"the offering" by angela hunt

About the book: Seeking to supplement her soldier husband's income, Amanda Lisandra decides to become a gestational carrier. Though her mother and her in-laws don't understand her decision, her husband Gideon gives her his support. The money Mandy earns as a carrier will allow their musically gifted daughter to stay in her special private school, and it will also set them up financially so they can have more children once Gideon gets out of the military.

Mandy is matched up with a wealthy French couple and becomes pregnant with their baby. But just as Mandy is ready to give birth, her world is rocked to its core ... and she eventually begins to wonder if giving the child she carried to the French couple was the right decision.

My take: If you read the summary above, you'll notice it's pretty vague. That's because the back cover copy of the book gives away virtually everything except the final outcome of the novel, so I wrote my own summary. The back cover copy discloses major plot points that I wish I hadn't known prior to reading the book, as the element of surprise is completely eliminated. Now that my complaining is out of the way, let's get to the actual review!

Angela Hunt is an incredible writer whose books never fail to captivate me. That doesn't mean I always enjoy what I'm reading, but I'm totally engrossed in it. The Offering is quite different from the other books of Hunt's that I've read, the last two of which focused on middle-aged sisters. But I found this book to be just as believable and just as heart wrenching as those books were.

The Offering deals with a topic I was basically unfamiliar with prior to reading the novel—gestational surrogacy. Hunt does an excellent job of exploring this topic fully—the pros, the cons, and the moral dilemmas. And she does it by telling a compelling story of one family's journey with surrogacy, which takes a completely unexpected twist. (I'm dying to tell you about the twist, but it will be so much better if you just read the book for yourself!)

If I could change one thing about the book, it would be to speed things up a bit. The baby Mandy is carrying isn't born until nearly 2/3 of the way through the book. I would rather have spent more time with Mandy after the baby's birth, as that's when most of the important action happens.

I must also comment on my feelings for Mandy, who is not an incredibly likable main character. Throughout most of the book, I just wanted to tell Mandy to grow up. She kept patting herself on the back for doing this wonderful thing for the French couple, but she just seemed so selfish to me. I identified much more closely with the other women (her cousin Amelia, who struggled with infertility, and Simone, the woman Mandy carried the child for). This is probably because I have several friends and relatives who have struggled with infertility and/or the agony of adoption. As the story progressed, Mandy did grow up ... and she ended up making some very mature decisions. The change in Mandy from the book's beginning to end is remarkable—yet it's completely believable. I enjoyed discovering—along with Mandy—the events that made her the woman she was, and when she finally put everything together and understood what she needed to do, I wanted to stand up and cheer for her!

The Offering is a compelling novel that will force you to think. It will also make you cry. It's one of those books that will stick with you long after you've read the epilogue! 4-1/2 stars.

See what other bloggers are saying. 
Buy the book.
Read my reviews of Hunt's The Fine Art of Insincerity, Five Miles South of Peculiar, and The Golden Cross.

About the author: With over four million copies of her books sold worldwide, Angela Hunt is the bestselling author of more than one hundred books, including The Nativity Story. Hunt is one of the most sought-after collaborators in the publishing industry. Her nonfiction book Don't Bet Against Me, written with Deanna Favre, spent several weeks on the New York Times bestseller list. Angela's novel The Note (with sales of over 141,000) was filmed as the Hallmark Channel's Christmas movie for 2007 and proved to be the highest rated television movie in the channel's history. Angela's novels have won or been nominated for several prestigious industry awards, including the RITA, the Christy Award, the ECPA Christian Book Award, and the Holt Medallion. She often travels to teach writing workshops at schools and writers' conferences, and she served as the keynote speaker at the 2008 American Christian Fiction Writers' national conference. She and her husband make their home in Florida with mastiffs. In 2001, one of her dogs was featured on Live with Regis and Kelly as the second-largest dog in America. Learn more about Angela at http://www.angelahuntbooks.com.

About the giveaway: Angela Hunt is celebrating the release of The Offering with a Nook HD Giveaway and an Author Chat Party on Facebook {6/5}.

  One winner will receive:

• A Nook HD
• The Offering by Angela Hunt 

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on June 4th. Winner will be announced at the "The Offering" Facebook Author Chat Party on June 5th. Connect with Angela for an evening of book chat, trivia, laughter, and more! Angela will also share an exclusive look at her next book and give away books and other fun prizes throughout the evening.

So grab your copy of The Offering and join Angela on the evening of June 5th for a chance to connect and make some new friends. (If you haven't read the book, don't let that stop you from coming!)

Don't miss a moment of the fun; RSVP today. Tell your friends via FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning. Hope to see you on the 5th!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Litfuse Publicity Group. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Also, some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. 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."

quitting aspartame

About six weeks ago, I quit aspartame. Cold turkey. I'd been hearing bad things about aspartame for a long time, and, regardless of the truth behind all the dire warnings, I knew that consuming so much aspartame couldn't be good for me.

When I was a senior in high school, I spent a month on the Atkins diet. I was miserable, and I ended up dreaming of potatoes before I decided to run far away from the diet ... but one thing from the diet that stuck was the switch I made from regular to diet pop. But where I'd been drinking maybe three or four regular sodas per week, when it came to the diet pop, it was a free for all. It wasn't unusual for me to drink two or three cans per day. In college, I had pop with every meal except breakfast. I regularly drank two cans per day at work. And any time I went out to eat, I'd have four, five, or even six glasses of pop.

I'm honestly not sure how I made the decision to quite aspartame ... I just did it. The first week was torture. I knew I'd be giving up my beloved Diet Coke, but I had no idea how prevalent aspartame is. All of my gum? Gone. My water enhancers (Mio, Crystal Light)? Gone. I spent about a week longing for what I could no longer have. Plus, there were the physical symptoms. I had some of the worst headaches I've ever had in my life during that week. And three days after I quit, I had scary physical symptoms—heart palpitations, shakiness, and extreme fatigue.

It hasn't been all sunshine and rainbows since that week, but all my withdrawal symptoms are gone, and I'm proud of myself for making this change!

It's important to note that I haven't quit all artificial sweeteners—that would be practically impossible, though I know it would be good for me—but my use of sweeteners is dramatically less. I found a gum (Dentyne Fire) that doesn't use aspartame as a sweetener. And I bought a SodaStream. It uses artificial sweeteners in most of its syrups, but no aspartame or high fructose corn syrup. My pop consumption has dropped to about 12 ounces per day—not ideal, but much better than before. I now read labels on practically all food and drink before I buy it—fortunately, everything containing aspartame must be labeled with the following warning: "Phenylketonurics: Contains Phenylalanine," which saves me from reading through insanely long ingredient lists.

This is definitely a lifestyle change for me, but it's so worth it! I feel healthier, and I've even dropped a couple pounds even though I haven't changed my exercise habits. I know I have a long way to go before I'm truly living a healthy lifestyle (and if you know how to magically make me like fruits and vegetables, please let me know!), but I'm proud of myself for taking this first step.

"Once Upon a Prince" by Rachel Hauck

Once Upon a Prince feeds into our little girl fantasies—who among us didn't dream of growing up to be a princess? If you take a pinch of The Prince and Me, a dash of The Princess Diaries, and throw in a healthy dose of the British royal wedding, you have Once Upon a Prince.

"the face of the earth" by deborah raney

About the book (from Litfuse): When Mitchell Brannon's beloved wife of twenty years kisses him goodbye as she leaves for an educators' conference, he has little idea that his life is about to change forever. Mitch returns from work early the evening her conference ends, surprised Jill's car isn't in the garage. Her conference in Kansas City is only a few hours' drive from their little town of Sylvia, Missouri. But her voice on the answering machine makes him smile. "Hey, babe, I'm just now checking out of the hotel, but I'll stop and pick up something for dinner. Love you."

Mitch sets the table with their best china and lights some candles, looking forward to their first weekend as empty nesters.

But at eight o'clock, the candles have burned to stubs and Jill still hasn't shown up. Mitch tries her cell phone only to get her voice mail over and over again. Their two college kids haven't heard from their mom either.
At midnight, Mitch's irritation turns to dread. And later, when the police and Missouri Highway Patrol have turned up nothing, the Kansas City hotel calls to say they've found property belonging to Jill in a hotel maid's possession.

Mitch enlists the help of their next-door neighbor, Jill's best friend, Shelley, and together they search for clues to Jill's disappearance. As days turn into weeks and weeks into months, Mitch and Shelley's friendship grows ever closer—and decidedly complicated with Jill as the tie that binds them together. Just when Shelley decides to finally reveal her feelings for Mitch, a clue to Jill's whereabouts is uncovered. But every lead seems to be a dead end, and Mitch wonders how he can honor the vows he made to a woman who has seemingly disappeared off the face of the earth.

My take: The Face of the Earth asks the question, "What does 'Til Death Do Us Part' really mean?" How long do you wait for a spouse, when there's no indication he or she is still alive ... but there's also no evidence of death?

Author Deborah Raney certainly isn't afraid to address the tough marriage questions—from dealing with dementia in A Vow to Cherish to the search for a missing spouse in The Face of the Earth, she highlights the difficulty of the situation while showing the importance of fidelity.

The Face of the Earth is a completely compelling novel. From the moment I started reading until I turned the final page, I couldn't read the book fast enough. I ached for Mitch and Shelley (especially Shelley) as they dealt with the disappearance of and search for Jill ... and as they fought against the feelings they developed for each other. I also appreciated that I had no idea how the novel would turn out. Would Jill be found alive? dead? or never found at all? I won't spoil the end for you, but I will say that I thought it was realistic and perfect.

The Face of the Earth is enjoyable, and it will also make you think. I highly recommend it! 5 stars.

See what other bloggers are saying.
Buy the book.
Read my reviews of Raney's Forever After and After All.

About the author: Deborah Raney is the award-winning author of several novels, including A Nest of Sparrows and the RITA award winning Beneath a Southern Sky and its sequel, After the Rains. Deborah's first novel, A Vow to Cherish, was the inspiration for World Wide Pictures' highly acclaimed film of the same title, which in December 2004 aired on primetime network TV for the second time. Deb's novella, Playing by Heart, was a National Readers Choice Award winner and a 2004 Christy Award finalist. Her novel for Howard/Simon & Schuster, Yesterday's Embers, appeared on the ECPA Christian fiction bestseller list. Known for her sensitive portrayal of family struggles and relationships, Deb has also written nonfiction books and articles and often speaks at women's retreats and writers' conferences around the country. She and her husband, illustrator/author Ken Raney, have four children and make their home in Kansas. Find out more at DeborahRaney.com.

About the giveaway:
Deborah is celebrating with a fun "Date Night" Giveaway (win a $200 Visa Cash Card!) and an Author Chat Party on Facebook! {5/30}

   One winner will receive:

• A $200 Visa Cash Card (Use that to catch up with a loved one – your spouse, friend, sister, mom…whomever!)
• The Face of the Earth by Deborah Raney

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on May 29th. Winner will be announced at the "The Face of the Earth" Facebook Author Chat Party on May 30th. Connect with Deborah for an evening of book chat, trivia, laughter, and more! Deborah will also be sharing a sneak peek of her next book and giving away books and fun gift certificates throughout the evening.

So grab your copy of The Face of the Earth and join Deborah on the evening of May 30th for a chance to connect and make some new friends. (If you haven't read the book, don't let that stop you from coming!)

Don't miss a moment of the fun; RSVP today. Tell your friends via FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning. Hope to see you on the 30th!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Litfuse Publicity Group. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Also, some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. 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."

"the promise box" by tricia goyer

About the book: Every year, young Amish men descend on the cozy little town of West Kootenai, Montana, arriving in the spring to live there for six months and receive 'resident' status for the hunting season in the fall. They arrive as bachelors, but go home with brides!

In The Promise Box, the second book of best-selling author Tricia Goyer's Seven Brides for Seven Bachelors series, Lydia Wyse, a book editor from Seattle who grew up Amish, returns to the small community of West Kootenai to give comfort to her father after her mother's death. She is drawn back to the familiar Amish ways after finding her mother's most precious possession, a Promise Box of prayers and scripture. What her publisher sees, though, is an opportunity for a sensational 'tell-all' book about the Amish.

Lydia soon finds herself falling in love with Amish bachelor Gideon Hooley. She wants nothing more than to forget her past and look forward to a future as an Amish bride. But will the pain of her childhood—and her potential betrayal of her community—keep her from committing her whole heart?

My take: The Promise Box is book two in Tricia Goyer's Seven Brides for Seven Bachelors series, but you certainly do not need to have read book one, The Memory Jar, first. If you have read The Memory Jar, you'll recognize some of the characters in The Promise Box ... and if you've read Goyer's "Big Sky" series, then you're really in for a treat, as the Sommer family from that series makes a return appearance here.

I really enjoyed reading The Promise Box ... and not just because I got to check back in with some characters from Goyer's other novels! The Promise Box is all about finding out who God made you to be. For Lydia, that meant coming to terms with the circumstances of her birth and embracing the Amish community. It also meant embracing the God she had long forsaken. Lydia recognizes that she could love God and have a vital relationship with Him as an Englischer, but she feels God calling her back to the Amish. And that—the focus on God, rather than the idealization of the Amish lifestyle—is what makes Goyer's Amish books different from so many others currently on the market.

I'm a big fan of Goyer's writing, and I'm happy to say that The Promise Box lives up to her standards. 4-1/2 stars.

Buy the book.
See my reviews of Goyer's The Memory Jar, Beside Still Waters, Along Wooded Paths, Remembering You, By the Light of the Silvery Moon, Love Finds You in Glacier Bay, Alaska, and Chasing Mona Lisa.
Watch the book trailer:

About the author: Tricia Goyer is a busy mom of six, grandmother of one, and wife to John. Somewhere around the hustle and bustle of family life, she manages to find the time to write fictional tales delighting and entertaining readers and non-fiction titles offering encouragement and hope.

A bestselling author, Tricia has published thirty-three books to date and has written more than 500 articles. She is a two-time Carol Award winner, as well as a Christy and ECPA Award Nominee. In 2010, she was selected as one of the Top 20 Moms to Follow on Twitter by SheKnows.com. Tricia is also on the blogging team at MomLifeToday.com, TheBetterMom.com and other homeschooling and Christian sites.

In addition to her roles as mom, wife and author, Tricia volunteers around her community and mentors teen moms. She is the founder of Hope Pregnancy Ministries in Northwestern Montana, and she currently leads a Teen MOPS Group in Little Rock, AR. Tricia, along with a group of friends, recently launched NotQuiteAmishLiving.com, sharing ideas about simplifying life. She also hosts the weekly radio podcast, Living Inspired. Learn more about Tricia at www.triciagoyer.com.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I am a member of Tricia Goyer's 2013 Fiction Launch Team and received a free copy of this book for review. I was not required to give a positive review, and the opinions expressed are my own. Also, some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. 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.”

"her restless heart" bible study by barbara cameron

About the book (from the publisher): Her Restless Heart is the second study in the Faith and Fiction Bible study series that uses Christian fiction as a backdrop for exploring biblical themes. Just as Jesus used stories (parables) to teach important principles, inspirational fiction can open readers to greater understanding of themselves and spiritual themes.

Based on a novel of the same name by acclaimed Christian fiction author Barbara Cameron, this six-session Bible study explores the heart’s longing for love and acceptance and the Bible’s answer to this universal human need. The Participant Book has five daily readings per week, each including Scripture, reflections on the day’s topic with questions and space for writing responses, prayer, and a suggestion for the day—a question to ponder, Scripture to consider, or action to take.

My take: I really like the idea of taking Christian fiction and adding a Bible study element to it. This study takes excerpts from Barbara Cameron's novel Her Restless Heart and uses them to draw out biblical principles. But it also relies heavily on Scripture itself (which is what you want in a Bible study!). Each day's study includes a Bible passage, reflection/response questions, a prayer, and a question to think about as you go. I was especially impressed with the reflect and respond section. I've done my fair share of women's Bible studies, and I often find myself rolling my eyes at some of the questions asked because they seem so obvious. But many of these questions really caused me to think—about what I want out of life, how I let others' expectations inform my decisions, and how I relate to God. 

The subtitle of this study is "A Woman's Longing for Love and Acceptance," and isn't that what we women all long for? I've really enjoyed the parts of the study I've done so far, and I will definitely continue to work my way through it. 5 stars.

Note: This is designed as a group study, but it can also be done solo. And you certainly don't need to purchase the novel—though if you want to, you can get it here.

Buy the book.

Watch the promo video:

About the author: Barbara Cameron is the author of more than 30 fiction and nonfiction books, three nationally televised movies (HBO-Cinemax), and the winner of the first Romance Writers of America Golden Heart Award.

When a relative took her to visit the Amish community in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, she felt led to write about the spiritual values and simple joys she witnessed there. She currently resides in Edgewater, FL.

Find out more about Barbara at www.barbaracameron.com, www.amishhearts.com and www.amishliving.com.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Abingdon Press. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Also, some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. 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."

"pastors' wives" by lisa takeuchi cullen

About the book: What’s it like when the man you married is already married to God? asks Pastors’ Wives, an often surprising yet always emotionally true first novel set in a world most of us know only from the outside.

Lisa Takeuchi Cullen’s debut novel Pastors’ Wives follows three women whose lives converge and intertwine at a Southern evangelical megachurch. Ruthie follows her Wall Street husband from New York to Magnolia, a fictional suburb of Atlanta, when he hears a calling to serve at a megachurch called Greenleaf. Reeling from the death of her mother, Ruthie suffers a crisis of faith—in God, in her marriage, and in herself. Candace is Greenleaf’s “First Lady,” a force of nature who’ll stop at nothing to protect her church and her superstar husband. Ginger, married to Candace’s son, struggles to play dutiful wife and mother while burying her calamitous past. All their roads collide in one chaotic event that exposes their true selves. Inspired by Cullen’s reporting as a staff writer for Time magazine, Pastors’ Wives is a dramatic portrayal of the private lives of pastors’ wives, caught between the demands of faith, marriage, duty, and love.

My take: Pastors' Wives is a fascinating look at three women whose husbands are pastors at a megachurch in Atlanta. Each woman is completely compelling. Ruthie was raised Roman Catholic and isn't even sure she believes in God ... but her husband feels called to the ministry, so she follows him to Greenleaf Church, where he becomes the right-hand man to Pastor Aaron Green. Candace, Aaron's wife, is really the brains behind the "business" that is Greenleaf. She could beat anyone in a Bible knowledge contest, but her mission seems to be more about promoting her husband than promoting Christ. Ginger, Candace's daughter-in-law, is the one wife who seems to have a living, breathing relationship with Christ ... but her husband's drive to help those in need may destroy their marriage.

One thing you have to understand as you read is that the book is not Christian fiction, nor is it written from a Christian perspective. As such, it does not provide an accurate look at evangelical Christianity—however, the portrayal of Greenleaf may be close to what goes on in some of the less gospel-centric more prosperity-oriented megachurches. Also, some of the characters use mild swear words at times. All of this doesn't negate the value of the book—it's very well written and completely compelling—you just need to know what you're going to be reading when you go into it ... and realize you're reading to be entertained, not to learn scriptural truth.

I thoroughly enjoyed Pastors' Wives, and I definitely recommend it for sheer entertainment value. I could see this being a TV movie (this one's totally in Lifetime's wheelhouse). If you're looking for a beach read this summer, this could be just the ticket. 4 stars.

See what other bloggers are saying.
Buy the book.
Read the article that inspired this novel.

About the author: Lisa Takeuchi Cullen was a longtime staff writer for TIME magazine. She now develops TV pilots for production companies and recently sold her first pilot for "The Ordained" to CBS. Born in Japan, Cullen lives in New Jersey with family. Visit her at http://lisacullen.com/.

About the giveaway: Lisa Takeuchi Cullen is celebrating the release of her debut novel, Pastors' Wives, with an iPad Mini Giveaway and connecting with readers on Facebook on May 23rd!

One winner will receive:

• An iPad Mini
• A $25 iTunes gift card

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on May 22nd. Winner will be announced at the "Pastors' Wives" Author Chat Party on May 23rd. Connect with Lisa for an evening of book chat, trivia, laughter, and more! Lisa will also be giving away books and fun gift certificates throughout the evening.

So grab your copy of Pastors' Wives and join Lisa on the evening of May 23rd for a chance to connect and make some new friends. (If you haven't read the book, don't let that stop you from coming!)

Don't miss a moment of the fun; RSVP today. Tell your friends via FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning. Hope to see you on the 23rd!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Litfuse Publicity Group. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Also, some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. 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."