Tag: Book Review

Book Review and Author Interviews

Review of BLUE TIDE by Jenna Lynne Duncan

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Arrgh matey!  This is no ordinary pirate novel.  Yes, there are pirates. But the setting is a future dystopian waterworld, with Middle Eastern elements masterfully woven throughout.  In BLUE TIDE, Jenna-Lynne Duncan combines romance and action in this page-turning novel that you won’t want to put down until you are finished reading it.
Lux and her family have been stranded on an island after the Floods destroyed much of the known world.  Lux longs to get off the island and hopefully return to what once was her homeland.  However, as she ventures out, she is captured by a pirate named Captain Draven.  As a captive, she begins to see into the heart of this young pirate, and understand his complex behavior.  By turning Lux over to the one who is controlling him, he could earn his own freedom, but will he now that the two of them share a romantic attraction? 
      
About the author:
Jenna Duncan likes to write heart-stopping, page-turning, haunting romance in all YA genres.  With a love for travel and a special connection to the Middle East, she explores different cultures and different languages. Her current YA releases are entitled HURRICANE, TEMPEST, AFTERMATH, and now the latest BLUE TIDE.  Jenna graduated with degrees in Middle Eastern Studies, Political Science, and International Studies.  BLUE TIDE was a recent winner of RWA’s Romancing the Lake contest. 
She welcomes those to contact her on TWITTER: @JennaLynneD 
and her website:  Jenna-Lynn’s website

Jenna:  Your book kept me reading until the end, and Captain Draven won my heart!  I was definitely intrigued from the beginning by the futuristic setting that included pirates.  Best wishes!  
P.S.  I love the cover!  

Book Review and Author Interviews

Book Review of LOVE LETTERS FROM GOD–BIBLE STORIES FOR A GIRL’S HEART by Glenys Nellist

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Glenys Nellist has done it again.  Her book LOVE LETTERS FROM GOD–BIBLE STORIES FOR A GIRL’S HEART speaks directly to young girls as it narrates in sweet and simple prose fourteen stories of the women of the Bible.  Each woman’s story highlights a different adjective:  Eve (The first girl), Miriam (The trusting girl), Rahab (The brave girl), Deborah (The strong girl) etc.  The lift-the-flap love letter on each page is a letter from God written to the reader, and portrays God’s reassurance that he is able, willing, and ready to help his precious daughters become the women he created them to be.   

I personally connected with and loved the beautiful story of Miriam.  Miriam had to learn to trust.  As she watched her baby brother in the basket she thought of all the things that could happen to him and she was afraid.  The end of the story is incredibly powerful.  Glenys writes, “And as she ran, she thought about all the things she had been afraid of at the riverbank.  The wicked king had not come.  The waves had not come.  But God had come.  God had come and saved her baby brother. ‘Thank you, God,’ Miriam whispered, ‘for helping me to let go of my fears and trust you instead.'”

I pray that I would let go of my fears and trust God in the the way this simple story tells that Miriam did.    

You know it is a great children’s book when it can touch the hearts of the adults who are reading it, too.  These are powerful truths for everyone—parents, grandparents, and children!
I also loved how Glenys moved chronologically through the Bible from Eve to Mary Magdalene at the Resurrection.  I also loved how she concluded with a space for the reader to write a love letter back to God.  

I highly recommend LOVE LETTERS FROM GOD–BIBLE STORIES FOR A GIRL’S HEART.

Here are some helpful links:

To purchase on Amazon, click here.

Glenys Nellist’s Website

Twitter: @Glenys Nellist
Facebook: Glenys Nellist: Author

GRAND RAPIDS AREA:  Glenys recently hosted a princess party which included activities such as reading the story of Esther, The Prayerful Girl (from the book), making a pin wheel craft and coloring, snacks (of course!), and parading around the bookstore.  She also taught the girls to wave like the Queen of England.  Sounds fun!  She is planning Princess Party at local church in the near future.  More details will be announced shortly on her website and Facebook.  Be sure to check there for more information.


About the author:  GLENYS NELLIST was born and raised in a little village in northern England.  Her stories and poems have been published in children’s magazines where her writing reflects a deep passion for bringing the Bible to life for young children.  Glenys lives in Grand Rapids, Michigan, with her husband, David.


Book Review and Author Interviews

Book Review–Christmas Love Letters from God

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Glenys Nellist beautifully tells seven stories that surround the birth of Christ in a simple, yet compelling way, combining prose and rhyme.  It is perfect for helping children to identify with how Isaiah, Mary, Joseph, the Shepherds, and the Wise Men might have felt as they lived out these moments of their lives. 
I personally loved how each mini-story tied into a promise from God in the Old Testament.  As I lifted the flap and read the letter from God, each promise seemed to jump off of the page and speak right to my heart. 
The exciting thing is that children will have this experience as they read the book.  As they lift each flap to receive a letter from God, the Christmas love letters will help them to personally connect a promise of Scripture to their own struggles, fears, and experiences.
For example:
  • When I feel worried or apprehensive about what God is asking me to do (like Mary) God says, “The light of my blessing will shine on you.”
  • When I have doubt (like Joseph), God says, “I will make you strong and help you.”
  • When I am facing a long and difficult path (like Mary and Joseph on the way to Bethlehem), God says, “I will march out ahead of you.”

These are powerful truths for everyone—parents, grandparents, and children!
I also loved how Glenys began with Isaiah, which will help children to make the important connection that Jesus was the fulfillment of a promise God made to bring his light to the world.  I also loved how she concluded with a space for the child to write a letter back to God, as a way of giving a gift back to him.

Although my children are grown now, I know I would have used this beautiful book year after year as a family tradition and well-loved Christmas read-aloud.  It was a joy to receive this book in the mail and have the opportunity to review it.   


About the author:  GLENYS NELLIST was born and raised in a little village in northern England.  Her stories and poems have been published in children’s magazines where her writing reflects a deep passion for bringing the Bible to life for young children.  Glenys lives in Grand Rapids, Michigan, with her husband, David.




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Who inspires you?

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Every teacher wants to make a difference in her students’ lives.  I am no exception.  I want to make a difference!  I love “teacher” movies, “teacher” books, and you guessed it–“teacher” picture books!  You know the ones that chronicle how the teacher comes alongside her students and their whole world changes :).

One inspirational storyteller is Patricia Polacco.  I love that she tells real stories from her life experience.

In her story, Mr. Wayne’s Masterpiece, Patricia Polacco tells of her own experience as a student overcoming the fear of speaking in front of an audience.

What happens?
Her English teacher Mr. Tranchina recognizes her writing talent and sees her potential.  He also sees her fear of public speaking.  He gently introduces Patricia to the drama teacher, Mr. Wayne, who invites her to help out with the winter play.

As the story unfolds, Mr. Wayne includes Patricia in the workshops and continues to give her more and more opportunities to blossom.  Because of a turn of events, Patricia winds up overcoming her fear, acting as the star role, and discovering her hidden talent.  I love the line “I was on fire,” as she described her acting debut.  It shows her self-confidence and the pure joy she felt while acting.

I also love the title.  It is a play on words–they students are acting out a play Mr. Wayne wrote–his masterpiece–but the true masterpiece is Patricia and every other student he trains and coaches to become all they can be.

The teacher
 characters are very inspiring!

A few of their traits I admire are:

–noticing the struggling student and taking the time to help
–utilizing creative teaching techniques
–perseverance
–gentleness
–empowering students to become the masterpiece

Who was your most inspirational teacher?  Name and grade level?
Or, who inspires you and why?
I have too many to list, but one was Mr. Marsh for 7th grade English.  I loved it when He would read our papers aloud and we would try to guess who wrote them.