“Maggie’s Journey” by Lena Nelson Dooley~~My Personal Review

Seeking to Find the Real Maggie Lenora Caine

On her eighteenth birthday, Margaret Lenora Caine finds a chest hidden in the attic containing proof that she was adopted. The daughter of wealthy merchants in Seattle, she feels betrayed both by her real parents and by the ones who raised her.

Maggie longs for a place where she belongs. But her mother’s constant criticism and reminders that she doesn’t fit the mold of a young woman of their social standing have already created tension in their home. With the discovery of the family secret, all sense of her identity is lost.

When Maggie asks to visit her grandmother in Arkansas, her father agrees on the condition that she take her Aunt Georgia as a chaperone and his young partner, Charles Stanton, as protection on the journey. Will she discover who she really is and, more importantly, what truly matters most in life?

Check out the FIRST Tour Blog here.

Bio: 

Lena Nelson Dooley is an award-winning author with more than 650,000 books in print. She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers—where she received the Mentor of the Year award in 2006—DFW Ready Writers, and Christian Authors Network. She lives in Hurst, Texas, with her husband of over 45 years.

Visit the author’s website.

Endorsement:

Maggie’s Journey grabs you on page one with characters and events that reflect real-life joys and heartaches that change the characters forever. Make room on your “keepers” shelf! —Loree Lough, best-selling author of 80 award-winning books, including From Ashes to Honor.

My Review:

Oregon Trail, September, 1867.  Three little girls were born to Angus and Lenora McKenna, but Lenora died after giving birth.  Angus, torn and bereaved, knew he couldn’t care for three girls and decided to give two of his daughters away. Margaret (Maggie) Lenora was given to Florence and Joshua Caine.  This is her story, Maggie’s Journey.

Before her 18th birthday party, we find Maggie searching the attic for the dresses she’d heard about, the ones her grandmother made for her mother while on the Oregon Trail, as she was a talented dress designer.  While rustling through a cluster of trunks and old crates, she finds a small white chest with a carved floral design.  That fateful day, she finds her adoption papers hidden below some baby clothes.  Up to that day, she’d had no inkling that she was adopted.   She believes her parents lied to her all these years.

Though Maggie hasn’t told her parents of her new knowledge, she still wants to meet her grandmother, as they both have similar dress-designing talents. She and Aunt Georgia are chaperoned by Charles Stanton on their train trip to Arkansas.

Lena creates an enveloping story of the rigors of a train ride for Maggie and Georgia, accompanied by Charles, from Washington State to Arkansas in the autumn of that year.  Though I’ve never ridden a train, her scenarios and episodes were so real that you could imagine what they saw, heard and experienced.  It’s a riveting story.  The romance aspect is both amusing and touching.  But you will have to read the book to see why.

All the characters are developed in-depth, pulling you into the personal issues involved.  They are friends you want to read more about.

Many of us have known children who have been adopted. Some are content with their adoptive parents, others are not.  Lena exposes the distraught feelings and sense of loss in the life of Maggie when she finds she’s adopted, particularly because Maggie has never been able to please her mother.  This trip not only exposes Maggie’s feelings, but also the hidden feelings in Florence’s life that even her husband isn’t aware of.  It gets down-right personal.  Will Florence and Maggie be able to reconcile and become true mother and daughter?  Will their faith in God be strong enough to work through the issues?

Lena’s book is a true historical romance; heavy on the history and sweet on the romance, with a spiritual lesson for all of us.  A super-delightful book based on the 1860′s.

Special thanks to Kim Jones | Publicity Coordinator, Charisma House | Charisma Media, for sending me a review copy for this review.  No monetary compensation was exchanged.

BookSneezeTour with Review: “Life Support” by Robert Whitlow

How can Attorney Alexia Lindale support the wishes of her client when the goal is a near-certain death?

Alexia knows this new case is a matter of life and death. She doesn’t have a clue what it will do to her heart and soul.

Baxter Richardson survived a fall from a cliff while hiking in the mountains. His survival depends on the machines that help him breathe. His haunted, unstable wife wants to pull the plug and hide her secrets. His father wants him alive for reasons of love and money. Attorney Alexia Lindale must navigate the mixed motives and warring facts to determine—and fight for—what’s right for Baxter in this compelling tale of betrayal and a mysterious, healing grace.

Baxter Richardson epitomizes the American dream: good-looking, wealthy, and recently married to a beautiful woman. But when Baxter plunges off a cliff and onto the rocks below, his life and the lives of those around him are forever changed.

Bright young attorney Alexia Lindale never knew Baxter. But she knows the law. And she’s used to winning. As a prominent local divorce lawyer, she’s used to the men of Santee, South Carolina, cringing when their soon-to-be ex-wives hire her. But then her firm assigns her to Rena Richardson and Alexia’s life turns upside down.

Rena doesn’t want a divorce. She wants to unplug her husband, Baxter, from life support, claiming it’s what Baxter would have wanted. But Baxter’s father is threatening to legally override Rena.

Everyone involved has ulterior motives. Yet God has higher plans. Filled with legal twists, deep questions about life and death, and truly memorable characters, this fast-paced, two-part series delivers a story that will stay with you long after the last page.

Bio:

Robert Whitlow is the best-selling author of legal novels set in the South and winner of the prestigious Christy Award for Contemporary Fiction. A Furman University graduate, Whitlow received his J.D. with honors from the University of Georgia School of Law where he served on the staff of the Georgia Law Review. A practicing attorney, Whitlow and his wife, Kathy, have four children. They make their home in North Carolina.

My Review:

This book, Life Support, has all the tentacles of the Terri Sciavo case, only with differing medical conditions.

The emotional upheavals and shenanigans of Baxter Richardson’s father, Ezra; the inexplicable behaviors and comments of Baxter’s wife, Rena; the calculating and mysterious behaviors of Baxter’s brother, Jeffrey; the perplexing position of attorney Alexia Lindale working to remove Baxter’s life support, mixed with the romantic tension between Alexia and Ted Morgan, all take you for the tailspin ride of your life.  And wait until you meet the short, scarred-face Detective Giles Porter!

The constant twists at every conceivable moment forces you to keep abreast of the situations unfolding.  Yet, though there are constant twists and turns, I found the writing style to be relaxed and woven methodically throughout the book.  I thoroughly enjoyed the flow of the story line.

The characters are all believable in each episode of the circumstances.  The emotions and tension are palpable. I was able to connect emotionally with each of the main characters revolving around Baxter’s medical condition, some of which were good and some that weren’t.

You will become acquainted with musical worship and music therapy.  I found this aspect so comforting, as I get into music much the same as Ted.

This is my first book by Robert Whitlow, and I’ve already purchased the second in this series!  Can’t wait to read that it!

This book was provided by BookSneeze in exchange for my honest review.  No monetary compensation was exchanged.

Revell Blog Tour~~”Double Take” by Melody Carlson

Young Socialite Switches Places with Amish Girl to Escape Manhattan Scene!

“Why does everything have to be so complicated?” Madison shook her Blackberry at her mom…

“I’m sick of it…I can’t take it anymore…”

Anna Fisher was bored. But she knew better than to say that out loud – especially when everyone was busy with farming and fixing and all the additional chores that came with springtime.

Bestselling author Melody Carlson takes readers into the worlds of a socialite and an Amish girl struggling with who they are in Double Take (ISBN: 978-0-8007-1964-7, June 2011, $9.99). Have you ever wondered what would happen if you could switch your life with someone else for just one day? Readers will live the one-week experiences of a bored Amish girl and stressed out socialite when they decide to switch places in Double Take.

Spring break has arrived. It’s her senior year, and Madison VanBuren is fed up with her surroundings and the pressures of life. Stressed out over choosing an Ivy League school that will please her parents, their marital problems, and her boyfriend’s pressure, Madison gets in her car and drives west.

Meanwhile, eighteen-year-old Anna Fisher wants to escape the so-called simple life–which for her consists of caring for younger siblings, sewing, cooking, and gardening–and she’s well aware that her future will simply be more of the same with a man she doesn’t love.

Madison and Anna stumble into each other in a small town. Realizing their looks are uncannily similar, they both think their lives are boring. Thinking the grass is greener on the other side, they make a decision that will transform them forever and switch lives for one week.

Readers will love this funny and provocative tale of switching places from bestselling author Melody Carlson. As they get a glimpse and understanding of these two very different worlds. They may find themselves happy to be just who they are, and where they are.

Melody Carlson is the award-winning author of over two hundred books, several of them Christmas novellas from Revell, including her much-loved and bestselling books, Christmas at Harrington’s and The Christmas Bus. She also writes many teen books, including Just Another Girl, Anything but Normal, the Diary of a Teenage Girl series, the TrueColors series, and the Carter House Girls series. Melody was nominated for a Romantic Times Career Achievement Award in the inspirational market for her books, including the Diary of a Teenage Girl series and several books which  are being considered for TV movies. She and her husband serve on the Young Life adult committee in central Oregon.

Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group, offers practical books that bring the Christian faith to everyday life.  They publish resources from a variety of well-known brands and authors, including their partnership with MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) and Hungry Planet.

My Review:

When socialite Madison VanBuren, a senior in high school, tires of being pulled in multiple directions with her life of people-pleasing and her cheating boyfriend, she gets into her Mini Cooper and heads West, away from all the hubbub of her life.  After  three hours of driving non-stop, she stops in a small Amish town to eat.

Anna Fisher is now eighteen and in her rumspringa time of her life.  She is finding her Amish life boring and is questioning her faith in the Ordnung.  But she must discover for herself whether she wants to join the community and be baptized.  Meanwhile, she must go to her Aunt Rachel’s to help her out during her last month of pregnancy.  But Anna has to wait in town for the day until Uncle Daniel comes to pick her up.

From the time the girls meet in town, the story begins to correlate to the Prince and the Pauper, only with the twists and turns that Melody Carlson pulls together.  It’s a light-reading story about the exchanged lives of Anna and Madison, two restless teenagers looking for meaning in their lives.  Little do they realize the deeper meaning of life.

It’s not your typical Amish read, and yet in ways it is.   We still get to see the lives of both individual lifestyles, only from the other’s point of view.  The complicated, awkward circumstances and settings the girls find themselves in are interesting indeed and fun!  Will there be consequences if they are caught?

The story line is free-flowing, vacillating back and forth between the two girls.  I enjoyed the impromptu conversations when things didn’t go as they had planned or expected.  The language and slang usage make for a comical setting throughout the book.   Melody’s inclusion of the natural yearnings of romance will take you to an outcome you won’t expect.

The biggest question at the end is what they will have learned from this exchange.  Is the grass always greener on the other side of the fence?  Do they appreciate their life’s appointment, or will they relish the new life they have discovered?  It’s tantalizing and restful, depending on who is ‘talking.’  A fun, refreshing read!

This book was provided by Donna Hausler, Publicity Assistant, Baker Publishing Group, in exchange for my honest review.  No monetary compensation was exchanged.

For Boys AND their Parents/Guardians~~”Flight Plan: Your Mission to Become a Man” by Lee Burns and Braxton Brady

MISSION: Navigating the steps to authentic manhood!

Book Blurb:

There is something special, sentimental and sad about the approach of adolescence for a boy.  Much will be changing–quickly and dramatically–in the upcoming months and years.  But there is excitement as well.  A life of greater possibilities, potentials, and passions awaits the emerging young man.

Flight Plan is a resource and source of instruction and encouragement for boys, their parents, and other adults who work with boys.  We write this book, though, primarily for the boys themselves, with the aim of offering them a vision and definition of manhood before they get there, a framework for considering the challenges of adolescence, and tools and strategies for making healthy and appropriate choices during those years.  We hope they see the connection between the long-term vision of manhood and the short-term teenage choices.  We  believe that connection is vital.

Endorsement:

“If you have a son, you need this book.” –C. Kemmons Wilson, Jr., founding family of Holiday Inn

Bios:

Braxton Brady                                                                                 Lee Burns

Braxton Brady was born and raised in Memphis, Tennessee. He graduated from Memphis University School and earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Memphis. Before coming to Presbyterian Day School (PDS) in 2004, he worked as Bible teacher, athletic director, and assistant principal at Central Day School in Collierville, TN. Presently, Brady is chaplain of PDS, an independent school in Memphis.

Brady has served on the boards of various inner city ministries in Memphis. He is a graduate of the Emerging Leaders Program, a program that helps disciple and develop spiritual leaders in the city of Memphis, and founder of Strategic Dads, a ministry that seeks to provide fathers with practical ways to disciple their sons and lead their families.

Brady is currently completing his master’s degree in theological studies from Covenant Theological Seminary. He is married to Carrie, and they have three children. They are members of Fellowship Memphis Church.

Lee Burns is a native of Chattanooga, Tennessee. Burns discovered a passion for youth while working as a camp counselor and decided to pursue a career in education. He received his undergraduate degree from Dartmouth College, graduating cum laude, and went on to receive a master’s degree in educational administration from Harvard University. Burns also studied at the London School of Economics.

Burns has worked as a teacher, coach, and administrator at Christ School in NC; a director of day student admission at the McCallie School in Chattanooga, TN; headmaster at Presbyterian Day School, an independent in Memphis; vice-president and on the executive committee of the Elementary School Headmasters, a member of the Country Day School Headmasters Association and the Visionary Heads Group; a task force member to help the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS) develop Principles of Good Practice for Middle School Educators; and a presenter at annual conferences of the National Association of Independent Schools, the International Boys’ School Coalition, and the Elementary School Headmasters Association.

Lee is married to Sarah, and they have three children. They are members of Second Presbyterian Church, where he serves as a deacon.

Watch Flight Plan Book Promo by Braxton Brady Here.

My Review:

Although Flight Plan, by Lee Burns and Braxton Brady, is written for boys and their dads/male guardians, as a mother, I wanted to see if this book met the standards on the subjects I thought needed to be written about.  It does! It’s what I’ve been looking for over the years!

Lee and Braxton reach out to boys on the many levels of choices that can assist a boy into becoming a Godly man.  They use the metaphor of life being a journey of flight, and use stories of airplane missions to grab their attention and make their point.  I think they present excellent analogies!

They speak openly and frankly about such topics as friendships, peer pressure, drinking, drugs, girls and dating, puberty, sex, and family and school relationships.  They emphasize choices for success as well as warnings for potential pitfalls on the road to manhood.  The great thing they emphasize is that the boys don’t have to do this alone.  They can talk to their parents, trusted Christian men, and trusted Christian teachers.

They state several Biblically based virtues that are comprehensive, insightful and challenging, such as, 1) The True Friend, 2)The Humble Hero 3)The Servant Leader 4)The Moral Motivator 5)The Bold Adventurer 6)The Noble Knight and 7)The Heart Patient.  The questions at the end of each chapter are personal and boldly intrusive, as boys need to know this is a difficult, decisive journey, not only for them, but for all men.

They are adamant that the boys know that it’s more important “to know the person God wants them to be” rather than what others suggest or entice them into.

They present their book in the light of a Christian Worldview.  I differ only on the ‘legality’of drinking, which is a worldly view of when one can drink.  I would also want to warn parents to be aware of some of the anti-Scriptural teachings taught in the schools on these very issues.

Braxton Brady and Lee Burns are available for speaking engagements.  For more information, contact Ellen Lewis of The Barnabas Agency (elewis@tbbmedia.com or 800-927-0517 x110).

Flight Plan: Your Mission to Become a Man by Lee Burns and Braxton Brady

PDS Publishing/November 2010/194 pages/ISBN 978-0-615-38061-2/$14.99

This book was provided by Audra of The B&B Media Group in exchange for my honest review.  What a powerful book!

This book can be purchased here .

“Homeless for the Holiday” by homelessfortheholidaysmovie.com

One Family’s Path to Homelessness

DVD Blurb:  

When an uncaring executive falls from the corporate ladder, he learns how difficult it can be to find work and compassion in today’s economy.  He eventually accepts a humiliating job, but with bills rapidly piling up, and not enough money to go around, he quickly discovers that, unless something changes soon, he’ll lose ever thing by Christmas.

Will family and faith be enough to bring joy when you’re Homeless for The Holidays?

My review:

Homeless for The Holidays is a movie of a young executive, Jack Baker, who is so preoccupied with ‘climbing the ladder’ that he fails to create close relationships with his children, Adam and Michelle, and his wife, Cheryl.  He has a huge house, two fancy vehicles, and all the amenities one could ask for, but little time for the family.

Through a devious and deliberate plan by a jealous co-worker, a mistyped label is placed on a product produced by the pharmaceutical company Jack works for, and hundreds of people are injured.  Jack is left holding the bag, and is put on an unpaid temporary leave until the media hype and public mistrust blows over.

The producers created a great movie to help us understand what is really important in life and family, how close all of us are to being in the same position, and Who to look to for help, though Jack didn’t seem to be overly involved in the church.

Adam is like some children I have seen today, concerned about the homeless plight and the needy, a huge problem everywhere today.  His executive father asks him to be a normal kid and enjoy life and not be so somber.  Michelle wants ‘daddy time,’ playing games with her.  Cheryl just wants time with him alone and with the family together.  But it’s always “Just one more phone call!” and broken promises, while rushing off to please his boss.

The verbal reactions between the Jack and his wife during this time are very real, with the wife worrying about finances and wondering if he is going to just sit around and wait for his position to reopen or get out and find a job to pay the bills. Once he is convinced to look for a job until he is called back to work, he finds rejections everywhere, except for the one humiliating job he does find.  It’s questionable, though, whether this job will pay enough to cover the bills, leaving his family susceptible to losing everything by Christmas.

The producers also expose government bureaucracy for what it really is.  Rules and regulations discussed are ever so real.  They really do expect you to go into poverty level living in order to get assistance.  Reminds me of a book about who is really looking after you–and it’s not the government.

I enjoyed how both parents created a positive spin on the circumstances by making new problems a fun exploration or a new tradition, thus stabilizing the children’s emotions and not alarming them, although I did expect some complaining.  Jack and Cheryl’s love is strong and supportive throughout.  This made for a very enlightening movie for families to watch and learn how to give, love and care for one another.

The principle of personally giving generously to the needy and homeless is vividly portrayed  through this movie by Jack’s family learning to give, love and care for others despite their own circumstances.  Something God has told us to do.

This movie is based on a true story and reflects what the film makers experienced in their own lives.  To purchase this movie, please go to http://homelessfortheholidaysmovie.com or select Christian bookstores.

This DVD was provided by Team BuzzPlant in exchange for my honest review.