Review of Thin Ice by Irene Hannon

Nutshell: Book 2 in the Men of Valor Series: Christy Reed has no family left. Losing her parents in a freak car accident nine months ago, and now her sister in a deadly house fire months ago. She's on the path of healing, until one day her world flips upside down. A letter and picture from her dead sister. Someone is playing with her in a very sinister way. Enter FBI Special Agent Lance McGregor. He has demons of his own that he is wrestling with while he takes on his very first case as an FBI agent. And his first case of Christy Reed pushes him to his limits with frustration, with unknown answers and with his heart. Will they hunt down the so called "kidnapper" before his sinister hunting catches Christy first?

Pro's: Great book! This can be read as a stand-alone in the series even though it is the 2nd book. Good plot, gets you sucked in from the beginning.

Con's: One scene did not quite add up based on the immobilization of the character. It didn't make sense how the grandma was able to do what she did after she wrote the letter (may seem cryptic, but I don't want to spoil the plot!) with hardly being able to walk. Other than that, a bit heart-gooey, but not over the top.

Recommendation: If you like mystery suspense, this is the book for you!

Revell Books sent me this complimentary book to review for them. Opinions expressed are my own.

Holding on to the sliver

Reviews galore, but nothing more.

I've been rattling around thoughts in my brain and thinking I need to get things recorded.

You know how a new year brings new hope? New goals? Dreams that may come true this year?

Here we are, 23 days in to the new year and it is not going how I thought.

Hopes feel dashed, dreams feel squashed, goals are out the window. All need to be rewritten. They need to include issues like

breast cancer.

possible colon cancer.

joblessness.

cirrhosis.

blood clots.

anxiety.

depression.

unexplained seizures.

alcoholism.

All of the above are happening in my family. My immediate family. Not cousins. Not aunts. Not extended family. Those I hold close.

Many of the above diagnoses we found out in the past 23 days.

How does one hold these? How does one hold on to hope through all of these? How do I encourage my brothers? My sister-in-laws? My mother-in-law? My parents? My husband? My kids?

This is where I find myself. Needing to re-examine everything.

It can be extremely overwhelming if I let all thoughts run loosey-goosey. If I let emotions overtake all common sense.

I find the sliver of hope in Jesus and I have to cling to Him. He keeps me breathing through every diagnosis. Every doctor appointment. Every time I think, "how can things possibly get worse?" and they end up getting worse.

I continue to cling. It's the only choice.

Review of A Cup of Dust by Susie Finkbeiner

Nutshell: Little Pearl Spence makes the best of the life she has. She watches over her older sister, enjoys stories from her grandma and loves her family and the town she lives in. Despite living in a time where dust storms come and go, where food is rationed and seeing her best friend struggle, she lives life as best she can with what is thrown at her. Strangers come and go through the town, but she knows she is safe with her daddy being the sheriff. But one such stranger doesn't make her feel right. Follow Pearl as life as she knows it will change because of the dust, because of grief, because of this strange man.

Pro's: Another great book by Susie! You could feel the grit of dust in your mouth, on your hands, rubbing on your feet. Susie does a spectacular job reliving the Dust Bowl years that hit our country hard. She used fiction to give raw imagery to what life may have been like for those living through this horrific time. Her artwork of words sculpts this book in to one you will not want to put down.

Con's: None!

Recommendation: If you enjoy historical fiction, pick up this book to read today! Even if you just like a good book to read, this is it!!

Opinions expressed are my own.

Review of You're the One That I Want by Susan May Warren

Nutshell: A former NHL hockey player, Owen Christiansen, finds himself in Alaska, working on a crabbing boat as far from home as possible. His boss and second in command, Scotty McFlynn, keeps to herself with a locked up heart that no one can penetrate. Circumstances thrust the two in to a life threatening situation where raw emotions are exposed and revelations come to light. But the past crashes in when Owen's brother comes looking for him. Owen and Scotty find themselves back in Minnesota as the prodigal son returns after being "missing" for months. Walk with Owen and Scotty as they learn what it means to be a children of God and what faith looks like when life is throwing rocks at you.

Pro's: This is the last book in the Christiansen Series and the first one that I have read. It was actually easy to jump in to and understand despite not reading any of the previous books. I enjoyed the plot and the ease of how the book read.

Con's: Lots of romance for my taste. Could have toned it down some.

Recommendation: If you like romantic faith fiction, you will enjoy this book.

Tyndale House Publishers sent me a complimentary copy to review for them. Opinions expressed are my own.

Review of Step by Step by Candace Calvert

Nutshell: Taylor Cabot is an ER nurse who is ready to move on from her past. With her survival list in hand, she's out to cross every single item off the list to feel like she is ready to walk forward with her life. With a new job, in a new city, she jumps in to the career she loves. She is starting to slowly pull away from the volunteer crisis team she volunteers on as she wants to put herself at a distance from Seth Donovan, the chaplain of the team and a good friend of her late husband. Journey with her as she learns of God's love and what it means and looks like to move on. This is the 2nd book in the Crisis Team Series.

Pro's: Action from the beginning that helps you jump right in. Good story line. Stand-alone book even though it is the 2nd in the series.

Con's: One thing I noticed right away is that there are a lot of thoughts/conversations by the characters where the sentences don't finish. At first it didn't bother me, but as the book continued, it was something that happened throughout the book and personally, it was hard to stay captivated and interested in the story when sentences/thought processes are not complete.

Recommendation: If you enjoy medical stories with some action thrown in, you will enjoy this book.

Tenderly House Publishers sent me this complimentary copy to review for them. Opinions expressed are my own.

Review of Whatever Is Lovely by Waterbrook Press

Nutshell: Kids love to color, and I think adults (deep down) love it too! Adult coloring books are all the rage right now. Intricate detailed pictures that take fine motor skills to a new level. You will find all different types of adult coloring books out there, and this one takes coloring beyond just the colored pencils. In this book you will find not only beautiful art to color, but verses to meditate on. The idea behind it is that while you are creating beauty, you are thinking on the One who created beauty. You are meditating on the One who breathed life, who breathed scripture. You are listening to God. What better way to find quiet than to color and listen to Jesus?

Pro's: I love this idea. I love that God's word is woven in to picture format to create beauty from beauty. The introduction was very helpful and including a spotify playlist to listen to while coloring? Genius! I took it one step further and found other scripture surrounding the verse and wrote it on the page to think on as well.

 Con's: I found I can only do one thing at a time! I couldn't listen to music and focus on the verse at the same time. My brain could only manage one or the other. Not a negative to the book at all, just my own personal findings. :)

Recommendation: You don't have to be an artist to do this. No one is ever to old to color! My 11 year old daughter saw this and ended up with one for Christmas! What a great gift to give, or to give yourself!

Would you like to buy this book? Click here to be directed to the site.

WaterBrook Multnomah sent me this complimentary copy to review for them. Opinions (and coloring) are my own.

Review of Until the Dawn by Elizabeth Camden

Nutshell: Sophie van Riijn has had her share of heartbreaks throughout her life. But she has pressed forward and her faith in God keeps her living each day. Her life revolves around documenting the weather for the United States Weather Bureau and living a simple life. Her sacred weather station sits on the roof of the haunted mansion that no one has inhabited in over 60 years....until one day the owners show up to retake the mansion and the mysteriously magical land it sits on. Sophie comes to butt heads with the infamous Vandermark owner, Quentin, but quickly falls in love with his young 9 year old son who she is allowed to teach. How can she teach the owners son, try to save the house she loves from being blown up and still show love to a very hard-hearted man?

Pro's: A very sweet, tender story that shows killing with kindness to the most cold-hearted people can eventually soften anyone. A very descriptive story! You could almost smell the water lily's fragrance, feel the oysters sliding down your throat and see the carvings on the original cabin. I'm glad it didn't end where I thought it was going to end!!

Con's: A bit slow in places but overall it did keep you engaged.

Recommendation: If you enjoy historical fiction, you will enjoy this book!

Bethany House Publishers sent me a complimentary copy to review for them. Opinions expressed are my own.

Review of Michael Symon's 5 in 5 for Every Season Cookbook

Nutshell: One of the co-hosts of ABC's The Chew has a new cookbook out! Michael Symon's has paired beautiful pictures with quick recipes in his new cookbook 5 in 5: 5 fresh ingredients and 5 minutes of heat. Each season of the year is featured in this book that include ingredients privy to that season. Each recipe in turn is quick to fix and on your table in a matter of minutes. You will find over 100 recipes in this packed cookbook with something to please everyone's pallet.

Pro's: The pictures! I'm a very visual person and the pictures definitely caught my eye right away. I love to cook and was excited to try this book. I poured over each recipe and read through the book a couple times, ear-marking recipes I wanted to try. I also enjoyed the little intersects of personal tidbits through the book about his life growing up and memories/places related to recipes.

Con's: As with any cookbook, not every single recipe will be a keeper. There were some recipes I knew I needed to skip over either due to cost, the items not being available in our area, or knowing my kids would eat one bite and be done.

Recommendation: If you are a fan of Michael Symon's, you will like this book. Great pictures, easy recipes for the beginner chef to intermediate/brave chef who is up for a challenge.

The recipe I tried was in the Spring section and was titled Pork with Broccoli and Cashews.

1 pound pork tenderloin, sliced 1/8 inch think
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups broccoli florets (from 1/2 large head)
1/2 cup roughly chopped cashews
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon cornstarch

1. Put a large skillet over high heat. Season both sides of the pork with salt and pepper. Add the olive oil to the pan. Add the pork in an even layer and cook, without moving, for 1 minute. Flip the pork and add the broccoli to the pan. Continue cooking until the pork and broccoli begin to brown, about 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the cashews, garlic and red pepper flakes and cook for another minute.

2. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, mustard, 2 tablespoons water, and the cornstarch.

3. Add the cornstarch mixture to the pan, over, and cook for 1 minute until the sauce thickens. Serve hot.

Adjustments I made: I did not add red pepper flakes due to sensitive taste buds in the house. I added the cashews as a side as not all members under our roof enjoy nuts.

*Outcome: I would make it again (my kids loved it) and would use a higher quality soy sauce as it was pretty salty even with the low sodium brand I used. I will add more broccoli next time as our youngest went back for seconds and I heard "ahhh...never mind...I wanted more broccoli" (words to a mother's ears!). I almost missed the w2 tablespoons of water in step 2 as water wasn't one of the ingredients up top and it caught me off guard a bit.

WaterbrookMultnomah sent me this complimentary book to review for them. Opinions expressed are
my own.

Review of Vendetta by Lisa Harris

Nutshell: This is book one in the Nikki Boyd Files series. Nikki Boyd is in charge of her first case on the Tennessee Missing Persons Task Force. A teenage girl has come up missing after leaving her cabin to go on a walk. When Detective Boyd finds out she had been chatting on-line with a boy of whom she was secretly going to meet, and that boy wasn't who he says he was, the case takes on the form of an abduction. When clues start surfacing that mimic the abduction of her still-missing sister from 10 years ago, Nikki's mission now becomes personal. Will this case lead her to the answers she has been searching for surrounding her missing sister?

Pro's: I enjoyed how the author kept you guessing throughout this book. It made it that much more appealing to read all the way to the end. It wasn't excessively over-the-top bloody and gory which is nice, especially if you're reading before going to sleep! Good plot and story-line.

Con's: Even though this was the first book in the series, I felt like I should've known who the main characters were. They way they were introduced throughout the book left me a little puzzled as to where they came from. It took a bit in to the book to learn back stories before feeling like they all made sense in my head.

Recommendation: If you enjoy mystery suspense, then you may enjoy this book. I've enjoyed previous books by Lisa Harris and you may as well if you like this book.

Revell Books sent me a complimentary copy to review for them. Opinions expressed are mine alone.

Review of Grill It, Braise It, Broil It by the American Heart Association

Nutshell: A cookbook filled with 175 heart healthy recipes that feature 12 different ways to prepare your main dishes. This book contains recipes for your crockpot, the grill, broiling and even microwaving along with many more options.

Pro's: The color pictures! I love cookbooks with pictures as I am a very visual person and like to see what dishes look like. There was a variety of cooking styles that may suit those looking for a different slant of how dishes are prepared.

Con's: Not many recipes were appealing. We are not a tofu family and the majority of recipes use tofu. I found very few healthy sweet recipes and very few recipes that contain main staples in the kitchen. I may be more tempted to prepare some of the recipes if it was just my husband and I, but with two growing kids, I know they may not particularly care for the unusual recipes. (Yes, they do try everything I cook). My pantry does not contain a lot of the buy-once ingredients, not would my budget fit the unusual assortment of items I would need to buy for one recipe.

Recommendation: If you are an adventurous cook, this is the book for you. If Beets with Orange Gremolata to Stuffed Chayote Squash make your fingers itch to get cooking, get this book and you may just enjoy some of the interesting dishes it has to offer.

The recipe I tried was Stuffed "Baked" Apples. The recipe is found below:

2 T light brown sugar
2 T sweetened dried cranberries
2 T gold raisins
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp olive oil
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground allspice
4 small Granny Smith, Fuji, or Gala apples, halved, cored scared
1/2 cup fresh orange juice
2 T chopped walnuts, dry roasted.

In a small bowl, stir together the brown sugar, cranberries, raisins, cinnamon, oil, nutmeg, ginger and allspice.

Put the apples in a shallow 1-quart microwaveable baking dish with a lid. Spoon the stuffing in the apples. Pour the orange juice around the apples.

Microwave, covered, on 100 percent power (high) for 6 to 7 minutes, or until the apples are soft.

Carefully transfer the apples to serving plates, leaving the juices in the dish. Microwave the remaining juices, uncovered, on 100 percent power (high) for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the mixture is reduced by half (to about 1/4 cup).

Just before serving, drizzle the juice mixture over the apples, Sprinkle with the walnuts

*I served with a scoop of vanilla ice-cream. I also omitted the walnuts as they are not a favorite in our household. This tasted really good, but hard to eat the skins - they were used more as a bowl to hold the softened apple in.

Waterbrook Multnomah sent me this complimentary book to review for them. Opinions expressed are my own, as is the photo of the dessert.

Review of A Reason to Stay by Kellie Coates Gilbert

Nutshell: This is book 3 in the Texas Gold Collection. Faith Marin has it all. The perfect job. The perfect husband. The perfect life. Or so it seems.  She is climbing the ladder at the TV station she has dedicated her life to. Her sights are set on being a news anchor at a national station. But with her dedication to work, her marriage comes in second place and not long after saying "I do" things start to become strained and fall apart. In the blink of an eye, tragedy strikes and Faith now has to reevaluate her life, her marriage and her priorities.

Pro's: What a great book! It was a stand alone book even though it is in a series. I loved the story line, how the characters were portrayed, the battle put before Faith, the deep love and of course, the outcome. Kellie Coates Gilbert did a fantastic job keeping the reader engaged and hungry to read until the wee hours of the morning just to finish the book. What a heart string pulling book that takes you through the past of the main character and weaves it in to the present.

Con's: I wish it was longer! The only thing that could've been different was the cover. But what was behind the cover was amazing!

Recommendation: Read this book! There are not a lot of books that I will stay up late reading. This was one of them. Such a heart warming, heart wrenching good book that you won't be able to put down!

Revell Books sent me this complimentary book to review for them. Opinions expressed are my own.

Review of Deadlock by DiAnn Mills

Nutshell: This is book 3 in An FBI: Houston Novel. Two completely different FBI special agents are put together as new partners. They hit their first day together with a horrific murder that needs to be solved immediately. In a race against time, these two opposite personalities need to come together as one to stop this murderer who is wreaking havoc on the city of Houston. Agent Bethany Sanchez is not only trying to bring down a murderer, but keeping an eye out for her brother, who just got out of jail himself. Agent Thatcher Graves is trying to turn around his reputation and live life in a new way. With twists and turns, leads that turn to dead ends, murders on the rise, and two opposites learning how to partner with each other, this book will have you trying to figure out what in the world is going to happen next.

Pro's: DiAnn Mills does a great job in keeping the reader sucked in to this book! I thought I had it all figured out halfway through and then a wrench was thrown in to keep my guessing as to who the murderer was. The storyline kept me turning every page all the way to the end. Even with it being the third book in the series, it does very well as a stand alone novel. You didn't feel as though you were trying to play catch up from previous books. It was a great clean slate from the first page.

Con's: The romance was a bit much. I think it could've been toned down a bit. Other than that, a great book!!

Recommendation: If you like murder suspense, this is the book for you! A great read that keeps you locked in all the way to the end.

Tyndale House Publishers sent me this complimentary book to review for them. Opinions expressed are my own.

Review of Murder at the Courthouse by A.H. Gabhart

Nutshell: Start with a quiet town, add a nosey busy body, throw in a stranger, a wandering, angry teen and a dash of murder and end up with a cozy mystery that needs to be solved. The citizens of Hidden Springs, KY are thrown for a loop when the town busy body finds a stranger dead on their courthouse steps. Not only are the citizens thrown for a loop, so is the law enforcement where the most excitement they encounter is a traffic ticket. Deputy Sheriff Michael Keane is assigned to the case and is in charge of finding out who this stranger is and who killed him. The case leads him on some unexpected turns and down roads that he doesn't understand.

Pro's: If you can call a book a refreshing mystery, this is it. It wasn't a bloody gory murder suspense, but a snuggle up and feel good murder mystery. Gabhart does a spectacular job of keeping the reader engaged throughout this light hearted story line. I enjoyed this book very much! The flow, the style of writing, the plot, the lightness.

Con's: It took a few chapters to wrap my brain around the characters (more so the law enforcement characters between deputy chief, chief, deputy, sheriff, deputy sheriff etc).

Recommendation: Need a book to snuggle up on a rainy fall day or a bitter snowy cold evening? Choose this one! A great read! I look forward to the second book in this series!

Revell Books sent me this complimentary copy to review for them. Opinions expressed are my own.

Review of The Lost Heiress by Roseanna M. White

Nutshell: Brooke Eden knows she's not who everyone says she is, but doesn't know exactly who she is. She entrusts her friend, Justin, to find out what her identity is. After it is revealed, everything shifts  around her and she finds herself in an unknown land with unknown people trying to stay afloat with a new identity. She soon finds out why she was hidden away for so long and the reason could turn deadly.

Pro's: I love the description of the setting of this book. I could smell the ocean, feel the sun on my skin and hear the lilt of accents in the voices of the characters.

Con's: Hard to remember all the characters and keeping them all apart. I feel like these characters may have been introduced in a previous book and I'm coming in the middle of a story. It was hard to stay focused while figuring out who went with who. The character list at the beginning helped, but several times I needed to stop and refer back to this list. The story line was a bit slow in the middle section, but then picked up the pace the closer the book came to a close.

Recommendation: A pretty good book that would be one to pick up on a rainy day. If you enjoy historical fiction, you may enjoy this book set in the early 1900's.

Bethany House Publishers sent me a copy of this to review for them. Opinions expressed are my own.

Review of The Sea Keeper's Daughters by Lisa Wingate

Nutshell: Whitney Monroe is meeting herself around corners. She is fighting to keep her restaurant alive with people breathing down her neck who are ready to snatch her business right out from under her. Life abruptly stops when she receives a message that her step-father has ended up in the hospital and she needs to travel hundreds of miles to take care of him. Her journey takes her so much further as she finds letters written by an unknown family member which tie her heritage to legends from the past. Follow Whitney on an exploratory journey that crosses the sands of time, faith and family.

Pros: I loved, loved, loved this book. What a magnificent story with the perfect splash of faith, finding love and learning about forgiveness. Her style of writing captivates the reader and sucks him/her in to the story from the beginning. I also love how she intertwined characters and storylines from pervious books she has written and tied them in to this book. If you had never read any of her other books, it still made sense. I just loved how she unobtrusively added them in.

Cons: None. One of the best books I have read!

Recommendation: Read this book! Or any of Lisa Wingate's books. She is a master at writing and has been blessed with a very special gift.

Tyndale Publishers sent me this complimentary copy to review for them. Opinions expressed are my own.

Review of Trial Run by Thomas Locke

Nutshell: Mind games are under way, except these games are life and death. With twists and turns through this whole book, each page is chalked full of mind bending experiments and outcomes that leave you wondering what is going to come next. This is book one in the Fault Lines series.

Pro's: Interesting! This book had me thinking and learning all sorts of new words and ideas. It's not a book I would normally pick up, but the storyline was easy to follow.

Con's: It became a bit too technical when talking about computers and mind experiments at times where I ended up skimming over parts as it was above my level of knowledge.

Recommendation: If you enjoy a bit of sic-fi mixed with suspense mixed with secrecy, this book is for you!!

Revell Books sent me this complimentary copy to review for them. Opinions expressed are my own.

Review of Reservations for Two by Hillary Manton Lodge

Nutshell: This book is #2 in the Two Blue Doors series. The story continues with Juliette D'Alisa as she explores her grandmother's past in her homeland of Tuscany. Journey with Juliette as she digs deeper and learns more of ancestry which start many more questions about her family. Walk along side her as she and her new boyfriend, Nick, figure out how to continue a long-distant relationship. Smell the aroma's of the recipes that are cooked up in the new family restaurant she manages and owns with her brother. Sit with her as her heart explodes with love for her family and the challenges they face.

Pro's: As a recipe lover, the recipes in this book look amazing! I can't wait to try some of them. As for the book, I enjoyed the intertwined storyline of the letters of Juliette's grandmother and the story of Juliette. It was like two story's in one!

Con's: If you haven't read the first book, this book may be a little hard to follow. It has been awhile since I read the first book and it was a bit hard to pick up where the previous book left off. This was a true second book in a series and picked up right where the previous one left off.

Recommendation: Read this series! I love the lilt of the book, the emotions that are evoked in the characters and feeling like you are right there in the lavender fields.

Waterbrook Multnomah sent me this complimentary copy to review for them. The opinions expressed are my own.

Review of Hope Harbor by Irene Hannon

Nutshell: Tracy and Mitchell's lives are about to intersect in a not-so-great way. They each want to continue living their lives as they are. One as a struggling cranberry farmer and the other as one who's job it is is to help others. But when their lives collide, the roads they thought they were traveling down take a hard right turn. Follow their story of forgivness, soul searching and how one incident can change the trajectory of their lives.

Pro's: I loved this book. It was light, heartwarming and tender. Irene Hannon spins a tale that will make your heart warm and fuzzy by the time you are done reading it. You have hardships and light moments along with a few side stories along the way.

Con's: Only that it had to end.

Recommendation: If you are in need of a book that will make you smile, but yet is not fluff, pick this one up.

Revell Pubishing sent me this complimentary copy to review for them. Opinions expressed are my own.

Review of Mind of Her Own by Diana Lesire Brandmeyer

Nutshell: Louisa's life looks picture perfect from the outside. Three kids, husband, big house, everything anyone would ever want. But on the inside she is falling apart. Her marriage is falling apart. Her kids are going crazy. She goes through the motions of living without actually living fully. All that changes in the blink of an eye...or the hit on the head by the George Foreman grill she was taking out of the cupboard. Now she can't remember who she was. But she does know who she is: a famous writer that lives on the beach. She's sure she's not married, and kids? No way. Follow Louisa's journey as she learns who she was, who she is and how her past splits her heart open in ways she didn't expect.

Pro's: What a great story line! I loved the angle this book took the minute the grill fell on her head. Laced with a touch of humor, but overflowing with love, it was a great story line that kept you turning the pages to see if her memory does return.

Con's: None. Only that it ended sooner than I would have liked!

Tyndale Publishing sent me this complimentary copy to review. The opinions expressed are my own.

Review of Gone Without A Trace by Patricia Bradley

The Nutshell: This is book 3 in the Logan Point Series. Detective Livy Reynold's is facing traumatic events from her past that have her moving back to Logan Point for a time. PI Alex Jennings is put on a case to locate the Texas senator's missing daughter who disappeared from Logan Point. These two join forces and end up working two cases that they find have similarities. It's a race again time for those that are missing and the detective and PI to wrap up the cases before someone gets killed.

Pro's: What a great book to wrap up the series! You are able to read this book as a stand-alone novel as well. It has been a long while since I read the previous book, and I didn't have any difficulty following along the plot and characters when I could barely remember what the previous book was about. The author keeps you guessing and what a great page turner this book is!

Con's: A smidge on the romantic side that was not particularly realistic.

Recommendation: Read this book. Read the whole series! Great author with great plots and suspense!

Revell Books sent me this complimentary copy to review for them. All opinions expressed are my own.