Review: Adoring Addie

The Cramer and Mosier families have held a Hatfield-and-McCoy-like grudge for as many years as anyone can remember, although the younger generations have no clue as to why the families dislike each other with such intensity.  Addie's parents assume she will marry the Bishop's son, but when Jonathan Mosier moves to Lancaster County, Addie and Jonathan form an instant connection.  Old tensions are renewed, and Addie's parents insist she marry Phillip Eicher.  Addie and Jonathan feel their only hope is to reconcile the two families, which means discovering the cause of the breach in the first place.

I don't believe I've read any other books by Leslie Gould; Adoring Addie is the second in 'The Courtships of Lancaster County' series, but you can easily read it as a stand-alone story.  Although it felt a bit slow in the beginning, once the story picked up, I zipped through it.  It was pretty much 'Romeo and Juliet' set in the Pennsylvania countryside with a happier ending than Shakespeare's original.  The author does a good job of bringing in a fair amount of other characters, probably to set up their stories for future books.  Adoring Addie was a light and entertaining read.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Bethany House Publishers as part of their Blogger Review Program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Review: Organic Outreach for Families

Since getting married, and especially since becoming a mother, I have gobbled up many books on family.  My mother instilled a great value for family in me, and my husband's parents did the same for him.  We want our child(ren) to grow up and fondly remember family, but more than that, we want our family to be a genuine shaping influence for the Gospel in our child(ren) and those we know (or don't know personally but perhaps see our family in the neighborhood, at the grocery store, at the local zoo, etc). 

Organic Outreach for Families by Kevin and Sherry Harney offers great theological and practical wisdom is this area.  They specifically address talking to your children about Jesus, sharing grace with your extended family, opening the doors of your home and practicing hospitality, encouraging your children to share Jesus in their schools, jobs, and with friends, and in general sharing the light of God with your community.

I recommend this book; it's not only theologically sound, but extremely practical.  I know spirituality is not about a step-by-step process, but sometimes it's nice to have down-to-earth practical suggestions and ideas!  The authors share many of their own stories and how they responded in certain situations, as well as the results of their methods and actions.  They don't present themselves as perfect examples by any means, but rather they learn from their mistakes without ceasing to practice hospitality and preaching the Gospel to their community.

The book is very encouraging to me as a mother; I plan to keep this one on my shelf and come back to it frequently!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Review: A Clearing in the Wild

This book is so different than most of the historical fiction I've read lately, and it was beyond refreshing.  Written from a first person perspective, A Clearing in the Wild tells the story of Emma Wagner, her life in the town of Bethel, Missouri, and her journey west to the Oregon Territory.  The people of Bethel seek to live a simple and generous life of communal living, set apart from the rest of the world in the 1850s.  The author never describes them as Amish, but they are German descent (and indeed still speak German) and live like most people believe the Amish to live.

Emma is a headstrong young woman who speaks her mind in a time and place where women are not supposed to be independent thinkers.  When her husband is chosen to lead a team of scouts west to the Oregon Territory to find new land for the people of Bethel to move to, she clashes with Bethel's leader in attempt to kept her husband with her.  Instead, without her husband's knowledge or approval, she convinces the leader to allow her to go with the team of scouts.

Emma and her husband Christian travel many months through the plains and into the lush Oregon Territory, learning a great deal about themselves and each other along the way.  When the land to build the new colony for the people of Bethel is finally chosen, Emma has her doubts and the entire team struggles to prepare the land in time for the arrival of the rest of their people.  Through it all, Emma wrestles with their colony's beliefs about God, women and the role they are meant to play, family, and the essences of community.

As I mentioned before, this book is different that most of the historical fiction I've been reading lately; the focus is not so much on the love story of the main characters, but about their entire life story.  The text is well-written and the reader is immediately engaged to and connected with the characters.  I highly recommend A Clearing in the Wild!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Waterbrook Multnomah as part of their Blogging for Books program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Review: All in Good Time

All in Good Time follows Dessa Caldwell as she seeks to fulfill her dream of opening a safe house for former prostitutes in the city of Denver in the late 1800s.  But after she's collected as many charitable donations as possible to open Pierson House, she is still in need of a loan to finance the purchase of the house in Denver's Fourth Ward.  After being turned down by numerous banks, one of her last options is Hawkins National Bank, owned by the most successful man in town.  Henry Hawkins is the owner of the bank and though he seems a formidable man, he is determined to hide his past- specifically how his initial capital for his bank came to him. 

All in Good Time was a nice quick read.  I liked that the author definitely brought attention to the issue of prostitution in the post-war post-gold rush era in Colorado, as well as the racial tensions between Whites and Chinese.  The characters were all developed well, and it was nice that no one was 'perfect' and each character had something in their past which affected them in major ways.  Although there were some 'park your brain' moments, I thoroughly enjoyed the story.  The book is part of the Guilded Legacy series so I'm hoping for some more good stories about social and economic justice in the West.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Tyndale House Publishers as part of their book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Review: Shattered

"When her prodigal brother's return to Yancey, Alaska, is shattered by his arrest for murder, Piper McKenna is determined to protect him..."

For some reason, I don't read and review a lot of mystery or crime drama, but this book from Bethany House caught my eye.  I'm not going to lie when I tell you I read it in three days...which isn't bad considering my five-month old isn't too keen on letting me sit down with a book for any period of time.

Shattered is the second in the Alaskan Courage series by Dani Pettrey; I hadn't read the first book, but enough back story was provided so that I wasn't confused throughout this one.  There are a few times when the reader wonders if something alluded to was explained in the first book, but it's not distracting enough to where you must read the first book in order to fully understand the story of Shattered.

The book focuses on a family of siblings that have lost their parents (think Party of Five, but with a rugged outdoors twist); when the youngest brother returns for a ski competition and is arrested for murder, the other siblings are determined to prove his innocence, with or without the help of their lifelong friend Landon, who just happens to be the Deputy of Yancey.  Shattered will leave you guessing until the very end- this one is definitely a page-turner!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Bethany House Publishers as part of their Blogger Review Program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Review: Pocket Your Dollars

With our recent transition to one income and an additional family member, I have been looking for more ways to save money.  When Bethany House offered Pocket Your Dollars as a review book, I decided to give it a shot, even though I've read just about every money-saving book and blog out there.

For the most part, there wasn't anything new in the book.  However, I did like the fact that the author tried to focus more of the root of the problem: our attitudes toward money.  She discusses five different attitude changes needed to help us pay down debt and avoid financial stress.  Along the way, she shares her own personal story of how she and her husband paid off over $50,000 in 2.5 years.  She concludes the book with some practical tips- all of which I was already aware, except one.  Buy your gas on Tuesdays, people.  Apparently, that's generally when gas prices are at their lowest of the week.  Who knew?

While the book didn't offer much new advice or many new ideas on saving money, it was still good for me to be reminded that money (or lack, thereof) is not the root of the problem, but rather my attitudes that affect my actions.

Check out the website www.pocketyourdollars.com for more...but if anyone else has any other ideas on saving money, I'm all ears!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Bethany House Publishers as part of their Blogger Review Program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Review: Outrageous Courage

Outrageous Courage tells snippets of the life of Tracy Evans, a former runaway turned physician's assistant and missionary.  She had treated rebel guerrillas while captive on an Asian island, sipped tea in a Mozambican hut while bullets were being fired throughout the village, and cared for over 900 HIV-positive orphans in Mozambique.

I had never heard of Tracy Evans before picking up this book, but she seems to be somewhat of a modern Amy Carmichael.  The stories she shared in this book are nothing short of incredible...and while cynicism sometimes found its way into my head and heart while reading this book, I was always convicted of it.  We serve a great God so why would we not expect him to do great and miraculous things? 

This book encouraged me and reminded me that the Lord can and will do great things, and he will often choose his humble servants as the way through which he will accomplish such things.  I only hope that in many years I can recount such stories of faith and obedience.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Chosen Books, a dividion of Baker Publishing, as part of their Blogging for Books program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Review: Plain Wisdom

Whoops.  Somehow I missed reviewing Plain Wisdom from Waterbrook Press.  I think I got this book...uh...a while ago.  But pregnancy brain and new motherhood brain struck again.  I finally finished this book, and am so glad I did!

Plain Wisdom is the work of Cindy Woodsmall, the best-selling novelist known for her stories of the Amish, and her true friend Miriam Flaud, a member of the Old Order Amish.  Through this book, they recount how their friendship developed and deepened, sharing stories of laughter and tears and nuggets of practical wisdom throughout.  The book is great for a new mom like me because the chapters are super short but very rich; I felt like a read something whole-heartedly in between trying to quiet my baby girl into her nap. 

Even though the text itself is great, I think my favorite part by far was the recipes Miriam included.  Oh my goodness, just reading the text of the recipes made me hungry!  I cannot wait to try out some of these recipes- they actually don't look too intimidating!

I highly recommend Plain Wisdom- it provides a nice change of pace from Woodsmall's usual books, and it is extrememly practical!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Waterbrook Multnomah as part of their Blogging for Books program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Review: All for a Song

Dorothy Lynn Dunbar comes from a small town, and it seems her path in life is already laid out: she is engaged to the pastor who took over her father's pulpit and has a solid place in her church and community.  But when she visits her sister in the big city of St. Louis, Dorothy Lynn begins to wonder what her life could be like if she moved away from her hometown of Heron's Nest.  By chance she hears a woman evangelist speaking one night and is offered the chance to travel with her team and sing on stage.  Dorothy Lynn loves to write music and sing, but she never dreamed of performing for anyone.  But when the chance to help find her brother in California opens up, she packs up and joins the evangelist's group.  She promises her fiance she will return, but when she finds herself in California, will things change?

While the writing of All for a Song was good and the plot interesting, there were a few parts about the storyline that the author simply glossed over.  Dorothy Lynn's confusing and ambiguous relationship with one of the male characters is never really fully developed or explained, and at the end of the book, the reader is wondering just what actually happened between the two.  The writing method shifts between present day and the Roaring Twenties, where the bulk of the book takes place.  I liked this method of delivering the story, but at the end the book somehow felt rather incomplete, like I was waiting for one final thought to tie up all the loose ends. 

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Tyndale House Publishers as part of their book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Review: The Tutor's Daughter

Yay for more historical fiction from Bethany House!  When I requested The Tutor's Daughter, I did not realize it was the same author of The Girl in the Gatehouse, which I reviewed a while back and thoroughly enjoyed.  Julie Klaussen is a self-proclaimed Jane Eyre and Jane Austen nut, so I was especially excited to read her newest book.

Emma Smallwood grew up in her father's boarding school for young men, but when the opportunity arises for Mr. Smallwood and Emma to travel to Cornwall and serve as private tutors for the Weston family, they pack up, let their house, and embark on their new adventure.  Twenty-one year old Emma is eager to reunite with Phillip, one of the Weston brothers who graduated her father's school some three years before, but she is equally leery of running into his older brother Henry, who teased her mercilessly and played several pranks of her during his time at the Smallwood Academy.

The Smallwoods arrive at the Weston estate, and much to Emma's excitement, learns that her friend Phillip has taken a respite from his studies at Oxford.  She enjoys conversations with her old friend as she and her father settle into their roles as tutors for the two younger Weston boys when strange things begin to happen.  Emma awakens in the middle of the night to feel as though someone is in her room.  She hears music playing from the pianoforte at night, but finds no one at the keys.  Mysterious notes and messages are slipped underneath her door.  Emma's suspicions begin to escalate, and real danger becomes eminent.  Who can she turn to during this confusing time?

I enjoyed this story almost as much as The Girl in the Gatehouse and thought Klaussen wove an excellent tale.  Unlike most historical fiction novels, this one actually kept me guessing about certain story lines for more than the first few pages.  In fact, I didn't figure out the mystery on my own, but rather finally understood it as Klaussen continued her plot development; it was a nice surprise not to be able to completely guess the outcome of the book in the first several chapters!  I would recommend this book if you are looking for an enjoyable read.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Bethany House Publishers as part of their Blogger Review Program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Who Do You Think You Are?

I fully admit that I requested to review Mark Driscoll's new book Who Do You Think You Are? at the prompting of my husband...but I am so glad I read this book.  Driscoll works through Ephesians and helps to give specific words to our identity in Christ (I am: in Christ, blessed, saved, adopted, etc).  The writing is excellent, and he uses a host of stories from his own personal life and history as some great illustrations.

I'm not going to lie- the book had me in tears at certain spots...maybe it's just because of the stage of life in which I currently find myself, but this book was a breath of fresh air for me spiritually.  One day, I was having a particularly hard time with our almost-four month old.  She had been fussy for several days, wasn't sleeping well, and just wasn't her usual happy, smiley, and chatty self.  No matter what I did, I found myself holding a screaming baby trying to calm her using whatever new-mommy skills I had (which, admittedly, aren't many).  She finally fell asleep at one point when I was rocking her, and too scared to set her down for fear she would wake up screaming, I picked up this book and continued to rock her.  I was reading the chapter titled 'I am Heard' and came to this passage:

Jesus loves you.  How do you feel when you read that?  Do you doubt it because you're suffering?  Do you disbelieve it because there's great sin in your life?  Do you disregard it because it seems trite, overly simple, and not something you have truly plumbed to its depths?  Do you dismiss it because you're so busy with life and its cares that you don't have time to dwell on deep truths?
 

I was in tears at this point because for the past several days, that was exactly how I felt.  I wasn't suffering like many people have suffered and continue to suffer, but I was struggling with my daughter's perpetual state of fussiness...and yes, sometimes when people tell me that Jesus loves me, I do find it rather trite.  But not this time.  This time those three simple words reached deep into my heart and comforted me during my difficult season of motherhood.  I looked at my beautiful sleeping daughter through my tears and knew that I love her and that I will always love her...but I also knew that Jesus Christ loves her far more than my husband or I ever could.  And I remembered that he has the same love for me.  Sometimes, it just takes a little reminding.

I highly recommend this book!  I am planning on rereading it in the new several months.  I think it would also make a great group study through Ephesians!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Review: Fyodor Dostoevsky

So...apparently this book has been sitting on my shelf for...uh, maybe a year now.    Like I mentioned before, I'm a bit behind in my book blogging review goodness.  But I was excited to remember I hadn't yet read this book as I was in the mood for a biography; I've really enjoyed the other books in the Christian Encounters series by Nelson Books as well.  They are usually shorter biographies and easier reads...and with a brand new baby, my brain isn't exactly up to full functioning capacity at this point.  I'm sure you understand.  I chose to read the biography of Dostoevsky by Peter Leithart because I'm a big fan of the classic Russian writers (although Tolstoy is my favorite).

While Fyodor Dostoevsky was interesting, I was a little disappointed in the style.   It is written in a narrative style (which admittedly, typically make biographies easier to read), and Leithart jumps around chronologically so that it actually gets a little confusing.  If you do not have a good understanding of Dostoevsky's life before you pick up this book, you will probably still be a little confused as to the general timeline of his life.  However, the detail in explaining his literary views and his initial rise to fame, as well as his disgrace with the Russian government and his reemergence as a Russian authority on literature is amazing.  Obviously, Leithart knows and understands a great deal of Dostoevsky.  It would just be nice if the book covered a bit more of the basics and possessed more chronological clarity.  It is good, however, to have a better understanding of the immense struggles and hardships Dostoevsky faced at various points in his life; I think when we understand more of a writer's life, we understand more of his writing.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Review: A Change of Fortune

Woo!  Back with another book review.  I'm on a roll here...but don't expect anything too elaborate from me...

I've mentioned before I really like Bethany House's selection of historical fiction so whenever I get an email from them about reviewing books, I honestly want to ask them to just send me all of their historical fiction available.  I can zip right through them and they are typically very light reading as well.  Sometimes, it's just nice to melt away into a story!

I recently finished A Change of Fortune by brand new novelist Jen Turano.  It's the story of a British heiress who was swindled out of her fortune and in turn lost her fiance and comfortable lifestyle in England.  Lady Eliza crosses the Atlantic to search out the man who stole her money; she plans on confronting him, recovering her fortune, and returning to England. 

After arriving in America, she is hired as a governess and must disguise her true aristocratic status, but becomes friends with the daughter of a socially-active family and is then thrown into the path of the wealthy Beckett brothers as well.  Hamilton Beckett is the elder brother, a widower with two unruly children, and the hopeful future son-in-law of almost every mother in New York City.  He, however, has no intention of remarrying any woman, but when he and Eliza find themselves caught up in the same mystery, he reevaluates his feelings even as she plans to return to England.

For a first-time author, Turano did a good job of weaving the story together.  I wish there were more historical references included throughout the narrative, but it was still amusing and entertaining throughout.  I read the entire book in just over two days...I'm thinking she also left the door open for some follow up novels based on some of the other main characters!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Bethany House Publishers as part of their Blogger Review Program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Review: The Conviction To Lead

So admittedly, I've been slacking off in book reviews as of late...pregnancy and birthing a child simply took priority.  But now that my daughter is almost three months old, I'm slowly starting to figure out what our new normal is, and I'm feeling less and less zombie-like each day (well, for the most part).  I've missed reading as much as I used to do, so I'm making a point of trying to read a little bit each day (at least, as much as my daughter will let me).  First up is Albert Mohler's The Conviction to Lead.

First off, my rule about books in general is that if a very large picture of the author takes up a good portion of the cover, I'm not very likely to enjoy it...which is why I was a little disappointed when I saw Dr. Mohler's face smiling back at me when I picked up the book.  But I tried not to hold that against him when I started reading. 

The Conviction to Lead has a subtitle of '25 Principles for Leadership that Matters'.  Okay, just another little nit picky thing: I realize 'matters' is referring to 'leadership', but it sure as heck through me for a loop when I first read it, thinking there was a blatant subject-verb disagreement on the freaking cover.  Maybe if it was phrased differently so there wasn't that tricky prepositional phrase beginning with 'for'.

But I digress.  Onto the meat of the book.  Let me preface this by stating that I believe Dr. Mohler is a genius.  I have been in his personal library a few times, and it is nothing less than ah-mazing.  The man reads an insane amount of books, newspapers, journals, magazines, etc.  And what is really admirable is that he reads so prolifically; he doesn't focus on any particular genre.  Pretty impressive...so needless to say, the man is a lot smarter than me.  And yes, sometimes I have no earthly clue what he is saying, but he also is a very gifted communicator; he does an exceptional job of expressing his points in this book.  His use of examples from history was one of my favorite aspects of the book.

He systematically lays out twenty-five different principles of leadership (such as conviction, passion, credibility, etc) and delves into each one.  For the most part, the book reads like an easily-flowing conversation...but for some reason, I thought he might have included more of a 'how-to' aspect at the end of each chapter.  He does offer advice and encouragement on how to improve leadership skills in several chapters, but in more of a back-door way.  It's definitely not a '25 Steps to Better Leadership' kind of book.  And in all honesty, I think the book got a little better toward the end.  My favorite chapters discussed reading (surprise, surprise) and social media.   Yes, Dr. Mohler encouraged his readers to be active on twitter.  Whoops....better get on that.

The only other caveat is that this book about leadership is definitely applicable to a Western audience, but probably wouldn't work so well in some other cultures (the chapter on time specifically).  But other than that, I was glad I challenged myself to read more of Dr. Mohler's writing.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Bethany House Publishers as part of their Blogger Review Program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Love on the Line

Rural switchboard operator Georgie is proud of her independence in a man's world, which makes it difficult when the telephone company sends a man to look over her shoulder and become her supervisor.  Luke is more than he appears, however.  A Texas Ranger working undercover, he's after a gang of train robbers, and dealing with telephone wires and the difficult switchboard operator is not something he wants to be bothered with.  But when his work as a Ranger puts Georgie in danger, he must choose between his job and much more.

I usually enjoy Bethany House publications, and Love on the Line was a fun read; I learned a great deal about switchboard operations, no doubt!  One thing I really enjoy about historical fiction is the amount of research an author typically puts into their story.  As a preface to the book, author Deanne Gist thanks all the individuals at various museums and societies who helped her prepare for the book.  I had no idea there was a museum for things concerning switchboard operations.  Another fun bit about this book was that the setting was a town in rural Texas with German heritage.  Gist also explains some German traditions and even allows the characters to speak some German words and phrases.  Don't worry- if you don't speak any German, you'll still be able to figure out the meaning of the words through context.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Bethany House Publishers as part of their Blogger Review Program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

A Wedding Invitation

I'm back with some more book reviews!  I'm not normally a fan of modern fiction because I generally prefer historical fiction or classic literature.  However, I choose to review A Wedding Invitation by Alice J. Wisler since the main characters either worked in refugees in the Philippines in the 1980s or were refugees themselves.

Samanthan Bravencourt enjoys her quiet life in in Washington, D.C. after returning home from teaching English to refugees in the Philippines.  She receives an invitation to her college friend's wedding, she heads to North Carolina to celebrate and reconnect with old friends.  When the wedding turns out differently than she expects, a chance encounter leads her to Carson, a former fellow teacher in the Philippines who broke her heart.  Sam is soon forced to choose between her comfortable life and helping Lien, a young refugee girl who needs her help.  But helping the refugee girl will require working with Carson again, and Sam isn't sure if her heart could handle it.

What I liked about this book is that many people who read it may never have understood what a refugee is; after reading this story, perhaps they will be encouraged to learn more about refugees and their plights.  To me, the story was secondary to the issues highlighted about refugees.  The author apparently taught in the refugee processing center in the Philippines in the 80s; after learning that, I had a great deal of respect for her.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Bethany House Publishers as part of their Blogger Review Program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Forsaking All Others

Camilla Fox is rescued from a near-fatal snowstorm by Colonel Charles Brandon of the United States Army after she fled her home in an effort to escape from a faith she no longer called her own.  Eager to reunite with her daughters, Camilla tries to determine how she assure her children will not grow up with Mormon teachings.  Colonel Brandon offers his assistance, but as he begins to develop feelings for Camilla, she determines to return home to her mother's home and to continue her efforts to be reunited with her children.

I'll be honest, this book was uncomfortable and a little weird to read.  I don't think I've ever come across any type of historical fiction which addresses Mormonism and specifically, the issue of polygamy.  In the book, Camilla flees because she refuses to share her husband with a second wife.   I honestly am not that familiar with all the teachings of Mormonism and I don't think the author did a very good job explaining the basics of it.  She did, however, do an excellent job providing some interesting historical facts and Brigham Young and the building of the temple in Utah, but I still felt a bit lost and confused and not sure what bits of Mormon faith she includes to trust as accurate or dramatized.  I also was concerned that she develops this budding romance between Camilla and the Colonel when Camilla is still married; it was just a little uncomfortable at times. 

Apparently, this book is in a series called 'The Sister Wife Series'... honestly, I think the show about sister wives on cable is more than enough more me.  I don't plan on reading the other books. 

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Tyndale House Publishers as part of their book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Out of Control

I just love when the mailman brings me a book from Bethany House Publishers to review.  They are the perfect Saturday afternoon read.  Recently, I received Out of Control by Mary Connealy; I don't think I've ever read anything by this author before, but I did enjoy reading this fun little book.

The story is that of Julia, a young woman who loves studying geology and other natural sciences.  Her home life isn't exactly the most comforting or consistent of places, so she finds her peace in long walks and studying the fossils and rock formations in the cave near her father's house.  But when someone steals the rope she uses to climb out of the cave, her world will be changed forever.

The man who owns the land where the cave is located returns to the cave one last evening to try to make his peace with the place which tore his family apart when he was just a boy.  As Rafe approaches the cave, he hears a woman crying for help and is forced to enter the cave where so many memories haunt him.  As Rafe and Julia try to track down the man who is lurking about Rafe's land, they eventually must choose between each other and their families.

It was an intriguing story, full of danger, humour, and even a little bit of history.  While at certain spots the writing style didn't seem consistent with the rest of the book, it flowed easily and the plot unfolded nicely.  It was definitely a good Saturday afternoon read!

I think this book is going to be the first in a series of stories about the women who marry the Kincaid men.  There are three brothers in the family, so I'm guessing the next story will be about the middle brother Ethan and then finally the youngest brother Seth.  You will probably be able to read the other two stories without reading this book first, but I'm guessing that it will help you understand the back story better if you start with Out of Control.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Bethany House Publishers as part of their Blogger Review Program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Louisville's Refugee Elder Program

Not a big post...just one to encourage you to check out the (relatively) new blog for Louisville's Refugee Elder Program!  We launched it in June, and we've already gotten hits from most of the US states and fourteen different countries!

Click on the picture to be taken to the blog:

To Win Her Heart

So you may have noticed I haven't posted in quite some time...I've been a bit distracted with life lately.  But autumn is fast-approaching, and I always feel a bit better when the rest of the world seems to return to a normal schedule.

I finished To Win Her Heart a long time ago, but then I lent it to a friend before I wrote the review.  Levi Grant, after serving a sentence for the unintentional crime he committed in his youth looks to begin again in the small town of Spencer, Texas.  The town needs a blacksmith, and Levi needs a place where no one knows his past.  Eden Spencer is the town's all-but-confirmed spinster; she chooses instead to devote her time to the library she runs in the town her father founded.  When the larger-than-life new blacksmith arrives, Eden begins to reconsider her decision in swearing off all men.  But as the truth about Levi's past is slowly revealed, he must find a way to win back the librarian's affections.

This is a super sweet story that will keep you engaged for beginning to end.  I'd never read anything by Karen Witemeyer, and it's definitely not a new style by any means.  But the book provides a nice escape from the pressures of today's world and beckons you back to a seemingly simpler time.  With just the right amount of snarky villanous characters, you'll be rooting for the hero the whole time.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Bethany House Publishers as part of their Blogger Review Program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."