Whitaker House

Their Daring Hearts by Sharlene MacLaren (Review & Giveaway)

January 27, 2018 by Suzie Waltner 3 Comments

About the Book

Author: Sharlene MacLaren

Genre: Christian Historical Romance (Civil War)

Release Date: Jan 9, 2018

Levi Albright rebelled against his Quaker roots to fight for abolition in the Union army in the first year of the Civil War. Two years later, 19-year-old destitute orphan Josephine Winters, with her chopped hair, boy’s clothes, and new name, “Snipp,” enlists in the Union army out of desperation.

Just over five feet tall and barely weighing as much as a newborn calf, Snipp seems to Levi to be barely old enough to hold “his” gun. But despite being teased by the regiment, Snipp quickly earns admiration for skill with a musket and unequaled bravery. When Levi explains one night that he is a Quaker leading a regiment, it leads to a late-night discussion of faith and a developing friendship.

Saturday Spotlight: Unstuck by Chris Dupre

December 30, 2017 by Suzie Waltner Leave a Comment

About the Book

Title: Unstuck

Author: Chris Dupre

Genre: Self-help, personal growth

Release Date: November 14, 2017

Do you feel like you missed the boat? Are you burnt out? Have your feet been dragging the sidewalk? Do you catch yourself dreaming of what could have been? Of if-only-I-had, or if-only-I-hadn’t? This book is for anyone sitting in the audience who should be on stage, anyone reading blogs who should also be writing them, anyone supporting ministries who should be leading them. It’s for the Christians who know there is a better life, but who are just stuck in the one they’re living.

Saved in the Jesus Movement of the seventies, Chris DuPré connected with countless Christians across the world. Yet too many of those Christians, Chris discovered, have years later lost the fire and stepped back from living out their faith. Why? Because they got stuck—stuck in rejection by others, stuck in fear of the unknown, stuck in loving a comfortable life, stuck in scores of similar ruts. What can set them free from their internal prisons? And what could Christians accomplish if we all just got unstuck?

Click here to purchase your copy!

About the Author

Originally from Upstate New York, Chris moved to Kansas City to work alongside Mike Bickle in establishing the International House of Prayer. Chris recently served as Associate Pastor at Grace Center Church in Franklin TN, and is now an associate pastor of Life Center in Harrisburg, PA. A pastor, teacher, worship leader, traveling speaker, and spiritual father to many, Chris may be best known for his song “Dance With Me.” He has produced eight albums and published three books, including The Wild Heart of God (Whitaker House, 2016) and The Lost Art of Pure Worship with James Goll. Parents of three daughters and grandparents of four grandchildren, Chris and his wife, Laura, reside in Harrisburg, PA.

Learn More

Read reviews, a guest post from the author, and enter to win one of three prize packages from Whitaker House through Jan 10, 2017. Check out the Celebrate Lit tour here.

Wounded in the Church by Beeson & Hayward (Blog Tour w/ Giveaway)

July 31, 2017 by Suzie Waltner 10 Comments

To purchase your copy, click here.

About the Book

Wounded in the Church Beeson & Hayward — Click on image to order

Book title: Wounded in the Church

Author: Ray Beeson & Chris Hayward

Release date: March 14, 2017

Genre: Non-fiction

Church should be a safe place, right? Then why do so many get hurt there?

Ray Beeson and Chris Hayward combine their years of ministry experience to address head-on the elephant in the room: church members and church leaders hurt Christians. All the time. And the long-lasting effects—rejection, shame, despair, loneliness, fear—can be devastating. The authors have witnessed the rise of the “dones,” those who are just done with God thanks to scars from church.

With first-person stories of hurt and loss, this book is a wake-up call for any who deny woundedness in the church but is also a redemptive message for any who hurt from church wounds. Leaders and laypeople alike will learn how to grieve over abuse, to leave unhealthy attitudes and patterns that cause pain, and to trust in God’s real, delivering work through churches that build up, not tear down.

Thanks to the grace of God, there is always hope beyond the pain.

[Read more…] about Wounded in the Church by Beeson & Hayward (Blog Tour w/ Giveaway)

The Cautious Maiden Review and Giveaways

October 24, 2016 by Suzie Waltner 2 Comments

Before we get into the review (and giveaways) for The Cautious Maiden, let me say this: If you have not yet read The Everstone Chronicles by Dawn Crandall, you are missing out! This series is amazing and the fourth and final book is a true treat.

Vance Everstone is the black sheep of the Everstone Family, the offspring who has lived life to please himself and now lives to regret his choices. He is striving to change his spots, to become a man after God’s heart but the shadow of his past hangs heavy over everything in his present.
On the other end of the spectrum, Violet Hawthorne has lived her life above reproach. Despite her brother turning her family home into a brothel, Violet has managed to stay away from that life and everything associated with it. But her brother is more devious and desperate than she could imagine.
When he puts her in a compromising position that will ruin her reputation and leave her with no place to turn, Violet is forced into an engagement with Vance Everstone, who promises to protect her. Violet longs for a real marriage—one full of love—but Vance has already told her he hadn’t planned on marrying anytime soon. Will she learn to navigate Vance’s high-society world? And how will she ever protect her heart from the man she is coming to love?

This story!! What a beautiful tale of redemption, of how love can change a person. How seeking God’s heart changes your own enough for someone who wants to know you to see the person God intended you to be.

And while it’s not usually my favorite point of view for romance, Crandall makes the first person narrative work. In every one of her books. Readers fall in love with the hero right along with the heroine. All I could ask for is more of these characters—maybe a reunion piece?

****Whitaker House provided me with a complimentary copy of this book. I was not required to write either a positive or negative review. All opinions expressed are my own.***

For the next 10 days (both end Nov 4, 2016), there are two giveaways for you to enter. First, Dawn Crandall’s publisher is generously giving away a copy of The Cautious Maiden to one of my blog visitors. All you have to do is answer the following question in the comments:

Question: Who is the most memorable character in the books you’ve read?

And if you don’t win the book here, you have another chance. Dawn Crandall is also giving away a couple copies of her books along with some other treats:

Enter to win one of these two fabulous prizes here:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Now Available in Paperback!!!

September 21, 2015 by Suzie Waltner Leave a Comment

Greetings blog readers. I know it’s been a busy, busy year and you probably don’t remember book reviews from last March but let me tell you a little story. Sometimes authors go through different journeys with publishing. Dawn Crandall wrote three books in the Everstone Chronicles series that were ONLY released in eBook. Well, a few months ago, she got good news. The paperback versions are coming!!! Actually, the first book, The Hesitant Heiress, is available for sale now. Book two will be available in October and three in November.

These are great books. If you know anyone who enjoys historical fiction, consider giving this book as a Christmas gift (or even better the series). If you want to read more about The Hesitant Heiress, check out my review.

Dawn is also giving away 5 copies of her first book. Enter via rafflecopter.

a Rafflecopter giveaway