Review of Swinging on a Star by Janice Thompson

Revell Books sent me this complimentary copy to review.

Bella Rossi's life is nearing perfection. She's got the perfect guy, she's running a successful business, and she's about to plan her most ambitious wedding yet, a Renaissance-themed fairy tale come true, complete with period costumes and foods, horse-drawn carriages, and even a castle. There's just one hitch. The best man just happens to be Brock Benson, Hollywood's hottest and most eligible bachelor. Oh, and did we mention he's staying at the Rossi house to avoid the paparazzi?

This is the 2nd book in the series "Weddings by Bella". It was a cute story and a very easy read. But it seemed very slow. At times I had to force myself through chapters to get to the next one. There was no anticipation of what was going to come next. I know it wasn't meant to be a mystery, but there really wasn't any "grab your attention" at the beginning to keep you wanting more.

Available January 2010 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.

Have you ever seen God move in your kids? And you had not a single thing to do with it? To see your son in tears because of a song he was listening to about Jesus loving him. To hear your daughter say she prayed about how much to give to a school mission trip and take out a large bill she's been saving to give to it.

It's a very humbling feeling. To see that God feverishly loves my kids and makes himself known without me standing there. That he whispers to their young hearts and they know! Why should I even be surprised that God wants to be present in my kids' lives? They are his children too. Just like me. He loves them so much more than I ever could. And wants the best for them. Just like me.

Funny though how as an adult I have to work hard at hearing God. Make it a habit to listen for his voice. My kids don't. They just know.

Child-like faith ring a bell?

Review of The Silent Governess by Julie Klassen

I received this free copy of The Silent Governess from Bethany House to review.

What a great book! Totally unexpected ending. When I first opened the book in the mail it looked a bit daunting due to the length (438 pages to be exact). But boy, does it go fast!

Yes it's a romance, but woven in there is a mystery that keeps the book moving smoothly. Set during the nineteenth-century in England, this captivating story has unexpected twists and turns right up until the last page. The characters are developed well and there are just the right amount to keep track of.

Here is a little snip-it about the book:
"Believing herself guilty of a crime, Olivia Keene flees her home, eventually stumbling upon a grand estate where an elaborate celebration is in progress. But all is not as joyous as it seems."

A great read, one of which I will most likely pick up and read again.

Dreams That Won't Let Go by Stacy Hawkins Adams

Revell Books sent me this complimentary book to review.

"Indigo Burns is excited. Her wedding preparations to the man of her dreams are under way, her photography career is a success, and her family seems to be doing better than ever--all except her brother Reuben, who nobody has seen in years. But that's about to change."

This is book 3 in the Jubilant Soul Series. Totally a read alone book as well. I had no problem picking up where the story continued and easily jumped in with both feet.

I've read better books and worse books. The story line was easy to follow and the book was easy to read. Bitterness, heartache and forgiveness are the main components of the plot. A very easy, enjoyable read.

Available January 2010 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.

Eating out of the cupboard

Last month I took up the challenge of making meals out of what I had in the pantry for the entire month. I sat down and made a month menu based on what I had in the cupboard and then went to the store for the supplement items. I have to admit that it wasn't a 100% success as I did end up at the store throughout the month, but I can say that my cupboard is much more bare than it was a month ago. I cooked much more than I have since starting my job 10 months ago. I love being in the kitchen, so getting the creative juices flowing again didn't take long. Healthier meals were cooked compared to the previous month which makes one feel so much better.

But I'm finding there's one problem. An empty cupboard. A much more empty cupboard. Not only the cupboards, but my fridge too. Makes for a little bit more of a food budget this month, but it was a good exercise overall. And getting into that habit has paid off.

The other night Ed had defrosted some ground chicken and I was going to grill hamburgers (I heart grilling), but realized after I was home, there were no buns. Menu changed to tacos. Threw in a can of black beans and corn, stretched the tacos into the next day for lunches too.

Today on the way to pick kids up from school I thought, "I need to stop by the store to pick something up for dinner" which was immediately followed by, "wait...what do I have at home? I have ground turkey in the freezer and a bag of red potatoes that need used. Shepherds Pie!" So grocery store trip was scratched off the list and I spent $0. Throw in some veggies (not IN the shepherds pie Anne...just in case you were wondering if I was feeling ok) and there's dinner!

So it CAN be done with a little brain work, some extra time and for me, creating a menu for the month (sure saves $$ when I'm shopping off a list instead of off my brain).

A Review of Songs of Deliverance by Merilynn Griffith

Revell Books sent me a complimentary copy of Songs of Deliverance to review.

Here is a short blurb about the book: "Four childhood friends have been torn apart by the mistakes and tragedies of their past. Now as adults, they are reunited in their hometown of Testimony, Ohio, where they sort through the messy, real-life struggles of secrets kept hidden, lost loves and unknown futures."

Unfortunately, I had a hard time with this book. I felt like I was jumping into the middle of a story I was expected to know. The characters were already developed and it took a long time to piece together what had happened "previously". It was hard to sync with the flow and by the end there were all sorts of characters it was a bit confusing. There seemed to be a lot of emotional trauma with the four main characters of which there was no sense of relief. I felt very weighed down by the end even with everything wrapping up happily. Not that every book has to end with happy, sun-shiny feelings. This ending seemed to try to do that, but it fell short.

I found out after finishing this book that it's a sequel, but is also considered a stand alone novel. Which then, made sense. For some books this works. For this one, it didn't.

Available January 2010 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.

A Review of Jenna's Cowboy by Sharon Gillenwater

Revell Books sent me this complimentary book to review.

I read this book in a day. It was that good. Yes, it was predictable, but so emotionally well written. I think what made it hit home more is recently walking beside a close friend who's son returned recently from serving in Iraq. Like one of the main characters, it made it a sliver more clear the type of images, choices and emotions that come with defending our country.

Here's a little snip-it from the book:

Jenna Callahan Colby thought she was content. A partner on her father's successful ranch, she is surrounded by family and friends. But she never expected to see Nate Langley back in town--the first guy she ever noticed, the one her father sent away all those years ago.

Sharon Gillenwater did a remarkable job of creating a very sweet, simple read that was full of heartache that seemed so real. This is the book one in The Callahans of Texas series and I will definitely be keeping my eye out for book two.

Available January 2010 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group

Review of 50 Ways to Feel Great Today by David Biebel, James and Bobbie Dill

Revell Books sent me this complimentary book to review.

A bit overwhelming reading 50 different "keys to beating stress, worry, and the blues" in one sitting, but some did resonate with me and are ways that I will definitely implement.

Some of my favorites were #2: Brain Jog, #4 Create A Healthy Meal, #18 Journal your Journey, #44: Unplug your Gadgets and Read a Good Book, #49: Work in Your Yard or Garden.

The chapters were only a few pages long, which made for a quick read, but it was like reading 50 mini books as each chapter was so different. Again, not necessarily a book to read in one sitting.

I didn't find the humor in it very humorous, but others may. My opinion only. Some "ways" were more on the pricey side, but one can always be creative.

The bottom line, live life. Get out and do something. Keep your brain active. Be intentional about what you do and do something that makes you feel good. It's not a bad thing to make yourself feel good. You'll feel better about you!

Available December 2009 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.

At times I feel like I need to write deep thoughts (like Jack Handy) on here, but I'm really not in a deep thought mode. I would love to devote more time to blogging, but working full time, being a wife and mom takes a lot of time! Plus, I look at a computer all day long and the last thing I want to do when coming home is look at a computer even longer.

So anywho, life is flying by. Our planned day out snowshoeing on Friday was quickly replaced with a scheduled trip to the hospital for an MRI for the little miss (still waiting for the results), then to her choice of restaurant for lunch. From there we went to Pet Smart to find a new fish for Sam (Geoffrey went for a ride down the porcelain water slide after going to fishy heaven on Thursday).

While at Pet Smart, we went to see the kitties. (We once made the mistake of going to see what kinds of animals they had at Pet Smart and every time I go to the store, which is connected to Pet Smart, and have the kids with me, they beg to go see the kitties as they have "out of the cage play time" every day). The kitties are a part of the humane society and use Pet Smart's facilities to adopt the cats out. So into the room we went and Ed fell in love with a big ole orange cat. Play time was in 20 minutes so we waited until then to see the big guy (his weight said: Large). The volunteer took him out, put him on the floor, Ed patted his leg and the cat jumped up and plopped right down on his lap. Love at first pet. We filled out the preliminary paperwork, and had to come back to see the pet counselor a few hours later to finish everything.

So we are now the proud owners of Moose. We decided not to change his name as he's an older cat and it suits him just right. He is so laid back and lovey. His first night was spent meowing and roaming the house. I finally fell asleep at 2 a.m. after being squeezed out of my spot on the bed and sandwiched in between a very large cat and my husband. He also decided he liked my pillow (the whole pillow) and when that became uncomfortable, he plopped down on top of me. Literally. We found him this morning on Alina's bed, covered up with her blanket with his head sticking out. This afternoon he took a long nap with Ed all snug on Ed's chest and didn't move an inch.

He loves being where we are (which means being on someone's lap) and has even shown signs of playfulness when Alina gets out his stuffed mouse. He's perfect for our family and has fit in like a toasty glove.

The girls are now outnumbered in our household. Ed, Sam, Max, Stafford (Sam's new blue fish named after Matthew Stafford) and Moose take the lead, but I think us girls will hold our own quite well. :)

Review of The Choice by Suzanne Woods Fisher

Revell Books sent me this complimentary copy of The Choice to review for them. I was a bit hesitant as it is another Amish based book which have not been a favorite of mine in the past.

This book was different. The writing was simple, but drew the reader in right from the start. I enjoyed the conversations between the characters about Christ and how it's more about relationship instead of tradition. There was heartbreak, unexpected twists and outcomes that were a complete surprise. A great book to have on the shelf that will definitely be read again. I look forward to reading the second book in this series.

A tender story of love, forgiveness, and looking below the surface, The Choice uncovers the sweet simplicity of the Amish world -- and shows that it's never to late to find your way back to God.

A new challenge

I came across this earlier today on Coupon Geek's site and am going to give it a go for the month of January. I have so many odds and ends in the pantry and watching my mother last week make cream of chicken soup from scratch using no recipe, I know I can use what I have in my cupboards to make several meals this month. I'll be taking a different spin on this challenge as I will still be purchasing items like meat (only when on sale) throughout the month so I don't have a bare freezer and pantry come February (I would have to spend a whole lot more to stock it and would defeat the whole purpose of saving money).

So here are my goals:

1. Plan ahead so I won't be tempted to stop on the way from work to get dinner.

2. Only buy milk, eggs, produce, and meat (on sale) throughout the month.

3. Spend only $200 for the entire month (we'll see how this goes as groceries are so much more expensive here and my children are growing by leaps and bounds).

4. Put leftover money towards debt.

If you'd like to read more about it or link up to others who are doing this, head over to Money Saving Mom and join the challenge! Here's to a new year!

Goodbye and hello

2009.
There were the most heart wrenching hardships scattered with warm surprises.
More uncomfortable stretching along with God-moving choices.
Forgiveness, love-deepening, hard conversations, intermingled with prayer, prayer and more heaven sent prayer.
New milestones, new adventures, new jobs.
Old struggles to sift through laced with stale feelings that needed to be let go for good.

A new year brings a clean breath of freshness.
New beginnings.
New memories.
New adventures.
More hopes.
More organization.
More changes.

I need to not wish this coming year away but embrace each day.
Each choice.
Each hardship.
Embrace my husband.
My kids.
My friends.

The slate is ready to be added to.
Will I cling white knuckled to it or will I offer it willingly and open handed to my Maker?
That is the question I take into the new year.
Happy 2010 everyone!

Review of The Lightkeeper's Daughter by Colleen Coble

When I saw this book on Thomas Nelson's website to be able to review, I snatched it up as Colleen Coble is one of my favorite authors. The day it came to the house, I started reading it.

Here is a short description:

Growing up as the lightkeeper’s daughter on a remote island at the turn of the century, Addie Sullivan has lived a hardscrabble life. When a long-lost and wealthy relative finds her and enlists her to work as a governess at a lavish estate, she hopes to discover the truth of her heritage. But at Eaton Hall, nothing is as it seems. Not the idyllic family she hoped for, not the child she was hired to help, not even the aloof man she’s immediately attracted to. Soon she must turn for help to Lieutenant John North, a man who views her with suspicion.

I jumped right into the book, but had a hard time finding a rhythm and flow to it. Not until the last 1/4 of the book did it start to become interesting with the twists and turns Colleen is known for.

I was actually a bit disappointed this time around. It just wasn't up to par with her other books. There was more fluff romance than normal and it just didn't grab me like her books usually do. If the entire book was like the last 1/4, it would have made it much better.

Review of The Christmas Dog by Melody Carlson

I was sent this complimentary book from Revell Books to review.

This was a short, sweet, heart warming read that went pretty quick. Not really a whole lot of depth to it, but I don't think it was supposed to be a deep thinking book. It was pretty predictable, but again, very heart warming.

I did find myself being frustrated with the grandmother and wondering why she worried so much and continued to jump to conclusions all the time. But then I wondered how often that really happens in life with the elderly. Probably more than I think.

Here's a short excerpt from the book:

Betty Kowalski isn't looking forward to the holidays. She just can't seem to find Christmas in her heart. There's church, of course. But who can she bake for these days? And who would care whether or not she pulled out the Christmas decorations? Her new neighbor just adds to the problem. He's doing home improvements that don't appear to be improving much of anything. These days when Betty looks out the window, she sees a beat-up truck, a pile of junk, lots of blue tarps, and--horror of horrors--an old pink toilet. But when a mangy dog appears at her doorstep, the stage is set for Betty to learn a very important lesson about what Christmas is all about.

So all in all, a cute book that gives the warm fuzzies during the Christmas season.

Review of The Unfinished Gift by Dan Walsh

I received a complimentary copy of The Unfinished Gift from Revell Books to review.

This book was set during the Christmas season during WWII. A book about a grandfather, his grandson and the past. It was a very sweet book that made you feel like you were right there sitting in the cold room with the blizzard raging outside. It was also a little glimpse into what life was like for families during the war. With grocery shopping, rations and the lengths people went to just to survive.

"Everything else in the room had suddenly gone out of focus. There was only the wooden soldier." Set at Christmastime in 1943, The Unfinished Gift is the engaging story of a family in need of forgiveness. With simple grace, it reminds us of the small things that affect powerful change in our hearts--a young boy's prayers, a shoe box of love letters, and even a half-carved soldier, long forgotten. This nostalgic story of reconciliation will touch your heart.

A great read during the Christmas season as a reminder of what is important in life. This was a quick, easy book that warmed the heart.

Have you ever felt unsettled?
That no matter how much you try.
How much you pray.
That the unsettled feeling just doesn't go away?
That there's something more.
Something else.
Something you quite can't grasp.
Out there?
And if you find it, will it be enough?
Will you want more?

Will the winds of change help?
Blowing in unknown directions.
Taking you to a place
That may be home.
To be settled.
Home.

Review of eye of the god by Ariel Allison

Abingdon Press sent me this book to review and I was sucked in by the first page. What a great book full of suspense. It was hard to put down right up to the very last page. Even the very last sentence makes you say, "WHAT??? Wait a minute!" It leaves you wanting more.
Here is a short blurb about the book:

Alex and Isaac Weld, the most lucrative jewel thieves in the world, are on a quest to steal the Hope diamond, which according to legend was once the eye of a Hindu idol named Rama Sita. When it was stolen in the 17th century, it is said that the idol cursed all those who would possess it. That won't stop the brilliant and ruthless Weld brothers. However, they are not prepared for Dr. Abigail Mitchell, the beautiful Smithsonian Director, who has her own connection to the Hope Diamond and a deadly secret to keep. Abby committed long ago that she would not serve a god made with human hands, and the "eye of the god" is no exception. Her desire is not for wealth, but for wisdom.

Part of the book is held in the past, explaining the history of the Hope Diamond, but interweaves with the present to tie the story together. The author does a great job blending past and present to make a great book.

I would definitely read this authors books again as her writing is truly captivating.

I'm finding I don't have much time anymore. I miss my husband. I miss my kids. Working full (plus) time takes a lot out each day. I'm learning to cherish Friday's and Saturday's as Sabbath days as Sunday's are considered a work day. Ahhhhhh the joys of being in the ministry. :) As someone reminded me last night at the football game (whom I had just met) that this is a season. I know I need to learn from it what I can as it won't be forever.

So I am looking forward to Thanksgiving. A 3 day weekend, day of work and then another day off. We'll be by ourselves this year for Thanksgiving (first time ever) but it sure won't make me less thankful. Just have to bust my toosh the next four days so I can enjoy the three days off.

And the weather on Thanksgiving? Rain! The weather the past weeks....rain.
The forecast for the next week. Rain.
I never thought I'd say it, but, I miss snow.

Review of The Swiss Courier by Tricia Goyer and Mike Yorkey

Revell Books sent me this novel to read and review.

It is August 1944 and the Gestapo is mercilessly rounding up suspected enemies of the Third Reich after an attempt on Hitler's life. Gabi Mueller is a young woman working for the newly formed American Office of Strategic Services (the forerunner to the CIA) in Switzerland. When she is asked to put herself in harm's way to safely "courier" a German scientist who is working on the atomic bomb out of enemy territory, the fate of the world hangs in the balance.


I reread the back cover after finishing the book and have to say that the above quote (from the back cover) is only a snippet of what happens in the book. There were so many twists and turns, unexpected spies and undercover agents.

I was hooked by the second chapter. Getting into the first chapter was a bit difficult weeding through the German and Swiss names of people and towns. There were several characters in the book to keep track of, but the "list of major characters" given at the beginning of the book helped.

There were some squeemish parts, but I know they didn't compare at all to what took place in real life during the war.

A great read right to the very end.

Available October 2009 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.

A Review of Green by Ted Dekker

I was so fortunate to snatch up Green from Thomas Nelson for their blog reviews. Here's a little snippet of the inside flap:

Green brings full meaning to the Circle Series as a whole, reading as both prequel to Black and sequel to White, completing a full circle. This is Book Zero, the Circle Reborn, both the beginning and the end. The preferred starting point for new readers . . . and the perfect climax for the countless fans who’ve experienced Black, Red, and White.

I haven't read Black, Red or White, so this was the starting point for me. It took a couple chapters in to figure out who was who and what different characters symbolized. There were actually three stories going on, but all merged into one as the book read on. Ted Dekker is not a flowery author. There was lots of blood, slaying and at some points, disturbing scenes. He painted the characters so well you could smell the skin disease that covered the bodies of the evil ones.

Once in to it, I couldn't put it down. Definitely a great read. Will I read the next three? Not sure yet, but I would definitely recommend this to anyone with a bit of morbid curiosity and who enjoys a great, descriptive author/storyteller.