Review and Giveaway 3 Copies - The Confident Woman by Joyce Meyer

The Confident Woman by Joyce Meyer

• Hardcover: 272 pages
• Publisher: FaithWords (September 5, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0446531987
• ISBN-13: 978-0446580731

In The Confident Woman, Joyce Meyer draws on her decades of experience interacting with and ministering to women. Her message is also the result of her personal journey from insecurity and self-hatred to a confidence through which she is realizing her full potential. Through her classic clarity and practicality, you'll learn how to embrace the plan God has for you and discover true confidence through faith in Christ! Meyer gives you the keys to identifying confidence barriers, explores the empowerment that comes from preparation, and outlines the steps to independence through dependence on God. She explores the seven characteristics of a woman with confidence, which include a woman who knows she is loved, who refuses to live in fear, and who does not live by comparisons, "if onlys," or "what ifs." An exciting, meaningful, and intentional life awaits as you learn how to live beyond fear and begin living boldly. God is anxious to light the way and supply every need for walking with confidence!

Review:  This book is full of very good advice supported by Biblical references. It was well organized and upbeat although there is some repetition. Ms. Meyer defines confidence as "all about being positive about what you can do-and not worrying over what you can't do."  This made me think of the Serenity Prayer

God, grant me the serenity

To accept the things I cannot change;

The courage to change the things that I can;

And the wisdom to know the difference.

There are some interesting statistics presented.  She also sets forth 7 Secrets of a confident woman.  I don't necessarily agree they are secrets but they are good points. She discusses the woman in Proverbs 31 who is really hard to like because she is the perfect super woman! There are tips on overcoming self-doubt and the power of preparation. I can attest to that power as I often was able to do better than other attorneys because I took extra time to prepare and some went "by the seat of their pants."  I enjoyed the chapter titled Are Women Really the Weaker Sex?  This described some basic differences in how men and women act and gave examples of some remarkable women.

The second part of the book addresses Living Boldly and Without Fear. This gives sound advice to help face and cope with fear, guilt, disappointments, adversity and related issues.  I like the encouragement to be bold even while we recognize we are humble in the gifts God has given us.

I found this to be an easy read and think it would be particularly helpful to those who need encouragement to be confident, some practical solutions or if you just want a bit of uplifting support.  I think it is good to remember that God did not give us a spirit of fear.

TO ENTER THIS GIVEAWAY:

1. Comment on confidence or fear and how they have effected your own life OR visit the author's website and comment here telling me something you learned about her.  Please include your email address, so I can contact you if you win.

2. For an extra entry, become a follower or tell me if you are already a follower.

3. For another entry, blog, facebook, tweet (any of those networks!) about this giveaway and tell me where you did.

It isn't necessary to use separate entries unless you want them in different chronological order.
(Three total entries possible.)

THERE WILL BE THREE WINNERS!

THANKS AGAIN TO HACHETTE AND VALERIE! #confidentwoman

* This contest is only open to residents of US and Canada.
* No P.O. Boxes Please - for shipping reasons
* This contest will close Midnight (Central) on March 17, 2010. The winners will be randomly selected from all entries.

Comment Contest - What is Your Favorite Romantic Place?

Pueblo Bonito in Cabo from our balcony
My Review post today is Holiday in Bologna by Lindsay Townsend.  The heroine takes a vacation trip to Italy to meet her father's family and maybe she finds love?  This got me to wondering if anyone else had romance on a special vacation trip?  Or...what romantic places did we go to on your honeymoon?  My DH and I went to Marsh Harbor in the Abacos and had a wonderful time!  We will celebrate 25 years this November! Wow- time flies.

Madeira, Portugal from the Rotterdam Ship

Then I tried to think what my favorite romantic setting is/would be.  A transatlantic cruise with a stop in Madeira, Portugal? A mountain cabin with a nice warm romantic fire?  A resort suite in Cabo San Lucas with a nice hot tub? A River Rhine cruise?  A Manor Hotel in Stratford-Upon-Avon (birthplace of Shakspeare)? A resort apartment on Fowl Cay in the Bahamas? Or the boat trip through the Eleuthera Islands?  I've been fortunate enough to visit all of these places with my husband.  I think the nice thing for us is that we are comfortable even at home so we don't necessarily need to travel to a romantic place!

So then I asked my husband what his favorite romantic place is. 
Now I am going to let you guess his answer!

To Enter this giveaway:

1.  Comment here telling me if you fell in love on vacation or where you honeymooned or if you have a favorite romantic getaway!  Or what is your favorite romantic setting from a book? All comments will go in a drawing for one winner to win their book choice (gift card for overseas winner) from the Friday pick lists.

2.  Take a guess at my husband's answer!  The first person to get it right will win a book choice from the Friday pick list.  All other correct answers will go in a drawing for one winner to win a book choice from the Friday pick list.

3.  Comment here first but then if you comment on the review also you will get an extra entry!

Winners to be picked Thursday night at 10:00 pm Central.

[These are my pictures above.]

Review of Holiday in Bologna by Lindsay Townsend

Title: Holiday in Bologna
Author: Lindsay Townsend
Publisher: Siren-Bookstrand, Inc.
Categories: : Mainstream Romance, Contemporary,
Series: None
Word Count: 30,268
Book Type: eBook
MSRP/List Price: $3.99
Heat Level: SWEET

Rating: 4.5

Buy Link

This review was posted at CataReviews Single Titles

"Can a holiday visit become a forever romance?"

Orphaned Heidi never knew about her father’s Italian family until she received a letter on her 21st birthday. She has to go visit to meet the only family who is left.  Heidi was raised with hard work on a farm and then learned to and developed a business in aromatherapy as a healing art.  She cares about people and belonging…not money.

Stefano is an adopted son of the Italian cousins but he is the one who does the lion’s share of the work at the family panetteria – which is more than a bread shop.  He is enchanted by this English family relative!  At first, like his family, he wonders if she is out for money but he soon believes that she is not that type.

Stefano is busy trying to determine who is sabotaging the family business. To add more stress he has to worry about how the family vote will go with an offer to buy out the business for a good chunk of money! He doesn’t need to add the complications presented by a beautiful young woman who might fall for his oh so charming and handsome brother!

I am not a cook but the bread shop was wonderful and all the breads described were mouth watering!  The intrigue gives a good mystery to enhance the sweet romance and jealousies that cause problems for Heidi and Stefano. The characters, main and supporting, are well defined and believable, as is the plot.

This is a charming bit of Italian holiday!! Great for a holiday read or anytime you want a nice quick, sweet romance with good characters and a bit of intrigue.  Will Heidi stay in Bologna or return to England?  Will she fall for the charmer or the serious brother? Take a holiday visit and find out – you won’t be sorry you did!

This is my SaSR Tuesday R&R review post this week.

***NOTE: A comment on this review will earn an extra entry if you comment on the Favorite Romance Setting post for the drawing!

Mailbox Monday - February 22, 2010

This Meme starts with Marcia at The Printed Page

I didn't get to post this last week but I did have something to share which is below this week's win item.

I won the eBook Christmas of Hope by Keelia Greer from a Contest at Coffee Time Romance.

Blurb for Christmas of Hope:

Linette MacDougal is having a tough time this year--the death of her mother and now the house she grew up in may be taken away. The bright spot in her life is Hope Claus, one of her kindergarten students. When she meets Hope's father, Nick, she begins to believe in the magic of Christmas once more.
                                   ****
In addition to the book I got this lovely package of goodies including cute scottie dog ornaments, chocolate kisses a tea candle and several nice bookmarks!

THANK YOU Keelia and CTR!

 
 

 
The week before I had a successful trip to one of our local rehab stores.  Look at all the books I got (30 books and 2 audio books) for $11.00!!
I got some to share and some for me to read and then share!

What are You Reading Monday February 22, 2010

This meme has been moved to

One Person's Journey Through A World of Books!

Thanks Shelia for carrying this forward from J. Kaye.

Writing one review a night hasn't worked yet either!
But I actually got all of December book reviews completed and all of the reviews done for the CataReview books.  I am no longer doing reviews at CataReview as they do not have authors or publishers reviewing.  I will miss the good books and nice people I shared some time with there.  I will have to visit them through CataRomance links!

Of course writing reviews means I only fully read one book this past week but two almost done!
 
[Note re codes: YGR is You Gotta Read Reviews. MBS is this blog - Martha's BookShelf!]

Finished:

PB: -------------

Kindle2:  Following Destiny by Rebecca Vickery. Andrea Duncan inherits a very special ring from her grandmother. Suddenly she is hearing voices that tell her about a serial killer! This is another very good paranormal romantic suspense from Ms. Vickery.   Read for my pleasure (YAY) with review to be posted here at MBS.

Audio CD: --------------

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Currently reading:

PB:  Deadly Code by JP O'Donnell.  PI thriller with political intrigue.  Reviewing for Author Marketing Experts - to be posted here at MBS.

I stopped at 90% done on this book. This story definitely has some good twists and I stopped just as PI Gallagher is facing a second deadly attach in a week! 

Kindle2:  The White Rainbow, Book 6 of the Wounded Warriors Series by Karen Wiesner. Inspirational Women's Fiction. Jessie Nelson has been telling herself she doesn't deserve or believe in second chances, especially when it comes to love...until her "white rainbow" appears in a corporate pirate who conquers her, heart and soul. Reading and reviewing for the author and YGR.

I'm at 90% done on this wonderful book!Anxious to get to what I am sure is a HEA ending but there are still issues to be resolved and conflict to face!

Audio CD:  Absolute Power by David Baldacci.  This was Baldacci's first book back in 1996 - Political thriller.  Reviewing for Hachette - to be posted here at MBS.  Enter Giveaway!

I am over half way now. It is tempting to get out the movie to see how it compares but I doubt it will have the depth of the characters that are revealed in the book!

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Coming up this week:

PB:  SEALed With a Ring by Mary Margaret Daughtridge.
She’s got it all…except the one thing she needs most
Smart, successful businesswoman JJ Caruthers has a year to land a husband or lose the empire she’s worked so hard to build. With time running out, romance is not an option, and a military husband who is always on the road begins to look like the perfect solution…
He’s a wounded hero with an agenda of his own
Even with the scars of battle, Navy SEAL medic Davy Graziano is gorgeous enough to land any woman he wants, and he’s never wanted to be tied down. Now Davy has ulterior motives for accepting JJ’s outrageous proposal of marriage, but he only has so long to figure out what JJ doesn’t want him to know…

Book supplied by Sourcebooks for review here at MBS.

Kindle2:  Lilly's Garden by Kimberlee R. Mendoza.  White Rose miniature Eater story. Reading and reviewing for YGR.

Yesterday's Promise by Delia Latham. Inspirational from White Rose Publishing. "A whirlwind romance amidst the natural splendor of Yosemite National Park....A spur-of-the-moment wedding....new husband gone with the mountain wind.