Book Review: The Mountains Bow Down by Sibella Giorello

I have featured The Mountains Bow Down (A Raleigh Harmon Novel) by Sibella Giorello in my  previous post before. After reading the summary, I was quite excited to finally receive this book and read it.

Raleigh Harmon is an FBI Special Agent and forensic geologist who is off on a cruise to Alaska. Acting as a consultant for a movie being filmed on board, she hopes to have time to explore the beauties of the mountains of Alaska. She is joined on this cruise by her mother, who has a mental condition, and her aunt who is a specialist in crystals. She also saw this cruise as a time to get away from her fiancee.

Little did she know that even on this fantastic Alaskan cruise, her skills as a forensic geologist will be put to use. The wife of the movie actor that she is consulting for dies on the cruise. The ship’s chief of security is quick to rule it a suicide, but she believes it’s a murder. Not wanting to let a murderer go free, her planned vacation has now turned to work for her.

MY THOUGHTS

Sibella Giorello writes beautifully. She has a gift for writing beautiful descriptions of the scenic places in Alaska that feels like you are actually experiencing it yourself. Her character, Raleigh Harmon, is highly skilled in her profession as an FBI agent but she is made real with her struggles with her family, her fiancee and the other FBI agent who was sent to assist her. I feel that I really got to know this character very well.

I also liked the way she developed the mystery in this book. It was very interesting to follow every clue with Raleigh. This book has components of mystery, thriller, love story and the complications of family relationships that makes this a worthwhile read.

There are only a couple of things that I was disappointed with. I felt that the ending was just too complicated and came at me so fast. I mean, after slowly solving the mystery through the book and following it with excitement, suddenly there was this ending that had such a complicated story with it.

The other thing that I found to be a negative was the way the Filipino crew on the ship was portrayed. Being a Filipino myself, I find it hard to believe that Filipinos on cruise ships answer in one-word English as was portrayed in the book. Although, she was ably assisted by a Filipino-American bartender towards the end of the story, this FilAm bartender says that he is American, not Filipino.

The Mountains Bow Down is her 3rd book in A Raleigh Harmon novel. Check out other reviews in this Litfuse Blog Tour.

Disclosure: I received a free copy of this book through Litfuse Publicity in exchange for a review.

Book Tour and Giveaway: Branded – Sharing Jesus With A Consumer Culture by Tim Sinclair

About Branded: Sharing Jesus with a Consumer Culture:

The church spends $1.5 million for every one new follower of Jesus. Apple sells 26 iPads every minute. What is it that makes Apple so exciting and Jesus so boring? What is it that compels someone to bring their iPod everywhere and their Bible nowhere? In a word: marketing. Jesus is a life-changing product with lousy salespeople-people who are intimidated and embarrassed by the word "evangelism" and who show more enthusiasm for their gadgets than their God.

What would life look like if we stopped mass-marketing Jesus and started marketing our faith like Nike and Apple market their products--sharing relationally, from person to person? Using examples from these and other successful companies, author Tim Sinclair challenges Christians to throw out their casual attitudes toward faith and sign on for a marketing campaign for the Savior.

Written with the wit and wisdom of an experienced marketer, Branded peels away the feelings of fear and encourages readers how to share their faith in ways that are honest, authentic, and, most importantly, effective.

About the Tim Sinclair:

Tim Sinclair is a radio personality on one of the top Christian morning shows in the country, Mornings with Tim and Pam. For over a decade, he has been helping radio stations and various other businesses creatively and effectively market themselves. His award-winning productions have been heard on more than 2,000 radio stations worldwide and recent clients include McDonald's, Word Records, Moody Press, and the country's most-listened to Christian nonprofit radio station KSBJ/Houston. Tim has written for CCM Magazine and the Huntsville Times. For more about Tim, please visit his website, http://www.tim-sinclair.com.

MY THOUGHTS:

I have to admit that I didn’t know what to expect from Tim Sinclair’s book – Branded – Sharing Jesus With A Consumer Culture. The large question at the back of the book “How Do We Market Jesus?” made me curious enough to open the book and start reading it.

As I read through chapter after chapter, I began to develop some strange feelings. I am starting to wonder who Tim Sinclair really is? He seemed angry to me. Angry at the old ways of evangelism, confronting Christians about their way of living, how they are reaching out to others and sharing Jesus. After the seventh chapter, I decided to put the book down and give it a rest.

When my family attended the Sunday worship the following Sunday, we found out that the youth were leading the worship. We began with a Praise and Worship time that was so energetic made even noisier by the group of youths sitting in front banging their heads to the music. In the middle of the service, the youth pastor showed us a video of some of the youth talking about their growing faith in God.

It was there that I realized that much of what Tim Sinclair said in Branded: Sharing Jesus with a Consumer Culture was right. Here I was observing it in reality. This church knew the way to reach the youth was to accept them for who they are. They came to church dressed in their regular youth clothes, they have their own youth service where they are free to worship God the way they want to, and they learned about God through the help of their disciplers.

As I continued to read Branded, slowly I understood where Tim Sinclair was coming from. He is a marketer who has helped businesses such as McDonald’s to market themselves effectively. In this book, Tim teaches us to think about Jesus as a brand and how to market the Jesus brand effectively to others. He does this by asking us to open our minds and think out of the box. I am especially challenged by his last chapter “What If” where he talks about ‘Green Light Thinking’. ‘Green Light Thinking’ is a brainstorming session where everyone pitches ideas and no idea is wrong. The ideas in this chapter that he pitches to his readers will touch you, open your mind and challenge you to actually do it.

Branded is not a hard book to read because the chapters are short, the writing is humorous, the concepts are clear. Most of all, it is based on the Bible. A Christian would be bothered and challenged upon reading this book. He would be definitely be encouraged to try out his ideas in reaching people for Christ.

You can check out other reviews of Branded here.

GIVEAWAY!

Kregel Publications is sponsoring a $50 Amazon.com giveaway open to all my blog readers and that’s you!

About the Giveaway!

To enter all you have to do is send a tweet (using #litfuse) about Branded or share about it on Facebook!

 

If you tweet we'll capture your entry when you use @litfuse. If you share it on Facebook or your blog, just email us and let us know ([email protected]). Easy.

Not sure what to tweet/post? Here's an idea.

TWEET THIS:  Branded by @timjsinclair - Jesus is a life-changing product with lousy sales-people! @litfuse http://ow.ly/566nr

FACEBOOK THIS: Branded by Tim Sinclair is a compelling look at what Christians can learn from companies like Apple & Starbucks about sharing their faith! Jesus is a life-changing product with lousy sales-people!  http://litfusegroup.com/blogtours/text/13338985

Disclosure: I received a free copy of this book from Litfuse Publicity in exchange for this review.

Book Review: A Reluctant Queen: The Love Story of Esther by Joan Wolf

The Love Story of Esther

Political intrigue, mystery, suspense and romance make up the plot for A  Reluctant Queen – The Story of Esther by Joan Wolf. In this book, Ms. Wolf takes the story of Esther, the Queen of Persia, who risks her life to save the Jews from annihilation, and turns it into a fictional love story between Esther and Ahasuerus.

Esther, a young Jewish girl, who was brought up by her uncle Mordecai, is convinced by her uncle to join the King’s search for a new queen. Believing that this is God’s direction in order for her to save her people, the Jews, she obeys her uncle. Her hope is that the King will not find her suitable to be his queen. After months of preparation, Esther is finally presented to the KIng. King Ahasuerus was so taken by Esther’s beauty, honesty and intelligence that he immediately declares his search for the queen finally over.

Now Esther must prepare her heart and mind to become not just the Queen, but the wife of a man she hardly knows. Will she be able to love him truly? As the Bible story goes, Haman, the King’s trusted friend and 2nd-in-command plots to kill Mordecai and destroy all Jews. Now Esther must act to save her people from sure death. The big problem she faces is that the King has no idea that she, too, is a Jew. How can she face him now and tell him that all he knew about her is a Lie? Will the King divorce her as he had done with his previous wife, Vashti? Will she be able to save her uncle Mordecai from the hands of the treacherous Haman? Will she be able to save the Jews from annihilation?

MY THOUGHTS

Joan Wolf is a great storyteller! I have always believed that Esther’s story was so amazing. As presented in A Reluctant Queen, Joan Wolf made Esther’s love story even more beautiful and real. For two nights in a row, I have been living in the King’s Palace in Susa. I witnessed Esther’s growth from a terrified young girl, to a beautiful, self-assured Queen. The story is so powerful and moving. If it wasn’t close to morning last night, I would have read it straight through. I loved how the love story of Esther and Ahasuerus was told, interspersed with many different supporting characters and sub-plots. Despite all the characters involved, the story flowed smoothly and beautifully. And behind it all, we witness how God’s hand is at work in the life of Esther and that God’s plans will be followed. I cannot say anything more except that, out of all the fiction I have read, this is by far, the best!

Disclosure: I received a free Digital Galley of this book from Net Galley.  However, I will receive a copy of this book for free from Litfuse Publicity. Both are given to me in exchange for this review.

The Gabby Moms Review: Attitude Adjustments MP3 Audio by Ms. Lorrie Flem

“If Momma Ain’t Happy, Ain’t Nobody Happy”

Do you find the quote above to be a reality in your life? I must confess that this is true in our household. My mood for the day affects my husband and my children whether it is good or otherwise.

Last May, I let my household help go. This left me and my children to do all that needed to be done in our home. Having been used to the presence of a helper in our home, we had difficulty adjusting to it at first. The children were always arguing with each, pointing fingers as to who does what chore. As for myself, I started the day with a heaviness in my heart wishing that I had a maid to do all the housework.

When I listened to Ms. Lorrie Flems Mp3 audio “Attitude Adjustments”, it hit home with me. I realized that my children did not view chores positively because I also viewed it as a tiring activity that I would rather pass on to somebody else.

In “Attitude Adjustments”, Ms. Flem gives a 52 minute talk about our attitudes, how it affects us and our families, and how to work on changing our attitudes for the better. She pointed out some very important things about attitude:

• We can either choose our attitude for the day or we can let our attitudes rule our day
• Attitudes are like germs that we pass on to other people – do we pass on our love for Jesus or do we pass on our negative attitudes
• Nobody wants to be with a person who infect people with their negative attitude
She then shares the ABC’s or 26 ways to  improve our attitude.

I love this talk and I’ve listened to it three times already. Each time I learn something new. When I saw that complaining about having no house help affected my family, I decided to change my attitude. Then I began to see the beauty of the situation. I saw how good it was for us to be working together as a family to keep our home up and running.  I thanked the Lord always whenever I catch my kids doing chores without my having to ask them. Slowly, I began to see a change in my children’s attitude. The lovely surprise is that my children consider it my love for them when they see me working hard at homemaking.

At this time, I do have a helper at home but she is leaving again this weekend. Instead of entertaining feelings of dismay, I decided to just thank the Lord for what we do have. We’ve had a week to rest, I’ve had time to work on the children’s homeschool schedule and the children had free time to do what they want.

Thanks to the ministry of Ms. Lorrie Flem of Eternal Encouragement Magazine, the Holy Spirit worked in my heart to affect a change in my own attitude.

If you would like to be encouraged by Ms. Lorrie Flem, you can visit her at http://www.eternalencouragement.com/. The Attitude Adjustments Audio file is available for download for only $6.97

I also had the opportunity to listen to another encouraging Mp3 file, Keys to a Queenly Castle, where Ms. Flem encourages wives to view themselves as queens of their castle, not just plain housekeepers.

Visit the Gabby Moms blog for other reviews about this audio here.
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GIVEAWAY!!!

Lorrie is hosting a fun giveaway for all our blog readers. This means that one of you will win an MP3 audio file of your choice. Here are the instructions:

1. Click on the link below to choose which MP3 file you would like to win.
http://www.eternalencouragement.com/theshop/?main_page=index&cPath=4_5

2. Go to The Gabby Moms blog to leave a comment. Tell us
              a. which blog they read about the giveaway (this blog)
              b. name of MP3 file they want if chosen as winner
              c. email contact info

3. Winner will be chosen on Saturday, June 18th via random.org.
4. Winner will be notified by email to contact info left in comments
5. Winner will have 48 hours to respond to claim prize or an alternate winner will be chosen.
That’s it! Enjoy and hope you win!


Disclosure: I received both MP3 files from Eternal Encouragement as a part of The Gabby Moms in exchange for this review. I did not receive any financial compensation for this review.

Kindle Giveaway and Facebook Party: A Reluctant Queen by Joan Wolf

A Reluctant Queen

An inspiring re-imagining of the tale of Esther, a young Jewish woman thrust from a life of obscurity into a life of power, wealth, intrigue . . . and tender love.

See the story of Esther in an entirely new way-with all the political intrigue and tension you remember, but told as a passionate and tender love story between a young man and woman. Misunderstood by many, King Xerxes was a powerful but lonely man. Esther's beauty caught the eye of the young king, but it was her spirit that captured his heart.

Imagine anew the story of Esther, one of our faith's great heroines, destined to play a key role in the history of Christianity. More here.

Joan Wolf was born in New York City but has lived most of her adult life with her husband in Connecticut , where she raised two children and countless numbers of assorted animals. Joan is the author of numerous historical novels including The Road to Avalon which Publishers Weekly lauded as “historical fiction at its finest.”

For more about Joan and her other books, please visitwww.joanwolf.com. 

To celebrate Joan Wolf’s debut Christian Fiction title, A Reluctant Queen, Joan and her publisher, Thomas Nelson, have teamed up to give away A Reluctant Queen prize package worth over $150!

One grand prize winner will receive:

* A brand new Latest Generation KINDLE with Wi-Fi and Pearl Screen

* A Reluctant Queen by Joan Wolf (for KINDLE)

To enter, just click one of the icons below. But, hurry, the contest ends on June 20th. Winner will be announced on June 21st during Joan’s A Reluctant Queen Book Club Party on Facebook (details below)! Hope to see you there – bring your friends!

Join the fun on June 21st! 

Joan will be wrapping up the blog tour and Kindle giveaway promotion during her A Reluctant Queen FACEBOOK party on her FB author page. During the party she'll announce the winner of the Kindle, host a book chat discussion, test your trivia skills (Is Esther's story in A Reluctant Queen fact or fiction?), and more. Don't miss this chance to meet the author and make some new friends! Online casino Ireland. ###

Book Review: Growing Your Faith by Jerry Bridges

“HOW TO MATURE IN CHRIST”

When a person becomes a Christian, his goal is to become more like Christ everyday. It’s not an easy task, in fact, it takes more than a lifetime to achieve this goal. In order to achieve spiritual maturity, we have a guide to follow in Growing Your Faith by Jerry Bridges.

Growing Your Faith by Jerry Bridges can also be entitled Spiritual Maturity 101 because that is what this book literally is. Jerry Bridges discusses with great wisdom the many disciplines that we should take on if we want to grow our faith. Disciplines such as reading the Bible, praying, fellowship with other believers, Bible study are discussed in this book.

When I first began to read it, I read through the first three chapters straight. I decided to stop and reread it again but this time with pen and notebook at hand. I was learning so many things about growing in faith, reading my Bible and dependent living that I realized I should take notes so that I can remember it all.

Jerry Bridges writes with compassion and wisdom, full of encouragement for the reader who is seeking growth in his relationship with Christ. The content is very meaty but is not hard to read and understand. However, I would recommend stopping after every chapter to digest what has just been taught by the author.

I highly recommend Growing Your Faith to all Christians whether young or old in faith. If you are still a new believer in Christ, you would learn what it takes to grow your faith. If you have been a believer for so many years, there is still much to learn about growth in this book.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from NavPress Publishers as part of their Blogger Review program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. 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.”

Blog Tour & Giveaway! My Foolish Heat by Susan May Warren

My Foolish Heart

Unknown to her tiny town of Deep Haven, Isadora Presley spends her nights as Miss Foolish Heart, the star host of a syndicated talk radio show. Millions tune in to hear her advice on dating and falling in love, unaware that she’s never really done either. Issy’s ratings soar when it seems she’s falling in love on-air with a caller. A caller she doesn’t realize lives right next door.

Caleb Knight served a tour of duty in Iraq and paid a steep price. The last thing he wants is pity, so he hides his disability and moves to Deep Haven to land his dream job as the high school football coach. When his beautiful neighbor catches his eye, in a moment of desperation he seeks advice from My Foolish Heart, the show that airs before his favorite sports broadcast. 

Before he knows it, Caleb finds himself drawn to the host—and more confused than ever. Is his perfect love the woman on the radio . . . or the one next door?

Read an excerpt here: http://www.susanmaywarren.com/novels/contemporary-romance/

Susan May Warren is an award-winning, best-selling author of over twenty-five novels, many of which have won the Inspirational Readers Choice Award, the ACFW Book of the Year award, the Rita Award, and have been Christy finalists. After serving as a missionary for eight years in Russia, Susan returned home to a small town on Minnesota’s beautiful Lake Superior shore where she, her four children, and her husband are active in their local church.

Susan's larger than life characters and layered plots have won her acclaim with readers and reviewers alike. A seasoned women’s events and retreats speaker, she’s a popular writing teacher at conferences around the nation and the author of the beginning writer’s workbook: From the Inside-Out: discover, create and publish the novel in you!. She is also the founder ofwww.MyBookTherapy.com, a story-crafting service that helps authors discover their voice.

Susan makes her home in northern Minnesota, where she is busy cheering on her two sons in football, and her daughter in local theater productions (and desperately missing her college-age son!)

A full listing of her titles, reviews and awards can be found at:www.susanmaywarren.com.

Buy this book here:

Susan May Warren is thrilled to announce the release of her latest Deep Haven book, My Foolish Heart!

Read what the reviewers are saying here.

To celebrate this charming novel about a dating expert who's never had a date, Susan has put together a romantic night on the town for one lucky couple. One grand prize winner will receive a Miss Foolish Heart prize package worth over $200!

The winner of the Romantic Night on the Town Prize Pack will receive:

* A $100 Visa Gift Card (For Dinner)

* A $100 Gift Certificate to a Hyatt/Marriott Hotel

* The entire Deep Haven series

To enter just click one of the icons below. But, hurry, the giveaway ends at noon on June 16th. The winner will be announced that evening during Susan’s Miss Foolish Heart Party on Facebook! Susan will be chatting with guests, hosting a book club chat about My Foolish Heart, testing your Deep Haven trivia skills, and giving away tons of great stuff! (Gift certificates, books, donuts, and more!) Don't miss the fun and BRING YOUR FRIENDS! 

Disclosure: I received this book for free in exchange for this review. I received no monetary compensation for writing my review.

Family Night Movie Takes on Bullying in “Field of Vision”

Walmart and P&G presents FIELD OF VISION showing on Saturday, June 11 at NBC.

FIELD OF VISION tackles bullying in high schools and takes a strong stand against it. I had the chance to watch it online and enjoyed the story very much. This movie is about a boy, Cory Walker, who lost his mother to death. He doesn’t know who or where is father is and he ended up in different orphanages. Upon reaching high school, his goal is just to finish up and be free of the government system that has directed most of his life.

In his new high school, he meets star quarterback Tyler McFarland and tries out for the team. The bullying begins when he proved to be a strong football player and a very smart student in class. This meets the ire of another football player and classmate, Nick Burris.

Through the lens of a magical camera owned by Tyler’s sister Lucy, the truth about Cory’s life and the bullying are revealed to Tyler and Lucy. How the McFarland family helps Cory in many aspects of his life is very heartwarming. The ending is beautiful and realistic.

This movie does not just tackle bullying. It also shows a very loving and supportive family in the McFarlands. It is heartwarming to watch the beautiful marriage relationship of the parents, the love and support of the parents to their children and the close bond between brother and sister.

I recommend that the whole family should watch this movie together in order to spark conversations about bullying, friendship and family values.

FIELD OF VISION  stars Faith Ford, Tony Oller, Joseph Adler, Alyssa Shafer, Philip Casnoff

Related links:

Website: http://www.familymovienight.com/field-of-vision/

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/familymovienight

Mom's for Family TV: http://www.moms4familytv.com/

Dove Foundation Review: http://www.dove.org/reviewpopup.asp?Unique_ID=883

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. 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