ESV Family Devotional Review and GIVEAWAY!

**And the winner is...Mrs. Ann Peacock!!  Congrats!  Thanks to everyone who stopped by and commented!**

The ESV FAMILY DEVOTIONAL BIBLE is a hardbound colorful Bible.  It retells 130 key stories from the Bible with full color illustrations for each story, as well as placed within the Bible text where it is found.  The stories are simplified and easy for children of all ages to understand.  

The ESV Family Devotional Bible is designed to help families read and apply God’s Word together. This full-color edition features the complete ESV text interspersed with engaging illustrations and gospel-centered devotions related to key Bible stories—guiding families through the entirety of God’s Word over the course of a year. Each devotion also includes discussion questions and suggestions for additional reading, helping families develop a habit of reading the Bible together and applying its truth to all of life. 

When we received our ESV Family Devotional Bible last week, I started right away using it during our homeschool Bible time.  My kids are 9, 7, and 4, and the devotions we read were easy for the kids to understand, not too long, and I liked the questions that were at the end of each lesson.  The illustrations are more traditional, but very well done.  When I first learned of the opportunity to review this book, I thought that it would only have devotions in it and not the actual Biblical text.  I was pleasantly surprised to see that you had a full Bible AND the devotions.  Our family will continue to use this regularly and I would definitely recommend it. 

Social Corner~

Check out the ESV Family Devotional Bible in social media:

~Facebook has the devotion featured on the Crossway publisher page

~Twitter also has a post

~Pick up a copy from Amazon

So you can have the opportunity to try this devotional with your family, I will be giving away 1 FREE COPY to anyone who posts a comment (in the US and Canada only)!  Just leave a comment telling why you'd be interested in having a copy for your family.  I will draw a winner on Friday, May 13th.  I look forward to reading your comments!!

God bless!

"Disclosure (in accordance with the FTC’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”): Many thanks to Propeller Consulting, LLC for providing this prize for the giveaway. Choice of winners and opinions are 100% my own and NOT influenced by monetary compensation. I did receive a sample of the product in exchange for this review and post.

Only one entrant per mailing address, per giveaway.  If you have won a prize from our sponsor Propeller / FlyBy Promotions in the last 30 days, you are not eligible to win.  Or if you have won the same prize on another blog, you are not eligible to win it again. Winner is subject to eligibility verification.”

Reviewer's Bookshelf: Her One and Only by Becky Wade

Book Summary (Goodreads): Gray Fowler, star NFL tight end, is being pursued by a stalker, so his team hires a protection agency to keep Gray under the watch of a bodyguard at all times. When Gray meets Dru Porter, an agent assigned to him, he's indignant. How can an attractive young female half his size possibly protect him? 

But Dru's a former Marine, an expert markswoman, and a black belt. She's also ferociously determined to uncover the identity of Gray's stalker. And she's just as determined to avoid any kind of romantic attachment between herself and the rugged football player with the mysterious past. But the closer they get to finding the stalker, the closer they grow to each other. As the danger rises, can Dru and Gray entrust their hearts--and their lives--to one another?

My thoughts... Sigh....you just can't go wrong with a Becky Wade novel!  This is the fourth book in the Porter family series, but you could read it as a stand alone and still enjoy it.  But I would highly recommend the previous books in the series as well...they're that good!  I honestly love a good tough girl heroine.  Dru is your ultimate tough girl: she likes leather jackets, riding her motorcycle, and isn't afraid of pretty much anything.  She walks into dangerous situations with confidence and skill.  As a professional bodyguard, her new assignment is Gray Fowler, a veteran football player who is receiving threatening letters. Gray is a player...in more ways than one.  He loves to flirt and be with women with no strings attached.  If a woman gets attached, he cuts the strings quick.  I love these images Becky Wade creates of Gray:
"His eyes glowed a slaying shade of pale green."
"He was a blocker, a receiver, a menace.  He was football poetry."
Good stuff!!
When Dru becomes one of his protective detail, she is not the kind of woman he typically interacts with.  The sparks fly between these two, but it isn't just romantic sparks as Gray sees Dru not only as another conquest, but as someone he wants to protect.  As that protective instinct rises, so do the memories of his past.  His past is his vulnerability.  
     You can almost feel the romantic tension between these two characters from the beginning, but you also see the conflict.  There is a spiritual divide between Dru and Gray, and the difficulty is something many can relate to. How do you resist physical attraction to someone that doesn't believe what you do?  As that escalates, so does the threat on Gray's life.  There's potential danger around every corner.  I honestly didn't want this story to end.  I thought the tension was well balanced, the pace was great, and the way that Wade writes romance while still keeping it clean is fantastic.  Love this book and highly recommend it!

**I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in order to give an unbiased review, which I did.**

Reviewer's bookshelf: A Flight of Arrows by Lori Benton

Book Summary (Goodreads): October 1776--August 1777

It is said that what a man sows he will reap--and for such a harvest there is no set season. No one connected to Reginald Aubrey is untouched by the crime he committed twenty years ago. 

Not William, the Oneida child Reginald stole and raised as his own. Identity shattered, enlisted in the British army, William trains with Loyalist refugees eager to annihilate the rebels who forced them into exile. Coming to terms with who and what he is proves impossible, but if he breaks his Loyalist oath, he'll be no better than the man who constructed his life of lies.

Not Anna, Reginald's adopted daughter, nor Two Hawks, William's twin, both who long for Reginald to accept their love despite the challenges they will face, building a marriage that bridges two cultures. 

Not Good Voice and Stone Thrower, freed of bitterness by a courageous act of forgiveness, but still yearning for their firstborn son and fearful for the future of their Oneida people.

As the British prepare to attack frontier New York and Patriot regiments rally to defend it, two families separated by culture, united by love, will do all in their power to reclaim the son marching toward them in the ranks of their enemies.

My thoughts...

   This novel is part two in Lori Benton's "Pathfinders" series, so it is necessary to read book one, Into the Woods, before this one.  In fact, I would encourage anyone to read these novels...they are both fantastic.
   I was drawn into this novel from the beginning.  Lori Benton weaves a tale of love, romance, family, heartache, and at the center of it all, forgiveness.  Her attention to historical detail of the battles that were being fought across the frontier of a young America made me feel like I was reading a factual account.  Of course, these were real events happening in our nation's history, but Benton skillfully wove the fictional characters into the story. The descriptions of what was happening...the heat, the flies, the blood, and the fear...leapt off the page.  I was immersed in their world.
   There was also tension throughout the novel that made me not want to put it down. Battles being fought were a large part of that, but there was also the romantic tension between several characters. Benton was able to describe the longing and passion between the main characters while still keeping it a clean novel. In my mind, that takes true skill.  There was also the tension between two families...one Native American, the other a white man who had stolen their child many years ago and his adopted daughter.  The way that both families battle the heartache of their circumstances and turn to God for healing and forgiveness really spoke to my heart.  There was a point where tears were in my eyes as they all made sacrifices to honor God and His call on their lives.
   I really can't say enough about how excellent this series is.  I would highly recommend to anyone who enjoys clean historical Christian fiction.

Connect with author Lori Benton

* Lori Benton's website is filled with information about her and her books, as well as upcoming events in Christian fiction 

* You can also follow her on Facebook, Goodreads, and Pinterest

**I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review.**

Reviewer's bookshelf: The Reluctant Duchess by Rosanna White

Book Summary (Amazon): Lady Rowena Kinnaird may be the heiress to a Highland earldom, but she has never felt good enough--not for her father, not for the man she thought she'd marry, not for God. But after a shocking attack, she's willing to be forever an outcast if it means escaping Loch Morar.

Brice Myerston, the Duke of Nottingham, has found himself in possession of a rare treasure his enemies are prepared to kill for. While Brice has never been one to shy away from manor-born ladies, the last thing he needs is the distraction of Lady Rowena, who finds herself in a desperate situation. But when Rowena's father tries to trap Brice into marrying his daughter, Brice makes a surprising decision.

Rowena wanted to escape the Highlands, but she's reluctant to marry a notorious flirt. And when she learns that Brice is mixed up in questionable business with a stolen treasure, she fears she's about to end up directly in the path of everything she was trying to avoid.

My thoughts....There is no lack of tension in this novel!  From the beginning, there is a steady stream of events that not only cause romantic tension, but include mystery, danger, heartache, sadness, jealousy...basically every emotion is explored.  I loved the addition of a Highland element...the language and culture of that part of the world has always fascinated me.  I love Rowena's spirit, even though she has been broken by years of abuse.  Brice also grows and matures throughout the story, learning to consider others more than himself.  The characters' growth was the backdrop in a somewhat intense drama involving, as I mentioned before, multiple levels of physical abuse and a dangerous game involving a priceless treasure.  This was not a novel I was able to sit back and leisurely read...I was almost in knots as I was drawn in to this story and its players.  There is still more to come from this cast of characters, as not all the mysteries were resolved.  Rosanna White does a great job keeping your attention, including many elements of interest in the novel, but in a way I wouldn't have minded a little less.

**I was given a free copy of this novel from the publisher in order to give an honest review, which I did.**

Reviewer's Bookshelf: Like Never Before by Melissa Tagg

Book Summary (from Goodreads): Maple Valley became Amelia Bentley's haven after her heart and her dreams of a family were shattered. But her new life as a newspaper editor is shaken when the small-town paper is in danger of closing. Her one hope: A lead on an intriguing story that just might impress the new publisher...if only she knew who he was.

After his biggest campaign success yet, widowed speechwriter Logan Walker now has the chance of a lifetime--a spot on a presidential campaign. But his plans are interrupted when he finds out he's inherited his hometown newspaper. He travels home intent on selling the paper and spending some much-needed time with his young daughter before making the leap into national politics.

But instead of a quick sale and peaceful break from his hectic career, Logan finds himself helping Amelia chase her story. She's scrappy, but wounded. He's dependable, but lost. They may butt heads more than expected, but a series of leads on Maple Valley's quirky unsolved mystery is just the start of the sparks that fly in the office and in their hearts.

My thoughts: As the second book in this series, it's not essential that you read the first one, but it does help to know some of the backstory of the characters, particularly the supporting characters.  Amelia and Logan's story is explored much more in-depth in this novel than the previous one.  I really enjoy the setting that Melissa Tagg has created, along with the people in it.  There is a warmth and support among the Walker family that is central to the small town of Maple Valley, and it seems every character in the story is either part of the family or affected in some way by them.  Amelia is no different.  Before she even meets Logan, she has a connection with his sister and has read his work (and loved it). Both she and Logan seem to have something to prove: Amelia wants to show that she can be successful at something whether it's a relationship, keeping the local newspaper intact, or solving the small town's mystery.  Logan wants to prove that he is a good father and that he can balance that with being a successful speech writer. Each character grows as their faith and personal lives are tested.  There are some mild romantic elements to the story as well.  For me, this wasn't a fast-paced, action packed story, but more like it's setting: a nice stroll through a quaint little town. I love the author's use of descriptive language and lines that just made me smile. Here are a few of my favorite quotes in the story:
"Stars glittered in clusters across the stretch of sky, like sequins on a satiny black dress." (Love the word picture!)
"He wasn't a bad-looking man any day, but tonight...well, he looked good, that's all.  If good meant a hundred kinds of attractive."<3 font="" this="">
"Why did he have to stand so close? Close enough he could probably smell her morning breath and hear her heart trying to punch its way out of her chest." : )
"Man, I don't think God is out to confuse us.  When multiple doors open up, maybe there's not a right and a wrong one.  Maybe sometimes God says, 'Dude, choose.'"

I enjoyed this novel!  If you like contemporary Christian fiction, very clean, you'll enjoy it, too.  Melissa Tagg is also on Instagram and Facebook...you should check her out.  I love seeing her posts and passion for what she does!

**I was given a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in order to give an honest review, which is what I gave.**

Reviewer's bookshelf: A Daring Sacrifice by Jody Hedlund

Book Summary (from Amazon): In a reverse twist on the Robin Hood story, a young medieval maiden stands up for the rights of the mistreated, stealing from the rich to give to the poor. All the while, she fights against her cruel uncle who has taken over the land that is rightfully hers. Forced to live in the woods and hide with the poor people she's grown to love, she works to save and protect them, but she never anticipates falling in love with the wealthy knight who represents all she's come to despise.

My thoughts...I truly loved the plot and characters in this fast paced, action packed story.  This is considered a Young Adult novel, so it is written appropriately for that age group.  There is still a modest level of romance that included the romantic tension that I love in Hedlund's writing.  She really knows how to build up a moment without it being all about the physical interaction.  I also liked that her characters did have flaws. Their flaws gave room for their characters to grow in wisdom and maturity. Juliana was so consumed with her need to be sacrificial for those who suffered, almost to the point of being extreme.  Collin was quite the opposite, living for satisfying himself and seeing to his own comforts without thinking of the needs of others.  My favorite part of the story was seeing how love transformed both characters and led them to humility and sacrifice.  It was truly moving.  I would definitely recommend this book for teen girls and up.  I have read almost all of Jody Hedlund's books and have never been disappointed.  I would highly recommend this series as well as her other books.

*I was given a free copy of this book from the publisher in order to give an honest review, which I did.*

Reviewer's bookshelf: Cold Shot by Dani Pettrey

Book Summary (Goodreads): In college, Griffin McCray and his four best friends had their lives planned out. Griffin and Luke Gallagher would join the Baltimore PD. Declan Gray would head to the FBI and Parker Mitchell would go on to graduate school as a crime scene analyst. But then Luke vanished before graduation and their world--and friendships--crumbled.

Now Griffin is a park ranger at Gettysburg, having left life as a SWAT-team sniper when a case went bad. The job is mostly quiet--until the day he captures two relic hunters uncovering skeletal remains near Little Round Top. Griffin just wants the case to go away, but charming forensic anthropologist Finley Scott determines that the body is modern--a young social justice lawyer missing since spring--and all evidence points to the work of an expert sniper. When FBI agent Declan Gray takes over the case, past and present collide. Griffin soon realizes he'll need to confront some of the darkest days of his life if he--and those he cares about--are going to escape a downward spiral of murder that crosses continents.

My thoughts...Cold Shot is the first book in Dani Pettrey's newest Chesapeake Valor series.  Her previous series, Alaskan Courage, was filled with suspense, action, and some romance.  This new series is very similar in that it has all of those things along with an exciting new setting, story line with twists and turns and just the right amount of romantic tension.

From the first pages of Cold Shot I was drawn in.  A murder mystery, all of the characters that are introduced have a connection, and come together to try to solve what happened to the victim of a terrible crime.  I loved all the layers of relationships that play a part in this story.  Griffin and his group of friends have a past, yet despite their struggles, are able to come together and work on this case.  Only a few aspects of their past are revealed, opening to the door for future plot lines in the series.  Griffin and Finley have a relatively new connection.  As coworkers at the Gettysburg battle site, they have interacted over the course of several months, but Pettrey does a great job of developing their relationship through the novel as they work together to solve the mystery.  

While the main plot line is resolved, I was still left wondering about the other mysteries that are presented through the course of the story. This novel has a great level of suspense, with heart pounding moments without it being too "dark".  I couldn't stop reading it!  I was engaged from beginning to end.

I have found that with Pettrey's books there are A LOT of characters.  At times, especially at the beginning, I was having a hard time keeping track of who each person was, how they were connected, etc.  Eventually I was able to keep up with everyone, but just be aware ; ).

Overall, I would highly recommend this book as it was action-packed with likable characters, great suspense, romantic tension, and a strong Christian theme of forgiveness.  It was also an entertaining read for me because some of the story takes place in Baltimore, which my family visited two summers ago.  It was fun to be able to visualize where the characters were.  Loved it!

**I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review, which I gave.**