About the Book

Book: Marcus and the Emperor’s Coin

Author: Dennis Conrad

Genre: Christian Children’s Picture Book

Release date: October 30, 2023

Marcus and the Emperor’s Coin is an exciting adventure in the Ancient Roman Empire at the time of Christ. Eight-year-old Marcus and his father are on a mission for the Emperor and visit a mine and a mint where coins are made. Marcus himself makes a denarius, a coin with the emperor’s image.

Marcus goes to Jerusalem where he sees Jesus hold a denarius saying, “Give to the emperor the things that are the emperor’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” What will seeing Jesus mean for Marcus, and will he ever be the same again?

 

Click here to get your copy!

My Review:

I was excited to see the second book Marcius and the Emperor’s Coin “In the God We Trust Series”.  Last year I had the pleasure of reviewing The Two-Cent Piece. This was the first book in the series.

Marcus is about to embark on his first journey with his father. This is an important mission for the Emperor of Rome. His father needs to check on the quality of silver at the mine. Afterward, they will travel to the place where the coins are made. Then they will transport the coins. The mission could be dangerous as they could get robbed. Many soldiers will travel with them to protect the coins. Marcus’s father reminds him that he must be careful and not to make any mess ups. Marcus knew that his father was talking about how clumsy he could be. 

It didn’t take Marcus long to show how clumsy he can be. He fell off a horse, and cut up his hands and legs in the mines. On top of that, he hit his thumb at the place where the coins were being made. Then on a ship to Jerusalem Marcus almost ended up as fish bait leaning over the rails. Marcus was making a mess of the mission. At the camp near Jerusalem Marcus woke up before sunrise. What he saw was men clothed in dark clothes sneaking into camp. He didn’t know where the guards were. Marcus yelled out “THIEVES”, and saved the mission.

What happened next was the most important event of the journey to Jerusalem. He hears Jesus talking to the crowd. His words put him on a new mission.

This is a 7-part “In God We Trust” series for children. I was delighted to see a book with a historical flare and a message of our Savior.  

The book is appropriate for young elementary ages. Illustrator Courtney Smith creates the illustrations in this book. The illustrations are lovely and eye-catching, Dennis Conrad also includes links at the back of the book on coin collecting.

My daughter has been collecting coins for a while and gets excited about anything with coins. I had some ancient Israeli coins which she had to look at again. Not the Roman coins mentioned in the book but, they could be around the same era. 

At the end of the book, you will find information about how to collect coins. 

A wonderful book for kids that are interested in collecting coins and learning about history.

Disclosure: I received this complimentary product in exchange for my honest thoughts. 

About the Author

A former coin collector for over fifty years, Dennis combines his love for the Bible, children’s literature, and sharing stories about the history behind coins.

Dennis retired as a professor of speech communications from Barstow Community College. He and his wife served as English and public speaking teachers ten summers overseas.

Dennis became a sustaining member of the Numismatic Association of Southern California in 1979. He is also a life member of the American Numismatic Association.

Dennis is a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators and a Fellow of the National Writing Project.

More from Dennis

How to Turn a Penny into a Teachable Moment

Dennis Conrad

Connect with your child or grandchild by starting a coin collection.

Start with the penny, also known as the Lincoln Head Cent. The coins were first minted in 1909 because it was the 100^th anniversary of Abraham Lincoln’s birth.

Use the coin to help your child make the connections with who Lincoln was, what he did, and when he lived. Reasons why Abraham Lincoln is featured on a coin include the following:

1. Lincoln is often at the top of the list of America’s greatest presidents.
2. He helped to preserve the Union during the American Civil War.
3. His Emancipation Proclamation freed the slaves.
4. The Gettysburg Address ranks as one of the best speeches of all time.

Now, Look On the Back (the Reverse)

Go through change to find the different images on the backs of pennies.

There are wheat ears (1909-1958) and the Lincoln Memorial (1959-2008).

To celebrate the 200^th anniversary of his birth, the U.S. Mint issued coins with four different images on the back. The Lincoln Bicentennial (2009) coins include a log cabin, Lincoln sitting on a log, Lincoln standing in front of the state capitol of Illinois, and an unfinished U.S. Capitol Building (the way it was when he was president.) For the past several years, there has is a shield on the back representing the preserved union (2010-Present).

Add one of each reverse to the child’s collection.

Don’t forget to mention the words, the date, and the mintmark.

The words include “One Cent,” “In God We Trust,” “Liberty,” “The United States of America,” and “E Pluribus Unum” which means “Out of many, one.”

Also, look for and find the year minted and the mintmark.

Find and add a coin from the child’s birth year to the child’s collection.

Look at the mintmark. It is a letter on the front of the coin under the date. The “D” is for Denver, the “S” for San Francisco, and the absence of a mintmark means the coin was minted in Philadelphia.

Add coins with the different mintmarks to the child’s collection.

Keep the collection safe in a small box or a Ziploc bag. Have fun. Add to the collection as time goes by.

Free Resources

Want to encourage the child in your life to learn more about coins? Sign up at https://dennisconradauthor.com so your child can become a Junior Coin Collector. Receive free, monthly activity sheets like a crossword puzzle. There is a Coin Hunt section where children can search for and find coins in change for their collection, and a Vocabulary Builder section with coin collecting terms.

Blog Stops

Lots of Helpers, May 8

Artistic Nobody, May 9 (Author Interview)

BookZone Reviews , May 9

Vicky Sluiter, May 10

Texas Book-aholic, May 11

Beauty in the Binding, May 12 (Author Interview)

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, May 13

Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, May 14

Hannahbandanarama, May 15

Guild Master, May 16 (Author Interview)

Lights in a Dark World, May 16

Locks, Hooks and Books, May 17

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, May 18

Library Lady’s Kid Lit, May 19 (Author Interview)

Little Homeschool on the Prairie, May 20

Labor Not in Vain, May 21

Giveaway

To celebrate his tour, Dennis is giving away the grand prize package of a $100 Amazon gift card and a signed hardback copy of the book!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

https://promosimple.com/ps/2b7c8/marcus-and-the-emperor-s-coin-celebration-tour-giveaway

I have had the privilege to look over many Bibles throughout the years. I was very impressed with the NKJV Encountering God Study Bible.

This is a beautiful black Leathersoft Bible. The edges of the Bible have the gold gilding. The paper is your standard Bible page thickness. The font is the Comfort Print® and a 9-point font. The Bible lays out nicely when it is opened. The Bible has two different colored ribbon bookmarkers attached inside the Bible. The Bible is available in Genuine Leather, Hardback, and an eBook version. The colors are black or Brown and you can also get the Bible with thumb indexes.  This Bible as far as I can tell is only in the NKJV translation.

There is an introduction page for the books of the Bible. The words of Jesus are in red. The pages are laid out in two columns with scripture references in the middle of the page. The study notes are on the bottom section of the pages.

The notes at the bottom of the pages are very practical and not heavy on theology. Scattered throughout the Bible you have different boxes and other features in the Bible. Some features include- Encountering Notes, Explanatory Notes, Historical Encounters, Character Studies, Word Studies, Word Studies, Encountering a Creative God, Explaining the Faith, How to Study the Bible, In-text Bible maps, Timelines, Harmony of the Gospel, Read through the Bible in a Year Plan, Prophecies of the Messiah Fulfilled and an extensive Concordance with Bible words and places.

This is a nice Bible for any believer. I think this is an amazing Bible for new believers, teens, and young adults. It’s not overwhelming with notes. It doesn’t go deep into theology. However, there is enough information for you to dig deeper into the word. 

Many thanks for providing a sample of the product for this review. Opinions are 100% my own and NOT influenced by monetary compensation.

#EncounteringGodStudyBibleMIN

Here's more details on the Bible: 

The deepest need of every human heart is to encounter God. To meet with God, to be changed by Him, and to become more like Him as a result. For decades, the Blackaby family has dedicated their ministry to helping believers address this deepest need. Now you can learn from their insights to experience deeper encounters with God as you develop a regular routine of Bible reading and study in the Encountering God Study Bible.

The Encountering God Study Bible is the crowning work of the Blackabys. Featuring their trusted approach to Bible study, explanatory notes, word studies, biblical character sketches, historical encounters with lives of exemplary faith, articles highlighting the creative nature of God, and other articles defending the faith, you will be encouraged to see that you can encounter God in His Word—and that He wants to encounter you through it.

Features include:

Presentation page allows you to personalize this special gift by recording a memory or note

Encounter Notes highlighting how God might choose to encounter you in His Word

Rich explanatory notes explaining ideas, events, people, and places in the text to make the meaning clear

Word studies, character studies, and biographical sketches of church history figures all written by members of the Blackaby family

Word studies shed light on key terms and important meanings from the original Greek and Hebrew

Character profiles give overviews of key men and women in the Bible

Biographical sketches give examples of people who faithfully encountered and followed God in their life

Book introductions setting the scene for each biblical book and its importance for encountering God

Timeline of the biblical narrative for a better understanding of how historical and biblical events fit throughout history

Clear and readable NKJV Comfort Print® in a 9-point print size

 

About the Book

Book: Trapped in Yosemite

Author: Dana Mentink

Genre: Christian Fiction

Release Date: February 27, 2024

When a massive earthquake levels the region, secrets and unknown dangers are exposed…

The ground in still-icy Yosemite National Park isn’t stable, and K-9 handler Von Sharpe fears the worst. But his worries are pushed aside when he sees an SUV viciously forced off the road…with his ex-fiancée at the wheel. It’s only when Stella Rivers steps out of the vehicle that the very ground under their feet cracks and breaks with the onslaught of a terrifying earthquake.

When her meeting with a mysterious client is ambushed, Stella witnesses the man being gunned down by a sniper and becomes a target herself. With the threat of aftershocks triggering landslides and floods, the new mom has no choice but to run to save her baby girl—even if it means teaming up with the man who has no idea he fathered her child.

Trapped in a dangerously unstable wilderness with a killer closing in, Von and Stella are running out of time to get to safety. And every fissure reveals a new secret that will shake them to their foundation…

 

Click here to get your copy!

My Review:

Another excellent book by Dana Mentink. I have enjoyed the K-9 handler and the dogs in the last several books of hers.

Dana Mentink always has a faith element in her books that is realistic with the individuals and their situations going on in the story. Her characters are well-developed and even Bear the dog will capture your heart.

Stella Rivers is meeting a potential client at Yosemite when he is shot and she becomes a target. Taking off running her van ends up in the river. Luckily, she is saved by a man who just happens to be her former fiancé. It’s been 18 months since she has seen Von Sharpe. He is the last person she wants to see as she has been keeping a big secret from him.

Von Sharpe is out hiking with his dog, Bear. Von comes across a van in the river. He is shocked to see Stella after all this time.  To add a twist a big earthquake hits. As they make their way back to camp, they find some of the guests have gone missing. Now they are in survival mode with the natural disaster and being hunted by the sniper.

The book is heartfelt and intriguing. There are several twists in the plot. I was surprised by who was the snipper.

Disclosure: I received this complimentary product through Celebrate Lit Bloggers in exchange for my honest thoughts. 

About the Author

Dana Mentink is a USA Today and Publisher’s Weekly bestselling author as well as a two-time American Christian Fiction Writers Carol Award winner, and the recipient of a Holt Medallion. She’s written over fifty titles in the suspense, lighthearted romance and mystery genres. She is pleased to write for Harlequin’s Love Inspired Suspense and Poisoned Pen Press.

 More from Dana

I won’t ever forget October 17^th, 1989. I was finished with my student teaching duties, chatting with my mother while we watched the World Series. It was an epic matchup of two Bay Area teams. As we watched, the floor lurched and the entire house began to rattle and pitch. We ran outside and watched the street undulate like ocean waves. We’d later come to learn it was a 6.9 earthquake on the Loma Prieta fault. The shaking only lasted 20 seconds but 63 people were killed, 3,757 were reported injured and 12,053 displaced. The damage estimates reached as high as $10 billion, with 18,306 houses leveled. Approximately 2,575 businesses were impacted and 147 were destroyed. The part I will remember most was the collapse of a section of the freeway in Oakland which trapped people in the pancaked structure. I remember watching the close space rescue teams work night and day to find survivors.

Little did I know that memorable event would someday lead to a book! This novel combines the iconic California setting of Yosemite and the big fear buried deep in every California’s mind…the big one, the massive earthquake we know will be coming someday. Of course you know there will be a happy ending in the novel, but I hope you will feel the edge of your seat suspense that keeps you turning pages. God bless you, dear readers!

Blog Stops

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, March 21

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, March 21

Bigreadersite, March 21

Gina Holder, Author and Blogger, March 22 (Author Interview)

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, March 22

Texas Book-aholic, March 23

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, March 23

Lakesidelivingsite, March 24

Pause for Tales, March 24

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, March 24

Betti Mace, March 25

The Sacred Line, March 25

Locks, Hooks and Books, March 26

Daysong Reflections, March 26

EmpowerMoms, March 27

Life, Love, Writing, March 27

Cover Lover Book Review, March 28

A Good Book and Cup of Tea, March 28

Blogging With Carol, March 28

Tell Tale Book reviews, March 29

Simple Harvest Reads, March 29 (Guest Review from Donna Cline)

For Him and My Family, March 30

Splashes of Joy, March 30

Blossoms and Blessings, March 31

To Everything There Is A Season , March 31

A Modern Day Fairy Tale, March 31

Holly’s Book Corner, April 1

Because I said so — and other adventures in Parenting, April 1

Life on Chickadee Lane, April 2

Labor Not in Vain , April 2

Lily’s Corner, April 3

Lights in a Dark World, April 3

Little Homeschool on the Prairie, April 3

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Dana is giving away the grand prize package of a $100 Amazon gift card and a copy of the book!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

https://promosimple.com/ps/2a8f5/trapped-in-yosemite-celebration-tour-giveaway

 

About the Book

Book: What I Promise You

Author: Liz Tolsma

Genre: Christian Fiction / Romance / Historical Fiction

Release Date: February 1, 2024

A Family’s History Is Lost to the Ravages of WWII in Southwest France

1942 Noémie Treves, a young, pregnant Jewish woman, had her entire world shattered when she is arrested and taken to the Camp de Rivesaltes transit camp in Southwest France. No sooner does she arrive, though, than she assists in helping two young girls scheduled for transport escape to a nearby maternity hospital. The matron there befriends her and changes her name to help hide her. But nothing goes according to plan, and Hannah finds herself doing the unimaginable to save one precious life.

2022 Caitlyn Laurant is haunted by recent events in her life and hopes becoming a nurse on the mission field will help her forget. While in training, she and her friends travel to France where her grandfather was born. What should have been an easy search for his birthplace turns into anything but and reveals secrets that no one alive has ever heard.

 

Click here to get your copy!

 My Review:

World War II Noemie Treves and her husband are arrested for being Jewish. Noemie is pregnant and their life is shaken up during the darkest hours of the Holocaust.

This multi-timeline spanning 1942, 1955, and 2022 brings characters throughout the generation in this heartfelt story when all could be hopeless. With the enduring human spirit, faith, love, and many sacrifices. The author seamlessly weaves together the past and present and paints a picture that will bring tears to your eyes and hope to your heart.

Another woman Caitlyn Laurent a nurse in 2022, is suffering the tremendous loss of her best friend. She ends up in France to prepare to be a missionary nurse in Africa. She decides to look into the maternity home where her grandfather was born. It's more than she imagined she would find and her life will never be the same as she uncovers the real history.

The story can be complex and when another character is added it starts to weave together and fill in all the gaps. This is a fantastic read. Liz Tolsma brings together stories from historical events that you might not have heard about. She masterfully brings it all together. 

Disclosure: I received this complimentary product through Celebrate Lit Bloggers in exchange for my honest thoughts. 

About the Author

 

Liz Tolsma is the author of several WWII novels, romantic suspense novels, prairie romance novellas, and an Amish romance. She is a popular speaker and an editor and resides next to a Wisconsin farm field with her husband and their youngest daughter. Her son is a US Marine, and her oldest daughter is a college student. Liz enjoys reading, walking, working in her large perennial garden, kayaking, and camping.

 

 

 

More from Liz

The Story behind the Cover of What I Promise You

In the late summer, I got the preliminary cover for What I Promise You. While Barbour Publishing always does a great job with their covers, and the one they sent was very nice, I wasn’t crazy about it because it didn’t tell the story at all. The mansion that plays such a big part in the novel was nowhere to be seen. Barbour is fantastic when it comes to working with me to get great covers, so I asked if we could include the real mansion that the story is based on. Turns out that they were having trouble getting copyright permission to use any image they could find of the maternity home.

That was disappointing. But I got brave and let them know that I took a picture of it when I was in France last year, and they could use it, but I’m not a very good photographer and I only used my iPhone. I attached the photo to the email and didn’t hear anything for a while.

Then in October, I wanted to include a preorder link to the book on social media or something and went to Amazon to grab it. And there was the cover. I went back and forth between the cover and my picture, and sure enough, it was the picture of the maternity home I had sent them! So I not only wrote What I Promise You, but some of my photography is on the front. I never thought that would happen. Am I in the wrong profession?? Just kidding!

Blog Stops

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, February 27

Life on Chickadee Lane, February 27

Lots of Helpers, February 28

Lighthouse Academy Blog, February 28 (Guest Review from Marilyn Ridgway)

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, February 29

For Him and My Family, February 29

Betti Mace, March 1

Devoted To Hope, March 1

She Lives To Read, March 2

Locks, Hooks and Books, March 2

Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, March 3

Texas Book-aholic, March 3

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, March 4

Blogging With Carol, March 4

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, March 5

Lily’s Corner, March 5

Bizwings Book Blog, March 5

lakesidelivingsite, March 6

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, March 6

Gina Holder, Author and Blogger, March 7 (Author Interview)

Southern Gal Loves to Read, March 7

Tell Tale Book Reviews, March 8

A Good Book and Cup of Tea, March 8

Cover Lover Book Review, March 8

Connie’s History Classroom, March 9

Holly’s Book Corner, March 9

Pause for Tales, March 10

Labor Not in Vain, March 10

Little Homeschool on the Prairie, March 11

Becca Hope: Book Obsessed, March 11

Lights in a Dark World, March 11

 

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Liz is giving away the grand prize package of a $25 Amazon e-Gift card and print copy of the book!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

https://promosimple.com/ps/2a3ce/what-i-promise-you-celebration-tour-giveaway

This reimagining of the mega-selling Action Bible combines 230 stories of biblical heroes with vibrant comic-book-style illustrations and an immersive online experience. Readers will explore seven dynamic attributes of God’s story, earn Faith in Action Badges representing those qualities, and discover even more through a discoverable QR code in each story that takes them to a safe online adventure of games, playlists, Bible studies, activities, and a complete devotional designed to increase their time with God.

Since its release in 2010, The Action Bible has received widespread acclaim for its high-energy, engaging graphics and over 230 spiritually-transformative Bible stories. Introducing the Faith in Action program that reinvents the bestselling, comic-book-style Bible with a systematic approach to experiencing the Word of God for the next generation.

 In addition to an interior redesign refresh, this exciting edition includes:

The Faith in Action system which gives young readers an easy-to-navigate and engaging experience for exploring the Bible through themes that connect directly to their felt needs.

A Faith in Action Badge for each story that corresponds with one of seven biblical attributes: courage, faith, hope, love, service, trust, and wisdom.

Discoverable QR codes in every story take readers to a safe online experience to explore even more content: videos, games, a digital Scripture index, prayers, Bible facts, devotions, playlists, reading plans, interactive maps, Bible study sessions, and more.

A reading challenge chart spurs young readers on to earn a Faith in Action Title.

With all the intrigue of a graphic novel and all the truth of God’s Word, The Action Bible: Faith in Action Edition satisfies the curious minds and adventurous hearts of today’s young learners, guiding them to connect more deeply with God’s Word, develop a richer relationship with their Savior, and grow in their compassion for the world around them.

 My Thoughts:

The Action Bible Faith in Action Edition is the newest edition of The Action Bible. I’ve had the privilege of having all the previous editions and devotions in my home. I’ve watched my kids grow up with them. I remember the excitement when the very first one came out with my son. 

The Faith in Action Edition is an enhanced version of the bestselling Expanded Edition.

I like to point out that this is a graphic storybook that uses the Bible to tell the stories in the Bible. It should never replace a Bible and spending time in His word. It’s appealing to kids and young tweens and teens who are discovering the Bible. It does keep to the Word of God, and for me that is important. The vivid illustrations and short impactful stories help connect Gen Zs and Gen Alphas to God’s Word. Unfortunately its not easy to grab kids attention today in a digital world. 

What makes this so intriguing for kids is that it is fully illustrated and has graphics on every page. Every page has detailed illustration graphics almost like a comic book but, with the superpowers of stories from God’s word.  The colors are vivid and eye-catching illustrations. It is fully colored also. The text bubbles are easy to read with the font and the size of the font is perfect for the intended age.  

The Bible is broken down into seven themes: Courage, Faith, Hope, Love, Service, Trust, and Wisdom.  To make it easy the themes are arranged by color to highlight them. Every theme has a character illustration that is tied to a character trait along with a scripture verse.

There is a plethora of Digital Resources that have over 230 devotionals, timelines, maps, videos, Biblical facts, prayers, and more resources. You access these through a QR code throughout the Bible.

This is a hardback book and the book is made with quality in mind. The pages are made of a good-quality paper.

You can order your copy of the Faith in Action Edition of The Action Bible today directly through the website or here!

Many thanks to David C Cook for providing a sample of the product for this review. Opinions are 100% my own and NOT influenced by monetary compensation.

#FaithInActionBibleMIN #MomentumInfluencerNetwork

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