First Line Friday, Blog Tour, and Giveaway | Dreams and Devotion

Today I'm excited to feature another new-release! The Tales of Taelis series is a great children's series with solid, Christian principles.

Here is the first line:

Dara pushed a strand of hair, the color of a crow’s wing,

back into the cloth that kept it out of her face. She stared

off toward the snow-covered hills, glistening in morning light.

(Dreams and Devotion by Sarah Holman) 

Before I share my review and all the other fun stuff of a blog tour... hop over and see what the other FLF bloggers have to share! Also, comment and share a first line for today!

Sarah - All The Book Blog Names are Taken

Bree - Bibliophile Reviews

Rachel - Bookworm Mama

Heather - Encouraging Words from the Tea Queen

Beth - Faithfully Bookish

Katie - Fiction Aficionado

Andi - Radiant Light

Carrie - Reading is my Super Power

Robin - Robin's Nest

Sydney - Singing Librarian Books

Kathleen - Kathleen Denly

Jessica – A Baker’s Perspective

Trisha – Joy of Reading

Jeanette – CJane Read

CJ –Moments Dipped in Ink

Molly – Molly’s Caffeinated Reads

MY REVIEW

This was a sobering story, filled with true-to-life heartache and choices amidst hardship. I appreciated the lessons that Dara and Dresden learned about forgiveness and trust.

I know it was true to the time, but some people may be hesitant to read this because Dresden was a priest. In ways it was true to the Catholic priests of that era in that he vowed to never marry and to hold the church's needs above his own, yet the message of salvation through grace alone and not works was clearly presented. It was definitely evangelical and not works-based-salvation. That would be one thing I'd like to address with younger readers as they read the book so they wouldn't be confused about the doctrines portrayed here vs. traditional doctrines of priests.

As with the other books in this series, it makes a great children's book with a simplistic style and easy to understand lessons.

*I received this book from the author and happily provided my honest review.*

ABOUT THE BOOK

Some dreams will be dashed, and their devotion will be tested.

Dara's life is full of farm work and worries, especially now that her older brother is a priest in a far off city. Yet she still has time to dream of the life she hopes will someday be. She dreams of marrying her dear friend and the worries of her family ending. Now, the selfishness of one person threatens her very way of life.

Dresden's initial excitement about living a life devoted to the service of God quickly is dashed on the rocks of reality. The life of a priest is nothing like what he imagined. To make matters worse, he finds out his family back in his home village is on the brink of disaster. Torn between his vows and his love for his family, what will he choose?

Buy the book for the special preorder price, here.

GIVEAWAY!!

Enter HERE

About the Sarah

Sarah Holman is a not so typical mid-twenties girl: A homeschool graduate, sister to six awesome siblings, and author of many published books and short stories. If there is anything adventuresome about her life, it is because she serves a God with a destiny bigger than anything she could have imagined.

Find her at www.thedestinyofone.com

Stops on the blog tour:

July 8

Bookish Orchestrations ~ Faith Blum

July 9

His Princess Warrior ~ Katie Hamilton

July 10

In the Book Case ~ Tarissa Graves

Jessica Greyson ~ Jessica Greyson

July 11

Gods Peculiar Treasure Rae ~ Raechel

Read Another Page ~Rebekah Morris

July 12

Whimsical Writings For His Glory ~ Jesseca Dawn

Shannon McDermott ~ Shannon McDermott

July 13

The Page Dreamer ~ Deborah O'Carroll

July 14

Knitted by God’s Plans ~ Kendra E. Ardnek

With a Joyful Noise ~ Amanda Tero

Once Upon an Ordinary ~ Kate Willis

July 15

Jaye L. Knight ~ Jaye L. Knight