The Alliance by Jolina Petersheim

"The Alliance" by Jolina Petersheim is different kind of book about a plain community ie Mennonite.  It involves a Mennonite community and the alliance they make with some non-Mennonite people when a EMP (electromagnetic pulse) bomb takes out the electrical system that the modern world can't live without.   The main story involves an Englisher (non-Mennonite) named Moses who survived his plane crashing after the EMP has gone off and a strong Mennonite woman named Leora.  This book was so good I could not put it down.  I am not a big fiction reader but this author wrote such an excellent book.  Most books about the Amish and Mennonites have such a formulaic type of writing but not this one at all.  The characters and the story just keep you on your toes and in ways you don't expect.  This is the third book of this author's I have read and I will say the more she writes the better the stories get.  This one is my absolute favorite.  I cannot more highly recommend it and I really want to buy a copy to have in my library besides my e-book copy.

I was given this book from Net Galley for my honest review and was not required to give a positive review.

What We Believe by R.C. Sproul

"What We Believe" by R.C. Sproul is an update of the previously titled book Renewing Your Mind.  This book is a detailed understanding of the Apostles' Creed and why it is important.  This book is a really good break down of each section of the Apostles' Creed. Using scripture to answer why each section says what it says but keeps the scripture is in context. It also brings in modern beliefs and ideas to explain items that are still happening in the modern era without taking away the original meaning of the Apostles' Creed.  My favorite part would have to be where he goes into detail on why Mary is important but not to the levels that the Roman Catholic church has put her at.  Another great book from R.C. Sproul.   I highly recommend it as a great way to learn more about the Apostles Creed.

I was given this book from BakerBooks a division of Baker Publishing Group for my honest review and was not required to give a positive review.

Always Watching by Lynette Eason

 "Always Watching" by Lynette Eason is the first book in the Elite Guardians series.  The series are mystery fiction novels about body guards and the people they are protection.  This one is about a radio psychiatrist personality Wade Savage being stalked and his body guard Olivia.  I was highly impressed  on how the author really dwelled into how the main character Wade and his daughter felt while being stalked.  Some authors really don't know how to write on the range of emotion a stalking victim feels.  Yes I do know how one feels I have been stalked not to the extreme levels the that Wade was but I still have some of those feeling left since to this day I do not know who my stalker was. Back to the book it was not slow paced at all it was only near the ending that I started to really figure out the bad characters were in the story.  Yes there was a little romance in the story with Olivia and Wade but it was such a side point that it did not distract from the majority of the story.  Once I picked up the book I just could not put it down.  I can't wait for the next book in this series.  If you can't tell I highly recommend it.

I was given this book from Revell a division of Baker Publishing Group for my honest review and was not required to give a positive review.

Tranquility by David W. Henderson

"Tranquility" by David W. Henderson is about slowing down to take the time to be with Christ and not with the business of life.  This book really goes into details on not what to do but why we need to slow down our lives and focus on Christ.  I really liked how the author points out that all our business in our society can be harmful spiritually besides physically.  We have a tendency to think as American Christians if we are not constantly busy then we are sinning which is not true.  No I am not advocating for pure laziness but we do need to slow down and take our time with the Lord.  This book really encouraged me on that.  I was very encouraged by this book even though at times I had a hard time picking it up to read for reason.  I highly recommend this book to remind you to take time with Christ and life around you.

I was given this book from Baker Bakers for my honest review and was not required to give a positive review.

The Lifegiving Home by Sally & Sarah Clarkson

"The Life Giving Home, Creating A Place of Belonging & Becoming" by Sally & Sarah Clarkson is about creating a peaceful faith where you give rest and encourage faith in Christ in your home.  I will admit I went into with this book very skeptical thinking its the typical Christian women's book on how your home has to look exactly like the authors or you should question you faith type attitude.  But this book was not, in the first section the authors talk about why need we a home environment no matter where it is.  Then in the second section they go into different topics (for example February the culture of love) and how they had that topic in their home.  I liked how the authors kept reminding us that each of our homes will be different and that God did not make us with the same tastes and issues in our homes.  This book was very encouraging to me as my home environment can be different from a lot of Christian women's homes that I know.  It was nice to have an encouraging book that reminded us to obey and follow Christ's leading in our life and not compare or to live like other around us.  I highly recommend this book as I was very blessed by it.

I was given this book from Tyndale Publishers for my honest review and was not required to give positive review.

The Gentle Art Of Discipling Women by Dana Yeakley

"The Art of Discipling Women" by Dana Yeakley is a book on discipling women to an authentic faith with Christ.  I will admit I was thinking this was going to be the normal type of discipling book I see for women on how to keep house but nothing on how to mentor disciple someone with scripture.  I was so wrong, this book was a very good book on actually using the scripture.  The author goes into detail on how to mentor using scripture as the source and not other books.  I also really enjoyed how she brought up that we need to be very careful on not doing gossip.  I also enjoyed that she talks about discipling all women not just the ones you think need it.  That part really hit home for me as I have never had another Christian woman come up and disciple me which hurts but I have gotten used to it.  I pray one day I can be discipled and/or disciple someone else but if that is not God's plan for me then ok.  The only thing I did not really enjoy in this book was the quotes using the Message paraphrase as I do not like that one at all to me it twists scripture to much for my likes.  I still highly recommend this book as an excellent book discipling.

I was given this book from NetGally for my honest review and was not required to give a positive review.

Mermaid Moon by Colleen Coble

"Mermaid Moon" by Colleen Coble is mystery novel that starts with Mallory Davis getting a weird phone call from her dad and then a phone call that her dad has been found dead.  Colleen Coble is an excellent writer, this mystery novel really showed it.  A lot of the times when I thought the mystery was going one way it would twist and go another way.  I just could not put this book down as I was wanting to find out the mystery's answers.  Without giving away a lot of the story I will say we found out a lot about Mallory's story from her youth and her ex-fiancee from her past Kevin who is a game warden.  Their story was so interesting even though there was a bit of romance in the story it was not the normal syrupy not reality type.  The only part I would have liked to see more of was more of the story with Kevin's parents.  Even without more of that part I still think this a very good book and highly recommend it.

I was given this book from Net Galley for my honest review and was not required to give a positive review.