Captain No Beard's adventures include finding A Flag for the Flying Dragon [Review & Giveaway]

Captain No Beard is now dealing with an unhappy crew and the problem of getting an appropriate flag for his ship. Unrest amongst the crew members results from little Zach not having his own job on ship. They try to find something for him, but he interferes and creates a mess. They are unhappy and something needs to be done.

Their solutions are in the form of the team learning to help and get along with each other. And they do find a flag for the ship in an unexpected source.

Bonnie Lemaire continues to illustrate the playful crew of the Flying Dragon with her signature watercolors.

GIVEAWAY 

Begins May 19 & ENDS June 5 @ 12:01 a.m. EDT. 

 Open to USA addresses only. 

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Disclosure: A complimentary copy was provided by the author to facilitate this review. Opinions are those of the reviewer and no compensation was received for this review.

By Your Side is book 1 in The Crisis Team Series by Candace Calvert (Review & Giveaway)

ER nurse Macy Wynn learned essential, gritty lessons in the California foster care system: land on your feet and trust no one. She’s finally located the fellow foster child she loves like a sister, but the girl’s in deep trouble. Macy’s determined to help, no matter what it takes. Her motto is to “make it happen” in any situation life throws at her—even when she butts heads with an idealistic cop.

Deputy Fletcher Holt believes in a higher plan, the fair outcome—and his ability to handle that by himself if necessary. Now he’s been yanked from Houston, his mother is battling cancer, and he’s attracted to a strong-willed nurse who could be the target of a brutal sniper.

Review: When trained nurse turned successful novelist considers crisis situations, you have a series of books called Crisis Team emerge. Calvert creates realistic and heroic yet human characters out of ER nurses and physicians, chaplains, EMS personnel, and law enforcement personnel.

As this unjoined team works to heal and relieve the stresses of their professions and the cruelties of life and keep the community a safe place in which to live, a lone gunman stalks his prey. Lives are lost randomly and he can’t seemingly be found.

What happens when the healers both of physical and emotional  injuries need help themselves? Who is their helper? What happens when those trying to build a life have their dreams and hopes shattered.

Woven into the thread of the Crisis Team’s very lives is a gentle thread of romance. A blossoming and tender story that is sure to capture the interest of man or woman alike as they cruise the pages of By Your Side.

Who doesn’t love a bit of romance, touch of suspense, and medical or emergency crisis all mixed together. Candace Calvert has brought us another well-written story from her plethora of experience.

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DISCLOSURE: A complimentary copy was provided to facilitate this review. Opinions expressed are those of the reviewer. No compensation was received for this review.

A Love Letter from God by P.K. Hallinan & illustrated by Laura Watson [Review & Giveaway]

About the book: A sweet new book from perennial best-selling author P. K. Hallinan.

In this new title by P. K. Hallinan, the author supposes what God might say in a personal letter written to a child. The unconditional and unlimited nature of God's love is revealed through simple and lyrical language.

I love you, My child, so hear what I say:

Nothing can pry Me or drive Me away.

Your future's as brilliant as the sun on the sea...

Review: Young hearts. Young minds.Young hands. This book is perfectly suited for them. God's Word, the Bible, is actually a love letter to mankind. In it God tells us He is there for us, loving us, caring for us. This little book introduces young minds to the concept that God communicates with them in His love letter, the Bible. The author uses gentle poetry to engage the heart and mind of the child to "hear what I say: Nothing can pry Me or drive Me away."

This is a board book, yet it is larger than the usual board book and the inner pages a little less stiff (but still very durable). Each page has cutouts in the shape of little hearts that let the child peek and poke his or her way from page to page seeing the connection between the pages. A book perfectly suited for those little hands.

The illustrations by Laura Watson are delightful and childlike in their novelty and beauty. I love the gentle colors and the way the text and pictures blend and flow together so nicely.

P.K. Hallinan is famous for his endearing books for children and this one is a winner as well. I can heartily endorse this book for those little hands you love to hold and treasure.

GIVEAWAY: Begins January 1 & ENDS January 9 @ 12:01 a.m. ET. Open to USA & CANADA addresses only.
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P. K. Hallinan, author, has been creating books for children since his wife first asked him to write one for their two boys many years ago. Today P.K. writes inspirational stories about holidays, relationships, and life values. In addition to his writing, P.K. is an ordained minister and a well-known school speaker. He lives in the mountains above Ashland, Oregon, with his wife, Jeanne, and their three dogs.
Laura Watson, illustrator, has been creating whimsical illustrations for children's books, educational materials, and magazines since 1995. She is a graduate of Sheridan College's Interpretive Illustration program in Oakville, Ontario. She lives in Toronto with her husband and five-year-old daughter and works in a converted backyard garage studio surrounded by a slightly unkempt garden.

DISCLOSURE:In accordance with the FTC's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising": Many thanks to Propeller Consulting, LLC for providing this prize for the giveaway. Choice of winners and opinions are 100% my own (Rafflecopter/random.org) and NOT influenced by monetary compensation. I did receive a sample of the product in exchange for this review and post.  Only one entrant per mailing address, per giveaway. If you have won the same prize on another blog, you are  not eligible to win it again. Winner is subject to eligibility verification.

(Review & Giveaway) Farewell, Four Waters…A Novel based on True Events…One aid worker’s sudden escape from Afghanistan by Kate McCord {Review & Giveaway}

About the book: In 14 days, the life she knew would end on the streets of Kabul.  All Marie needed was a few stamps and signatures – the mandatory paperwork necessary for the Afghan government – and she could hold literacy classes in the rural town of Shektan.  Her hope:  Afghan women would learn to read.

Suddenly, shots resonated.  An aid worker killed at an intersection in Kabul.  The community scattered.
 Most decided to say farewell.  Not Marie; she chose to stay, to teach.  But she was unaware that this choice would make her a pawn at the center of a local feud.  Kidnapping was Marie’s worst fear.  She didn’t know treachery was more deadly.

Farewell, Four Waters is based on actual events the author and other aid workers faced in Afghanistan in 2008.  See through their eyes the dangers faced globally even today.

Review: This is an excellent book.  I was so intrigued by the author’s story – her desire to be in Afghanistan, to help the women and to also share truth about Jesus – to live in a country where women are viewed in a much lower way than we could ever possibly know as citizens of the United States.

The author shows us we can and should depend upon the Lord for guidance and protection; and while this is not the main topic of the book, it is a thread that runs throughout her story.  The author takes us into the country and beyond just what we may see on the evening news.  She shares with us the friendships she built, the deep sadness of leaving the country and the ultimate horror of watching innocent people being killed for little to no reason.

Farewell, Four Waters is the second book written by Kate McCord.  It is a sequel to In the Land of Blue Burqas and I will be reading it as soon as I can.  If it is anything like Farewell, Four Waters, I will not be disappointed and will perhaps have an greater understanding of the people in Afghanistan and an encouragement to pray for that country.

We take for granted all that we have here in the United States and think that a little trouble is great tragedy.  We do not have to worry about persecution for expressing our beliefs.  If we are persecuted, it is so small in comparison that it cannot be called persecution.  I highly recommend this book to our High School students and desire that through their reading of this story,  they may realize how very fortunate they are to be a citizen of the United States of America!

GIVEAWAY is open for USA & Canada for a print copy of Farewell Four Waters. Begins Dec. 12 & ENDS January 5 @ 12:01 a.m. ET.
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About Kate McCord: Kate McCord, a protective pseudonym, lived and worked in Afghanistan from 2005 to 2010. During her years in country, she worked as a humanitarian aid worker, delivering projects to benefit the people of Afghanistan. She also learned the local language and developed deep and lasting friendships with local Afghans. After evacuating from her home in Afghanistan, Kate transitioned into a mentoring, training, consulting and coaching role to other workers serving in the region. Prior to moving to Afghanistan, she worked in the international corporate community as a business process and strategy consultant. Today, Kate serves Christ through writing, speaking, mentoring and conducting workshops and seminars.

DISCLOSURE: A complimentary copy was provided by Side Door Communications in exchange for our review. Opinions expressed are solely those of the reviewer. No compensation was received for this review.

Monster Needs A Christmas Tree: A Monster & Me™ by Paul Czajak with illustrations by Wendy Grieb {Review & Giveaway}

About the book MONSTER is passionate (positive or genuine or innocent or pure or optimistic), kind-hearted, and a friend to all. He is adventuresome, mischievous, and thinks outside the box. Humorous, read-aloud rhyming verse addresses situations young children encounter daily. Relationship, values, and vocabulary-driven, every story builds literacy, learning, and life skills.

It’s almost Christmastime, and Monster needs a tree. But the holidays are filled with joy and so many fun things to do! After snowballs, sleds, and Santa Claus, will he find a tree in time?

In this festive, rhyming story, Monster shows young readers that with a little creativity, a tree can be perfect any way you look at it.

Review:  First of all, this is a totally secular, fun book. It has Santa Claus, Christmas trees, and heaps of fun. There is no mention of the origin of Christmas or the birth of the Christ child.

Now, it is a given that the imagination of children often conjures up monsters. So this is a book that treats the "monster in our lives" with a light hand and "Monster" is actually a friend of the child. They are going about their day with a lively happiness that simply leaps off the page at the reader.

I simply love the rhyming verse and it is well done. The art is colorful, bright, lively, cheerful, and engaging. Did I say I like it? I think you get the gist. I like the book, story, and pictures for what it is. Frankly, I'm not a "Santa" endorsing sort of person, but then I'm not a "Monster" endorsing sort of person, either. This is simply a cute story. The rhyme is good. The story full of action and ends very sweetly.

GIVEAWAY:  A copy has been reserved for one of our readers to win. Use the form below.  Begins October 30 & ENDS November 19 @ 12:01 a.m. ET. Open to US addresses only.
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DISCLOSURE: A complimentary copy of Monster Needs a Christmas Tree was provided by Scarletta Kids Press in exchange for this review. Opinions are solely ours. No compensation was received for the review.

"Ten For Me" Written by Barbara Mariconda Illustrated by Sherry Rogers ~ Review & Giveaway

My thoughts:  Children love to be entertained and part of that is being read to from cute picture books. Couple fun entertainment with learning and you have a deliciously grand win-win situation. In Ten For Me, we have two children catching and releasing butterflies. They are involved in a competition to see who can catch the most butterflies.

On day one, Ed catches 10 and Rose catches only 1. But that still adds up to 10. As the days progress, they each capture a different number of butterflies but the total is still 10. The story of their little contest is told in delightful rhyme that flows beautifully. Now don’t count on this being classic, Robert Louis Stevenson, poetry; but it is very well done. The words and cadence are good.

Being such, it enables the story to capture the attention of the child to whom it is being read more readily. It also teaches, by example, the beautiful use of words, rhyme, rhythm, and cadence.

There are two primary focuses in this little children’s book.  Addition up to 10, and butterflies and that which pertains to butterflies.  Each two-page spread presents a salient bit of information about butterflies, especially pertinent to those butterflies on that page. And then at the end of the book there are several pages of information about butterflies and some number fact pages, too. All in all, a very entertaining and educational book replete with bright, funny, and colorful illustrations.

I can heartily recommend this for the home, school, and public libraries.

* Who Will Win Their Own Copy? *

Begins June 25 & ENDS July 17
@ 12:01 a.m. EDT
Open USA addresses only.

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Author:  Barbara Mariconda (Ten for Me and Sort it Out!) is one of those people who has done it all! An educator (K-6), a mentor teacher, an adjunct professor of Children's Literature and Process Writing, Barbara has also written a wide variety of musicals, songs, and books. She has worked with Children's Television Workshop and Cherry Lane music on the creative staff of the Sesame Street Music Magazine. In addition to writing workbooks and beginning readers, her middle grade novel, Turn the Cup Around, was nominated for an Edgar Allan Poe Award for best children's mystery. 

Illustrator: Sherry Rogers spent twelve years as a corporate graphic designer and artist before “leaving it all behind” for the freelance world of illustrating children’s books. Through illustrating The First Fire, Sherry remembers her own ancestor, Na Ni, a Cherokee woman from the mountains of North Carolina. Some of Sherry’s other Arbordale titles include The Penguin Lady, Ten for Me, Hey Diddle Diddle, Newton and Me, Moose and Magpie, Paws, Claws, Hands & Feet, and The Deductive Detective; as well as her award-winning titles: Sort It Out!, Kersplatypus, Burro’s Tortillas, and If You Were a Parrot. 

DISCLOSURE:  I was provided a complimentary copy of Ten for Me by the publisher, Arbordale Publishing, in exchange for my honest review. Opinions expressed are solely my own. I was not compensated for this review. The giveaway copy is also provided by Arbordale and will be shipped directly to the winner.

The A-Z of C.S. Lewis, An Encyclopedia of His Life, Thought and Writings by Colin Duriez (Review & Giveaway)

About the book:  A Complete Guide to His Life, Thoughts and Writings

Published to coincide with the 50th anniversary of C. S. Lewis's death, this complete guide covers all of Lewis' works, from his literary criticism to Narnia.

C. S. Lewis's work is widely known and regarded, but enthusiasts are often only aware of one part of his work-his children's stories and his popular theology; and yet he wrote so much more, including science fiction and literary criticism. This volume brings together all aspects of C S Lewis's life and thought. Arranged in alphabetical order, it begins with The Abolition of Man-written in 1943 and described as "almost my favorite"-to Wormwood, a character in The Screwtape Letters. This book will delight anyone who is interested in C. S. Lewis and wants to learn more about him, his thought, his works, and his life.

Review: Outside of reading The Chronicles of Narnia to my children, my interest in C.S. Lewis was limited to the movie "Shadowlands" and reading several portions from Essays on Theology and Ethics.  This volume has once again piqued my interest to read more of Lewis's works.  From the very preface of the book, the quote on how to enjoy a book by Lewis (p. 9) caught my attention. 

Having grown up in a home filled with old books, and blessed with  an attic which was a childhood hideaway for he and his brother, Warren, to play in for hours, explore writing and drawing, it seems like a happy childhood.  Unfortunately, sorrow engulfed the family's life when Lewis's mother died of cancer when he was nine.  His father was unable to cope with his grief and sent Clive Staples or "Jack" as he wished to be called, to a boarding school in England from their home in Belfast.  He was later moved back to college in Belfast, then to several other schools.  However, he was never happier than when sent in 1914 to a private tutor.  He briefly served in the First World War, until he was injured and subsequently discharged.   During all this time he had been writing poetry intended for publication. 

In this volume, you can read of his close relationships with other authors of his time.  Many of them met weekly at a favorite pub to fellowship and intellectually challenge each other as they read portions of their current writings aloud. They were known as "The Inklings".  Lewis was especially close to J.R.R. Tolkien, Charles Williams and Hugo Dyson.  He credits Tolkien and Dyson with drawing him to Christianity.  Through my overview of this volume, I have been challenged to read The Pilgrim's Regress, written after Lewis's conversion to Christianity and in response to The Pilgrim's Progress by John Bunyan.  Reviews of all his works by Duriez, a lifetime student of Lewis,  are very helpful when read prior to the actual writing.
 
Whether you are looking for specific information on the writings of Lewis, information on his closest earthly relationships, or merely browsing through this alphabetic text, you will find many entries of interest with cross references to lead you, as Aslan said, "higher up and deeper in" to the world of C.S. Lewis.   I recommend this book to lovers of C.S. Lewis and those who desire to get to known and understand his varied and treasured contributions to 20th century literature.  (reviewed by Carly Karns, Teacher at Alamance Christian School)

About the Author: Colin Duriez was for many years a commissioning editor at Inter-Varsity Press UK. He has subsequently appeared as a commentator on DVDs of Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings, and BBC television's The Worlds of Fantasy. He is also the author of The Inklings Handbook (with the late David Porter), J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis: The Story of Their Friendship, and Tolkien and The Lord of the Rings, and has contributed to definitive reference works relating to Tolkien such as The Tolkien Encyclopedia (Routledge). 

GIVEAWAY: One copy of The A-Z of C.S. Lewis is available as a giveaway prize. Entries may be made via the Rafflecopter form below. Begins March 1 & ENDS March 24 @ 12:01 a.m. ET. Open to USA residents only.
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DISCLOSURE: A complimentary copy of The A-Z of C.S. Lewis, An Encyclopedia of His Life, Thought and Writings by Colin Duriez  and Published in 2013 by Lion Hudson in Oxford. was provided byin exchange for this review. Opinions expressed are solely those of the reviewer. No compensation was provided for this review.

Author Melanie Dobson Book Giveaway

Melanie Dobson's latest release, The Courier of Caswell Hall, is a riveting story you won't want to miss. The newest offering in the American Tapestries™ series, it follows an unlikely spy who discovers freedom and love in the midst of the American Revolution.

Enter to win 1 of 5 copies of the book!

  Five winners will receive:

• The Courier of Caswell Hall by Melanie Dobson

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on October 5th. All winners will be announced October 7th at the Litfuse blog.

Don't miss a moment of the fun; enter today and be sure to visit the Litfuse blog on the 7th to see if you won one of the books!

"Fired Up" Trouble in Texas book 2 by Mary Connealy (Review & Giveaway)

About the book:  Dare Riker is a doctor who saves lives, but someone seems determined to end his. It may have something to do with the traitors he dealt with during the Civil War, or it might be related to the recent incident with Flint Greer and the ranch. Whoever the culprit is, he or she seems really fired up, and Dare can't let his guard down for a moment, which is a challenge, since right now he's trying to win the heart of the recently widowed Glynna.

Glynna Greer came west as a mail-order bride and ended up in a bad situation. Now her husband, Flint, is dead, and she's determined to care for her son and daughter on her own. She wants to believe Dare Riker is as decent as he seems, but she's terrified to lock herself into another marriage. She plans to support her small family by opening a diner-never mind that cooking is not her greatest talent. Themen in Broken Wheel, Texas, are so desperate for home cooking that they seem willing to overlook dried-out beef and blackened biscuits.

Glynna can't help but notice that danger follows Dare wherever he goes. There's the avalanche. And then the fire. But things really get out of hand when someone plunges a knife from Glynna's diner into Dare's back. Are Flint's cronies still plotting revenge? Is Glynna's son engaged in a misguided attempt to protect his mother? Is a shadowy outsider still enraged over past injustices? And can Dare survive long enough to convince Glynna to take another chance on love?

Review: This was an unbelievably funny read so filled with virtually "slap-stick" comedy page after page. Author, Mary Connealy, has taken the dangerous and serious wild-west and turned it upside down into a rollicking story.

Now just what is "Fired Up" - well, there is the male lead, Dare Riker who is in one dangerous situation after another and someone wants to ride the scene of him. So Dare gets fired up.

Then there is Glynna who is fired up after two failed marriages so is now determined to make it own her own by opening an eating establishment regardless that she can't cook at all .

And there is the group of male characters who are friends with Dare and they are fired up with determination that no one is going to "do-in" their friend.

Get ready for a truly fun read that will entertain you and also give you a glimpse (albeit a funny one) into the dangers of the west, lack of law and order, the plight of the mail order brides, and what widowed and unmarried women of that period faced.

GIVEAWAY - Begins September 30 & ENDS October 21 Open to addresses in continental US only.
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DISCLOSURE: A complimentary copy was provided by Litfuse Publicity on behalf of the Bethany House a division of Baker Publishing Group and the author, Mary Connealy.

Two associated books reviewed: "Grace Unplugged" (novel) by Melody Carson & "Own It: Leaving Behind a Borrowed Faith" (non-fiction) by Michael & Hayley DiMarco (Review & Giveaway)

About Grace Unplugged the Novel: Grace Trey is an 18 year old singer as passionate about her Christian faith as she is her phenomenal, God-given musical talent. Both traits come from her father, one hit wonder Johnny Trey who found Jesus after losing his chart success two decades ago.

When Grace encounters her own music break of a lifetime, the sudden dive into the "real world" puts her deeper beliefs to the test. Pop superstardom is just within reach but appears to require some spiritual compromise. Will Grace reject her faith, or will she own it?

"Grace Unplugged" is based on the motion picture of the same name starring AJ Michalka (Super 8) and Kevin Pollak (A Few Good Men) with performances by award-winning artists Chris Tomlin and Jamie Grace.

About "Own It, Discover Your Faith in God" - The movie Grace Unplugged tells the story of Grace Trey, an ideal Christian teenager who is also a phenomenal singer. But when she is pushed into the “real world” at the tender age of eighteen after getting the music break of a lifetime, her faith is put to the test.

Own It mirrors the film by asking what it means to really “own” your personal faith rather than just automatically following in the footsteps of parents, friends, or other influencers. Best-selling authors Hayley and Michael DiMarco help readers understand what to do when faith meets real world challenges.

Without solid beliefs, poor choices are likely to follow. You must take the time to really know who you are, who you are becoming, and who God made you to be. It's your personal faith . . . own it!

REVIEW:
“Grace Unplugged” the novel by Melody Carson is a story with a very believable teenage character in a battle for independence and freedom.   Grace longs to make her own decisions and her own choices and be out from under the reigns of her conservative parents.  “Grace Unplugged” realistically captures the struggles many teens and parents face as children grow up.  The author weaves a wonderful tale that draws the reader to wanting to know how it all turns out in the end.  There is some predictability to the story but there are also some surprises that keep the reader interested to the very end.  I would recommend this for teens as well as parents. 

“Own It Leaving Behind a Borrowed Faith” by Michael and Hayley DiMarco is a must read for any Christian that is seeking to grow in their relationship with the Lord.   This book will challenge the faith of more mature Christians as well as encourage a Christian very young in the Lord.  The authors clearly present what God expects of those that call themselves Christians and want to follow Him.  I very much enjoyed the inserts of real people and their own personal experiences in their walk with the Lord.  I found the book encouraging and challenging which is what every Christian needs.  Well written.

"Grace Unplugged" - the movie - releases October 4 

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About the "Grace Unplugged" Author:  Melody Carlson has sold more than five million books. A professional writer for twenty years, she recently received the Romantic Times Career Achievement Award. Melody has two grown sons and lives with her husband in the Pacific Northwest.

About the "Own It" Authors:  Hayley DiMarco is the best-selling author of more than thirty books including Dateable, Marriable, Mean Girls, and The Woman of Mystery. She has been a featured speaker at Women of Faith, Precept National Women's Conference, and MOPS Intl. among others and has consulted on the creation and enhancement of some of the largest stadium events for teens and young women in North America.
Michael DiMarco is a skillled communicator and teacher who has authored more than a dozen bestselling books including the 2010 Christian Bookof the Year for Youth, B4UD8 (Before You Date). He and his wife, author Hayley DiMarco, have one daughter and live in Nashville, Tennessee. 
(Reviewed by Claudette Delorge)  “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 Commision’s 16 CFR, Part 255: Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.