This contest is now closed. I used random.org to generate a random number. It picked #4. Congratulations  to Tabby. I have sent you an email. Thanks to everyone who entered. I have another giveaway coming up. A movie this time. Check back soon!

An Absence So Great by Jane Kirkpatrick is inspired by the engaging stories told through her grandmother’s photographs taken at the turn of the century.

Eighteen-year-old Jessie Ann Gaebele is a photographer who operates photographic studios for those ill with mercury poisoning, while saving for her own studio.

She exiles herself from her family and friends to move to other towns. Exiled because she is trying to remove herself from a forbidden love situation. But no matter where she moves to, a job she loves can’t keep those painful memories from seeping into her heart.

She really does try, (that’s why she kept moving), but how can you stop loving someone?

The last chapter of the book is written in diary form, where Jessie tells of her life. I love this line:

When I’m feeling low, I pull out my photo album and remember as I did that day that photography was my life only until I discovered what life is really made of: the settings, props , and poses we encounter, then put aside so we can cherish family and faith, live fully, and abide until we go.

That’s what life is really all about – family and faith. Not jobs, and certainly not “stuff”.

I love biographies and historical fiction and An Absence So Great is both genres in one book.

In the Authors Notes, and An Interview With The Author, both in the back of the book, the author shares her grandmothers story and tells what parts of the book are fictionalized.

This is Book Two, but you can enjoy this book without having read the first one. I know I did. But I will be looking for the first book, A Flickering Light.

WaterBrook Multnomah sent me a copy of An Absence So Great by Jane Kirkpatrick to give away! All you have to do to enter is leave a comment on this post. So easy, right?

This giveaway will end on Friday March 9th, at 8 pm, when I’ll use random.org to pick a winner.

This book was provided for review by the WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group. They also provided me with a copy to giveaway.

*This contest is now over.

A mother who cannot face her future.
A daughter who cannot escape her past.

In Here Burns My Candle, Lady Elisabeth Kerr is a keeper of secrets. She honors the auld ways, even as doubts and fears stir deep within her.

Her husband, Lord Donald, has secrets of his own, well hidden from the household, yet whispered among the town gossips.

His mother, the dowager Lady Marjory, hides gold beneath her floor and guilt inside her heart. Her two abiding passions are maintaining her place in society and coddling her grown sons.

A timeless story of love and betrayal, loss and redemption, flickering against the vivid backdrop of eighteenth-century Scotland, Here Burns My Candle illumines the dark side of human nature, even as hope, the brightest of tapers, lights the way home.

I have read other books by Liz Curtis Higgs. I really like her style of writing, and was looking forward to reading this book. Here Burns My Candle is the story of Naomi & Ruth told in 1700’s Scotland.

There is a map in the front of the book, showing Edinburgh in 1745, making it easy to follow the characters as they travel around the city. I love it when historical fiction books include a map.

The author also includes a section in the back of the book entitled “Authors Notes”. They are her notes as she traveled in Edinburgh and did research for the book. Something else I love in historical fiction books.

There were a few parts that I didn’t exactly like. Adultery and worship of other gods, to be specific. But you know what? You can’t see the full effect of the redemptive power of Jesus, without knowing the backgrounds of the characters.

Overall, I really liked Here Burns My Candle, and would highly recommend it to everyone.

The sequel Mine is the Night comes out in the spring of 2011. However shall I wait that long for it?

They gave me a copy to giveaway!

Just leave a comment on this post and you’ll be entered to win a copy of Here Burns My Candle by Liz Curtis Higgs“

Contest ends Saturday, March 27,2010, at 6 p.m. when I will use random.org to choose a winner

**EDITED TO ADD: I want to thank Liz Curtis Higgs for taking the time to comment on my blog (see below). I was so excited to see that you visited and left me a comment. You are so kind. I truly do read all of the authors notes! And study the maps! As an avid reader, I am raising readers, also. My teenage daughter has now “stolen” Here Burns My Candle from me and is reading it. Thanks you again, for visiting me and leaving a comment.

*DISCLAIMER – This book was provided for review by WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group. I also received a copy to giveaway. I received no other compensation for reviewing this book. This review is my own opinion.

I’m linking this post to Things I Love Thursday, visit for more things to love!

**This contest is now over, and a winner has been picked! Random.org picked comment #5. Congratulations Pam! I have sent you an email. Thanks to everyone who visited my blog and entered the contest!

My older daughter used to read The Rebelution Blog when she was a teenager. Reading this book reminded of that blog, and I recommended it to my current teenagers.

I had heard about Alex & Brett Harris’s 1st book, Do Hard Things, but haven’t read it. Now I wish I had! I’m definitely going to be ordering one with my next book order.

I absolutely loved Start Here Doing Hard Things Right Where You Are by Alex & Brett Harris!

This book is written for teenagers and young adults, but in my opinion, everyone can benefit from reading this book.

This book answers such questions as: How do I get started? What hard things does God want me to do? How do I keep from getting discouraged or burned out? What is the best way to inspire others?

Using their own story, as well as the stories of others, the Harris brothers will inspire you to find out what God’s plan is for your life, and start doing it. They will help you when you are feeling discouraged because things aren’t going the way you thought they would. Or your burned out because you’re having a hard time finding someone to help or mentor you. They will also help you figure out if this is the right time for you to be doing this hard thing. Or if God wants for you to wait on this specific hard thing until it’s His time for it.

There are discussion questions in the back of the book that can be used by yourself, or as part of a group. This would be great for youth groups!

There is even a list of 100 Hard Things in the back of the book to get you started.

I highly recommend this book to everyone, from young teens to older adults. I’m going to give my copy to my teens to read. I would also like to buy a copy, as well as a copy of Do Hard Things, to give to the youth at our church.

They gave me a copy to giveaway!

Just leave a comment on this post and you’ll be entered to win a copy of Start Here Doing Hard Things Right Where You Are by Alex & Brett Harris.

Contest ends Saturday, March 20,2010, at 6 p.m. when I will use random.org to choose a winner

I love reading. I would spend all day reading if I could! I don’t have that kind of time anymore. I read a little bit through out the day, though. Since I’m a fast reader, I can still get through books quickly. It still would be nice to have a whole day just to read!

Biographies are my all time favorite books to read. A very close second is Christian Historical Fiction. Which is why I was so happy when WaterBrook Multnomah sent me 2 books to review as part of their Spring Value Fiction Blog Tour.

My favorite way to read a series of books is to borrow the whole set from the library and read them one after the other!

Deep Harbor by Lisa Tawn Bergren

The Northern Lights Series
Book Two

I hadn’t read Book One in this series, but the story was easy to pick up. In this book, the main characters are from Norway. As they are building their lives in America, they travel across the country, finally settling in Alaska at the end of the book. The book ended on a happy note. It was a good ending even if there were no other books in the series coming. But I also found myself wondering what happened to the characters after settling in Alaska.

This was a good book, and I will be looking for the rest of the books in the series. This was the first time that I have read a book by Lisa Tawn Bergren, and I will be looking for other books by her.

The second book they sent me to review is:

Faithful Heart by Al Lacy

Angel of Mercy Series: Book Two

I have read books by Al Lacy before. I have also read a couple of books with the main characters of this book. The books are in another series called the Stranger series.

This book has a helpful Prologue, so if you haven’t read any books in that series, or Book One of this series, it catches you up to speed.

This book is very action packed. I did find parts of this book a tad violet. The violence was part of a story line, not just violence thrown in for the sake of having violence. One of the characters is a Civil War veteran, who is suffering from shell shock.

I did like this book, in spite of the violence, and will be looking for Book One in this series, as well as additional books in the series.

The Imposter comes out on DVD today.

Pure Flix sent me a copy of this movie to review. I really liked it, and so did my husband.

The movie is about a Christan rock band in which the lead singers life spirals out of control. He gets kicked out of the band and the movie follows him as he hits bottom. Through Jesus, he finds his way back.

What I liked most about this movie was the ending. Every one seems to think that after you accept Jesus as Lord and Saviour, your life will be perfect. Not so. Life on earth is never perfect. We have to reap what we sow. In the Imposter, Johnny C also has to reap what he sows. But with Jesus, he has hope! With Jesus he can rebuild his broken life. So often movies have a “happy ever after” ending. I think this movie has a real life ending, instead of a fairy tale ending. It shows that we all can have hope in Jesus Christ.

We haven’t let the kids watch this movie yet. We think parts of it are too intense for kids. We will let the teenagers watch it, though.

You can visit Pure Flix to view the trailer and get your own copy of The Imposter.