Review

ABCs of Praise and Prayer by Barbara Kois

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How 15 minutes with God can change your day

 I found this devotional book very creative.

First, each devotion begins with praise.

Second, each devotion focuses on a particular letter of the alphabet. For instance, the praise section of the letter ‘M’ uses words like Mighty, Majestic, Maker, and Matchless to describe God.

The devotional thought for each day also follows the letter theme—its title for ‘M’ is Mercy.

Scriptures are sprinkled throughout, along with prayers. Thought-provoking questions end each devotion.

I love that the author begins each section with praise to God. So often we come to God with heavy burdens. Beginning our time by praising Him shifts our focus.

Recommend.

-Sandra Merville Hart

Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas

Twelve Years a Slave by Solomon Northup

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A gripping true story!

Solomon Northup is a free man living in New York when kidnappers sold him into slavery. They had enticed him away from his home and family with offers to pay him for playing his violin entertaining their guests. As Solomon often earned extra money playing for parties, he was happy to travel with them.

They eventually ended up in Washington D.C., where the two men who had treated him as friend drugged him.

Solomon had a wife and three young children when he was kidnapped. They had no idea what happened to him for some time and, even then, did not know where he was—or that he’d been forced to live under another name.

The author tells his story honestly, providing names, locations, and excellent descriptions. This made it easy for folks to verify his story. The book contains language of the time and many of the names he was called are offensive.

Beautifully written. Poignant. Impossible to read this man’s story and not be touched by it.

-Sandra Merville Hart

 

In the Shadow of Salem by Donna Gawell

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This book is based on the life of Mehitabel Braybrooke Downing. The author’s note reveals that few facts are known about her. A story was crafted using many actual historical figures and what is known of their lives.

Readers first meet Mehitabel as a prisoner in 1692. She’s been accused of witchcraft in her hometown of Ipswich, Massachusetts, during the Salem Witch Trials. Joan, the woman she has always referred to as Mother, is then arrested. Lifelong resentments invade the prison cell with her.

The author then goes back in time to show what soured their relationship from the very beginning.

Told in first person, the story gripped me from the beginning. I couldn’t put it down for long as I had to know what happened to a mistreated young girl who made unwise choices.

Recommend!

-Sandra Merville Hart

Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas

 

Never the Same by Steven James

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Stories of those who encountered Jesus

What an amazing book!

Readers will meet a few of the people who interacted Jesus during his thirty-three years on this earth. And, as the author demonstrates so beautifully, you can’t meet Jesus and remain unchanged.

Unexpected folks tell events of Jesus’s life are told by unexpected people who were there, allowing readers a fresh look into stories they may have read in the past.

Each chapter, written in first person, reveals the reactions of those who were there—with plenty of surprising emotions. Readers may find a piece of themselves within the pages.

Insightful.

Thought-provoking.

Inspiring.

A must-read.

-Sandra Merville Hart

Amazon

 

Good Night, Fireflies

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Rachel Pellegrino, founder and publisher of Little Lamb Books, highlights one of their books for us today. Welcome back, Rachel!

by Rachel Pellegrino

Based in Texas, Little Lamb Books is a premiere children’s publishing company striving to shepherd the next generation of faithful readers by encouraging their faith in God, inspiring their love of reading, and delighting their imagination through colorful and creative literary works.

Launched in 2015, Little Lamb Books has two main goals: 1) to create literary content from a biblical worldview for elementary, middle grade and young adult readers and 2) we want to invigorate the lives of young readers by creating a catalog filled with a variety of titles that mix friendship, family, and faith with biblical parallels, everyday lessons, and strong characters and storylines.

We know that every child struggles to face some type of fear, whether it’s the fear of the dark, being alone, thunderstorms, or just being in front of a crowd. We partnered with author Janet L. Christensen to produce Good Night, Fireflies and tell the story of a young boy named Landon and how he conquers his fear. Good Night, Fireflies was just recently named a finalist in the 2020 International Book Awards.

Landon can’t sleep when the shadows turn ordinary things in his room into spookies and creepies! His fears are put to rest one memorable summer evening when his daddy teaches him an important lesson about God’s everlasting, ever-present love: just like the fireflies, God doesn’t disappear when the lights go out.

Through the power of prayer, Landon learns that he can call on God whenever he’s scared and find comfort in the love of his Father.

Beautifully illustrated by Francesca Pesci, Good Night, Fireflies helps answer the question even adults have: How do we know God’s always with us?

We enjoy producing books like Good Night, Fireflies because at Little Lamb Books we believe that reading is important and families should have choices for wholesome, clean, AND entertaining stories to read together. Be sure to request a copy at your local library and order a hard cover or paperback from our online shop, Bookshop, Barnes and Noble, Amazon, and wherever children’s books are sold.

Bio: Rachel Pellegrino is the owner and publisher of Little Lamb Books, an award-winning publisher of children’s books. Launched in 2015, Little Lamb Books has produced almost a dozen titles, all of which have won national awards, including two golds in the Benjamin Franklin Awards. Rachel is passionate about collaborating with fellow publishers as well as empowering authors to be successful. Based in Texas, Rachel talks with her hands, offers individual author coaching, prefers Pepsi to coffee, and has a growing plush lamb collection much to her daughter’s delight.

 

Gracie Lou Wants a Zoo

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Rachel Pellegrino, founder and publisher of Little Lamb Books, highlights one of their books for us today. Welcome, Rachel!

By Rachel Pellegrino

Little Lamb Books is a premiere children’s publishing company striving to shepherd the next generation of faithful readers by encouraging their faith in God, inspiring their love of reading, and delighting their imagination through colorful and creative literary works.

Based in Texas, Little Lamb Books has two main goals: 1) to create literary content from a biblical worldview for elementary, middle grade and young adult readers and 2) we want to invigorate the lives of young readers by creating a catalog filled with a variety of titles that mix friendship, family, and faith with biblical parallels, everyday lessons, and strong characters and storylines.

We especially love creating brightly illustrated picture books. One of our most recent additions is Gracie Lou Wants A Zoo by award-winning author Shelly Roark.

Gracie Lou wants nothing more for her pet turtle, George, than for him to have friends. But her Mom and Dad insist that their city apartment is too small to house a monkey or a duck, a giraffe or an elephant. They say she needs to be patient and trust in God’s plan, except Gracie Lou’s not sure she can wait that long.

After a wild night spent with a house full of rowdy zoo animals gives her a lesson in the value of patience and God’s perfect timing, Gracie Lou learns that God has a great plan for her . . . if she can just wait for it!

Gracie Lou Wants A Zoo is colorful and captures the attention of young readers everywhere while sharing a delightful message of God’s love for all of His children, especially those who have ever wondered about His plan for them.

As the publisher of Little Lamb Books, I’m a bit biased, but I believe the young readers in your home will love our books. So, be sure to request a copy at your local library and order a hard cover or paperback from our online shop, Bookshop, Barnes and Noble, Amazon, and wherever children’s books are sold.

 

Echoes of Titanic by Mindy Starns Clark

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Co-written by Mindy Starns Clark and John Campbell Clark

Kelsey Tate has inherited some of her great-grandmother Adele Tate’s business savvy, a Titanic survivor who had kept the family’s company afloat during the depression. Kelsey is working her way up the ladder in her father’s retirement and subsequent stroke. Her coworker’s odd behavior right before an important press event worries her, but there’s no time to figure it out. Then a relative Kelsey has never met accuses Adele Tate of being an imposter.

Two young women—cousins raised together who grew up as close as sisters—and the man who is the father of one of them cross the Atlantic Ocean on Titanic’s maiden voyage. When the ship goes down, only one of the women survive. Which one is it?

The question plunges Kelsey into the fight of her life when a coworker commits what appears to be suicide. Who can help her? If only Cole, the man she loves, was still in her life. She knows she hurt him, but it was just business, right?

This spellbinding time-slip novel tells the story of the women who cross on the Titanic and how their fate ripples down to affect the living even a hundred years later.

Gripping.

I couldn’t put it down! I’ve read other books by Mindy Starns Clark and will look for more.

-Sandra Merville Hart

Amazon

Grave Consequences by Debra DuPree Williams

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Charlotte Graves is the new director of the local historical and genealogical society. She’s back in Loblolly after eight years but old hurts die hard. Or are murdered.

Before she knows what’s happening, Charlotte is arrested for the murder of Boopsie Sweets, a childhood enemy. Worse, she’s arrested by Roan Steele, the man who’d broken her heart back in high school.

There’s mystery afoot that only a genealogist can decipher!

Lovable, realistic characters invited me into a small Alabama town in the 1960s. Williams does a fantastic job giving an authentic feel with details such as music, clothing, decorations, and furniture. The characters seem to step off the page from an era 50 years ago.

Written in first person so the story drew me in immediately. I couldn’t put the book down!

The story is well-written with escalating tension that kept me turning pages. I’ll look for more books by this author. Recommend!

-Sandra Merville Hart

Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas

In Black and White by MaryAnn Diorio

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Tori Pendola, artist and student of Art History at the University of Pennsylvania, will soon graduate. She has already been offered a good job but longs for love. She finds it in Jebuni Kalitzi.

Jeb is an African exchange student and son of a tribal chieftain in Ghana. The economics major falls in love with Tori, a white woman that his tribe would not approve of him marrying.

It’s 1959 and the couple faces apartheid in Africa, prejudice in America. They face societal barriers, threats, rejection, and insults.

I was quickly pulled into their struggles, which mounted as the story progressed. The author does a great job showing the prejudice on both sides. Recommend.

-Sandra Merville Hart

Amazon

Caleb’s Destiny by Carole Brown

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Book 1 in Troubles in the West Series

Destiny McColloch travels west to find a man named Caleb. She hasn’t seen him in fifteen years. Her memories of the boy from her childhood are sketchy, but she’s sure she’ll know him. Her search doesn’t start well as a stagecoach robbery lands her as a guest at Mr. Michael’s ranch.

Mr. Michael has enough to do without a feisty guest to watch over. A dangerous foe in town threatens his safety and those around him. How can he keep her safe?

Believable, lovable characters—and some readers will love to hate—drew me with them into the danger and mystery. Readers of historical romance set in the Wild West should enjoy this novel.

I’m looking forward to reading the next book in the series.

-Sandra Merville Hart

Amazon