Ellis (reviews & life)

Princess Stories (kids)- Book Review

2011-12-28T09:30:00.001-05:00

Princess Stories is the big sister to popular board book My Princess Bible. Princess Stories, appropriate for girls ages 4 to 8, is a collection of first-person narrative stories about 29 women in the Bible—and the 30th story is about the reader, who is God's princess too.

In each four-page story, the reader gets a rhyming verse about the princess (addressed to "Mirror, mirror on the wall"), a first-person story of the featured Bible woman and the special quality her life reflects, a Bible verse from another passage of Scripture that summarizes/relates to the character trait, and Princess Ponderings—questions that help girls and their parents discuss the stories and relate the lessons to life.

Through this book, girls will learn more in-depth stories of women of the Bible and how to apply Scripture to their own lives.

The Gospel Story Bible (kids)- Book Review

2011-12-27T13:59:00.000-05:00

Can a Bedtime Story Actually Change Your Life? It is easy to forget Jesus in the midst of frantic schedules, family squabbles, and conflicting priorities. But the truth is that he is the hero of every story, including these ordinary ones. This is why Marty Machowski puts God's plan of salvation in Christ on continuous display in The Gospel Story Bible. The easy-to-read storybook introduces your family to many captivating people, places, and events from the Bible's Old and New Testaments, showing how each one ultimately points to Jesus. As you share these Bible Stories together, you and your family will meet Jesus and learn a new, life-changing way of recognizing Christ as the hero of every story. Vibrant illustrations by A. E. Macha, child-friendly discussion questions, and Scripture references accompany each narrative to help you lead your family in exploring the Bible. You will be delighted to discover how easily even a young child can understand the original text of a story that he or she has already come to love. Ideal as a storybook for your preschooler, a devotional for your grade school student, a refresher for the adult believer, or an introduction for the new one, The Gospel Story Bible is also a companion to Long Story Short: Ten-Minute Devotions to Draw Your Family to God and the forthcoming Gospel Story Sunday School curriculum.

This new Bible Story book is a great way to end the evening with your children. I was excited to get a new version of the bible to read with my children as they grow older. I have loved the Big Picture Storybook Bible for the younger years, then we grew in to The Jesus Storybook Bible and I think this is the next step in reading bible stories with your children and helping them to understand God's love for them and the world around them. Not only is this a Bible story book that reads well to children of all ages it has a curriculum that goes along with it. There are also study guides for grade school children so that they can read the bible and begin that valuable skill of learning to study God's word on their own. I love how the stories link the Gospel into each page and character. If the story is from the Old Testament it links in a biblical truth and example from the New Testament. This reinforces that the Bible is one book and it has the same story throughout!

I am thrilled to see my children grow and learn with the help of this Bible story book.

I received a free copy of this book from The B&B Media Group. Thanks!!!

You can purchase your own copy by clicking the link above

Merry Christmas 2011

2011-12-22T16:41:00.002-05:00

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!

We hope you all have a wonderful Holiday Season and that you are able to spend time with family and friends. We will be staying in SC this year enjoying some 'just us' family time.

Hayden has de-decorated the tree from his eye sight down and has now decided that it is more fun to spend time under the tree instead of looking at it from a distance. He and our cat spend quite a bit of time under the tree. We are unable to put presents under the tree because the two of them would have them unwrapped before we could say Merry Christmas :) Hayden also likes picking up the little needles to place in the bottom of the tree stand.

Infinity was and is a HUGE helper!! She helped decorate the Christmas tree once again this year and did a lovely job! The ornament that she is putting up in the picture above is one she made at a friends house. We had a great time making ornaments and cookies with friends. Infinity is also a great helper keeping Hayden from climbing the tree!! We have a monkey on our hands what can I say...

In our beautiful warm weather here in December we decided to head to the park down the road and run out some energy when it was pretty near to 70 degrees the other day. Hayden is on the move and Infinity is pretty in pink as usual :) I can't believe how big they are Hayden just over 1 and Infinity just over 6!!!

As the saying goes...'time flies when your having fun' and we sure have been having fun!!

We pray that you celebrate Christ this season while having fun with family and friends!

Christmas Shopping- Etsy 15% off for blog readers!

2011-12-09T09:26:00.001-05:00

Christmas is just around the corner. I would love for you to check out my etsy store and see if there are any fun things there that you would like.

These scarves are just one of the new things listed.

In order for your gifts to arrive by Christams you must place orders by December 14th. If ordered after that additional shipping charges will apply if you want your gifts to arrive before Christams.

here are a few other things on display!!

Also if you are a blog reader enter the cupon code 'blogreader' for 15% off your purchase!!

Book Review (kids)- The Future Door

2011-12-09T09:22:00.000-05:00

A mystery is afoot at 221 Baker Street, but will Griffin Sharpe be able to figure out the clues before the future catches up with the past?

When Sherlock Holmes moves out of Baker Street, a new tenant moves in-a mysterious woman named Elizabeth who has long been a fan of Holmes. When she discovers that Griffin and his uncle are also detectives, she becomes very friendly. So when Elizabeth goes missing along with a special invention, Griffin sets out to rescue her. But finding Elizabeth will take them on a race against the clock that bends time itself!

This is the second book in the No Place like Holmes series. And I must say, I liked it much better than the first book in the series. Griffin is obsessed with counting object but as it turns out this helps him to solve mysteries. He and his Uncle are posed with a new mystery unexpectedly. The whole story is great and has some great twists and turns in it.

I would recommend this book for readers aged 9-11 or read aloud a little younger than that. I like the character development that happens with Griffin in this story.

There are quite a few scenes that are spider driven...not being a fan of spiders I was not fond of these scenes but they fit quite well with the story and were not overly done.

Great job Jason Lethcoe! I am excited to read the next book in this series.

I received a free copy of this book via booksneeze. Thanks!

You can purchase your own copy by clicking the linke posted above.

Book Review (kids) -Benny's Angel

2011-12-01T09:52:00.001-05:00

Who stole the flowers in God's Secret Garden? Find out in this delightful tale, which uses animals, nature and a visit from an angel to teach the importance of prayer and the value of trusting God.

Benny's Angel is a cute story about a family of animals who are posed with a problem of finding out what happened to the flowers in God's Secret Garden. The character names are all alliterated maybe a little to much so. The pictures are well done and delightfully childish, any child will love them. As I was reading through this story I found myself questioning the things taught in this book. I agree that prayer is important and trusting God is an invaluable lesson for children and adults alike to learn. I think it is important to teach children that we need to pray and trust God even if the result we see is not the result we desire. In this story everything seems too easy. The flowers disappear, they pray and the NEXT DAY the flowers are returned. If you are reading this with a child who knows anything about how things grow they will realize that if the roots to a flower are eaten off the flowers will not regrow back to a full beautiful flower the next day.

I hope that Laura Allen Nonemaker continues to write and refine her skills as a story teller to children. I am thankful that she is writing stories that teach the importance of Biblical characteristics that children and adults need to know. I hope that as adults read these stories to their children they will learn lessons as well.

In addition to this book each book comes with a code to download an audio version of this book. Check it out in the back cover!

I received a free copy of this book from KCWC for review purposes. Thanks!

You can purchase a copy of your own by clicking the picture above. Enjoy!!

Happy Birthday Hayden!!

2011-11-17T19:56:00.001-05:00

Happy Birthday Little Man!!

Can you believe it was a year ago that this little man was born? Seems like just yesterday.

We had some friends and family over for some pizza and monkey cupcakes. Infinity did a great job with the monkey cupcakes.

They disappeared rather fast. He picked off the face parts and then chowed down on the chocolate cake.

Full bellies all around

Messy faces

Hayden's friends were very giving to him. He got a Musical band guitar and keyboard all in one. Bath time basketball, a sensory ball, a weeble wable tree house and LOTS of cars

He actually picked these cars out in the store and has had a great time so far playing with them.

Suzannah showed Hayden how to use his keyboard/guitar.

Hayden and Daddy had a great time playing with all of the little cars Hayden got.

Family pictures with the big birthday boy who wouldn't look at the camera.

Thanks to all who made Hayden's Birthday a wonderful Day. Thanks to all of you who sent wonderful birthday wishes for our little man!!

Family Tree

2011-11-11T11:00:00.000-05:00

Sorry it is sideways.

Infinity had a school project to do a family tree. She drew most of our extended family members and picked out the pictures of our family to use. If you can blow it up and look closer at who is who you might get a good laugh at some of the depictions of people :) We love you all!!

I think she did a fabulous job considering I completely for got that it was due and she did all of this by herself in one night while I was at Choir rehearsal. She is creative and a great artist. She is also a hard worker. We are very thankful for her!!!

Laundry

2011-11-11T08:24:00.001-05:00

Who doesn't love a laundry helper? Especially when he is a cute as this little bug!! Too bad he likes to play more in the laundry basket which makes it difficult to get the laundry from point A to point B :) Somehow we will manage :)

Infinity is a great laundry helper...she actually does put things away, folds clothes and sorts socks!! Hopefully we will get Hayden on the sock sorting job soon. Although, the way he removes his own socks that might be a hard sell :)

Book Review_ Invisible Snow

2011-11-10T14:28:00.001-05:00

Kate Snow married the wrong man for the wrong reasons. Paul Delacroix was smitten with Kate the first time he laid eyes on her and was willing to do anything to have her. She was raised in a large, impoverished family near the slopes of Sun Valley, Idaho. He was the sole heir to his family’s Los Angeles-based multibillion-dollar corporation. It should have been a fairy tale romance, but it wasn’t.

Kate’s marriage unravels when she discovers a mysterious safe room which harbors her husband’s darkest secrets. The legacy of the family business is at stake, but power is not always about money. Their showdown results in a shocking twist of fate—a destiny Kate never saw coming.

Invisible Snow is a classic family drama about wealth, power, greed, and redemption. Marriage is a delicate dance of power between lovers, but Kate and Paul Delacroix are strangers caught in a disparate union somewhere between betrayal and truth. Confronting their true selves for the first time results in an epic clash of wills where only one will prevail.

I was approached by Quinn Barrett to review her book. I gladly took it on as it sounded like a great read. I must say that Quinn is a great story teller she has lots of details in her stories as well as twists and turns to her plot lines. I must also say though, that I found myself overwhelmed by the book. The book is really long...a lot longer that I was expecting. For a book to be that long it must keep my attention and not allow me to put it down. I did not find this to be true with Invisible Snow. Although I enjoyed the overall story, I think it was really two or three books in one. Had it been split into volumes I probably would have enjoyed it better.

Twists and turns in a book are usually a good thing to keep the reader on their toes. I found myself dreading the twists and turns because I knew it was prolonging the inevitable finishing of the book. Some of the information on those twists and turns did not need to be told...

Thank you Quinn for including me on your book review tour. I hope that you keep writing and continue to improve your craft!

I received a free copy of this book from Quinn Barrett. You can purchase the Kindle version by clicking the link above. Thanks!

Book Review (kids)- When God Created my Toes

2011-11-08T13:20:00.001-05:00

When God created my toes, did he make them wiggle? Did he know I’d giggle?
Did he have to hold his nose, when God created my toes?

This charming picture book allows your child to imagine what it was like when God created them. From the top of their heads to the tips of their toes they will explore and understand God’s delight in creating them.

Through rhyming lines and vivid illustrations children will gain confidence and self-esteem when they begin to fully realize how perfectly, intricately, and uniquely God created them.

This is a delightfully cute book. I love the rhymes in it and the fun questions posed. This book points little ones to God in every point of their creation! I love that. I love how the book poses questions so that little ones really think about what God did when he was creating them. I think it is a great starting point for a conversation about how God spoke everything into existence.

The illustrations are great and I loved every page. The facial expressions on the little girl pictured in the book are priceless!!

This is another great book from Waterbrook Press!

I received a free copy of this book from Waterbrook Press through their blogging for books program. Thanks! Please take a minute to review my review of the book. It helps me to be able to review more children's books just like this one for you. Thanks!

You can purchase your own copy by clicking the link above.

Trick or Treat

2011-11-01T21:06:00.002-04:00

Trick or treat and trick or treat some more. We had a lot of places this year to trick or treat. First off was my work. John's sister and her kids joined us as we scooted around the office seeing all of the Administrative Assistants and Attorneys. It was great fun!

Scooby Doo and me posing for a picture...I think this is the only picture I have of Hayden looking at the camera.

Scooby Doo (Hayden), Wicked Witch of the east (Suzannah), Velma (Infinity), Fairy Princess (Kaylyn), Pit Crew Racer (Joshua)

Most of the Admins just put their buckets of candy on the floor and let the kids pick through and get what they wanted

On Halloween Infinity decided she didn't like the wig for her outfit (as pictured above) because it didn't stay on right and it hurt her head. So, we got her hair cut (which she had been asking to do for a while) and sprayed it black to look like Velma. She is thrilled with her hair cut and loves it still even thought it isn't black anymore :)

My Velma and Scooby out trick or treating with friends.

Happy Halloween all. I hope you had a wonderful night!!

Pumpkin Patches

2011-10-27T10:26:00.000-04:00

Lately we have been hitting the pumpkin patches quite hard. We have been to two different pumpkin patches three times in the last month!!

Hayden is pulling up thinking he can walk but not being quite daring enough to actually take off on his own. He pulled up on all of the pumpkins and walked from pumpkin to pumpkin around the patch but never took a step on his own ...

Infinity was not too thrilled to join her brother for this picture but did her best to look at the camera while Hayden did his thing :)

Mini Miracles Farm has a whole bunch of kid friendly horses :) for the kids to ride.

Hayden was thrilled with the bales of hay...

Not so thrilled with the horse.

The wind picked up and Infinity didn't like her hair in her face...thus the reason she is holding her cheeks :)

Then we headed to May Lan Tree Plantation with Infinity's class. It was great fun!!

We had fun on the hay ride together. This was our second time here. We had gone previously with NaiNai and Papa so we knew the ropes :) Infinity had fun leading her friends around the Plantation.

Walking the maze...it was very much so follow the leader.

The bat cave scared us the first time through but we conquered it the second time around :) This was my group of kiddos for the day

Then it was off to Alligator Alley where the kids had to walk the maze and escape from the alligators in the 'water'. Some of them had a hard time walking from log to log...

Then we had to identify all the animals inn the garden... Some of them were actually quite difficult to find.

All in all, we have had a great time and hope to post pumpkin carving pictures soon...we have painted some pumpkins and will carve our big pumpkin soon.

Bonfire time of year

2011-10-26T19:51:00.000-04:00

It is the time of the year for cuddling up with your special someone by a fire place. My hubby bought this outdoor fire pit a few weeks ago for a date night and we have been enjoying it ever since. Last night was another such night. It was perfect weather for a bonfire and we took advantage of it. We put the kids to bed and headed out side for some good cuddling and conversation.

I hope that on these chilly evenings you have someone that you can spend some good quality time with while enjoying something together that you enjoy.

HAPPY FALL!!!

Bald Rock service with EBC

2011-10-19T12:39:00.001-04:00

Every year our church family goes up to Bald Rock to have an outdoor church services. Last year we did not go because I was HUGELY pregnant with Hayden and was just miserable all around. Normally it is freezing and we all bundle up in winter coats! This year it was a nice balmy 80 degrees!!

We are so thankful for our church family and the encouragment we have from fellow believers.

We get a family picture every year...it is neat to see how we have changed in the past 6 years :) (zoom in on Haydens face...it is priceless!!)

I wanted a nice picture of Infinity and I over looking the cliff of Bald Rock but she was too scared to smile correctly. She was afraid that we were going to fall off the edge of the cliff even though we were over 100 yards away from it!

Pumpkin Patch Fun!!

2011-10-19T12:27:00.000-04:00

Last weekend we were able to go to a pumpkin patch. It was great fun! They had an authentic hay ride and lots of other fun things for the kids to do.

Hayden was not so sure about the hay...once he got used to it he was crawling all over the wagon :)

Infinity is a pumpkin head :)

Hayden was crawling in and around these pumpkins. I had Infinity come over so we could get a picture. This is the only one that I can see both faces :)

Driving the truck to the pumpkin patch.

Papa and his grandkids sitting waiting for the hay ride to start.

John and Hayden waiting for the Hayride to start too...

They had a caterpillar blow up slide that the kids played in for a long time, then this was alligator alley where the kids have to walk on beams over the alligator pit. It was cute they had alligator figurines in the ground.

It was a fun time had by all and we walked away with a huge pumpkin and an white pumpkin for our front porch. We can't put it out until close to Halloween as the squirrels in our yard will eat it all before then if we do.

Happy Fall!!!

Book Review (kids) - Just in case you ever wonder

2011-10-13T12:00:00.000-04:00

This is a great book about the love of a parent for a child. As I read through this book with my daughter and son I just kept thinking over and over, this book could be used for a parent who has adopted a child, for a child whose parent has passed away or is absent for any reason.

I love how this book illustrates in word and pictures the love a parent has for a child. I love how it is spoken directly from the heart of a parent. This is a great book for a parent to have and read to their children on a regular basis.

I received a free copy of this book from Tommy Nelson through their Booksneeze program. Thanks!

You can purchase your own copy by clicking the link above. Enjoy!!

Book Review (kids)- Opps! TJ and the Timestumblers

2011-10-12T08:27:00.001-04:00

The mishaps never end as TJ’s “helpers” from the 23rd century—Tuna and Herby—continue to study TJ as she learns the valuable lessons she’ll need to become a future world leader. In Oops!, TJ learns the importance of speaking and thinking well of people even when they are difficult, thanks to the Thought Broadcaster Pen, which exposes the thoughts of everyone it hits. As usual, Tuna and Herby’s attempts to fix the pen only make things worse—now all of TJ’s thoughts become reality! As she fights not to return meanness to others (and to clean up the disasters her thoughts cause, like turning whiny TV star Hesper Breakahart into a giant baby), TJ learns from her dad a little more about how her mother handled things: She kept reminding herself that each of us is God’s creation. And no matter how mean people may be, we all need to be loved. The same message also unfolds through a side story of classmate Chad Steel learning to treat a mean boy better.

This is the third book in the TJ and the Timestumblers series. I love the way these books are written. I have read and reviewed the first book in this series and loved it as well. These books are written in such a way that a middle elementary school student can relate and read them quickly. Bill Myers uses crazy sound effects and all sorts of different fonts and sizes of fonts to get the dramatic point across. I think it makes the books more interactive.

Any kid who has moved goes through the feelings of anxiety that TJ faces in each and every book. It doesn't help that her Timestumbling friends seem to make every problem worse. Just when she thinks things are normalizing Tuna and Herby help mess it up again.

This book is funny, engaging and perfect for a read-aloud book to lower elementary kids and as a read alone book for mid-elementary kids.

I received a free copy of this book from Tyndale Publishers. Thanks!!

You can purchase your own copy by clicking the link above. ENJOY!!!

Book Review (kids)- Thank you, God, for loving me

2011-10-04T12:48:00.003-04:00

Meet Little Hermie-the cutest baby caterpillar in the garden! Little Hermie's thankful heart shows toddlers how to be thankful for God's blessings.
Little Hermie is thankful for everything God has given him. He goes through his day thanking God for his many blessings in this adorable board book with flocking on the cover!
With over 5.5 million brands units sold, the new Little Hermie books open the wonderful world of the Hermie & Friends garden to an entirely new audience.

Max Lucado books are a favorite in our house especially the Hermie and Wormie series. We seem to be getting more and more of them all the time. I am thankful for this little worm and his attitude towards God. I am thankful that he shows thankfulness in this book for all kinds of things. Little Hermie is just a baby in this book and is learning all the great things to be thankful for as he travels throughout his day. It is a perfect book to read aloud to your children of all ages. It is even a good reminder to parents as we read this book that we need to find things to be thankful for all around us.

I received this book from Tommy Nelson through their Booksneeze program. Thanks!!

You can purchase your own copy by clicking the link above. Enjoy!!

Fall Fun around our house

2011-10-03T11:24:00.002-04:00

Hayden is getting bigger and is more of a monkey now than ever before. He climbs everything and can now get down from just about everywhere he ends up.

Hayden had taken up driving me crazy :) This toy has become a favorite over the past few weeks. We had taken the batteries out when he was a baby because they were dying and it would just go off at random times. Now that he can enjoy it we put the batteries back in and enjoy it he does.

We have been exploring the outside. Leaves he discovered do not taste good but that doesn't stop him from trying just about everyone that he picks up.

Hayden discovered that you can stick sticks in the ground and they stand up if you stick them just right...

He loved pulling up on this big tree in our front yard. Infinity kept scaring Hayden by jumping out from the other side of the tree.

Leaf throwing time. This is probably one of Infinity's favorite fall actives. She rakes a huge pile of leaves and then jumps in them and throws them on herself and Hayden!! They had a blast for a LONG time.

Infinity got this sweat band at the Mauldin Bash a few weeks ago and Hayden loves to have it on his head as he plays with balls around the living room. If you take it off he picks it up and tries to put it back on his head. :) Silly little boy!!

Book Review (kids)- Night Night Blessings

2011-09-26T08:40:00.001-04:00

This book is a precious way to put your little ones to bed at night and fill their thoughts with the many good things that have filled their day. It's a great way to teach them gratitude and help them sleep soundly at night.

Whether it's Mommy's goodnight kisses, Grandpa's comfy lap, or pancakes stacked THIS high, there are so many blessings to count before bed! Written in rhyme and coupled with adorable illustrations, this follow up book to best-selling Night Night Prayer will be an instant bedtime hit.

Amy Parker, has given us another cute children's book filled with blessings and prayers. This is the second or third book I have reviewed of hers and have loved each one. This one is filled with prayers or blessings your children might pray at the end of the day before they are going to bed.

I read it with my children, Infinity (5 1/2) thought it was cute but it was a little under her. Hayden (10m) loved turning the board book pages and loved pointing to all the different people and animals as I read. Hayden still finds this book and flips through the pages and then pushes the book around the room.

I thought the prayers/blessings in this book were well written and child appropriate. Often times we as parents don't think the same way a child does and this book helps as parent think very much so like a child.

Great Job Amy Parker!!

I received a free copy of this book from Tommy Nelson through their Booksneeze program. Thanks!

You can purchase your own copy by clicking the link above. Enjoy!!

A hole in Infinity's head

2011-09-23T09:02:00.005-04:00

Two Sunday's ago it was a big day in our house. Infinity gained a new hole in her head :). She has been wiggling for a while and Sunday night after dinner she was eating a gummy worm and it popped out! I screamed with delight and she thought she had done something wrong and started to cry. After consoling her we were all really excited for this new phase of life. The next morning after the tooth fairy brought her a dollar I asked if she was happy with what the tooth fairy brought her...her reply, "well, I wish she would have brought me a toy, or maybe a spin brush toothbrush with princesses on it." I guess we know for next time to put a little toy under her pillow instead of money :)

Book Review- Under A Fiary Moon

2011-09-22T09:46:00.000-04:00

Addy Marten sets out to explore her new neighbour's beautiful garden, and especially the rows of mysterious stone statues that she has glimpsed through her bedroom window. Instead of the enticing hideaway she has imagined, however, she finds herself trapped in the Median Realms, and an unwilling pawn in a game of Fairy Chess. She must use all her courage and wits to win the game and free herself from malicious fairy creatures and their twisted fairy-tale world. -- “A misbehaving pixie named Enitua steals the limelight as the novel's most precocious character and later becomes a key ally in guarding the human's safety.” -- Publishers Weekly Reviewer (Amazon Breakthrough Novel Awards, 2010)

This book is an interesting book. It is written for preteens and teens. The language throughout the book is sometimes difficult to follow but T.M. Wallace is very thorough in her descriptions of this magical fairy world.

I enjoyed reading this book and once I got into it found myself getting lost in the Median Realms as well. Caught up in the adventure and trouble that befell Addy.

I was hoping to be able to read Under a Fairy Moon to my daughter but it will have to wait a few years since she is only 5 1/2 and some of the material and word choice she will not understand. I hope to be able to share this book with her soon though as she loves Fairies and wants to learn all about them.

I received a free copy of this book from Brownridge Publishing through Pump Up Your Books. Thanks!

You can purchase a copy of your own by clicking on the link above. You can also add to your Kindle by clicking the link on the right. Enjoy!!

Book Review- House of Bones

2011-09-20T12:33:00.000-04:00

Kit Livingstone met his great grandfather Cosimo in a rainy alley in London where he discovered the reality of alternate realities.
Now he's on the run-and on a quest-trying to understand the impossible mission he inherited from Cosimo: to restore a map that charts the hidden dimensions of the multiverse. Survival depends on staying one step ahead of the savage Burley Men.
The key is the Skin Map-but where it leads and what it means, Kit has no idea. The pieces have been scattered throughout this universe and beyond.

Mina, from her outpost in seventeenth-century Prague, is quickly gaining both the experience and the means to succeed in the quest. Yet so are those with evil intent who, from the shadows, are manipulating great minds of history for their own malign purposes.

Those who know how to use ley lines have left their own world behind to travel across time and space-down avenues of Egyptian sphinxes, to an Etruscan tufa tomb, a Bohemian coffee shop, and a Stone Age landscape where universes collide-in this, the second quest to unlock the mystery of The Bone House

This is the second book in the Bright Empire series and is FANTASTIC!! I loved the first book in the series and have been counting down the days until this second books release.

The story continues right where it left off and is thrilling and full of mystery and adventure from the first page to the last. The story line is complex and if you have not read the first book, please do so before you read this book. You will have fewer questions if you do. This book needs to be read in order of the series or you can and will miss out on some key points.

I loved this book and it will take a permanent place on my bookshelf. If you like mystery, adventure, time travel and fun, check this book out for a good read.

I received a free copy of this book from Thomas Nelson through their Booksneeze program. Thanks!

Please purchase your own copy of this great book by clicking the link above.

2011-09-13T15:37:00.000-04:00

Hermie and his friend Wormie have always felt common. They don't have stripes or dots, they aren't very strong, and they can't find anything special about themselves. But every time they pray, God tells them that He loves them all the time just as they are and that He isn't finished with them yet. When Hermie becomes a beautiful butterfly, he realizes just how special God's plan is for him!

This is a great story about waiting on God's timing for everything. Hermie and his friend Wormie want to be like the other creatures they see around them and get quite impatient with God for making them common.

I read this yesterday with my daughter who absolutely loved it. We will be reading it again and again I am certain.

This book is set up as a reading level 2 book which means there are quite a few words on the page but there are still pictures on every page as well. This is the perfect format for kids who are still learning how this reading thing works. I love Hermie and Wormie and can't wait for Max Lucado to come out with another book in the series.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksneeze. Thanks!

You can purchase your own copy by clicking the link above or visiting your local christian book store.