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Musings of a Sassy Bookish Mama

The Shenanigans of a Bookish Mama journeying through Motherhood, Homeschooling and lots of Books!

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Beginner's Bible "Animals of the Bible" Activity Book ~ Review

October 20, 2023

 



I love giving books for gifts especially these fun activity books and they are even better when the focus is Jesus!! My younger kids love these type of books where there are mini games, puzzles, and of course stickers!!


The Beginner’s Bible Animals of the Bible focuses on Creation, Noah’s Ark, Daniel and the Lions Den, Jesus Birth and much more! There are total of 16 pages of just fun and perfect for kids 3-7. (Swipe for additional pics!)

These are perfect for stocking stuffers, homeschool morning time, road trips, restaurant trips.. (you know how antsy kids get waiting on food!!) Make sure you grab your copy!!

Thank you @zonderkidz for sending me a copy of review! All views expressed are only my honest opinion.

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Lost and Found by Suzanne Woods Fisher ~ Book Review

October 19, 2023

 




About the Book 


Book: Lost and Found
Author: Suzanne Woods Fisher
Genre: Christian Amish Ficion
Publisher: Revell
Release Date: September 26, 2023

Trudy Yoder shares a passion for birding with Micah Weaver--and she has an even greater passion for Micah. Their friendship is finally turning romantic when Micah abruptly grows cold. Worse still, he wants to leave Stoney Ridge.

Micah Weaver thought he was over Trudy's older sister. A year and a half ago, Shelley had broken his heart when she ran away from Stoney Ridge to pursue a singing career in Nashville. Then, out of the blue, she's started to leave distressing phone messages for him.

When the bishop asks for volunteers to scout out a possible church relocation in Tennessee, Micah is the first to raise his hand. Despite scant details, he's confident he can find Shelley. After all, his reputation as a field guide is based on finding birds that don't want to be found.

What Micah doesn't know is that what you're looking for isn't always what you find.





My Thoughts

 

It was nice to return to the town of Stoney Ridge and spend some time amongst the Old Order Amish. Though this is a stand alone you do encounter various people from her other books in this one. I had just recently read her book Anything but Plain which took me back to the same family in this book. It's always great reading a book in which the characters are familiar. 

In this story we meet Trudy and Micah. Both love birding and both have feelings for each other although you can't really tell with Micah as he is pretty shy when it comes to that sort of thing. I really enjoyed this topic of birding. I don't think I have read another book with that topic and I really enjoyed that Trudy found deeper Godly meaning on what people may relate to birds to.  Although they are the main characters of the story there are other storylines within the book. One of the most important ones are the changes occurring in the Order due to the Beachy Amish moving close by and buying land so close to them.

Overall I thought it was a good book. It did move a little slower for me so it didn't completely capture me. However I really enjoyed the spiritual thread throughout the story and the truths sprinkled throughout that made you stop and ponder. 

I received a copy of this book for review. I was not required to post a positive review. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.





About the Author


Suzanne Woods Fisher is the bestselling, award winning author of fiction and non-fiction books about the Old Order Amish for Revell Books, host of the radio-show-turned-blog Amish Wisdom, a columnist for Christian Post and Cooking & Such magazine.

Her interest in the Amish began with her grandfather, who was raised Plain. A theme in her books (her life!) is that you don’t have to “go Amish” to incorporate the principles of simple living.

Suzanne lives in California with her family and raises puppies for Guide Dogs for the Blind. To her way of thinking, you just can't life too seriously when a puppy is tearing through your house with someone's underwear in its mouth.

Suzanne can be found on-line at: www.suzannewoodsfisher.com
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Havoc by Ronie Kendig ~ Book Review

October 17, 2023

 



Welcome to the Blog Tour for Havoc by Ronie Kendig, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!


About the Book


Havoc

Title: Havoc
Series:
A Breed Apart: Legacy #1
Author:
Ronie Kendig
Publisher:
Sunrise Publishing
Release Date:
October 17, 2023
Genre:
Paramilitary Romantic Thriller


A soldier, a Malinois, and a stuntwoman walk onto a TV set . . . 


Former Special Forces operator Sergeant Crew Gatlin takes everything in stride, even the career-ending incident that separated him from the Army, half a leg, and his beloved working dog, Havoc K027. Putting his life back together and lying low, he takes a job with A Breed Apart and is unexpectedly reunited with Havoc. It’s too good to be true—and the proof is in their first assignment: to work as a K-9 team for a television drama in Los Angeles. Miffed at being relegated to TV fodder, he’s willing to pay the price when he sees the stuntwoman. 


Being a stunt double allows Vienna Foxcroft to fulfill her acting dream—with a side of MMA—and stay out of the limelight. The same one that plagued her childhood and put her through a nightmare scenario. Now, her tight-knit stunt team are the only ones she trusts. Then in walks Mr. Mountain-of-Muscle and his tough-as-nails dog, and Vienna has a bad feeling her life is about to turn upside down. 


Ticked as they head overseas for a location shoot in Turkey, Crew guts it up—after all, he has Havoc again. Okay, and yeah—Vienna is going, too. When an attack sends the cast fleeing into the streets of Turkey, Vienna must face the demons of her past or be devoured by them. And Crew and Havoc are tested like never before. 


Experience the high-octane thrill ride that is the first book in the A Breed Apart: Legacy series.


PURCHASE LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | BookBub


More in This Series

Chaos


My Thoughts


I think this is my first paramilitary genre book that I have read and I must say it was very good. I really enjoyed the incorporation of a dog partner and seeing that relationship with his partner. This is also my first book by Ronie Kendig and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Definitely filled with action throughout the whole book. 

Immediately from the first page we meet Crew as he is on the field on a mission when things go completely wrong. After Crew's debilitating injury he starts working for a ranch in Texas procuring dogs to work with different agencies. He gets sent to California with Havoc to be part of a television show. I truly loved the close bond that Havoc and Crew have. It really showed how these dogs truly are connected to their partners. Vienna Foxcroft is the love interest in the story and immediately sparks fly.

I won't tell you too much but I promise there is plenty of romance and action in this story to keep you entertained. I will say that despite really enjoying the story it fell short for me in certain places. The relationship between Vienna and Crew moves very fast and at times it seems like there could've been a bit more development with them. He is constantly "checking" her out which got a little tiring. But this is a fast paced book so I totally understand just my personal preference. Another thing that fell short for me was the faith thread. I would consider this book more of a clean read which is totally fine. Crew does mention his faith and we see an inkling of this spreading to Vienna but I feel like if we wanted to have a stronger faith thread then this could have been a bit more developed as well. That being said I am not sure if these characters will be seen in the following book so perhaps we will see more growth there. 

Overall I thought it was a good story. If you like fast paced, high octane, military type of books with romance in it then this might just be the book for you!

I received a copy of this book for review. I was not required to post a positive review. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.



About the Author


Ronie Kendig

Ronie Kendig is a bestselling, award-winning author of over thirty-five books. She grew up an Army brat, and now she and her Army-veteran husband have returned to their beloved Texas after a nearly ten-year stint in the Northeast. They survive on Sonic runs, barbecue, and peach cobbler that they share—sometimes—with Benning the Stealth Golden and AAndromeda the MWD Washout. Ronie’s degree in psychology has helped her pen novels of intense, raw characters.

Connect with Ronie by visiting roniekendig.com to follow her on social media and sign up for email updates.


Tour Giveaway


(1) winner will win a paperback copy of Havoc and a $10 gift card to the Sunrise Shop!


Havoc JustRead Tours giveaway

Full tour schedule linked below. The giveaway begins at midnight October 16, 2023 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on October 23, 2023. Winner will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.

Giveaway is subject to JustRead Publicity Tours Giveaway Policies.

Enter Giveaway


Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!


Havoc JustRead Blog Tour


JustRead Publicity Tours
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Broken Bondage by Carmen Peone ~ Book Review

October 14, 2023



Welcome to the Blog Tour for Broken Bondage by Carmen Peone, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!


About the Book


Broken Bondage

Title: Broken Bondage
Series:
Seven Tine Ranch #2
Author:
Carmen Peone
Publisher:
Iron Stream Fiction
Release Date: October 3, 2023
Genre:
Clean/Christian Contemporary Western Romance


A Road Trip to Redemption 


Rita Runninghorse is about to marry the wrong guy. She has to get away from him. Now. She flees to a guest ranch in Eastern Washington State that offers a safe haven for women in need only to find the owner on a month-long speaking tour. 


Robert Elliot has one thing on his mind: bronc riding. The Indian National Finals Rodeo is within reach, and he’s not about to let anything ruin his chances of going pro. Not even the woman he finds asleep in the stall of their rankest horse.

 

When Rita’s fiancé discovers where she’s hiding out, she takes Robert’s offer to go with him on the road and prays her fiancé gives up the hunt. Saddled together, Rita and Robert must rely on each other as they go on the road to keep her alive.


PURCHASE LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | ChristianBook | Bookshop | BookBub


More in This Series

Captured Secrets  Renewed Hope


My Thoughts


Despite this being the second book in the Seven Tine series I didn't feel lost as I read this one. So it could definitely be read as a stand alone. I honestly did not know what to expect when I picked up this book for review. I've never read anything by this author and honestly I am shocked that I have never heard of her but I have remedied that by adding her name to my TBR author list. 

This book is not lighthearted by any means. It is raw and heavy and could be a potential trigger to those who have been part of an abusive relationship. But despite it being a heavier type of book the author handles it with such grace. You can tell that this is a topic that she is familiar with and you can even read a bit about this in her Author's Note it is truly heartbreaking where this story stemmed from but God definitely moves even in the midst of these circumstances.

I don't want to give too much of this book away but Rita is a strong woman and I was at the edge of my seat turning the pages as fast as I could to see how she would escape and when she realizes that life can be so much more the tissues were close by (trust me you will need them). 

Overall I thought this was a great story. The author did an amazing job at capturing all the emotions and putting them on paper and helping us see that God never leaves us despite the situations that may be happening. 

I received a copy of this book for review. I was not required to post a positive review. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.



About the Author


Carmen Peone

Carmen Peone is an award-winning author of Young Adult and Inspirational Contemporary Western Romantic. She worked with a Tribal Elder, Marguerite Ensminger, for three years learning the Arrow Lakes Language and various cultural traditions, which led to her writing career. With the love of history and the Western woman's lifestyle, she weaves threads of healing, hope, and horses into her stories that lead to happily ever after. She lives with her husband in northeast Washington and on the Colville Confederated Indian Reservation.

Connect with Carmen by visiting carmenpeone.com to follow her on social media and sign up for email updates.


Tour Giveaway


(2) winners will win a signed copy of Broken Bondage, an $25 Amazon gift card, and photo cards that pertain to the series!


Broken Bondage JustRead Tours giveaway


Full tour schedule linked below. The giveaway begins at midnight October 10, 2023 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on October 17, 2023. Winner will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US only for prize as described. Winners outside of the US will receive an ebook of Broken Bondage only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.


Giveaway is subject to JustRead Publicity Tours Giveaway Policies.


Enter Giveaway


Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!


Broken Bondage JustRead Blog Tour

JustRead Publicity Tours

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Abounding Hope by Cindy Kay Stewart ~ Book Review

October 12, 2023

 



Welcome to the Blog Tour for Abounding Hope by Cindy Kay Stewart, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!



About the Book


Abounding Hope

Title: Abounding Hope
Series:
Circle of Hope #1
Author:
Cindy Kay Stewart
Publisher: Hope Springs Press LLC
Release Date:
October 3, 2023
Genre:
WWII Christian Historical Romance


Poland’s looming defeat forces an American teacher to escape with children wanted by the Nazis. 


It’s late August, 1939, and the world is on the brink of war. The Nazis are threatening Poland, but American teacher Irena Simmons refuses to flee to safety. She’s dedicated her life to serving in her church and school, and she’s watching over the little German boys she whisked to safety the year before. When her former classmate, Jonathan, surprises her in Lvov and insists she leave with him before the war starts, Irena balks. Nothing will interfere with her work—especially a man making demands. 


American shipping magnate Jonathan Huntwell had a crush on Irena in school. When their former classmates select him to travel to Poland and escort her out before it’s too late, he doesn’t expect the inner turmoil she ignites in him. Although honor-bound to aid any friend in trouble, Jonathan acknowledges that Irena is more than an obligation to him. However, he must keep his feelings hidden, or he’ll jeopardize their friendship. 


Irena soon discovers that the Gestapo agent she successfully evaded in Germany has found her in Poland, and he’s after her young charges. When the Germans invade, Jonathan is in Denmark on business, too far away to help. As the rising danger threatens everything Irena holds dear, she must find a way to protect those she loves. 


Based on true events and backed by extensive research, Abounding Hope is sure to delight fans of WWII adventure cloaked in sweet romance. Come to the place where the war began and discover hope in the darkest places.


PURCHASE LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon




My Thoughts


There is nothing like picking up a historical fiction book that focuses on a specific time period and event and it drops you right in the midst of it like you are part of the story. That is what it felt like reading this story. I was captured immediately and needed to know more. This story is set in the beginning stages of WWII Poland in the midst of the German takeover. Immediately we meet Irene who is an American teacher who is in charge of two little boys whom she rescued a year prior from Germany. She is determined and feels very strongly that God has called her to stay in Poland along with her family. 

We also meet Jonathan who is a childhood friend who comes to visit and warns the family and especially Irene that rumors of another war and the Germans taking over Poland is imminent. He cares for her and doesn't want any harm coming to her or her family. But circumstances being what they are, they are separated and try to find courage and strength to endure the journey that is to come. 

I was completely mesmerized by this book and could not put it down. I rejoiced in the happy moments and cried in the hard because this author paints such a picture that you truly feel like you are right besides these characters and feeling all their emotions. There aren't gruesome parts of this story but it is a depiction of war so there are some hard moments that really hit your heart and make you stop and think about that moment in time. 

The characters are very real and you see that especially with Irene as she struggles with her faith and truly stopping to listen to what God wanted for her instead of her taking control of her own life. Yes, there were moments when I wanted to shake her and tell her stop doing it your way... but alas we must all go through these moments to truly learn. 

This was my first book by this author and it will certainly not be my last. Her research in the history was very well done and she gives you a mini history lesson on her Author's Note towards the end of the book. She also infuses faith throughout the entire book. You know that God is the center of everything in this story despite the atrocities of war God is still in control. I for one need to have Book 2 stat! While I would not consider it a cliffhanger there is definitely more that needs to be told from some of the characters in the story. I won't divulge too much so you can read if for yourself.

Overall I really loved this story. If you enjoy historical fiction and a little romance thrown in then you will definitely enjoy this book so go ahead and pick it up! 

I received a digital copy of this book from Just Read. I was not required to post a positive review. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.





About the Author


Cindy Kay Stewart


Cindy Kay Stewart, a retired high school social studies teacher, current church pianist and Christian historical romance author, writes stories of hope, steeped in love, and anchored in faith. Passionate about revealing God’s handiwork in history, Cindy loves to research until she uncovers hidden gems to share with her readers. She resides in North Georgia with her college sweetheart and husband of forty-two years. Her daughter, son-in-law, and four adorable grandchildren live nearby.


Connect with Cindy by visiting cindykaystewart.com to follow her on social media and sign up for email updates.



Tour Giveaway


(1) winner will win a $25 Amazon gift card, a signed paperback copy of Abounding Hope, and an e-book copy of Escape (true stories of escape from WWII)!


Abounding Hope JustRead Tours giveaway

Full tour schedule linked below. The giveaway begins at midnight October 9, 2023 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on October 16, 2023. Winner will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.


Giveaway is subject to JustRead Publicity Tours Giveaway Policies.


Enter Giveaway


Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!


Abounding Hope Blog Tour


JustRead Publicity Tours
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Fields of Glass by Alyssa Schwarz ~ Book Review

October 9, 2023


About the Book 


Book: Fields of Glass
Author: Alyssa Schwarz
Genre: Christian Contemporary Romance
Series: Prescott Family Romance, Book 3
Release Date: October 3, 2023

Micah Prescott will do anything to save his family's sheep ranch, even if it kills him. With a city-based firm pressuring him to sell and the bank threatening to call in his loan, he has less than a month to figure out a solution to keep the property his father strove so hard to protect. But when a storm rolls in, washing out the only bridge to town and bringing with it an unwanted visitor, he finds his options quickly dwindling.

Sales associate Francis Grace Riley will do anything to prove that she belongs. Convinced she can secure a deal where others had only failed, she takes to the mountains in search of one stubborn rancher, only to realize there is much more riding on the outcome of this trip than her job.

From the moment Micah rescues Grace on the side of the road, sparks fly—that is until he learns who she really is. Stuck together until the bridge is repaired, the two of them must learn to work as a team if they have any hopes of achieving their goals. But when things start to go wrong on the ranch, and sheep begin to disappear, they're left questioning who they can trust ...

... and what they're willing to sacrifice for those they care for.





My Thoughts 


Although this is the third book in the series it definitely reads as a stand alone. The setting was beautiful and definitely makes you want to travel to beautiful Colorado! The characters were wonderful as well and very relatable. Micah is a man  whose past taunts hime but he is determined to save his ranch. He wasn't counting on meeting Grace who is a strong female character and doesn't shy away from much. I liked them together and felt like they balanced each other well.

I absolutely loved Callie and thought there should be more of her. Perhaps she gets her own story in the future? This author not only does a good job with the setting of the story but with her faith elements. Trust in God is huge throughout this story and a great reminder to us all. 

Overall I thought this was a good story. Although you don't have to read the whole series in order, you will certainly get to meet other characters that were mentioned in this one!

I received a copy of this book for review. I was not required to post a positive review. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.





About the Author




Contemporary romance author Alyssa Schwarz is a graduate of the Colorado School of Mines with a Master's in Geology & Geological Engineering. She also works as a professional watercolor artist along the Colorado Front Range and is a member of ACFW (American Christian Fiction Writers) and My Book Therapy's Novel Academy. Fields of Glass, the final installment in the Prescott Family Romance Series, is set to release fall 2023. You can find her online at www.alyssaschwarzauthor.com. 
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