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This Month on FaithfulReader.com |
March 2015 |
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Happy Easter!
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With Easter Sunday just days away, we at FaithfulReader.com are pondering the return of warmer weather (it was 38 degrees last night!) and the beautiful plants and flowers that come with it. As we enjoy the physical rebirth and rejuvenation occurring around us, we prepare for the celebration of Christ’s resurrection. In anticipation of this solemn holiday, we are delighted to continue sharing with you our roundup of Easter-themed books. With titles pulled from a variety of authors and genres, this list is sure to enrich your Easter celebrations as well as your relationships with God and those around you.
For March’s monthly contest, we are offering 10 readers the chance to win a copy of WHEN GRACE SINGS, the second book in Kim Vogel Sawyer’s Zimmerman Restoration Trilogy. Picking up where WHEN MERCY RAINS left off, this novel focuses on Suzanne Zimmerman’s daughter, Alexa, as she struggles to gain acceptance from the Mennonite community of Arborville, Kansas. With family roots that are far from traditional, Alexa hopes to use her culinary and hospitality skills to run a successful bed and breakfast that will help her fit in. But when she agrees to host both Briley Forrester, a reporter from Chicago, and Anna-Grace Braun, her cousin, her insecurities and many hidden truths come to light. As Alexa and Anna-Grace learn that their secrets are intertwined, they must have faith in God’s plans for their futures. To enter to win a copy of WHEN GRACE SINGS, please fill out this form by Tuesday, April 21st at noon ET.
Next up is our latest study guide for THE DECISION, the first book in Wanda E. Brunstetter’s Prairie State Friends series. Abandoned at the altar by the love of his life, Jonah Miller has arrived in Illinois hoping to build a new life in the Amish community of Arthur as a buggy maker. Quickly after settling in, he meets Elaine Shrock, who hosts Amish dinners with her grandmother in their quaint little home. But when tragedy strikes Elaine’s family and her beloved grandmother slides into dementia, Elaine must choose between her love for Jonah and caring for her relative. After all, how can she be a devoted wife if her mind is elsewhere? Although Jonah and her friends offer to help, it is up to Elaine to make the heartbreaking decision.
This month’s special feature spotlights BY YOUR SIDE, the opening installment in Candace Calvert’s Crisis Team series. Former foster child Macy Wynn learned early on to always land on her feet and trust no one. Now she is a successful ER nurse and she has found a foster child she loves like a sister. Unfortunately, the girl is in deep trouble, and Macy feels obligated to help. Meanwhile, Deputy Fletcher Holt’s life is in a flurry: he has been yanked from his home and his mother is battling cancer. He’s attracted to strong-willed nurse Macy, but he knows she could be the next target of a brutal sniper. When everything is up in the air, these characters must decide where to put their damaged trust.
We have 10 reviews to share with you this month, including LAST ONE HOME, Debbie Macomber’s stand-alone novel about the power of sisterhood; FIGHT BACK WITH JOY, Margaret Feinberg’s powerful memoir about her courageous battle with cancer and the importance of a joyous life; MIRACLE AT THE HIGHER GROUNDS CAFE, a new novel from Max Lucado, which he co-wrote with Candace Lee and Eric Newman; and THE PHARAOH’S DAUGHTER, a Treasures of the Nile novel by Mesu Andrews.
Finally, the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association (ECPA) has announced 37 finalists in seven categories for the 2015 Christian Book Awards. Winners, along with the Christian Book of the Year, will be announced on May 5th during the ECPA Leadership Summit in Nashville. Click here for all the nominees.
I wish you all a happy and healthy Easter! We look forward to catching up with you next month, when we pay tribute to mothers, grandmothers, and all the women who nurture our lives in our annual Mother’s Day feature.
Carol Fitzgerald ([email protected])
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Click here to see this year's Christian Book Award finalists. |
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FaithfulReader.com’s 2015 Easter Books Roundup
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During this Lenten season, we at FaithfulReader.com are preparing for the celebration of Christ’s resurrection with our annual Easter Books roundup. Once again, we have selected books from a variety of authors and genres to guide you through this most sacred time of the year. It is our hope that our compilation of fiction and nonfiction titles for adults and picture books for children will encourage you to evaluate your relationships with God and your loved ones. We wish you and your family a blessed and fulfilling Easter season.
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Click here to see our roundup of Easter titles. |
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FaithfulReader.com's Latest Monthly Contest: Win a Copy of WHEN GRACE SINGS by Kim Vogel Sawyer
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In FaithfulReader.com's latest monthly contest, 10 readers will win a copy of WHEN GRACE SINGS, the second book in Kim Vogel Sawyer’s Zimmerman Restoration Trilogy, following WHEN MERCY RAINS. To enter, please fill out this form by Tuesday, April 21st at noon ET.
WHEN GRACE SINGS by Kim Vogel Sawyer (Romance)
Alexa Zimmerman wonders if the Old Order Mennonite community in Arborville, Kansas will ever fully accept her. Her family roots here aren’t what anyone thought when she first arrived. The bed-and-breakfast she’s operating needs to succeed, so she agrees to allow hotshot reporter Briley Forrester to stay as a long-term boarder, not knowing his real motives for being amongst the Plain folk. But when Alexa agrees to host her cousin, the presence of extended family brings out Alexa’s insecurities and sets Briley on the trail to uncovering a web of hidden truths.
-Click here to read more about the book.
-Click here to read an excerpt.
-Click here to read Kim Vogel Sawyer's bio.
-Visit Kim Vogel Sawyer’s official website and Pinterest.
-Connect with Kim Vogel Sawyer on Facebook and Twitter.
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Click here to enter the contest. |
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Study Guide Now Available: THE DECISION by Wanda E. Brunstetter
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THE DECISION: Prairie State Friends, Book One by Wanda E. Brunstetter (Romance)
Seeking to leave heartbreak behind, Jonah Miller moves to Illinois to build a new life. The move is working well for the good-hearted Jonah, especially after he meets Elaine Schrock, who hosts Amish dinners with her grandmother. But when Elaine’s grandfather suddenly dies, and her beloved grandmother --- her only living relative --- slips into dementia, Elaine must decide between her growing love for Jonah and her determination to provide loving care for her grandmother.
-Click here to read more about the book.
-Click here to read Wanda E. Brunstetter’s bio.
-Visit Wanda E. Brunstetter’s official website and Pinterest.
-Connect with Wanda E. Brunstetter on Facebook and Twitter.
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Click here for the study guide. |
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Special Feature: BY YOUR SIDE by Candace Calvert
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BY YOUR SIDE: Crisis Team, Book 1 by Candace Calvert (Romantic Suspense)
ER nurse Macy Wynn has finally located the fellow foster child she loves like a sister, but the girl is in deep trouble. Macy is determined to help, no matter what it takes. Her motto is to “make it happen” in any situation life throws at her --- even when she butts heads with an idealistic cop. Deputy Fletcher Holt believes in a higher plan, the fair outcome. Now he’s been yanked from Houston, his mother is battling cancer, and he’s attracted to a strong-willed nurse who could be the target of a brutal sniper. When everything goes wrong, where do they put their trust?
-Click here to read more about the book.
-Click here to read an excerpt.
-Click here to read Candace Calvert’s bio.
-Visit Candace Calvert’s official website and blog.
-Connect with Candace Calvert on Facebook and Twitter.
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Click here for the special feature. |
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Now in Stores: LAST ONE HOME by Debbie Macomber
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LAST ONE HOME by Debbie Macomber (Romance)
Growing up, Cassie Carter and her sisters, Karen and Nichole, were incredibly close --- until one fateful event drove them apart. After high school, Cassie ran away from home to marry the wrong man, throwing away a college scholarship. Now 31, Cassie is living in Seattle with her daughter and hoping to leave her past behind. Despite the strides she has made, she hasn’t been able to make peace with her sisters. Then one day, Cassie receives a letter from Karen, offering what Cassie thinks may be a chance to reconcile. Reviewed by Michele Howe.
-Click here to read more about the book.
-Click here to read an excerpt.
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Click here to read a review. |
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Now in Stores: FIGHT BACK WITH JOY by Margaret Feinberg
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FIGHT BACK WITH JOY: Celebrate More. Regret Less. Stare Down Your Greatest Fears by Margaret Feinberg (Memoir/Inspirational)
When Margaret Feinberg learned she had cancer, she knew she would need great strength to overcome it. She believed the weapon she selected for the battle would change everything. And she decided that weapon would be joy. Here Margaret shares her journey of using joy to fight back fear, regret and pain. Whatever you face today, discover with Margaret how to embrace a way of living that’s deeper and fuller than you’ve ever known --- a life radiant with joy. 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: MIRACLE AT THE HIGHER GROUNDS CAFE by Max Lucado, with Candace Lee and Eric Newman
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MIRACLE AT THE HIGHER GROUNDS CAFE by Max Lucado, with Candace Lee and Eric Newman (Fiction)
After a public split from her NFL superstar husband, Chelsea Chambers takes a bold step out of the limelight and behind the counter of the Higher Grounds Café. But when this admirable move fails to pay the bills, she finds herself desperate for help. Then a curious stranger lands at Chelsea's door and, with him, an even more curious string of events. Soon, customers are flocking to the Higher Grounds Café, and not just for the cupcakes and cappuccino. They've come for the Internet connection to the divine. 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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Now in Stores: THE PHARAOH’S DAUGHTER by Mesu Andrews
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THE PHARAOH’S DAUGHTER: A Treasures of the Nile Novel by Mesu Andrews (Historical Fiction)
Anippe has grown up in the shadows of Egypt’s good god Pharaoh, aware that Anubis, god of the afterlife, may take her or her siblings at any moment. Now she is to be become the bride of Sebak, a kind but quick-tempered Captain of Pharaoh Tut’s army. In order to provide Sebak the heir he deserves and yet protect herself from the underworld gods, Anippe must launch a series of deceptions, even involving the Hebrew midwives --- women ordered by Tut to drown the sons of their own people in the Nile. Reviewed by Melanie Reynolds.
-Click here to read more about the book.
-Click here to read an excerpt.
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Click here to read a review. |
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Now in Stores: SABOTAGED by Dani Pettrey
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SABOTAGED: Alaskan Courage, Book Five by Dani Pettrey (Romantic Suspense)
Growing up, goody-two-shoes Kirra Jacobs and troublemaker Reef McKenna were always at odds. Now, working together as search-and-rescue for Alaska's arduous Iditarod race, a growing attraction seems to be forcing aside old arguments. Then Reef catches Kirra sneaking from camp in the middle of the night. Kirra's uncle, a musher in the race, has disappeared. Kirra and Reef quickly track the man, but what they discover is harrowing: Frank's daughter has been kidnapped. 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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Now in Stores: YOU ARE MORE THAN YOU KNOW by Patsy Clairmont
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YOU ARE MORE THAN YOU KNOW: Face Your Fears, Grow Stronger by Patsy Clairmont (Christian Life/Spiritual Growth)
Moving from a fear-based life to faith-based freedom is a journey that takes time and courage. While remaining scared and small can feel comfortable, taking hold of strength and determination opens our eyes to a measure of the Lord's goodness we've never seen. In YOU ARE MORE THAN YOU KNOW, Patsy Clairmont's trademark humor spills out as she answers the question she is most often asked --- how she overcame her own deliberating fears --- and along the way helps readers face their own anxieties, dismay, worries and despair. 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: MAMA MAGGIE by Martin Makary and Ellen Vaughn
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MAMA MAGGIE: The Untold Story of One Woman's Mission to Love the Forgotten Children of Egypt's Garbage Slums by Martin Makary and Ellen Vaughn (Biography)
Since 1997, Maggie Gobran and her organization Stephen’s Children have been changing lives in Cairo’s notorious zabala, or garbage slums. Her innovative, transformational work has garnered worldwide fame and multiple Nobel Prize nominations, but her full story has remained untold --- until now. Bestselling authors Martin Makary and Ellen Vaughn chronicle Mama Maggie’s surprising pilgrimage from privileged child to stylish businesswoman to college professor pondering God’s call to change. 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: A THING OF BEAUTY by Lisa Samson
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A THING OF BEAUTY by Lisa Samson (Romance)
When former child star Fiona Hume's money finally runs out, she decides to rent out the maid’s quarters to a local blacksmith named Josia Yeu. Josia is everything Fiona isn’t: gregarious, peaceful, in control without controlling...in short, happy. As the light from the maid’s quarters begins to permeate the dank rooms of Fiona’s world, something else begins to transform as well --- something inside Fiona. Something even she can see is beautiful. 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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Now in Stores: FOUND: GOD'S PEACE by John MacArthur
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FOUND: GOD'S PEACE: Experience True Freedom from Anxiety in Every Circumstance by John MacArthur (Christian Life/Spiritual Growth)
The Bible urges Christians to rise above worries and experience the "peace that passes understanding." But how does this really happen in everyday life? Based on John MacArthur's bestselling ANXIOUS FOR NOTHING, this small and concise book moves beyond pop psychology's temporary cures and returns readers to the true source of comfort and victory: Scripture. As MacArthur writes, the key to worry-free living is to develop habits of prayer, right thinking and action. Here he draws on rich biblical truths to show readers how. 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: LOVING AN ADDICT by Alyssa Phillips
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LOVING AN ADDICT: Gospel Reflections of Hope and Healing by Alyssa Phillips (Devotional)
Loving someone with an addiction represents huge spiritual challenges: overcoming denial; transcending fear, anger, shame and guilt; forgiving oneself and the loved one; deciding whether to stay or leave. In this collection of 52 devotions, Alyssa Phillips conveys the power of scripture to help Christians who, like herself, love someone suffering from an addiction. As they immerse themselves in the Gospel stories and imaginatively accompany Jesus through his life and ministry, readers will find hope and strength to face their challenges. Reviewed by Evelyn Bence.
-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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