Friday, July 29, 2016

DVD Review: The Bible Stories: David



Fishflix.com sent me, The Bible Stories: David, a made-for-TV movie from 1997 for review.

Nathaniel Parker plays David, the humble shepherd chosen by God who grew up to become king of Israel. This three-hour epic also features Leonard Nemoy (Samuel), Johnathan Pryce (Saul), Sheryl Lee (Bathsheba), and Franco Nero as the prophet Nathan.

This lavish adaptation brings us from David's defeat of Goliath, to his days as a solider in King Saul's army and his kinship with Jonathan, to the flawed king who wooed Bathsheba and suffered through numerous tragedies. It paints an accurate picture of David's life based upon Old Testament readings.

David is a superb movie that drew me in quickly. The acting was wonderful, the scenery and costumes are stunning, and the three hours passed by before I knew it. My only complaint is that there are moments when it's too graphic, especially during battle scenes. I'm guessing they were looking for reality, but I certainly wouldn't be sharing this film with kids under the age of 13.

Fishflix has a mission to bring viewers "The Greatest Christian and Family-Friendly Films in the World at Great Prices." It's current price is lower than Amazon and they offer free shipping on orders over $40. They also have other DVDs from The Bible Stories series for sale. When you buy from FishFlix, you're supporting Christian ministries in the Middle East.

I know I'll be checking out their store more often now that I know about them.

I received a free copy of this DVD from FishFlix. This review contains my honest opinions, which I have not been compensated for in any way.

DVD Review: The Bible Stories: David



Fishflix.com sent me, The Bible Stories: David, a made-for-TV movie from 1997 for review.

Nathaniel Parker plays David, the humble shepherd chosen by God who grew up to become king of Israel. This three-hour epic also features Leonard Nemoy (Samuel), Johnathan Pryce (Saul), Sheryl Lee (Bathsheba), and Franco Nero as the prophet Nathan.

This lavish adaptation brings us from David's defeat of Goliath, to his days as a solider in King Saul's army and his kinship with Jonathan, to the flawed king who wooed Bathsheba and suffered through numerous tragedies. It paints an accurate picture of David's life based upon Old Testament readings.

David is a superb movie that drew me in quickly. The acting was wonderful, the scenery and costumes are stunning, and the three hours passed by before I knew it. My only complaint is that there are moments when it's too graphic, especially during battle scenes. I'm guessing they were looking for reality, but I certainly wouldn't be sharing this film with kids under the age of 13.

Fishflix has a mission to bring viewers "The Greatest Christian and Family-Friendly Films in the World at Great Prices." It's current price is lower than Amazon and they offer free shipping on orders over $40. They also have other DVDs from The Bible Stories series for sale. When you buy from FishFlix, you're supporting Christian ministries in the Middle East.

I know I'll be checking out their store more often now that I know about them.

I received a free copy of this DVD from FishFlix. This review contains my honest opinions, which I have not been compensated for in any way.






Book Review & Giveaway: A Simple Vow by Charlotte Hubbard

Charlotte Hubbard has done it again! With A Simple Vow, she has created a story of faith, love, and forgiveness that will tug at your heartstrings.

Edith Riehl lives with her sisters and dat Cornelius, who is the new deacon in Willow Ridge. Having been left unable to conceive from an early age, its a true blessing when a set of twins is left under her care.

She's not quite sure what Asa Detweiler's story is, but she knows she is as taken with him as he seems to be with her. With one simple vow, Edith and Asa's destinies are intertwined. But her dat will have none of it. Will God bring their hearts' desires to fruition?

If you love Amish fiction, you simply can't go wrong with a book by Hubbard. She knows her genre and she masterfully tells her stories, drawing you in from beginning to end.

When her Seasons of the Heart series ended, I was so sad. I had come to love many of the residents of Willow Ridge and couldn't believe I wouldn't be reading about them again. The Simple Gifts series is somewhat of a continuation of that series. Its focus is slightly different, but it's still set in the same place and many of the characters that readers are familiar with appear. I can't say I've ever seen this done before. I love it!

What I have always appreciated about Hubbard's style is that she creates real characters. They are sinners...just like me. They doubt...just like me. They stumble and fall, but through the grace of God find what they need...just like me. With this novel you even get a surprising plot twist too.

If you enjoy Amish fiction and haven't read Charlotte Hubbard's work yet, make a plan to change that soon. You won't regret it.

Series: Simple Gifts
Mass Market Paperback: 368 pages
Publisher: Zebra (May 31, 2016)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1420138693
ISBN-13: 978-1420138696

I received a free digital copy of this book from the author. This review contains my honest opinions, which I have not been compensated for in any way.

Excerpt:

Edith stood beside her bed gazing down at the twins in awe. So small they were, and so sweet—like little angels—now that they’d eaten and fallen asleep. She’d arranged them in large cardboard boxes padded with towels, and finding them beds and more clothing was her first priority. Will’s box of supplies had included a very short stack of cloth diapers, half a dozen onesies, a blanket apiece, a half-used canister of powdered formula, and a few baby bottles—not much, considering she had two babies to look after. Molly had probably been too ill to sew for them, and not able to nurse them because of her cancer.

What a heartache that must’ve been for Molly—and for Will as he watched her weaken and die. Edith sighed. So much about Will’s situation and these children was a sorrowful mystery.

I’m watching out for your best interests, Daughter. You entered into this agreement without considering the long-term consequences.

Edith frowned as her father’s words taunted her. Dat was right about her tendencies to nurture hopeless souls and underdogs, but wasn’t that what the Bible urged Christians to do? What doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God? The verse from Micah had been one of the earliest Edith had committed to memory—the watchword of her faith. Even as a child she’d rescued little birds that had fallen from their nests and had bottle-fed baby rabbits and deer after their mothers had been hit in the road.

Edith sighed. What future would these poor motherless children face if she didn’t care for them? She had to find a way around Dat’s refusal to keep them in the house . . . in her life. Already her heart swelled with love as she gazed at Leroy and Louisa.

The clatter of footsteps downstairs alerted her to her sisters’ arrival and she hurried down the hallway. “Shh!” Edith insisted as she leaned over the stairway railing. “I just got the babies to sleep!”



Many moons ago—like, in 1983 while she was still a school librarian—Charlotte Hubbard sold her first story to True Story. This launched her into writing around seventy of those “true confessions” stories over the years, and she’s been a slave to her overactive imagination ever since. Over the course of her writing career, she has sold nearly 50 books—most recently, Amish romance series she’s written as Charlotte Hubbard or Naomi King.
Charlotte lived in Missouri for most of her life, so her Amish stories are set in imaginary Missouri towns. These days she lives in St. Paul, MN with her husband of 40+ years and their Border collie, Ramona.

WEBSITE www.CharlotteHubbard.com

Facebook www.Facebook.com/Charlotte.Hubbard1

Click on these links to buy this book now!


• Amazon.com •• Barnes & Noble •• The Book Depository •• B-A-M •• Chapters •• IndieBound •• Powell’s •• Kensington Books •


Ebook: • Kindle •• Nook •• Kobo •• iBooks •• Google Play •• Kensington •


Charlotte will be awarding a $15 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Monday, July 25, 2016

Mailbox Monday - July 25



Mailbox Monday is a meme started by Marcia of To Be Continued. Mailbox Monday is the gathering place for readers to share the books that came in their mailbox during the last week. It now has a permanent home at the Mailbox Monday blog.

Warning: Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles, and humongous wish lists.

Happy Monday! Hope you all had a wonderful weekend. This is the first weekend in a while--other than being on vacation--that I didn't work the whole weekend away. I definitely was on the computer Saturday, but Sunday I went to church, did my grocery shopping, and then made Yia-Yia an orange coconut cake for her birthday--which is today. Happy birthday, Yia-Yia!



No new books in the mail lately, but I did pick up some new Kindle freebies. I've also been reading A Simple Vow by Charlotte Hubbard. 











What was in your mailbox? 

Saturday, July 23, 2016

Book Spotlight & Giveaway: Madame Presidentess by Nicole Evelina


02_Madame Presidentess

Madame Presidentess
by Nicole Evelina

Publication Date: July 25, 2016
Lawson Gartner Publishing
eBook & Paperback; 400 Pages

Genre: Historical Fiction

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*Winner: U.S. Women’s History category – 2015 Chaucer Awards for Historical Fiction

Forty-eight years before women were granted the right to vote, one woman dared to run for President of the United States, yet her name has been virtually written out of the history books.

Rising from the shame of an abusive childhood, Victoria Woodhull, the daughter of a con-man and a religious zealot, vows to follow her destiny, one the spirits say will lead her out of poverty to “become ruler of her people.”

But the road to glory is far from easy. A nightmarish marriage teaches Victoria that women are stronger and deserve far more credit than society gives. Eschewing the conventions of her day, she strikes out on her own to improve herself and the lot of American women.

Over the next several years, she sets into motion plans that shatter the old boys club of Wall Street and defile even the sanctity of the halls of Congress. But it’s not just her ambition that threatens men of wealth and privilege; when she announces her candidacy for President in the 1872 election, they realize she may well usurp the power they’ve so long fought to protect.

Those who support her laud “Notorious Victoria” as a gifted spiritualist medium and healer, a talented financial mind, a fresh voice in the suffrage movement, and the radical idealist needed to move the nation forward. But those who dislike her see a dangerous force who is too willing to speak out when women are expected to be quiet. Ultimately, “Mrs. Satan’s” radical views on women’s rights, equality of the sexes, free love and the role of politics in private affairs collide with her tumultuous personal life to endanger all she has built and change how she is viewed by future generations.

This is the story of one woman who was ahead of her time – a woman who would make waves even in the 21st century – but who dared to speak out and challenge the conventions of post-Civil War America, setting a precedent that is still followed by female politicians today.

Amazon | iTunes | Kobo | Smashwords



Nicole Evelina is an award-winning historical fiction and romantic comedy writer. Her most recent novel, Been Searching for You, a romantic comedy, won the 2015 Romance Writers of America (RWA) Great Expectations and Golden Rose contests.

She also writes historical fiction. Her debut novel, Daughter of Destiny, the first book of an Arthurian legend trilogy that tells Guinevere’s life story from her point of view, was named Book of the Year by Chanticleer Reviews, took the Grand Prize in the 2015 Chatelaine Awards for Women’s Fiction/Romance, won a Gold Medal in the fantasy category in the Next Generation Indie Book Awards and was short-listed for the Chaucer Award for Historical Fiction. The sequel, Camelot’s Queen is out now.

Nicole is one of only six authors who completed a week-long writing intensive taught by #1 New York Times bestselling author Deborah Harkness. Nicole has traveled to England twice to research the Guinevere’s Tale trilogy, where she consulted with internationally acclaimed author and historian Geoffrey Ashe, as well as Arthurian/Glastonbury expert Jaime George, the man who helped Marion Zimmer Bradley research The Mists of Avalon.

Nicole is a member of and book reviewer for The Historical Novel Society, and Sirens (a group supporting female fantasy authors), as well as a member of the Historical Writers of America, Women’s Fiction Writers Association, Romance Writers of America, the St. Louis Writer’s Guild, Women Writing the West, Broad Universe (promoting women in fantasy, science fiction and horror), Alliance of Independent Authors and the Independent Book Publishers Association.

Her website/blog is http://nicoleevelina.com and she can be found on Twitter as well as on Pinterest, Facebook, Goodreads, Instagram and Tumblr.

Blog Tour Schedule

Monday, July 25
Tour Kick Off at Passages to the Past

Tuesday, July 26
Spotlight at Just One More Chapter

Wednesday, July 27
Spotlight at Broken Teepee

Thursday, July 28
Guest Post at Let Them Read Books

Friday, July 29
Spotlight at A Bookaholic Swede

Monday, August 1
Review at History From a Woman's Perspective

Tuesday, August 2
Guest Post & Excerpt at The Silver Dagger Scriptorium

Wednesday, August 3
Review at The Book Junkie Reads

Thursday, August 4
Interview at The Maiden's Court

Monday, August 8
Review at The Book Connection (First Chapter Review)

Tuesday, August 9
Spotlight at CelticLady's Reviews

Saturday, August 13
Review at One Book Shy of a Full Shelf

Tuesday, August 16
Review at First Impressions Reviews

Wednesday, August 17
Review at Creating Herstory

Thursday, August 18
Spotlight at What Is That Book About
Guest Post at Creating Herstory

Friday, August 19
Review at Diana's Book Reviews

Monday, August 22
Review at Jorie Loves a Story
Spotlight at To Read, Or Not to Read

Tuesday, August 23
Review at 100 Pages a Day

Wednesday, August 24
Review at Book Nerd
Spotlight at A Literary Vacation

Thursday, August 25
Review at Bookramblings

Friday, August 26
Review at A Bookish Affair

Giveaway

To enter the Madame Presidentess Giveaway for a paperback of the book and/or Victoria Woodhull Bumper Sticker, please see the GLEAM form below. 3 winners will receive a copy of the book and a bumper sticker. 7 winners will receive the Victoria Woodhull Bumper Sticker.

Victoria Woodhull Bumper Sticker
Rules

– Giveaway ends at 11:59pm EST on August 26th. You must be 18 or older to enter.
– Giveaway is open to US residents only.
– Only one entry per household.
– All giveaway entrants agree to be honest and not cheat the systems; any suspect of fraud is decided upon by blog/site owner and the sponsor, and entrants may be disqualified at our discretion
– Winner has 48 hours to claim prize or new winner is chosen.

Madame Presidentess

04_Madame Presidentess_Blog Tour Banner_FINAL



For Sports-Loving Moms: Baseball's Dynasties and the Players Who Built Them by Jonathan Weeks





Title:
Baseball’s Dynasties and the Players Who Built Them
Author: Jonathan Weeks
Publisher: Rowan and Littlefield
Pages: 408
Genre: Sports History

Baseball has had its fair share of one-and-out champions, but few clubs have dominated the sport for any great length of time. Given the level of competition and the expansive length of the season, it is a remarkable accomplishment for a team to make multiple World Series appearances in a short timespan. From the Baltimore Orioles of the 1800s who would go to any length to win—including physically accosting opponents—to the 1934 Cardinals known as the “Gashouse Gang” for their rough tactics and determination, and on to George Steinbrenner’s dominant Yankees of the late twentieth century, baseball’s greatest teams somehow found a way to win year after year.

Spanning three centuries of the game, Baseball’s Dynasties and the Players Who Built Them examines twenty-two of baseball’s most iconic teams. Each chapter not only chronicles the club’s era of supremacy, but also provides an in-depth look at the players who helped make their teams great. Nearly two hundred player profiles are included, featuring such well-known stars as Joe DiMaggio, Jackie Robinson, Sandy Koufax, and Pete Rose, as well as players who were perhaps overshadowed by their teammates but were nonetheless vital to their team’s reign, such as Pepper Martin, Allie Reynolds, and George Foster.

With a concluding chapter that profiles the clubs that were on the cusp of greatness, Baseball’s Dynasties and the Players Who Built Them is a fascinating survey of what makes some teams dominate year after year while others get only a small taste of glory before falling to the wayside. Written in a lively style with amusing anecdotes and colorful quotes, this comprehensive book will be of interest to all fans and historians of baseball.

For More
Information

  • Baseball’s Dynasties and
    the Players Who Built Them is available at Amazon.
  • Pick up your copy at Barnes & Noble.
Book Excerpt:



With a roster full of superstars, the Orioles captured three straight pennants from 1894–1896. They followed with a pair of near misses, placing second in 1897 and 1898. Along the way, they developed a reputation as one of the nastiest teams in baseball. John Heydler, an umpire who would later ascend to the NL presidency, described the Orioles of the 1890s as “mean, vicious, ready at any time to maim a rival player or an umpire.” Infielder John McGraw was proud of that distinction. “We’d go tearing into a bag with flying spikes as though with murderous intent,” he boasted. “We were a cocky, swashbuckling crew and wanted everybody to know it.”

Pirates great Honus Wagner manufactured a tall tale about a harrowing trip around the bases against the Orioles. After driving a ball deep into the outfield, he claimed to have been tripped at first base by Jack Doyle and then knocked flat by Hughie Jennings at second. Climbing to his feet, he lumbered toward third, only to find John McGraw holding a shotgun on him. “You stop right there!” McGraw allegedly bellowed. Although Wagner’s story is obviously apocryphal, numerous reliable accounts confirm the fact that the Orioles resorted to underhanded tactics regularly. When they weren’t physically accosting opponents, they were treating them to streams of verbal abuse. Baltimore players were so free in their use of profanity that a resolution was adopted in 1898, imposing mandatory expulsions upon anyone using “villainously foul” language.

Even the groundskeepers at Baltimore were deceitful. Soap flakes were mixed with the soil around the pitcher’s mound to make the hands of opposing hurlers slippery when they reached into the dirt. Orioles moundsmen knew to keep untainted soil in their pockets. The infield was mixed with clay and rarely watered, creating a surface not unlike cement. Baltimore players chopped down on the ball, creating dramatically high hops that gave them a head start to first base (hence, the origin of the term Baltimore chop). The outfield was ruddy and riddled with weeds. Outfielders allegedly kept extra balls hidden out there in the event that the ones in play eluded them.





About the Author



Weeks spent most of his life in the Capital District area of New York. He earned a degree in psychology from SUNY Albany. In 2004, he migrated to Malone, NY. He continues to gripe about the frigid winter temperatures to the present day. A member of the Society for American Baseball Research, he writes about the game because he lacked the skill to play it professionally. He still can't hit a curve ball or lay off the high heat. Baseball’s Dynasties is his fourth nonfiction work.

For More Information

Youth Ministry Resource: Becoming a Young Woman of God: An 8-Week Curriculum for Middle School Girls by Jen Rawson


Our middle school girls are told a lot about who they’re supposed to be. Media and culture have a great influence over how they behave, dress, and think, and more often than not, it’s not a very becoming image. For anyone who works with middle school girls, you want to help them become something more―the young women God has created them to be. Becoming book 1 is an eight-week study that will help young girls discover who they truly are, and help them see who they can become. Using games, activities, quizzes, projects and crafts, movie clips, music, and stories, you’ll get your girls involved in a study that will help them find their true value. In this study, your small group of middle school girls will: • know their true value and develop self-respect • gain a godly perspective on body image and modesty • learn to set goals and boundaries • begin to understand their feelings • accept who they are Show the girls in your group that becoming a woman is about more than clothes, makeup, and boyfriends. Help them understand what it means to become a woman of God. ** After you’ve shown girls how to become women of God, take them to the next step. In Becoming book 2, they’ll learn how to deal with everyday life issues like godly young women.

Series: Youth Specialties (Paperback) (Book 22)
Paperback: 128 pages
Publisher: Zondervan/Youth Specialties (April 27, 2008)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0310275474
ISBN-13: 978-0310275473

Purchase here