"When Sparrows Fall" by Meg Moseley

Miranda is a widow with six children who is trying to keep things together on her family's remote property in GA. Suddenly, her pastor tells the congregation that God has told him to move everyone to NC. Miranda tries to stand up to him but is told she "shouldn't make waves" and should get ready to sell her property and move. To say that the pastor is legalistic, ultra conservative, and controlling is putting it mildly! Before Miranda can do much about staying put, she has a horrible fall and ends up hospitalized. Enter Jack, her brother-in-law. Jack comes to take care of the children and finds that while they while they are well-mannered and are being home schooled well, much is missing from that education and life. (i.e. computer, freedom in books) He wants to help the children and Miranda as well. Together Miranda and Jack work for the best of the children, disagreeing many times, and find more is in store for themselves. Can Jack help Miranda move from the ultra conservative life she is living enough to breathe? Will she ever get past the ghosts of her past? Can they find peace and love together? And what about Pastor Mason - will he move the group away?

This is the type of book that has me yelling "Run!" to the characters. It is hard to believe that these harsh belief systems still exist today, and Meg Moseley writes about it with compassion and clarity. I loved the characters, especially the children, and loved watching them as the little, subtle changes occurred. Trust was one thing that I watched grow through the story. This book will make a wonderful gift for an individual reader, but groups will also find this book has a wealth of discussion topics. Thank you to the Blogging For Books program for the opportunity to read and review this book.

"The Seraph Seal" by Leonard Sweet and Lori Wagner

"Then, really knowing something, being aware of something, means simply to be open to God's possibilities..." pg. 391

"The Seraph Seal" by Leonard Sweet and Lori Wagner is an apocalyptic thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat as you wait for the next shoe to drop. 21 December 2012, the date eight special people are born, each with a special birthmark. Thirty six years later, the earth is dying and the eight find they have choices to make. Two groups of four must come together, one group wanting to lead people to safety, the other desirous of power and glory. Paul Binder is the catalyst. As the earth quakes, seas cover the land, and the sun breaks through the atmosphere burning everyone in its path, Paul and his small group of new friends race against time to uncover the hidden truths of history. Will they be in time? What happens to the other four? Can the world truly be coming to judgment at God's hands?

For me, this book is a cross between the "Left Behind" series and "The DaVinci Code." I loved the fast paced story line and the movements between locations in the world. The quotations at the beginning of each section gave hints to what was coming. It was a good thing that I was on vacation when I got my free copy from the Book Sneeze program, because I couldn't put it down! The story raced to an unexpected end. Well done! This book is great for individual readers, but will also work for groups because the discussion opportunities are limitless. Thank you, Book Sneeze for the opportunity to read and review this book!

"The Samaritan" by Stephen Besecker

What would you do if the person you loved was suddenly murdered and you had the "power" to track the killers down? Would you look to be the exacter of justice, or would you let the police take care of things? Kevin Easter is in that spot. His wife has been murdered and he wants revenge. He is a tracker with superior skills, but is it Kevin who roams the streets looking for the guilty? Or, is that what the killer wants the police to think? As their city continues to be embroiled in violence that threatens to overtake it, the police need to find the answer to the question, and fast!

This book gives the reader quite a ride. It is action and suspense from beginning to end, and you will find yourself questioning your own thoughts as you go along. The story is well told with vibrantly alive characters. I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys crime/suspense/thriller books! Thank you to Net Galley for the copy I read on my Nook. I can't wait to read more by this author.

"Keys to the Kingdom" by Senator Bob Graham

John Billington, a former Senator, is murdered on the eve of his meeting with Tony Ramos, a State Dept. analyst and former member of Mr. Billington's staff. The who and why of that murder is pivotal in this novel by Senator Bob Graham. "Keys to the Kingdom" is an international, political thriller dealing with Saudi Arabia, Afghanistan, Switzerland, the United States, and more; and what any of them had to do with 9/11. Tony is given information from the former Senator and finds that he is tasked with finding out who knew what about 9/11 and when they knew it. An unlikely partner for Tony is Laura, Senator Billington's estranged daughter.  The mystery and plot thicken as the reader turns each page, ultimately leading to information about nuclear devices. Why did Senator Billington trust Tony so much? Who was behind his murder? Will Laura help solve the puzzle and get back on solid footing with her family? Who has the nuclear devices and where do they want to detonate them?

This fast-paced political thriller held my attention all the way through. I had to keep reminding myself that it is a novel and the characters fictitious. If you enjoy political thrillers, this is a book you will enjoy. It could also make for some interesting book group discussions. Thank you to FSB Media for my copy and the opportunity to review this book.

"The One Day Way" by Chantel Hobbs

"Don't get stuck in guilt or regret or blame. Choose to be extraordinary, and learn how to see each day's trials and disappointments as serendipity instead of setbacks." pg. 84

Weight loss is a struggle for many of us. In this book, Chantel Hobbs lays out some practical suggestions to help us on our way. It isn't about dieting. It isn't about blame. It is about change and the process of building what you want. Nothing worth doing is easy, but the suggestions and principles in this book encourage the reader that they are not alone and that they can do it. The three essential building materials of this book are faith, food, and fitness. The faith section deals with believing that you can make things happen. The food section has some wonderful meal plans. The fitness section is filled with exercises laid out in easy to follow instructions and photographs. The three building blocks will help you reach, and maintain, your goal of a healthy life.

I enjoyed reading this book and look forward to continuing with the principles. I found the exercises challenging, but easy to follow; and the meal plans were realistic. I also liked her "Ten Commandments" - boy, do they make sense! If you have had a hard time losing weight or even believing that you can, this book will be worth your time and energy. Thank you to the Blogging for Books program for my copy of the book!

"The Skin Map" by Stephen R. Lawhead

Kit Livingstone leads a very boring life and you can see that clearly in his choice of his boring girlfriend, Wilhemina. Boring until the day Kit meets his great-grandfather, Cosimo, (supposedly long dead) while on his way to see Mina. This meeting changes his life completely. Kit begins to learn about "Ley Lines", parallel universes, and travel portals. He tried to explain this to Wilhemina; he even tried to take her with him. All that did was result in Wilhemina landing in another place and time; a place where she needs to find a way to survive. Kit and Cosimo begin to look for her, but their most important task is finding the "skin map." This powerful map was created by a man who mapped out all of the ley lines on his body. But, they are not the only ones looking for the map. Who will find the map first?  Will they find Wilhemina? What will happen between Mina and Etzel? Is it alright to move around in time and tweak events?

I had a hard time getting into this book, although I now want to read the rest of the series to find out how it ends. The story is set in England and jumped around too much for me. I did, however, get the hang of it about half way through. I recommend this book to those who love fantasy/sci-fi books. Thank you to the Book Sneeze program for my copy of the book! I loved reading it on my Nook.

"#1 Ghost Diamond" by Michael Broad

Amelia Kidd fancies herself a secret agent. As such, Agent Amelia is always inventing new things to help her solve suspicious cases. She is always on the look out for things that are odd and out of the ordinary, as well as people who are acting funny. In this book, Amelia solves three cases: "The Case of the Ghost Diamond," "The Case of the Catnappers," and "The Case of the Whispering Weeds." Amelia's disguises and gadgets enable her to figure out who might want to steal the ghost diamond, who is stealing all the neighborhood cats and why, and the why and how of someone wanting weeds to take over the land. The pictures included in my "uncorrected proof" were a great addition to the story, and I hope they will be in the final edition.

This book is designed to hit the imagination and detective skills of children from the age of about seven to ten or eleven. It will make a great book for either parents to read to their children, or for children to practice their reading skills. It will also help children use their imagination as they put themselves in Amelia's shoes to solve the case before she does. This book will make a great gift for the children in your life when it comes out later this year. Thank you to Net Galley for my copy!