Sound the Trumpet by Gilbert Morris

When my church had decided to clean out their library, it was the perfect opportunity for my younger cousins to read some of the older books (published 15 years ago) that they had never heard of in the past. After my cousin read Sound the Trumpet by Gilbert Morris, and talked about it non-stop, I decided to read it too.

Sound the Trumpet looks at a brother and sister throughout the time period of Pre-Revolutionary America to the beginnings of the American Revolution. This book has the perfect amount of romance, battles, and Biblical insights. Although the main characters faced hardships, they never forgot the Christian morals their mother instilled in them.

I cannot wait to read the other six books in this series!!

Friendship for Grown-Ups

I was very excited to receive Friendship for Grown-Ups: What I Missed and Learned Along the Way, written by Lisa Whelchel, who I know from watching re-runs of her time playing Blair on the Facts of Life. I had never before heard her speak at any events, but I heard rave reviews and couldn’t wait to read her book. As soon as I received it I started reading and did not put it down until I was finished.
Friendship for Grown-Ups delves into the difficulties Lisa had in making strong friendships. It talks about her struggles and the fact that she was always concerned about what others would think of her, or if she was bothering someone else, so she didn’t make the time to form close friendships. She also discusses her struggles in being completely honest with others and opening up to tell them about what she is really feeling. Throughout the book, Lisa talks about her current, and some previous, friendships and what went wrong and what went right with them.
I really enjoyed this book, which was a very quick read. If you are looking for a biography of Lisa’s childhood and time growing up in the spotlight, this is not the book for you. Rather, if you want to see an honest look at the struggles Lisa faced in her adult life, then you will enjoy this book. What I especially liked was the Appendix entitled Practical Steps for Developing and Growing Friendships; it offered some great insight into creating new friendships and also holding onto friendships that have already begun.
(Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their [...] book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255 : "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.")

Hand of Fate

Hand of Fate by Lis Wiehl delves into the life and murder of Jim Fate, a popular radio show host with very strong viewpoints. Throughout the book, three women involved in different agencies investigate the murder of Fate. Fate’s closest friends and biggest enemies are all investigated to determine who was responsible for the package which released a toxic gas in his radio studio.

This book is different than anything I have ever read in the past, but being involved in politics, I found the book very interesting. The storyline was strong, and I was unsure until the last moment as to who could have committed the crime. In addition to the mystery aspect of the book, I was interested in the lives of the three women who were investigating the murder. They all had difficulties they were dealing with, in addition to the work demands placed upon them when they were tasked with investigating the murder of Jim Fate.

Although this was the second book in the series, and I did not read the first, it was easy to understand and pick up on the storylines of the characters. I will definitely be purchasing the first book and the third when it becomes available next year.

This book was provide free of charge by Thomas Nelson publishing and reviewed free of charge by me.