Friday, November 19, 2021

Dear Abby - Thankful for YOU!

 

Dear Friends,

Happy almost-Thanksgiving to you! I hope you have a good day. I wanted to take just a minute and thank you for visiting my blog over the past few years. I especially appreciate the friendly comments left here!  I usually leave comments back.  Thanks, too, for sharing my blog post links - I often see them when my Momma is on social media and it makes me happy.

In short, I am thankful for YOU!

Love,

Abby xoxoxo



Book Review - A Saint a Day: 365 True Stories of Faith and Heroism


My Review

A Saint a Day: 365 True Stories of Faith and Heroism is a devotional book for children. Readers will learn about a different saint each day.

I wanted to read this book because I am interested in church history and found the idea of learning more about saints in a devotional book both interesting and inspiring.

This is a beautifully designed book. The cover art is appealing and the small hardcover book is also sturdy and well made. There is a place inside the book for a gift inscription, and this would be a lovely gift - especially at Christmas, so children could start reading in the New Year.

Each devotional is on one page, with the dates of the saint's life, a Bible verse, and a short biography. The book concludes with a short one line prayer for the day inspired by the reading. 

The writing is engaging and the details about the saints' lives are really interesting!  I think the short, lively entries will engage and inspire children who read this book through the year.

I highly recommend A Saint a Day, especially as a gift - and a source of inspiration and learning through the upcoming year.

Book Synopsis

Teach your child to walk in faith, act justly, and lead with kindness and humility with this 365-day devotional for kids. A Saint a Day includes fascinating historical stories as it introduces young readers to over 300 saints who did extraordinary things for God.

Mother Teresa left her family at age 18 to become a missionary. St. Patrick helped spread Christianity to Ireland. St. Jerome translated the Bible into Latin–and also had a pet lion!

Written for ages 8 to 12, A Saint a Day inspires young readers with remarkable stories of people who made extraordinary choices to love and serve God. Featuring popular saints such as Teresa of Ávila, Francis of Assisi, Juan Diego, and Thomas Aquinas, each of the 365 devotions includes:

A Scripture verse and prayer
A short summary or inspiring story of a saint
A fun fact
Artwork with a fresh, kid-friendly design

This daily devotional for kids is:

An ideal gift for First Communion, Confirmation, or Advent
A unique book for strengthening a child’s faith
A great way to share Catholic church history with kids

A Saint a Day will help your child realize the long history of people of faith. As you journey through this yearlong devotional, your children will grow in their understanding of church history and better understand how they can love and serve God.

Book Review and Giveaway - The Debutante's Code by Erica Vetsch


My Review

In 1816 England, Lady Juliette Thorndike returns to London from school with her best friend, ready to make her society debut. Her parents, however, are mysteriously absent. At every society event she attends, there seems to be a mystery involving a lost or stolen work of art. Juliette becomes involved in the mystery - with the help of handsome police detective Daniel Swann.

I wanted to read this novel because I love the Regency period. I enjoyed the author's Serendipity and Secrets series, and knew what a strong writer she is.

The Debutante's Code is a delightful start to a new series! I enjoy Regency fiction, but rarely see books set during this period that are also engaging mysteries. The mystery aspect of this novel was my favorite part. There are so many fascinating details about the art that is stolen (and all the art was based on real pieces, as detailed in the last section of the book!). I actually felt I learned some interesting details about art history just from reading this book.  (The Shakespeare folio was especially fascinating!)

Juliette is a bold amateur detective, especially when paired with Daniel Swann.  The romantic sparks between them makes the book even more intriguing.

This was an unusually fast paced read for a historical novel - I couldn't put it down and found myself planning the evening around extra reading time.

I highly recommend The Debutante's Code for fans of historical fiction, and especially for anyone who enjoys historical mysteries and the Regency period.

Book Synopsis

Jane Austen meets Sherlock Holmes in this new Regency mystery series

Newly returned from finishing school, Lady Juliette Thorndike is ready to debut in London society. Due to her years away, she hasn't spent much time with her parents, and sees them only as the flighty, dilettante couple the other nobles love. But when they disappear, she discovers she never really knew them at all. They've been living double lives as government spies--and they're only the latest in a long history of espionage that is the family's legacy.

Now Juliette is determined to continue their work. Mentored by her uncle, she plunges into the dangerous world of spies. From the glittering ballrooms of London to the fox hunts, regattas, and soirees of country high society, she must chase down hidden clues, solve the mysterious code her parents left behind, and stay out of danger. All the while, she has to keep her endeavors a secret from her best friend and her suitors--not to mention the nosy, irritatingly handsome Bow Street runner, who suspects her of a daring theft.

Can Juliette outwit her enemies and complete her parents' last mission?

Best-selling author Erica Vetsch is back with a rollicking, exciting new series destined to be a hit with Regency readers who enjoy a touch of mystery in their love stories. Fans of Julie Klassen, Sarah Ladd, and Anne Perry will love the wit, action, and romance. 


Author Bio

Erica Vetsch is a New York Times best-selling author and    ACFW Carol Award winner, and has been a Romantic        Times top pick for her previous books. She loves Jesus,        history, romance, and watching sports. This transplanted    Kansan now makes her home in Rochester, Minnesota.

The Serendipity & Secrets trilogy, her first Regency series, launched in 2020 to rave reader reviews. Her latest           release, The Debutante's Code is the first of the Thorndike & Swann Regency Mysteries.

Learn more about Erica at 
www.ericavetsch.com or find her on Facebook.

Giveaway