed, you'll be sure to love Liz Isaacson's work!

Content: some flashbacks to war, but not graphic; clean romance (kissing), vague talk of cheating; very mild religious elements; no language. Clean!

Buy  Link:

About Liz Isaacson: 

Liz Isaacson writes inspirational romance, usually in a Western setting because of her love of horses and cowboys. In her real life, she is Elana Johnson, hybrid author of several YA and adult romance novels. She is a teacher of technology and she wants to travel the world.

Blog  *  Twitter  *  Facebook

Liz is giving away $10 Paypal cash for helping to spread the word about her new release. Check out the options in the Rafflecopter and enter to win!

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Freebie: Rewind to You by Laura Johnston

Young adult clean romance for FREE?!? Yes, please!

REWIND TO YOU by Laura Johnston is FREE on all major online eBook retailers through the first week of October, so be sure to click one of the links below and DOWNLOAD!

REWIND TO YOU on Amazon

REWIND TO YOU on Barnes and Noble

REWIND TO YOU on Kensington Publishing

REWIND TO YOU on Kobo

I read this book about a year ago and absolutely LOVED it!! And hey, it's free! My review can be found here.

One last summer before college on beautiful Tybee Island is supposed to help Sienna forget. But how can she? This is where her family spent every summer before everything changed, before the world as she knew it was ripped away.

But the past isn’t easily left behind. Especially when Sienna keeps having episodes that take her back to the night she wants to forget. Even when she meets the mysterious Austin Dobbs, the guy with the intense blue eyes, athlete’s body, and weakness for pralines who scooped her out of trouble when she blacked out on River Street.

When she’s with Austin, Sienna feels a whole new world opening up to her. Austin has secrets, and she has history. But caught between the past and the future, Sienna can still choose what happens now…

  “Johnston’s debut spotlights romance and familial relationships, including themes like grief and self-sacrifice. It’s an ideal story for readers looking for a deep-rooted YA love story with the emotional ups and downs and poignancy of a Nicholas Sparks contemporary. There’s also a touch of wit and a sigh-worthy hero – a definite on your TBR list.”
– RT Book Reviews

Review: An April Bride by Lenora Worth

An April Bride (A Year of Weddings Novella Book 5) by Lenora Worth

ebook, 140 pages

Published March 25th 2014 by Zondervan
Source: I received a copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review
My Rating: 3.5 out of 5 Stars


Description:

War changes everything . . . even their love.
Bride-to-be Stella Carson can’t wait to marry her longtime sweetheart Marshall Henderson. But Marshall has been away serving his country and after suffering a head wound and being diagnosed with post-traumatic stress syndrome, he has distanced himself from Stella by asking her not to visit him in a Washington, D.C. hospital.
Marshall returns to Louisiana just four weeks before the wedding, but as the big day draws near, Stella wonders if the man she’s loved for most of her life still wants to marry her. 

My Review:

I honestly can't imagine how war can affect a person. Marshall and Stella are planning on getting married when Marshall returns from his service, but a severe wound and amnesia/PTSD complicate their plans.

Stella is absolutely amazing! I kept putting myself in her shoes and wondering if I'd have the guts to go through with a wedding to a man who doesn't seem to remember me. Of course, she is human and those doubts came creeping in. Marshall is pretty amazing himself. He had every chance to walk away and decided since he'd promised something to someone else, he would stay and try to figure it out, but he could only take things so far without coming to a conclusion.  

One thing that bothered me--if he couldn't remember her, why didn't he want her to see him all beat up when he was in the hospital? That aside, it was heartwarming to watch a couple work through issues and feelings to really dig down deep and figure out what they love about each other and if a marriage to one another is worth it and the right thing to work for. Such a tender story.

Content: mild war-type violence; mild romance; Christian elements. Clean!

Buy Links:

About the Author:

Lenora Worth has written 35 books for three different publishers. She reached a milestone in 2006 when she received her 25th book pin from Steeple Hill and Harlequin. Her books have won both regional and national awards and she now has over 1 million books in print. Currently she is writing both Love Inspired and Love Inspired Suspense for Steeple Hill. Married to her childhood sweetheart, Lenora has two grown children. She wrote a weekly opinion column for five years for the local paper and currently also writes freelance for a local magazine. Lenora lives in Louisiana.

Pen name: Lenora Nazworth  

Westly: A Spider's Tale by Bryan Beus {Spotlight and Giveaway}

 

Blog Tour Schedule

Westly: A Spiders Tale by Bryan Beus

This is tale of a caterpillar named Westly who is destined to be a Monarch butterfly and the next king of the butterfly kingdom. But sometimes things don't turn out the way we plan. When Westly emerges from his cocoon he is nothing like he expected. As a spider he must rediscover who he is. Adopted by the "dirt eaters," Westly is determined to make a difference. He is determined to belong, to be loved, and most importantly, to become who he was born to be.

Amazon * Barnes & Noble * Deseret Book

Author Bryan Beus

Bryan Beus – which rhymes with Zeus – is the winner of the Kirchoff/Wohlberg Award from The New York Society of Illustrators. He works full time as an illustrator for magazines, book covers, film and game conceptual art, and more. When not writing and drawing, he enjoys spending time with his wife, Amanda, mindful meditation, drinking root beer floats, and eating far too many Sour Patch Watermelons. Westly is his debut novel.
 

Website * Twitter

$25 Blog Tour Giveaway

$25 Amazon eGift Card or Paypal Cash Ends 10/15/15 Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com eGift Card or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

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Tackle Your TBR Read-a-thon Wrap Up Post

Wrap Up Post

This is such a fun RAT! I believe this is my third year participating and I definitely planned better this time, reading ahead on my review schedule so that I could really dedicate more time to tackling my TBR pile. I added a few books and didn't quite finish one on my list, but I feel great about it.

Here were my goals at the beginning:

• Participate in at least two challenges
• Comment on at least three other participants updates/goals each day
• Read at least 10 books on my TBR list. I'm way behind on my Netgalley books, so I'd like for most of them to be from there
• Read my books for review
• Update every day

I participated in several challenges, not just two. I commented on five other participant's goals each day for awhile. I looked at the link up and got frustrated after going to so many who didn't end up participating after all, but I did make it to most on the goals link up page. I ended up reading 14.5 books, including the two for review. I did update every day. Overall, this was a success for me and I'm already looking forward to next year! 

Total # of pages read: 2,750
Total # of finished books: 14 (and half of To Catch a Prince--164 pages on Day 14)
Titles of finished books: