In the Shadow of Denali, The Heart of Alaska Book 1 by Tracie Peterson and Kimberly Woodhouse

Their Future Depends on Unlocking the Secrets the Mountain Holds From the Past

Cassidy Ivanoff and her father, John, work at the new and prestigious Curry Hotel near the foot of Mount McKinley--Denali as it's still called by the natives. John is the wilderness and exploration guide for the wealthy tourists while Cassidy works in the kitchen as Cook's assistant. The entire staff buzzes with excitement during the busy days preparing for the President's imminent visit. His historic trip to dedicate the new national park on his way to driving in the golden spike to officially complete the Alaska Railroad will be the beginning of a new era for all of them and place The Curry at the heart of Alaska. 

Allan Brennan travels to the Curry Hotel to be an apprentice to the seasoned Alaska mountain guide, with hopes of discovering the truth about his father's death on the mountain years earlier. His father's business partner blames the guide for Henry Brennan's untimely death, but Allan cannot be at peace until he knows for sure. He finds an unlikely ally in Cassidy, and as the two begin to look into the mystery, they suddenly find that things are much less clear, and much more dangerous, than either could ever imagine.

My review:

   I had the privilege of meeting these two authors a few months ago, and have been looking forward to reading this book ever since. In my humble opinion, it is the best collaboration they have done so far, and I am excited about a whole series by the two authors.

  There's a lot to like in this novel, so I'll break it down:

The characters: I have read a lot of books, and characters are an integral part of the story, and the authors created some very good and likable ones for the story. The motherless Cassidy -  whose faith and hope attract all around her, Allan - a young man bent on solving the mystery of his father's death years ago on the great mountain, Thomas - an orphaned young man who has a heart of gold, and the grace of an ox, Mrs Johnson - the very stern hotel kitchen manager, who has a heart of gold underneath her harsh exterior, and others.

The setting: between the two of them, the authors painted with words a great picture of Alaska and the famous Alaskan mountain. They also did a great job of describing life in the early 1920's in that area, and it made me want to step into the book and experience what the characters in the book were seeing.

The suspense: Any book that Kimberly Woodhouse is part of has some element of suspense, and this one is no different. The suspense is not non-stop, nail biting as in some books that are marketed as suspense, but the suspense and mystery were a definite part of the novel, and had me almost biting my nails at one point.

The Christian element: I read Christian fiction for a couple of reasons, and one of them is because of the Christian message that is found in most Christian fiction. In this one, faith and redemption played a big part, and I liked how the spiritual journey of Allan was gradual and wasn't stuck in like it was to fill the idea of a Christian novel.

Romance: As a confirmed bachelor, I am not a big fan of a lot of romance and gushy stuff. It wasn't gushy in this book, and I found myself rooting for the slow blossoming romance going on in the book, and loved the ending of the book.

  This is the first in a series..... a trilogy, I believe.... and it is a great start to the series. I started the book on my lunch break at work, and finished it later at home the same day. I enjoyed every page, and there was no parts I skimmed.... it is a great story from page one to the last page. Tracie and Kimberly have spun a great historical novel that anyone should enjoy....definitely 5 stars.

I was given a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

About the authors:

Tracie Peterson

Tracie Peterson is the bestselling, award-winning author of more than 100 novels. Tracie also teaches writing workshops at a variety of conferences on subjects such as inspirational romance and historical research. She and her family live in Montana. Learn more at www.traciepeterson.com.


Kimberly Woodhouse

Kimberley Woodhouse is a multi-published author of fiction and nonfiction. A popular speaker/teacher, she's shared her theme of Joy Through Trials with over 150,000 people at more than a thousand venues across the country. She lives, writes, and homeschools with her husband of twenty-plus years and their two awesome teens live in Colorado. Connect with Kim at www.kimberleywoodhouse.com.


In The Shadow of Denali is available from Bethany House Publishing.

Thanks to Bethany House and the authors for the review copy.

The One Year Impact for Living Men's Devotional by Scott and Nathan Whitaker

Book review:

How will your life impact your family, your community, and the world? Will you leave emotional wreckage in your wake? Or will you lead the people around you to something greater and better?All of us have been created by God for impact--a unique impact in this world. But too often we're distracted from the eternal significance of our actions by the more alluring paths of power, wealth, image, and status. This daily devotional will help you to focus on your eternal legacies--what you can do each day by understanding your God-given purpose, potential, passion, and platform.This is a perfect One Year gift to inspire and motivate the man in your life.

My review:

  I always read two devotionals a year -  one in the morning, and one in the evening. I was needing one for the evening and this came available for review, so I decided to request it. 

 The book is written by a father and son writing team, Scott and Nathan Whitaker, and there doesn't seem to be any indication of who wrote which ones, or if they collaborated on all of them. I have been able to figure out on a few which was written by whom, and I wish they had indicated on each one.

 I was dubious about the subtitle of the book: Daily Coaching for a Life of Significance, as I am not a sports fan, but so far sports doesn't seem to be much of a part of the book. Since this is a 365 day devotional, I have not read every devotional, but started reading it in late December and have been reading it each evening. I have also looked through the book and read a devotional here and there in other months.

 Each devotional has a title, which is followed by a Scripture verse, or verse, The devotional comes after that, and ends with the Impact Application. I like what I have read. These are good and well thought out devotionals that are definitely geared for men, and are not shallow and fluff. They are Bible based and have a great point and application that I am finding helpful and encouraging.

 I have read devotionals for men before that talk a lot about marriage, and this one does some, but it doesn't seem to as much as some do......and since I am single, I appreciate that. I do believe it is a great devotional for all men, and will help and encourage men while enriching their spiritual lives.

I was given a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

About the authors:

Scott Whitaker is cofounder and president of Impact for Living. He has served in multiple capacities, as an attorney, pastor, college baseball coach, and teacher. He lives in Gainesville, Florida.

Nathan Whitaker is an attorney who lives in Florida with his wife and two daughters. He graduated from Harvard Law School and has worked in football administration for the Jacksonville Jaguars and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. His firm currently represents NFL and college coaches.

The One Year Impact for Living Men's Devotional is available from Tyndale Publishing. Thanks to Tyndale for the review copy.

Kissing Father Christmas by Robin Jones Gunn

Book description:

Bestselling, award-winning author Robin Jones Gunn welcomes us back to the cozy English village of Carlton Heath for a winter romance that will melt your heart.

Anna's first visit to Carlton Heath in England was last May for the wedding of her cousin Ian to Miranda. The beautiful event ended with a dance under the stars and Anna receiving an unexpected kiss from Peter, the groomsman who caught her eye and now holds her heart. Now, at the invitation of family and friends, Anna is returning to Carlton Heath for Christmas. She has Peter's recent email to fill her with assurance that he's looking forward to seeing her again as well. More than his brief words, though, the vivid memory of their unforgettable kiss provides a promise of more to come. Anna, ever the imaginative artist, has been busy painting a romantic conclusion to her holiday visit. Certainly she's not the only one who has been dreaming of another dance and another kiss.

But when she sees Peter again, his intentions seem to shift as speedily as the blustery winter weather. Is Anna's heart misleading her, or will Father Christmas bestow on her the gift of love for which she has long dreamed? 

My review:

   The first two books in this series were about Miranda. This book shifts to center on Anna, Miranda's husband's cousin. The book takes readers back to the charming Carlton Heath, and brings back some of the characters from the first books.

 This book was a bit different, as it focused more on romance than the first two did.... but I still enjoyed it. Sometimes these kinds of books can be a bit predictable, but this one was not too predictable and had a different enough plot that I wasn't sure what the outcome was going to be.

 I actually liked the main characters of this book better than those in the other two books, especially Peter. Though he is a fictional character, it was touching the sacrifices he made, and what he was willing to do to do the right thing. The advice Anna gave to him about showing grace to himself hit me hard, and it is something we all need to do more of.

 To me, this was the best book in this trilogy. Great read.

About the author:

ROBIN JONES GUNN is the much loved author of over 90 books with more than 5 million copies of her titles sold worldwide. Her Father Christmas books are a Hallmark Original movie. Her popular Christy Miller series now continues in Christy & Todd: The Married Years. Robin's novels and non-fiction works have received multiple awards and are a favorite with book clubs and study groups. Robin and her husband have a grown son and daughter and live in Hawaii.



Kissing Father Christmas is available from FaithWords, part of the Hachette Book Group.

Finding Father Christmas/Engaging Father Christmas by Robin Jones Gunn

Book description:

By beloved author Robin Jones Gunn, two timeless, heartwarming Christmas novellas bound together for the first time in an omnibus edition.

In FINDING FATHER CHRISTMAS, Miranda Carson's search for her father leads her unexpectedly to London with only a few feeble clues as to who he might be. Immediately welcomed into a family that doesn't recognize her, and whom she's quickly coming to love, she faces a terrible decision. Should she reveal her true identity and destroy their idyllic image of her father? Or should she carry the truth home with her to San Francisco and remain alone in this world? Whatever choice she makes during this London Christmas will forever change the future for both herself and the family she can't bear to leave. 

In ENGAGING FATHER CHRISTMAS Miranda Carson can't wait to return to England for Christmas and to be with her boyfriend, Ian. She has spent a lifetime yearning for a place to call home, and she's sure Carlton Heath will be it, especially when a hinted-at engagement ring slips into the conversation. But Miranda's high hopes for a jolly Christmas with the small circle of people she has come to love are toppled when Ian's father is hospitalized and the matriarch of the Whitcombe family withholds her blessing from Miranda. Questions run rampant in Miranda's mind about whether she really belongs in this cheery corner of the world. Then, when her true identity threatens all her relationships in unanticipated ways, Miranda is certain all is lost. And yet . . . maybe Father Christmas has special gifts in store for her after all.

My review:

  I read Finding Father Christmas years ago, most likely 10 years ago when it was first published. I couldn't remember much about the book, and had never read the sequels, so I requested it. Besides, I can never pass up reading and reviewing a Christmas book.....

Now onto the book:

The cover: You can sometimes judge a book by its cover, and this one has a great cover.

The setting: The descriptions of the tea house, and other buildings in the town make it sound like a charming town you'd want to visit.

The characters: I liked Miranda right away, and found myself hoping she'd find what she was searching for, and the books were filled with other delightful people. England has always interested me, and the way Gunn described it, made me want to visit it.

  There is a little back and forth between the past and present, but it is done seamlessly and doesn't distract from the story-line as sometimes is the case.

  I enjoyed both books. It had been so long since I read Finding Father Christmas, that it was all new, and I had never read the sequels, so it was definitely new. It is an engaging story that is hard to put down, and I highly recommend it.

About the author: 

ROBIN JONES GUNN is the much loved author of over 90 books with more than 5 million copies of her titles sold worldwide. Her Father Christmas books are a Hallmark Original movie. Her popular Christy Miller series now continues in Christy & Todd: The Married Years. Robin's novels and non-fiction works have received multiple awards and are a favorite with book clubs and study groups. Robin and her husband have a grown son and daughter and live in Hawaii.



Finding Father Christmas/Engaging Father Christmas is available from FaithWords, part of the Hachette Book Group.

The Bible In One Hour, and Pocket Trivia by Stan Campbell

Book description:

Two entertaining and enlightening works in a portable, flip book format: a quick-yet-comprehensive survey of the Bible and a Bible trivia game that's fun to play alone or with friends.

What if you could learn more about the entire Bible and its most fascinating people in just an hour? You can in this quick-yet-comprehensive survey of the world's bestselling book. From Genesis to Revelation, the ONE-HOUR BIBLE will sweep you from the wonders of the Earth's first days to the dynamic prophecies of the Earth's last days--and everything in between! No matter whether this is your first introduction to the stories in the Bible or simply a refresher, you'll enjoy the fun approach of this user-friendly guide and gain a greater understanding of God's love along the way.

When you've finished the ONE-HOUR BIBLE, POCKET BIBLE TRIVIA will help you test what you've learned on your own or with friends. Fun for all ages and those with any level of biblical knowledge, these twenty-one chapters with over 400 questions will challenge and entertain you. And this portable volume can be taken anywhere you go.

My review:

 This is a neat two-in-one book that is pocket-sized. About half of the book is "The Bible In One Hour", then you flip the book over and the other half is the Bible Trivia part of the book.

 The Bible In One Hour has cameos of different people and happenings in the Bible. It is like a Bible 101. It is pretty basic, and I would say more geared for someone who doesn't know a lot about the Bible, nor is very familiar with any Scripture. It is interesting, informative, and easy to read......but it is very basic. It would also make a great tool to carry with you for when you are talking to non-Christians to have the basics at your fingertips. It ends with a few popular passages of the Bible, such as the Love Chapter and 23rd Psalm.

Pocket Bible Trivia is set up very well. There are a lot of multiple choice and true or false, among other trivia methods. The answers are found at the back of the trivia part of the book. I am one who knows the Bible pretty well, but I found some of the questions challenging. It is a great way to brush up on your Bible, or test your friends' knowledge.

 Overall, I personally wouldn't have paired these two books together - a Bible Trivia book geared for more mature Christians - and a Bible In One Hour that seems to be geared for people who aren't as mature of Christians. Regardless, this two in one book is a great tool, and worth buying.

This book was given to me in exchange for my honest review.

About the author:

  Stan Campbell is a writer with more than twenty years of experience in youth ministry and fifteen years in Christian publishing. He is the author of numerous books and curriculum products for both youth and adults. He and his wife Kathy live in the Nashville area.



The Bible In One Hour, and Pocket Trivia is available from Faith Words, part of the Hachette Book Group.

A Life Intercepted by Charles Martin

Book description:

Twelve years ago Matthew "the Rocket" Rising had it all. Married to his high school sweetheart and one of the winningest quarterbacks in the history of college football, he was the number one NFL draft pick. But on the night of the draft, he plummeted from the pinnacle of esteem. Falsely accused of a heinous crime with irrefutable evidence, it seemed in an instant all was lost--his reputation, his career, his freedom, and most devastatingly, the love of his life.

Having served his sentence and never played a down of professional football, Matthew leaves prison with one goal--to find his wife, Audrey, whom no one has seen since the trial. He returns to an unwelcoming reception from his Gardi, Georgia, hometown to learn that Audrey has taken shelter from the media with the nuns at a Catholic school. There she has discovered a young man with the talent to achieve the football career Matthew should have had. All he needs is the right coach. Although helping the boy means Matthew violates the conditions of his release and--if discovered--reincarceration for life, he'll take the chance with hope of winning back Audrey's love.

My review:

  This was not a book I was given to review, but was a Christmas gift. Occasionally, if I have the time, I will post a review of a book that impressed me... and this one did.

  I loathe football...maybe more than anyone else on earth...... but I had read a Charles Martin book  a few months ago (Long Way Home), and found it to be incredible, so I had to read more of his books. This was one I put on my Christmas wish list and did get for Christmas.

 I'm not a fan of first person point of view books, and that seems to be all Martin writes....which is one reason I never read anything by him until I reviewed and read the book I mentioned. I still think he'd do better at third person, but this was a phenomenal book. Yes, there were times my eyes glazed over from football play descriptions, but I still go into the book and the characters. It had a great plot, and I bonded with the main character and felt his pain and victories. I cheered at the climatic moment that I thought was coming, but it came in a different way than I expected and carried with it a big surprise I didn't see coming.

 The book has little Christian content... probably because of the publisher, not the author.... but there are Christian themes of hope, forgiveness, love, redemption, and others throughout the book. Though t he book is fictional, the message is not: that God can redeem anyone and any situation and bring good out of it. If you love football, you will likely enjoy this book even more than I did.  I highly recommend.

About the author, from his website in his words: 

I grew up in Jacksonville, Florida on the St. John’s River.  Somewhat of a Huck Finn childhood.  Most afternoons were spent mullet fishing—of which I’ve caught my fair share, canoeing, pegging cars with overripe tangerines—it really got fun when the red tail lights lit and the reverse gears ground metal on metal, or the backyard Superbowl which we replayed most everyday.  Through high school, football was my life.  School was the avenue that allowed me to play.  I walked on at Georgia Tech in 1999 and played one year under Bobby Ross.  “Played” might be a bit too liberal use of the term.  I dressed out for the games and served as a tackling dummy until I got hurt, cracking a vertebrae in my back and they carried me off.  Transferred to Florida State and tried to become a student.  As an escape, I starting racing bicycles up and down the east coast.  Not very good, but it allowed me an outlet.  Eventually landed in the English department after escaping Accounting with a ‘D.’  I was de-lighted.  After graduation, I moved to Atlanta and started waiting tables at Houston’s Restaurant so I could save up money to buy a ring.  Christy and I married in 1993, we drove to Virginia Beach, where she put me through Grad school.  When I wasn’t in class, I worked the morning preload for Ma’ Brown.  (UPS).  Went to work at 2 or 3 am, and clocked out about 9 am.  Didn’t get much sleep for almost 3 years.  In 1997, we got pregnant with Charlie and returned to Jacksonville—so our kids could grow up around our families.  When not a single educational institution in Jacksonville would hire me (including my alma mater, Bolles High School), my brother-in-law had mercy on me and gave me a job selling insurance.  2 years passed and to make a real long story short, a fortune 500 company offered me a VP’s position with a 6-figure salary, 6-figure signing bonus, etc.  I turned them down, resigned from the insurance agency, began pressure washing, building docks, etc., and began trying to sell my novel—what is now The Dead Don’t Dance.  That was 8 years ago.  ‘Where the River Ends” is my 6th novel.


Check out his website: CharlesMartinBooks.com.

Eden, The Animals' Parable by Keith Korman, with a giveaway

Book description:

Experience the Gospels in a way you never imagined.

In this beautifully inspired retelling of the Gospels, we see Jesus and his disciples in the Holy Land through the eyes of the animals---especially his intrepid and loyal dog, Eden.

With a wise, old donkey, innocent lambs, and legions of curious field mice---the animals follow their master's journey across Galilee and onto Jerusalem, rapt with awe and wonder and bearing great tidings---even if they don't fully comprehend the divine events they witness.

Simple, clear, and spiritually profound, Eden is an artful retelling that is captivating, moving, and alive with the joy you felt the first time you opened the Bible.

My review:

  I had a little bit of a hard time getting into this book, but once I got past the first chapter it picked up and caught my interest.

 Sometimes I envy people who were not raised in the church, and who get to experience Jesus, the Bible, and everything else to do with God in a way that we never have, or have forgotten. This book gives an idea of what that may be like. Seeing the story of Jesus through the eyes of animals who have no clue what is going on, or why things happen they way they do gives the reader a refreshing look at the events of the Gospels.

 No one knows what and how animals think,  but the author did a great job of portraying how they may think and what might possibly go through the minds of an animal. I liked his writing style, and the way he covered these well known stories from the Bible. This is one of those books that is totally different from others, but is worth reading.

About the author:

Keith Korman is an American literary agent and novelist. Over the years he has represented many nationally known clients through his family's agency, Raines & Raines. The agency is most noted for representing the following books: The Detective, Deliverance, Die Hard, Cruising, My Dog Skip, How to Eat Fried Worms, and Forrest Gump. Korman's novels include Secret Dreams, Banquo's Ghosts (with Rich Lowry), and END TIME (Macmillan, August 2015).


Thanks to Litfuse Publicity for the review copy.


  Return to the story of Jesus and read it from a new perspective in Keith Korman's Eden: The Animals' Parable. In this beautifully inspired retelling of the Gospels, we see Jesus and his disciples in the Holy Land through the eyes of the animals-especially his intrepid and loyal dog, Eden. Simple, clear, and spiritually profound, Eden is for readers of all ages, this artful retelling is captivating, moving, and alive with the joy you felt the first time you opened the Bible.

Settle in for some winter reading and enter to win a copy of Keith's book and a Kindle Fire!

One grand prize winner will receive:

• A copy of Eden
• A Kindle Fire

Enter today by clicking the icon below, but hurry! The giveaway ends on January 24. The winner will be announced January 25 on Keith's blog.