Nick's New Heart Book Review and Giveaway!

NICK'S NEW HEART by Susan May
Hardcover: 182 pages
Publisher: Tiger Iron Press; 1st edition (2008)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0978726324
ISBN-13: 978-0978726324

I received an email a while back from Susan May asking me if I would consider reading and reviewing her book. I replied right away and told her that I would be honored.

The book arrived just ahead of Christmas along with a note from Susan wishing me a Merry Christmas. What a wonderful personal touch.

Nick's New Heart is a true story. Susan has written about her youngest son Nick who received a heart transplant 17 years ago when he was only two years of age.

Susan's story is one of a mother's love.

She has completely chronicled the life of her son Nick and her experiences with raising a chronically ill child. She describes in detail the emotions and also the medical procedures that were experienced from the day he was born when the doctors initially had cause for concern.

Susan invites you into her life. She shares with you her highs and her lows. Her story is one of family. A family that is thriving and living life to the fullest. She lives by example and takes away all excuses.

I recommend this book. It is very informative about medical procedures and transplant care. Susan gives such insight into the importance of organ donation. But, what this book is really about is Love, Strength and Courage (as is written on the cover.) Susan tells how they could not have done what they needed to do without the wonderful support system that surrounded them.

You can learn more about Susan and her book here.

Now for the best part!!!!!!!

I'm going to share this book with one of you. I have carefully read my copy to keep it in new condition. I will draw a name from the comments left and I will mail this book to the lucky winner!

All you have to do is leave a comment and let me know you would like to be entered!

You have until Saturday January 31 at 11:59pm est. I will announce the winner on Sunday February 1 in the morning.

Good Luck!

If you don't win, I recommend that you order yourself a copy of Nick's New Heart. It's available at Amazon.

Chronological Study Bible by Thomas Nelson

Chronological Study Bible
Hardcover: 1728 pages
Publisher: Thomas Nelson (October 14, 2008)
Language: English
ISBN-13: 978-0718020682

I received an email a while back asking me if I'd be interested in reviewing Thomas Nelson's new Chronological Study Bible. Of course, I said 'Yes'!

I thought that with lots of us making New Year's resolutions, this review would be very timely. If your goal is to read or re-read through the bible this year, you may want to read it in chronological order. The Chronological Study Bible puts the events of the Bible in historical context.

This Bible is a lovely burgundy hardcover with the above illustrated cover jacket. The pages are filled with beautiful color graphics of the Bible times. There are lots of insets, notes and pictures that make this Bible very informative.

The text is in the New King James Version (NKJV) with notes and time lines.

This is the only study Bible arranged in chronological order that is available.

This Bible is laid out in the order of the nine epochs along with dates at the top of each page. At the front of the Bible is a Table of Contents, a Time Charts contents and a Time Panels each listing the epochs in order along with the historical events that coincided.

At the back of the Bible there is a list of Cultural and Historical Topics that are referenced by page number where information is found on the corresponding topic. There is also a Glossary, a Concordance and an Index of Scripture Passages. The final eight pages are 9 colored maps of the historical Bible times.

I love the idea of studying the Bible in chronological order. It makes it much easier to put Bible history in the same context as world history. I especially appreciate the the four gospels written all together into the one story of Jesus' life.

If you are interested in history & time lines and how Bible history connects to what is taking place today, then you will enjoy this Bible.

I suggest that you visit the Chronological Study Bible web site here to get more detailed information.

I like this Bible very much and highly recommend it.

The Paper Bag Christmas Book Review & GIVEAWAY!

The Paper Bag Christmas by Keith Alan Milne
Hardcover: 150 pages
Publisher: Hachette Book Group 208
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1-59995-073-1
ISBN-13: 978-1-59995-073-0

From the Inside Cover:

When Molar Allan and his older brother, Aaron, fill out their Christmas wish lists front and back, the Santa at the mall informs the boys they won't be getting anything they asked for. Instead, he says, they will receive everything they never wanted. This isn't your garden-variety Santa, he's Dr. Chris Ringle, a pediatric oncologist, and he enlists the brothers as Santa's elves at the children's ward for the holidays.

Each boy is charged with a very special assignment. Aaron will befriend Madhu, a fast-talking boy on an organ transplant list who, though not Christian, has an insatiable curiosity and wants to learn all about the holiday. Madhu is determined to be a wise man in the hospital pageant, despite the objections to his interpretation of the role.

Molar's task is considerably harder, as he attempts to help a lonely little girl named Katrina. Katrina's surgery has left her scarred, and she has shut herself away from everyone. But it is through her that the true spirit of Christmas will touch the lives of all those around her in a way none of them would have ever foreseen.

Hachette Book Group emailed me and asked me if I would like to receive a free book and if I would kindly review it for them on my blog.

I said "YES".

When I came home from my cruise, amongst all of our mail, my new book was waiting for me.

I excitedly ripped opened the envelope and as soon as I had it in my hands I couldn't wait to grab some time to start it. The next day, the day after we came home, I read it. The whole book. I couldn't put it down.

This book is incredible and it will make a wonderful addition to your Christmas treasuries. It will certainly get you in the Christmas spirit.

I thoroughly enjoyed this story for myself, but I also knew that my 13 year old daughter would love it too. I recommended it to her and she read it too. She wants you to know that along with me she gives it a 'two thumbs up'.

My daughter, like myself, could not put down this book until she was finished.

Kevin Milne is a very talented author. He writes fiction in a way that makes you want to believe that it's a true story.

The Paper Bag Christmas is an inspirational story that will pull on your heart strings. It's a story of children and friendship and it moved me to tears.

You may read an excerpt from Chapter One here, but I'm sure you won't want to stop there.

I have some great news for you!!! I want to share this book with you. I am going to give one of you a chance to win. All you have to do is leave me a comment. You have until Friday December 5 at 5:00pm to enter.

And..you have more chances to win. Visit the author's blog. He is giving away 5 copies, just in time for Christmas!

Good Luck!! I know you will enjoy The Paper Bag Christmas as much as I have.

An article by the author is available at for you here.

Hachette Book Group USA has a reading group guide available for The Paper Bag Christmas, as well, here.