Giveaway: Tessa Emily Hall's Coffee Shop Devos

*Giveaway alert*

A lot of fun stuff has been happening for authors that I love, and I just have to share it.

1) One of Tessa Emily Hall's books has just released. Congratulations, and welcome to the world, Coffee Shop Devos! I have not read it yet, but I have read three of her other books (Purple Moon, Unwritten Melody, Fallen Leaves). They were all very good. And now I have this one too, and I am excited about it.

2) Jill Williamson recently had a cover reveal for the last book in a series that is ABSOLUTELY GREAT. I have loved each book and novella I have read so far: The New Recruit, Chokepoint, and Project Gemini. I cannot wait to learn more about Spencer's adventures. The Profile Match comes out October 15th - so soon!

3) Nadine Brandes has also just had a book cover reveal for her book Romanov, a historical fiction about the famous Anastasia. I am very excited to see how she dives into Russian culture. This comes out much later, in May of next year. Why, oh, why?

Aaaaand... here is the giveaway!

I am giving away one print copy of Tessa Emily Hall's Coffee Shop Devos to someone within the United States.

Rules:
- Follow at least one of the three authors I have mentioned in this post on either Facebook or Instagram
- Then just comment below which of the three you have followed and if you have read anything by these amazing people
- Winner will be chosen randomly October 13th


Links:
Tessa Emily Hall: Facebook, Instagram
Jill Williamson: Facebook, Instagram
Nadine Brandes: Facebook, Instagram

Hope you guys enter, and good luck!

Emma Wimble Accidental Astronaut by Michael P. Waite

~Saturday Stories~

"Mr. Mishkin set the helmet down and it pushed against a lever. The Cosmo-Jet began to rumble and shake. It felt as if it were rising off the floor. “”What have I done?” Mr. Mishkin cried, turning to the control board in terror. “Don’t worry,” Emma said. “You just pushed this one is all.” Emma shoved the lever (at least she thought it was the same lever) in the other direction, and the Cosmo-Jet lurched upward instantly. “Oops,” said Emma."

Emma didn’t obey Mr. Mishkin and now both of them are lost somewhere in space. With a little robot and a smart alien, though, things seem to look up. Until Emma messes everything up again. But this time it’s even more dangerous. Will they get out alive?

Mr. Mishkin, Emma’s friend, is a Christian and tells her the story of Moses and the Israelites. “If the people had obeyed Moses,” he says,-“they wouldn’t be stuck in the dessert for forty years”. That is basically the Bible story of the book. Throughout the book Emma tries to obey and be more like Joshua, “the wise spy”. There are no talks about other aspects of the Christian life. Emma Wimble Accidental Astronaut will mostly entertain, rather than teach about God.

  "Hear instruction and be wise,
    and do not neglect it." Proverbs 8:33 (ESV)

For more on Michael P. Waite, visit his Amazon author page.

Mandie and the Secret Tunnel by Lois Gladys Leppard

~Saturday Stories~

"“Don’t get so close, Amanda. You might fall in.” Her mother grasped the back of her long, dark skirt. Mandie tried to pull free. Her tear-filled blue eyes sought a glimpse of her father through the homemade coffin resting by the open grave. “I want to go with you, Daddy!” she was mumbling to herself. “Take me with you, Daddy!” she tugged at her long, blonde braid in her grief."

When her father dies, Mandie is left with her unfeeling mother and cruel sister. Things don’t get better when she is sent to a neighbor’s farm two miles away to live. Mandie’s two friends are Joe, an old schoolmate and a great comfort, and Uncle Ned, her father’s faithful Cherokee friend. Will she be able to run to safety with Uncle Ned? Will she finally get to know the truth about her family? Where does the secret tunnel lead to? Most importantly, does God still love her?

Mandie and the Secret Tunnel, the first of the forty-book Mandie series, teaches important life lessons. Why does God take our loved ones? Is it because we did something wrong? Will God love us after this? Can we trust God fully? The whole focus of the book isn’t so much on God, but He is certainly very important. This story will entertain the younger teenager as well as show that God really cares.

“The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not want.” Psalm 23: 1

Learn more about Lois Gladys Leppard.

The Vanishings by Jerry B. Jenkins and Tim LaHaye

~Saturday Stories~

"Judd was afraid, but he wasn’t puzzled. As the pilot came over the intercom, pleading for people to remain calm, the full realization of what had happened hit Judd. He didn’t know how many other people on the plane had any idea, but he sure did. Christ had come as he promised and raptured his church. Judd lowered his face into his hands and shuddered. It was the worst nightmare imaginable, and he was wide awake. He, and most of the passengers on that plane, had been left behind."

God has come back for His church. Teenagers Judd, Vicki, Lionel, and Ryan are now all alone, except for each other. Their future is uncertain, and their lives seem pointless. As they are told the truth they have two choices: to believe or to not believe.

This book discusses life after Rapture for those who are left behind. Very God-focused, The Vanishings helps us stop and consider our faith in a new perspective. We do not want to be left behind when Christ comes for His children. This is part of the Left Behind: The Kids series.

Mathew 24: 40-41: “Two men will be working in a field. One will be taken and the other left. Two women will be grinding grain. One will be taken and the other will be left.”

Find out more about Jerry B. Jenkins (website, Facebook) and Tim LaHaye.

Roundup of the Street Rovers by Dave and Neta Jackson

~Saturday Stories~

"“You… there you are, you little thief! Police! Police! Catch that boy.” Pogo flapped his wings and darted into the air as Kip dropped his bag of papers at the feet of the two girls and ran."

Kip O’Reilly was sold by his father to a shoe tanner when he was eight. He ran away and, now thirteen, is a street rover, managing for his younger buddies and himself. When the boy is caught stealing, Rev. Brace is the only one who can help him out. The two only conditions – staying at the Aid Society and not stealing. This kind of life is so different from the one Kip lead. Can he manage?

Genre: historical, adventure. For those 11-14 years old. Issues dealt with: Family relationships, the life of the street rovers in the 19th century.

Roundup of the Street Rovers is part of the Trailblazer series. This book doesn’t really have God at the center of everything, but it does show how a life can change through contact with Christians. It introduces the historical figure Reverend Brace, making history interesting.

" “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’"" Matthew 25:40 (NIV)

For more on Dave and Neta Jackson visit their website and Facebook page.

Chokepoint by Jill Williamson

~Saturday Stories~

Typical Spencer: "I’d proven that I could do this spy thing. ... And the baddies? They could just bring it, because I’d be ready."

A couple of months after the Moscow trip, the Mission League people are still keeping an eye on Spencer. Seriously? Nothing's happened, no threats, no kidnappings, nothing. What's the big deal? But starting one-on-one training with Beth- now that's cool. Until it turns out that someone is looking to nap him. And he might have to move.

Chokepoint is an action-packed novella. It also has some truths about God, though not as much as I'd like. Spencer is a great character, who is fun to read about and very relatable. His voice, dripped with boyishness and quick wit and just plain freshness, was one of the best parts of the story.

Chokepoint is the 1.5 book in The Mission League series. The first one is The New Recruit; the others - Project Gemini, Ambushed (novella), Broken Trust, Lockstep (novella), and The Profile Match.

For more on Jill Williamson visit her website and Facebook page. She also blogs regularly at Go Teen Writers.

The New Recruit by Jill Williamson

Typical Spencer: "I used to like church. When I was a kid, I looked forward to Sunday school, bringing my quarters for starving children in Africa, making cross crafts out of popsicle sticks, memorizing Bible verses, singing songs with hand motions, and showing Grandma the cartoon story in the take-home paper. Somewhere along the way I just lost interest. But I’m glad, you know? Because when I look at the people who are my age— those churcher teens— I don’t want to be one of those people. Those happy, peppy, “Yay, God!” types. I’ve got my friends. I don’t need all that… joy."

Spencer Garmond thought he was an ordinary kid who lived with an ordinary grandma and who went to an ordinary (though boring) Christian school. And then he gets an opportunity to join the Mission League. A bunch of Christian spies? What a joke. But threatened with military school and intrigued by his family history, he joins them. Now this better not be a waste of what might have been a great basketball conditioning summer. And they better not preach at him.

I seriously loved The New Recruit with its action-packed story that was also full of truths about God. Jill Williamson did a great job of making Christianity something very real and applicable to teens. At first, Spencer doesn't want anything to do with the "churchers", but later he comes to realize that maybe God really does care.

Spencer is a great character, who is fun to read about and very relatable. His voice, dripped with boyishness and quick wit and just plain freshness, was one of the best parts of the story.

The New Recruit is the first book in The Mission League series. The others are Chokepoint (novella), Project Gemini, Ambushed (novella), Broken Trust, Lockstep (novella), and The Profile Match.

For more on Jill Williamson visit her website and Facebook page. She also blogs regularly at Go Teen Writers.

Escape from the Slave Traders by Dave and Neta Jackson

~Saturday Stories~

"Wikatani looked as if he was fighting for his life! One man held him securely from behind while another man tried to bind the boy’s feet with cords. Frightened, Chuma barely held back a scream. What should he do? Should he rush to the attackers and try to free his friend or hold back until he figured out what was happening? Just then Wikatani must have bitten the hand of the man who held him because the man yelped, and Wikatani began yelling again: “Chuma! Chuma! Run for help!” Quickly the man clamped his hand back over Wikatani’s mouth and looked at Chuma."

Two young boys, Wikatani and Chuma, have been captured by slave traders. Where are they being taken? Will they survive? They do not have the answers to those questions. Their only hope is David Livingstone, a missionary and a man against slavery. But will he take the time and effort to save two frightened boys?

Genre: adventure. Age: for those 12 and under. Issues dealt with: slavery, missionaries.

Escape from the Slave Traders is part of the Trailblazer series. This book doesn’t really have God at the center of everything, but it does show how a life can change through contact with Christians. It introduces the historical figure David Livingstone making history interesting.

‘Assuredly, I say to you, in as much as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’ Mathew  25:40b

For more on Dave and Neta Jackson visit their website and Facebook page.