Love Where You Live by Shauna Pilgreen

Shauna Pilgreen and her family know how to "live sent." What this means is that they know how to serve God in the place where He has sent them. Throughout moves and changes, Shauna and her family learned to adjust and adapt and let God lead the way. Shauna shares that everyone can have this outlook on life. You might not always be in your comfort zone, but you can rejoice in knowing that you are serving God to the best of your ability.

Shauna's message in this book is an important one. Her viewpoint on life and the people that God puts in her path is very admirable. I love her transparency and how she openly shares that though she may not be in the place that she specifically wants to be, she is in the place where God wants her to be. That self-sacrifice is something we all should strive for. I also loved her stories about her neighbors and how she embraced her new community in California. She tells her readers to not wait to be welcomed. Be the welcome that God wants you to be.

While I loved the message that this book offered, I wasn't completely sold on the writing style. I felt like the book was disjointed and all over the place at times. I had trouble with keeping up with whose story was whose. I think this book could have actually been condensed and divided into more than one book. It would be interesting to read about the people in Shauna's life in a more simplified style. However, I did appreciate the section at the end that provided an update on a lot of the people in this book.

Thank you to Revell for the chance to read and review this book!

Winning the Heart of Your Child by Mike Berry

Parenting is hard. But it is one of the most rewarding parts of life. People often say that there is no manual that comes with children. Recently, I heard something very intuitive. There IS a manual for raising children and it's the HOLY BIBLE. And books like Winning the Heart of Your Child by Mike Berry also make a wonderful effort to provide guidance for child-rearing. In this positive parenting book, Berry provides "9 keys to building a positive lifelong relationship with your kids." Berry's advice is so helpful and thought provoking. He takes a candid and relatable approach that changes the way parenting is sometimes portrayed. His positive parenting ideas will be sure to reflect positive results and improvements in children.

I am always up for reading a good parenting book because I can use all the tips I can get! I really enjoyed this book and was able to glean a lot of helpful information from it. I love the author's viewpoint and 9 memorable keys to parenting. I also love the idea of positive parenting. I recognized many parenting mistakes I have been making and I am already using the information I found in this book to help me improve as a positive parent. Thank you so much to Baker Books for the chance to review this book!

When I Pray for You by Matthew Paul Turner

"From the moment I saw you, I started to pray." When I Pray for You is the newest book from best-selling author, Matthew Paul Turner. This book is filled with every parent's prayers and dreams for their children. Parents are often in continuous prayer for their babies and this book shares the silly prayers and the serious prayers. It shares the hard prayers and the simple prayers. It shares that a parent's heart beats for their child throughout every moment. Matthew Paul Turner has created a masterpiece for families.

When I Pray for you is an absolute treasure. It's not just considered a suggested read; it's an essential one. The book will bring its readers to tears. It will cause parents and children to hug a little tighter and love a little deeper. The exceptional illustrations are the perfect match for this sweet story. The attention to detail and diversity in the artwork is also a welcome sight. This is the perfect book for all parents and grandparents to read to their loved ones. It would also be a great book to have on hand for gifting. This book cannot be easily forgotten and it is an instant classic.

Seeking His Love by Carrie Turansky

Seeking His Love is the first book in the Bayside Treasures series by Carrie Turansky. Its setting is Fair Haven, Washington and it follows the life of drama teacher, Rachel Clark. Rachel is getting a fresh start as the director of a children's theater after she is forced to leave her previous job as a teacher. False accusations of an inappropriate relationship with a student has Rachel yearning for normalness in her new city of Fairhaven. When a brooding, handsome stranger named Cam enters the picture, Rachel finds herself in a blossoming romance that is a welcome surprise. However, Rachel and Cam's relationship is not all sunshine and roses and they must both work through the details of their past without losing each other's trust.

"How could she withhold forgiveness when she had been forgiven for so much?" This is a perfect way to sum up the lessons that can be learned in this book. What a great reminder to use in everyday life! Because Jesus has forgiven us, we can also be quick to forgive. Carrie Turansky's writing is always inspirational and her delivery is spot on. I love the dialogue in this book and how the characters are constantly praying and asking God for guidance. We should all strive to have this relationship with God and seek Him first always.

It is an honor to be on the launch team for this sweet book! Thank you to Carrie Turansky and the publisher for the chance to read and review this book!

Grace in the Valley by Heath Adamson

Heath Adamson's book teaches you to "awaken to God's presence when He feels far away" by focusing on each section of the beloved twenty third Psalm. Each chapter takes a piece of scripture and delves into it to provide an inspiring view of daily life. Heath Adamson shares part of his life story in this book and his candid approach is very appreciated. Throughout the pages of this wonderful read, Adamson reminds us that the pasture and the valley are the same place. God is always there and God is always merciful.

I absolutely loved this inspiring book. There were so many helpful tidbits to tuck away in my mind. I love Heath's life story and how he overcame his struggles. I also absolutely love his love story with his wife and I would be very interested to hear their story from her point of view. This deeper look into Psalm 23 was chill and tear inducing and will be a book I will want to read over and over again. I will also be eager to recommend this to family and friends. Thank you so much to Baker Books for giving me the chance to read and review this wonderful book! 5 star review!

Code of Valor by Lynette Eason

Code of Valor is the third book in the Blue Justice series, but it could easily be a standalone book. This installment in the thrilling series focuses on financial crimes investigator Emily Chastain. When Emily is kidnapped and almost killed, Detective Brady St. John steps in to save the day. But saving Emily may be more than Brady can handle because her problems are deeper than what can be seen on the surface.

Code of Valor is at level ten from page one. This book is filled with thrills, mystery, and mayhem.  At times, the drama and action seem overwhelming and my reaction was inconsistent. I prefer a slow build up when reading a thriller, and this one stayed on the extreme level a little bit too much for my tastes. I also found the conclusion to be too confusing. There were too many "bad guys" and the overall ending wasn't memorable. Some readers may also be disturbed by the graphic content in this book. There are many murders throughout with detailed information. However, there is an important lesson to be learned behind the chaos of this story and Emily's character is a light in the darkness. She does something at the end of the story that seals my admiration for her. I won't give that part away, but it was the highlight of this book to me. Thank you to Revell for giving me the chance to read and review this book! These opinions are all my own.

A Light on the Hill by Connilyn Cossette

A Light on the Hill is the first book in the Cities of Refuge series by Connilyn Cossette. This book continues to share the story of Moriyah. Moriyah is still dealing with the shame that she feels due to the terrible scar on her face. She keeps her face covered at all times and tries to keep to herself as much as possible. Her father wants her to be married so he arranges for her to be wed to a man with two sons. However, a chance encounter with a handsome stranger has Moriyah wishing for a different life partner. When Moriyah makes a careless mistake and harm falls upon her future husband's sons, she has to escape to a city of refuge and her handsome stranger finds himself on the journey as well.

Once again, Connilyn Cossette has written a showstopper. I don't think it's possible for her to write a bad book. The amount of research and detail that has gone into this story is astounding. This book had me on the edge of my seat. It's a thrill ride with a side of romance. The characters are well developed and engaging and so interesting to read about. I absolutely loved the relationship between Moriyah and Darek and I can't wait to read more of their story. Thanks so much to Bethany House for the chance to review this wonderful book!