"Stealing The Preacher"

The Archer men are back, and Crockett's taking the spotlight in the latest book by Karen Witemeyer!

I have loved Karen's books since I first found them a year or so ago, and have been wishing for my own Archer brother since The Short Straw Bride. In Stealing the Preacher, I get to pretend!

Crockett is fulfilling his dream to become a preacher when he is stolen off the train and given as a gift to the outlaw's daughter for her birthday! Crockett is sure this is just a quick detour on the road to God's Perfect Will, but what if God's plans are different than he previously thought? Crockett might be willing to change his plans...if a certain redhead would be part of the new one!

Joanna Robbins had been praying for a minister for their small town, but never expected her father to kidnap one for her! Despite the unusual circumstances, Joanna is determined not to let this opportunity slip away, but will Crockett be willing to help? And why does Joanna suddenly feel jealous when the town flirt sets her sights on the preacher?

This book has everything that makes inspirational romance so great: it's a western, with a strong redemption/forgiveness message, colorful characters, drama, and just enough cheese to make you smile. There was one line about Crockett's swagger that made me both groan and smile! It may be cheesy at times, but what good romance isn't?

Karen Witemeyer is one of my favorite authors lately. Her characters are so compelling and quirky that you believe they really exist somewhere in this world. In this case, Joanna, Crockett, Jackson, and the rest of the gang are all such well-thought-out characters that you can't help but feel for them in the story. The storyline has a number of twists that pop up unexpectedly and keep you reading late into the night, to make sure your new friends make it through! But even in these trials, the characters remain true to themselves and come out stronger for it.

I loved getting to revisit the Archer's and can't wait for the next book to see how Neill finds his own love. I would also love to see a future book about Jackson. I know he's just a boy in this one, but he's such an intriguing character and I would love to get to know him more, and see his happily-ever-after come to life.

You should definitely read this book. And then the rest of Karen's books. Enjoy this short trailer for the book!

Recommended 4/5 Stars

*I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

"Barbed-Wire Butterflies"

Barbed-Wire Butterflies by Jessica Kristie is about thirteen year old Elani who finds herself kidnapped and forced to work in a sweatshop as part of an underground human trafficking ring. She sees the hopelessness of her fellow prisoners and vows to not end up a zombie of herself. Through her determination and the help of a kind ex-military worker who is fed up with the system he's contributed to, Elani is able to hold onto her strength and hope. She is able to not only escape from the high-security hell, but brings justice to her friends still trapped inside.

I liked the story; as much as you can like a story about slavery. The characters were well formed and the storyline plausible. The flashback chapters that told about the girls past lives was great. Nothing in the story felt drawn out or rushed. I was able to relate to Elani as she worried more about the other girls than herself and cheered with every show of courage she made.

But the writing ruined it for me. The word choice was frequently awkward, and several sentences were just confusing or clumsy. So much of the dialogue was unrealistic. The author was using dialogue to convey information about trafficking and to set the facts of the story, but it ended up being stilted and fake. I think my biggest pet peeve, though, was that 90% of the time "where" was used as "were". Hoping I just got an unfinished proof, not the final copy!

At the end of the day, I give this  book 2.5 out of 5 stars. I really wanted to love this book. The story was pretty good, and I did wonder what was going to happen next, but the writing needs work.

*I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review*

New Book Alert!!

I'm so excited for this new book coming out next month by Jon Acuff! I am a huge fan of his blogs and of two of his other books (Stuff Christians Like and Quitter. I haven't yet read the Gazelle one). Without fail, reading anything by Jon Acuff either inspires me or makes me laugh. Often both. 

Seriously, go read his blog, and get your hands on his books. Start promises to be just as awesome and inspiring, and if you've ever wanted to take your life from average to awesome, you'll want to read this. I mean, just look at that cover! How can you not want to read a book that tells you to "punch fear in the face" right on the front?? And if you preorder Start, you get a whole bunch of extras, like ebooks and downloads to continue inspiring you.

You can bet that as soon as I read this book, I'll give y'all a review. (I just used "y'all". That was weird.) Better yet, let's both read it, and talk about it after. Deal?

Have you read any Jon Acuff? How has it inspired you?

Disclaimer: I am entered in a traffic contest with Jon Acuff's team. Every click on my blog linking to the Start book, helps me get closer to a prize. But know that I sincerely love Jon Acuff's writing, and would be promoting his books anyways (I had already planned to review Quitter this month). So help a sister out, while helping yourself reach your dreams? 

(Sheesh, using y'all and sister in the same post? Is this what happens when I have a full Saturday off???)

Novel Crossing Debut

Do you like Christian books, especially fiction?

Do you like finding new books?

Do you like connecting with authors and other readers?

Well then check out this new site! 

This site just opened to the public on Monday and so far I'm liking it. I've been a longtime fan of LibraryThing, and this is similar, but more focused. You can explore the latest Christian Fiction releases, add books to your "shelf", connect with your favorite authors, and have online bookclub, and more. It is still a new site, but there is a lot of potential! There are articles and posts about all sorts of Christian fiction-related news, and the opportunity to friend other readers. 

I'm still working to get to know the Novel Crossing site and all the details, but I'm liking what I'm seeing. There is some room for improvement, but as the site grows and improves, I think it will become a great one! Check it out!

Eric Trap Giveaway!!

This just in! I have two copies of The Eric Trap to give away! 

The Eric Trap is a modern-day fable that highlights the top 5 mistakes kidmin leaders (really, any church leaders) tend to make. You can read my full review here.

If you'd like a chance to win, simply leave a comment with your best leadership tip. I'll pick two winners at random at the end of the day on May 4th. If you're a leader, you want to read this book!

"The Eric Trap: A Leadership Fable"

The Eric Trap: A Leadership Fable

By Jim Wideman, Kenny Conley, Sam Luce, with the Infuse Team

Eric Newman is having a bad week. His ministry, his family, and his pride are crumbling around him, and he's not sure what went wrong or how to stop it. But the most gripping part of his story is that it's our story. Mine and yours. If you are in leadership, at least one of Eric's predicaments has stumped you, too. 

Part story, part instructional, this book is unlike any other on leadership! You'll go from chuckling at Eric's thoughts to being convicted of the same mistakes. Wideman, Conley, Luce, and the rest of the team have interwoven Eric's story with their own experiences and tips to help all of us avoid the top 5 most common pitfalls of leadership. 

I can't recommend this book enough! It's a very easy read in a unique style that can be read in a day.  The team has included thought-provoking questions to help put action behind the ideas. And perhaps the best news, it's not just for kidmin leaders! Any church leader will benefit from the lessons contained in this book. Add this to your list and you won't be disappointed! This is a book I'll definitely be revisiting.

Rated 5/5

Highly Recommended