Thrifty floral tutorial

If you know me, you know I'm 'Thrifty'.

No, I didn't say cheap, I said Thrifty, lol.

I ran out of baskets to do my florals in, because I sold more than

I expected this year.

I needed a couple of

arrangments for the cemetery,

and it is an 80 mile round trip to pick up more baskets.

So

I started thinking, what am I gonna do?

Then I spot a coffee can

And being a thrifty person, I grabbed it,

washed and cut the bottom out of it

and peeled the label off

Then I put it ove my styrofoam

and pushed

until it cut the circle out

perfect fit, a touch of glue around the foam

and it won't budge

I start in the back, gluing each stem in, extending the ones

that need to be taller.

Finished product, except for the ribbons to cover the can.

And with the ribbon and bow.

 

For this tutorial, I used a 13 ounce can, but some of the other ones,

I've used the larger cans.

THE DMZ by Jeanette Windle

Published by KREGEL Publications
512 pages

Julie Baker was born in Columbia, to American Missionary parents, and raised in that country until her parents died of cholera when she was about 16.  She then went to live with her godfather, Norm Hutchins, and went to college, majoring in Journalism, then going to work for him at Our Earth, an environmental magazine.
Julie had always said she would never return to Columbia, but when the opportunity arose to go for a short tour of the area where she was raised, with other reporters, she convinced  Hutchins that she was the one to go.  Shortly after her arrival, she slipped away to go see the graves of her parents, which she had never seen, and another reporter, Tim McAdams, followed her into the night. Before they could return  to the compound, they were surrounded by and kidnapped, taken deep into the jungles. Julie was accused of beinga spy, and threatened.  Anytime anyone may have found them, they were moved, and then Tim McAdams was taken to a different location.

This book is wonderful, I could not put it down.  It has suspense by the truckload, and the characters seem so real that you feel you know them.

PROMISES TO KEEP by Ann Tatlock

Published by Bethany House
a division of Baker Publishing

Set in the 1960s. 
When Janis Anthony packs up and leaves her abusive husband, Alan, she moves to Mills River and buys a house, near her father.  Her three children have differing views of the seperation.  Wally, her oldest, at 17, was the son of her first husband, who died when he was very young.  He disliked Alan and was happy to be away from the man who beat his mother.  Roz, 11, was hoping her father would change, and they could all be back together. The youngest, Valerie, was too young to remember much.
Shortly after they moved into their house, the previous owner, Tilly, shows up on their doorstep, and before long, she's moved back into her house, with the new occupants. She takes over cooking and childcare, while Janis works.
Roz makes friends with another girl, Mara, and they both are hoping to see their fathers soon.  Mara finally goes to Chicago with her grandparents and meets her father, but Roz, when she finds that her father is now in Mills River, tells no one.  Will keeping this a secret put her family back together as she hopes?  Or will it put them all in danger? 

This is the first book that I've read by this author, and I really enjoyed it. It is well written, suspenseful at times, and doesn't sugarcoat family issues. Very realistic.

REGGIE by Reggie Dabbs with John Driver

REGGIE
You can't change your past, but you can change your future
Thomas Nelson publishing

Born to a 16 year old teenage mother, who already had 3 other children, he was adopted and raised by his mother's high school English teacher and her husband, as their own child.  He was about 7 or 8 when he found he was not their birth child.  Reggie now goes to schools all over, telling young people that they are worthy of love, and that they are important to him. He tells them they can call him Daddy, that he cares for them, and is there for them.  He tells his story, and tells them that YOU CAN'T CHANGE YOUR PAST, BUT YOU CAN CHANGE YOUR FUTURE.  There is no telling how many lives this man has saved, with his ministry to these kids.

This is a book I would recommend to anyone, especially teachers and pastors, who deal with kids who need some self esteem. 
I was given this book to read and review by BookSneeze, no other compensation was given.  I'm not required to give a favorable review

.http://my.barnesandnoble.com/communityportal/review.aspx?reviewid=1632562

THE FIRST ESCAPE, the Dopple Ganger Chronicles by G P Taylor

http://my.barnesandnoble.com/communityportal/review.aspx?reviewid=1632554

Tynedale House Publishers

This book, while not my normal reading, is an interesting book for the age group for which it was written. I am thinking my 11 year old grandson will love the style of the writing, and the cartoon like pages that are interspursed through the book. Living in an Orphan's Home, Isambard Dunstans School for Wayward Children, 14 year old twins, Sadie and Saskia Dopple get into all kinds of trouble, but when Saskia gets adopted, and has to leave her sister, things go from bad to worse. Sadie, and Erik, a former thief, escape the home, and go looking for Saskia, and are pursued by a gang of enemies.

I was send a free copy of this book, to read and review.  No other compensation was given.  I am not required to give a favorable review.

I Won I Won!!! (not a book review)

I went to the mailbox today, and had a package...I was kind of expecting a package, a dress I ordered last week, but when I picked this up to get it out of the mailbox, I realized that it was either the heaviest dress I'd ever lifted, or it was something else.  Sure enough, it was not my dress, and when I saw who sent it, my wonderful Sister in Christ, I had to laugh, it is EASTER so what could it be!  Nothing less that an Easter Egg, 14 ounces of pure Heaven (Chocolate Fudge)  and it's mine, all mine.
Thank you Sis, I did have to offer to share a little of it because hubby was standing there when I opened the box.

Beside Still Waters by Tricia Goyer

This book is scheduled for release about April 1, 2011
Published by B&H Publishing Group, Nashville TN

Marianna Sommer is 18, her birth date is the same date as the death of 2 of her sisters, when their buggy was hit by an 18 wheeler. Raised Amish, she's always known about her sisters deaths and feels as if she doesn't quite replace them, so she has been a dutiful, and industrious daughter her whole life. She plans to join the church in the fall, and hopefully marry Aaron Zook.

Her older brother, Levi, has left the Amish life, and works and lives in a community nearby, to the shame of his family. When a younger brother mentions that he will go live with Levi, when he reaches the age of Rumschpringe, Abe, their father starts talking of moving to Montana, with the family.

Marianna at first plans to stay in Indiana, but when her father tells her that her mother is expecting another child, and will need her, she agrees to go with them, for 6 months, to help until the baby is born. They pack their belongings, including the quilt that she plans to give Aaron, when it is finished, and board a train to Montana.
The Amish community is quite small, and things are very different for Marianna, and the whole family. She meets Ben on their arrival, who is not Amish, so she tries to keep him at arms length. Before long, she decides to finish her quilt, and sell it to get the money to go back to Indiana, before she becomes to attracted to Ben.

This is a very good book, not like most Amish stories, that I have read. I liked that it tests the boundaries and asks why things are the way they are. Tricia Goyer has done an excellent job of writing, and I would recommend it to anyone who likes a good story.

I was given a copy of this book to read and review.  No other compensation was given.  All opinions expressed here are my own.

PARADISE VALLEY Dale Cramer

Historical Fiction
Bethany House
a division of Baker Publishing

5 stars

A must read for anyone who likes Amish novels, Historical Fiction, or just a book that you don't want to put down. Dale Cramer has done a wonderful job of weaving a real incident that happened in the 1920s, into a story that is very intriguing.   I would never have known this book was written by a man, had I not read his notes after I finished reading the whole book.

In 1922 Ohio, when Caleb Bender and 4 others in his Amish community were arrested for not sending their younger children to the public schools, he started thinking about what he could do to get his family and friends out of this mess in which they'd found themselves involved.
Seeing a flyer about fertile land in the mountains of Mexico, he starts investigating, and soon decides that he will go, with his family, to check things out, and if it turns out to be land they can farm, the rest will follow over the next year or so.
This is the story of that move, and the year they are there alone, learning to farm this new land, and to communicate in the new language of the people they've chosen to live among
Family of Caleb and Martha Bender:
 Barbara, 11,
Leah, 13
 Rachel, 16, had to leave behind the boy she loves, Jake Weaver,
 hoping he'll follow in the next year.
Mariam, the 18 year old, fears that she won't find a husband already, and what are her chances in the wilds south of the border.
Emma, newlywed, and her husband, Levi, are looking forward to the move, to help hide their secret.
Aaron, 21, unmarried.
Lizzie, 23, remains behind with her husband and 3 children.
Mary, 24, and Husband Ezra, with their 2 sons.
Ada, 27, unmarried, and mentally challenged.

I was given a copy of this book to read and review.  No other compensation was given.  I am not required to write a positive review.

PLAIN PROPOSAL by Beth Wiseman

Plain Proposal
A Daughters of the Promise Novel
by Beth Wiseman
Best Selling Author of Plain Perfect
Published by Thomas Nelson


Miriam Raber was in her rumschpringe, the Amish running around period, before joining the church.
She is in love with Saul Fisher, and has been for years.  She hopes to join the church, marry Saul, and raise a family in the community where she grew up.

Saul though he loves Miriam, has other plans, he wants to move away from Paradise and become a chef.
He has a secret that he doesn't dare share with anyone else in the community, only he and his two younger brothers know this secret.  He tells Miriam that he is leaving Paradise, and she should forget him. She vows to follow him, wherever he leads.  Will she follow him, or will she join the church and marry someone else?  What will it do to her parents, if she leaves?

Miriam's cousin, Shelby, comes to visit, for the summer.  Her parents have divorced, and felt that Shelby should be somewhere else while they try to get her life straightened out.  Shelby isn't Amish, so the life she is thrown into, is completely different from anything she's ever seen. 

This book is different than any other Amish story I've read.  A lot of twists, and everything doesn't work out like most would.  I really enjoyed the book, and would think that anyone who likes Amish stories would also enjoy it.

I recieved a copy of this book to read and review, from Thomas Nelson, through their BookSneeze program.  I recieved no other compensation, and I was not required to give a favorable review.

Tricia Goyer video about latest book, Beside Still Waters

I have read and reviewed this book on this blog, and I highly recommend it.
Jettie

Winner announced

Honeysmom

entry #7 is the winner

of the book

'Save the Date'

by

Jenny B Jones

Thanks for all who entered

and please enter again, when I have

another book to give away.

New Book Giveaway 'Save the Date' by Jenny B. Jones: CLOSED

And the winner is:
Entry #7
Honeysmom!
Contact me with your mailing address,
and I'll get the book out this week.
Thanks to all who entered,
and I'll be hosting another book give away
when one of the publishers sends me an extra book!

 

I recieved 2 copies of this book, with no instructions

as to what I should do with the extra.

So, I've decided to offer it to my blog readers.

It is funny, very entertaining, and you can find my

review here

http://jettiesramblings.blogspot.com/2011_01_01_archive.html

*to enter, please leave a comment on this post*

I'll draw for the winner on 3-21-2011

at

6:00pm

and the winner will be announced on this post.

Jettie

BOOK GIVEAWAY Winner named

If you entered the book giveaway, please check the post for the name of the winner.

I will be giving another book away in about 2 weeks, so if you didn't win this one, please check back to enter the next one.

THE PROMISE OF AN ANGEL by Ruth Reid

The Promise of an Angel, by Ruth Reid
A Heaven on Earth Novel
Published by Thomas Nelson Publishing
Release date June 11, 2011

At 19, Judith Fischer loves children, and entertains them with stories  whenever she gets the chance.  She hopes to join the church, marry and have lots of children of her own, hopefully with Levi Plank, a young man in the Amish community where she was raised. 
When her young brother, Samuel, falls from the barn roof, Judith finds a large Englischer man hovering over him, and believes she has seen an angel.   Samuel, severely injured, will never walk again, according to the doctors.  Again, Judith sees and talks to the Angel, Tobias, who tells her he is sent from God, and that Samuel's steps are numbered by God.
When Judith tells about seeing an Angel, the whole community thinks she has lost it, and only Andrew Lapp, Levi's cousin and the Bishop's son, listens to her.   Before long, Judith finds herself with very few friends, and about to be forced to go live with family in Ohio, for continuing to believe that Tobia is an Angel,, after being told not to talk about this subject any more.

 This is Ruth Reid's first published book, and she has done an outstanding job of making the characters believable and come alive.  From the first page to the very end, it is a book that will hold your attention.  I hope that she continues to write more novels in this genre.

I recieved a copy of this book to read and review, no other compensation was given.  I was not required to write a favorable review.

PUJOLS More than the Game by S. Lamb and T. Ellsworth

PUJOLS
More than the Game
by Scott Lamb and Tim Ellsworth
Published by Thomas Nelson

Albert Pujols and his wife, DeeDee, are amazing people which this book definitely shows.  They display their faith in God in many ways, always witnessing, in the way they live, and act, for Him.

With the statistics Pujols has, he could quit playing baseball right now, and still be in the record books for the rest of time.  He works hard to display his God Given talent, never letting up on practice just because he is tired.

I loved this book, it shows how, even when you are on top, you can be a Nice Guy.
I did think that the statistics were a bit much, but once I got past those, I cruised right through the rest, enjoying every paragraph.

I think anyone who loves sports, especially baseball, or just the St. Louis Cardinals would enjoy this book, and be amazed at the talent this young man has, and what he has accomplished.

I received a copy of this book from BookSneeze, to read and review. No other compensation was given.
I'm not required to give a favorable review.

Book Giveaway closed AND THE WINNER IS

Heather

at the Picket Fence.

Thanks to all who entered.

I'll have another give away in a couple of weeks, so please check back.

Jettie

I recieved a copy of the Life Ready Woman, Thriving in a Do-It-All World, by Shaunti Feldhahn and Robert Lewis, to give to one of my blog readers.

If you would like to enter

please put your first name, or your blog name and your email address in this form

 jettieatpoptartdotcom

in a comment at the bottom of this post.

On Friday, March 4th, I'll draw the winner, and email you for your mailing address.

The Life Ready Woman by Shaunti Feldhahn and Robert Louis

 Do you ever wonder how you can do everything and do it well? Does it seem like it's hard to be a modern woman and still live life from a biblical perspective?   Shaunti Feldhahn and Robert Lewis address the issues that modern woman face; issues that are completely different than those our female ancestors faced. With so many opportunities available to woman today, we can do almost anything we want. But, we need to be sure we are following the plan God has provided each of us. This book  reminds us that you can never really "have it all" - something will suffer. Most women are torn between jobs and family.  The authors are careful to include information for woman at all stages of life from single to widowed and make sure to give examples for these different stages.
 I would recommend this book to every woman, it is a book that should be reread occasionally, to keep it fresh in your mind what Gods plan is for you.

I recieved a copy of this book to read and review.  No other compensation was given, all opinions expressed here are my own

The Bridge of Peace, by Cindy Woodsmall

I'd never had the opportunity to read any of the books by Cindy Woodsmall, so I didn't have any idea on what to expect. I have to say that I was very pleasantly surprised to find that she is an excellent writer. Her story flows from one person to another very well, with it all intertwining into a wonderfully beautiful story that leaves you glad you took the time to read it.
This book is 2nd in Ada's House series, and takes up where The Hope of Refuge ends. I see there is also another book coming out this fall and I plan on reading the whole series.

If you enjoy a good book, you won't be disappointed.

I received a copy of this book to read and review, no other compensation was given.  All opinions expressed here are my own.  I was not required to give a favorable review.

The Real Skinny on Losing it, by Michelle McKinney Hammond

True Confessions and Devine Revelations of a former Yo-Yo Dieter
Tyndale House Publishers


I enjoyed the way the author, Michelle McKinney Hammond, made the book interesting, and the way she explained her struggle with weight and why she felt that women have the problem. I did feel that she kept the writing light, and made you feel she was right there with you on the yo-yo diet wagon. Her "Keeping it Real" comments were exceptionally right on target.

 I received a copy of this book from Tyndale to read and review. I was not required to give a positive review. All opinions expressed here are my own.

ADVENTURES IN BOOGABOOGA LAND By Richard Milner

Published by Thomas Nelson
There are 3 episodes on this DVD
Approximately 45 minutes total.

The Episodes are: 
                           1.  Squid Sushi loses his Marbles, 'The lost Pearl', Mathew 13:45-46
                           2. Wally the Waiter, 'The Soil and the Seeds'  Matthew 13:24-30
                           3. The Flaming Monkey, 'The Wedding Banquet'  Matthew 22:2-14

I shared the viewing of this dvd with my almost 8 year old granddaughter. 
They are cute stories, and my granddaugher enjoyed them a lot, we sat through the whole thing twice.

I received a copy of this DVD from BookSneeze to watch and review.  No other compensation was given.
The opinions expressed here are my own.

SAVE THE DATE by Jenny B Jones

Thomas Nelson Publishing

Lucy Wiltshire runs a non profit home for girls that have 'aged out' of the child welfare system, but still need help and support.  When her funding is cut, she starts trying to find some way to keep Saving Grace, the home she runs, open.  In steps Alex Sinclair, who is running for congress, and needs to tone down his playboy image.  He makes Lucy an offer, pretend to be his girlfriend, and then his fiance, to help him win the election, and he will give her a donation to keep the house open and a deed to the property.
Lucy isn't your typical southern charm school girl, she's not afraid to get dirty, tell people her opinion, and she doesn't necessarily want to be paraded on the arm of a former football star turned politician.  When her apartment gets flooded, and she is hounded by reporters,  she ends up at the home of a friend of Alex's, Clair Deveraux, former first lady of South Carolina.  Clair is intent on making a 'lady' out of once homeless Lucy.

This book is hilarious, Lucy gets into more 'fixes' than is almost humanly possible.  Alex is always pulling her out of one thing after another. Jenny B. Jones has me laughing loudly with some of these episodes.

I received this book to read and review from BookSneeze.  I received no other compensation, all opinions are my own.

INDIVISIBLE by Kristen Heitzmann

INDIVISIBLE by Kristen Heitzmann
Published by WaterBrook Press

This book is very complex, winding through the lives of all the characters, delving into their phobias and issues. I think anyone who enjoy a good mystery, romance, or a little scare, in their books, will enjoy this book, it held my interest from page one, down to the last paragraph.


Jonah Westfall is the police chief of a small town, where his father had been police chief before him.
He's trying to overcome the memories of a very bad childhood, at the hands of that same father.
And he's also trying to get past the mess he and Tia, the sister of his former fiance, had made of
things, several years ago.
Tia runs her mother's candle shop, and lives in the family home, that the rest of the family abandoned 9 years previous, to go with her sister, Reba, to Arizona.  Tia has never understood her parent's disinterest in her, and her life, treating her as something unwanted.
Piper  rents Tia's extra room, and works for Sarge at the bakery.  She's tired of the vagabond life her family lives, and is looking to put down roots.
Liz is a vet, and has bought the local clinic, which had been closed for awhile.
Miles, an inventor, has many issues, concerning hi size and fear of touching.
These are the main characters in the book, which has several other characters and sub plots. 

This is an author that I'll be reading more of her writing, very soon.

I received a copy of this book from WaterBrook Press to read and review.  No other compensation received.  All opinions expressed here are my own, and I do not give positive reviews to books that I don't enjoy.

UNTO THE HILLS by Billy Graham

UNTO THE HILLS
A Daily Devotional
by
Billy Graham
Published by Thomas Nelson Publishers

This is an updated version of the book reissued on the 25th anniversary of the original.  There is a devotional
devoted to each day of the year, with a Bible verse at the top and a short prayer at the end of each.  I think this is the best way to understand some of the Bible, for those of us who need to delve more deeply into the word of God, but don't take the time to read daily.  I am really enjoying the devotionals, and his Preface, he says he never picks up the book without thinking of his late wife, Ruth, and knows that soon, they will be reunited, but until then, he is dedicating the book to her memory.


I have a very hefty respect for Dr. Graham, so when I got a chance to review this book, I jumped at it.  I seldom reread a book, but this one will stay by my chair, as it seems to touch on many subjects, I can read it and understand his explainations in just a few minutes time.  And with the verse at the top of the page, if you want to go more in depth, you have a location to start reading.

I received a copy of this book from BookSneeze to read and review.  I recieved no other compensation for my review.  All opinions expressed here are my own.

COMING BACK STRONGER by Drew Brees with Chris Fabry

A Memoir
Coming back Stronger
Unleashing the hidden power of Adversity
By Drew Brees with Chris Fabry
Forward by Mark Brunell

First off, let me say, I'm not a big football fan, and I don't watch too many professional sports. I've never been enamored with the glamour and hype that seems to draw a lot of people to read or make heros out of athletes.  So you probably ask why I signed up to read and review this book. I didn't intend to, and passed it by a couple of times, but I kept coming back, and it was still available.  I think it was meant to be, that I read it.
Drew Brees really pretty much tells how it was, from high school and college sports, to being drafted into professional football.  It can be, and many times is, a hard life, no matter what the pay.  How injuries and bad seasons can effect even the most dedicated player.  How he had to work to recover from a bad shoulder seperation, and what it was like, the year after Katrina hit New Orleans, for the people there, the team with a new coach, and never having won a championship.  And then you fast forward to the 2009-10 season, when they managed to pull out a Super Bowl Victory, losing his mother just before that season started.

So you say you aren't a sports fan?  Read this book, you may not be a sports fan when you finish it, but you will have a lot of respect for a Quarterback named Drew Brees

I recieved a copy of this book from Tyndale House Publishers to read and review.  I recieved no other compensation for this review.  All opinions expressed here are my own, whether favorable or unfavorable.

AN AMISH LOVE by Wiseman/Fuller/Long

Published by Thomas Nelson Publishing

This is 3 Novellas written by Beth Wiseman, Kathleen Fuller, and Kelly Long
All three stories are stand alone, but they all happen in the town of Paradise.



Marriage of the Heart by Kelly Long
Abigail Kaufman was raised by her father, after her mother's death.  She felt unloved, and was looking for a way out of the Amish community.  Joseph Lambert was looking to come back tot he Amish ways, after living  the Englisch way for a few years.  Suddenly, they find themselves married, without ever really knowing each other.  And, to Abigail's dismay, instead of leaving the Amish life, Joseph wants to embrace it...Will they grow together, or be pushed farther apart?

What the Heart Sees by Kathleen Fuller
Ellie Chupp lost her sight in the accident that took her friend, Caroline's, life.  Caroline's fiance, Christopher Miller, leaves the community, and is gone for 5 years. Ellie's fiance had left her shortly after he discovered she would be blind the rest of her life.  Christopher returns, finds his sister is marrying the boy who had been driving the car, the day of the accident.  He wants her to break the engagement, because of his loss.  Will he succeed, or will he discover the truth of that day 5 years ago?

Healing Hearts by Beth Wiseman
After their children were all grown, Naaman Lapp walked away from his wife, Levina, and was gone for almost a year.  He returns, and Levina is unsure of his intentions, even when he says he is home to stay.
Then word comes that a sheriff from Ohio, where Naaman had been living at his cousins, has shown up in the community of Paradise, and is looking for Naaman.   What has Naaman done during the time he was gone, to have the law looking for him?

All three of these stories are really well written, and enjoyable.  I think that anyone who likes Amish writing will be happy with it.  It gives you a chance to check the different writing styles of these three authors.  I have a favorite, but I'm not saying which, as everyone should draw their own conclusions.

I received a free copy of this book to read and review from Thomas Nelson Publishing.  I received no other compensation.  All opinions expressed here are my own.

A RUSH OF WINGS By Kristen Heitzmann

Bethany House Publishers

Noelle St Claire, the daughter of a prominent lawyer, is on the run, but she isn't sure who or what she is running from, she only knows she has to hide.  She places a cryptic call to her father, and, paying cash for tickets, ends up in Juniper Falls, a tourist town in the Rocky Mountains.  When she can find no place to rent,  the man at the general store recommends she check with Rick Spencer, who owns a couple of cabins a little further up the road. 
Morgan, Rick's brother, is very attracted to Noelle, but she only offers him a small part of her friendship. 
Rick, who owns the ranch, trains and raises horses, and Noelle wants to help him train a particular horse, Destiny.   When fall arrives, and everyone leaves for the winter, Rick tells her that she can no longer stay there, it wouldn't look right. 

For 381 gripping pages, you learn, as Noelle discovers, the reason for her fear and her weird dreams.  Will she learn the full reason, and be able to move forward with her life?

I read a lot of books, and I know a great book when I read it, this book is a great book. at least 5 stars...
I recieved a free copy of this book to read and review from Bethany House, I received no other compensation for my review.  I am not required to give a favorable review, and all opinions expressed here are my own.

UNDER THE OVERPASS by Mike Yankoski

Under the Overpass, a journey of Faith on the streets of America
Foreword by Fancis Chan
This is the Updated and Expanded edition.

Multnomah Books

Have you ever wondered how it would be to be homeless in America?  To wander the streets, trying to live day to day?  To find safe places to rest your head, when you are exhausted, and need to sleep? 

In 2003, Mike Yankoski got the idea to see how life was on the streets, and finally convinced his parents, and a few others that he was serious about finding out.  Sam Purvis accompanied him on this 5 month trek into what some would call the underbelly of humanity. They took no money, just a couple of guitars, a couple of sleeping bags purchased from thrift stores and a backpack each.   They lived in 6 different cities in the 5 months they were homeless.  They ate, slept, and lived just as the other homeless people did, even resorting to eating other peoples left food, and sometimes out of trash cans.  They panhandled, playing their guitars for whatever people would give, to survive.  They played Christian music, and talked to the other homeless about Christ.  They visited many churches, and sometimes the 'welcome' they received wasn't exactly what they expected.  Even to being asked to leave by several.

I'd say this book tells it pretty much how it really is for the homeless.  Mike did leave out the profanity but he stated that it was to save our eyes, not that it wasn't abundant.

This book got me to thinking, why do we think we need more and more and more 'stuff'?  Is it really necessary to accumulate all these possessions?  Do they really make us happy?  To me the answer was an unequivocal No, they are like a saddle on our back. 

The most compelling sentence in the whole book, for me,  "We are responsible to help others toward hope in Jesus' name.  But we are not responsible for their choices."
A 5 Star book all the way.

BESIDE STILL WATERS by Tricia Goyer

This book is scheduled for release about April 1, 2011
Published by B&H Publishing Group, Nashville TN

Marianna Sommer is 18, her birth date is the same date as the death of 2 of her sisters, when their buggy was hit by an 18 wheeler.  Raised Amish, she's always known about her sisters deaths and feels as if she doesn't quite replace them, so she has been a dutiful, and industrious daughter her whole life.  She  plans to join the church in the fall, and hopefully marry Aaron Zook.
Her older brother, Levi, has left the Amish life, and works and lives in a community nearby, to the shame of his family.  When a younger brother mentions that he will go live with Levi, when he reaches the age of Rumschpringe, Abe, their father starts talking of moving to Montana, with the family. 
Marianna at first plans to stay in Indiana, but when her father tells her that her mother is expecting another child, and will need her, she agrees to go with them, for 6 months, to help until the baby is born.  They pack their belongings, including the quilt that she plans to give Aaron, when it is finished, and board a train to Montana. 
The Amish community is quite small, and things are very different for Marianna, and the whole family.  She meets Ben on their arrival, who is not Amish, so she tries to keep him at arms length.  Before long, she decides to finish her quilt, and sell it to get the money to go back to Indiana, before she becomes to attracted to Ben. 

This is a very good book, not like most Amish stories, that I have read.  I liked that it tests the boundaries and asks why things are the way they are.   Tricia Goyer has done an excellent job of writing, and I would recommend it to anyone who likes a good story.

A Time to Embrace by Karen Kingsbury

A Time to Embrace
Timeless Love Series
by Karen Kingsbury
Thomas Nelson Publishers

After almost divorcing just a few months earlier, John Reynolds, coach of the Marion High School football team, and his wife, Abby, are again madly in love, and as happy as they have ever been in their marriage.  Then rumors begin surfacing of Coach Reynolds' knowledge of some of the football team racing on the streets, and drinking.  Soon he wonders if he will even finish out the year, and if he does, he plans on resigning, and doing something else with his life.

Have you ever read a book, and felt you 'knew' the characters?  This is the way I feel about John and Abby Reynolds, their daughter, Nicole, and her new husband, Matt.  And really, every character in this book. I laughed and cried right along with them. When I chose this book, I had an opportunity to  to review Karen Kingsburys A Time to Dance, which is the book before this one in the series. I will soon be reading that book, too, as soon as I can purchase a copy.

I received a copy of this book from Booksneeze, to read and review.  No other compensation was given.  The opinions expressed here are my own.

Nightingale by Susan May Warren

Ester Lange, a nurse,  met Linus Hahn just before he was going to be shipped overseas to fight in WWII.  They saw each other for a month, and then he was gone, but not before he got her pregnant.  She wrote to him, and he sent her to his parents home in Roosevelt, to have the baby, and live until he came home. 

Ester knew she didn't love Linus, but she was saddened when she received a letter from a medic, Peter Hess, saying that he had been with Linus, who was badly injured, and he'd given him a letter to send to her, as he feared he was dying.  Ester continued to write Peter, while she waited for the military to notify them of Linus' death.  Little did she know that Peter was a medic for the German Army, held in a prison camp nearby, until she went to see him at a nearby base, and they escorted a man in, with POW on his clothing.  She left  without even speaking to him, but in life, seldom are we in control and she and Peter are thrown together several times, in the next few weeks. 
Linus comes home badly injured, but his parents are insistant on the couple marrying for the good of their child. Neither really want the marriage, because Linus was in love with another nurse, whom he had known since childhood.
Will they marry?  What will happen to Peter?

.
Susan May Warren has hit another home run, completely  out of the ball park.
I love historical fiction, and she writes as if you are in the room with the characters.
I read it in two days, I'm happy to recommend it to anyone who enjoys a good read.

I received this book from Litefuse to read and review, no other compensation was given.
Published by
Summerside Press.

Enter to Win a Flip HD Video Camera

HEAVEN IS FOR REAL by Todd Burpo with Lynn Vincent

Thomas Nelson publishing

The Burpo family had already been through several health emergencies, when their almost 4 year old son, Colton, started having stomach problems.  5 days in, it is discovered that he has a ruptured appendix and is operated on, with little chance he will survive.  But, survive, he does, and a few months later, Colton starts telling his father, Todd, who is a minister, things that there is no way he could have known, about the day of his surgery.  And then he tells his father that he sat in Jesus' lap, and met Todd's grandfather,Pop, who died over 23 years before Colton was born, and other people he met, including a 'sister' who is in Heaven waiting to meet her mom and dad and who doesn't have a name.  Colton had no knowledge before this, that before he was born, they had lost a baby, only 2 months into the pregnancy, and that his parents had no clue if the baby was a boy or a girl.

If you only read one more book in your lifetime, you need to read this one.  If you didn't believe before this, I think you will after reading.

I recieved a copy of this book to read and review from Booksneeze.  I received no other compensation.
All opinions expressed here are my own.

ALMOST HEAVEN by Chris Fabry

From the very beginning, Billy Allman has a rough life.  On his 10th birthday, he and  his family are washed away in a dam break on Buffalo  Creek.  The only thing  saved was his father's mandolin, which Billy had learned to play.  It was a couple of days before they knew that his father had survived and was in a hospital in a nearby town.
Shortly afterward, they moved to the town of Dogwood and rented a house.  His father had developed black lung from working in the coal mines, and was unable to work anymore, so his mom, Arlene, went to work in a beauty salon, cleaning.  Billy sat with his dad after school, and sometimes played the mandolin for him.  His father committed suicide one day while Billy was at school.
Billy became interested in radio, worked for a couple of stations, then decided to build his own, from parts obtained in trades.  During this time, his mom developed Alzheimer's, and he has to care for her, though many of his neighbors pitch in to help him, with cooking, and watching her, while he works.
This particular part of the book had to have a lot of research or personal knowledge of how the mind of an Alzheimer's patient works.  The conversations are just too real!  And through all Billy goes through, his belief in God stands strong. 
This book is something special, I don't feel a review can fully do this book justice. The characters are very complex, and real, even Malachi, the Angel, who is sent to Billy, is a well developed character.

I recieved a copy of this book to read and review from Tyndale Publishing.  I received no other compensation for this review.  All opinions expressed are my own.

The WAITING by Suzanne Woods Fisher

The 2nd book in the series Lancaster County Secrets.

Published by Revell
a division of Baker Publishing

When Ben Zook left Lancaster County to go to Veitnam as a contentious objecter, he asked Jorie King to wait for him, and for the past couple of years, her life has been on hold.  Then word came that Ben had been killed, and Jorie has to move on with her life. She begins teaching in the little one room schoolhouse and knows she has to get the 8th graders ready to take the state exam in May, or the Amish children will have to go to the public schools.
Just two weeks after news of Ben's death, his brother, Cal, lost his wife, Mary Ann to leukemia, and he is left to raise his youngest brother, Ephraim, and his young daughter, Maggie, alone, while running the farm.  One of Mary Ann's last requests was that he find a new wife to help him, and she hoped it would be Jorie.

Just when it looks as if Cal and Jorie have decided that they can become a family, the bottom falls out of their world, when it is found that Ben is still alive, and in a mental ward at a hospital in Lebanon, about an hour away from the farm, and Cal brings him home to try and help him recover.

Does Jorie still love Ben, the man she has waited for, since she was a young woman, or is she in love with Cal?

This book isn't just a simple story, it is very complex, with lots of characters who make the story very interesting, from Sylvia, Mary Ann's sister, to Dr. Robinson, the new vet in the community.  I found myself reluctant to put it down.  I know that if you start reading, you'll feel the same.

I received a copy of this book from Litefuse to read and review.  I received no other compensation.
All opinions expressed here are my own.

The Gospel According to Jesus by Chris Seay

Thomas Nelson Publishing
Religion/Christian life/Spiritial Growth

What does the word Righteousness mean to you? 

This book examines the average Christian's understanding of the Bible, especially the translation of certain words, and how they may hold a different meaning than originally intended, when written in the original languages.

I'd say, that, as someone who is trying to learn to live as Jesus taught,
 a 2nd reading of this book would give me greater understanding of the author's point, that 'there is a staggering disconnect between the gospel according to Christians, and the gospel according to Jesus.'
I also feel that reading this book and discussing it with other people, would also help me to be able to get a good understanding of what the author means.

I recieved a copy of this book from Booksneeze,  to read and review.  No other compensation was given.  All opinions expressed here are my own.

The Vigilante's Bride by Yvonne Harris

Bethany House Publishers
297 pages

December 17, 1884
Emily McCarthy was raised in an orphanage in Chicago, and when she turned 18, there was no place for her, as younger children needed her room.  It was suggested, strongly, that she go to Montana and marry a weathy widower, Bart Axel, who had advertized in the Chicago Daily Tribune for a wife.  Unable to find a teaching position, or any other job, she finally sees no alternative, and gets on the train, heading west.

Billings Montana, December 24, 1884
Luke Sullivan is heading to the place where he was raised, when he overhears a lawyer talking about a 'package' he is to deliver to Bart Axel, a man who had cheated his father out of his land and money, in a crooked card game, 20 years earlier.   Luke decides to take the money back, that was stolen from his father, so he stops the stage coach, and relieves the lawyer of $1,000.00, giving him back the rest.  When Emily sticks her head out,  and it is announced that she is Axel's future wife, Luke decides to save her from marrying a 60+ year old man, who's last wife had died under mysterious circumstances. 
Emily thinks he has taken her to sell her to a house of ill repute, imagine her surprise when she reads the name plate near the door New Hope Foundling and Orphan Asylum. Christmas Day Bart Axel shows up to claim his bride to be, but finds she isn't quite willing to go with him.  When he says he'd given the orphanage in Chicago $300, Luke pays him the money back, and invites him to leave.

This book was a very pleasant surprise, I think Yvonne Harris has taken what could have been a typical western story, and made it very much a story that should appeal to everyone who loves a good book.

I was provided a free copy of this book to read and review.  No other compensation was given.  I am not required to write a favorable review, and all opinions expressed here are my own.

MASQUERADE by Nancy Moser

Bethany House Publishers
400 pages

It is September 1886 and Charlotte 'Lottie' Gleason and her Ladys Maid, Dora, are being sent to America, where she is expected to marry a man she has never met, to prop up her family's failing finances, and get her away from the scandal surrounding her father's misconduct.   Raised to be part of the 'Gentry', Lottie wants to have adventure, and see the world on her on, and has no wish to marry for money, she wants to marry for love.  Dora, on the other hand, has been a servant since she was 13, and wishes to better her station in life. 

On the ship, Dora meets Dr.Greenfield, she and Lottie discover that she can pass for a Lady.  It gives Lottie the idea to have Dora pretend to be Charlotte Gleason, which will give Lottie the freedom to do as she wishes. 

Dora, pretending to be Charlotte, successfully passes herself off as an English lady.  But, from the moment Charlotte, who is now called Lottie Hathaway, leaves the ship, things start going wrong.  First, someone steals all her money and jewels, then the cousin of Dora, who she planned to stay with, was no longer in New York.  And to really make things worse, what few clothes that she had sent ahead to their residence, had been stolen, so all she had left were the clothes she was wearing.

What will happen to Lottie?  And will Dora marry Conrad and live her life pretending to be Charlotte?  Will they ever find each other, again?

I loved the discription of the clothing in this story.  I cannot imagine ever having to wear anything so cumbersome as a dress with a bustle attached, or having to have  help to dress or undress.

Ms Moser has done a wonderful job in describing life in this time for both the very rich, and the  very poor.  And the pictures in the back of the book of those dresses should make any woman glad she didn't have to wear them.  I also enjoyed the letter to her readers in the back of the book, telling how parts of the story came about, even when she had different plans for those characters.

A very well written, enjoyable book.  One of the few that I've wished would continue on and on.

I was given a copy of this book to read and review.  No other compensation was given.  I'm not required to write a favorable review, and all opinions expressed here are my own.

IN EVERY HEARTBEAT by Kim Vogel Sawyer

Bethany House Pubishers
Historical Fiction 346 pages
http://www.bethanyhouse.com/

3 friends, all raised in an orphanage, go off to college in Missouri.
Libby Conley, who was left orphaned when her parents were killed in an accident,wants to be a famous journalist, and make a name for herself.
Bennett Martin, who was left on the doorstep of the orphanage, as a baby, was there to have fun, meet girls and find a place where he can belong.
Pete Leidig wants to become a minister, but he has yet to forgive his parents for putting him out at a young age, and while trying to survive on his on, the loss of his leg.
Libby starts submitting romantic stories to a magazine, and soon she gets a small check and a letter that they will print her story, she is ecstatic, until Pete tells her he is trying to get those titillating romantic stories removed as they were not 'fit reading' for young women.  He has no idea she has written one of those stories, so Pete doesn't understand the reason she is upset.
On a trip home to the orphanage for a wedding, Libby finds that the woman she always wanted as a mother, has adopted twin girls, and she feels abandoned,.  She also discovers that she is in love with Pete, and that he is in love with her.  Shortly afterward, she goes home with a roommate, so that she can meet a published author.  She sees a notice in the local paper about a 16 year old who ws convicted of murder, while robbing a store, and is to be hanged.  The picture of the young man looks a lot like Pete, so she goes to see the young man, and then starts waging a campaign to save him.

This is a very compelling story, with several twists and turns.  It is the first I've read from this particular author, but I will be interested in reading more.

I recieved a free copy of this book from Bethany House Publishers to read and review.  I received no other compensation for my review, and I am not required to post a positive review.

LOVE'S FIRST BLOOM by Delia Parr

Ruth Livingston thinks her father will change his mind before he sends her away, with Lily an 18 month old, the daughter of  murdered prostitute, Rosalie Peale.  Her father, Reverend Livingstone tells her she can keep her given name, but she is to become Ruth Malloy, a young widow, whose  husband died in New York City, and now her time of mourning has ended.   He was sending her to Elias and Phanaby Garner, who would introduce her as a distant relative.

Shortly after her arrival in Toms River New Jersey, word reaches her that her father has been arrested and is being tried for Rosalie's murder.  Then she reads in the papers that they are looking for Ruth to see if she has run away with evidence that her father was a murderer. 

Between hiding from reporters, and caring for a small mischevious child, she is quite stressed, and Phanaby suggests she work in the garden across the river, at an abandoned cabin.  But, turns out the cabin is now occupied, by an injured man, Jake Spencer, who tells her she can continue with the flower garden.

Her father is acquitted of the murder, and she thinks she can soon go home, but people still say he is guilty, and shortly afterward, her father passes away, and she is left an orphan, with an orphan, who is not her child but she has come to love, to raise.  And if she admits she is Ruth Livingstone, someone will take Lily from her,  Reporters constantly show up in the area, looking for her story, so she continues to hide.  She begins to fall for Jake, but then finds out he is a reporter, and is he just after a story?  Or does he really care for her?

Delia Parr has written a very compelling story, and I really enjoyed it. 
I recieved this book from Bethany House to read and review.  No other compensation was recieved. 
All opinions expressed here are my own.

Don't Kiss him Good-bye by Sandra Byrd

2nd in the London Confidential Series books.
Juvenile Fiction/Teligious/Christian
US $6.99

Savvy Smith has settled well into the new school and getting acquainted with more of her classmates in Wexburg Academy just outside London England.  She is still delivering the school newspaper, The Wexburg Academy Times, and secretly writing the school advice column.

She learns that there is to be a May Day Ball, and she probaly wont be invited to go, since most dates have been settled on, since early in the school year.   Then she gets an invitation to attend, by a new acquaintance, Rhys, who she meets in the library, when he asks her for her help on some school work.  At first, she wants to go with him, but the longer she knows him, the more flags she sees waving as to his character.  They've already bought her dress, and paid for her share of the limo ride, and she feels badly that her parents will be out that money.  What should she do?

I know these books are meant for tweens and young teens, but I totally enjoy them, and feel that it doesn't hurt  parents and grandparents to read a little of the stress from wanting to belong to the crowd. 
Sandra Byrd has totally captured my reading heart.

I recieved ths book free from Tyndale House publishers to read and review.  I recieved no other compensation, all opinions expressed here are my own.

THE NATIVITY COLLECTION by Robert J. Morgan

THE NATIVITY COLLECTION: 
Six Stories that Share the Smiles, the Heart, and the Hope of Christmas
by Robert J. Morgan
forward by David Jeremiah
Thomas Nelson Publishing

The stories are:
Ollie-A story of how a mix up turned into a wonderful Christmas of sharing.

Poet Boy- Christmas Eve, the Nativity told in a little different way, when a young man forgets his lines in a play.

Over My Dead Body-  A famous carver, and how a grandchild opened his eyes to God, and the Nativity Scene he carved that everyone wanted.

Five Quarters of a Mile- A blizzard, a child alone with his grandfather, who has a heart attack, and how the Nativity carved by the grandfather's grandfather saved them.

Nativity Seen Smiling- A pre Christmas wedding, a honeymoon that goes badly, and a young couple whose marriage starts off on the wrong foot, and how a a Nativity Scene helps them back on the right road.

Sugarplum and the Christmas Cradle-A story with a surprise ending, including a real live Nativity.

The first story, Ollie, had me in tears very quickly, and I can bet that most of the others who read it, will shed a tear or two.    Poet Boy had tears rolling for a different reason, and you can really imagine that this is a true story.   

My first thought, this would make a great gift book and it will, but it is also a book that I will keep, and reread every Christmas.  All the stories are special, and touching in many different ways.

I received a free copy of this book from BookSneeze, to read and review.  I received no other compensation.  All opinions expressed are my own.

Waiting Waiting Waiting....

I have nothing to read, can you believe that one!!
I have at least 7 books on the list, one of which will have a review due in early October, and not one has arrived.  Whatta you want to bet that they all show up the same day?

FAITHFUL by Kim Cash Tate

Christian Romance/fiction
Thomas Nelson Publishing

Cyd Sanders, turning 40 and wondering why she's never found the man of her dreams.
Stephanie Sanders London, her sister, who has found a man, Lindell London, and married him, but did she marry him for the right reasons?
Phyllis Owens, married to Hayes, but she wants more from him than he is willing to give.
Dana, married to Scott, but there is a shadowy 3rd person who is trying to break up their marriage.
Cedric London, brother of Lindell, but are they anything alike?
Rod Clarke, widowed, with 2 young daughters, where does he fit into this?

Why have I written this review with only questions, and no real synopsis of the story?
Because this is an amazing story, that needs to be read with a fresh mind.  Kim Cash Tate has woven this novel around these central characters, and I don't think a short synopsis could do this book justice. 
If you want to read a story that will make you cry, laugh, and praise God, then you need to read this one.
I could not put it down.

I recieved a free copy of this book from Booksneeze to read and review.  No other compensation was given.  The opinions expressed here are my own.

No More Christian Nice Girl by Paul Coughlin & Jennifer D Degler, PhD

Bethany House
a division of Baker Publishing Group

No More Christian Nice Girl
When just eing nice,
instead of good, hurts you,
your family and your friends

By:
Paul Coughlin & Jennifer D, Degler, PhD


Have you ever felt like you do things for people, not because you want to, or have the time, but because you feel it is expected of you?  Then this is the book for you.   It is broken down into 10 chapters, which have questions which you answer True or False, and also has things you can do to help change your attitude. 

I know it is one I needed to read and I need to keep it and reread it, whenever I begin to feel that it is 'my duty' to take care of others first, and put myself last. 

I received a free copy of this book from Bethany House to read and review.  I received no other compensation for my review, and all opinions expressed here are my own.  I am not required to write a positive review.

Love Finds you in Victory Heights Washington

Love finds you in Victory Heights Washington
by
Tricia Goyer  & Ocieanna Fleiss
Published by Summerside Press
344 pages
$12.99 U.S.
http://www.summersidepress.com/

Rosalie Madison works as a riveter at the Boeing plant in Seattle Washington.  On her way to work, she goes to Victory Square, to honor her fiance', Victor Michaels, who had been killed the year before, over Midway Island.  She is accidentally jostled by a reporter, and it knocks her into another person, which splashed his coke onto her work clothes.  Angry, mostly because she dislikes reporters, because her father was one, she lashes out at Kenny Davenport, bringing them both to the attention of Lana Turner, who is appearing on stage at the moment.  Miss Turner thinks they are sweethearts, having a little spat, and brings them both on stage to Rosalie's embarrassment. 

When she arrives at work, she is hassled by two male co-workers who say they have just managed to break the plant record for shooting rivets on one shift.  After a few minutes, Rosalie says that she and her pardner, Birdie, could outdo the men.  They do, which brings them to the attention of plant management, and another newspaper story, again, with Kenny Davenport as the reporter. and soon their attraction is apparent.

Will their romance blossom, or will the fact that Kenny is a reporter, and Rosie doesn't trust reporters, because her father abandoned her and her mother, chasing stories cause her to not follow her heart?

A very well written book, and it is seamless, you cannot tell a difference in the writing styles of the 2 authors.

***
I was given a free copy of this book to read and review by Litfuse.  No other compensation was given.
The opinions expressed here are my own.

Captured by Grace by Dr. David Jeremiah

Thomas Nelson Publishing




Have you ever sat in church, and wondered about the songwriters of the songs that are sung many Sundays? Amazing Grace, a song I've heard since childhood, and still love, but I'd never really thought much about the writer of the lyrics, or how those lyrics actually came about. John Newton lived a life that you'd never expect, of someone who would write such a song.



The author explains Grace in terms even a new Christian can understand, and I feel it is a book that should be kept, and reread, whenever you feel down or as if you aren't quite good enough. I also feel that this is a book that should be shared, and discussed, because I feel that everyone will understand parts of it differently.



I recieved a copy of this book from Booksneeze to read and review. No other compensation was given. All opinions expressed here are my own.

LOVE IS A FLAME

Love is a Flame:
Stories of what happens when love is rekindled,
compiled by James Stuart Bell with forward by Gary Chapman
Bethany House Publishers

This book is a compilation of over 40 short stories about marriages that are on the rocks or at least in danger of being there, but through prayer, and work, they are rekindled. Most of the stories are only 4 to 7 pages long, so reading this book can be done in short spurts, without losing your place.  It gives some good strategies on how to keep your marriage fresh, or how to bring back the feelings you probably had when you were first married. 

I really think that before you are too many stories into the book, you'l recognise some aspects of your own marriage, and you can then compare how you handled your crisis, as opposed to how the person writing their story, handled theirs. 

Recommended reading for anyone whose marriage may be struggling.

I was given a free copy of this book by Bethany House Publishers, to read and review.  I received no other compensation for my review.
The opinions expressed here are my own.

STILL HOUSE POND by Jan Watson

Tyndale Publishing
Fiction/Christian/Historical

Lilly Gray Corbett is 12 years old, her father was a doctor, but he passed away, and her mom married again and they live on Troublesome Creek.  Copper, her mother, is a midwife for the community and is called at all hours to catch babies, as Lilly calls it.  She now has a little brother, and twin sisters who she has to care for when mom is busy.
Her Aunt Alice, her father's sister, invites Lilly to come to Lexington to visit, and Copper, against her better judgement, allows her to go.  There is a train wreck, people are killed and  Lilly is nowhere to be found.

Jan Watson has written a very compelling book, the storyline is very good, and it was with regret that I came to the last page.   I'd highly recommend this book to anyone who loves a good story.

I was given a free copy of this book from Tyndale Publishers, to read and review.  I received no other compensation for my review.
The opinions expressed here are my own.

ANGEL SONG by Sheila Walsh & Kathryn Cushman

Ann Fletcher is returning to Charleston to see her sister, Sarah, recieve her degree.  This is her first trip since her grandmother's passing, several years ago.  On the plane, she meets Patrick Stinson, a developer, who offers her an opportunity to work for him, staging his condos for the market.
Shortly after her arrival, Sarah and Ann are in an accident, when a drunk driver runs a light, and strikes Sarah's car.  Ann is only shaken up and bruised, but Sarah is badly injured, and Ann jumps in the ambulance with her, to ride to the hospital.  Sarah starts humming a very haunting melody, and shortly after arriving at the hospital, Ann is told that Sarah passed away.
Sarah's friends, Ethan, his cousin, Tammy, and Keith, who is Tammy's son with Downs Syndrom, help Ann through the funeral, and taking care of the necessary business associated with Sarah's death.  After the funeral, she decides to put the house on the market, and go back to NYC and pick up her life, never to return to Charleston, but she keeps getting drawn back. And Keith keeps sending her drawings that he tells her are the angels he sees near her, to help her.

A very good book, one that I would recommend to anyone. Well written, and it makes you think.
Thomas Nelson Publishing
329 pages

I received a free copy of this book from Booksneeze to read and review.  I received no other compensation for this review.  All opinions given are my own.

My next Review

This is the book I just requested from BookSneeze

It will be a couple of weeks before I receive it.

Sizzling Sixteen, and other ramblings.

I have just read the latest Janet Evanovich book, Sizzling Sixteen,  it was purchased by my daughter, as I'm not aware of any place you can sign up to read her books for review. I'd been waiting for at least 8 or 9 months for the release of this one.  I have read the first 15 of the Stephanie Plum books and the ones with Diesel, which amounts to about 19 or 20 books, I have to humbly say that this one didn't measure up to the others.

I think this is the longest that I've had to wait for a book to arrive, since I started Blogging for Books early this year.    At times, there have been 2 or 3 and sometimes 4  on my desk, waiting their turn as I read an earlier arrival.    One of the companies, is revampng their website, so it will be a few more days before I can check to see what they have available.  Another company has 3 books on their site, but none of them have grabbed me by the collar, and insisted I hit the 'order' button. And another, well lets just say I'm apparently not watching my email closely enough, and don't get my request in, in time for my name to go on the list.  I'm supposed to be getting a 'Love finds you' book, but it hasn't arrived. 

Lets just say that I'm in withdrawal, and needing a book fix.The laundry is caught up, I've made 16 bars of soap, and put 27 quarts of tomatoes in the freezer, I want to read...

THE WITNESS by Josh McDowell

Marwan Accad and his brother Ramy own an executive security business, protecting rich and famous clients.  Refeeq Ramsey hired them to find his wife's kidnapper, and the killer of his 12 year old daughter.  He had already paid 11 million dollars, and now they were wanting 25 million more or they would kill Claudette.  While meeting with Ramsey, they were ambushed, Ramsey was killed, and Accad's driver was blown up.  Then at his hotel, he is ambushed, and barely comes away with his life, being shot in the shoulder. Suddenly Marwan was on the run, accused of murder, and it seemed everywhere he went, they were able to track him.  Who could be wishing him dead that much, and why?

This is a book that I didn't rush though.   It is very interesting, but it takes reading it while you can pay attention to the plot.  There are a lot of locations, with great descriptions and also  the characters are really well thought out, and interesting.

Tyndale House Publishers
374 pages

I was given a free copy of this book by Tyndale House Publishers,  to read and review.  No other compensation was given.  The opinions expressed here are my own.

Sarah's Garden by Kelly Long

A Patch of Heaven Novel
300 pages
Thomas Nelson Inc.  Publisher


Sarah King always tended the kitchen garden, and somehow her plants aways grew with beauty and the care she gave them.  But,when her sister, Chelsea, married, it became Sarah's job to run the family farm stand at the end of the lane.  Her first customer on her first morning was the new veterinarian, Grant Williams who had purchased the Fisher farm just across the way. Sarah's head knew that Amish girls did not fall in love with Englischer  men, but her heart just wouldn't listen.  And when Grant fell in love with her, too, they were treading dangerous ground, that could get Sarah shunned by the community, and worst of all her family.  Then,  Grant disappears, sending her a cryptic letter that breaks her heart.
Her family keeps hoping that her lifetime friend, Jacob Wyse can repair her broken heart.  Will she marry Jacob, even though her heart still aches for her first love?

Kelly Long has hit a home run with this novel, it kept calling my name, and I finished it in record time.  I've read several Amish novels, but this one has a twist.

SCARS AND STILETTOS by Harmony Dust

Scars and Stilettos, the transformation of an exotic dancer.
By Harmony Dust
Monarch Books
$12.99

Harmony is a young woman , who is drawn into the seamier side of life by
trying to please a boyfriend, who only uses her to fund his lifestyle.  Intending to
work as a stripper for only a short period of time, to pay off bills, and fund her college education,
she finds herself working more and more to please her boyfriend, though no matter how she tries, it is never enough.  The story also tells how she finally finds God,and goes on to help other women in the trade, to change their lives, too.

 I can see how her childhood and early teen years could cause her to question her
worth.  It is a sad truth that many young women get pulled into a lifestyle such as this because of sexual abuse,
This book is not light reading, but it does have a sound message.

Disclaimer:
I received a free copy of this book from Litfuse to read and review.  I received no other compensation for this review.  The opinions expressed here are my own.

Book Giveaway AND THE WINNER IS

Miss Jeans..

Thanks to all that participated, and for those that didn't win, please enter the nxt time I have a book to give away.


http://scarsandstilettos.com/

I'm trying to find a copy of the book cover to post here, but until I do find it, please go to the link above for information about the book.

Please either click on the  COMMENT at the bottom of the post to enter, or those of you who can't do that, please contact me on YUKU or post to me.

I'll get everyone's name, and will give it a # in the order it is entered.  I'll drop the numbers in a box, and let one of the grandkids draw the winner.  

I don't know the date of the giveaway yet, as it will be given on the date that I'm scheduled to post my review for the blog tour.  As soon as I'm notified, I'll post the date here.

Thanks for your interest and good luck!

Love on a Dime by Cara Lynn James

A Ladies of Summerhill Novel


The summer of 1899 finds Lilly Wesport in Newport, Rhode Island, in the middle of the summer social season.  Lilly's brother, George, has invited his friend, Jack Grail, to visit.  George has no idea that for a very short period, a few years earlier, Jack and Lilly were engaged, before Jack overheard Lilly's parents discussing her future, and saying that they hoped she didn't link up with him, as he was poor and had few prospects..Jack had then proceeded to go to Alaska, and strike it rich while searching for gold.  He then purchased a newspaper, and a publishing company.
Lilly has a secret that she has kept from her parents, brother, friends and everyone in her circle. She has been writing dime novels under the name of Fannie Cole and donating the royalties to The Christian Settlement House in New York.  When she finds out that Jack is now the owner of the publishing house that publishes her novels, and wants to meet Fannie and get her to meet her reading public, she is fearful that he will discover her secret. 

Will Jack discover that Lilly is Fannie Cole?  Will she forgive him? Will she be ostracised by her social group for doing what they deem as improper?

This was a very enjoyable book, I'm hoping to read more of this series.  It is light enough for easy reading, but meaty enough to leave you feeling you've read something worthwhile.


310 pages
Thomas Nelson Publishing

I received a free copy of this book to read and review from Booksneeze.  The opinions expressed here are my own.

She Walks in Beauty by Siri Mitchell

Set in the 1890s, during the Gilded Age. 

Clara Carter and Lizzie Barnes, both barely 17, are best friends, have been all their lives.  Their mothers were friends, until Clara's mother dies.  Clara's aunt, and Lizzie's mother decide that each girl should be presented to society, by debuting a year early, in hopes that they snare the heir of the De Vries fortune as their husband.  This puts Clara and Lizzie as rivals, and both the aunt and mother try to keep them separated, though it doesn't always work. Clara meets Franklin  De Vries the heir, and his younger brother, Henry.  She and Lizzie are the two Debutantes who attract a lot of attention, including Franklin, and both are  pushed to entice Franklin to choose them.  Who will he choose? And does Clara really want him to choose her.
Along the way, Clara learns much about herself, her mother who died when she was very young, and the father who turns out to be nothing like what she always thought he was.  The subplot is very interesting, and it made the whole book.

Bethany House Publishers
392 pages
I received a free copy of this book from Bethany House to read and review, no other compensation was received.  I am not required to write a favorable review, all opinions expressed here are my own.

Plain Paradise by Beth Wiseman

Linda Huyard is 17, in love with Stephen Ebersol, and has lived Amish all her life.  Suddenly her life changes when she is told she was adopted, and her birth mother would like to get to know her.  Abe and Mary Ellen have misgivings, but they agree, when they find that Josephine has a tumor on her brain stem, and only has a few months to live. No one tells Linda that her birth mother is dying.
Josephine is Englich, or non Amish, and her style of living is so different than the Amish way. 
This book explores beliefs, and how different people deal with dying.  It is a very intense and gripping story, with a twist at the end.
I really enjoyed this book, and I feel I'm  better equiped to handle life, after reading it. It asked questions, and answered some that I have had.

This book was a gift from a friend, and I was not required to write a review, but I enjoyed the book and felt that someone else might like to read it.

16 Brides by Stephanie Grace Whitson

Convinced to sign up to homestead in  Nebraska,where women are allowed to homestead without a husband,  16 single women and widows board a train in St Louis, to make the trip west.  They were promised free passage back to St Louis, if they didn't wish to stay.  What they aren't told, is that that they are really expected to marry some of the men who are already there, and that is how their way was paid.
When they reach Plum Grove, the last stop before their final destination, Cayote Nebraska, one of the ladies overhears some comments, and some of the ladies decide to stay there.
They are:
Caroline, the southern belle, whose only mistake was to marry a Union Officer, so her parents no longer have anything to do with her.
Sally,  whose husband had beat her, and broken her arm, before she divorced him.
Ruth, whose Union General husband had died, leaving her with no will to live, but a young son to care for, so she has to go on.
Hettie, who boards the train at the last minute, and carries a secret she doesn't wish to share.
Elle, whose husband had made her feel worthless, because she was tall.
Mama, Elle's mother, who tries to convince her daughter that she is beautiful in her own way.
Together they homestead 4 tracts, and meet the challenges of Prairie life, wild fires and learning to depend on themselves and their neighbors.

Have you ever read a book that you weren't ready to end?  This is how I felt about this book.  I'd have loved to have had at least another 100 pages.  I only hope that the author will continue this story in another novel.

Bethany House publishers
I was not paid for this review, I did receive a copy of the book to read and review.  The opinions expressed here are my own.

Forget me Not by Vicki Hinze

When she woke, after being carjacked and taken halfway across the country, she didn't know where she was, or even her name.  A business card in her pocket gave the name of Crossroads Crisis Center, and had the name Susan written on it.  Also in her pocket was a necklace with a cross.  When Clyde, the man who found her, tried to take her to the hospital, she asked him to take her to the crisis center, instead, maybe they knew her there. 
Benjamin Brandt, owner of the crisis center has lost his wife and child in a horrible murder.  He has been looking for the killers and the reason behind the murders for 3 years.  When he is notified that a woman, similar in looks to his dead wife, Susan, has shown up, claming amnesia, and saying her name is Susan, he suspects that someone is playing games with him.  Then he sees the necklace, identical to one his wife wore when she died.
From that point on, things start to happen, people are trying to kill the woman, who has no idea why.  They work together to help her regain her memory and try and figure out why someone is after her, and what is the reason.

This is a book that I could not put down, it is a very well written and grab the edge of your seat type mystery. I couldn't figure it out until close to the end   If you love a good mystery, you will enjoy this book.

I received a free book to read, and review, the opinions expressed here are my own. 
Multnomah Books

Disaster Status by Candice Calvert

Fire fighter Scott McKenna, bolts through the ER doors of Pacific Mercy Hospital carrying a small child having seizures, followed shortly by farm trucks filled with many sick people . ER doctor and staff are soon dealing with possible hazardous material contaminating the local water supply caused by a plane carrying pesticides crashing into a building which contained chemicals which, when mixed, become very toxic.


McKenna, who, because of a family tragedy, which he feels he should have been able to prevent, is a by the book only guy. Nurse Erin Quinn seems to set him on edge, when she shows up without a name badge, her refuses her help.

Well written, and I'm always happy to see that characters other than the hero and heroine are not just stick figures, but are a real part of the story.

I was provided with a free copy of this book by Tyndale Publishers to read and review.  No other compensation was given.  The opinions expressed here are my own.

 

A Summer Secret by Kathleen Fuller

This is book 1 in the series  Mysteries of Middlefield.

Mary Beth is 13, with three brothers, including her twin, Johnny.  Being the only girl, she feels the need for a place of her own, to think, write, and draw, and just get away from her brothers.  She discovers that place, in an old barn near their home, and even though she is forbidden to go there, she continues slipping away to her secret hideaway.  Johnny follows her, and wants to share.  Then they discover that some else has also been there, and has eaten the snacks, and drank the juice boxes Mary Beth has left.   They finally meet Sawyer, who is a orphan, his parents had been killed in an auto accident.  He has run away from foster care, after being mistreated.  They start slipping food from their home, and clean clothes to him, and even invite him into their home while their parents are away.
Mary Beth soon gets irritated at Sawyer, when she finds he has read her journal, where she has written down her private thoughts, and he runs away.  The barn catches fire, and they fear that Sawyer is inside.

Though this book is meant for younger readers, I must say that I enjoyed it a lot.  It is well written with a very good theme, and I'm glad I had the chance to review it.  I'm going to read the rest of the series, even if I'm not picked to them.

Tommy Nelson a division of Thomas Nelson Publishers
268 pages

  I recived no compensation for this review other than  a copy of this book from BookSneeze. Opinions expressed here are my own.

AND THE WINNER IS!!!!!!!!!!!!

TRose, or better known by her blog NanaDiana
With a guess time of 4 hrs and 5 minutes
It actually took me 3 hrs and 37 minutes to read the book...
Diana, I will ship the book on Monday.

Book Giveaway UPDATE

 I will be giving the copy of

The Heart Mender

By

Andy Andrews

away tomorrow

So if you are interested, get those guesses

in quickly

Hearts Awakening by Delia Parr

Ellie Kilmer is basically homeless, depending on cousins to give her shelter after her parents are dead. Plain in looks, a spinster at 31 years of age, and in need of a letter of reference to be able to find a position, she takes a temporary position suggested by the minister. Cooking, cleaning, and caring for 2 small boys, ages 3 and 5, while their father, Jackson Smith, tends his orchards. The youngest boy, Ethen, hasn't spoken since his mother's death, several months earlier.

After a few days, Jackson asks Ellie to be his wife, in name only, so that she doesn't have to travel the several miles back and forth daily. Insulted, she first refuses, but rethinks his offer, and they go that day and marry. She finds herself falling in love with her new husband, though she never says a word. Shortly afterward, she discovers that Jackson is still in love with Dorothea, who married someone else, but who is now a widow, and returning to the area. Will Jackson set their marriage aside, and marry his first love?

This is a very enjoyable book, easy to follow story, and I'm glad I got a chance read it. It is wonderful for a rainy day, when you just want to sit and relax.

I was given a free copy of this book to read and review. The opinions expressed here are my own. No compensation was given for my review.
Bethany House publishing, a division of Baker House Publishing.

The HEART MENDER by Andy Andrews & a Book give away

The Heart Mender,
A story of Second Chances by Andy Andrews.

While digging out the roots of a dead Wax Myrtle tree in his yard, author Andy Andrews discovers a rusted metal can, which holds 8 buttons, a ring, an Iron Cross, and 3 photos, one of a man, woman and small child, another which includes Adolph Hitler. Intrigued, he soon discovers that during WWII, German submarines had cruised the waters of the Gulf, and destroyed American vessels. Digging deeper into history, he comes up with the following story.

Helen Mason had lost her husband in the early part of WWII. Bitter and unhappy, she moved in with an aunt, who was dying of cancer. Shortly thereafter the aunt passed away, leaving the small house and everything she owned to Helen.

Unable to sleep, Helen roams the beach many nights. On one occasion, she sees what she thinks may be a dolphin beached on the sand. Getting closer, she discovers it is a German sailor, Josef Landermann, who has been shot and dumped off the U Boat.. She takes her anger and frustration out on him, blaming him for her husband’s death.

OK, now you have to read the book from here, as I refuse to give away the rest of the story.

It is a beautiful, heartwarming story of healing and learning to let go of pain and hurt.
I LOVED this book, and now that I’ve finished it, I want to reread it, because I know I missed some things, that a 2nd reading will uncover.

Thomas Nelson Publishing

ISBN: 978-0-7852-3103-5



I received no compensation for this review, I did receive a free book from BookSneeze to read and review.

The opinions expressed in this review are my own.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I was sent an extra copy of this book, to share with one of my blog readers. 
Here are the rules to the GiveAway. 
You must live in the USA to win the contest.   
You have to guess the closest to how long it will take me to read the book. 
Every time I sit down to read, I will record the time started and time stopped.   
You can post your guess as either 220 minutes or 3 hrs 40 minutes, either will be acceptable.

I will post the winner on May 15th

The book has 248 pages
32 lines per page
I'm a moderately fast reader. 
OK, I've finished the book.  I'll post the review at the top of this page, but I will not end the contest until  the date listed above.