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I’m sure most of you all have things for which to be thankful, including your big family dinner. Now it’s time to sit back, relax and have a laugh or two.

George E. Lawson

Our veterans should be thanked on a daily basis for all they’ve gone through to keep our country and freedoms safe. Any time you see a veteran remember to show your appreciation for their service.

And that goes for current military members. If you see someone in uniform, don’t hesitate to walk up and say, “Thank you for all you’re doing for our country.”

It’s fitting that our Veterans Day is the same day as the Remembrance Day of our allies.

A Chameleon, a Boy, and a Quest

By J. A. Myhre

A Boy Named Mu, an African Journey, and You

Mu, a ten-year-old orphan, has lived his entire life in the heart of Africa. For as long as he can remember he has served in the household of a great-uncle where he is unloved and ignored. In his drudgery-filled life, Mu has little hope of happiness, and little hope that anything will ever change.

But one day, everything does change. On his way to draw water one morning, Mu is astonished when a chameleon greets him by name and announces that they will embark on a quest together. And what a quest it turns out to be! Mu faces danger and finds unexpected allies as they journey through a fascinating and ever-changing landscape.

A Chameleon, a Boy, and a Quest blends magical realism with a compelling story. The exciting story line combines an orphan’s journey to find a home with the plight of child soldiers and the dangers of the Ebola virus and, along the way, highlights universal themes of integrity, loyalty, faith, and love. Written by long-time medical missionary J. A. Myrhe, the artful story is laced with subtle gospel themes and handles cross-cultural issues with grace and sensitivity. Kids will encounter good and evil and learn the truth about hope, happiness, and what it means to be human in this page-turning first book in a new series.

What you’ll find in A Chameleon, a Boy, and a Quest:

A page-turning children’s action and adventure story set in a fictional African land
Blends magical realism and compelling storytelling with gospel themes to draw kids gently into the truth
Deals with real-life but (seemingly) faraway themes like the plight of orphans, the duties of child soldiers, and the reality of the Ebola virus
Written by a long-time medical missionary to Africa who handles cross-cultural issues with grace, sensitivity, and love

ISLAND BREEZES

A boy who doesn’t know his real name and a talking chameleon who leads him on a quest. For what, the boy hasn’t a clue and the chameleon isn’t telling him.

It’s a good thing the animals can talk to each other. If they couldn’t, the boy would never had been able to escape all the dangerous circumstances they encountered along the way.

Even though this book is written for younger readers, I thoroughly enjoyed it as well as the illustrations. I think this is a book my grandson would enjoy.

Thank you, J.A. Myhre for sharing your children’s stories with us. Thank you, Acacia Masso, for your lovely illustrations.

***A special thank you to litfuse for providing a review copy.***

J. A. Myhre serves as a doctor with Serge in East Africa where she has worked for over two decades. She is passionate about health care for the poor, training local doctors and nurses, promoting childhood nutrition and development, and being the hands of Jesus in the hardest places. She is married to her best friend and colleague Scott, and together they have raised four children for whom many of her stories were written as Christmas presents. You can find Jennifer online.

Isle of Hope

By Julie Lessman

She stole his heart.
He stole her peace.
Can hope steal their pain?

At the age of eighteen, Lacey Carmichael was a wild girl bent on fun, promised to Jack O’Bryen, a straight-and-narrow pastor’s kid bent on the seminary. When her father kicks her out of the house, she runs away from Isle of Hope, turning her back on everything she loves. Now, eight years later, she’s back as a woman of faith, hoping to make amends to the father she defied, the boyfriend she deserted, and the best friend she denied. Only the bridges she’s burned are still smoldering, kindled by an adulterous affair by Jack’s pastor father that damaged his son’s faith. But can a turning of tables—and hearts—lead the way back to “hope” for them all?

ISLAND BREEZES

This is a book about forgiveness. Some people need to forgive. Others need forgiveness. Still others need both.

Lacey is one who needs both. After a long absence she returns to Isle of Hope to try to make things right with her family and friends. Her return really stirs things up. Her presence digs up old feelings that have been shoved as far back in memory as possible. Sometimes it’s just easier to shove that pain and anger down than to actually have to deal with it.

Will Lacey’s return make things even worse?

Thank you, Ms Lessman, for this book. This is a timely topic as this is the time of the year that we are focused on thankfulness. As always, I’m looking forward to your next book.

***A special thank you to the author for providing a review copy.***

Julie Lessman is an award-winning author whose tagline of “Passion With a Purpose” not only underscores her intense passion for God and romance, but her staunch advocacy for sexual purity before marriage as well.  Julie was named American Christian Fiction Writers 2009 Debut Author of the Year and has garnered 17 Romance Writers of America and other awards. Voted #1 Romance Author of the year in Family Fiction magazine’s 2012 and 2011 Readers Choice Awards, Julie was also named on Booklist’s 2010 Top 10 Inspirational Fiction and Borders Best Fiction list. Her latest novel, Surprised by Love, appeared on Family Fiction magazine’s list of Top Ten Novels of 2014, and her independent novel A Light in the Window is an International Digital Awards winner, a 2013 Readers’ Crown Award winner, and a 2013 Book Buyers Best Award winner.
You can contact Julie and read excerpts from her books at www.julielessman.com.

Now without faith it is impossible to please God. For the one who comes to God must believe that He exists and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.

Hebrews 11:6

Another Way Home

By Deborah Raney

Sometimes God’s ways are not at all what we expect . . . and exactly what we need.

Grant and Audrey are adding grandchildren to their family left and right, but middle daughter, Danae, and her husband, Dallas Brooks, have been trying for years with no baby in sight.

Though Danae is ready to consider adoption, Dallas will not even discuss it. Despairing of ever having a family of her own, Danae decides to pour her passion and energies into volunteer work with a newly opened women’s shelter in town. Looking for a good cause to fill her lonely days, she never expects to give her heart to the hurting women she meets there. She’s finally learning to live her life with gratitude, but then heart-wrenching events on Thanksgiving weekend threaten to pull the entire Whitman clan into turmoil-and leave them all forever changed.

ISLAND BREEZES

We’re going back to Chicory Inn where another daughter of Grant and Audrey is having problems. She really wants a baby, but has nearly given up after of trying. She tried talking adoption, but her husband wouldn’t even consider that possibility.

To fill up her time and take her mind off her problems, Danae starts volunteering at a shelter for abused women. It’s there that violence entered her world along with an adorable little boy.

She falls in love with him knowing she’s leaving herself open for pain. You know, I can’t really tell you anything else without giving away the plot. You’ll just have to read this for yourself. You won’t regret it.

I’ve enjoyed every Deborah Raney book I’ve read and am looking forward to the fourth Chicory Inn book, Close to Home. There’s a teaser at the end of this book, but we’ll have to wait until June, 2016 to read the rest.

***A special thank you to litfuse for providing a review copy.***

Deborah Raney’s books have won numerous awards, including the RITA, National Readers Choice Award, HOLT Medallion, and the Carol Award, and have twice been Christy Award finalists. She and her husband, Ken, recently traded small-town life in Kansas-the setting of many of Deborah’s novels—for life in the (relatively) big city of Wichita, where they enjoy gardening, antiquing, movies, and traveling to visit four children and a growing brood of grandchildren who all live much too far away.

Valley of Decision

By Lynne Gentry

Every choice has a consequence in the explosive conclusion to the Carthage Chronicles as Lisbeth returns to third-century Carthage for a thrilling final adventure.

Thirteen years ago, Lisbeth made an impossible decision—leave third-century Carthage and her husband Cyprian behind for good. She knew it was to protect her daughter Maggie, so Lisbeth gathered the strength to move on with her life.

All these years, Lisbeth has thrown herself into her work and raising her headstrong daughter, all to live up to the promise she made to Cyprian. But Maggie is sick of being protected. In an act of teenage rebellion Maggie decides to do what her mother can’t—secretly returning to the third century on a quest to bring her father back, leaving Lisbeth no choice but to follow.

With Maggie’s surprise arrival in Carthage, chaos ensues. She finds her grandmother on trial for murder and attempts to save her, but instead the diversion sparks a riot that nearly destroys the plagued city. Only one thing will appease the wrath of the new proconsul of Carthage: the death of the instigator.

Will Lisbeth arrive in time to save her daughter from the clutches of Rome? How can God possibly redeem such a slew of unwise decisions and deep regrets? Filled with heart-wrenching twists and riveting action, Valley of Decision brings the romantic adventure epic, The Carthage Chronicles, to an electrifying conclusion.

ISLAND BREEZES

There are lots of decisions in this book. Some of which aren’t so good. The book starts with one decision which create a domino effect.

Some of these decisions precipitate action which will have you on the edge of your seat.. This is a time travel novel which gives one a better perspective of what early Christians had to endure.

Although this is the third book in The Carthage Chronicles, it is a good stand alone read. But it would definitely be good to read the first two before this one to have the background of these characters.

This is the first book I’ve read by this author. I certainly wish Ms Gentry had more up her sleeve for these characters. I will miss them.

***A special thank you to litfuse for providing a review copy.***

Lynne Gentry has written for numerous publications. She is a professional acting coach, theater director, and playwright. Lynne is an inspirational speaker and dramatic performer who loves spending time with her family and medical therapy dog.

War for the Waking World

By Wayne Thomas Batson

Would you be willing to fight for your dreams?

Fifteen-year-old Archer Keaton has the ability to enter and explore his dreams. He is a Dreamtreader, one of three selected from each generation. Their mission: to protect the waking world from the Nightmare Lord who dwells beyond the Slumber Gate. But as Archer’s dreams become more dangerous and threatening, so too does his waking life.

In this fast-paced conclusion to the exciting fantasy trilogy, the dream world and the waking world bleed into each other when a rift is formed between the two. People in the real world suddenly find their waking lives resemble their wildest dreams. Now it’s up to Archer and his fellow Dreamtreaders to race to reverse the rift before too much damage is done and to battle Archer’s ex-best friend, Kara, who sits on the throne of the Nightmare Lord. Kara is building an army of her own. Will Archer be strong enough to stand against her?

ISLAND BREEZES

Dreams or nightmares? Sometimes night time dreams can become waking nightmares. It’s becoming a real mess, and the fate of the world hangs on a teenage boy, his friend and his little sister.

It took me a little while to get into this book. That could be because I’m a few decades older than the intended audience. But once this book grabbed me, I didn’t want to put it down. I also had to daydream a little about what it would be like to really have a bit of their magical powers.

This is a good stand alone read, but as with any trilogy, it’s good to read the previous books first to get a better handle on the background.

I do like these young people. I hope Mr Batson will include them in future books.

***A special thank you to litfuse for providing a review copy.***

Wayne Thomas Batson is an American writer. He has been married to his wife, Mary Lu, for seventeen years and has four children. He currently works as a teacher at Folly Quarter Middle School teaching sixth grade English language arts and is the youngest of four children. His most recent series, Dreamtreaders published by Thomas Nelson Inc (2014), is a modern-day paranormal YA adventure dealing with the subject of dreams.

 
Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of realities not seen. For by it the elders received commendation. By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen did not come from anything visible.

Hebrews 11:1-3

Miracle Drug

By Richard L. Mabry, M.D.

Overcoming these odds will take more than a miracle drug—it will take a miracle.

The infection wasn’t supposed to happen, but it did. The treatment was supposed to take care of it, but it didn’t. Then Dr. Josh Pearson discovers why—his patients, including the former President of the United States, have been dosed with a different strain of the original virus, one that is universally fatal. The only chance for survival is treatment with an experimental drug, but the manufacturer might already have discarded its supply.

As if treating the President of the United States isn’t stressful enough, the situation goes from bad to worse when Rachel Moore, a nurse Josh is falling in love with, falls ill. With the nation’s eyes on him, Josh must pull off a miracle to save a man who holds a good deal of power and the woman who holds his heart.

ISLAND BREEZES

Boy, do these people ever need a miracle drug! Once they locate the drug, they need another miracle to find more of it.

There’s intrigue and suspense galore. This is one of those books you can neither put down nor turn the pages fast enough.

As always, Dr. Mabry keeps the adrenalin flowing. Being a nurse, I also appreciated seeing proper protrayal of medical ethics, protocol and procedures. Thank you, Dr. Mabry.

***A special thank you to litfuse for providing a review copy.***

Dr. Richard Mabry is a retired physician who writes “medical suspense with heart.” His novels have won multiple awards: a semifinalist for International Thriller Writers’ debut novel; finalists for the Carol Award, Inspirational Reader’s Choice Award, and Romantic Times’ Reader’s Choice Award; and both finalist and winner of the Selah Award. “Miracle Drug” is his ninth published novel. He and his wife live in Frisco, Texas.