The Ladies of Ivy Cottage by Julie Klassen

Romance is abloom in this historical fiction novel by Julie Klassen. This is the second book in her Tales from Ivy Hill series. The cover art is beautiful and sets the tone for a reading retreat from reality. Any book lover enjoys a story that's set in a book store or a library and that is the case in this Ivy Hill tale. Main character, Rachel Ashford, opens up a circulating library which is a huge success. She also opens up her heart to love as do many of the other characters in this book. This is one of those reads that have several stories within which keeps things interesting. Readers will enjoy experiencing life through the eyes of Rachel and her friends Jane and Mercy, as well as the numerous characters in this book. This book does not work well as a standalone book, so one should read the first book in the series before starting this one. The ending of this book is also abrupt, setting the tone for the next Ivy Hall addition. This is a nice, cozy read and I look forward to reading more books by Julie Klassen. Thank you to Bethany House for sending me a copy of this book to review! These opinions are all my own.

Crack Yourself Up Jokes for Kids by Sandy Silverthorne

Laughter awaits in this super silly book for young jokesters! This humorous collection of jokes is recommended for ages 6-12. There are a wide variety of jokes and funny stories included in this book. Knock knock jokes and backward jokes are some of the highlights as well as the classic "chicken crossing the road" joke. Some of these jokes have been heard before and some of them are fresh and laugh out loud worthy. There are also a few illustrations to add a little something extra.

Sarcasm drips from the pages of this funny read. The jokes are guaranteed to put a smile on the reader's face. Every young student will want a copy of this book to learn new jokes and make their friends and family laugh. This book would definitely sell out at a school book fair. Every day should be filled with laughter and this book can provide that. Thank you to Revell for the advance copy of this book!

Praying God's Promises by Linda Evans Shepherd

Praying God's Promises is an inspirational book that can be used as a devotional or can be read all at once. It focuses on many situations in life that we are often in prayer for. But the special thing about this book is that it teaches "the life-changing power of praying the scriptures." Each chapter has a section that focuses on God's promises that are found in His Word and teaches readers how to apply this to their daily lives. Get your highlighter out, because you are going to need it for this one!

I love how this book puts the words of The Bible in terms that are relatable. This book is very uplifting and can be read over and over again. It is also a great tool for memorizing scripture and strengthening one's prayer life.

The cover of the book is also a perfect portrayal of God's creation. This book would be an asset to daily quiet time and would set the tone for a beautiful, faith-filled day.

Thank you so much to Revell for sending me this book to review! These opinions are all my own.

A Rumored Fortune by Joanna Davidson Politano

This book is wonderful. I had never read anything by this author before and I wasn't sold after reading the synopsis, but it greatly exceeded my expectations. It's a treasure hunt story with a romantic and inspiring twist. Tressa is used to living a more than comfortable life and hasn't ever had to worry about being without. But when her father mysteriously disappears and her family is left with close to nothing, Tressa must find a way to make ends meet all while grieving her missing father. The legendary tale of the fortune that is hidden somewhere in the family's estate has relatives and mere acquaintances coming out of the woodwork. But who can Tressa really trust? And will the fortune ever be found?

There are so many lessons to be learned in this book. The book consistently speaks of a literal vineyard that is on Tressa's family's property while metaphorically comparing it to our lives as God's children. He is constantly pruning us and shaping us so that we can bear the best fruit for Him. This book came to me at the perfect time as it lined up exactly with the devotionals I am reading at this moment. It is such a joy to hear God speaking to me through his Word. I read A Rumored Fortune as an e-book which is not usually my method of choice. But in this particular instance, I was glad that it was an e-book because I used the highlighting feature so much. There were just so many quote worthy moments in this book that I want to share with others.

Thank you so much to Revell for sending me this book to review! I enjoyed it so much.

In This Moment by Karen Kingsbury

Karen Kingsbury just feels like home to me. Her books are reliably well written and guaranteed to be inspiring and memorable. In This Moment is definitely one to remember! This book deals with a very important subject in our world today: freedom of religion. When Principal Quinn starts a Bible study group at his school, he is taking a big chance because not everybody shares his same view on religion. However, Principal Quinn decides to trust God and go for it in order to win lives for Christ and help his students to triumph over the struggles they deal with daily. But when one of the parents decides to sue Principal Quinn, he must stand strong and prove to everyone that his Bible Study group is changing lives and it's all part of God's greater plan. And with Luke Baxter as Principal Quinn's lawyer, justice has a great chance of being served.

It is always great to read another book about The Baxter family. As Karen Kingsbury says, the Baxters are her readers' family as well. The character development is wonderful and each person in the story feels like a real life friend. I also loved that Aspyn from the Angels Walking Series made an appearance in this book!

This book is a gem as are all of Karen's books. You never have to worry about being disappointed or let down after reading one of her books. You are guaranteed to walk away refreshed and closer to Christ.

Thank you to netgalley and Shelf Awareness for the advance copies of this book!

A Broken Kind of Beautiful by Katie Ganshert

This work of art by Katie Ganshert will bring you to tears. Katie has a true talent to touch the hearts of her readers while bringing God's Word to their lives. A Broken Kind of Beautiful is not just a love story between a man and a woman. It's a love story between God and His children. It's a story of finding beauty in our brokenness and finding forgiveness in the midst of our suffering and heartbreak. We all deserve a chance to be loved and the good news is that we are all loved by our Father in heaven.

File this book under "Favorites" and read it over and over again!

Thank you to WaterBrook for the chance to review this wonderful book!

Phoebe's Light by Suzanne Woods Fisher

Phoebe's Light is the first book in the Nantucket Legacy series by Suzanne Woods Fisher. This book takes place in the 17th century with 16th century flashbacks from Mary Coffin's journal. Young Phoebe Starbuck, Mary's great-granddaughter, enters into a hasty marriage with the prestigious Captain Phineas Foulger against her father's wishes. Phoebe soon finds herself to sea with the captain and he is not at all what she expected him to be. Sea life is dreadful and Phoebe finds herself extremely ill from the tossing of the choppy waters. Luckily, she has an unexpected ally on the ship: Matthew Macy the barrel maker. Surprises are around every corner in this book and things are not always what they seem.

I really enjoyed this glimpse into Quaker life from Suzanne Woods Fisher. This book was inspired by real life characters and events which makes it even more interesting. The cover is beautiful and so are the words within. I am not always a fan of variations in time periods, but I thought this book flowed well from one time period to the next. I am really excited that I have the next book in this series in my TBR pile and I can't wait to dive in! Thanks so much to Revell for the opportunity to review this book! These opinions are all my own.