Monday, September 29, 2014

Good News For Weary Women by Elyse M. Fitzpatrick


"Good News For Weary Women" by Elyse M. Fitzpatrick is about freeing Christian women from the extra rules we and society add to us that are not in the scripture.   The following is an excerpt from the book just to give you a taste of what its about "I have a daughter, two daughters-in-law,and two granddaughters, and if there is anything I want them to know, it is this:  There is good news for you. You don’t need to learn secret steps, try harder and harder, wear yourself out in an attempt to be beautiful, snag Mr. Perfect, or raise perfect children. You are already welcomed, loved, forgiven, and completely okay. You can laugh and rest and resist all the ways the world lies to you and tells you you’re not good enough. And you can love God because He has already loved you. You can be free to fail, to rest, to love, to be weak, to grow, and to know that everything is already given to you in Him." Most of these type of books say what we are not supposed add rules that above and beyond scripture then they add rules but this author did not do that.

I was very impressed by this book when I requested it I did realize how much I needed it.  The author really helps to remind us women and even men that just cause one thing is good for us we don't need to make it legalistic type of thing.  Also how we have a tendency to add things we see or hear that are not in scripture to our life/beliefs such as karma.  She does not mixes words and even breaks down sacred cows of Christian society and women.  For example like all Christian women have to have a perfectly clean and organized house (come to my home you will not see perfectly clean or organized home its not that I don't try but I work partime, homeschool, and I am a bit of a slob). This book was a perfect book for me at this time in my life as I was starting to fall into the trap of trying to be like other Christian women I know but I know I need to be the woman God made me which is a unique person.  I highly recommend this book for any woman especially women book studies.

I was given this book to review by Tyndale Publishers and was not required to give a positive review.

Sunday, September 28, 2014

The Story Keeper by Lisa Wingate



"The Story Keeper" by Lisa Wingate is about a New York publisher Jen Gibbs trying to find an author of a story that has appeared on her desk but the area the possible author lives is also the area she ran from so she has to face her past also.  This book takes place in the Blue Ridge Mountains in North Carolina and a little bit in New York City.  This book is really 2 story's in one.  One story is Jen's and why she ran from her family.  The other one is the book she is researching which is called The Story Keeper which is about a mixed race girl named Sarra.  I really felt that both stories would have been better as their own books.  I started to get into the story of Sarra but then I was switched back to Jen's stories. Jen's story was very interesting but at times it seemed be lacking.  Her family was very abusive and extremely legalistic. She talks about their legalistic Christianity but nothing about Biblical Christianity and that is where I think it was lacking the most.  This book was a mix bag for me one moment I enjoyed the next I didn't. It could have been a much better book with each story as their own books.  However, I still recommend this book as a good fun book to read.

I was given this book by Tyndale Publishers for my honest review and not required to give a positive review.

Wednesday, September 24, 2014

The River by Beverly Lewis

 "The River" is Beverly Lewis's latest fiction book involving the Amish.  I have to admit I kinda tired of the non-stop Christian Amish books.  But this one was actually refreshing.  We have two sisters, Tilly and Ruth going home to the Amish to see their parents on their anniversary.  But they both are now English and not Amish no more so there is a lot of open wounds with people back home.    While home Tilly has to come to terms with why her dad is so strict with her and Ruth on if she wants to go back to being Amish for an old love.  Also the whole family is coming to terms with the tragic death of the youngest daughter whose death is what triggered Tilly and Ruth leaving the Amish.  Some of the book followed the common them I see in books about the Amish but most of it didn't.  The one area that I was really glad the author touched upon is that the Amish have tendency to add our works to salvation.  The Christian love affair to the Amish as tendency to forget this part of their beliefs.   I really did enjoy this book as it was not a Amish romance book (yes, there was some there but not the main focus of the story) and it really developed more of the characters beliefs and life.  I do recommend this book for anyone to read please don't assume its the normal Amish novel it is not.

I was given this book by Bethany House Publishing for my honest review.

Thursday, September 18, 2014

"Doctor Who The Blood Cell" by James Goss


"Doctor Who: The Blood Cell" by James Goos is a science fiction book that is about of course Doctor Who specifically as of this writing the current Doctor and his companion Clara.  Ok Doctor Who fans (yep our whole family are fans) this book takes place with the twelfth doctor in a prison for the most extreme and worst prisoners and Clara trying to help him.  It is written from the governor of the prison's viewpoint.  To me this book was at true to the show adaptions of the Doctor and Clara which was important to me.  The story was interesting but it also was choppy and confusing at times.  I know I know Doctor Who itself can be choppy and confusing but this was a little more than normal. I really enjoyed the banter though of Clara and the governor. The book did have some good twists but overall it was just blah which bummed me out.  However I still enjoyed it as I needed a light hearted weird break from other books and this one gave it to me.   I still recommend it for Doctor Who fans or who are interested in trying a lighthearted/weird science fiction book.

I was given this book by Blogging for Books for my honest review.

Sunday, September 14, 2014

"Nowhere To Turn" by Lynette Eason


"Nowhere To Turn" by Lynette Eason is the second in the Hidden Identity book series.  Don't worry about reading the book out of order as this series is ok to read out of order.  Once I picked up this book I could not put down.  Right off the bat we find out our main character Danielle Harding is in a very abusive marriage and is planning on running with her son Simon. That same day starts a whole chain of events starting with her husband's death (no this is not a giveaway in the story) to long list of things happening to Danielle and her son. It was very good mystery yes it did seem to have the normal for Christian novels a little bit of romance but not enough to turn me off of reading it.  When I was most of the way done with book the author brings a twist to the story I did not see coming.  This is a very good mystery I plan now to read the first one in the book series and anymore this author writes.  I highly recommend this book.

I was given this book by Revell a division Baker Publishing Group for my honest review and was not required to give a positive review.

Thursday, September 11, 2014

"A Light In The Wilderness" By Jane Kirkpatrick review and giveaway


"A Light In The Wilderness" is the latest historical novel by the talented Jane Kirkpatrick.  In this novel we follow the adventures and friendships of three different woman, Letitia (a free slave), Nancy (a white woman), and Betsy (A Kalapuya Indian).  One thing I thoroughly enjoy about Mrs. Kirkpatrick's novels is she uses real people with their stories that existed in the time frames of her books and this one is not an exception.  What I really enjoyed in this book is she did not hide the parts of Oregon history that most don't know about. For example that when Oregon became a state if you were African American or mixed you were supposed to leave which does affect our lead story of Letitia and her child.  Also we also see the racism of people on the Oregon trail and even in Oregon itself. Or the fight for woman to have their name on land.  I don't want to giveaway anymore of this book.  I will admit though that it did take me a couple of chapters to get into this book but I still highly recommend this book or any of Jane Kirkpatrick's.

I was given this book by Revell a division of Baker Publishing Group and was not required to give a positive review.

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Monday, September 8, 2014

What Your Heart Needs for the Hard Days by Holley Gerth

"What Your Heart Needs for the Hard Days" by Holley Gerth is 52 day devotional.  Each day has a little scripture, a devotional section, and a little section for your prayers and notes.  I have to admit when I requested this book I was not sure why I did.  Now I am very glad since it is a devotional not a book I did not do a complete reading of it since it is a devotional and I like to take my time with them.  However I did read  a good chunk of it and was very impressed.  This little devotional could not come at a better time as my family is going through some hard days right now.  I was really encouraged and blessed by this little devotional already.  I highly recommend it for anyone to keep on hand and read no matter if times are going good for you right now.

I was given this book by Revell Publishing a division of Baker Publishing Group and was not required to give a positive review.

Wednesday, September 3, 2014

A Curious Man by Neal Thompson review and giveaway.

"A Curious Man" by Neal Thompson is the biography on Robert Ripley.  If the last name sounds familiar is he the man behind the famous Ripley's Believe It or Not.  Ripley's Believe It or Not was always something I loved to read or go to the tourist spots to see.  I have always been a fan of odd and weird bits of life and history. So reading the biography on the man who created one of my favorite things as a child and adult caught my attention big time.  Ripley's life is very interesting I will warn you though he was not clean cut guy.  I love to read about some of the people that he inspired or some of the people he discovered.  I think my favorite was him inspiring a young cartoonist who is now more well known than Ripley (I am not going to give away the name of the cartoonist, you need to read it yourself). I highly recommend this book.  I recommend it so much  that I am giving away a copy of this book. Be warned this is my first giveaway hopefully it works correctly.

I was given this book from Blogging for Book for my honest review and was not required to give a positive review.

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Thoughts on my hubby

27 years ago was the summer before my senior year in high school and I went for a walk that would change my life forever.  I just wanted to ...