Yes and Amen (w/ spontaneous) - Pat Barrett | Bethel Music & Housefires

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Greek Style Knitting

Knitting in the Portuguese Style - KDTV 307 with Andrea Wong

BOOK REVIEW- SON OF THE SHEIK

Someone is threatening to expose Sara Elliott's secret. After draining her bank account, she flees to Morocco to face the one man she fears, the only man who can truly protect her son. Sheik Talib Al-Nassar has money and power beyond compare, but nothing could prepare him for seeing his ex, especially in his homeland. Though suspicious of this reunion, he would do anything to shield her and her little boy from further danger. He welcomes them to his family compound, but Talib's shelter has a price of its own. Like Sara's blackmailer, he desires only one thing: the truth about her son… AMAZON 4 STARS will be my rating when Amazon opens it up to reviews on June 1, 2017.  


What a dramatic start to the book; it grabs your attention right away. And Talib?   He just might be the greatest King of Denial.  Or is that Sheik of Denial? That impression comes into focus pretty early in the book.  The first couple of chapters actually.  We can see the way he thinks because both of the main characters have their P.O.V.'s shown in the story.  It was done smoothly. We can see how if something is uncomfortable and he doesn't want to deal with it, he finds it fairly easy to push it back  Out of sight and out of mind.  The breakup between Sara and Talib was pretty rough; even Talib  finally admits that to himself.  
There are also glimpses into the thoughts and motives of several of the bad guys too.   They just don't stop.  Greed and hatred are the driving motives, which is a relentless force in this story.   There is some romance between Sara and Talib but they are kept busy just trying to find out who is chasing and threatening Sara and Everett.   Not to worry though, you can clearly see that the feelings are still there.  They just have to work through some of the anger, hurt and resentment that is also there.  Personally, I probably would have liked to see a bit more romance.  I am glad though that this is not a book where you have to skip past pages of  sex.  
It does feel like the story slows down a bit several times but over all a fairly good chase story.

I received a complimentary copy of this book and this is my opinion of it.

Citizen Way - When I'm With You (Official Lyric Video)

Kenneth Copeland Ministries - Does God still heal today?

Kenneth Copeland Ministries - Does God still heal today?



Also meaning of, Soteria...

Gloria Copeland has taught that the Greek word for salvation, “soteria,” includes the vast richness of the Hebrew word, “shalom” or peace. The word “shalom” means completeness, wholeness, peace, health, welfare, safety, soundness, tranquility, prosperity, perfectness, fullness, rest, harmony, absence of agitation or discord, to be complete, perfect and full.

Complete wholeness with “nothing missing, nothing broken” is part of the covenant of salvation and peace we have received through Jesus. Isaiah 53:5 said the chastisement necessary to bring us this wholeness was laid upon Jesus. His peace encompasses every area of life—including physical healing.

- See more at: http://www.kcm.org/read/questions/does-god-still-heal-today#sthash.SaiKjUuo.dpuf

How to Awaken the Treasure Within You | Interview with Jeremy Lopez [Podcast]

How to Awaken the Treasure Within You | Interview with Jeremy Lopez [Podcast]: Do you ever feel a little stuck in the process of achieving your full potential? You know God made you with a special purpose in mind. You may even have gotten prophetic words that give you a clearer picture of what He has in store for your future. But you still feel like it’s taking   …Read Full Post

God's Presence Sustains Prophetic People- Ryan LeStrange

Prophetic People are Presence People! 
Ryan LeStrange Link  

Steps to Turn Around Nightmares or Bad Dreams

Steps to Turn Around Nightmares or Bad Dreams: People are having nightmares all the time and often they are recurring. I had a recurring nightmare from age twelve to nineteen where I would be dreaming and suddenly there would be a strong evil presence. Gripped with fear, I tried to run but would be stuck or only able to move in slow motion. I would find myself running through my house screaming at the top of my lungs. Living with me was interesting!

Wonderful Counsel from God by Journaling about a Dream

Wonderful Counsel from God by Journaling about a Dream

Fresh Outpouring // Kim Walker Smith // New Song Cafe

Kenneth Copeland Ministries - God Is 100 Percent on Your Side

Kenneth Copeland Ministries - God Is 100 Percent on Your Side

CROCHET: How to crochet the Waffle stitch | Bella Coco

What Living in the Kingdom means to your current situation- G. Cooke

Every circumstance is loaded with upgrades, we just have to learn how to look for and expect them.4

When I say upgrade, I am referring to an increase or improvement in your current life situations.

I know there are hundreds of these “improvements” just wanting to for us to claim. When we live life with Jesus, we must learn to look for these upgrades or we may miss out on the blessings that He has for us.

In order to start thinking like this, we must understand that all of our circumstances have to bring us a gift.1 Since we belong to Jesus, all our circumstances are in Him and He is in them for the purpose of giving us things.

Because we are in the Kingdom now, we are subject to a different level of sovereignty. This means that nothing can bring us down, but everything can take us up.10

We are Kingdom people, and it’s time we start thinking and living in a Kingdom way.

The next time you are facing a tough situation, consider saying,

“I am a Kingdom person. This has to bow the knee. I am going to stay standing until this situation yields me to what God wants me to have, and I am not being moved away from my hope in the Gospel.”9

This is a mindset, and a mind set on the Spirit is life and peace.

We just have to learn how to use our current circumstances to get those unclaimed upgrades in terms of faith, authority, identity, the fruit of the Spirit, blessings, and favor. Difficulties, problems and circumstances are meant to continue our walk of happiness and joy. They are not meant to deprive us of the fruit of the Spirit, rather bring increase.

Did you know that a problem can actually increase our patience, joy, peace, and our sense of being?1

Several years ago, I had a situation that really was about an upgrade in patience. This particular situation ran for seven months, and in that time period, I stored up enough patience for a small company of people! 

About six months later, I hit a situation that went on for another five months and required supernatural amounts of my patience. It was an unrelenting every-single-day battle!

I totally won because my patience allowed me to do so. I came out of it with upgrades in the Spirit, new friends, some cash and all I did was use the patience I had stored up!   LINK

A Recipe for Your Daily Quiet Time - Kenneth Copeland Ministries Blog

A Recipe for Your Daily Quiet Time - Kenneth Copeland Ministries Blog: Have you ever tried to have a quiet time with God, but not sure what to do? This guide will lead you step-by-step with a recipe for your daily quiet time.

What Do You Say? Why the Words You Speak Matter - Kenneth Copeland Ministries Blog

What Do You Say? Why the Words You Speak Matter - Kenneth Copeland Ministries Blog: Find out why the words you speak can make the different between life and death, healing and sickness, poverty and prosperity, joy and depression.

Training In Favour As A Lifestyle ~ Graham Cooke

God, What Do You Want To Be For Me Now?

 

In the world, we learn to work towards something, but in the kingdom we are learning to work FROM the place that is already given to us in Jesus.

In kingdom learning, the outcome is always defined first.

God often shows us the end result and then invites us to see it with Him. He gives us the opportunity to join Him in the process of seeing it unfold in our lives. He loves showing us who He is making us into and what He is doing.

Once He shows us the outcome, then we get to engage with the process of seeing that end result established in our lives. His goal is for us to master these lessons, so we don’t have to repeat them again and again.

Our job is to focus on what He wants to be for us right now in the midst of our circumstances and to love the process of learning!

So let’s ask God today, “What do you want to be for me now?” This question is absolutely key in our journey!  LINK

Kenneth Copeland Ministries - Prepare for a Supernatural Move of God

Kenneth Copeland Ministries - Prepare for a Supernatural Move of God

Don't Let Your Past Hold You Back From His Future-Graham Cooke

God wants to clear ground in our lives to make room for His promises and future plans. He wants to heal our past so we can live in our future. But sometimes we can’t move into the future because pain is present in our lives.

Everyone of us, without exception, have experienced a level of pain, hurt, and disappointment in life. For some of us, it could go back to unfortunate childhood experiences. For others, it may be a more recent event. Regardless, these are wounds, small or large, that can affect us everyday. They cloud our future, making it impossible to embrace God as Father and live in our promises.

The point being, they have to go; they have to be healed!  LINK

It is God’s intention that you become as He is, whole and complete.

We must learn to get healed as we go; we must become intimately acquainted with His healing process and intentionality in our lives. When you get a healed a few times, you realize that the whole point of getting ‘wounded,’ was to experience the pleasure of being healed.7

I want us to experience the fullness of who the Father is, because He absolutely adores us and we need to experience that.

If you are facing any current pain or “stuckness,” let Him touch you right where you are at. He is waiting to refresh and renew you. He is giving you joy, peace, and wholeness in exchange for pain, anxiety, and sadness.9

If interested in experiencing the Father’s healing in this way, meditate on this word from the Lord. Hear His desire to heal you and bring you into a brilliant future:

Beloved, there is a spirit of refreshing that is going to follow you, so give yourself to it physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. Come and return to the place of joy and laugher, and I will overcome your staleness.

I give Myself to you. I favor you. Come, return to My favor, joy, laughter, and happiness. Come and bask in my goodness, kindness, and mercy. Everything about Me is for you! Everything that I am is for you. All that I have is for you. My heart is towards you.

I am listening! Talk to Me. Tell Me your innermost heart. Tell Me your fears and your concerns. I am with you. I am for you. Nothing is too small that I could not be interested in you. Every facet of your life belongs to me because you belong to Me. You are My possession. So relax in My river.

I have got plans to give you confidence to bring you into a place of such incredible trust and faith that you will live the life of an overcomer. I plan to totally change your internal state so that I live on the inside of you in strength, power, and majesty.

I will change your internal state from fear to love, from anxiety to peace, from misery to laughter, from weariness to refreshing. You will find yourself thinking the way I think, seeing the way I see, believing the way I believe, becoming who I am. That is my intention that you would become even as I am, and the world will know you differently for you will be different. So, Beloved, rest and be at peace.

I hope you encounter His healing touch today!

Prophetic Word about God Resurrection in You

My heart is burning and overflowing for you to step out the cave, step into your new and pull down the payback God has for you. This is a prophetic word God gave me for this NOW hour.

Take hold of it and press in. The word is just below.
HERE IS THE PROPHETIC WORD

“I’m going to resurrect some things. In this season in your life, I’m going to resurrect some things. Just like I resurrected my Son from the dead, there are some dead things in your life, and I’m wanting to resurrect them. So seek Me, “says the Lord, “and listen for my voice, because there will be some distractions that come your way that cause you to go after a resurrection in an area that I’m not calling you to pursue, and that will cause you to go after a resurrection in a stream that I have not called you to run in. There are some things indeed,” says God, “that you need to leave behind, that you need to cut loose, and that you need to let go. But there are some things that I’m going to resurrect in your life...even some dreams, some visions, some things that I spoke to your heart many years ago.”

I thank You, Lord. If You could raise Jesus from the dead...if you could raise us up into newness of life, God, You can resurrect our dreams. You can resurrect our hopes. You can resurrect!

Somebody feels like you are about to lose all faith because the enemy has attacked your hope. The enemy has come in like a flood to confuse you and to confound you, but the Lord says, “Hold on to your faith. Hold on to your hope, because I’m about to do a new thing in your life. I’m about to come around full circle in your life. I’m about to take you to a higher place, and that is why the enemy is trying to crush you. That is why the enemy is trying to press you down. That is why the enemy is trying to hold you back. That’s why it seems like every time you take a breath, every time you take a step, and every time you try to regroup yourself, something else comes to knock the wind out of you.

But the Lord says today, “Ride the Wind. Ride the wind of My Spirit. Ride the wind of My Son. Ride the wind of My Word. Ride the wind because I am in the wind. I’m  blowing away things from that past season in your life, and I’m blowing things in that should never have been taken away from you.”

Oh God, thank You, it’s part of the payback. It’s part of the payback. I thank you, Lord. It’s part of the payback. I say the resurrection of your dreams is part of the payback. Oh, you’re gonna see the first fruits of it. You’re gonna see that little trickle, and then it’s gonna come like a flood. Look for the trickle. Look for the first fruit. Look for the obvious signs and the not so obvious signs. Oh, I thank You, Father, for what You are doing.

Prophecy: Trade Your Discouragement for Determination - Jennifer LeClaire Ministries

Prophecy: Trade Your Discouragement for Determination - Jennifer LeClaire Ministries

Prophecy: Payback—the Angels Are Troubling the Water - Jennifer LeClaire Ministries

Prophecy: Payback—the Angels Are Troubling the Water - Jennifer LeClaire Ministries

Singing for 10 Minutes

Our REAL Battle is with Expectation by Graham Cooke

Deep down, we all aspire to great things but can easily feel daunted by the process of achieving them. Whether we are experiencing doubt, discouragement, or hopelessness around our dreams, the key is to learn how to raise our level of expectation.

With God, the gap between aspiration and achievement is simply development.4

This process begins when we know who Jesus is for us, and it is concluded when we know who we are in Him.

Our life circumstances are teaching us to expect more from God, to choose hope, even when we feel it lacking from our lives. He is continually inviting us to move beyond just wishful thinking and into partnering on a plan to make our dreams, realities. Yet…

Our real battle is with expectation.

Hope is the favorable and confident expectation of good. It gives us the capacity to look forward with assurance14 and partner with God in the fullness of all He intends for us. This type of thinking causes us to cultivate the power of expectation into a lifestyle in Christ.

This is a place of abiding where God’s enormous, outrageous expectation of goodness towards us may lift us into the place of power and confidence in Him. Having such an encounter with expectation will engulf our circumstances and overwhelm our hearts.

Our life in Him is the triumph of majesty over mediocrity. In this process, the Father is absolutely delighted to make us exactly like Jesus.4 The Son has paid the price for our elevation and upgrade, and the Holy Spirit is the genius who makes it all work.

They (Father, Son & Holy Spirit) are waiting for us to increase our expectation and upgrade our hope!  LINK

BOOK REVIEW- THE TENDER STRANGER

Trust No One

To her sorrow, Erin Wentworth had learned that lesson all too well when her society marriage had proved a sham. Now widowed and pregnant, she wanted only to escape the memories. But fate, in the form of Quinn Yarborough, had followed her to her mountain hideaway to resurrect the past—and offer her a future….

A Breed Apart

Bounty hunter Quinn Yarborough knew he had come face-to-face with a quarry unlike any other, for runaway widow Erin Wentworth was a prize beyond any price. And his heart ached to claim her as his very own….AMAZON 4 STARS

I enjoyed this book.  Lots of emotion, tenderness and also lots of action too.  Erin is a woman on her own and people just feel like that makes her a target to misuse. So as you can guess that causes a lot of problems that have to be overcome as well.   Well, not everyone tries to misuse her. There has been people who have been good to her in the town (of Pine Creek) that is closest to her mountain hide-out. That added interesting secondary characters. 

I liked how the relationship between Erin and Quinn developed.  And yes, he was a tender person towards her but also a strong man as well.  As much as Erin tried to live independently, she needed him and he was there for her.   As time goes on, she begins to have his back as well.  

Only here will I say, that because of a situation, they end up getting married and his tender wooing begins. 

BOOK REVIEW- SHEIK'S RULE by Ryshia Kennie

He's an investigator on a mission, but it's impossible to ignore the brilliant woman helping him complete it… 

His sister's life is at stake, and despite his wealth and power, Sheik Emir Al-Nassar feels helpless. At least heading his family's security agency provides him with resources to track down her kidnappers. But when the ace profiler he's sent turns out to be K. J.—Kate—Gelinsky, Emir is furious. Finding the kidnappers' desert hideout is dangerous enough without the distraction of a beautiful woman. 

But K.J. is unlike any woman he's ever known. Her fearlessness and incisive mind inspires Emir's admiration. And her compassion breaches his guarded heart. Still, rescuing his sister is a perilous mission. And allowing desire to cloud his focus AMAZON 4 STARS

Quite the interesting and dramatic first meeting between Emir and K.J.  She made me smile at her reaction to his challenge.  And his shock and surprise was smile worth too.
 There is plenty of mystery and tension to the story. Emir's sister Tara gets snatched outside their compound and the clues are few.  The "Who?" and the "Where is she?" being the main problem that needs to be answered.   Emir was a good, smart investigator but this was his sister and he knew that would color his ability to cope well.  K.J. brought fresh eyes to the situation, and she was exceptionally observant, picking up small clues.  She also had more experience with kidnapping cases although she had been at this agency a shorter amount of time.  Still she got sent because she was one of the best.

The main focus of the story will be the search for Tara but we also get to see it from Tara's viewpoint at times as well.  The nice thing is that there is romance of a sort between Emir and K.J.  But it was put on the back burner for the most part because of the seriousness of the chase to find Tara. Alive, hopefully.  Don't be disappointed about the lack of a lot of romance though because we do get to see the building of attraction, respect and the having each other's back as partners. 

Tara also has other brothers who are frantic to find her and are ready to tear apart the culprits when they find them.  The strong sense of family is definitely there. 

Watch for a pretty major twist at the end.  It was a good one.  One that I was beginning to suspect but it didn't make it any less good.


I received a free copy of this book and this is my honest opinion of it. 

Oceans - Bethel Church - Jenn Johnson

Kim Walker-Smith - Throne Room

Kim Walker-Smith - Glimpse (Lyric Video)

Crochet Hook Conversion Chart- US/UK

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CROCHET SYMBOLS CHART

Bethel Music Moment: Find Me - Jenn Johnson

Find Me // Official Lyric Video // Jonathan & Melissa Helser

Catch The Wind // Official Lyric Video // Jonathan & Melissa Helser

Beautiful Surrender // Official Lyric Video // Jonathan & Melissa Helser

BOOK REVIEW- THE COURTESAN DUCHESS by Joanna Shupe

Can a bold-faced lie lead to everlasting love? One by one, the impetuous heroines in the Wicked Deceptions series intend to find out, each in her unique way. . .

How to seduce an estranged husband--and banish debt!--in four wickedly improper, shockingly pleasurable steps... 

1. Learn the most intimate secrets of London's leading courtesan. 

2. Pretend to be a courtesan yourself, using the name Juliet Leighton. 

3. Travel to Venice and locate said husband. 

4. Seduce husband, conceive an heir, and voila, your future is secure! 

For Julia, the Duchess of Colton, such a ruse promises to be foolproof. After all, her husband has not bothered to lay eyes on her in eight years, since their hasty wedding day when she was only sixteen. But what begins as a tempestuous flirtation escalates into full-blown passion--and the feeling is mutual! Could the man the Courtesan Duchess married actually turn out to be the love of her life?  AMAZON  4 STARS


I liked this unusual book but also realize its not for everyone.  And I will say right off the bat that there is plenty of detailed sex.  Marital sex but still pretty detailed.  After all, we did get warned that Julia was going to seduce her husband Nick like a courtesan.  It was smile worthy, the lengths that she went to and how prepared she made herself.  Nick and Julia (Juliet) were both strong, stubborn really good characters.  Eight years though?  Wow, that's a long time to just leave a wife and not look back.  
Nick had quite the rotten childhood and his parents didn't expect him to amount to much and he rose to their low expectations.  He made it his mission.  Even his becoming knows as The Depraved Duke, added to the smack in the face to his parents that he desired.  It was just an added bonus for him.

There really is a good story-line with several things going on beyond just the attraction and seduction.  Also some really good secondary people.  Simon  Winchester is Nick's close friend who doesn't agree with Nick's treatment of Julia and has tried to talk him into going home to England.   Julia's Aunt Theo always had her back and was quite a "character" all on her own.  And yes, I did say that with a double meaning too.  Fitz is Nick's bodyguard friend who although being loyal to him also doesn't spare his words when truth is needed.  

There are several surprises and twists and turns towards the end.
One other thing that I enjoyed was the notes at the beginning of each chapter.  There were quick short,notes from Miss Pearl Kelly to the Duchess of Colton.  Pearl being the true courtesan who helped Julia. 

BOOK REVIEW- KISS OF THE HIGHLANDER

 
A laird trapped between centuries...
Enchanted by a powerful spell, Highland laird Drustan MacKeltar slumbered for nearly five centuries hidden deep in a cave, until an unlikely savior awakened him. The enticing lass who dressed and spoke like no woman he’d ever known was from his distant future, where crumbled ruins were all that remained of his vanished world. Drustan knew he had to return to his own century if he was to save his people from a terrible fate. And he needed the bewitching woman by his side....

A woman changed forever in his arms...
Gwen Cassidy had come to Scotland to shake up her humdrum life and, just maybe, meet a man. How could she have known that a tumble down a Highland ravine would send her plunging into an underground cavern — to land atop the most devastatingly seductive man she’d ever seen? Or that once he’d kissed her, he wouldn’t let her go? 

Bound to Drustan by a passion stronger than time, Gwen is swept back to sixteenth-century Scotland, where a treacherous enemy plots against them ... and where a warrior with the power to change history will defy time itself for the woman he loves....AMAZON (4 STARS)

What a clever story.  With totally likable people; unique and SO interesting.    I laughed so many times, especially when Gwen went toe to toe with Drustan.  Yes, she thought he was HOT but she also wasn't going to be messed with about being tiny in stature.  "Wee" even, especially standing next to the very large, very manly Drustan. She was genius level smart but her social life had been severely controlled by her parents until more recently.  They celebrated, delighted in and took credit for her mental capabilities but when it came to a normal childhood with expressions of love?  That was sorely lacking.  She was also still a virgin at 25 years old, something that she was looking to cure.  Although some of her thoughts about that were definitely risque, they were also incredibly funny.  She had a way of putting things that were really outside of the norm.  
And Drustan?  He fell hard for Gwen the minute he spotted her.  Well their first meeting was kind of memorable.  There is a lot of attempted seducing going on.   Gwen wanted to shake up her life and she really does get her fondest wish, among other ones too.  As they spent more time together they found more and more things about each other that they admired.  And not just physcially either.  Although that is there and several sexual scenes as well.  
While trying not to give to much away, I really did like Drustan's father (Silvan) his brother (Dageus) and their housekeeper, Nell.  

On another note, prepare to be surprised at least a time or two because there are several earth-shaking twists in the book.  And several of them happen towards the end of the book too.  

Safari Animated TV Commercial | Sherwin-Williams

BOOK REVIEW- TREASURED GRACE

Tracie Peterson Begins Compelling New Series Set on the 1840s Frontier
 
  Grace Martindale has known more than her share of hardship. After her parents died, raising her two younger sisters became her responsibility. A hasty marriage to a minister who is heading to the untamed West seemed like an opportunity for a fresh start, but a cholera outbreak along the wagon trail has left Grace a widow in a very precarious position.

Having learned natural remedies and midwifery from her mother, Grace seeks an opportunity to use her skills for the benefit of others. So when she and her sisters arrive at the Whitman mission in "Oregon Country," she decides to stay rather than push on. 

With the help of Alex Armistead, a French-American fur trapper, Grace begins to provide care for her neighbors, including some of the native populace. But not everyone welcomes her skills--or her presence--and soon Grace finds herself and those she loves in more danger than she imagined possible AMAZON  4 STARS


This was a good story just not one that was always easy to read because of what took place in some of it. 
This book had good main characters and also showed how tough frontier life was. Grace's sisters Hope and Mercy were also an important part of the story.  And Grace did a lot to help raise and protect her sisters.  A case in point is that non-love match to the overbearing, arrogant minister. Being called the Right Reverend, even by his wife is a telling and pretty accurate picture of who he was. Even though he isn't in the book for very long his sense of entitlement comes through pretty clearly. 
Alex friends,  Sam and Gabriel were a welcome addition and they all had been friends for many years.  Another major player was Dr. Whitman  and although he did a lot of good,  and cared about people, he also had an arrogance of a different kind.  It also brings trouble to his doors.  Dr. Whitman disapproved of Grace using her "so-called" skills and set himself up as the ultimate authority when it came to healing because he had the doctor certificate.  Something that he tried to use to make Grace stop her ministering healing and made Grace go toe to toe with him in the beginning.  She knew that it had its uses and that it was a gift from God.  It was also a knowledge, a heritage that had been handed down through several generations.  
There are plenty of difficulties, sorrow and violence and some anger at God but there is also neighbor helping neighbor. There was of course good and evil on both sides of the races.  It was good to see that not all of the Indians were murders.  I was saddened when Sam began to see that the life that he had lived was going to change for the worse and that his people and his children most likely would not live free anymore.  This is not a light story but it does have some overcoming to it.  It also shows the struggles that people often struggle with today.  "How can God allow such evil to happen?" 

On a final note or two, this book also shows the agony that Alex has been dealing with/running from in his past. 
How Grace got her name was a nice touch and helped explain the title of the book. 


The author placed a nice salute to doing her research in the short "Note to Reader". And also gave a nice dedication to the rangers of the U.S. National Park Service at the Whitman Mission.  They helped her keep it as authentic as possible.

I received a copy of this book via Bethany House and this is my honest opinion of it. 

Gethsemane - Claire Ryann at 3 Years Old

BOOK REVIEW- DARK VENGEANCE by Susan Vaughan

 
Which is deadlier—the deaths he can’t forget or the danger she can’t remember?
DARK Officer Jack Thorne joined the antiterrorism task force for one reason only—to exact revenge on the smuggler responsible for the tragedy that haunts him. Vacationing in Italy, Sophie Rinaldi overhears her host plotting to sell weapons-grade uranium to terrorists. She flees, but the man’s car strikes her. She ends up in the hospital, the last crucial weeks erased from her mind—and still a target for murder. Whether Sophie is an accomplice or merely a witness, to find out what she knows, Jack must keep her safe.
As Sophie and Jack race to stay ahead of hired killers, they find it impossible to deny their growing attraction. Jack is torn between his longing for Sophie and his pledge of vengeance. And how can Sophie fall for this tormented man who doesn’t trust her?
If she regains her memory, what she knows could destroy them both…AMAZON  4 STARS


This book starts out in a way that grabs your attention right away.  You get a really good bead on what kind of guy Sebastian Vadim is pretty quickly.  Is that his real name or one of his many aliases? 

Jack Thorne and Sophie Rinaldi are both good main characters.  You get a really good idea of how scary it is for Sophie not only because of her painful injuries but also the fact that so much of her memory is missing.  Jack isn't so sure that her memory loss is for real but he desperately needs her to remember if it is true.  I like how they each got the measure of the other after awhile.  She saw Jack as a hard man, a strong one.  Who might not be considered handsome but he was so very male.  Jack began to see that Sophie had a tough core that came to her rescue when she needed it.  For the most part she appeared beautiful, fragile and easy to get along with.  But she also had courage and she cared about people.    Where she was outgoing, Jack had a wall of protection up almost all the time.  He had a whole lot of pain behind that wall.  But Sophie does begin to weaken that wall but it isn't easy and it isn't quick.  Sophie does bring something else valuable to the table; she can speak Italian like a native and Jack can't.  

As the two of them are running for their lives, we also get to experience some of the sights and some of the history of Italy.  A Vendetta is something that is also driving Jack and his hatred of Sebastian Vadim runs deep.  Part of the story has to do with his doing his job on the task force and also his running his enemy into the ground.  
The action gets intense and the people after Jack and Sophie increase in number and set-ups. 
But the good guys win and Jack and Sophie overcome the odds against them, but you'll have to read it to see how that all comes about. 

I was given a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Hollyn - In Awe (Official Lyric Video)

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9 Amazing Uses for Apple Cider Vinegar

BOOK REVIEW- DOUBLE DOWN by Fern Michaels

For the first time the menfolk are stepping out of the pages of #1 New York Times bestselling author Fern Michaels’ beloved Sisterhood series and into the spotlight…

After years of standing by their women, the Sisterhood’s significant others have also become loyal friends. And now Jack Emery, Nikki’s husband, has enlisted Ted, Joe, Jay, Bert, Dennis, and Abner to form a top-secret organization known as BOLO Consultants.

Jack has two missions in mind. The first: offering some behind-the-scenes help to Nikki’s law firm as they take on the all-powerful Andover Pharmaceuticals. Andover’s anti-leukemia drug causes terrible side effects in young patients, but a class-action suit seems doomed to fail. BOLO Consultants have a prescription to cure that. Meanwhile, Virginia’s lieutenant governor has a sideline as a slum landlord, and his impoverished tenants are suffering. Tyler Sandford believes his status puts him above the law. But when the Sisterhood and their allies decide to get involved, no one is beyond the reach of true justice… AMAZON 4 STARS

Since I have read all of the Sisterhood books, it took me a minute or two to figure out exactly when  this group was started.  What had been going on some books back.  It wasn't really all that hard though. I don't think it would be too hard for a reader who has this as their first book.  I think maybe it could be read as a stand-alone.  Maybe. 
This is 3 stories in one. Book #1- Upside Down, Book #2 Count Down, Book #3 Take Down.  
In the first one, Maggie crosses the line when it comes to trying to ferret out the secret that the "boys" are hiding.  She follows her gut that tells her there's more and her famous (or infamous) curiosity is stirred.  Plus she is hurt by the feeling of being shut out of their lives and the feeling of others in the sisterhood being to busy to be a part of her life.  In other words, she's hurting.  This story does focus on that and the establishment of the BOLO team .  They attack the slumlords as their first case together and it has some interesting assistance from some of the people living in the neighborhood too.
Jack also is worried about Nikki and the 3 class-action suits that she has taken on at her law firm.  She's getting close to a breakdown from all the tension and not being able to make any headway with at least 2 of the cases.     Its not only affecting their marriage but also her health.  She's lost so much sleep, food and weight over it; there's just no time for Jack.  Her "sister" and assistant, Alexis is in the same boat; both in her health and her relationship with Joe.  
We get to see how the "boys" bring about a few way of thinking for the Andover Pharmaceuticals group.  But it was also a good thing that Maggie was on board with them.  Because where they were squeamish in trying to get the information they needed, she was not.  She was scary but got the job done.  All she had to do was concentrate on children being tortured and killed. 
The BOLO guys want to keep what they are doing a secret for a while and in this book, so far that is working. Nikki and Alexis have no idea what the group did to help them.  At least not yet. 

BOOK REVIEW- I DARED THE DUKE by Anna Bennett

DARE TO FALL IN LOVE

Alexander Savage, the Duke of Blackshire, is known throughout the ton for three things: the burn scars on his neck, his ornery disposition, and the trail of broken hearts behind him. None of which would concern Miss Elizabeth Lacey in the least—if she weren’t living under his roof. As his grandmother’s companion, Beth is all too concerned with the moody and compelling duke. Incensed by his plans to banish the sweet dowager duchess to the country, Beth refuses to do his bidding. If Alex wants her help, he’s going to have to take her dare…and grant her three wishes.

Alex adores his grandmother, which is precisely why she must leave. A string of unfortunate incidents has him worried for the safety of everyone around him—including the dowager’s loyal and lovely companion, Beth. But the notorious wallflower isn’t as meek as she appears, and as their battle of wills heats up, so does Alex’s desire. He’s dangerously close to falling in love with her…and revealing secrets he’d rather keep hidden. How can he convince her that his darkest days are behind him—and that, for the first time in forever, his heart is true?

I Dared the Duke continues Anna Bennett's Regency-era romance series, The Wayward Wallflowers.  AMAZON 4 STARS

I liked this book although at times it felt like it was moving along a bit slow.  So I guess it could be called a slower paced book.  
Both of the main characters were interesting.  We also find out as the story goes on that they both have had their own share of pain.  Elizabeth (called Beth by her family) has had childhood pain as well as the pain that was added to her and her sisters. That came by getting the the unthinking, tossed out there title of the Wilted Wallflowers. It was spoken and then stuck causing them to be subjected to all kinds of scorn and unkindness. 

But this Wallflower really does has some spunk! And it shows up pretty early in the story.  Even with her knees shaking, she goes toe to toe with Alexander.  And after awhile, they begin to enjoy their verbal sparring. And so did I. There is more depth to Alex than what most people have taken the time to find.  But Beth sees deeper into him. 
That delights and causes him terror all at the same time.  Beth is all for the underdog and she has a deep need to be needed, that comes out clearly more than once in the story.   Alex may be handsome, and wealthy but he is also a hot mess.  The attacks on him become more and more bold but when the culprit is revealed at the end, it's a surprise.  I never saw that one coming.  That makes it a good story for me.

I received a copy of this book via Netgalley and this is my honest opinion of it.  

Advancing the Kingdom of God - James Brandt

 

52:53 in Length

Ruth B. - If This is Love (Audio)

 

Great voice

BOOK REVIEW- DEEP EXTRACTION by DiANN Mills

A pacemaker should have saved oil and gas magnate Nathan Moore’s life. Instead, it provided his killer with a seemingly perfect means of execution.

A bombing at one of Nathan’s oil rigs days earlier indicates his death could be part of a bigger conspiracy, a web Special Agent Tori Templeton must untangle. But her first order of business is separating the personal from the professional—the victim’s wife, her best friend, is one of the FBI’s prime suspects.

Clearing Sally’s name may be the biggest challenge of her career, but Tori finds an unexpected ally in the newest member of the task force, recently reinstated Deputy US Marshal Cole Jeffers. As Tori and Cole dig deeper into Nathan’s personal and business affairs, they uncover more than they bargained for. And the closer they get to finding the real killer—and to each other—the more intent someone is on silencing them for good. AMAZON  5 STARS

A really good INTENSE  book. There are plenty of twists and turns; something that I really like. It had me at the edge of my seat most of the time.  
It had really good main characters.  Both Tori and Cole are great professionals who are facing professional and personal challenges .  One of those personal challenges was because they have been personal friends to Nathan and Sally and their family.  This was the first time that they had met in person though. So that alone is going to cause some rough waters as they try to find out the truth of who actually murdered Nathan.  And there was so much more to be found out too. Nathan's personal assistant, Anita Krantz  posed a lot of problems.  She was so changeable in the way she interacted with the investigation.  She was slippery at times, making me wonder who the heck is she really?  Another person to throw a spanner in the works is the other investigator Max Dublin (Tori's partner).  He was so narrowed minded and opinionated that it made ME want to grind my teeth.  But he did add to the story, no way around that.  He was also dealing with a life threatening illness, which also added to his and others difficulties.  There are also other secondary people in the story and they keep things really interesting too.  There are plenty of suspects to both the murder and the violence at the oil rig sites.  Just about the time they think they have the right suspect in their sights, things abruptly change. 

I really enjoy most of this author's books and this one didn't disappoint either.  


There is also a YouTube link for the book trailer:  Deep Extraction Book Trailer


Tyndale House Publishers has provided me with a complimentary copy of this book and this is my honest opinion of the book.  

BOOK REVIEW- NEVER SURRENDER by Susan Vaughn

 
In hot pursuit
For years, DEA Agent Ricardo Cruz has pursued El Águila, the gun-and-drug-smuggling cartel that killed his older brother. When Rick finally has a lead in Maine, his suspect goes underground and the sister refuses to cooperate. Beautiful Juliana Paris’s quick wit and loyalty draw him but he can’t afford involvement with his suspect’s sister.
With no way back
Because Juliana’s father suffered injustice that led to his early death, she intends to find her troubled younger brother and ensure the law treats him fairly. She’s determined not to fall for the sexy agent, even if he is dedicated and honorable. Threats by the cartel, who plan to use her to lure out her brother, force her to accept Rick’s protection. 
The only choice is . . . surrender.
Juliana wants no charmer like the men her mother keeps marrying, and Rick wants no strings. Although attraction sparks between them, the two are at odds and their personalities are polar opposites, but they must work together while evading the thugs. Their hunt for the brother and the cartel’s American connection leads them into each other's arms and into deadly danger.  AMAZON  4 STARS


I liked the main characters.  Ricardo was a skilled agent but also charming, easy on the eyes and at times fun loving.  Juliana was the opposite, she had her lists ad was responsible and as careful as she could be.  Her and her lists.   She had a touch of OCD, but her routine also helped her deal with all the lack of responsibility that was a part of her parents way of life.  She was smart and a couple of her observations actually helped Ricardo  in several ways.  I'm thinking what a smart girl, then she does the stupidest thing ever..I actually wanted to yell out, "are you kidding me?"  
While at times the story was somewhat predictable, it did have a moment or two of surprises.  I enjoyed it anyway. Not bad for a shorter story, it had a lot of action. 

BOOK REVIEW- CRASH AND BURN by Fern Michaels Book 27 Sisterhood

The women of the Sisterhood are united by their mission to help those unable to help themselves. But now they’ve encountered opponents who share a unique bond of their own. The law firm of Queen, King, Bishop & Rook—the Chessmen—has been a formidable force in Washington, D.C., for decades. And Sisterhood member Nikki Quinn’s new case has made her their prime target.

Nikki has agreed to represent Livinia Lambert as she files for divorce from her domineering, greedy husband, Wilson “Buzz” Lambert. Buzz, currently Speaker of the House, fears the scandal will scupper his presidential plans, and intends to make life extremely difficult for Livinia—with the Chessmen’s help. The Chessmen may play dirty, but the Sisterhood play smart. For too long, the Chessmen have believed themselves above the law they pretend to serve, but there’s no statute of limitations on the Sisterhood’s particular brand of justice—or their loyalty . . .AMAZON  4 STARS

I liked it.  It was also a bit different because Nikki Quinn and her law firm get played a bit.  No one saw it coming, myself included.  There are some background stories that played out before the "girls" go into action.  Buzz Lambert was a loudmouth bully who always had The Chessmen backing him.  They were all bullies except for one partner, who has been keeping his own counsel and his own nose as clean as he could.  Lizzie Fox shows up for a bit in this one.  Yes, I know she has a married name but she is the "Silver Fox" now and always too.  The Sisterhood's secret weapons, Abner and Avery show up in this book as well.   Everything finally comes together at the end and Justice wins again.  Somethings that I had suspected about Amy and Starry Knight proved to be true.  But I enjoyed the ride.