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This Month on FaithfulReader.com |
February 2013 |
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The Lenten Season is Here
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Lent officially began on Wednesday, marking the start of one of the holiest times of the year. In early March, we will be bringing you our annual Easter Books roundup where we will feature books that are perfect for the Lenten and Easter seasons, including inspiring devotionals, thought-provoking fiction and nonfiction, and titles you’ll want to consider giving to the younger readers in your life.
In the meantime, we have plenty of books to keep you busy this month.
First up is a giveaway for HOME RUN by Travis Thrasher, which releases on March 1st. Major League baseball player Cory Brand excels at hitting home runs, but is striking out in his personal life. After years of hard partying and reckless living, a DUI and team suspension land him back in the Oklahoma town where he started. Forced to coach the local Little League team and spend eight weeks in Celebrate Recovery©, the only 12-step program in town, Cory must face the memories of an abusive father --- and the love Cory left behind. We’re giving 25 readers the opportunity to win a copy of the book, which is based on a movie starring Vivica A. Fox and Scott Elrod that will be in theaters beginning April 19th. One of these winners also will be awarded a Fandango gift card --- and what better way to use it than to take four of your friends to see the film? To enter, please fill out this form by Friday, March 8th at noon ET.
Our newest study guide is for WHEN THE HEART HEALS, the second book in Ann Shorey’s Sisters at Heart series. Rosemary Saxon’s service as a nurse during the Civil War has caused most women in town to regard her as unfeminine and downright vulgar. Although she would like to put her experiences as a nurse behind her, she must support herself. So she takes a position with Dr. Elijah Stewart, and a mutual attraction begins to develop. But when a sophisticated woman arrives in town claiming to be Elijah's fiancée, a heartbroken Rosemary decides to leave Noble Springs and start fresh. Can Elijah convince her of the mystery woman's deception before he loses her forever? Click here for the study guide.
Wanda E. Brunstetter’s The Discovery series will be broken into six short books releasing consecutively over a six-month period. The first of these titles is GOODBYE TO YESTERDAY and introduces readers to Meredith and Luke Stoltzfus, an Amish couple faced with the greatest challenges of their young lives: financial struggles, arguments, a suspected pregnancy, a last-minute trip to Middlebury, Indiana, and a deadly encounter at a Philadelphia bus station. Will their love and faith be enough to bring them back together again, against all odds? Read more about the book and an excerpt.
Allison Pittman has written a new historical novel, and it’s a stand-alone title you won’t want to miss it. In ALL FOR A SONG, Dorothy Lynn Dunbar finds herself longing for more in her life, despite having everything she ever wanted: her family, her church, her community, and plans to marry the young pastor who took over her late father’s pulpit. Spending a few days in St. Louis with her sister’s family, Dorothy Lynn discovers a whole new way of life and meets a dynamic charismatic evangelist...who just happens to be a woman. When offered a chance to join Aimee Semple McPherson’s crusade team, Dorothy Lynn finds herself confronted with temptations she never dreamed of. Read more about the book and an excerpt.
We’re also featuring a stand-alone novel from Jeanette Windle, whose latest mystery, CONGO DAWN, is now in stores. While former Marine lieutenant Robin Duncan is no stranger to corruption or conspiracy, she has always been able to tell the good guys from the bad. At first the Congo jungle seems no different. But as her security team tries to track down an insurgent killer, Robin has to face a man who broke her trust years ago, and she discovers the gray areas extend farther in this jungle wilderness than she anticipated. Read more about the book and an excerpt.
We have 10 new reviews for you this month. Among them are REBEKAH, the second book in Jill Eileen Smith’s historical romance series, Wives of the Patriarchs; THE LORD IS MY SHEPHERD: Resting in the Peace and Power of Psalm 23, in which author and pastor Robert J. Morgan teaches Psalm 23 verse by verse, illuminating its fascinating context and colorful background, and even shares his own charming, real-life stories of herding sheep; and Hilary Alan’s SENT: How One Ordinary Family Traded the American Dream for God's Greater Purpose, which tells the story of ordinary Christians who accepted two words from Jesus at face value and found that doing so changed everything.
Finally, in our latest monthly contest, we’re awarding readers copies of both THE ORPHAN KING and FORTRESS OF MIST, the first two books in Sigmund Brouwer’s Merlin’s Immortals series. Although classified as YA, they have definite crossover appeal for adults. To enter the giveaway, please fill out this form by Tuesday, March 12th at noon ET.
We wish you all a very blessed Lenten season, and look forward to guiding you to Easter the best way we know how --- with a plethora of books!
Carol Fitzgerald ([email protected])
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Special Feature and Contest: Win a Copy of HOME RUN by Travis Thrasher and the Opportunity for a Fandango Gift Card!
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We are celebrating the March 1st release of HOME RUN by Travis Thrasher with a special contest that will give 25 readers the opportunity to win a copy of the book, which is based on the major motion picture starring Vivica A. Fox and Scott Elrod. In addition, one of these winners will be awarded a Fandango gift card so he or she can take four friends to see the film when it opens on April 19th.
To enter, please fill out this form by Friday, March 8th at noon ET.
HOME RUN by Travis Thrasher (Fiction)
Baseball all-star Cory Brand knows what it takes to win in the big leagues. But off the field, with memories of his past haunting him, his life is spiraling out of control. Hoping to save her client’s career and reputation after a DUI and a team suspension, Cory’s agent sends him back to the small town where he grew up. Forced to coach the local youth baseball team and spend eight weeks in the only recovery program in town, Cory can’t wait to return to his old life as quickly as possible.
-Click here to read more about the book.
-Click here to read an excerpt.
-Click here to read Travis Thrasher's bio.
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Click here to enter the contest. |
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Study Guide Now Available: WHEN THE HEART HEALS by Ann Shorey
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WHEN THE HEART HEALS: Sisters at Heart, Book 2 by Ann Shorey (Historical Romance)
With tenderness and grace, Ann Shorey invites readers back to the town of Noble Springs, Missouri, for an engrossing story of love's tentative first steps and fragile future in the face of opposition. Readers will find in Rosemary Saxon a sympathetic but strong woman determined to thrive in a world that doesn't always understand.
-Click here to read more about the book.
-Click here to read an excerpt.
-Click here to read critical praise.
-Click here to read Ann Shorey’s bio.
-Click here to visit Ann Shorey’s official website.
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Click here for the study guide. |
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Special Feature: GOODBYE TO YESTERDAY by Wanda E. Brunstetter
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GOODBYE TO YESTERDAY: The Discovery - A Lancaster County Saga, Part 1 by Wanda E. Brunstetter (Romance)
Wanda E. Brunstetter delivers a fresh take on Amish romance with her one-of–a-kind Discovery series. Debuting as a serial novel, this compelling love story will be broken into six short books releasing consecutively over a six-month period. Each novel will end in a heart-wrenching cliffhanger, leaving you dying to know what happens next.
-Click here to read an excerpt.
-Click here to watch the book trailer.
-Click here to read more about the series on Facebook.
-Click here to read Wanda E. Brunstetter’s bio.
-Click here to visit Wanda E. Brunstetter’s official website.
-Click here to connect with Wanda E. Brunstetter on Facebook.
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Click here to read more about the book. |
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Special Feature: ALL FOR A SONG by Allison Pittman
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ALL FOR A SONG by Allison Pittman (Historical Fiction)
Dorothy Lynn Dunbar has everything she ever wanted, yet longs for something more. Spending a few days in St. Louis with her sister’s family, Dorothy Lynn discovers a whole new way of life and meets a dynamic charismatic evangelist...who just happens to be a woman. When offered a chance to join Aimee Semple McPherson’s crusade team, Dorothy Lynn finds herself confronted with temptations she never dreamed of.
-Click here to read an excerpt.
-Click here to read Allison Pittman’s bio.
-Click here to visit Allison Pittman’s official website.
-Connect with Allison Pittman on Facebook and Twitter.
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Click here to read more about the book. |
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Special Feature: CONGO DAWN by Jeanette Windle
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CONGO DAWN by Jeanette Windle (Mystery)
While former Marine lieutenant Robin Duncan is no stranger to corruption or conspiracy, she has always been able to tell the good guys from the bad. At first the Congo jungle seems no different. But as her security team tries to track down an insurgent killer, Robin has to face a man who broke her trust years ago, and she discovers the gray areas extend farther in this jungle wilderness than she anticipated.
-Click here to read an excerpt.
-Click here to read Jeanette Windle’s bio.
-Visit Jeanette Windle’s official website and blog.
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Click here to read more about the book. |
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FaithfulReader.com's Monthly Contest: Win a Copy of THE ORPHAN KING and FORTRESS OF MIST by Sigmund Brouwer
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In our latest monthly contest, readers will be awarded the first two books in Sigmund Brouwer's fantasy/adventure series, Merlin's Immortals: THE ORPHAN KING and FORTRESS OF MIST. To enter, please fill out this form by Tuesday, March 12th at noon ET.
THE ORPHAN KING: Merlin's Immortals, Book One by Sigmund Brouwer (Fantasy/Adventure)
The last words of a dying woman would change the life of young Thomas. Raised behind monastery walls, he knows nothing of his mysterious past or imminent destiny. But now, in the heart of medieval England, an ancient order tightens their ghostly grip on power, creating fear and exiling those who would oppose them. Thomas is determined to fulfill his calling and bring light into the mysterious world of the Druids, and leaves the monastery on an important quest.
FORTRESS OF MIST: Merlin's Immortals, Book Two by Sigmund Brouwer (Fantasy/Adventure)
The Orphan King, once victorious in conquest, appears to be losing his grip on his seat of power. Thomas rules the kingdom of Magnus, but does not know whom he can trust. His enemies anticipate his every move, thwarting him at each turn. Under attack, both in the supernatural and natural worlds, Thomas must reach back into the secret layers of his past to find the strength and wisdom to fight his battles.
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Click here to enter the contest. |
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Mystery & Romance Reviews: SECRETLY SMITTEN, THE BREATH OF DAWN and BEAUTY TO DIE FOR
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SECRETLY SMITTEN by Colleen Coble, Kristin Billerbeck, Diann Hunt and Denise Hunter (Mystery/Romance)
There’s a secret in Grandma Rose’s attic --- a forgotten set of dog tags belonging to her first love. But David Hutchins was killed in action and never returned to Smitten. How did the dog tags end up in the attic? The mystery intrigues Rose’s three granddaughters, and they decide to investigate. As the seasons turn and the mystery unravels, the three young women and their mother encounter some intriguing mystery men of their own. Reviewed by Lynda Lee Schab.
-Click here to read more about the book.
-Click here to read a review.
THE BREATH OF DAWN by Kristen Heitzmann (Romantic Suspense)
Corporate turnaround specialist Morgan Spencer, dubbed the "success guru," has a Midas touch in business. But losing his wife sent him to the brink, and his two-year-old daughter, Livie, is all he's living for --- until they encounter a woman whose trouble just might draw him out of his own. Reviewed by Lynda Lee Schab.
-Click here to read more about the book.
-Click here to read a review.
BEAUTY TO DIE FOR: A Spa Mystery by Kim Alexis and Mindy Starns Clark (Mystery)
Juliette Taylor is a former supermodel who now co-owns a beauty supply company that makes skincare products for salons and spas. After a run-in with an old modeling colleague, Raven, the unsympathetic back-then beauty is found dead. Suspicion is directed at Juliette, who has history with Raven and certainly knows how to use beauty products. But for murder?! Now she must find the real killer before the police really take care of her. Reviewed by Lynda Lee Schab.
-Click here to read more about the book.
-Click here to read a review.
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Now in Stores: REBEKAH by Jill Eileen Smith
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REBEKAH: Wives of the Patriarchs, Book 2 by Jill Eileen Smith (Historical Romance)
When her father dies and she is left in the care of her conniving brother Laban, Rebekah knows her life has changed forever. Her hope for the future is restored when she falls in love with her cousin Isaac, and their relationship starts strong. But marital bliss cannot last forever, and the birth of their twin sons marks the beginning of years of misunderstanding, disagreement and betrayal. Reviewed by Susan Miura.
-Click here to read more about the book.
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Click here to read a review. |
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Now in Stores: MOON OVER EDISTO by Beth Webb Hart
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MOON OVER EDISTO by Beth Webb Hart (Fiction)
Once, they were the happiest family under the sun, crabbing and fishing and painting on beautiful Edisto Island in South Carolina’s lowcountry. Then everything went wrong, and 20 years later the Bennett family is still in pieces. When an emergency forces Julia back to Edisto to care for her three young half-siblings, she grudgingly agrees to stay a week. But there’s something about Edisto that changes people. Reviewed by Susan Miura.
-Click here to read more about the book.
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Click here to read a review. |
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Now in Stores: PURSUED by Jud Wilhite
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PURSUED: God's Divine Obsession with You by Jud Wilhite (Christian Life)
Jud Wilhite has seen it all, and he knows that no matter how far someone has strayed from God, God always remains in passionate pursuit. Using the biblical prophet Hosea's marriage, commanded by God, to an unfaithful prostitute as a metaphor for God's unwavering love, PURSUED compellingly illustrates God's plan for every person --- to be freed to become his or her own unique self through intimate togetherness with the living, loving God. Reviewed by Michele Howe.
-Click here to read more about the book.
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Click here to read a review. |
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Now in Stores: THE LORD IS MY SHEPHERD by Robert J. Morgan
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THE LORD IS MY SHEPHERD: Resting in the Peace and Power of Psalm 23 by Robert J. Morgan (Christian Life)
At a time of great uncertainty for so many people, pastor and celebrated writer Robert J. Morgan offers the timeless solace of one of history’s most famous poems --- six verses that comprise the most memorized passage in the Bible and that, as Morgan shows, provide a microcosm of God’s grace. Reviewed by Michele Howe.
-Click here to read more about the book.
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Click here to read a review. |
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Now in Stores: ONE SIZE FITS ALL by Michele Howe
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ONE SIZE FITS ALL: Making Healthy Choices, Stepping Into a Meaningful Life by Michele Howe (Self Help/Personal Growth)
In ONE SIZE FITS ALL, you will discover that much of life and health is about making good choices. What we say yes to, as well as what we say no to, matters in our everyday decisions. Information, no matter how valuable, remains worthless unless we grab hold of its principles and put them to use in our lives. Each one of us determines the quality of life as it pertains to our health. Reviewed by Maggie Harding.
-Click here to read more about the book.
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Click here to read a review. |
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Now in Stores: UPSIDE-DOWN PRAYERS FOR PARENTS by Lisa T. Bergren
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UPSIDE-DOWN PRAYERS FOR PARENTS: Thirty-One Daring Devotions for Entrusting Your Child --- and Yourself --- to God by Lisa T. Bergren (Devotional)
It’s our instinct as parents to shield our children from harm. But our true responsibility is to raise children equipped to live well for God even in the midst of struggle. UPSIDE-DOWN PRAYERS FOR PARENTS encourages us to pray for our children in ways we may never have before. By turning our prayers “upside down,” we not only learn to release our children to the care of God alone, we also uncover how our own desires need to be submitted to God’s will. Reviewed by Lynda Lee Schab.
-Click here to read more about the book.
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Click here to read a review. |
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As always, here are a few housekeeping notes. If you are seeing this newsletter in a text version, and would prefer to see the graphics, you can either read it online or change your preferences below.
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Happy reading! Don't forget to forward this newsletter to a friend or to visit our other websites from TheBookReportNetwork.com: Bookreporter.com, 20SomethingReads.com, Teenreads.com, Kidsreads.com, ReadingGroupGuides.com, GraphicNovelReporter.com and AuthorsOnTheWeb.com.
--- Carol Fitzgerald ([email protected])
The Book Report Network
250 W. 57th Street - Suite 1228
New York, New York 10107
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