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Now and Forever (Wild at Heart, #2)
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Romance and suspense in the mountains of Idaho Territory, 1866.

Shannon Wilde, the middle sister, has a soft spot for animals. She cares for her flock of sheep on her homestead. When her life takes a dramatic turn off of a cliff with Matthew Tucker, she finds herself married to the rugged mountain man. Shannon is a strong independent woman who is not used to being protected by a man. But as attacks begin to try and drive her off her land, maybe she needs that protection after all. The attacker picked the wrong family to mess with, Tucker's fury is not something to trifle with. But will he be able to protect the wife that he is falling in love with? Will her past drive a wedge between them? Find out on another adventure with the Wilde family!

Mary Connealy is quickly becoming one of my favorite western authors. Her romantic comedy has a side of action and terror, which makes her books well balanced. Now & Forever is not for squeamish stomachs however. I found myself grimacing as I read through a couple of the scenes. I was hooked from the start though, and I couldn't put it down through all of the action and suspense. It really felt like Criminal Minds meets the Old West as they try to find out who is behind the attacks. I enjoyed watching as Shannon and Tucker's relationship developed, turning into love and respect for one another. After experiencing unbelievable horrors in he Civil War, Shannon's faith is on shaky ground. Tucker helps her through her journey of reestablishing that faith in God. Even with their challenging upbringings and pasts, they learn to work through their differences, becoming a team that is inseparable.

I received a free copy of Now & Forever from Bethany House Publishers in exchange for my honest review.
  
What could possibly go wrong?



Movie star Ben Prescott arrives back in Hollywood after causing a scandal with his ex-girlfriend in Rome. Chased through the airport by paparazzi, he jumps into a limo hoping for a quick getaway. Instead he finds Lily Shaw, a pastor’s daughter and preschool teacher. When the paparazzi capture a photo of the two of them together, Ben’s agent demands that he do whatever it takes to keep the story from hitting the gossip pages . . . even volunteer to work at Lily’s church.

Sparks fly as the movie star and the pastor’s daughter work side by side. When Lily accompanies Ben to the premiere of his latest movie, Hollywood takes notice. Under intense media scrutiny and pressure from the movie industry, Ben must risk his career to follow his heart, but Lily wants the one thing he doesn’t have, faith.

Mission Hollywood is an inspirational story about love, faith, and second chances.



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My Thoughts: This is a wonderful story of learning to trust God in everything. It's learning to let the past go and learning to lean on God for everything. This is a charming story of how God brings two people from different walks of life together, and in the midst of it all, brings Ben back to trusting in God.


A truly wonderful romance novel with a lesson of truth in it. I found the characters to be believable and easy to identify with. The writer has done an excellent job of bringing the reader into the story and connecting with the characters. The plot is fun and keeps the reader interested. I really enjoyed this novel and will look forward to more from Michelle Keener.
  
An Amish Picnic: Four Stories
An Amish Picnic: Four Stories
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Baskets of Sunshine was a sweet book about finding love right in front of you and having the courage to walk in faith. Both of the main characters were fun and relatable, I enjoyed seeing their perspectives on age difference in a relationship. They both overcome the obstacles set before them with minimal fuss and a good dose of forgiveness.

Candlelight Sweethearts had an interesting storyline. The characters had very vivid descriptions and were both very shy and sweet, which made it an obstacle for them to overcome. The characters in this book really grow into themselves by the end of the story.

Reeling in Love was my favorite book in this collection, probably because I can see myself doing several of the things that the main character does. The story was well written, the scenes believable and it made me smile. I can totally see the situations presented happening in real life. Both the characters have struggled to overcome things and hurt feelings to mend, in the end, though they rely on God to help them muddle through.

Picnics and Prospects This was a fun mini mystery story! The characters played well off each other and I really enjoyed getting to know them (I do wish it could have been a longer story, just so I could have gotten to know the characters' stories a little better). Overall, though this was a fun read. Both of the characters had to come to the realization that sometimes first impressions can be wrong and everyone deserves a second chance.

I give these stories 4 out of 5 stars for their creative picnic ideas, the interesting characters, and the themes of faith and forgiveness.
*I volunteered to read this book in return for my honest feedback. The thoughts and opinions expressed within are my own.
  
Three Daughters of Eve
Three Daughters of Eve
Elif Shafak | 2017 | Fiction & Poetry
8
8.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
Wonderfully weaved story of past and present life
Elik Shafak has a beautiful way of writing very delicate narratives. In this case, it's a story about an indecisive Turkish woman reminiscing about her past mistakes and confusions, attempting to reconcile her faith and her disbelief at every given turn.

She is now a housewife with children, when she vowed never to be such, and she has issues with her religion and questioning her belief after living between a devoutly Muslim mother and a secular father. These issues rise up again when she studies a "God" seminar at Oxford and she is pitted against her atheist Iranian friend, her Muslim housemate and her enigmatic older professor.

It is a remarkably contemporary story, weaving political attributes and current affairs. Intriguing but could have a been a little shorter.
  
The BadChristian Podcast
The BadChristian Podcast
Religion & Spirituality
8
9.0 (3 Ratings)
Podcast Rating
Funny (2 more)
Entertaining
Theology Discussions
The language/profanity (0 more)
I love these guys, but the vulgarity is a bit much at times
I've been listening to the Bad Christian Podcast since the first episode. I was a big fan of the band Emery, and two of the hosts are members of that band, while the third is a pastor.


These guys are funny and entertaining and their guests and topics - usually centered on religion, but not always - are timely and interesting. But... through the process of "deconstructing" their faith, they have gone sharply vulgar, and it frequently makes me want to stop listening. I haven't stopped yet, but the temptation is there.

If you can handle "blue" humor and lots of swearing, there's a lot to enjoy here. And if you like emo or screamo music, I definitely suggest listening to Emery.