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August 2014

This Month on FaithfulReader.com August 2014

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Summer Reading One Last Time
As autumn doesn’t officially begin until September 23rd, August presents a wonderful opportunity to wrap up your summer reading. Though it wasn’t the hottest summer on record here in the northeast (friends out west had the truly warm weather), I find myself savoring these days and lamenting that the sun sets a bit earlier each night. As you wrap up your summer, we hope you’ll enjoy this newsletter full of terrific reads, contests, reviews and an author interview.

We are celebrating the release of WITH EVERY BREATH, Elizabeth Camden’s latest historical romance, with a special contest that will give five readers the opportunity to win a copy of the book. Here we meet young government statistician Kate Livingston as she is approached by Trevor McDonough, a rival from her past. Although she is wary, Kate agrees to join Trevor to find a cure for tuberculosis. But Trevor’s past holds many secrets, and a dark enemy is waiting for him to make a mistake. When the truth comes out, threatening to destroy everything they hold dear, Trevor and Kate must trust that hope and love will save them. To enter, please fill out this form by Wednesday, September 17th at noon ET.

In our latest monthly contest, we’re awarding a copy of THIEF OF GLORY by Sigmund Brouwer to 10 lucky readers. For 10-year-old Jeremiah Prins, the life of privilege as the son of a school headmaster in the Dutch East Indies comes crashing to a halt in 1942 after the Japanese Imperialist invasion of the Southeast Pacific. Jeremiah takes on the responsibility of caring for his younger siblings when his father and older stepbrothers are separated from the rest of the family, and he is surprised by what life in the camp reveals about a woman he barely knows --- his frail, troubled mother. To enter, please fill out this form by Wednesday, September 17th at noon ET.

We are pleased to share an interview with Sarah Loudin Thomas, author of the charming and heartfelt MIRACLE IN A DRY SEASON. Set in 1954, this historical romance follows Perla Long as she arrives in the sleepy town of Wise, West Virginia, with her daughter, Sadie. Perla has made some mistakes in her past and wants only to raise Sadie safely and unnoticed. Casewell Phillips, however, has certainly noticed her. Perla is everything he could want in a woman, but he cannot get past the sense that she is hiding something. But then drought comes to Wise, and Perla --- and her unique gift --- are pulled into the turmoil of a town desperately in need of a miracle. Click here to read the interview.

There is now a study guide available for IN PERFECT TIME, the third book in Sarah Sundin’s Wings of the Nightingale series. This latest installment introduces readers to Army Air Force flight nurse Lt. Kay Jobson as she collects hearts all over Europe. Bold and flirtatious, Kay is no stranger to handsome men, yet C-47 pilot Lt. Roger Cooper seems somehow immune to her charms. As the two evacuate the wounded and deliver supplies all over Italy and southern France, it becomes harder and harder to ignore the sparks flying between them, but they’ll have to put their fears and misunderstandings behind in order to embrace their future. Read more about IN PERFECT TIME and see the study guide here.

Our special feature this month focuses on SKY ZONE, the third installment in Creston Mapes’s The Crittendon Files series. Jack Crittendon has now been unemployed as a reporter for months, and he and his pregnant wife have reached their breaking point. With financial pressure reaching an all-time high, Jack is working part-time at a Festival Arena with his survivalist friend, Brian Shakespeare. But when Jack reports for duty at a rally for controversial presidential candidate Martin Sterling, he cannot prepare for what comes next as Homeland Security picks up intel about a potential terrorist threat. Faced with a life-or-death battle, Jack and Brian must fight to save their lives --- and the lives of thousands of innocent people. Click here to see the feature.

In addition to our contests and features, we have nine new reviews to share with you. Among them are THE FAMILY OF JESUS, a collection of short stories by Karen Kingsbury; OUR GREAT BIG AMERICAN GOD, a study of the American experience of the Almighty by Matthew Paul Turner; and SIMPLIFY, Bill Hybels’s guide to uncluttering your soul.

Here’s wishing you all a terrific month of reading and an enjoyable end to your summer!

Carol Fitzgerald ([email protected])

Special Contest: Win a Copy of WITH EVERY BREATH by Elizabeth Camden
We are celebrating the release of WITH EVERY BREATH, Elizabeth Camden’s latest historical romance, with a special contest that will give five readers the opportunity to win a copy of the book, which is now in stores. To enter, please fill out this form by Wednesday, September 17th at noon ET.

WITH EVERY BREATH by Elizabeth Camden (Historical Romance)
Kate Livingston holds a respectable position as a government statistician when she encounters a rival from her past, the insufferable Trevor McDonough. Despite her misgivings, Kate agrees to Trevor's risky proposal to join him to find a cure for tuberculosis. However, a shadowy enemy lies in wait, and Trevor's closely guarded secrets are darker than she ever suspected. When the truth of the past comes out, threatening to destroy everything they hold dear, how will Trevor and Kate ever overcome all that stands in their way?

-Click here to read more about the book.
-Click here to read an excerpt.
-Click here to read Elizabeth Camden’s bio.
-Click here to visit Elizabeth Camden’s official website.
-Click here to connect with Elizabeth Camden on Facebook.
 
Click here to enter the contest.
FaithfulReader.com’s Latest Monthly Contest: Win a Copy of THIEF OF GLORY by Sigmund Brouwer
In our latest monthly contest, 10 readers will win a copy of THIEF OF GLORY, Sigmund Brouwer's moving novel about courage, faith and redemption. To enter, please fill out this form by Wednesday, September 17th at noon ET.

THIEF OF GLORY by Sigmund Brouwer (Historical Fiction)
For 10-year-old Jeremiah Prins, the life of privilege as the son of a school headmaster in the Dutch East Indies comes crashing to a halt in 1942 after the Japanese Imperialist invasion of the Southeast Pacific. Jeremiah takes on the responsibility of caring for his younger siblings when his father and older stepbrothers are separated from the rest of the family, and he is surprised by what life in the camp reveals about a woman he barely knows --- his frail, troubled mother.

-Click here to read more about the book.
-Click here to read an excerpt.
-Click here to visit the book's official website.

-Click here to read Sigmund Brouwer's bio.
-Connect with Sigmund Brouwer on Facebook and Twitter.

 
Click here to enter the contest.
An Interview with Sarah Loudin Thomas, Author of MIRACLE IN A DRY SEASON

Sarah Loudin Thomas's debut novel, MIRACLE IN A DRY SEASON, tells the story of Perla Long, who moves to Wise, West Virginia, a quiet, safe place for her and her daughter, where the mistakes of her past can stay hidden. But when drought comes to Wise, Perla is pulled into the turmoil of a town desperately in need of a miracle. In this interview, Sarah talks about her family legacy of colorful storytelling, what she does when she’s not writing, and the daily miracles that are too often taken for granted.

MIRACLE IN A DRY SEASON by Sarah Loudin Thomas (Historical Romance)
Perla Long's arrival in the town of Wise, West Virginia, was supposed to go unnoticed. She just wants a quiet, safe place for her and her daughter, where the mistakes of her past can stay hidden. Perla is everything Casewell Phillips has sought in a woman, but he can't get past the sense that she's hiding something. When drought comes to Wise, Perla's unique gift divides the town in two, bringing both gratitude and condemnation, and placing the pair in the middle of a storm of anger and forgiveness, fear and faith.

-Click here to read more about the book.
-Click here to read an excerpt.
-Click here to read Sarah Loudin Thomas’s bio.
-Click here to visit Sarah Loudin Thomas’s official website.
-Connect with Sarah Loudin Thomas on Facebook and Twitter.

Click here to read the interview.
Study Guide Now Available: IN PERFECT TIME by Sarah Sundin
IN PERFECT TIME: Wings of the Nightingale, Book 3 by Sarah Sundin (Historical Romance)
Army Air Force flight nurse Lt. Kay Jobson collects hearts wherever she flies, leaving men pining all across Europe. So how can C-47 pilot Lt. Roger Cooper be all but immune to her considerable charms? As they cross the skies between Italy and southern France, evacuating the wounded and delivering paratroopers and supplies, every beat of their hearts draws them closer. Can they overcome the fears and misunderstandings of the past in order to take hold of the future?

-Click here to read more about the book.
-Click here to read an excerpt.
-Click here to read critical praise.
-Click here to read Sarah Sundin’s bio.
-Click here to visit Sarah Sundin’s official website.
 
Click here for the study guide.
Special Feature: SKY ZONE by Creston Mapes
SKY ZONE: The Crittendon Files, Book 3 by Creston Mapes (Mystery/Suspense)
After months out of work as a reporter, Jack Crittendon is working part-time at Festival Arena with his survivalist friend, Brian Shakespeare. Meanwhile, his wife, Pamela, has gone back to work full-time while eight months pregnant. Jack reports for duty at a rally for controversial presidential candidate Martin Sterling. When Homeland Security picks up intel about a potential terrorist threat, Jack and Brian are thrust into a life-or-death battle to save their own lives --- and the lives of thousands of innocent people.

-Click here to read more about the book.
-Click here to read an excerpt.
-Click here to read Creston Mapes’s bio.
 
Click here for our special feature.
Now in Stores: THE FAMILY OF JESUS by Karen Kingsbury
THE FAMILY OF JESUS by Karen Kingsbury (Fiction/Short Stories)
In THE FAMILY OF JESUS, Karen Kingsbury will make you laugh, cry, and ultimately care more deeply about the Bible by helping you grasp the truths in Scripture not just with your mind, but with your heart. The characters in these short stories were among those closest to Jesus --- Mary, Joseph, Jesus’ brother James, John the Baptist, Zechariah and Elizabeth. Kingsbury intersperses fictional details anchored in Scripture with historical and theological insights and questions that will guide soul-searching and reflection. Reviewed by Michele Howe.

-Click here to read more about the book.
 
Click here to read a review.
Now in Stores: OUR GREAT BIG AMERICAN GOD by Matthew Paul Turner
OUR GREAT BIG AMERICAN GOD: A Short History of Our Ever-Growing Deity by Matthew Paul Turner (Christian Life/Social Issues)
Americans love God. We stamp God on our money, our bumper stickers, and our bodies. With a church on nearly every street, it's hard to deny our country's deep connection with the divine. Yet culture critic Matthew Paul Turner says that God didn't just change America --- America changed God. As a result, do we even recognize the "real" God? Here, Turner explores the United States' vast influence on God, told through an amazing true history of faith, politics and evangelical pyrotechnics. Reviewed by Michele Howe.

-Click here to read more about the book.
 
Click here to read a review.
Now in Stores: SIMPLIFY by Bill Hybels
SIMPLIFY: Ten Practices to Unclutter Your Soul by Bill Hybels (Christian Life/Spiritual Growth)
If you crave a simpler life anchored by the priorities that matter most, roll up your sleeves: Simplified living requires more than just cleaning out your closets or reorganizing your desk drawer. It requires uncluttering your soul. By eradicating the stuff that leaves your spirit drained, you can stop doing what doesn’t matter --- and start doing what does. In SIMPLIFY, Bill Hybels identifies the core issues that lure us into frenetic living --- and offers searingly practical steps for sweeping the clutter from our souls. Reviewed by Susan Miura.

-Click here to read more about the book.
 
Click here to read a review.
Now in Stores: FINDING FAITH IN THE DARK by Laurie Short
FINDING FAITH IN THE DARK: When the Story of Your Life Takes a Turn You Didn't Plan by Laurie Short (Christian Life)
Can we trust a God who gives us different answers than we pray for? Who only fully reveals himself when we look back? Who lets us walk in darkness for months (and sometimes years) at a time? In FINDING FAITH IN THE DARK, Laurie Short says yes, and through her story and the stories of others, she reveals a God who is able to transform the dark chapters of our lives into opportunities of grace. Reviewed by Michele Howe.

-Click here to read more about the book.
 
Click here to read a review.
Now in Stores: A MATCH OF WITS by Jen Turano
A MATCH OF WITS by Jen Turano (Historical Romance)
After his departure from New York two years ago to meet up with his almost-fiancée, Zayne Beckett is the last person Agatha Watson wanted to stumble upon in her travels as a reporter with the New York Tribune. Quite pathetically bedraggled, he clearly needs to be taken in hand and sent back East to his family. Although she no longer has feelings for him, Agatha realizes, by hook or by crook, she'll have to be the one to get the obstinate man home. Reviewed by Melanie Reynolds.

-Click here to read more about the book.
 
Click here to read a review.
Now in Stores: LOVE COMES HOME by Ann H. Gabhart
LOVE COMES HOME by Ann H. Gabhart (Historical Fiction)
World War II is finally over, and the people of Rosey Corner are busy welcoming the boys home. The Merritt sisters in particular are looking toward the future. Kate is eager to start a family and live out her dream of happily ever after with Jay. Evangeline wants a beautiful house and encourages Mike to pastor a big-town church. Victoria wants what can never be --- a life with a man who will never come back. And little Lorena is growing up and wondering more and more about her birth family. Reviewed by Melanie Reynolds.

-Click here to read more about the book.
Click here to read a review.
Now in Stores: WHEN I FALL IN LOVE by Susan May Warren
WHEN I FALL IN LOVE: A Christiansen Family Novel by Susan May Warren (Romance)
Hawaii was the last place Grace Christiansen ever imagined she’d vacation, much less fall in love. Max Sharpe may make his living on the ice as a pro hockey player, but he feels most at home in the kitchen. Which is why he lives for the three-week culinary vacation he takes each year in Hawaii. Upon being paired with Grace for a cooking competition, Max finds himself drawn to her passion, confidence and perseverance. If love means sacrificing her ideal happily ever after, Grace’s faith will face its toughest test yet. Reviewed by Lynda Lee Schab.

-Click here for our special feature.
 
Click here to read a review.
Now in Stores: FIREWALL by DiAnn Mills
FIREWALL by DiAnn Mills (Romantic Suspense)
After a whirlwind romance, Taryn Young is preparing to board a plane at Houston International Airport, bound for a dream honeymoon, when a bomb decimates the terminal. Injured but still alive, she awakens to discover her husband is missing. Further, the FBI is convinced her husband isn’t who he appears to be. Agent Grayson Hall’s number-one priority is to catch those responsible for the day’s act of terror. All evidence is pointing to Taryn and her new husband. Reviewed by Lynda Lee Schab.

-Click here for our special feature.
 
Click here to read a review.
Now in Stores: REMEMBERING JESUS by John Leax
REMEMBERING JESUS: Sonnets and Songs by John Leax (Poetry)
In a series of dramatic monologues, first-century men and women --- some real, some imaginary --- remember, often from the perspective of old age, their encounters with Jesus and reflect on the significance of those encounters. Some comprehend and welcome him as Messiah. Others comprehend him only as an extraordinary figure and remain puzzled by their memories. A few are angered by him and bitterly reject any claim their encounter might make on them. Reviewed by Evelyn Bence.

-Click here to read more about the book.
 
Click here to read a review.

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--- Carol Fitzgerald ([email protected])

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