The God Puzzle by Valerie Ackermann

Cover Rating: 4 Stars****

Blurb:

The God Puzzle is a colorful, easy to use tool to help you communicate to your child the rich truths about God, His ways, His will and His love. The God Puzzle will help you address doctrinal themes of the Christian faith in a kid friendly way, present Bible lessons in an interactive way that will hold the child’s attention and deliver quality teaching with no preparation needed. 75% of children leave the church when they leave home. Something isn’t working. Sunday School isn’t doing it all. Kids need answers, good ones. And they need them from you, the parent. This book enables you to give them simple, clear answers.

You can purchase it here: Amazon * B&N * BAM * Deeper Shopping

About the Author:

Valerie Ackermann was born and raised in a small prairie town in Saskatchewan, Canada. After high school, she began studies and graduated with a BA in Theology from Briercrest Bible College.

There she met her husband Chris. After living in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada for a year, they went to work at Hume Lake Christian Camps.

After moving to Fairfield, CA in 1998 they attended Parkway Community Church which was a well connected church to both of them. They became parents of two active young men who each operate at 100% boy plus some. The Ackermann household is busy with a lot of fishing tackle organizing, trampoline flip contests, dirty baseball pants, finding the right cleats for practice, forts in the dining room, pancakes with way too many chocolate chips, tying ropes to skateboards to pull behind bikes, and a thousand other bad ideas!

In 2004, Val began working on paid staff at Parkway Community Church as the Director of Children’s Ministries and is currently in that position today. This involves overseeing volunteers, planning programs, and facilitating the classes for Sunday school. In 2006 she began a Monday Night program called BLAST, and a kids choir STOMP. Val also teaches her own class every Sunday and loves staying in the classroom and on the front line with the kids.

Val has a desire to see parents equipped to teach their own children about God at home as there is not the time in Sunday school alone. Seeing the need for a resource that was both theologically deep, yet written in language to a child, explaining the Bible and God in a step-by-step process that led to Christ as the center of our faith.

You can find Valerie here: Website * Twitter * LinkedIn * Pinterest * Facebook

~My Review~

When I was young one of my favorite books was a big hardback book of Bible stories. I loved the pictures and the way it explained the stories of the Bible in a way my young mind could understand. I still linger around those type of books when I go to a bookstore even at my advanced age. They wormed their way into my heart and I developed a love for them when I was very young. The God Puzzle by Valerie Ackermann brought back those memories. It’s like a giant storybook but with so much more.

It covers such subjects as :

Who is God?
What Happens because of Sin?
Who is Jesus? What is the New Covenant?
What are My Old Self and My New Self?
How do I Spend Time with God?

Very deep subjects but they are explained in a way that is easy to understand. Kids will gain a knowledge of the Bible they have never had and have fun while doing it.

It is full of activities like:

Fill in the Blanks
Multiple choice
Matching the Scripture with the correct verse
Writing Prayer Letters to God (love this!)

As your child is doing these activities he/she will gain valuable knowledge that will help them grow to know and love God. I love this book as a whole and, if I had kids, I would appreciate having this wealth of knowledge to impart to them in such a fun yet effective way. You can’t read this book and not learn. I would recommend it to anyone with children within the specified age group (7-12) and even suggest it as a gift if you don’t have children yourself. It’s really an amazing learning tool!

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher for my honest review. The opinions stated are mine and mine alone. I received no monetary compensation for this review.

 

 

Litfuse Group Author Page

 

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Stones for Bread by Christa Parrish – Win a KitchenAid Mixer!

Blurb:

A solitary artisan. A legacy of bread-baking. And one secret that could collapse her entire identity.

Liesl McNamara’s life can be described in one word: bread. From her earliest memory, her mother and grandmother passed down the mystery of baking and the importance of this deceptively simple food. And now, as the owner of Wild Rise bake house, Liesl spends every day up to her elbows in dough, nourishing and perfecting her craft.

But the simple life she has cultivated is becoming quite complicated. Her head baker brings his troubled grandson into the bakeshop as an apprentice. Her waitress submits Liesl’s recipes to a popular cable cooking show. And the man who delivers her flour—a single father with strange culinary habits—seems determined to win Liesl’s affection.

When Wild Rise is featured on television, her quiet existence appears a thing of the past. And then a phone call from a woman claiming to be her half-sister forces Liesl to confront long-hidden secrets in her family’s past. With her precious heritage crumbling around her, the baker must make a choice: allow herself to be buried in detachment and remorse, or take a leap of faith into a new life.

You can purchase it here: Amazon * B&N * BAM * CBD * Deeper Shopping

 

About the Author:

Christa Parrish is the award-winning author of three novels, including the 2009 ECPA Fiction Book of the Year Watch Over Me. When she’s not writing, she’s a homeschool mother of three wonderful children. Married to author and pastor Chris Coppernoll, Christa serves with him as co-leader of their church’s youth ministry as well as serving as a facilitator for a divorce recovery ministry. She is now also slightly obsessed with the art of baking bread.

You can find Christa here: Website * Twitter * Pinterest * Facebook

~My Review~

 

Liesl McNamara was a bread maker by trade but it was more than that. Making bread was a family tradition that was passed from generation to generation. She learned to make bread at the hands of her mother and grandmother, Oma, from the time she was a little girl. When she found her mother dead at the age of only thirteen, Liesl closed herself off from the world eventually turning to bread making as an escape from the memories that haunted her. Now, years later, she hides from the past in her bake house, Wild Rise. Because her apprentice sends in an application for the TV show Bake-Off, Liesl sons finds herself in the middle of production with some hard decisions to make. But a little girl and her father have worked their way into her life and heart and Liesl has to decide if she is willing to let go of the past and look toward the future.

Seamus Tate is the new flour delivery man for Wild Rise bake house. After his wife walked out he found himself as a single father trying to raise a six year-old alone. When his daughter, Cecelia, becomes attached to the bakery owner he soon finds himself becoming attached to her as well. Liesl has worked her way into his heart and when his mother becomes ill and needs constant care Seamus has no choice but to return to Tennessee. Is his love enough for Liesl? Can she give up the one thing she has always used as a balm to her wounds? Or will she give up the only true love she has ever known?

I’m not exactly sure how I feel about this book. I love the traditions ingrained in Liesl’s family. The bread making that was passed from generation to generation is something to be admired because it brought a closeness between Liesl, her mother and grandmother. Bread making was their solace and that is a beautiful thing. There are a lot of descriptions on bread and bread making all throughout the story. So much so that I feel like bread makers will be more likely to get the most out of the story. I loved her mix matched “family” though. They are described on page 211 like this, “…odd, growing Wild Rise family of immigrants, high school dropouts, nerdy engineers, flirty artists, fundamentalist farm girls, and everyone else.” This is such an accurate description and you can’t help but love the characters. Xavier and Tee especially. It also covered an issue that is seldom discussed and that is, self-inflicted pain. Kids often inflict pain upon themselves as a way of dealing with the problems going on in their lives. In Liesl’s case she would beat her legs with a hairbrush until she was black and blue. I feel it’s a problem that should be addressed more and I give a thumbs up to Christa Parrish for bringing it to light.

I am a romance junkie at heart, though, and I feel like the one thing I love took a backseat to everything else. The romance between Liesl and Seamus was slow in developing and I really like that but I wanted to read more about it. I wish it had been woven into the story more often. Seamus was such a sweet, teddy bear of a man and I would like to have seen more of him. Also, all throughout the book the story would just stop and there would be a section connecting Jesus, the Bread of Life, to the bread we consume daily and then the story would resume where it left off. While I completely agree with this theological concept, it somehow seemed misplaced for me. I’m still struggling with how to classify this book as well. Is it romance, self-help or women’s fiction maybe? I’ll let you be the judge. I also feel like there was a loose end. I like my books all tied up in neat little packages but I felt like there was a loose thread left hanging. If you are a romance junkie like I am, while you might like the sense of family this book evokes, you may not love the story as a whole quite as much. However, if you are a bread enthusiast I do recommend it as you will most likely love it because it has a lot of references to and instructions on bread and bread making and it also includes several recipes.

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher for my honest review. The opinions stated are mine and mine alone. I received no monetary compensation for this review.

 

My Rating: 3 Stars *** 

 

 *Tweetables*

 

Tweet Me Please!: “If thou taste a crust of bread, thou tastes all the stars and all the heavens.”
 

Tweet Me Please!: “Dough they knead with their feet, but clay with hands.” -Herodotus

 

Tweet Me Please!: Making bread linked her to the past. Could she make him her future?

 

 

 

 

Q & A: I ask the question and you answer with your own personal thoughts! 🙂

 

Bread making was a beloved tradition for Liesl’s family that was passed down from generation to generation. It was something that drew them closer and gave them a special bond. What traditions do you cherish in your family?

 

 

 

 

~Giveaway~

 

Christa Parrish is celebrating her fourth novel, Stones for Bread, with a KitchenAid Mixer giveaway.

Easy steps to enter:

1. Follow Christa Parrish and TNZ Fiction on Pinterest.

2. Then Pin the Stones for Bread book cover (below), the contest graphic (above), or both, and link to this post (using this URL: #StonesforBread KitchenAid Mixer Contest #ChristaParrish http://litfusegroup.com/campaigns/stones-for-bread-by-christa-parrish).

3. Then fill out THIS SHORT FORM to let us know. (There are also some additional ways to earn extra entries, as well as an option for non-Pinterest users. It’s true—people like that do exist!)

Questions? Email info @ litfusegroup dot com.

Winner will be announced on 12/9 on Christa’s Facebook Page.

 

Dear Mr. Knightley by Katherine Reay – Win a Kindle Fire HDX & An Austen-Themed Prize Pack!

Cover Rating: 4 Stars ****

Blurb:

Samantha Moore has always hidden behind the words of others—namely, her favorite characters in literature. Now, she will learn to write her own story—by giving that story to a complete stranger.

Sam is, to say the least, bookish. An English major of the highest order, her diet has always been Austen, Dickens, and Shakespeare. The problem is, both her prose and conversation tend to be more Elizabeth Bennet than Samantha Moore.

But life for the twenty-three-year-old orphan is about to get stranger than fiction. An anonymous, Dickensian benefactor (calling himself Mr. Knightley) offers to put Sam through Northwestern University’s prestigious Medill School of Journalism. There is only one catch: Sam must write frequent letters to the mysterious donor, detailing her progress.

As Sam’s dark memory mingles with that of eligible novelist Alex Powell, her letters to Mr. Knightley become increasingly confessional. While Alex draws Sam into a world of warmth and literature that feels like it’s straight out of a book, old secrets are drawn to light. And as Sam learns to love and trust Alex and herself, she learns once again how quickly trust can be broken.

Reminding us all that our own true character is not meant to be hidden, Reay’s debut novel follows one young woman’s journey as she sheds her protective persona and embraces the person she was meant to become.

You can purchase it here: Amazon * B&N * BAM * CBD * Deeper Shopping

About the Author:

Katherine Reay has enjoyed a life-long affair with the works of Jane Austen and her contemporaries. After earning degrees in history and marketing from Northwestern University, she worked as a marketer for Proctor & Gamble and Sears before returning to school to earn her MTS. Her works have been published in Focus on the Family and the Upper Room. Katherine currently lives with her husband and three children in Seattle. Dear Mr. Knightley is her first novel.

Find Katherine here: Website * Facebook * Twitter * Blog * Goodreads

~My Review~

 

 

Samantha Moore had had a rough childhood with an abusive father, a drug addict as a mother and moving from foster home to foster home. Then she found herself at a Grace House, a home for wayward and orphaned kids, and under the supervision if Father John. Sam had always lived in her books and, being a fan of Jane Austen, she often quoted her characters as a way to hide her true self. When Father John suggested her as a scholarship candidate to the Dover Foundation she refused because she wanted to do things on her own and on her own terms. After failing to do exactly that she contested the grantor of the scholarship to ask for a second chance. It was granted under one condition, that she write letters detailing her progress to his pseudonym–Mr. Knightley.

Sam soon finds herself pouring out her feelings to someone that started out as a stranger but is soon a trusted friend. With Mr. Knightley she can share her deepest, darkest secrets, her fears and her desires, and even a true love. With a new set of “parents”, new friends, a college degree and a new love blossoming in her heart, Sam is finally coming into her own and putting the fears of the past behind her. To her own amazement she is shedding her Jane Austen persona all while bearing her soul to one man and giving her heart to another. Can Sam have the life she has only dreamed of? Could this really be real or is she only a character in one of her beloved novels?

When I first opened this book I have to admit I was skeptical. A book made entirely of letters? My first thought was, “How can this possibly meet my expectations?”. Even though I have read such greats as The Wednesday Letters by Jason F. Wright and The Prayer Box by Lisa Wingate I still had reservations. Those books had such great story lines and the letters were a PART of the story, NOT the story itself. So as I delved into this story I did so with a little skepticism. Have you ever done that? Read a book that you had questions about but, once you read it, were so glad you did? That is exactly what happened. A third of the way through I knew I had chosen well, halfway through I was in tears, three quarters of the way through I was literally giddy (did I say giddy? Yes, GIDDY!) at the prospect of how the story was going to turn out every time I picked the book back up to start reading again. I have read tons of books in my life and, although I have seen times I didn’t want to put a book down, I have never felt giddy at re-entering a story. The way Sam bared her soul to Mr. Knightley just tore at my heart. I felt every heartache and disappointment she went through. I felt every loss and rejection and rejoiced with every happy moment Sam experienced. And when she finally found love, which she desperately deserved, I was ecstatic! It takes good writing to bring out those kind of emotions and in the form of letters? Excellent! If you love a story with depth and feeling, a story that makes you feel like you’re a part of it, you’ll love Dear Mr. Knightley. And, I must add, it’s a DEBUT novel! Which obviously means I have many more books to look forward to from Katherine Reay. I was SO pleased with this book and I recommend it HIGHLY!

 Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of the book from the publisher for my honest review. These opinions are mine and mine alone. I was in no way compensated for this review.

My Rating: 5 Stars *****

 

*Tweetables*

 

Tweet Me Please!: “The day we forget the horror, Sam, we will repeat it–never forget your past..”

 

Tweet Me Please!: “The first kiss is not the one you judge. Instead all the meaning is in the second.”

 

Tweet Me Please!: She bared her soul in letters but could she forgive the man behind them?

 

 

Q & A: I ask the question and you answer with your own personal thoughts! 🙂

While writing her letters, Sam was writing to a pseudonym (A fictitious name). She had no idea who the recipient was or anything about them and that made it easier to be truthful about herself and dig deeper into her life and past. Do you think you could bare your soul completely to a stranger under these circumstances or would it have to be someone you know very well?

 

 

 

 

 

 

Debut author Katherine Reay is celebrating the release of her delightful novel, Dear Mr. Knightley, with a Kindle Fire HDX giveaway, a fun Favorite Austen Moments Pinterest contest, and an Austen-themed Facebook Party.

One winner will receive:

• A Kindle Fire HDX
• Dear Mr. Knightley by Katherine Reay
• Handmade Austen-themed items (scarf, mug, bracelet, and necklace) 

Two ways to win! Enter today by clicking one of the icons below or participating in the Pinterest contest (see banner below)—or BOTH! 

But hurry, the giveaway ends on December 3rd. Winner will be announced at the “Dear Mr. Knightley” Austen-themed Facebook Author Chat Party on the 3rd. Join Katherine (and Austen fans) for an evening of book chat, prizes, and an exclusive look at Katherine’s next book.

So grab your copy of  Dear Mr. Knightley and join Katherine on the evening of December 3rd for a chance to connect and make some new friends. (If you haven’t read the book, don’t let that stop you from coming!)

Don’t miss a moment of the fun; RSVP today by clicking JOIN at the event page. Spread the word—tell your friends about the giveaway and party via FACEBOOK, TWITTER, or PINTEREST. Hope to see you on the 3rd!

Shannon Ethridge’s TO KNOW YOU giveaway and Facebook Party!

Cover Rating:

Blurb:

 

Julia Whittaker’s rocky past yielded two daughters, both given up for adoption as
infants. Now she must find them to try to save her son.
 

Julia and Matt Whittaker’s son has beaten the odds for thirteen years only to have the odds—and his liver—crash precipitously. The only hope for his survival is a “living liver” transplant, but the transplant list is long and Dillon’s time is short. His two older half-sisters, born eighteen months apart to two different fathers, offer his only hope for survival.
 

But can Julia ask a young woman—someone she surrendered to strangers long ago and has never spoken with—to make such a sacrifice to save a brother she’s never known? Can she muster the courage to journey back into a shame-filled season of her life, face her choices and their consequences, and find any hope of healing?
 

And what if she discovers in her own daughters’ lives that a history of foolish choices threatens to repeat itself? Julia knows she’s probably embarking on a fool’s errand—searching for the daughters she abandoned only now that she needs something from them. But love compels Julia to take this journey. Can grace and forgiveness compel her daughters to join her?

 

You can purchase it here: Amazon * Barnes and Noble * BAM * CBD * Deeper Shopping

 

 

 Shannon Ethridge is a best-selling author, speaker, and certified life coach with a master’s degree in counseling/human relations from Liberty University. She has spoken to college students and adults since 1989 and is the author of 19 books, including the million-copy best-selling series, Every Woman’s Battle. She is a frequent guest on TV and radio programs and mentors aspiring writers and speakers through her BLAST Program (Building Leaders, Authors, Speakers & Teachers.)

You can find Shannon here: Website * Goodreads * Facebook * Twitter

 Kathryn Mackel is a best-selling author and acclaimed screenwriter for Disney and Fox. She was on the screenwriting team for Left Behind: The Movie and Frank Peretti’s Hangman’s Curse. She is the acclaimed author of The Surrogate, The Departed, and The Hidden and resides in Boston, Massachusetts, with her husband.

You can find Kathryn here: Website * Goodreads

 

 

 

~My Review~

 

Julia Whittaker was no stranger heartbreak. After two failed relationships that ended with giving up two daughters for adoption, she didn’t think her heart could break anymore than it had in the past. But now her son Dillon was dying. Dillon was diagnosed with Biliary Artresia Liver disease at birth. Now at the age of thirteen he needed a new liver and he needed it soon. Having ruled out ever possible donor, Julia and her husband Matt knew their only hope were the two daughters she gave up at birth. Julia embarks on a journey to save her son but it ends up being so much more.

Destiny Conners has been living with Luke for awhile and things were going great until Luke let God into his life. When Luke started changing Destiny refused to accept it. She wasn’t only pushing Luke away but God as well. What had a God ever done for her? When Her biological mother showed up on her doorstep asking her to be tested and save her step-brother’s life she knew she would be faced with some hard decisions. Her only request was to meet her real father and her step-sister, Chloe.

Chloe Deschene felt trapped. Her whole life was planned for her by her husband. Jack was methodical. He lived his life by schedules and time tables. They even made love on a schedule. Chloe wanted passion in her marriage and to be able to do what God was calling her to do. She was bored with the way her life was going and when Julia and Destiny appeared out of nowhere, she jumped at the chance to get away from her life.

Three women, who are perfect strangers, embark on a journey together not knowing where it will lead or how it will end. But the bond they form is strong enough to weather any storm. Will they find their miracles or will their hearts be broken?

In my last review I said the book was my best read of the entire year. I can honestly say To Know You is fighting hard for that number one position. I am mostly a romance junkie but in this book romance takes a back seat. “A back seat to what?”, you might ask. My only response is “to everything good”. This story is about family and healing and forgiveness and discovery and, yes, miracles. It’s about strong bonds and sacrifices. It’s about putting someone else’s needs before your own. It’s about seeing God in the midst of your troubles. There is so much about this book that I absolutely loved. The way Julia insisted on supporting Destiny when she needed her even though she knew her son was only a few hours from dying. The way she cared for Chloe during a crisis just the way a mother would. The way Julia’s husband Matt supported her throughout the entire story. And, most of all, the way her son Dillon smiled in the face of death. His part of the story really tore at my heart. I shed many tears during the course of this book but I love that. I love a book that has the ability to make me look into my heart and ask what I would do in that same situation. I guarantee you will love this book but make sure you have plenty of Kleenex handy while reading it. If I could give it more than five stars I would. Very highly recommended!

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of the book from the publisher for my honest review. The opinions expressed are mine and mine alone. I received no monetary compensation.

 

My Rating: 5 Stars *****

 

*Tweetables*

Tweet Me Please: “Sand flung into the wind becomes stars.”

 

Tweet Me Please: “I’ve messed up enough to learn that God redeems our past when we trust him with our future.”

 

Tweet Me Please: “Which was worse–an open wound or a crust on your soul?”

 

 

Q & A: I ask the question and you answer with your own personal thoughts! 🙂

Destiny and Chloe faced a very difficult decision. Be tested and, if compatible, give there step-brother Dillon part of their live. That’s a very life-altering selfless act. If faced with a similar situation what do you think your decision would be and why?

Shannon Ethridge is celebrating the release of  To Know You (co-written by Kathryn Mackel), by giving away a $100 gift certificate to Lisa Leonard Designs and a personal coaching session, as well as throwing a Facebook Author Chat Party!

One winner will receive:

• A $100 gift certificate to Lisa Leonard Designs
• To Know You by Shannon Ethridge

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on November 19th. Winner will be announced at the “To Know You” Facebook Author Chat Party on the 19th. Connect with Shannon and friends for an encouraging evening of fun chat, book club discussion, giveaways, and a chance to win a PERSONAL COACHING SESSION WITH SHANNON!

So grab your copy of To Know You and join Shannon on the evening of November 19th for a chance to connect and make some new friends. (If you haven’t read the book, don’t let that stop you from coming!)
 

  Don’t miss a moment of the fun; RSVP today by clicking JOIN at the event page. Spread the word — tell your friends about the giveaway and party via FACEBOOK or TWITTER or Pinterest and increase your chances of winning. Hope to see you on 11/19!

 

Snow on the Tulips by Liz Tolsma – Win a $50 Amazon GC – Blog Tour & Review!

Cover Rating:

Blurb:

A stranger’s life hangs in the balance. But to save him is to risk everything.

The war is drawing to a close, but the Nazis still occupy part of the Netherlands. After the losses she’s endured, war widow Cornelia is only a shadow of the woman she once was. She fights now to protect her younger brother, Johan, who lives in hiding.
When Johan brings Gerrit Laninga, a wounded Dutch Resistance member, to Cornelia’s doorstep, their ives are forever altered. Although scared of the consequences of harboring a wanted man, Cornelia’s faith won’t let her turn him out.

As she nurses Gerrit back to health, she is drawn to his fierce passion and ideals, and notices a shift within herself. Gerrit’s intensity challenges her, making her want to live fully, despite the fear that constrains her. When the opportunity to join him in the Resistance presents itself, Cornelia must summon every ounce of courage imaginable.

She is as terrified of loving Gerrit as she is of losing him. But as the winter landscape thaws, so too does her heart. Will she get a second chance at true love? She fears their story will end before it even begins.

You can purchase it here: Amazon * Barnes and Noble * BAM * CBD * Deeper Shopping

Author Bio:

Liz Tolsma has lived in Wisconsin most of her life, and she now resides next to a farm field with her husband, their son, and their two daughters. Add a dog and a cat to that mix and there’s always something going on at their house. She’s spent time teaching second grade, writing advertising for a real estate company, and working as a church secretary, but she always dreamed of becoming an author. When not busy putting words to paper, she enjoys reading, walking, working in her large perennial garden, kayaking, and camping with her family.

You can find Liz here:

Website * Blog * Pinterest * Facebook * Twitter

 

 

 

 

 

In the Province of Friesland, Netherlands, war widow, Cornelia de Vries, spent her days simply trying to survive the ravages of the war going on around her. The Germans had taken over her city but with the Allies coming the war would soon be over. When her brother, Johan, brings home and injured man Cornelia is torn. Should she send him on his way knowing he will die or should she risk everything, even the safety of her brother, and let him stay? Once she decides to let Gerrit stay she find she is not only risking their safety but her heart as well. After the death of her husband due to the war Cornelia is afraid she won’t survive another loss so she guards her heart like the Germans guard the city. But a lone Resistance worker soon finds his way into her badly bruised heart. Now if they can only survive so they can build a life together.

Gerrit Laninga knew he was going to die. After surviving his own execution he was sure he was going to bleed to death unless the beautiful woman before him agrees to take him in and tend to his wound. Fighting against her fear, Cornelia de Vries follows her heart and relies on her faith and takes Gerrit into her home. Gerrit is a Resistance worker aiding the people of the city. He never thought about the danger until he lost his heart to Cornelia but he knows he must continue the fight and trust God to keep him safe. The biggest fight of all will be tearing down the wall around Cornelia’s heart. Can he help her get past the fears that are stopping her from living a happy life with him?

I can very easily say that Snow on the Tulips is the BEST book I have read this entire year! It brought out such raw emotions in me that I can’t even begin to describe them. (A few Kleenex? Try a whole BOX!) This book was so descriptive I felt as if I were IN the story fighting along side Cornelia and Gerrit. I’m sure you have heard the phrase “I wish I were a fly on the wall” well I actually felt like I was. It couldn’t have been anymore real had I been in Friesland in 1945. When I was young I saw a movie that touched me so much I fell in love with it then and there and I watch it every chance I get to this day. I still haven’t forgotten the way I felt watching it for the first time. That movie was The Diary of Anne Frank. I love the similarities between the movie and Snow on the Tulips, such as Dr. Boukma hiding five Juden and being discovered by the Germans. In The Diary of Anne Frank Victor Kugler hid several Juden, including Anne’s family, and was later discovered as well. The Germans ravaged the countryside and the reality of just how devastating it was is brought to life on every page. I also loved the trust they had in God. They trusted Him to keep them safe no matter what situation they were in and that is a beautiful thing indeed. This is the first book I have read from Liz Tolsma and I have found a new author to love. If you love books that bring out emotions you thought were hidden or if you’re a fan of The Diary of Anne Frank you will love this book. Just make sure you have the Kleenex handy because you will need them! I most definitely recommend it!

 

My Rating:

 

 

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Giveaway!

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Liz Tolsma is celebrating the release of her novel, Snow on the Tulips, by giving away an Amazon Reading Pack to one lucky winner. Find out what readers are saying about the book here.

One winner will receive:

• A $50 Amazon gift card
• Snow on the Tulips by Liz Tolsma

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on November 16th. Winner will be announced November 18th at Liz’s blog.

Don’t miss a moment of the fun; enter today and be sure to stop by Liz’s blog on the 18th to see if you won. (Or, better yet, subscribe to her blog and have the winner announcement delivered to your inbox! Just enter your email address on the left sidebar of her blog.)