Zondervan; 210 pages; $14.99; Buy Link: Amazon

Yes, I'm well aware that it isn't even Halloween yet, but here I am writing a review for a Christmas-themed book.

Recently released from Zondervan is the 31-day devotional, titled The Beautiful Word For Christmas. The book includes 23 Bible passages that are all illustrated in full color, 31 timely devotions written especially for the Christmas season, and a few activities to bring the heart of the season into your home.

The interior hand-lettering and illustrations were done by Kristi Smith of Juicebox Design (she also did the artwork on the cover) and Kerri Charlton.

Pre-Order: Amazon

Being released from Belle Consulting on October 31st (aka Halloween) is the paranormal romance, Witch's Eternal by Bri Clark.

It's been awhile since I've read anything paranormal related, and since Halloween is only a week away, I thought I would read the Witch's Eternal. Originally, I had planned on having this book read and reviewed weeks ahead of schedule, but a few things came up. So I had to read the book early this morning, which explains why my review is being posted late in the day.

Instead of writing up my own version of the book's synopsis, I'm just going to share the official blurb below:

Aisleen is the last of a rare race of witches. Her essence hangs in the balance as the magical and temporal poisoning of the Blue Death ravages her body.

Lucien Lemoine, the feared and revered leader of the eternals, searches for a cure. Something primal and instinctive drives him to save the little witch even when his people’s future hangs is threatened.

But when the Goddess finally breaks her decades long silence Lucien learns Aisleen is more than the one who will fulfill the prophesy of his fate and heal his heart. She can save them all.

But after his tragic betrayal, will she?

Now available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, and iTunes from Fiery Seas Publishing is the novel Unfinished by Amy Snyder.

Mirabelle is a writer who just can't finish any of the stories she starts. When her twins leave home for college, they take with them Mirabelle’s sense of identity. As she strives to adjust to her empty nest she is visited by someone unexpected: a character from the very first novel she ever attempted to write.

Characters from all of her unfinished works begin to materialize in her home, in her car, at her job. They talk, yell, and some even throw things at her. Mirabelle can see them, smell them, touch them and though she knows they’re not real, she can’t help but engage them. She created them, after all. They become part of her daily life and she finds herself alternating between hiding them from and sharing them with her almost-always-doting husband, Alex.

Some of Mirabelle’s characters are like good friends, encouraging her to finish something she’s started. Others manipulate her for their own needs and story lines. Good and bad, these characters are part of her and Mirabelle discovers she needs to both fix and finish them before they destroy her life, her sanity, and her marriage.

The author has taken a few minutes out of her busy schedule for a Q&A about her new novel.



When did you become interested in storytelling?

I was in eighth grade. I wrote a story about a Boat Captain that my teacher loved and I realized how much I loved writing it. That was when I decided to be a writer.

What was your first book/story published?

This one! Unfinished is the first thing I’ve ever published. It has been an extremely long road.

What inspired you to write Unfinished?

This story grew out of fear and frustration with myself for not finishing my stories. I had been querying another work for over a year and getting nowhere. I felt like I was sitting on top of a big pile of unfinished, incomplete, unpublished work.

What character in Unfinished is the most/least like you, and in what ways?

Mirabelle, the main character, is very much like me. She is a writer who doesn’t finish the stories she starts which is exactly how I was until this book.

What is your favorite part in Unfinished?

I love Mirabelle’s relationship with Cody and the changes they go through together.

Delacorte Press; 530 pages; $30.00; Amazon

Tonight marks the return of Outlander: Season Three on STARZ after having a brief one-week break, in which we'll finally see the reunion between the characters Jamie (played by Sam Heughan) and Claire (played by Caitriona Balfe) after being apart for nearly twenty years. To get everyone ready for tonight's episodes, I thought it would be the perfect time for me to post my review for the recently released Seven Stones To Stand Or Fall by Diana Gabaldon.

No, this isn't the sequel to Written In My Own Heart's Blood, but instead it's  "A Collection of Outlander Fiction," featuring seven short stories/novellas that are all set in the Outlander universe. Five of the stories have appeared in other anthologies over the years, while the other two are appearing for the very first-time in print. Many of the stories centers on Lord John Grey, a character that debuted in Outlander: Season Three; however, Jamie Fraser does get his very own story called "Virgins."

Bethany House; 336 pages; $15.99; Amazon

If you like reading Sherlock Holmes and Agatha Christie mysteries, then I would recommend the Drew Fathering Mystery series by Julianna Deering.

Released earlier this year from Bethany House Publishing is the fifth installment in the series, titled Murder on the Moor. Once again the main character is the dashing Drew Farthering, who, along with his American wife Madeline, heads to Bloodworth Park Lodge in the town of Bunting's Nest at the request of an old friend. Several strange occurrences have occurred in the area, such as fires, property destruction, and sheep and cattle scattered. Then a dead body is found on the steps of the church.

Being a mystery buff, Drew takes it upon himself to unravel the murder, which isn't easy, as there are no suspects. Well, except for one person - his friend's new bride.

Tommy Nelson; 20 pages; $8.99; Amazon

This is a counting picture book, where every two pages focuses on a number between 1-10. The artwork on every two pages represents one illustrated scene and each pages has one sentence.

The story is pretty simple; it involves a young Christmas bear who ventures outside to play in the snow and makes several new friends, including a puppy, two tiny mice, funny foxes, squirrels, rabbits, eagles, caribous, and owls. The kids play all day in the snow, until their parents call them home near night, when the Christmas stars are twinkling bright in the sky.