Melissa's Corner Book Nook

Book Review - Back in the Saddle

2016-06-01T20:38:00.000-04:00

I am a city girl, but I felt at home on the Stafford Ranch. Back in the Saddle by Ruth Logan Herne introduces us to Cole Stafford, Sam Stafford and Angelina Morales. Cole Stafford did not feel the ranch was his home so he left many years ago. He became successful at a Wall Street investment firm instead of the cowboy he was raised to be. Cole is the son of Sam Stafford who has made the Double S ranch successful. Their relationship is strained to say the least. The last thing Cole wants to do is go back to the ranch when he has financial trouble.

When Cole returns, he discovers that his dad is different. It takes time for Cole to understand that Sam Stafford has changed for the better. Sam's housekeeper, Angelina, reminded him what is most important and that the Lord should be first. Angelina is so much more than a housekeeper. She is tough and sweet and is hiding from her past. Cole and Angelina are attracted to each other, but their budding romance is challenged by their past and what the future might hold for the both of them.

Cole's return is like the story of The Prodigal Son as described on the back cover of this book. Another story also came to mind while reading Back in the Saddle. I was reminded of the Christmas Carol because Sam Stafford was like Ebenezer Scrooge. He did not treat people right as he climbed the ladder of success. After he started following God, he was trying to figure out how to make amends with his family and the community.

I enjoyed this story, the characters, the romance and the ranch. Yes, even the ranch seemed inviting to me. The long days and the hard work does not sound that exciting, but it was real and wholesome. The romance was sweet and learning how to trust in the Lord by everyone was honest. A better definition of success was realized by Cole. It is not measured by the amount of money you make, but by loving others and committing to their success. I am definitely reading the second book about Cole's brother, Nick.

You can read more about the author, Ruth Logan Herne on her website.

Rating: 3 stars

I received this book from Blogging for Books for a review.

Book Review - A Refuge at Highland Hall

2016-03-01T09:14:00.003-05:00

A Refuge in Highland Hall by Carrie Turansky is a wonderful story set in Britain during World War I. It is the third book in the Edwardian Brides series. I suggest reading the first two books to understand the other characters better, but this book can be read on its own.

Penny Ramsey meets Alex Goodwin who is a friend of her brother-in-law, Jon just before he becomes active in the war. You can read more about Jon and her sister, Kate in The Daughter of Highland Hall. Through letters, Penny and Alex become friends and a source of comfort as the war continues on. Penny gives him a place of refuge in her letters because he is not close to his mother. Penny fills in the gap where family should have been. Her letters are thoughtful and filled with scripture that helps Alex in his battles.

Alex is challenged physically and emotionally when the unexpected happens. Penny is not put off by Alex's change in behavior. She decides to fight her own battle to help him.

I enjoyed the setting of Highland Hall and the main characters, Alex and Penny. There are other subplots going on that make this book even better. A servant and a German prisoner...a wife and husband separated during a difficult pregnancy...a young wife's desire to have a child after multiple miscarriages...and managing house full of children at Highland from London.

All of these things created a story that I was happy to read.

Rating: 4 stars

I received a copy of this book from Blogging for Books.

Book Review - Chivalrous

2016-01-24T23:21:00.000-05:00

What's better than a knight in shining armor? A woman in shining armor! Gwendolyn Barnes of North Britannia is a noble woman who prefers to be a knight and fight. This story is set in England in the 12th century. A noble woman's purpose at that time was to marry, but not for love. If the family can gain status or fortune through a marriage then it was her job to follow her father's wishes.

Allen of Ellsworth grew up as a peasant, but he was ready to become a knight under the care of Lord Linden. He heads to North Britannia to start a new life and fulfill his dreams. North Britannia was a different type of place because it was known "for its adherence to the law and Christian charity".

Allen said, " I was told that Duke Justus honored nobility of heart above nobility of birth." Allen was not given a title by birthright, but his actions to serve God and others made him a noble knight.

This book is classified as teen fiction, but the audience for this book is not limited to teenagers. Adults who like a clean read with romance and some action will enjoy this book. I enjoy stories about noble knights fighting for honor and justice for all. The fact that the Lady Gwendolyn has the skill to fight for herself and others makes this book that much better.

Rating: 4 stars

I received this book from Bethany House Publishers to read and offer an honest review.

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Book Review - Called to Pray

2015-11-30T12:56:00.002-05:00

Called to Pray by Linda Evans Shepherd could also be called Inspired to Pray. This book is about answered prayers. Reading and hearing about God answering another person's prayer is a powerful testimony and motivator for the rest of us.

After reading this book, you will remember to "trust in the Lord with all your heart" like it says in Proverbs 3:5. The author wants us to pay attention to the promptings of God to pray for ourselves and others. She created chapters to show us that we are called to pray for protection, rescue, needs, souls, breakthrough, guidance, miraculous wonders, encouragement, trust & faith and others.

You pray and trust God to handle the rest. He does not always answer in the way you expect, but His answer is perfect. I like the story of Todd, the college student who had a loan payment of $300 due soon. He remembered the testimonies of others who received money in the mailbox just in time to meet the need. So he thought God would do the same for him. Did God provide for him? Yes! He gave him a paint job that paid the exact amount he needed. It would have been easier to just receive in it his mailbox like others, but God answered his prayer. The story was an example of asking for something and expecting to receive it a certain way. Then God throws a curve ball to answer your need differently than you expected.. His ways are not our ways.

You can read this book straight through in order like you would a fiction book. You can also read any prayer story out of order for just a few minutes. It is a great way to start or end your day. I recommend this book for yourself and as a gift to someone else.

Rating: 4 stars

I received a copy of this book from Revell publishing for an honest review.

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Book Review - I Can Read! Double Trouble

2015-08-24T13:49:00.000-04:00

Double Trouble by Dandi Daley Mackall might grab your attention because of the cute horse on the cover. This I Can Read book published by Zonderkidz has an important message about the truth and taking responsibilities for your actions.

Jen loved riding her horse, Bob. One day, she rides Bob into a Mrs. Gray's flower garden. It was not on purpose, but the flowers are ruined. She decides not to tell Mrs. Gray. "It was such a little thing" so why not keep quiet.

Later, her horse starts to have a problem while walking. The vet figures out the little thing that is causing a big problem.

Children can learn that not admitting when you are wrong is no small matter. It affects you and the person you hurt.

Young children and parents will enjoy this short story and beautiful illustrations.

Rating: 4 stars

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Book Review - Luther and Katharina

2015-08-16T19:31:00.000-04:00

Luther and Katharina: A Novel of Love and Rebellion by Jody Hedlund is about Martin Luther and his wife, Katharina. Martin Luther began the Protestant Reformation in Germany in the 16th century. Luther was a former monk and preached against the Catholic church. He was considered an enemy of the church. He thought he could be killed at any time.

Katharina von Bora was a nun at the time she read Luther's writings. She became convinced that she could still serve God while not living a cloistered life. Katharina and some of the other nuns decided to run away from the abbey to start a new life.

Luther became responsible for the runaway nuns. His goal was to find them a "suitable" man to marry or at least become employed by a family. Katharina's goal was to get married and have children. It did not seem like they would be suitable partners in love and ministry to each other. Love bloomed between Luther and Katharina in the midst of external persecution and their own internal reservations about each other.

There are many parts of the story that stand out. One thing is Katharina's prayers. Although she left the abbey, it still took her time to shed her past life. Her prayers in the book shows how her relationship with God was maturing.

I loved this story because of the history. I loved this story because of the spiritual and emotional transformation of Luther and Katharina. I did not know much about Martin Luther. While reading this book, I searched for more information about Luther and the Reformation. Historical fiction is at its best for me when I want to go beyond the story and read the history.

I have already recommended this book to my local library who plans to order this book for circulation. I have talked about it with my friends. Do I like this book? Absolutely!

You will want to read more books by Jody Hedlund. Go to her website to discover her other books. The Hearts of Faith series are about real people (missionaries and preachers). You will want to dig deeper to find out more about the people she writes about.

Ratings: 4 stars

I received this book from Blogging for Books for my opinion about this story.

The book image is an affiliate link. Read my disclosure page for more information.

Book Review - Teaching Christ's Children About Feeling Angry

2015-08-11T10:23:00.001-04:00

Anger is a normal feeling. What happens after we get angry can get us in trouble. Teaching Christ's Children About Feeling Angry by Corine Hyman uses beautiful illustrations and the Word of God to help kids know the best way to respond to anger.

The story is told by a young girl, Tayniesha, who tells us about the times she gets mad. Her brother teases her or she is told to stop something she wants to do are some reasons why she gets so upset.

Tayniesha does not handle her anger in the best way. Her mom makes a wise choice and shows her daughter scriptures so she can learn how to handle her anger. Her mom lets her daughter know that feeling angry is okay, but we must not sin.

This book is right on time for my family. I have 10 year old boy/girl twins and a 6 year old daughter. We are dealing with how to handle our anger. I want my kids to know that anger is normal and okay. God shows us the best way to deal with such a powerful emotion. I believe most children can relate to the girl in this book. The situations she talks about are real and it's just enough to get your child to open up about their angry feelings. This book will help me reinforce what my family has been discussing recently. God's Word is powerful and this book uses scripture references and a short story to help our little ones to be their best.

You can read more about the author and her books on her website - http://www.booksbycorine.com/

Rating: 4 stars

The book cover image will take you to this book on Amazon and it is an affiliate link. Read my disclosure statement for more information.

Book Review - More Than Just The Talk: Becoming Your Kids’ Go-to Person about Sex

2015-07-30T16:00:00.001-04:00

Do I need just one big, huge Talk with my kids about sex? Of course not. There is too much to cover and teach in just one conversation. A good relationship with your children and ongoing conversations about sex will help your kids see sex as God designed. More Than Just The Talk: Becoming Your Kids’ Go-to Person about Sex by Jonathan McKee is the book to help parents communicate that sex is good between married couples.

Do not present sex as something that is bad because it is not. It is wonderful in God’s plan. We have to be careful not to say sex is naughty because it is right in a covenant, married relationship with your spouse. When kids have sexual thoughts, will they think they are bad because of the message we communicate about sex? The author gives clear examples of how to react to TV shows and music with sexual content. We can either overreact or calmly explain what might happen to a character on a show that is acting irresponsible.

This book is right for this time in my life. I have twins who just turned 10 years old. I know a willingness to talk openly about sex will help my children. Some things that are discussed in this book may make you uncomfortable because you are not ready to discuss such a personal subject. This author wants us to know that kids and the messages around them is already talking about sex. It’s just that the messages are filled with lies. The world boldly declares that sex when you want it is good. Parents have to be bold enough to speak the truth about sex.

The task of talking about sex with your children can be difficult. More Than Just The Talk is what can get you through this awkward subject with your kids.

Rating: 4 stars

I received a copy of this book from Bethany House Publishers in exchange for a review...good or bad.

Book Review - Now & Forever

2015-06-27T21:48:00.001-04:00

Now and Forever by Mary Connealy is book two in the Wild at Heart series. Shannon and her sisters have been posing as men while fighting in the Civil War and homesteading. Shannon has a love for sheep like The Good Shepherd. Matthew is a mountain man who lives by himself. His skills have made him a legend. He prefers to be alone and only deals with people when necessary.

They met before, but their relationship is established by a wild adventure. How could a couple not be bonded after running from a bear and falling into a dangerous river? For about three chapters, we read about Shannon Wilde and Matthew Tucker as they struggle to survive. Matthew learned that Shannon can take care of herself and him.

Many people are involved in their search and rescue - Shannon’s sisters & Matthew’s mountain men friends and family. The teasing done by Matthew’s friends was so funny to me once they were found. It also reminded me how different things are today. A woman alone with a man back then for a long period of time almost means marriage.

The rest of the book is about Shannon and Matthew learning how to get along and figuring out who is trying to drive her off her land. The villain in this book is scary. You know who he is at the beginning, but he becomes more intense and dangerous as the story progresses.

I like how the women in this book are very capable of taking caring of themselves during a time that was made for men. Shannon learns how to make room for Matthew in her life. He learns that living alone in the mountains is not as good as it was before getting to know Shannon. You will enjoy this clean romance set in the 1800s. The heroine is not frilly and dainty and the hero is not dashing and elegant. Shannon and Matthew is the right combination of brave, strong, caring and sweet.

Rating: 4 stars

This book was given to me by Bethany House Publishers in exchange for a review.

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Book Review - The Power of a Half Hour

2015-04-14T16:14:00.000-04:00

The perception is that great things are only accomplished in at least an hour of effort. An hour long business meeting! An hour of prayer! It is true that much can be done in an hour or more, but the same can be said for using just a half hour. Tommy Barnett in his book, The Power of a Half Hour has me convinced that small amounts of time can produce great results in my life.

A half hour can be used to improve your life, strengthen your faith, build your character, advance your dreams, improve relationships and change the world. You will see these subjects addressed in this book. Each chapter is short so you should be able to finish one chapter if you do not have much time.

My favorite chapter is called Listen. It is part of the section about strengthening your faith. “Be still and know that I am God.” in Psalm 46:10 comes to mind as I read this chapter. I need direction and wisdom so an half hour of quiet time with the Lord is time well spent.

Connect with Impact was also a relevant chapter to me because I currently feel a need to re-connect or maintain a connection with family and friends. I can get so busy, but relationships are so important. I can take 30 minutes to make a phone call, send an email or write a letter.

Barnett wants us to realize that a lot can be accomplish in a short amount of time. Take action consistently for 30 minutes a day, week or month and change will happen. I recommend this book because it will encourage you to move forward in some area of your life.

You can read more about the author at WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group.

I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review.

This review contains an affiliate link. Refer to my disclosure page.

Book Review - Arkansas Weddings

2015-02-18T09:51:00.000-05:00

Romance, Arkansas sounds like a lovely, romantic place to meet and fall in love. It is for three couples in Arkansas Weddings. The road to “happily ever after” is not smooth, but the journey is worth it. Did you know that Romance, Arkansas is a real place? It is a town located near the center of Arkansas.

According to Wikipedia, the Romance post office is popular for postmarks that people want for Valentine’s Day and wedding invitations. This fact was included in the second story.

In a small town, everyone seems to know everybody and that holds true in the town of Romance. The three stories are all connected based on past and current relationships. Those connections make the book more interesting because you are able to catch up the life of the couple from the previous story.

The first story is about Adrea, a florist and Grayson, a grieving pastor. Adrea was betrayed by a former boyfriend. Somehow, she still manages to make beautiful floral creations for happy couples. Grayson has a church to take care of, but his heart is still broken over the loss of his wife. Valentine’s Day ties Adrea and Grayson together in ways that they cannot imagine when they first meet. Grayson has been ordering flowers for his wife every Valentine’s Day. Adrea has been arranging the flowers, but never met Grayson because she always worked in the back of the shop. Adrea’s brother, Mark takes a job at Grayson’s church which puts them in regular contact.

Can you really move on when you lose someone so precious to you? Can you trust anyone when your dreams have been crushed by betrayal? Adrea and Grayson find out that they both can heal and move forward with God’s help.

The second story is centered around a man taking caring of his nephew and a woman who was reluctant to come back to her hometown. The relationship starts as an employer and employee. Then it gets complicated as their feelings start to grow for each other.

In the third story, you can read about a woman with a bad reputation who thinks too much has happened to change other people’s opinions about her. Her latest renovation project has her working again with a former boyfriend. He recently found out that he was adopted and is trying to figure out if wants to reveal his true identity to his family.

All the stories are tied together well. God is part of each story line. I like that you get to visit Romance, Arkansas three times through all of these romances.

Rating: 3 stars

This eBook was provided to me from NetGalley.

This review has an affiliate link through the book image.

Book Review - The Critter Club: Liz Learns A Lesson

2015-02-12T16:19:00.000-05:00

The Critter Club is a series about elementary school children who run an animal rescue shelter. I don't remember if an age was mentioned, but I guess these kids are in 3rd or 4th grade. Book #3 is Liz Learns a Lesson. Liz was so excited that summer vacation was about to start. She would be able to do her favorite things - take an art class and take care of pets at the Critter Club.

Unfortunately, summer school was not a part of plans. Math was not her best subject. The principal and her mom thought summer school would help her improve in math. Liz was very disappointed especially since summer school was at the same time as art class. She thought that this would be the worst summer ever.

In summer school, she found friends, a cool teacher and even a turtle for their class pet. Her days were filled with summer school in the morning and the Critter Club in the afternoon. The best part is that she did improve in math. She even got an A on her last math test.

I started reading this book while I was in the library. I thought this was just right book for my nine year old daughter who struggles with math and she has a love for animals. It is a chapter book that is just right for children in grades 2nd to 4th grade. You should also consider reading this book to your younger children. A chapter a night at bedtime would be great. Liz learns that a change in her plans is not the worst thing ever and taking the time to get help with a difficult subject will help in the long run.

Rating: 4 stars

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Book Review - The Quick-Start Guide to the Whole Bible

2014-11-09T21:45:00.000-05:00

Have you ever watched the middle of a movie and did not know what was going on? It seems interesting, but you missed important scenes and cannot figure out why what just happened is so significant. Someone to fill in the blanks can be helpful so you can watch the rest of the movie with an understanding.

I like having the blanks filled in when I study the Bible. The Quick-Start Guide to the Whole Bible by Dr. William H. Marty and Dr. Boyd Seevers is a great tool for Bible study. This book provides an overview of each book of the Bible. You will read about the setting, a summary and the significance. The information about the Setting helps you understand the dates, place and the condition of the people for some books (at war, at peace, etc.). The Summary gives a general idea of what is happening either by chapter or by dividing the book into a 1st and 2nd half. My favorite part is the wrap-up in the Significance section. Since the Bible is written about events that happened years ago, it might be easy to miss the message for me today. The significance section tries to help me think about why this book of the Bible is important in our time.

The significance section of the Leviticus section was a help to me. I would normally skip Leviticus because all of the rules become a blur. Since I am reading the Bible from the beginning, I had to read Leviticus. I read about Leviticus in The Quick Start Guide and it summed up its purpose. Leviticus is about holiness and separation from things that are common. We are called to be holy because God is holy. While reading all the dos and donts of Leviticus, the message of the book got lost for me. The Quick Start Guide to the Whole Bible reminded me that today that I am called to holiness.

You should have The Quick-Start Guide to the Whole Bible in your library just in case you need to understand the big picture of the books of the Bible.

I received this book free from Bethany House Publishers for my review.

Rating:4 stars

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Book Review - Silenced (Alaskan Courage)

2014-06-04T23:28:00.001-04:00

Silenced by Dani Pettrey was so good that I can hardly wait for her next book in 2015. This book is number 4 in the Alaskan Courage series. Every book is like watching an episode in my favorite TV series. I look forward to each book. I am completely into what happens to the McKenna family.

Silenced is about Kayden McKenna. She is very strong. She climbs, exercises, eats healthy and runs with dogs. Kayden does not want to get close to anyone. Even her siblings recognize that she puts up a wall. The crack in her armor is her feelings for Jake Westin. Before she knew his true identity, she convinced herself that he came from a shady background. It was easy to dismiss him. The previous book, Stranded let us know more about Jake. He is a much better man than Kayden thought. Now she must deal with her growing attraction to Jake when she would rather protect her heart.

Kayden and Jake get to spend a lot of time together while the investigate the murder of a climber. I liked how I was able to learn more about climbing during their investigation. The murder weapon was unique. It was not like you could lift prints from this particular weapon. With Kayden’s expertise in climbing and Jake’s professional detective work, they get closer to an answer. Silenced is another great tale of murder, mystery and suspense. I suggest you start with the first book, Submerged. The build up to Jake and Kayden’s relationship can be found in the previous books.

Visit the author's website to read her background and about her other books.

I received a copy of this book from Bethany House and Netgalley for an honest review.

Rating: 4 stars

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Book Review - God's Calling for Kids

2014-03-04T14:36:00.000-05:00

God’s Calling for Kids by Phil A. Smouse is just right to begin or end the day with your child. This is a year long children’s devotional. This book is perfect for my five year old daughter and me to focus on God. The devotions are short and written in a very personal way. A scripture is included with each day’s devotional.

Some of the devotionals are relevant to the season because it does follow the calendar. The illustrations are cute, but are not included for each day. There are at least two illustrations for each month.

I would recommend this book to parents with young children 3 to 7 years old. Wake up or wind down with your little one while reading God’s Calling for Kids.

This ebook was provided to me by NetGalley.

Rating: 4 stars

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Book Review - The Bible Promise Book (KJV)

2014-03-03T15:48:00.001-05:00

The Bible Promise Book (KJV) published by Barbour Publishing is a powerful little book. What is in it? It is simply just the Word of God arranged by subjects such as anger, contentment, God's faithfulness and wisdom to name a few. There are no extra comments except from God Himself. It is small enough to be carried almost anywhere.

How do I use it? If I feel some anger, I turn to the section on anger and read the related scriptures to get God's perspective on the situation. It helps me not to make a situation worse..

A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger. (Proverbs 15:1)

If my situation seems to be too much that worry has taken over then I read:

Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. (Phillipians 4:6-7)

If I want to share God's Word with someone and not overwhelm him with the whole Bible then I give The Bible Promise Book. You will want to have extra on hand to have in several places like in your home and your car. You might be led to bless someone else with God's promises.

You can buy this book from Christianbook.com. I am not associated with Christianbook...just a fan. This book happens to be a frequent purchase of mine from them because I like to hand them out.

Rating: 5 stars

Book Review - Damaged: A Violated Trust

2014-02-11T12:05:00.004-05:00

I was reminded that I am so glad my days as a teenager is over while reading Damaged: A Violated Trust by Melody Carlson. This book has the typical high school drama that you might expect. You have the normal divide of popular kids v.s. the not-so cool kids. Hayley comes to a new school to live with her dad. She is estranged from her mom because of her ultra-conservative views. Moving with dad seemed like the best choice for more freedom.

Haley is the artistic type so becoming a part of the jock crowd was never part of her plan. By chance she ends up sitting with the popular kids and starts to crush on Harris, the star football player. Harris is obviously popular, dates the perfect girl and has the perfect life. Haley has zero chance with him or so she thinks. The king and queen of the school break up and Harris starts paying attention to Haley.

Haley starts to live her dream life when her and Harris become a couple. Things are perfect despite the haters and the warnings about Harris. The warnings must be coming from those that are jealous..right?! Eventually Haley's dream becomes a nightmare when Harris does the unthinkable.

There are no surprises with this book. It seems like a movie I saw on Lifetime. Despite being able to predict what was going to happen I recommend sharing this book with a teenage girl. It will help start a necessary discussion about date rape.

This post contains an affiliate link.

Rating: 3 stars

Book Review - Stranded (Alaskan Courage - Book Three)

2013-12-15T15:00:00.001-05:00

A cruise ship is an intriguing place to have a mystery. It’s even better in Alaska in the book Stranded by Dani Pettrey. Darcy St. James wants to help her reporter friend on an Alaskan cruise. After boarding the cruise ship, Darcy’s friend disappears.

On this trip, Darcy runs into Gage McKenna again. He is in charge of some of the cruise excursions. Darcy and Gage met before while trying to solve a murder mystery in the previous book, Shattered. There are unresolved feelings from their last meeting so you have tension right away when they see each other again on the cruise. One major problem between them is Darcy’s faith in God. Gage’s past personal tragedy causes him to doubt the goodness of God.

Explanation from the cruise staff about the disappearance of Darcy’s friend are not satisfactory. Darcy digs deeper with help from Gage. They find more disappearances and even murder. The pursuit of the truth puts them in danger from an unknown source. The reason for the disappearances are disturbing and sad. It reminded me of terrible things that are actually going on in this world. Despite the sinister things happening in the background, I thought the overnight excursions were a great idea. The whole cruise was truly set for adventure.

Pettrey has woven together a great mystery again in Stranded, book three of the Alaskan Courage series. I wanted to keep reading. I was nervous when I knew the bad guy was close. I cheered when the good guys came to the rescue. I am enjoying this series about the McKenna family. It’s like a great mini-series.

Once you start the series, you will be looking for the next book. I cannot wait to read Silenced. You can read more about the author, Dani Pettrey and this series on her website.

Rating: 5 stars

I received this book from Bethany House Publishers for my opinion.

This post contains an affiliate link. Read my disclosure page for more information.

Book Review - A Home For My Heart

2013-12-14T21:38:00.000-05:00

A Home for My Heart by Anne Mateer describes the plight of orphans and Sadie Sillsby’s desire to see their lives filled with love. Sadie is an assistant at the Raystown Home for Orphans. She understands these children because she was also a resident of the Home. Throughout the story, you will see her try her best to distance herself from her background which landed her at the Home in the first place.

Sadie is in love with Blaine. Their love was built on friendship and a mutual understanding of what it is like to come from unstable family situations. Sadie receives a wonderful opportunity to become the matron of the Home because the current matron decides to get married. The matron must remain single to stay in the position. Sadie is torn between a life with Blaine and “this calling” to the children. She accepts the position which drives a wedge between herself and Blaine.

The new job seems like a natural fit for Sadie. She loves the children at the Home and wants their life to improve with a forever family. The position of matron comes with more responsibility than expected - managing staff, soliciting donations and writing up expense reports. She would rather play baseball with the kids and tuck them into bed at night.

Sadie has difficulty determining what is real or fake. Is her newly hired assistant, Viola right for the job? Does Earl, a representative from The Children’s Aid Society have the best interest of her and the Home at heart? Has Blaine really moved on without her? Mrs. Fore is the wise cook that seems to truly understand the nature of people. Miranda is the housekeeper who is misunderstood, but is an undiscovered jewel.

Through prayer, Sadie eventually understands who and what is most important. As she matures, she makes decisions to follow the will of the Lord. That decision has wonderful results for herself and her community.

I liked this book. It was a sweet story with a young main character who was passionate about her work for children, but grew to be more concerned about God’s will.

Rating: 3 stars

I received this book from Bethany House Publishers for my opinion about this book.

This post contains an affiliate link. Read my disclosure page.

Book Review - Pocket Your Dollars

2013-12-11T22:54:00.000-05:00

“When a fundamental building block is missing from our lives, then no amount of fine-tuning can move things forward. That’s why we’re not starting with budget or expense trackers. Those are mechanisms for fine-tuning once we have a solid foundation.”

Pocket Your Dollars by Carrie Rocha is an easy and honest read about a difficult subject. It is about building a strong mental foundation for financial success by changing your attitude. Her first recommendation is not a budget although it is an important tool. Our greatest hope for real change is to take personal responsibility for past decisions. More money is not always the answer if you are not fundamentally different than when you had less money. The author gives us examples of lottery winners who lost it all to illustrate this point.

Rocha appears to be doing an operation on our thoughts about money. The sharing of her personal experience with help us improve our financial life. She does not want us to put a band-aid on our financial woes like more money or a budget. She wants us to get to the heart of the matter. When our attitude is correct then tools like a budget become more effective.

Buying can fill an emotional need that we did not even know we had. I have been done the “I deserve a treat” road. Life is tough, hard day, annoying boss and family problems can lead to “I deserve this something special”, but this behavior does not keep money in your pocket.

Satisfaction with what we have helps us to keep more of our money. We do not have to get caught up in comparison with others when we choose to be content.

Once our attitude is correct then we need skills to maintain our new outlook on money. Rocha helps us with that, too. Resilience will keep me moving even when I mess up. Her discussion about reframing was helpful to me. Instead of looking at failures as the “nail in the coffin”, you can reason that I am successful because of my failures. I learned from my past and I will keep moving forward.

The creation of a spending plan will definitely keep you focused on what is most important. The spending plan is not just about the mundane bills we have. It is even about the extras that use to get us in trouble before our attitude change. The extras like gifts and vacations do not have to produce guilt if properly planned.

This book is full of common sense. We need to own up to our mistakes and figure out what attitude is preventing us from moving forward. Financial tools like a budget and the right attitude will give us long-term success in our financial life.

Rating: 5 stars

This book was provided to me by Bethany House Publisher for my opinion.

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Book Review - Shattered (Alaskan Courage - Book Two)

2013-12-04T22:45:00.002-05:00

An open and shut murder case in Alaska...right? Reef McKenna was found with the victim and the evidence points to him as the murderer. The sheriff is ready to close this case as quickly as possible due to the overwhelming evidence. Reef’s sister, Piper, is not ready to lose him. She does everything possible to prove her brother’s innocence. She expects that those that are close to the McKenna family will see Reef’s innocence especially Deputy Landon Grainger. Landon has been a part of the McKenna family for years. Piper is like a sister to him until romantic feelings start to change his perspective.

Piper and Landon disagree many times on how to solve the murder case. She places herself in danger more than once to discover the truth. Landon is trying to let the facts tell the story. Conflict comes up often between the two because of unresolved feelings and their approach to solving the case.

I really enjoyed this book. Here are a few reasons why I think you should read it. This book is a good murder mystery. The answer was not obvious to me initially who committed the murder. Bravo to the author for keeping me guessing. The dialogue between Piper and Landon was fun especially before their true feelings were realized. The location of Alaska was great. It became its own character to me like someone or some place I wanted to visit.

Shattered is a romantic suspense novel, but there are some excellent spiritual lessons for us, too. Landon is a rugged, manly character who depends on himself. There comes a point in the book where he realizes that he is not in control. He humbles himself before God when he is hit with this realization.

One of my favorite quotes is advice from Piper’s older brother, Cole to Landon “You need to be sure you are in the right place, that the urge to self-destruct isn’t your default setting anymore, that God is the one steering your life.”

This book has so much of what I like in a story - mystery, interesting people, great location and a reminder that God is with us through it all.

Shattered is book 2 of the Alaskan Courage series by Dani Pettrey. You can read this book without reading Submerged, but I highly recommend reading book 1 first.

Rating: 4 stars

This book was provided to me by Bethany House Publishers for my opinion about this book.

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Pilgrims at Midnight

2013-11-06T00:31:00.001-05:00

I went searching for a nonfiction book for my eight year old twins. I used the Overdrive app on my nook HD+ to borrow an eBook from my library. Why am I reading Magic Tree House Fact Tracker: Pilgrims near midnight? I am in the middle of several other books for parenting, fiction and religious study, but the Pilgrims got me up reading.

My kids recently saw The Mayflower Voyagers starring the Peanuts gang. This book I'm reading now will expand their knowledge of the Pilgrims.

Is it to early to say Happy Thanksgiving?!

Good night.

Introduce Little House at a Younger Age

2013-10-15T20:43:00.001-04:00

Going to Town (My First Little House):Amazon:Books

Going to Town was my bedtime story with my daughter. The My First Little House book series is a wonderful way to introduce Laura Ingalls Wilder and Little House on the Prairie to children at a younger age.

Book Review - Otter and Owl Set Sail

2013-10-10T22:52:00.001-04:00

I was not expecting to find a lesson for me when I picked up Otter and Owl Set Sail by Crystal Bowman from the library for my 5 year old daughter. I usually leave the library with 30 books mostly for my kids. The lessons are meant for my children, but sometimes I am the one who is taught.

Owl had an idea to build a sailboat. His friend, Otter helps him to make it. When the boat is complete, it's ready to sail. Well, at least that was what Owl and Otter hoped for. Nothing happened when they first got in the boat. After a few tries, the boat did not budge. Owl was very disappointed. He thought that his sailboat was not good. Otter being a good friend reassured Owl that his boat was very good. The boat just needs something that only God can provide - wind! The sailboat finally takes off and Owl and Otter were finally able to make it to the other side of the pond.

This book made me think of things that I am working on that I am sure God wants me to do. The problem is nothing seems to be happening. Frustration comes and I think that maybe I'm not good enough. Then I remember to trust in the Lord and not to depend on my understanding because He is leading. God will send what is needed at the right time. He did it for Owl and He will do it for me, too.

Rating: 4 stars

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Book Review - You Are Special

2013-07-11T10:31:00.001-04:00

I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well. (Psalm 139:14)

Psalm 139:14 came to my mind while I was reading You Are Special by Max Lucado. You are invited to a land of wooden people called The Wemmicks. Every Wemmick was different in some way, but they were all carved by Eli, the woodworker.

The Wemmicks gave each other stickers. Stickers were nice for some, but not for others. The stickers separated the "good" from the "bad"; the "talented" from the "not so talented". Punchinello was considered to be clumsy and without talent. When anyone would met him, they would know the type of person he was right away. Why? It was because of the stickers on him.

These labels did not make Punchinello feel good about himself. Fortunately, he met Lucia. She stood out from everyone because she did not have any stickers! Lucia told him to go see Eli. Something wonderful happens when Punchinello mets Eli.

This book is encouragement for children and big people like me to remember "I am special" because of what God thinks!

Rating: 5 stars

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