Abingdon Press; 188 pages; $16.99; Buy Link; Blog Tour

The holiday is sneaking up quickly upon us this year. Thanksgiving (or now known as Black Thursday) is just over a week away, and there is no better time than the present to start your Christmas shopping.

Now available from from Abingdon Press is the Christmas advent book "The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year" written by Ace Collins.

It's basically a 25 day countdown (Dec. 1st - 25th) till Christmas Day. Each chapter/day begins with a Bible scripture and a short essay or story inspired by the scripture. Then there is section featuring lyrics to a Gospel song. Lastly, there is either a recipe for holiday treats or instructions to craft a homemade gift.

Final Thoughts: This a cute (under 200 pages) devotional that is also a Christmas advent to read around Christmastime. The author has done an excellent job creating a simple, but beautiful little book. The devotional part of each day is written really well, and it never felt "preachy" in anyway. The very first devotional mentions my favorite Christmas movie, "It's A Wonderful Life." While I can't carry a tune, I did enjoy reading the about the different Gospel songs/lyrics. My favorite part of each day is the recipes and gift instructions.

Overall, I enjoyed reading The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year and I recommend it to others.

*I received complimentary copy from the publisher for my honest review and they are 100% my own opinions. I received no other compensation for this review and I am not required to give a positive review. I am also not associated with the publisher or author in any way.







About the Author: Ace Collins defines himself as a storyteller. He has authored more than sixty books that have sold more than 2.5 million copies. His catalog includes novels, biographies, children's works as well as books on history, culture and faith. He has also been the featured speaker at the National Archives Distinguished Lecture Series, hosted a network television special and does college basketball play-by-play. Ace lives in Arkansas.


Learn more about the author at: acecollins.com


You can follow the author on Facebook and Twitter.

NOT RATED; 125 minutes; $14.98; Amazon

Now available on DVD from Lionsgate Home Entertainment is Saban's Power Rangers Dino Charge: Hero, featuring four exciting episodes from the 2015 season. As an added bonus it features the Christmas Special "Race to Rescue Christmas."

Loosely based on the Japanese Super Sentai series Zyuden Sentai Kyoryuger, Dino Charge debuted in early 2015 as the twenty-second season of the Power Rangers franchise. The main plot focused on a alien named Keeper scattering ten Energems across Earth 65 million years ago. Fast forward to the present day, where five new young adults, including a caveman, have been chosen by the energems to become the new Power Rangers to stop the alien bounty hunter Sledge and his evil minions from destroying Earth. Later during the season, an 800-year-old knight, Sir Ivan joins the team as the Gold Ranger.

The episodes on the single-disc "Hero" are the final episodes of the first Dino Charge season. The episodes are:

"World Famous! (In New Zealand)" - The Power Rangers heads to New Zealand to locate the purple energem before Sledge's latest monster finds it.


"Deep Down Under"  - Still in New Zealand, the Rangers are in a race against time to find the Plesio Zord before Sledge can get his hands on it.

Zonderkidz; 32 pages; $14.99; Barnes & Noble

I don't pay too much attention to new children book titles with a princess theme, but I have a little cousin who I thought would enjoy the picture book "A Royal Christmas to Remember," which is the only reason why I had signed up to review the title.

Published by Zonderkidz, A Royal Christmas to Remember is the 7th book in the "Princess Parables" series written by Jenna Young & Jacqueline Johnson. This entry is illustrated by Omar Aranda.

On Christmas Eve, Princesses Joy, Grace, Faith, Charity, and Hope are more excited about Christmas than anyone else in the kingdom

The princesses have decorated the grand castle with Christmas decorations, which they have so many that they will have to build a large storehouse to store all them next year. Inside the caste is a magnificent tree surrounded by dozens of gifts, all for the princesses.

Awaken from their sleep that night, the princesses learn there is an evil band of marauders who are raiding their village. As their father, the king, heads out to defend the village, the princesses are put in danger. In the end, the princesses will learn that Christmas is more about giving than receiving.

Tommy Nelson; 32 pages; $14.99; Amazon

Though Halloween is a lot closer than Christmas, I'm more in the mood for the Yuletide season than I am for All Hallows Eve, which might explain why I'm once again reading another Christmas title.

What did I read this time?

Well, yesterday I read One Small Donkey: A Christmas Story by Dandi Daley Mackall and illustrated by Marta Alvarez Miguens. Published by Tommy Nelson (a division of Thomas Nelson Publishers), the book will be available to purchase on September 27th in either a hardcover or a board book for "little ones."

One Small Donkey: A Christmas Story centers on a small donkey (the donkey's name is never mentioned) who wants to be tall and brave like the horse he sees marching in the grass each and everyday.

Then one day his master, Joseph, calls for him. It seems Joseph and his pregnant wife, Mary, are planning a trip to Bethlehem and it's the small donkey's responsibility to help carry Mary across the land.

When Mary goes into labor, Joseph knocks on the doors of every home in the city, hoping to find shelter. However, nobody will take them in. Luckily, they do find a manger just in the nick of time. 

Abingdon Press; 200 pages; $14.99; Buy Link; Blog Tour

There's still 109 days till Christmas Day. However, I spent my morning reading a Christmas-themed book this morning while I sipped on a cup of coffee. (FYI - Today's my birthday!)

What the title of the book?

Well, the book is called God Bless Us Every One and it's written by Eva Marie Everson, which is basically a modern day spin on the Charles Dickens' classic "A Christmas Carol."

The novella centers on a twenty-seven-year old named Charlene "Charlie" Dixon who is fired just a few days before Thanksgiving as the the activities director at an all-girls school in Florida.

Yeah, it's a great way to start the holidays!

Charlie packs her bags and heads back home to Testament, North Carolina to spend the holidays with her grandmother, who she calls "Sis." Her mother abandoned her at a young age and her father has been in and out of a jail, so her grandmother had to raise her.