The Wounded Heart - Adina Seft

Product Description

A widow with two small children, Elizabeth is struggling to make ends meet. She is running her late husband's business, but it's not what she was raised to do, which is run a home. When she gets an offer for the business from Eli Walker, she's only too relieved to consider it--especially when it looks like Eli's interest might include more than just the shop. But when she begins to experience strange physical symptoms and is diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, it's difficult not to question God's will. Because how fair would it be to allow a man to marry her when she may not be able to be a wife to him for long?

The Wounded Heart , by Adina Senft

Tells the story of Amelia, a young Amish woman, widowed too young, with two young boys. She owns and runs the pallet shop her late husband had, while trying to be the woman expected of her by her neighbours, friends and relatives.

Anita Senft did an awesome job of making me as a reader feel sympathy for the young Amish woman. And made me look at myself to see if i would have been able to submit myself to others as Amelia learnt to do in her circumstances.

It did not take a lot of reading for me to like the characters, and I cried when Amelia got her multiple sclerosis diagnoses. The story flowed well, the characters were exceptional, and the word scenes brought the story to life. She uses third person view point, and it is easy to follow. Amelia and her friends will live on in my thoughts.

I thoroughly enjoyed this first book in her Amish Quilts series and am sure that anyone who enjoys Amish and romance novels will want to try this one. I will be looking for the next novel in the series.

I received this ebook free from Netgalley for the purpose of review only. I was not required to write a positive review, only an honest one. These opinions are my own.

The Christmas Singing by Cindy Woodsmall

After Gideon coldly broke her heart, can the warmth of the season revive Mattie’s hopes? 
Mattie thought her childhood sweetheart adored her until he abruptly ended their engagement on Christmas Eve.
 
Three years later, will learning the truth behind his rejection restore her Christmas joy – or open the door to even deeper heartbreak?
 
Spend Christmas with the Amish in this story of love, romance, heartache, and restoration.

My Review

What a delightful story author Cindy Woodsmall brings to us this Christmas season - right from the heart of Amish country, from an Amish community in Ohio to one in Pennsylvania. I believe it is because the Amish have intentionally removed themselves from many of the things we use, that they are able to cultivate the closeness of community that we all wish for. 

Although this is a novella, Cindy very aptly deals with all the issues you might find in a full length novel, and the characters are all well developed. Issues like betrayal, heartache, loss, and restorationone are some of the most promanent in this novel. Since this is a Christmas novella, the story is short and fast, but sweet and easy to relate to. Mattie is sincere, but easily distracted, Gideon feels he can control life. How often don't we tend to fall into the same things?

The story is told both from Mattie's view point as well as from Gideon's. This might be confusing, except the author has done a very good job keeping this clear in the reader's mind.

I read this in one afternoon, and would recommend it to any of my friends. Even if you don't particularly enjoy Amish romance, I believe that you would enjoy this short glimpse into the life of Mattie and Gideon.

I received this book from WaterbrookMultnomah Publishers through their Blogging for Books program in exchange for an honest review. I was not required to make a positive review, and the opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Softly & Tenderly - Sara Evans & RAchel Hauck

Maybe in the wide-open country she can learn to breathe again.

Happily married and owner of two successful boutiques, Jade longs to begin a family with her husband, Max. But when she discovers that Max has an illegitimate son - who he wants her to help raise - Jade's life is turned upside down.

She flees to her childhood home, a rambling Iowa farmhouse, with enough room to breathe. There - while her mother's health grows fragile, and the tug of her first love grows stronger - Jade begins to question everything she thought she knew about family, love, and motherhood. In the wide-open landscape, Jade begins to see a future that doesn't rest on the power of her past, but in the goodness of God's tender mercies.

My Review

In Softly and Tenderly, Sara Evans and Rachel Hauck had me from the first sentence to the unexpected end! The story starts in spring in Whisper Hollow, Tennessee, with Jade and her mother-in-law in a favorite old pickup along a rough road. This sets the scene for a turbulent, fast-paced novel. It seems most novels I read these days are about women and relationships, and I am not sure if it is what's out there, or what I am attracted to. Having said that, this one stands out from the rest. Many issues are covered, from barreness, to infidelity, illigemate child(ren?) to big business ethics, but all interconnected in the way life is, and through it all God's mercy is underlying and sure.

These ladies have a way of drawing in the reader with words, and I could feel the jostling of the vehicle, the anger, the pain of a loved one suffering from cancer, the hopelessness, but also the peace. The scenes came alive and when the doe and her babies jump out in front of the truck, your heart about stops together with the women in the truck. When baby Asa calls for his Mom, the heart contracts with sympathy.

The reader will be anxiously waiting for the sequel, and not all issues are resolved in this first of a series.

I received this ebook free from ThomasNelson Publishers through their Booksneeze program for the sole purpose of writing an honest review. I was not required or asked for a positive one. The opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Giveaways on Legacy of a Writer blog

Katie McCurdy of http://katie-mccurdy.blogspot.com has some awesome giveaways going on year around. Sorry, they are only open to U.S. residents, but for those of you that live here, please hop on over. Right now she has Fairer than Morning by Rosslyn Elliott  and Warring Spirits by April Gardner as giveaways. See you there.

Bittersweet Surrender - Diann Hunt

Book Description

Carly Westlake is living the dream. She spends her days at a spa (okay, so she owns the place), she's dating a hunk, and she's surrounded by chocolate—milk chocolate, her favorite—that she uses for the chocolate facials that made her spa famous.

But when long buried secrets threaten Carley's business and her friendship with business-partner Tom, she fights like crazy to keep the dream—and the illusions—afloat.

It takes a miracle of grace to get Carley to finally make that bittersweet surrender to love and real life.

My Review

Although I love chocolate as much as the next woman, I am not sure I would be able to deal with being wrapped in it, or seeing other women wrapped in it, as in a chocolate spa. The idea is totally unique, though, and well done in that the reader is not subject to the sights of this.

Diann Hunt manages to deal with many issues in this novel. Relationships between siblings, in-laws, at work, between friends, and everything in between, obviously, but also infidelity, gambling, anger, grief are touched on here. The story flows smoothly, told mostly from Carly Westlake's point of view, but also from those her life touches. She tries to be everything everyone else needs from her brother's keeper to her old flame's daughter's friend, then feels disappointed when her needs are not met. Her husbands unfaithfulness when she was dealing with breast cancer, though it happened before the story starts, is very much a part of her, as is the death of her best friend, who was manager of her spa, and also was the wife of her accountant. Secrets threaten the relationships. Romance is in the air.

A well written novel, that I would be glad to recommend to friends.

i received this ebook free from ThomasNelson publishers through their Booksneeze program for the purpose of reviewing. i was not required to give a positive review, just an honest one.

Smitten - By Colleen Coble, Kristin Billerbeck, Denise Hunter, & Diann Hunt

 

Published by Thomas Nelson

Average Blogger Rating:4.51 Stars

Book Description

Four friends devise a plan to turn Smitten, Vermont, into the country's premier romantic getaway-and each finds her own true love along the way.

With Smitten Lumber closing, residents wonder if their town can stay afloat. Then four friends and local business owners-Natalie, Julia, Shelby, and Reese--decide the town is worth saving. How will they do it? They'll turn Smitten into a honeymoon destination!

As Natalie, Julia, Shelby, and Reese work to save the town, each discovers romance in her own life. Meanwhile, the faith of a little child reminds the whole town what it means to have real faith in the God who is the always and forever Love.

Discover a novel written by four of Christian fiction's most popular romance novelists- friends in real life who've drawn an amazing story of four friends! Includes a Reading Group Guide as well as "Conversation over Coffee with the Authors".

MY REVIEW

i found this a very fun read...actually this is written like one book - it is just that each season and each main character is written by a different author. What makes this work extremely well is the fact that the authors are best friends, and according to them can finish each others sentences. Want to get to know these authors better? well, each author loosely based her main character on herself, the operative word being loosely.  This novel really invites the reader to feel the friendships that the girls enjoy - from one season to another.  Together they have a plan - to save their town, but first they must convince the residents (in particularly the men in their lives that not only is the plan good, it will work! A few anxious moments as the reader wonders if things will work out all around, many chuckles as the characters mess things up for themselves and you have a wonderful novel.

i actually checked the start of the book to see if some of these novels were a continuation from other novels, that is how comfortable i was with the characters right from page one. The story (stories) flowed with out pause from one story or season into another. i have never read a novel that took novellas and welded them together so seamlessly, unless they were written by one author. 

i was disappointed that there were a few loose ends not tied up, and that the sequel to this one does not come out until December 2012. In every other way it met my expectations.


i received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers through their program Booksneeze in exchange for an honest review. i was not required to give a postive review.

Spend Christmas with the Amish

This blog post is for those readers who love to read romance novels that in speak of heartache,and restoration in the midst of the Amish. 
The Christmas Singing by Cindy Woodsmall will bring you all this, and more! 
Not only that, but when you order from WaterbrookMultnomah.com before December 20, 2011 you can get 30% off and free shipping on The Christmas Singing and any other title from WaterbrookMultnomah publishers. Click on the links below to find out more about The Christmas Singing

The Christmas Singing




 http://bit.ly/vvg9mc -  Watch the video trailer for The Christmas Singing here

 http://scr.bi/uJkucX - Read the first chapter of The Christmas Singing here


Then head over to   http://www.waterbrookmultnomah.com to order. i'm not sure why this link isn't working, but please copy it and paste into your search engine. Same with the three links shown above. 


Great gift for yourself, or any of the readers on your Christmas list!

Book Lover's Holiday Giveaway

This giveaway hop is going on now!  and if you head over to the hosts, or cuzinlogic at
http://cuzinlogic.com  and then follow the hops, you have a great chance to win awesome books! Join me now

Product Description

Mary Lynn and Jackson Scoville are living the good life in Charleston. But as they work their way up the social ladder, Mary Lynn feels compelled to pray that Jackson will come to the Lord. When Jackson's radical conversion---including inviting street people into their home---threatens their dreams, will Mary Lynn go along with him? 320 pages, softcover from Nelson.

MY REVIEW

Sunrise on the Battery by Beth Webb Hart is an amazing look at the question of what would life look like if we really, really loved each other, and were eager to tell everyone we love how much we loved them and wanted them to know how great a life Christian Life is? Would it change the way we look at life, and what we do?

Sunrise on the Battery is written from numerous perspectives, which might make it confusing for the reader except for the fact that the names of the person from whose perspective each chapter is told is mentioned at the being of the chapter as a sort of chapter title. Mary Lynn, her husband Jackson and their oldest daughter Catherine (a teenager) tell their stories, with the lives of the two youngest daughters entwined. All use the third person point of view which is effective in bringing the story out.

A thought provoking novel, there were a few scenes I thought were rather radical, but soon realized that I was not the only one who thought so, and this made a bold statement. Family life both as a family striving after social achievements and as dedicated Christians was very realistically portrayed.

I really liked this book, and will be looking for more of Beth Hart books. Not a suspense, with twisty surprises, just a nice deep-thinking novel.

i received this ebook free from ThomasNelson Publishers through their booksneeze program for the purpose of reviewing. i am not required to give a positive opinion, just an honest one.

chance to win $500.00 of books for your favorite charity!

i was just over at The bookish Mama http://iam-bookish.blogspot.com and does she have a great opportunity with Chronicle Books ...all you have to do is leave a comment on my blog (as i understand it) for a chance to win. These are some of the books i would choose, and the charity i would choose.
So leave a comment here and then head over to Bookish Mama to find out more.


















http://www.chroniclebooks.com/landing-pages/happyhaulidays/images/HappyHaulidays11_webbadge1.jpg

Ride of a Lifetime- Kitty McGregor

Book Description

ISBN-10: 1449711685 | ISBN-13: 978-1449711689 | Publication Date: February 10, 2011

When Lucas McCade retired from the PRCA rodeo circuit, he was an internationally famous rodeo star. In a life of conquering hard bulls and harder men, he had rarely known defeat and never given into fear. Little could he have known that as he left the arena of wild-eyed bulls and slashing hooves, he was stepping into a life filled with real danger. Once he rode for gold-buckle dreams, now ride with Lucas McCade as he scouts the back trails over the rolling hills of Oklahoma and encounters the paths of the powers of darkness. In a culture where a man's word is still his bond and a handshake seals a deal, McCade leads his family in a walk with Christ that causes outrage in the spiritual realm. Once again, ancient battle lines are drawn between the powers of the Prince of Darkness and the Heavenly forces of Jesus Christ. It promises to be the ride of a lifetime!

My Review

I think it will be awhile before i find another book with the caliber of Ride of a Lifetime. From the prologue to The End the novel is rich in description and the reader is so immersed in the story that he can smell the smoke of the cigarette, hear the hiss of the match as it fell in the coffee, see the oranges of the sunset in the Texas sky, feel the stiff muscles, taste the nicotine and feel the despair of a cowboy whose life has swung out of control, and the anger of the teen at being uprooted from all he knows.

With much attention to detail, Kitty McGregor skillfully wields her pen to draw the reader into the life of Lucas McCade and the working ranch he is foreman at. This story is one of relationships between father and son, peers, cowboy and citified, forgiveness, right and wrong, but also the Light and Dark of life.

I found it almost impossible to leave, the tension was so ratchet-up, but also very difficult to read because it is so terribly realistic, and plausible, even to the ending. This is one novel that i will want in my collection, and give to the discerning, mature  reader. 

i received this ebook free from Thomas Nelson Publishers through their Booksneeze program for the purpose of writing a review. i was not required to give a positive review in exchange for the ebook.

Shadows on the Sand - Gayle Roper

Book Description

Series: Seaside Mysteries | Publication Date: July 19, 2011

She serves him breakfast at her café every morning … but he never seems to notice her.

Carrie Carter’s small café in Seaside, New Jersey, is populated with a motley crew of locals … although Carrie only has eyes for Greg Barnes. He’s recovering from a vicious crime that three years ago took the lives of his wife and children—and from the year he tried to drink his reality away. While her heart does a happy Snoopy dance at the sight of him, he never seems to notice her, to Carrie’s chagrin.

When Carrie’s dishwasher is killed and her young waitress disappears, Greg finds himself drawn into helping Carrie solve the mysteries … and into her life. But when Carrie’s own painful past becomes all to present, her carefully constructed world begins to sink.

Will the fragile relationship she’s built with Greg implode from the weight of the baggage they both carry?

MY REVIEW

Gayle Roper has a history of writing novels that in my opinion involve the reader from the first sentence of the book to The End.  And Shadows on the Sand is no exception.

Once again Gayle uses the first person point of view for the main character, Carrie in a remarkable way that made me feel i was in the picture, watching and flinching with her as her waitress used her hands to tell the story. The other characters stories are told in third person, except for the villain whose story is also told in first person point of view, but always in italics. This makes it easy for the reader to differentiate between characters. Gayle does a great job of dealing with all manner of issues in a profound way.

It seems Gayle is not afraid to tackle stories that might not be politically correct. In this novel, she deals directly with the issue of cults and how they differ from biblical truths. adultery, dysfunctional families, runaways and forgiveness, all in the perfectly 'real' setting of life.

All this, and the story of salvation clearly explained without sounding preachy and in-your-face.

She has a lot of characters, and at one point i was a little confused about who the one was, and what relationship he had to some others in the story. Very well told, and definitely enough suspense to keep you turning pages rapidly!

i am well able to recommend this novel to anyone who loves a good romantic suspense. Although it is part of the Seaside Mysteries, it is totally able to stand on its own.

Disclaimer - i recieved this ebook free from Waterbrook/Multnomah Publishers through their Blogging For Books program for review purposes only. i was not required to write a positive review, just an honest one. All opinions stated are my own.

Mercy Come Morning - Lisa Tawn Bergren

In this poignant story, reprinted from 2002, Lisa deals with some hard issues. First and foremost is the issue between mothers and daughters. Although i have what i think is a close relationship with my mother, i see myself many times reacting to the same things the main character in this novel does.  Another issue, closely related to the first, is forgiveness, and we all need it. Third is relationships between friends, and those are things we all deal with. Also is the issue of Alzheimer’s.

I have always loved Lisa’s novels, and this was no exception. Told in the first person, present tense throughout, with the past brought in through notes that Charlotte (Krista’s mother) wrote in her Christmas Carols book, instead of a journal.  The novel  starts with Dane (administrator of the facility where Charlotte lives) phoning Krista to summon her to her mother’s bedside before her mother’s death.  Not a suspense story, this tugs at the reader’s heart as issues come close to home. We are drawn into the story by Lisa’s apt use of words and we can feel the rough flooring of the adobe building, see the barren desert ground of New Mexico, smell the luscious Spanish foods, and the heart tugs of regrets and the joy of forgiveness.

A story with lessons i will not soon forget.

I received this ebook free from Waterbrook/Multnomah  through their Blogging For Books program. I was not required to give a positive review, just an honest opinion.

An Amish Wedding - novellas

An Amish Wedding, a collection of three novellas by three Inspirational Amish writers – Kelly Long, Katherine Fuller and Beth Wiseman, follows the stories of three young friends as they contemplate their wedding day.

A Perfect Secret by Kelly Long is Rose Bender’s story. She knows who she loves, but does she know who he is? The share some common interests, and they are both Amish, but the secret she and the reader stumble upon one dark night causes both the question what do these two share? And who is the thief in the community? Secrets in a relationship are seldom healthy, and these need to be resolved quickly.  Kelly carries the reader along with Rose as she finds answers to the questions she has, and both she and the reader learn that pretending to be who you are not, is harder than it looks.

In A Perfect Match by Kathleen Fuller, Naomi is not only a baker but a friend who wants only happiness for her friends even if it brings her heartache.  Having helped Rose overcome her insecurities, she turns her attention to her friend and assistant Margaret, who is painfully shy when she becomes the attention of young men.  Regardless of what her heart tells her, or the young man, for that matter, she feels Margaret needs to pay attention to the stranger from out of the county.  Hearts win out, and when Margaret finds someone who loves her, right beside her, maybe Naomi can pay attention to her own happiness.

When Beth Wiseman wrote “A Perfect Plan” she wrote about something i think all young brides hope for...that nothing will go wrong for the couple. Priscilla thinks that if the perfect plans she makes go on without a hitch, she must be living in God’s Will, but when things don’t turn out in the order she wants them to, or even turn out how she wants them to, she begins to doubt.  A perfect life does not necessarily doing God’s Will, nor does one of hardship mean the opposite.

I loved all three novellas, though felt that each one could have stood on its own as a novel with more depth being given to the characters. However, each story is clear in its message, and together, they bring an inspiration to living...God is ultimately in control, and we need to rest in this truth, whether we are contemplating marriage, our life’s work or any other situation. Through all three novellas trust is a major issue.

I received this ebook from Thomas Nelson Publishers through the Booksneeze program for review.  I was not required to give a positive review just my honest opinion in exchange for a free book/ebook.

Lonestar Angel - Colleen Coble

Eden's hope is rekindled when Clay delivers astounding news: their daughter has been found.
Five years ago Eden and Clay Larson's baby was stolen and never found. Eden blamed herself, Clay lost himself in work. Their young and rocky marriage ended. Or so Eden thought.
Now Eden's moved to a new town. She's found faith and is trying to rebuild her life. She's even dating again-a sweet guy who plans to marry her someday. But then Clay arrives out of the blue and delivers shocking news: they're still married. What's more, Clay has been searching for Brianna all this time. And he believes he's found her: their daughter is in Bluebird, Texas, at a youth ranch.
Lonestar Angel by Colleen Coble

To say i devoured this novel would be stating it mildly. From an upscale restaurant in Charlie Creek, to the desert of Texas, Colleen had me sitting on the edge of the seat the whole way! This book is Intense, to say the least.

Her vivid descriptions have the reader seeing the allusive roadrunner, the beautiful sunsets and sunrises that only the desert can provide, the cacti and their flowers, tasting  the dust , hearing the happy squeals of  little girls, smelling the chilli cooking.  I felt the fear towards the rattler that gave no warning, the uncertainty of tarantulas, and the anguish of seeing abused horses. The challenges of counsellors dealing with children in foster homes are huge, and this is brought out in a very enlightening and positive way.

Many times i had to put the book down and leave it, just to bring myself back into the reality of life in my own living room as opposed to the Bluebird Ranch, only to be drawn back to the story to find out what happened next. And just when i thought i knew where the story was heading, someone or something happened to make it all change direction again.

Once again, Colleen has lived up to my expectations of her writing.

The Keeper - Youtube -

i've never posted a youtube item on my blog before, but i'm excited about Suzanne Woods Fisher's new series coming out in January and would like to share. Hope this works

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FqZVG_rNHM8&feature=share via @youtube

The Little Shadows - Marina Endicott

Here is the eagerly anticipated new novel from a brilliant writer whose last book, Good to a Fault, was shortlisted for the prestigious Giller Prize and won the Commonwealth Prize for Canada and the Caribbean.

The Little Shadows revolves around three sisters in the world of vaudeville before and during the First World War. We follow the lives of all three in turn: Aurora, the eldest and most beautiful, who is sixteen when the book opens; thoughtful Clover, a year younger; and the youngest sister, joyous headstrong sprite Bella, who is thirteen. The girls, overseen by their fond but barely coping Mama, are forced to make their living as a singing act after the untimely death of their father. They begin with little besides youth and hope, but Marina Endicott’s genius is to show how the three girls slowly and steadily evolve into true artists even as they navigate their way to adulthood among a cast of extraordinary characters – some of them charming charlatans, some of them unpredictable eccentrics, and some of them just ordinary-seeming humans with magical gifts.

Using her gorgeous prose and extraordinary insight, Endicott lures us onto the brightly lit stage and then into the little shadows that lurk behind the curtain, and reveals how the art of vaudeville -- in all its variety, madness, melodrama, hilarity and sorrow -- echoes the art of life itself.  

MY REVIEWS Less

A beautiful poetic novel of what the vaudeville or theatre might have been in historic western Canada and the northwest U.S.A., in particularly Montana. The story follows three girls and their mother after the death of the father as they go into the world their mother knew before she met their father.  Each scene and each character is portrayed in vivid colors, both their good attributes as well as the eccentric.  Although i don’t know much about the world of actors either then or now, it seems like the author did a lot of research to make it authentic.

Personally i found it very dry, tedious reading, with so much attention to detail, and a lot of conversations.  There really wasn’t any plot, unless you consider the everyday life of people aspiring to stardom through entertaining others a plot.

I received this novel from the publisher through Netgalley for review. I was not required to give a positive review in order to receive it, just an honest one.

October 21, 2011

I am a reader, not a writer, and i just want to sit here and read (both of those are names of blogs i follow, and so i won't use that as a title for my book reviews, though they both fit me to a T, and i wish i had got one of them first) However, i do want to sit down and write reviews. i have a bunch of books i have read (recieved from other blogs where i entered to win, bought books or library books) but writing doesn't come easy to me. i think on what i will write about a certain book as i'm dozing off at night, too tired to get up and write down my thoughts and by morning, i have to start all over again. But i will get to them, because they are too good not to share. Thanks for understanding. We had a rain on Wednesday that shut down combining for a few days. Yesterday was sunny, but not really warm, but the swaths might be ready to try again today. We shipped 4 super B loads of wheat to the elevator yesterday, so that was a good days job. So until next time, with love Mitzi (aka Marianne)

Diary, October 14, 2011

I know it's been a while since i posted...and wouldn't be posting this morning if we had been on the field harvesting till 1:00 a.m. either. But it's been raining the last few days. Not a lot, but enough to keep everything too wet to combine. That's not a bad thing, we do need the moisture for next year, and we have enough stuff going on that we don't sit idle even now.

We have about half of the wheat crop in the bin, which makes us about one quarter done our harvest, since we have a little less acres seeded with canola than we did of wheat. The bushels are awesome...we have never seen a yield of 70 to 80 bushels per acre on our farm before, and don't expect to in the future. We are so Thankful to God, for He it is that gives the increase.

So what are we spending our time doing? Well i've been doing a bit of much needed baking, cookies for my lunch bucket, sticky buns for just so. When it started raining, i was on my way to Manitoba. Mom's cousin there passed away and she was close to him and his family. That's a long drive from where we live now. We did a bit of visiting, going to my BFF's place. She had made a throw i bought in Tennessee into Roman Shades for my bedroom window. That's a bit awkward to ship, so was glad i could do that. In the almost two weeks since then, we've had doctor's appointments, grocery shopping, parts runs (simply picking up parts? No such luck. we've been on runs that take us on 70 mile runs just to gather them) and repairing. Doesn't sound exactly interesting, but it's what keeps our days busy.

Right now, the grain cart is down, needs some work, and the combine has a couple of bearings that are running hot. If the weather holds, and the crops dry we can run it the way it is, just keeping an eye on the problem, but likely there will be no combining until middle of next week! Farming may be a waiting on God occupation, but we keep busy all the same.

So until next time, Take care.

Product Description

A Place Called Blessing chronicles the story of five-year-old Josh. He and his two older brothers lose their parents in a drunk driving accident. After a series of foster homes and a shocking tragedy, he and his brothers are separated, leaving him angry, alone, and distrustful. At age eighteen, a step away from homelessness, he finds unconditional love and the gift of "the blessing." This book shows how to implement the five elements of the biblical blessing found in Trent's book, The Blessing. A Focus on the Family book.

 

My Review

I just finished reading a novel of unconditional love, written by John Trent.   I found it to be an incredible life-changing story!  It is written in the first person, as if by Josh, and though this is not my preference, i did think it was the best way to tell this story, and told mostly as Josh relating his story after the fact. Then at the end he brings us into the present.

The story starts off with Josh giving a bit of background to his dysfunctional family, and i was drawn to these little boys left to figure out life while their parents partied.  The story really starts when Josh and his two brothers lost their parents in a drunk driving accident, and they are placed in a foster home.  The events that happen to separate the boys is heartbreaking, but understandable. Even after i was finished reading, my heart was heavy for those poor little ones, and inspired by the unconditional love showed to Josh when he was a young man dealing with anger, mad at the world. 

John uses this novel as a way to introduce the idea of Blessing, or Unconditional Love to those hurting from all kinds of dysfunctional relationships that may have happened in life.

 i recieved this book free from ThomasNelson Publishers through their Booksneeze program. i was not required to give a positive review.

Product Description

Nurse Natalie Fallon has brought her ailing mother to Denver for her health and starts a job at Denver's Mile High Hospital, where she meets fellow nurse Breanna Baylor Brockman. In Natalie's past is a relationship with Rex Rawlins, a young medical student. Two years prior she had ended the relationship when she learned Rex was planning a rural practice. She is determined not to marry a country doctor like her father, who died at age 43 from overwork. But she has never stopped loving Rex, and now, little does she know that Rex is a rural doctor in the surrounding mountains. A serious accident brings them together, but it will take a miracle to give them the promise of a life together.

I just finished reading Al Lacy’s NOT BY MIGHT. It’s been quite a few years since i picked up an Al Lacy book, simply because they have lost my interest. The book was well written, using words to aptly describe vivid scenery. The characters are strong and believable, and catch the reader’s attention.  His book is a typical Lacy wild western complete with good guys , the Marshalls and bad guys, the outlaws.  It is a historical, taking place in Colorado before the use of motorized vehicles. Those who enjoy good clean westerns like Zane Grey will enjoy this book.

MY REVIEW

I prefer books with lots of action – keep you on your toes at the edge of the seat type of action, and Al Lacy does not do that for me. I don’t mind the scripture being mentioned, but this book repeated  Zachariah  4 verse 6 many,  many times “Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit saith the Lord”. Again, i prefer the gospel story as well as the salvation story (or lack thereof) to be told by the lives of the characters in a more subtle way that Al Lacy’s in your face.  I could recommend this book to an armchair reader who likes westerns.

Giveaway at Lady Katie

 ATTENTION FRIENDS,

Do you love to read? Lady Katie at www.katie-mccurdy.blogspot.com is having a giveaway. check it out!

August 21, 2011

Hi guys

it's been a long time since i blogged, but it's been a crazy summer. As i sit here in a motel room in Saskaotoon, Saskatchewan, i'm having a bit of down time. Mom and i just came back from an awesome reunion, a highlight of my LIFE.
About 13 years ago i left little town Linden, Alberta to see the bright lights of - little town Borden. (actually Borden is a lot smaller than Linden, but it has something Linden doesn't have - Living Books, Inc and employment for me). The five years i spent there were great years, and i learnt a lot about books (hahaha) and a lot of people.
Now that i have that background out of the way, Yesterday was awesome, wonderful, great and words i don't know. Living Books Inc has now been in business for 25 years, and they invited present and past workers, representatives, and distributors to a grand day of, reunion. Not only were there lots of people i had interacted closely with during the years i worked there, but they had invited a few authors to share in their day, who graceously accepted the invite. Lauraine Snelling (whom i had met at LBI while working there), Brock Thoene (Bodie was busy at Sarah's house with the new grandbaby who arrived a month early) and Davey and Marie Janke (they just have a new book out on OUR WITCHDOCTORS ARE TOO WEAK, from David C. Cook).
i could go on and on about the great day we had, the presentations the authors gave, the allocades the company gave and so on, but suffice it to say that i am grateful they invited me. Martin, Janice and Vangie Whitbread and all the current staff did a wonderful job. Thanks guys. again.

Workadayreads Celebration Giveaway

Sarah from Workaday Reads has a milestone to celebrate! Check it out !!  http://www.workadayreads.com

Well the badge says it all. It's time to celebrate double milestones: my 6 month anniversary of Workaday Reads, and reaching an amazing 500 followers!

I have been having so much fun with this blog. I love all the new authors and books I've discovered, not to mention the whole book blogging community, and all of you fabulous readers. To celebrate I have an awesome giveaway for you.

The Incovenient Marriage of Charlotte Beck - Kathleen Y'Barbo

Product Description

When a man whose price is his family name meets a woman who wishes to buy her freedom, their growing attraction causes their marriage of convenience to become quite inconvenient. Will the heiress intent on freedom succumb to the reluctant astronomer with stars in his eyes?

  MY REVIEW

Kathleen Y’Barbo does an incredible job of bringing high class of the era of 1887 – 1891 to life both in London, England and in the west America country of Colorado. Charlotte Beck is a joy to get to know as are the other characters in the novel.  Having Colonel Cody, also known as the Great Buffalo Bill, interact with the family both in the new country as well as in England ties the two continents together nicely. This delightfully humorous story also explores the relationships between fathers and daughters, step-mothers and step-daughters, grandfathers and granddaughters, and peers.  The reader learns a lot about life during the Victorian Years in a way that doesn’t seem like learning at all.

This is the third book in a series of three following – The Confidential Life of Eugenia Cooper (book #1) and Anna Finch and the Hired Gun (book #2) and though i read and enjoyed The Inconvenient Marriage of Charlotte Beck, i think reading the first two books would give more background to this one.

I found it confusing that Charlotte’s step-mother was named Eugenia (most often Gennie) and her mother was named Georgiana, though both names would have been common during that time frame.

This book was a great one, and i would recommend it to anyone who enjoys historical romance fiction.

I received this ebook free from WaterbrookMultnomah publishers through their Blogging For Books program in exchange for an honest review. The opinions stated in this review are mine.

The Canary List by Sigmund Brouwer was everything and more than i expected from him. It has been quite some time since i delved into a Brower novel, and i was not sure just how this one would compare with some of his earlier ones. I found this one to be just as gripping or more so.

The characters are well rounded, and the scenery vivid, from the coast of California to Italy and the Vatican.

From the first sentence, where we read that a young boy is abused, to the last words of the catholic Father, i was riveted to the story. The twists and turns of the story kept me on the edge of my seat.  When reading this, i would have to leave the story frequently, just to distance myself a little from the intense action going on. But it wouldn’t be much later, and i would find myself back at the novel again, anxious to see what the next turn brought.  This novel also deals with the relationships between teacher and student, father and son, father and daughter, authorities and colleagues, as well as politics in religious circles.

I received this novel as a free ebook from  Waterbrook/Multnomah publishers through Blogging For Books for the purpose of reviewing it. I did not need to give a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own.

Product Description

When false accusations rip apart the life of school teacher Crockett Gray, his only hope of redemption and of reclaiming his son is finding out who has targeted one of his elementary students, twelve-year-old Jaimie Gregg, for death. But the truth behind her gift and her abandonment as a baby is a secret that lies at the heart of centuries-old witchcraft conspiracy hidden within the Vatican - a secret on the verge of destroying Christianity for bleievers all across the world.

Charlie Bear at Taylor's Tips

Awhile ago i found an awesome blog at bjtaylorblog@wordpress.com and as i have been following the little rescue dog Charlie Bear from the time he was found until now, i have had many great insights to my life as well as a dog's life. It is written as if the puppy (for he is still a puppy) is talking with the humans in his life coming in as "female peep" and "male peep". Life is not at all good for a puppy on the run, and he has bad habits to over come. Will the puppy always want to run on his own and be his own boss, will he make canine friends as well as human friends or is the vagabond too deeply ingrained so that CB never settles down? i loved this story, and am sorry to see it come to an end. But Charlie Bear says his mom is going to write a book about his escapades, and so somethings must end so others can begin! i should have blogged about this site earlier, but the blog will still be up and running (i hope) with links to the archives! Check back with me or on her blog to find out when BJ will have the book available. i'll keep you posted!

The Corruptible by Mark Mynheir

Product Description

How much money would it take for you to betray the truth? Ex-homicide detective Ray Quinn never had glamorous thoughts of the life of a private investigator-but being cornered in a bathroom stall by the enraged philandering husband of a client? That's something he could live without. Retired from homicide and living with a painful disability, Ray's options are limited. Stick to the job, keep impetuous sidekick Crevis alive, and spend quiet evenings with trusted pal Jim Beam, that's about the best he can hope for.
As a new client emerges, Ray finds himself in an impossibly large boardroom holding a check with enough zeros to finally lift him from his financial pit. The job seems easy enough: find Logan Ramsey, an ex-cop turned security officer who's taken off with sensitive corporate information. But few things are easy in Ray's world, regardless of the amount of zeros in the check.

MY REVIEW

This is the first of the Ray Quinn novels that i have read. Actually, it is also the first one of Mark Mynheirs that i have read.  Although this is not the first book in the series, i had no trouble following through. Enough is said about Ray Quinn’s history to bring the reader up to the present time. 

The pace was a little slower than i usually expect from a suspense novel, but since i have never read any of Mark’s novels before, i can’t say whether this is typical for a Ray Quinn novel or not. Also, i was reading it on my kindle for pc, which might have made a difference.

It is a well written crime novel with enough twists in the plot to keep me reading it and enough clues are given to make you think you know what is coming. Some of the things took me by complete surprise, which a good suspense novel should. The characters are well rounded, and believable and the story flows smoothly from one scene to the next.  I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys police crime fiction, and personally, i will be looking for more of Mark’s novels!

I received this book as an ebook free from Blogging For Books a division of WaterbrookMultnomah Publishers in exchange for an honest review. I was not required to make a positive review. The opinions stated are my own.

The Journey - Wanda E Brunstetter

 

Publisher's Description

Now a New York Times and USA Today Besteller! Discover along with Titus Fisher how life can begin anew in Christian County, Kentucky. Moving from Pennsylvania, finding rewarding work, and leaving a broken romance behind is the best decision Titus ever made. But is he ready to consider love again when he meets two women: one who seems perfectly suited for any Amish man and one who challenges long held ideas of the woman’s role. Who will Titus choose, and will it be the right choice?

MY REVIEW

Another book i had started a while ago, and returned to finish it for the read-a-thon. Wanda Brunstetter is a well know author writing about the Amish. i picked this book up out of a bargain box, to read and review. With so many Amish novels out there, one would think that what can be written about them, has already been written,  but obviously we don't really think so or we as readers would not be picking the newest on the matket up to read! i personally am glad that Wanda is still writting them. She combines sorrow and humor, joy and soberness in delightful ways. Though this book is like a lot of Wanda's novels, she still kept me guessing, and i had to keep turning pages to find out what happened. There were some surprising twists to this one. i would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys reading Amish novels, or Wanda Brunstetter books. i give this one a 4.5 out of a possible 5 because, though it is very well written, and you feel part of the story, i will not likely read it again, but only because there are so many more great books and authors out there.