book review

Sunburst is the Hot New Book of Summer 2022

June 7, 2022 by Amy Leave a Comment

Susan May Warren’s second book in the Sky King Ranch series, Sunburst, releases today – and it’s amazing! Here’s the synopsis:

When former Navy SEAL and lifelong bachelor Ranger Kingston is called upon to take part in a rescue mission to save his brother Colt, who has been kidnapped by terrorists in Nigeria, he is shocked to find among the hostages a woman he knows and could never forget.

Noemi Sutton was attempting to return a young girl to her family in Boko Haram territory when she and the girl found themselves taken hostage, along with several others.

And while Ranger Kingston may be able to get the hostages away from their captors, he’ll need Noemi’s help if he ever hopes to get out of Nigeria alive.

Her solution? Pose as husband and wife. But when her uncle discovers the union, he insists on a traditional Nigerian wedding–binding Noemi to a man destined to break her heart. Worse, she’s discovered the real reason she was kidnapped, and anyone around her is bound to be caught in the cross fire. Including her so-called new husband.

She’ll need to figure out a way to leave the man she loves if she wants to save his life.

*Sunburst* is the hot new book of Summer 2022.

Susan May Warren’s Sunburst has it all: action, adventure, world travel, romance, and suspense! It’s the kind of book I read in one sitting because I couldn’t put it down – and I know you’ll feel the same way. Here’s why.

After all of these pandemic years, I’m itchy to travel. I’m ready to see new things and taste new flavors, and you’ll do that and more in Sunburst as Noemi and Ranger traverse Nigeria. You’ll join them for some major cultural traditions in all of their vibrant color.

Ranger Kingston doesn’t show up where things are quiet and cozy – and that holds true for Sunburst. He’s needed in a big way in this story, and he puts all of his skills to use to save the day. He’s not the only one, either, and those action sequences coming from unexpected quarters add to the tension and made me love this cast even more.

Those action sequences have a blockbuster movie feel to them – like it’s all playing on the big screen of your mind – and they don’t happen as you’d expect. With so many surprise elements and the continued travel throughout the story, it makes for quite the adventurous read.

Noemi and Ranger make an exciting couple. With a wide variety of skills and experiences under their belt, they aren’t your typical neighbors – and that both pulls them together and keeps them apart. Will they find a way to make it work – or do they even want to? The chemistry between them sizzles – and it will keep you turning pages to find out.

I love that Warren writes books that are exciting in so many ways. I love how she combines my favorite fiction elements into a compelling, exciting, suspenseful story that I can’t put down – but best of all is the way that she weaves inspirational messages into each one. Ranger and Noemi have lessons to learn, and by the time you turn the last page, you’ll be drawn into their world and making that lesson your own. Warren always makes these lessons clear, gut-wrenchingly honest, and something that most will be able to relate to, at least in some small way. The lesson in Sunburst was especially compelling to me – and I’ll be pondering over this one for a long time to come.

So if you’re looking for a story that will keep you on the edge of your seat and up late into the night, make Sunburst your next summer read.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

Are you new to the Sky King Ranch series? Here’s how it all starts with Sunrise.

Cast the First Stone by David James Warren – Review

February 9, 2021 by Amy Leave a Comment

When a popular author kicks off a new series, it’s a great thing, but when three authors collaborate on a a project, the results are amazing. In this case? New series The True Lies of Rembrandt Stone, with Cast the First Stone releasing first.

Ex-Minneapolis Police Detective Rembrandt Stone walked away from a career he loved—just the price of being sure he can come home to the wife and daughter he cherishes. But he can’t shake the deep regret over a case left behind.

When his mentor, the former Chief of Homicide dies and leaves Rembrandt with a box of cold cases and a mysterious watch, he finds himself thrust into a world he recognizes—a world from twenty years ago—the same world he’s woken from in a cold sweat a hundred times. But is it a dream, or some kind of twisted reality?

If he solves the case that plagues him, and justice is finally served, will it destroy the life he loves?

Cast the First Stone - an edgy new series by David James Warren — *Cast the First Stone* – an edgy new series by David James Warren

Rembrandt Stone is the kind of hardcore detective that you want on your case – and Cast the First Stone is the kind of edgy story that will keep you up all night reading about him.

This new collaborative project between authors Susan May Warren, James L. Rubart, and David Warren is like a cross between Blue Bloods and Quantum Leap. Stone has the heart of the Reagan family while his story channels the time-travel elements of Sam’s leaps through time. I love the way that they’ve set the stage for a heart-rending series of cold cases as Stone leaps.

Maybe with a male lead and two male authors on the team, I should have expected more masculine thoughts and actions, but I didn’t, and that threw me a bit at times. Some of those thoughts definitely added an ‘adult’ label to this book for me, although it’s not graphic or inappropriate in any way – even the crime scenes.

It does come with a heavy dose of the trademark Warren writing style, though, and maybe that’s because there’s double the Warrens on the creative team; but you’ll definitely find hunky heroes, quoteable lines, and cliffhanger moments in Cast the First Stone.

In fact, the book ends with just such a moment – to the extent that I yelled when I swiped to the last page and realized I’d reached the end in the midst of a critical scene for Stone. My family was quite concerned until they realized I was just in angst for a fictional character – again – but if you read Cast the First Stone, you’ll be a believer – and you’ll find yourself suffering from a Warren cliffhanger, too.

And that’s exactly why you should read Cast the First Stone: because it’s the kind of book that makes you cheer for the characters, cry along with them, and think about them long after turning that last drama-filled page.

Cast the First Stone by David May Warren

I received a free copy of this book from the authors. All opinions are my own.

I’m definitely a Susan May Warren fan. Want to read my reviews of some of her other books? Click the titles below to check out other recent releases!

Duchess

When I Fall in Love

Still the One – A Deep Haven Novel Review

January 12, 2021 by Amy Leave a Comment

What’s Still the One all about?

The last thing he wants to do is return home.

Cole Barrett, former Army Ranger, has a new mission objective. Sell his grandfather’s house and put Deep Haven in his rearview mirror as fast as possible. Deep Haven holds the hurts of physical abuse at the hands of his grandfather, a man now in a memory care facility with dementia. Recently divorced, single, and unattached, Cole just wants a new life as a US Marshal. One where he can forget the past and start new.

Unfortunately, there’s a tenant in the garage apartment who’s refusing to move. Even worse? It’s his childhood crush, Megan Carter, and her son.

She’s waited years for her first love to return.

Wedding planner and single mom Megan Carter is no stranger to Deep Haven. To her, it’s the place where she makes dreams come true—at least, everyone else’s. Her big dream is to purchase the Black Spruce Bed & Breakfast to turn it into a premier event venue and, if she can stay booked for enough weddings over winter, she’ll have enough money to buy the inn, move out of Grandpa Barrett’s garage apartment, and finally give her nine-year-old son, Josh, the life he deserves. After using part of her intended down payment to cover his hockey fees, she’s behind on her Black Spruce funds and only has thirty days to come up with four thousand dollars.

Still, she’s oh, so close…until her childhood friend-slash-crush, Cole Barrett, returns to Deep Haven. Unfortunately, he’s not back to fulfill a silly childhood promise to marry her, but she never expected him to evict her! The last thing she needs is more expenses. Or for another man to walk into her heart…and break it.

Maybe it’s never too late to finish a love story…

When a blizzard strikes Deep Haven, and Megan is overrun with wedding catastrophes, it takes a former Ranger to step in and help. But the more he comes to her rescue, the sooner she’ll be able to move out…and he can move on.

And that’s what they both want, right?

Return to Deep Haven with this magical tale about the one who got away…and came back.

A Review of Rachel D. Russell's Still the One - a Return to Deep Haven Novel — A Review of Rachel D. Russell’s Still the One – a Return to Deep Haven Novel

What’s the only thing better than a great book? A new one set in the same town, where the new characters mingle with the former ones.

What’s even better than that? When a new series follows an old favorite series so that there’s a whole new cast of characters melding with the others, extending the setting, the excitement, and the fun of the original.

That’s exactly what Susan May Warren has done with her amazing Deep Haven series – and it’s fabulous!

With a few newish writers, Warren is publishing a whole new series of books through her Sunrise Publishing House. This new series, called the Deep Haven Collection, brings readers back to Deep Haven in the very best way.

Cole is retired military. He has plans with a friend and wants to get in to Deep Haven, his part-time childhood home, sell his grandfather’s house, and get out. He doesn’t expect old demons to come knocking, though.

Megan is working hard to achieve her childhood dreams, but life hasn’t gone as planned. She’ll be a step closer, though, as long as nothing interferes with her schedule over the next few weeks … like a blizzard or a long-lost love.

Rachel Russell nailed Susan May Warren’s unique writing style. She throws out emotional wrenches every few pages, has crafted a dreamy male lead, and tries to throw the reader off a cliff at the end of every chapter. For Warren fans, it’s a total win.

Still the One is more than just a cute guy and perfect writing, though: it contains emotional and spiritual lessons that we can all relate to. I think I was trying to high-five Megan through my Kindle for fully half of the book. Want to be treasured? Yes. Afraid that this expectation won’t be met at some point, leaving you disappointed and, perhaps, alone? Check. (Yes, I’m married and my husband is great – but we’re people. We’re not perfect. We still disappoint each other sometimes, and I still have fears, rational or not. Most of us do, right?) Needing to learn the lessons that Megan does in this book and understand the truths she comes to see in a deeper way – yes, that’s me, too.

That’s what makes Still the One such a fantastic and memorable story. It’s that you want to befriend the characters and help with their problems, only you realize that their story is your own. The excitement generated by the writing style and the fun presence of beloved characters from past books are the sprinkles on top of a story that would be great, no matter where it was set.

Being in Deep Haven just makes it that much better.

I received a free copy of this book from the author. All opinions are my own.

“Dreams of Savannah” by Roseanna M. White – Review

January 7, 2021 by Amy Leave a Comment

Cordelia Owens can weave a dream around anything and is well used to winning the hearts of everyone in Savannah with her whimsy. Even when she receives word that her sweetheart has been lost during a raid on a Yankee vessel, she clings to hope and comes up with many a romantic tale of his eventual homecoming to reassure his mother and sister.

But Phineas Dunn finds nothing redemptive in the first horrors of war. Struggling for months to make it home alive, he returns to Savannah injured and cynical, and all too sure that he is not the hero Cordelia seems determined to make him.

As the War Between the States rages ever nearer and Savannah’s slaves start sneaking away to the islands off the coast to join the Yankees, both Phin and Cordelia get caught up in questions they never thought they’d have to ask–questions that threaten the very dreams of a future they’d cherished.

A review of "Dreams of Savannah" by Roseanna M. White — A review of “Dreams of Savannah” by Roseanna M. White

Historical fiction has long been one of my favorite genres. I love history, so stories that make me live it for myself are just awesome. I absolutely love the American colonial period, the Wild West, stories of heroism during World War II, and even love and adventure in the Middle Ages.

The American Civil War has become a sketchy time for me to read about, though. I dislike reading about Southern characters who try to justify slavery, which – although it’s historically accurate – is frustrating to me. Even when they change their views throughout the story, it often feels cliched and too easy.

Roseanna M. White’s Dreams of Savannah is different, though. It’s richer, full of White’s signature drama and quotable wisdom. There’s nothing about this plot that is cliched. Attitudes don’t get miraculously “fixed.” There’s not exactly the traditional happily-ever-after scenario (which, when you think about it, while nice, isn’t realistic). The cast of characters doesn’t suddenly become friends and get along.

Which is really what’s so great about the story. White creates a meaningful ending to the drama with realistic resolution amidst the true history of what was happening in Savannah at the time. You’ll turn the last page with a sigh of thankfulness at the way that it ends, wanting to cheer on your favorite characters while knowing that this is how life really works.

But even better are the lessons that Phin and the quirky, story-telling Cordelia learn – and they’re ones that our society is also in dire need of figuring out: that love is more important than money or position or stuff. That you can’t predict the future. That relationships matter – that people matter, no matter who they are or where they come from or what they look like. Ultimately, that everyone has a story to tell, something they’ve lived or endured that has forged them into the person they’ve become, and that there’s understanding and growth to be had from learning those stories. That when we do learn those stories, it helps us to put the person ahead of the packaging they come in.

So while I was a bit hesitant to read another Civil War-era book, White won me over once again with her wisdom and creative storytelling. Dreams of Savannah is both entertaining and educational – an engaging read perfectly timed to deliver an important message. It’s definitely a 2021 must read book.

Click here for more information and to order your own copy.

Author Bio — Roseanna M. White is a bestselling, Christy Award nominated author who has long claimed that words are the air she breathes. When not writing fiction, she’s homeschooling her two kids, editing, designing book covers, and pretending her house will clean itself. Roseanna is the author of a slew of historical novels that span several continents and thousands of years. Spies and war and mayhem always seem to find their way into her books…to offset her real life, which is blessedly ordinary. You can learn more about her and her stories at www.RoseannaMWhite.com.

Click on the titles below to read my other reviews of Roseanna M. White’s recent releases:

A Portrait of Loyalty

On Wings of Devotion

The Number of Love

A Name Unknown

I received a free copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

The Best Birthday Cake in the History of Ever! – Review

December 8, 2020 by Amy 2 Comments

If you’re looking for a way to teach your children about the real meaning of Christmas, you need The Best Birthday Cake in the History of Ever! This book does a fantastic job of making the celebration of Jesus’ birthday relevant to modern American children by incorporating a birthday party into an annual tradition.

The Best Birthday Cake in the History of Ever - Text — The Best Birthday Cake in the History of Ever – Text

There are a few things that make this book really unique. First, it’s told entirely in verse, which definitely makes it really fun. The rhymes are done well and will have kids dancing along with the rhythm of the reading.

The text itself is written in a fun font and dances across the page in non-linear lines that become part of the art itself. The illustrations are done in bright colors with cartoonish people that are vibrant and fun. Kids will enjoy studying the words and pictures.

The Best Birthday Cake in the History of Ever - Bonus Features — The Best Birthday Cake in the History of Ever – Bonus Features

Next, the book comes with fun bonus features that make it almost like an activity book. The book has it’s own website, where you can find activities and crafts to print and do.

A big part of the story is when the family bakes a special birthday cake as part of a birthday party for Jesus. What really makes this unique is that there are scripture verses tied to each step of the baking to add symbolism and meaning to the actions. The scripture is included on the page and explained so that kids can understand. From the basic cake recipe to decorating ideas, ideas for each step is included with scripture and meaning.

The book itself is a large picture book with thick, glossy pages – perfect for reading over and over. This book is meant to become the foundation of an annual family tradition that celebrates Jesus’ birth in a kid-friendly way, and the authors have done everything possible to make it just that. This book would make a fabulous gift for families with young kids, for grandparents hosting others, or to send to far-off relatives or neighbors with whom you can’t get together this year so that you can at least celebrate simultaneously. It would be great for Sunday school teachers and church leaders, too!

If your Christmas plans have changed and you’re looking for ways to make them more meaningful – or just to change things up in this crazy year – consider adding The Best Birthday Cake in the History of Ever! to your lineup. It’s well worth the investment, and you’ll use it over and over as it becomes a beloved family tradition.

I received a free copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

Soul Raging by Ronie Kendig – Review

November 14, 2020 by Amy Leave a Comment

What’s Soul Raging all about?

Leif Metcalfe is done waiting for answers and seizes control, a move that comes with a high price and a deadly risk: teaming up with the enemy. He can only hope that what he uncovers will heal the wounds he’s inflicted on those he loves.

Iskra Todorova believes Leif is on a collision course with death and knows firsthand the irrevocable cost of that path to the soul. While trying to protect her daughter and intervene with Leif, Iskra is forced to set her sights on the man behind the evil organization ArC–Ciro Veratti.

Torn apart by injuries and opposing views on how to handle Leif’s act of treachery, team Reaper hunts one of their own. The only thing they agree on is not stopping but starting the final battle prophesied in the Book of the Wars.

Soul Raging by Ronie Kendig — *Soul Raging* by Ronie Kendig

Ronie Kendig’s latest novel Soul Raging will keep your heart pounding from the first page until you turn the last! The story is a intense ride full of action sequences and dramatic emotional revelations. You won’t be able to put it down!

I love the way that Kendig writes stories that are imaginative looks at what might happen if Biblical artifacts are found and their power used today. Even better is that she throws in amazing military heroes to fight the forces of evil and protect life as we know it.

What makes The Book of the Wars series stand out is that while Leif and Iskra are definitely main characters, the series increasingly features other members of the team as it progresses. That means revisiting loved favorites from other series but also that their story, which reached a mini-resolution in the first book, doesn’t end there. Because it spans all three books, Kendig takes you on a much deeper dive into their lives and minds than an author typically does. Rather than simply revisiting them in later books, their story continues, making for a very exciting series.

Why should you read Ronie Kendig’s Soul Raging?

The absolute best part, though? Elements of this story keep you guessing all the way through. Kendig is a plot-twisting suspense master! Each time I thought I had figured out what she was doing and that I had correctly identified the good guys and the bad guys, she threw out another curveball and I started over. While the reader should expect a certain ending, you never know if you’re going to get that from Kendig – and you’ll never have a clue how you’ll get there. I expect that kind of crazy ride from this author now, and she’s never let me down.

Soul Raging is the perfect conclusion for The Book of the Wars series. It’s hardcore military and prophetic lit with characters you’ll love and enough romance to soften the edges – just a bit. If you haven’t read Storm Rising or Kings Falling, now is the perfect time. Snag all three here and settle down for the perfect late autumn read.

I received this book from the author. All opinions are my own.

The Smartest Kid in the Universe by Chris Grabenstein

November 10, 2020 by Amy Leave a Comment

What’s The Smartest Kid in the Universe about?

12-year-old Jake’s middle school is about to be shut down–unless Jake and his friends can figure out how to save it. When Jake spies a bowl of jellybeans at the hotel where his mom works, he eats them. But those weren’t just jellybeans, one of the scientists at his mom’s conference is developing the world’s first ingestible information pills. And THAT’S what Jake ate.

Before long, Jake is the smartest kid in the universe. But the pills haven’t been tested yet. And when word gets out about this new genius, people want him. The government. The mega corporations. Not all of them are good people! Can Jake navigate the ins and outs of his newfound geniusdom (not to mention the ins and outs of middle school) and use his smarts to save his school? BONUS! Includes extra brainteasers to test your smarts!

Read on for my full review of Chris Grabenstein's upcoming novel The Smartest Kid in the Universe. — Read on for my full review of Chris Grabenstein’s upcoming novel The Smartest Kid in the Universe.

Chris Grabenstein has to be one of the best middle-grade novelists there is, and that reputation will be further cemented by the release of The Smartest Kid in the Universe. Grabenstein excels at writing stories that are both zany and funny but with heart, too. That’s evidenced in The Smartest Kid in the Universe in the way that Jake cares about his sister, his friends, and his school – and the crazy way in which he learns to care about these things.

Most books that are this far out feature potty humor and are poorly written in grammatical terms, but Grabenstein’s ability to create fun puns that kids will understand, as well as to use situational humor, elevate his books far above other in the genre. His clean, smart writing style allows his work to be used as a mentor text for kids who are looking for examples of great writing to emulate. The Smartest Kid in the Universe does this exceptionally well, because while Grabenstein does come dangerously close to throwing some rotten humor into the mix, he also stirs in a great deal of trivia, history, and vocabulary. He uses these things in a natural way, as he does in his Lemoncello books, so that kids will be learning without even realizing it.

The story’s very premise is fun: and how many exhausted kids these days wouldn’t be interested in learning without having to put in endless hours of hard work? I like the way that Grabenstein created a kid-friendly story with real value.

Still, one of the very best parts of any Grabenstein book is, for me, the inherent character lesson. He always includes a great ‘moral of the story’ that comes with an example of how one should be. While The Smartest Kid in the Universe isn’t entirely missing that, the plot does leave one ethical question unanswered to which I would have loved to see some sort of resolution reached.

The Smartest Kid in the Universe is a Kid Pleaser.

Or, perhaps, there’s a sequel coming – because that, too, would be a great way to handle it, and then we could dig further into the world of Jake, The Smartest Kid in the Universe. That would be a very good thing.

Middle-grade readers are going to love The Smartest Kid in the Universe – and their teachers will, too.

I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

The Escape by Lisa Harris – Review

November 3, 2020 by Amy Leave a Comment

About The Escape:

US Marshals Madison James and Jonas Quinn are thrust into a high-profile case when they are called on to transport two prisoners across the country on a private plane. But when the plane experiences engine trouble en route from the Pacific Northwest to Colorado, the pilots crash-land the aircraft deep in the heart of the sprawling Salmon-Challis National Forest.

When Madison and Jonas regain consciousness, they find both pilots and one prisoner dead–and one fugitive on the run. They’ll have to negotiate the rugged and remote backcountry through Idaho, Wyoming, and Colorado while tracking a murderer who is desperate to disappear–and will do anything to stop them.

Don’t start reading The Escape until you have time to read the whole thing, because once you pick it up, you won’t be able to put it down! Harris has created the perfect blend of action, suspense, and romance in this book. It’s one of my favorite books of 2020!

I love the way that Harris keeps you hanging on her every word throughout the story. It’s not just the suspense, although you really want to know what’s going to happen next. It’s not just the romance, because although you hope that Madison and Jonas will end up together, nothing is a given. It’s the combination of those two with the missing backstory: Harris dribbles out the details of the trauma that both Madison and Jonas have endured, keeping you craving more, while pushing the other two elements simultaneously. The resulting blend kept me up late, happily removed from the 2020 craziness while caught up in search for the missing fugitive.

One of my favorite elements of a good story is getting so lost in the plot that I am along for the ride with the main characters, and Harris excels at this. Although I would have no idea how to hunt down an escapee, I felt as if I was right there with Madison. I think that a book can have the biggest impact when it feels the most real, and The Escape definitely gives off that vibe to me.

I think that most of us are ready for something new this year. We want a way out of the instability and unpredictability that seem to be around every corner – but it’s also hard to let go of that. It’s hard to put down the hurt and the trauma and even though we may not have experienced the great personal loss that Madison did, we can still glean lessons from her experience about how to move on.

I loved The Escape for all of these things: the suspense, the escape, the romance, the lessons, and the adventure. I bet you’ll enjoy it, too.

I received a free copy of this book from the author. All opinions are my own.

Backlash by Rachel Dylan – Review

October 20, 2020 by Amy Leave a Comment

CIA analyst Layla Karam is thrust into a dangerous DEA field operation against a cartel that puts a target on her back. Though Layla never wanted to be a field agent, Langley had other ideas. After one of her team members is murdered because of fallout from the op, Layla is left scrambling to find safety.

At the same time, the CIA opens up an internal investigation against her. Out of options, Layla turns to ex-boyfriend and private investigator Hunter McCoy for help finding out who might want to ruin her career.

Layla and Hunter soon discover a mole inside the DEA has sold out the team’s identity to the cartel. She must clear her name with the Agency and protect herself and her teammates from cartel retaliation. With threats on all sides, Layla must put her trust in Hunter–the man who broke her heart–and hope they both come out of it alive.

Rachel Dylan stirs together an alphabet soup of government agencies with heart-pounding suspense to create an unforgettable story of betrayal, forgiveness, and intrigue with her latest book Backlash. Fans of NCIS won’t want to miss this one!

While the main character doesn’t work for that particular agency, it is in the mix, as well as many others. I found it a bit complicated at first as I tried to keep each character matched with their proper places of employment, but soon the action takes over and tracking employment didn’t matter.

I really enjoyed Layla’s character and found myself cheering her on throughout the book. You can’t help but root for her as she encounters one obstacle after another. I like that she knew what she wanted and was determined to do her best, even when things weren’t going her way.

On the other hand, Hunter is a more complicated male lead. His story isn’t quite as straightforward, and I enjoyed the way that Dylan dribbled the details out as you crave more of the back story.

I must admit, I did figure out who the ‘bad guy’ was fairly early on in the story, but I wasn’t able to guess the other twists and turns that this plot takes – and there are a lot of them! I enjoyed trying, though, and catching all the red herrings that Dylan throws out is half the fun.

While Backlash can stand alone, it’s the second book in the Capital Intrigue series, and I liked the large part that Izzy played in this one. I think you’ll definitely enjoy this story more if you’ve read End Game.

If romantic suspense and governmental intrigue is your thing, though, you’ll want to put Backlash on your TBR list now. It’s fast-paced, mysterious, and well-written, making it the perfect choice for fall and winter reading.

Click here to read my review of End Game, Book One in the Capital Intrigue series.

Backlash by Rachel Dylan

I received a free copy of this book from the author. All opinions are my own.

Love Your Selfie Releases Today + Giveaways

October 13, 2020 by Amy Leave a Comment

What is Love Your Selfie all about, really?

God loves the real you — without filters, followers, or fabulous backdrops! This glittery devotional helps you find your inner sparkle as you learn to love yourself from the inside out.

The truth is: the Creator of the Universe stamped His approval on you far before anyone ever had the chance to disapprove. In this 52-week devotional, you will be guided through a journey of embracing the unique way you were created. Author Tessa Emily Hall shares her personal struggles of dealing with insecurity and self-shame as a teen, then she invites you to reflect on the weekly message through journal prompts and social media challenges. You will be taken on a journey to understand what Scripture says about your identity, discover how you can tap into your God-given potential, and learn to love who you are inside.

Ellie Claire’s LeatherLuxe® material is given new glittery life in this stunning devotional with full-color interior design. The rich feel of leather is finished with round corners to make this devotional an extraordinary gift for any time of year.

Tessa Emily Hall has created a devotional that takes girls on a monumental journey of faith and self-discovery to understand the way that God sees each of them in Love Your Selfie. This journal-devotional has been designed to span the length of a year as girls learn to appreciate the unique way that God created each of them.

I love the way that Hall organized this. Each week’s entry starts with a scripture verse and short devotion. Next are several questions for consideration with space in which to answer them. These are thoughtful, deep questions, intended to draw out the response and help the reader go deeper into the issue.

There’s a fill-in-the-blank confession section, where girls can consider how the issue of the week relates to them personally. What action take they take spiritually?

Next, a short prayer section is begins with prompts and then provides space for the reader to journal her answer and take it deeper. I love writing out prayers, and I love that this journal can really be a shared one between the reader and God.

The last two sections are my favorite, though. This is really where Love Your Selfie shines – or, maybe I should say, this is really where it sparkles. The challenge section is a public action to that the reader can take to show that she isn’t defined by the issue of the week. There are hashtags you can use to connect with other readers, and the challenges are designed to show your own special uniqueness.

The last section is especially appropriate for young women. It’s a ‘Love God’s Creation’ section with physical actions to take that will address the issue of the week. For example, since Week One’s devotion talks about wearing a mask and not showing one’s true face, this week’s action step talks about ways to care for one’s complexion. These tips are brief but real and important, and they’re very relevant both to the issue and to young readers.

These sections do vary a bit. Many of the entries have a ‘Dear Diary’ section in place of the physical action. Others have mini-quizzes or perspective pieces. All are relevant for pre-teen and teen girls, however, and all are designed to strengthen one’s spiritual journey.

Finding quality books for teens is hard. Finding ones that are real and relevant is even harder. Finding a great book that addresses social, emotional, physical, and spiritual needs was impossible – until Hall wrote Love Your Selfie. It’s truly the book that has it all.

You can buy a copy of Love Your Selfie here, or go here and here to enter to win your own.

Want to know even more? Join author Tessa Emily Hall’s launch party here!

I received a free copy of this book from the author. All opinions are my own.