10 Things Great Dads Do by Rick Johnson

Great dads raise happier, healthier, more successful kids

But how do men go about being that great dad? Fathering expert Rick Johnson offers ten practical strategies to help men become the dads they want to be, including

· helping their kids find the humor in life 
· surrounding their family with healthy friends and role models
· communicating clearly with their children
· helping their kids develop self-esteem and respect for others
· being a gatekeeper when it comes to their kids' social circle
· setting reachable goals for themselves and their children
· and more.

My review:
   I am not, nor ever will be a father; but I try to review some books that I think are beneficial to others. This is one such book.

  The book is an easy, but interesting read with a lot of helpful advice. The author approached it a little differently than I expected, but in a much better way than I expected. Using experiences from his life as a child, father, and grandfather; along with experiences others have related to him, he came up with the ten things great dads do.

  In addition to what was mentioned above, he addresses how important it is for the parents to have a good relationship with each other and to have friendships with others their own age and even addressees the issue of how men can work at having friends. The author pulls together so much more than just how to interact with and discipline your kids, to show there is a lot more dads need to do to make their home the kind of home it should be, and to raise the kind of kids he wants to raise. This is a very valuable resource for any father still raising kids.

About the author:

Rick Johnson is the bestselling author of That's My Son; That's My Teenage Son; That's My Girl; Better Dads, Stronger Sons; and Becoming Your Spouse's Better Half. He is the founder of Better Dads and is a sought-after speaker at many large parenting and marriage conferences across the United States and Canada. Rick, his wife, Suzanne, and their grown children live in Oregon. To find out more about Rick Johnson, visit www.betterdads.net.


10 Things Great Dads Do is available from Revell Publishing, a part of the Baker Publishing Group.

Thanks to Revell for  the review copy.

On This Foundation by Lynne Austin

Stone by Stone, the Wall Will Rise Once More Around God's City

When news reaches him that Jerusalem's wall is shattered and its gates burned with fire, a distraught Nehemiah seeks God's guidance in fasting and prayer. Granted an unexpected leave from his duty as cupbearer to the Persian king Artaxerxes, Nehemiah sets out for Jerusalem to rebuild the city wall--never anticipating all the dangers that await him on his arrival.

The leaders of the surrounding nations become his fierce enemies, plotting to assassinate him and stop the wall's reconstruction forever. A drought, meanwhile, has left the country impoverished, with many families resorting to selling their children as bondservants just to keep from starving.

Capturing the rebuilding of the wall through the eyes of a number of characters, On This Foundation is the powerful conclusion to The Restoration Chronicles. This exploration of faith in the midst of oppression offers hope that, in spite of appearances, the gracious hand of God is upon those who believe.

My review:
   I used to dislike Biblical fiction, and I think the reason I did was that what I read years ago were mostly romance stories set in Bible times. In more recent years, some authors have come along who study the Bible and do the stories they tell justice. Lynn Austin is one of those authors. This is her second Biblical fiction series, and every book has been top notch. There is some romance, but it isn't the main focus.

  This novel is the third book in The Restoration Chronicles. Every novel in the series is set during the time period of the captivity of Israel. This one takes up the story of Nehemiah and the rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem. Even being raised in the church, Christian school, and Bible college; my knowledge of Nehemiah pretty much was: he was cup-bearer to the king in captivity, the king sent him back to Jerusalem so he could work on the city, he rebuilt the walls, and bad guys tried to stop him.

  Lynn Austin has taken up her pen (or keyboard) and brought the biblical tale to life and filled in some of the gaps with her imagination. This isn't a light fluff novel that you can read in an hour. It comes in at 466 pages and is far from fluff. Not doing the biblical narrative any injustice at all, she takes literary license and tells the story of Nehemiah and the rebuilding of the walls in a way that really opened up the story to me in a new way. There are people and things from the Bible all throughout the book along with people and things added by the author, and it all adds up to make for a great read. I found the book a fascinating and easy read, though it does have depth and meaning that too much Christian fiction has.

  It is obvious that these books have taken a lot of work, study, and I am guessing also prayer.... and it shows. Lynn Austin has another book she can be proud of.

About the author:

   Lynn Austin has sold more than one and a half million copies of her books worldwide. A former teacher who now writes and speaks full-time, she has won eight Christy Awards for her historical fiction. One of those novels, Hidden Places, has also been made into an Original Hallmark Channel movie. Lynn and her husband have raised three children and make their home in western Michigan. Learn more at www.lynnaustin.org.


On This Foundation is available from Bethany House Publishers, part of the Baker Publishing Group.

Thanks to Bethany House for the review copy.

Valley of Decision by Lynne Gentry

Litfuse Publicity Group, Howard Books, and Lynne Gentry invite readers to third-century Carthage for a thrilling time-travel adventure in Valley of Decision, the explosive conclusion to The Carthage Chronicles. In her latest release, Gentry brings her thorough research of the Plague of Cyprian to life as she examines the power of family connections. 

Thirteen years ago, Dr. Lisbeth Hasting made an impossible decision to leave third-century Carthage and her husband, Cyprian, behind for good to protect their daughter, Maggie. Summoning all her courage, she struggled to move on with life and keep her promise to Cyprian to keep their little girl out of harm's way. 

Years later, that little girl is now a headstrong young woman starting to chafe under her mother's protective wings. Craving an opportunity to express her independence, Maggie decides to do what her mother appears to be unable or unwilling to do: She secretly returns to the third century on a quest to bring her father back. When Lisbeth discovers what Maggie has done, she is left with no choice but to follow.

With Maggie's surprise arrival in Carthage, chaos ensues. Finding her grandmother on trial for murder, she attempts to save her, but her efforts only spark a riot that nearly destroys the plagued city. Only one thing will appease the wrath of the new proconsul of Carthage: the death of whomever instigated the riot. 

My review:
  Time travel books aren't very common on the Christian market, so this series intrigued me. I bought the first and reviewed the second, enjoying both a lot; and have been watching for the last book in the trilogy to come out.

   The whole series is set in the third century in Carthage, and this third book is set when open persecution of Christians is in full swing. The author brought back the same characters and suspense and drama from the other two books and spun a great ending to the series. I read the book when I wouldn't have to put it down as I knew I was going to want to read it all in one sitting, which I did.

  Even though the series is fictional and there is no time travel, the books are based on historical events and some historical people. Though I hoped one such historical person was not going to be killed off, things didn't go quite the way I hoped, but the author had a good explanation for doing so.... though I still didn't like that part.

  This series of books, though entertaining and a very enjoyable read, they should serve as a warning that the persecution faced by Christians years ago could happen even here in America.

  Kudos to  the author for finishing out her great series with a terrific ending in this third novel. I highly recommend the whole series, and they definitely need read in order.

About the author:

Lynne Gentry has written for numerous publications and is a professional acting coach, theater director, and playwright with several full-length musicals and a Chicago children's theater curriculum to her credit.

Her love for writing stories was born while growing up on a Kansas dairy farm as she longed for adventure and dreamt of traveling to exotic places. She likes to write stories that launch modern women into ancient adventures, such as The Carthage Chronicles series (Healer of Carthage, Return to Exile, and Valley of Decision).

Gentry is also an inspirational speaker and dramatic performer who loves spending time with her family and medical therapy dog.


Thanks to Litfuse for  the review copy.

Miracle Drug by Richard 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.



My review:
   Richard Mabry has become one of my favorite authors. His books are the perfect blend of medical drama, suspense, and romance; and are always hard for me to put down once I start reading them. This book was not an exception to that, and due to my being mixed up with review dates, I didn't realize this book review was due today until halfway through today..... so I came home from work and have been reading it all evening.

  And it has been an enjoyable read. Mabry came up with a terrific plot and wound it around some great and liable characters..... and some not so likable characters, and set the whole drama in a hospital. Not only does it have the usual suspense and mystery that Mabry's novels have, this book also had a bit of political intrigue and international drama. I thoroughly enjoyed the book with its many twists and turns, and had a difficult time knowing who the bad guys were, so there were some surprises.

  Mabry uses some medical technology in the book, but it is either explained or is terminology even non-medical people would be familiar with. This is a novel the author can be proud of, and is one I highly recommend.

About the author:

A retired physician, Dr. Richard Mabry is the author of seven critically acclaimed novels of medical suspense. His previous works have been finalists for the Carol Award and Romantic Times Reader's Choice Award and have won the Selah Award. He is a past vice president of American Christian Fiction Writers and a member of the International Thriller Writers. He and his wife live in North Texas.


Miracle Drug is available from Abington Publishing.

Thanks to Litfuse for the review copy.

You Can't Text a Tough Conversation by Mike Bechtle

When it comes to the tough stuff, we need real, face-to-face conversations. But have we lost the art?

There's no denying that as our use of technology has increased, our communication skills have decreased. Technology creates the illusion of being in touch, but we lose the deeper meaning conveyed by body language, facial expression, and tone of voice. We text when we should talk. We tweet firings and breakups. We vent our frustrations with other people online. Whether it's with a spouse, a friend, a boss, a co-worker, or children, those tough conversations create high anxiety. In the end, what we have are broken relationships and hurt feelings.

In this timely book, communication expert Mike Bechtle shows you how to build strong relationships, offering tried-and-true methods to navigate the muddy waters of having tough conversations--in person. With his help, you'll learn to be a better listener, give and receive genuine feedback, saturate your relationships with kindness, and much more--so that you'll feel confident when it comes time to actually talk.

My review:
   I mistakenly thought this book was geared more towards a discussion on social media and its effect on society and conversations. Though that is covered somewhat and has a chapter on technology,  most of the book is on tough conversation in general. I still enjoyed the book and found it helpful though.

  The book has four parts: The Process of Conversation, Tools for  Healthy Conversation, Skills for Healthy Conversation, and Growing into connection. The author gives advice and tools for having difficult conversations with all sorts of people and in all kinds of situations. It is an easy, yet informative read that has great advice to handling any conversation, but especially tougher ones.

About the author:

Mike Bechtle (EdD, Arizona State University) is the author of People Can't Drive You Crazy if You Don't Give Them the Keys. His articles have appeared in publications such as Writer's Digest, Pastors.com, and Entrepreneur. A frequent speaker and former minister of worship, Bechtle lives in California.

You Can't Text a Tough Conversation is available from Revell, part of the Baker Publishing Group.

Thanks to Revell for the review copy.

Promise to Keep by Elizabeth Younts

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing Promise to Keep Howard Books (October 13, 2015) by Elizabeth Younts

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

A Word from the Author:

I’m Elizabeth, a blessed child of The King. I’m a middle-born daughter, military officer’s wife, homeschooling mama, writer, closet DIYer, and, dare I say it, Downton Abbey addict. May I also mention that I love both my history and my coffee rich.

I am formerly Amish and my heritage is very dear to me and thankful to be so accepted among my still Amish family. I can still speak PA Dutch, too! You can learn more about my Amish family in my first book Seasons: A Real Story of an Amish Girl.

My three book series with Howard Books (a division of Simon & Schuster) is a dream come true. The series is titled The Promise of Sunrise. In this series you will live through World War 2 from an Amish perspective and experience their unique struggles as conscientious objectors during wartime. What happened if one of their members enlisted? What was it like to serve at the Civilian Public Service Camps for years with almost no compensation? How did Amish women and families cope when a son or father was drafted? I look forward to taking you back into the richness of these years of Amish history through fiction.

ABOUT THE BOOK

World War II Marine Joe Garrison returns home from war longing to be a father to his deaf daughter, Daisy, only to find that she is attached to Esther Detweiler, the Amish woman who has raised her since his wife’s death in this touching historical romance.

Orphaned as a child, Esther Detweiler is used to caring for herself and her ailing grandmother. They made the best out of a hard life and poverty without asking for help. They even take in her shunned cousin’s deaf daughter, Daisy, when her mother dies and her father goes off to war. When Esther’s grandmother dies, Daisy is all she has.

When war veteran Joe Garrison returns, all he can think about is recovering from the horrors of war and building a relationship with his seven-year-old daughter. Daisy, however, is unwilling to leave Esther, whom she loves. Joe and Daisy get to know each other again, but Joe struggles with nightmares and fatherhood is proving to be more difficult than he imagined. Esther loves Daisy and despite her Amish ways, Joe finds himself drawn to her as a woman and not just a caregiver.

As their love blossoms, Joe decides to send Daisy away to a school for the deaf which propels their lives into turmoil and a battle for love and family.

If you would like to read the first chapter of Promise to Keep, go HERE.

The Splendor of Ordinary Days by Jeff High, with a giveaway

Readers of Jan Karon's Mitford series and Patrick Taylor's Irish Country series will fall in love with Jeff High's funny, heartfelt Watervalley series.

The pastoral charm of small-town Watervalley, Tenneesse, can be deceptive, as young Dr. Luke Bradford discovers when he's caught in the fallout of a decades-old conflict. . . .

After a rocky start as Watervalley's only doctor, Luke Bradford has decided to stay in town, honoring the three-year commitment he made to pay off his medical school debts. But even as his friendships with the quirky townsfolk deepen, and he pursues a romance with lovely schoolteacher Christine Chambers, several military veterans' emotional wounds trigger anger and unrest in Watervalley.

At the center of the clash is the curmudgeonly publisher of the local newspaper, Luther Whitmore. Luther grew up in Watervalley, but he returned from combat in Vietnam a changed man. He fenced in beautiful Moon Lake, posting "Keep Out" notices at the beloved spot, and provokes the townspeople with his incendiary newspaper.  

As Luke struggles to understand Luther's past, and restore harmony in Watervalley, an unforeseen crisis shatters a relationship he values dearly. Suddenly Luke must answer life's toughest questions about service, courage, love, and sacrifice.

My review:
   I try to be as honest as I can with book reviews, also while trying to be as kind as I can. This book review will have two parts: the good, and the bad.

  The good:
    Even though the review opportunity said you didn't have to read the first two books in the series before reading this third book, I found the first two on Amazon for a decent price and read them both before I read this one, so this is going to be somewhat of a review of all three books.

  I really enjoyed this series. The author has come up with a great and likable character in the 30-year old single doctor on his first practice taking over a clinic in a small town. The books are written in first person point of view, which isn't my favorite, but some authors can pull it off better than others, and this author pulls it off very well.

  The setting for the series sounds like a town anyone would want to live in who doesn't like the city. It is small, picturesque, and is full of all kinds of unique and colorful characters. Jeff High, the author, has a great talent for going from humor to a more thoughtful tone in just a few sentences. I found myself laughing out loud on several occasion while reading all three books. The dialogue between Luke and his imposing and stern housekeeper is pure gold and I found myself wishing there was even more.

  Romance plays a part in the series, but I wouldn't call the books romance novels. The third book does focus more on the romance of Luke and his girlfriend, but it isn't the main focus of the books.

  I honestly can't remember when I was more entertained by a series of books that were not suspense than this series. I read through all three of them in pretty much one sitting per book, and couldn't wait to read the next one.

The bad:
  The publicity group that offered this book for review didn't realize this book was general market and not Christian fiction. I discovered that in the first book, but it was such an enjoyable read, I decided to read all three. But here are my problems with the series:

1) Language. There is a lot of bad language in the book. None of the worst words, i.e. the "f-word", but several others. Even if I minded bad language in a book, I would still have felt it was out of place for this type of series, and feel it detracts from the rhythm of the story.

2) Alcohol. There was a lot of drinking in the book... even with pizza. I am one of those people who still believe everyone is better off not drinking, and especially Christians, and it was mostly Christians drinking all the time, which bothered me.

3) Sexual content. There was no actual sex, but the main character and his girlfriend talked about it rather freely and almost gave in a few times, even though they were both Christians..... and that fact never came up as a reason not to do it.

   My advice to the author would be to clean these books up a bit - take out the language, alcohol, and most of the sex talk, and publish them on the Christian market. I think they'd do remarkably well. Several of the characters in the book are Christians, and there is a lot of Christian discussion between the characters, so it wouldn't take much.

  As for me, even though I read 99.99% Christian fiction of the fiction I read, I like these books well enough to keep reading how many ever books there are in the series. They really are that good that I am willing to overlook the objectionable content.

  These books are compared to Jan Karon's books. I read a few of hers and wasn't that impressed. If you can handle some language and the other issues I mentioned, I would highly recommend this series over her books.

About the author:

After growing up on a farm in rural Tennessee, Jeff High attained degrees in literature and nursing. He is the three-time winner in fiction and poetry of an annual writing contest held by Vanderbilt Medical Center. He lived in Nashville for many years and throughout the country as a travel nurse before returning to his original hometown, near where he now works as an operating room RN in open-heart surgery. He is the author of the Watervalley novels, including More Things in Heaven and Earth and Each Shining Hour.


Thanks to Litfuse for the review copy.

  When several military veterans’ emotional wounds trigger anger and unrest in Watervalley, Dr. Luke Bradford learns some important lessons in service, courage, love, and sacrifice in The Splendor of Ordinary Days by Jeff High. As Luke struggles to understand Vietnam War veteran Luther’s past, and restore harmony in Watervalley, an unforeseen crisis shatters a relationship he values dearly.

Join Jeff in celebrating the release of The Splendor of Ordinary Days with a Kindle Fire HD 6 giveaway!

 

One grand prize winner will receive:

• Signed copies of all three Watervalley books
• A Kindle Fire HD 6

Enter today by clicking the icon below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on October 27th. The winner will be announced October 28th on Jeff's blog.