The Button Legacy by Ginger Marcinkowski

Rarely do I come across a book I consider my friend and so gleefully I declare that I already miss my time in the pages of this wonderful read which had quickly become my daily friend. Without being a spoiler, the author Ginger Marcinkowski had a warm way of drawing me into the lives of a family of which I feel are now a part of my heart. I wished I had first read the previous book by the same author which is Run, River Currents which precedes The Button Legacy.

Nevertheless, I cheered and cried and was taken back to my own childhood memories. This book's theme is the story telling of those who wore garments with the buttons which the family had kept. Stories were told of the buttons and the people surrounding the history of the buttons. 

In Chapter One, my memory of my mother's button canister came back to me. I remembered smelling the buttons. Yes, they had a certain smell. I had forgotten the smell until I read this book. Reading a book and being reminded of good childhood memories is such a precious gift!

The gentle weaving of God into the pages made me feel at  home. This book was a testament to a gentle evangelism as I very much appreciated the respect and honor given by the parents leaving their children a godly heritage. I wish I had the same love bestowed on me from my own grandfather, I know it would have made me feel special and loved and I know it would have made a big difference in how I would see myself as I grew into a woman. Alas, more reasons to love having been drawn into this book and having this book on my bookshelf as a reminder that books can become friends. Stories can be blessings and blessings can be gleaned from sharing stories about buttons.

I will never look at buttons the same way again! I most likely will do as this family did and cut buttons off clothing which held memories. I will choose the buttons which hold positive memories as well as dark days. I want to remember everything because we know the dark days allow the bright days to shine even brighter.

Thank you Ginger Marcinkowski! You have blessed me than you will ever know with sharing The Button Legacy with me!

To purchase this amazing book please visit http://www.amazon.com/Button-Legacy-Emilys-Inheritance/dp/1620152169/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1463065064&sr=8-1&keywords=the+button+legacy

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the author. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.” 

Are you a manufacturer of a product or currently market a service? Christina will review it! Email christina@wordsofgrace.info with product name, description and manufacturer's suggested retail price along with any other information relative to said product. You will receive a response via email within two weeks if product will be reviewed. Please note not all products will be considered reviewable. Please do not send products without prior consent. Note: Products sent for review will not be returned. Product submission authorizes consent for said product to remain in sole possession of recipient. No monies shall be exchanged for product submission nor permission granted for reviews prior to submission. Reviews shall remain effective and in full force at sole discretion of blog administrator and/or authors related to http://www.christinawillreviewit.blogspot.com.

Barbed-Wire Butterflies by Jessica Kristie

Hope. If I had to describe this fictional account which helped me to understand human trafficking, the word 'hope' would be the very best word to describe Barbed-Wire Butterflies.

Elani Benjamin's (main character) journey into a hellish existence helped me to become more passionate about praying for those who have lost their freedom - whether due to sexual trafficking or an existence in a sweat shop. I was educated and introduced in a gentle but riveting manner into the very real tragedy called human trafficking. The author described this atrocity through the eyes of one girl who was taken captive. Her will to survive was splayed with hope. Hope was what inspired her to create beautiful butterflies made with the most visible symbol of her captivity - barbed-wire.

Without being a spoiler, I was cheering, crying for her and touched by her willingness to be brave despite the the odds of her escape. I thoroughly enjoyed witnessing her risk her own safety by befriending her cell mates and "den mom" and then the hero. Her friendships and faith in God are what kept her from losing her mind. She was blessed. Oh that many, many more would manipulate barbed-wire!!!

The author is clearly a faith-filled woman of God, but this book I believe is for secular as well as the Christian market. The faith message was subtle yet so powerful. I thought of the little girl in the red coat in Schindler's List whose red coat danced in front of a sepia toned background. Elani had hope. She clung to that hope.

I reflected often and wondered if I had ever been placed in that position, would I have the will to survive, the hope, the strength to endure? Personal reflection and conviction for taking my own freedom for granted at times were two other takeaways (besides the reminder of our choosing to have hope in all situations).

Halfway through reading Barbed-Wire Butterflies, I joined a human trafficking prayer group at Calvary Chapel Boca Raton. We meet Sunday morning at 8:00 am before service. I am moved to tears as we lift up men and women we do not know and may never meet. We pray not just for their freedom and their safety, but their salvation. We realize that someone somewhere may just be waking up from a hellish nite only to relive it all over again - and again - and again. Praying is what I can do. And hopefully more people will read Jessica Kristie's Barbed-Wire Butterflies and be inspired to get angry about the injustices and begin praying.

I was so inspired. I will never be the same after reading Barbed-Wire Butterflies. There is so much work to be done.

Barbed-Wire Butterflies Now Available

100% Author proceeds going to Courage Worldwide

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Jessica's Advocacy blog: http://jessicakristie.com/advocacy/
 
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Jessica Kristie for the purpose of review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.” 

Are you a manufacturer of a product or currently market a service? Christina will review it! Email christina@wordsofgrace.info with product name, description and manufacturer's suggested retail price along with any other information relative to said product. You will receive a response via email within two weeks if product will be reviewed. Please note not all products will be considered reviewable. Please do not send products without prior consent. Note: Products sent for review will not be returned. Product submission authorizes consent for said product to remain in sole possession of recipient. No monies shall be exchanged for product submission nor permission granted for reviews prior to submission. Reviews shall remain effective and in full force at sole discretion of blog administrator and/or authors related to http://www.christinawillreviewit.blogspot.com.

Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers

Rarely (if ever) do I get excited to find a Christian fiction book which I can't wait to devour. Redeeming Love was like finding an old friend. I had read this anointed work by Francine Rivers about 15 years ago when I first became a Christian. I was sorry to have lent it out and not gotten it back. So naturally, I jumped at the chance when I saw Multnomah had offered Redeeming Love in their Blogging For Books program. I was pleased to receive a print copy to read and enjoy all over again.

This book was a Twentieth-Anniversary edition complete with a Study Guide, which is why I also recommended this book for a Women's Bible Study as well as a personal growth tool for anyone who "is hurting and hungry." I quoted those words because Ms. Rivers dedicated this book "To those who hurt and hunger."

Scripture and people of note throughout history were mentioned at the beginning of each chapter. The storyline was so intriguing and paralleled the story of Hosea in the Bible. Without spoiling by sharing too many details, I recommend each reader to first read the Book of Hosea in the Bible in order to lay the groundwork for this book. 

Since I have read the entire Lineage of Grace series (historical fiction) by Francine Rivers, I have come to appreciate her ability to stick close to a storyline in which a Christian Bible-reading woman could relate to in the Bible. The fiction aspect of Redeeming Love to me was merely in the names of the main characters as well as the era in which the story took place.

I will always stand in long lines and wait in the rain to receive a book by Francine Rivers. Thanks to Waterbrook Multnomah I didn't have to do either to receive Redeeming Love. I was truly blessed to once again have and then to review such a wonderful book. It will be a part of my personal library now. I recommend this book to women everywhere! Get your copy today.


Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Multnomah Publishers as part of their Blogging for Books bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.” 

Are you a manufacturer of a product or currently market a service? Christina will review it! Email christina@wordsofgrace.info with product name, description and manufacturer's suggested retail price along with any other information relative to said product. You will receive a response via email within two weeks if product will be reviewed. Please note not all products will be considered reviewable. Please do not send products without prior consent. Note: Products sent for review will not be returned. Product submission authorizes consent for said product to remain in sole possession of recipient. No monies shall be exchanged for product submission nor permission granted for reviews prior to submission. Reviews shall remain effective and in full force at sole discretion of blog administrator and/or authors related to http://www.christinawillreviewit.blogspot.com.

Downfall by Terri Blackstock

This newly released Intervention Novel by New York Times bestselling author Terri Blackstock kept me glued within the pages of Downfall. I easily was pulled into the fictional lives of Emily Covington, her mother and brother and later Kent. Without being a spoiler, the storyline easily unfolds and I find myself relating to Emily's fleshly struggles, as well as her need for redemption and deliverance from her past.

I enjoyed the quick-paced action and the concise manner in which Ms. Blackstock structures her chapters. The chapters were short, however the short chapters allowed me closure quickly, and a new scene to enter.

There was nothing offensive to me as a Christian, and I appreciated the lessons and the relationships that resulted. I cheered for the underdog and I was sad that some chose sin over success.

One picayune detail I will mention (because I am a book reviewer who reads every chapter in every book I review) which was a bit skewed was on page 262. The scene basically was Emily and her mother running across the road. I quote, "He looked toward the MARTA station and saw her and Emily running across the highway." The problem with this scene was that Emily was on crutches, her leg in a cast and the scene prior was her awkwardly trying to get off the bed and hide under a bed. Possibly she was hobbling with her crutches with her mother helping her across the highway, but I cannot imagine someone on crutches making it alive across a busy highway (yikes.)

If you are like me, and like all the ends tied, and happy endings then this book is your perfect read for spring, summer, winter or fall.  Order your copy today. Visit Zondervan.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Shelton Interactive as part of their book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Are you a manufacturer of a product or currently market a service? Christina will review it! Email christina@wordsofgrace.info with product name, description and manufacturer's suggested retail price along with any other information relative to said product. You will receive a response via email within two weeks if product will be reviewed. Please note not all products will be considered reviewable. Please do not send products without prior consent. Note: Products sent for review will not be returned. Product submission authorizes consent for said product to remain in sole possession of recipient. No monies shall be exchanged for product submission nor permission granted for reviews prior to submission. Reviews shall remain effective and in full force at sole discretion of blog administrator and/or authors related to http://www.christinawillreviewit.blogspot.com.

Shadow in Serenity by Terri Blackstock

Shadow in Serenity by Terri Blackstock can be described in one word. Amazing! Usually I do not end up speechless when describing a book.

As I was introduced and the characters became familiar to me, I felt like I was watching a movie. A sign of a really good read is forgetting you are holding a book in your living room. In this book, I was literally transformed into the town of Serenity. I admired Carny and appreciated her spunkiness. Her story inspired me and I saw her as the "good guy" amongst a sea of naive residents.

I related to the author's weaving the gullible characters and their reasoning against the wisdom and streets smarts that Carny had learned in her childhood. Her son was precious and I admired her faithfulness to giving her son a godly upbringing.

This love story was told in such a way that was not preachy to the reader. I do believe this book  would appeal to a nonbeliever as well. The salvation message was presented in a gentle way. Carny stuck to the Bible in the way she handled each situation. I was allowed many glimpses into her human frailty. The contrast of her hardness combined with her vulnerability to love was a pleasure to behold!

I would do cartwheels if  a sequel to this wonderfully woven story was made. I recommend Shadow in Serenity unreservedly to anyone seeking to escape for awhile while going nowhere but your living room. You will experience serenity in a whole new way!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Shelton Interactive as part of their book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.” Are you a manufacturer of a product or currently market a service? Christina will review it! Email christna@wordsofgrace.info with product name, description and manufacturer's suggested retail price along with any other information relative to said product. You will receive a response via email within two weeks if product will be reviewed. Please note not all products will be considered reviewable. Please do not send products without prior consent. Note: Products sent for review will not be returned. Product submission authorizes consent for said product to remain in sole possession of recipient. No monies shall be exchanged for product submission nor permission granted for reviews prior to submission. Reviews shall remain effective and in full force at sole discretion of blog administrator and/or authors related to http://www.christinawillreviewit.blogspot.com.

Nephilim by Renee Pawlish

 

This book is currently being reviewed.  

 Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the author. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Are you a manufacturer of a product or currently market a service? Christina will review it! Email christina@wordsofgrace.info with product name, description and manufacturer's suggested retail price along with any other information relative to said product. You will receive a response via email within two weeks if product will be reviewed. Please note not all products will be considered reviewable. Please do not send products without prior consent. Note: Products sent for review will not be returned. Product submission authorizes consent for said product to remain in sole possession of recipient. No monies shall be exchanged for product submission nor permission granted for reviews prior to submission. Reviews shall remain effective and in full force at sole discretion of blog administrator and/or authors related to http://www.christinawillreviewit.blogspot.com.

Courageous by Randy Alcorn

The first chapter of this book was amazing! Without being a spoiler, it wasn't until I finished the first chapter that the reality of what I had just read hit with a bang! The first chapter was clever and drew me in and gave me a taste of more intriguing storylines.

The second and third chapter were a bit slow and I had to dig deep to keep going. While I struggled with Chapter Three, I realized Courageous was in my movie theatre! I thought that was cool and knowing this was also a movie, I cracked open the book and dug in (I like comparing books to their movie counterparts).

After becoming familiar with each of the four families discussed in this story, I began to look forward to realizing how the lives would connect. This book was family-friendly, Christ-focused and a blessing to behold. Courageous depicted the hard life of boys without fathers who turn to gangs to belong. The author also was quite graphic in describing the violence and danger associated with being a cop. I appreciated that graphic depiction, as many Christian fiction stories can be a little too "nicey nice" for the evil days we are truly living (Matthew 24:4-14).

A criticism I had was the repeated reference to the 'Resolution'. The Bible could have been that reference point to draw the men into the agreement to be better fathers and husbands. A page from the Bible could have just as easily been printed out and framed and referred to by Scripture and verse. I feel there was a bit of a marketing/promotion of a new fad which I have come to realize is correct, as "Focus on the Family" is pushing for a men's group to embrace the 'Resolution'. I am all for men becoming more godly, but have them bring their Bible's and not a new program with materials. We have enough 'programs'! We need to wear out the pages of our own Bibles (that is just my opinion.)

Another criticism I had what that there way too many references to food in this book! Not just humans consuming, preparing, or rejoicing over food - but the people giving their dogs food often and food that dogs should not be eating! One of the dogs was sick so the father took it to the vet. The man had just told the wife that he had given the dog people food (forget what it was) and then the dog wasn't feeling well so he brought it to the vet. Right after bringing the dog home from the vet he gave the dog pancakes, bacon and maple syrup! Duh. No wonder the dog was sick. I hope the dog didn't get fed unnecessary antibiotics in between.

Not to beat a dead horse so to speak, but, the dog eating badly scenario occurred with three separate dogs and those dogs were each mentioned at least twice each. I found those types of food discussions ridiculous. Christians including food in everything I am used to - but the inclusion of the canine cooking eating badly - did not enjoy so much!

I hope to see Courageous the movie soon. The book was really good. I enjoyed reading it and hope to hear more family-friendly plots from author Randy Alcorn!


Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Tyndale Publishers as part of their  book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Are you a manufacturer of a product or currently market a service? Christina will review it! Email christina@wordsofgrace.info with product name, description and manufacturer's suggested retail price along with any other information relative to said product. You will receive a response via email within two weeks if product will be reviewed. Please note not all products will be considered reviewable. Please do not send products without prior consent. Note: Products sent for review will not be returned. Product submission authorizes consent for said product to remain in sole possession of recipient. No monies shall be exchanged for product submission nor permission granted for reviews prior to submission. Reviews shall remain effective and in full force at sole discretion of blog administrator and/or authors related to http://www.christinawillreviewit.blogspot.com.

The Final Summit by Andy Andrews

Having first read the first book in this series The Traveler's Gift I realized one without the other would not suffer. However, having a background of the main character Mr. David Ponder, I better realized his depression in Chapter One.

The Final Summit by Andy Andrews was a challenge for me to review. As a reviewer of mainly Christian non-fiction works, this type of Christian historical fiction left me with mixed emotions regarding take away and entertainment value.

I appreciated the "Seven Decision For Success" which was certainly the theme throughout. The story unfolds at the end of Chapter One as Mr. Ponder is an old man and though he has overcome many financials struggles and was at the pinnacle of affluence, he is lonely. The archangel Gabriel is ushered in and the adventures begin starting in Chapter Two.

Without being a spoiler of events, there was a lot of interesting historical discoveries and intermingling accounts of the human sinful condition, which was relatable to me. Hopefully relatable to readers also. There was a considerable amount of reminiscing about past time travel and the character seemed to take the role of a man with the purpose of helping humanity.

Though the writing style was inspirational, encouraging and warm as well as entertaining, I was left with one question. Wouldn't Scripture have added a deeper value to this book? I do believe God's Word would have added a point for further discovery.

The text on page 217 entitled A Personal Declaration was awesome! I appreciated the encouragement that writing provided as well as the beautiful images the author shared his reader. However, ultimately the point of any Christian truly is to give God all the glory and honor and praise. I felt there was a flavor of New Age mixed with a positive, self-help style of preaching to the reader. No doubt if Scripture had been infused into the pages of this book there would be no doubt as to what The Final Summit truly was all about (giving Glory to God).

The Reader's Guide at the end of the book was a great idea for a Christian Book Club to utilize (along with the Bible of course). This resource will drive the reader back into the book and hopefully be a tool to introduce the Gospel.

I am still absorbing this interesting read. It was a book I shall not soon forget. The take away was no doubt our free will and how we make decisions according to the choices we are daily presented.

What is your final summit? I pray every reader that closes this book will understand that though the archangel Gabriel (with or without wings) may never visit them, they are going to be facing their final summit one day. Romans 10:9-11. They may never travel through time or space. However, the God of the Bible is and was and shall ever be. And this He has accomplished without ever having to launch the Time Travel machine once. This story of the Bible as outlined in Genesis I will no doubt refer to again and again...
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Are you a manufacturer of a product or currently market a service? Christina will review it! Email christina@wordsofgrace.info with product name, description and manufacturer's suggested retail price along with any other information relative to said product. You will receive a response via email within two weeks if product will be reviewed. Please note not all products will be considered reviewable. Please do not send products without prior consent. Note: Products sent for review will not be returned. Product submission authorizes consent for said product to remain in sole possession of recipient. No monies shall be exchanged for product submission nor permission granted for reviews prior to submission. Reviews shall remain effective and in full force at sole discretion of blog administrator and/or authors related to http://www.christinawillreviewit.blogspot.com/.

The Girl in the Gatehouse by Julie Klassen

The Girl in the Gatehouse was a unique read for me, as it was my first experience reading the Regency period. Add to that first, and the genre was Christian fiction.

The truth was shrouded from the start. One particular secret introduced from the start was Mariah Aubrey's banishment from her home. Mariah was an author, which was considered improper in those days.

I appreciated her spunk and her unwillingness to become a victim of her circumstances. I found the environment intriguing and at times frustrating. I kept becoming impatient asking, "Why?" often.

The main character was hard for me to understand at times. She was closed and unemotional. Possibly the author intended this aloofness which may have added to her mysterious ways.

I enjoyed this introduction to Christian fiction set in the Regency period. While I would not state it was the best book I have ever read, I do applaud the author for writing a classy, plot-driven mystery romance. No doubt, lovers of this genre will be blessed to crack open this book. Hey, he/she may even plan a beach vacation around it!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Bethany House Publishers as part of their book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Are you a manufacturer of a product or currently market a service? Christina will review it! Email christina@wordsofgrace.info with product name, description and manufacturer's suggested retail price along with any other information relative to said product. You will receive a response via email within two weeks if product will be reviewed. Please note not all products will be considered reviewable. Please do not send products without prior consent. Note: Products sent for review will not be returned. Product submission authorizes consent for said product to remain in sole possession of recipient. No monies shall be exchanged for product submission nor permission granted for reviews prior to submission. Reviews shall remain effective and in full force at sole discretion of blog administrator and/or authors related to www.christinawillreviewit.blogspot.com.