BASH and the Chocolate Milk Cows

Spending time on the farm is what most kids would dream would be a time of untold imagination and unlimited fun. Where the sky is the limit and staying outside lasts well past the time the sun goes down. When Raymond William Boxby, known fondly as Beamer arrives to hang out with his third cousin, twice removed, but not far enough in Beamer's mind, Sebastian "Bash" Hinglehob. Their adventures are only beginning when reports of a robber being spotted in town, leaves Bash wanting to capture him and Beamer, trying to stay as far away as possible.

Things begin as most would expect adventurous boys would, building boats large enough for them to fit in to gain access to catching frogs in the small creek on the edge of the farm, to helping set the stage for the largest April Fool's Day joke even on Bash's father. It will be the day that the dairy cows will give chocolate milk for the first time, and as every kid knows there is no better milk to drink than chocolate milk. Beamer isn't sure how Bash is going to pull this off, and he knows based on all his other pranks they have been attempting to pull off, they are likely going to be reaping the consequences of those actions for a long, long time.

In the book, BASH and the Chocolate Milk Cows by Burton W. Cole, young readers will gain an true appreciation to what life was like before technology kept kids from being outside and letting their imaginations run wild. What Bash and Beamer do along with all the other kids from surrounding farms, is redefine what fun really is. From blasting off in a pretend chicken coop to galaxies far, far away, to smashing eggs on the dairy cows noses as they attempt to win the battle of the Moovarians versus the Cluckorians. Even the names the boys give to the frogs that they raise from tadpoles are completely hilarious and remind us all once more of the precious days of childhood.

I received BASH and the Chocolate Milk Cows by Burton W. Cole compliments of B and H Publishing Group and Shelton Interactive for my honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation for a favorable review and the opinions contained here are strictly my own. I love the amazing illustrations that accompany the opening of each chapter. Just when you think the boys will finally stay out of trouble, they hatch another creative plot. It truly takes me back to my childhood days of catching frogs and trying to keep them at home, not a successful venture by the way, when they escape, and the unlimited ideas that come when two boys put their heads and imaginations together to fill their days when chores are done. The chocolate milk prank had to be my favorite one they manage to pull off but how they did it, will remain a secret until readers find out for themselves. I rate this one a 5 out of 5 stars and reminds me a lot of the Beverly Cleary series of books I read growing up.

For more information about BASH and the Chocolate Milk Cows, Burton W. Cole, or where you can pick up a copy of this book today, please click on the links below:

BASH and the Chocolate Milk Cows by Burton W. Cole

You can find more amazing books from Burton W. Cole by visiting his Facebook page. 

For more reviews on BASH and the Chocolate Milk Cows, please visit B and H Publishing Groups website. 

The Desperate Diva Diaries

For anyone who loves the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series, but with a Christian twist, then you MUST pick up a copy of The Desperate Diva Diaries from Angie Spady. Written in similar format of the Diaries of the Wimpy Kid series, these are written from the perspective of Catie Conrad and her life in Middle School. Struggling with the same issues our teens face from secret crushes, bullying by the popular girls, struggling with school and life with her brother Jeremy who she refers to as Germ, the pest. it provides an outlet that teens can feel comfortable with.

This is the second novel, Catie Conrad: How to Become the Most Unpopular Girl in Middle School from Angie Spady. You don't have to read the first one to jump into this one and gain a true sense of appreciation from the things Catie struggles with. It's almost like a Christian version of Lizzie Maguire! Catie's help comes from her BFF, Sophie who is super smart and part of the Academic Team, who offers biblical advice when Catie has come to the end of her rope. While being far from perfect herself, Sophie struggles to deal with Miranda Maroni, the popular girl at school who never has anything nice to say to anyone who isn't in her click.

Even though Catie dreams of one day being a fashion diva through her many sketches of outfits and designing things from shirts to purses, she is your typical teen who has to deal with so many things on a daily basis. Her biggest challenge in this book is dealing with her younger brother, his pet skunk Rosie and just when she thinks it can't get any worse, he takes on the responsibility for caring for Dylan's bearded dragon when his family leaves to China to bring back their adopted sister. Now Catie has to deal with more pets than she can handle including her brother. Is there anyone who can understand?

I received The Desperate Diva Diaries: How To Become The Most Unpopular Girl in Middle School by Angie Spady compliments of Shelton Interactive and B and H Publishers for my honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation for a favorable review and the opinions included here are strictly my own. I LOVE this series and have enjoyed reading them. I can see how young teens would benefit from sharing in the real life situations that Catie experiences, from failing a quiz, dealing with bullies, and trying to make a positive impression in her school and at home. This one even addresses volunteering and contributing to supporting the Compassion International program of helping out kids with monetary donations, but will the kids be able to part with their allowances? You'll have to read this one and see how it all turns out. The best thing I love about this is the Scripture references that Catie refers to when life is more than she can handle and how she attempts to live it out through her friends and family. Well worth a 5 out of 5 stars in my opinion.

For more information about The Desperate Diva Diaries: How To Become The Most Unpopular Girl in Middle School, Angie Spady or where you can pick up a copy of this book today, please click on the links below:

The Desperate Diva Diaries: How To Become The Most Unpopular Girl in Middle School by Angie Spady

You can find The Desperate Diva Diaries on Facebook to stay up to date on all the latest books.

To read more reviews on The Desperate Diva Diaries, please visit B and H Publishers website.

Miracles From Heaven

The hardest thing for any parent is watching your child suffer and knowing there isn't anything you can do to help. That is the life that Christy and Kevin Beam witnessed for years as their daughter Annabel was diagnosed with a devastating digestive disease for which there is no cure, and would likely claim her life in the very near future. So for them, they never knew when Annabel's final day would come, so they did what most parents would do, is to try and make the remainder of those days the very best they could be.

Annabel's faith in God was always strong, despite the many tests, trials, medications, surgeries and lengthy hospitals stays she had to endure, she remained as strong as any child could. She held on to her faith in God. Being the middle daughter, her life was challenging at best. Sitting back watching others enjoy food was a luxury Annabel couldn't afford. Just taking a bite of food could set her in the hospital for obstructions in her intestines, and as you know, people celebrate life with food as part of life. How hard for a child to watch people open their stockings filled with candy and have to hand it over to others to enjoy.

But the Beams would never know how a seemingly innocent day turned into a nightmare and would forever change the outcome for Annabel's life. An aging cottonwood tree on their property with a gaping hope thirty feet up in the air would trap Annabel as she fell head first into the black hole while her sisters watched in horror. Had they not been present, who knows if anyone would have found her. Annabel's claims that during the time she remained trapped into the darkness of the tree, she went to Heaven where Jesus assured her, it was not her time to come home despite her many pleas to her parents to "let me got to Heaven with Jesus where there is no pain." What follows can only be a series of miracles for the lives of the people who were a part of this life changing rescue.

I received Miracles from Heaven by Christy Wilson Beam compliments of Shelton Interactive and Hachette Book Groups for my honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation for a favorable review and the opinions found here are strictly my own. I've read quite a few books about visitations to Heaven, and we may never know what exactly happened in Annabel's life, but what happened afterwards is truly miraculous. This is the memoir of Annabel's life up to the point where this accident happened and how God worked in the life of this family is bound to make even the harshest critic a believer. A truly inspirational true story of one little girl and her journey to heaven and her amazing story of healing. Well worth 4.5 out of 5 stars in my opinion.

For more information about Miracles from Heaven, Christy Wilson Beam, or where you can pick up a copy of this book today, please click on the links below:

Miracles from Heaven by Christy Wilson Beam

You can find Christy Wilson Beam on Facebook to stay up to date with her family. 

To read more reviews on Miracles from Heaven, please visit Hachette Book Groups' website. 

10 Steps to Your F.I.T: Faith Inspired Transformation

"Whether you think you can or you think you can't - you're right. ~ Henry Ford

"You can't turn on the TV or open a magazine without seeing a dieting product. We are so inundated with infomercials and ads, but if these products work, where are the lasting results? If 20 billion dollars are being spent on diet aids, and 108 million of us use them, how is it that nearly 70 percent of adults are overweight or obese? The answer is that we're trained in quick fixes that don't last." (pg 4).

So how can we lose weight? How can we find balance in the food choices we have in front of us? Is there a way to change our focus on not losing weight but instead getting healthy? Kim Dolan Leto, who has graced the covers of magazines like Oxygen, Fitness and Fitness Life believes that it is a belief in Christ that has kept her motivated to reach her fitness goals in a balanced and healthy way. In her book 10 Steps to Your F.I.T: Faith Inspired Transformation, she explains why your typical diets don't last and why as women we have a tendency to give up before we see any real results. She also explains that not all calories are created equal thus the reason why so many people can't lose weight or even those that do, put it all back on again and more within 2 years.

What you won't find her are any quick fixes but a balance approach to seeking God's power instead of our own will power for getting healthy. Weight loss will just be an added benefit to doing just that. She explains how fad diets promise quick results, but they often leave out the education, exercise, and how-to's to maintaining those results once the program is over. What's worse is that they make you rely on their product and believe it or not, any effects aren't long lasting.

She instructs readers on changing their negative thoughts, realizing where our previous efforts have failed us, and incorporates what she calls F.I.T. practices, between spiritual, mental and physical fitness into a "power hour." You won't find a book laced with work out routines, meal plans or recipes but this is an insightful, scripture based book to enable you to begin your journey to a healthy you. I am super excited to give this one a go, since I too, have been a diet junky, looking for a better way to lose weight, keep it off and stay healthy despite all the busy pressures of being a mom and wife.

I received 10 Steps to Your F.I.T: Faith Inspired Transformation by Kim Dolan Leto compliments of Fedd Books and Shelton Interactive for my honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation for a favorable review and the opinions expressed here are strictly my own unless otherwise notated. There are some great tools to help inspire and keep you on the right path in each section, including Get F.I.T. at the conclusion of each chapter which include reflection questions and strategies that can help you incorporate that aspect into your own getting healthy plan. There are also some great online resources that are available to help you on your journey to health and fitness success that are included in this book. I can't wait to incorporate these tips in my own healthy lifestyle change and feels this one deserves a full 4.5 out of 5 stars in my opinion.

For more information about 10 Steps to Your F.I.T: Faith Inspired Transformation, Kim Dolan Leto or where you can pick up a copy of this book today, please click on the links below:

10 Steps to Your F.I.T: Faith Inspired Transformation by Kim Dolan Leto

You can find Kim Dolan Leto on Facebook to stay up to date with all her latest health and fitness tips.

To read more reviews on 10 Steps to Your F.I.T: Faith Inspired Transformation, please visit Shelton Interactive's website.

Desperate Diva Diaries

For fans of Diary of a Wimpy Kid or Dork Diaries, comes a great alternative for girls in Middle School who want something with a spiritual message tucked inside. Desperate Diva Diaries from author Angie Spady is just for girls who can relate to the things Catie Conrad has to deal with in going to Middle School.

Her father supplied her with three journals, which he hopes she will find the love of writing her thoughts in them as much as he enjoyed writing for the newspaper, but Catie was hoping that he might have found a least a good zit zapper instead. However she finds that writing down what she is going through in school might not be so bad. Her best friend is Sophie, who is always looking out for her best interests and keeps her on the spiritual path while the two dream up spa inspired recipes for body lotion and bubble bath when they have sleepovers.

Catie is challenged to get along with her younger brother, Jeremy, whom she lovingly refers to as the "Germ." He has a pet skunk as a pet named Rosie he doesn't go anywhere without. Her nemesis in school is Miranda Maroni, who is the ultimate popular girl in school who has everything going for her including the same interest in Josh Henderson, the boy both girls are hoping will ask them to the upcoming dance. Catie dreams of one day becoming a big name fashionista and shares her ideas in her diary along with all her frustrations only a teenager girl would understand.

I received Desperate Diva Diaries-Catie Conrad: Faith, Friendship and Fashion Disasters by Angie Spady and illustrated by Channing Everidge compliments of Shelton Interactive and B and H Publishing Group for my honest review. In exchange for a free copy of the book, I did not receive any monetary compensation for a favorable review and the opinions contained here are strictly my own. I only wish I had a book like this when I was younger. It reminded me of Beverly Clearly and the books about Ramona and Beezus, but this one has an uplifting message inside. While Catie struggles to put her faith in action, she remembers why it is necessary to pray for others and even serve in the mission field. It helps her understand how things like what dress you will get for the dance or even buying the latest smart phone relates in the bigger scheme of life. I can't wait to pick this entire series as it becomes available for my niece whom I know will absolutely LOVE this one as much as I did. Hands down a 5 out of 5 perfect stars!

For more information about Desperate Diva Diaries-Catie Conrad: Faith, Friendship and Fashion Disasters, Angie Spady or where you can preorder a copy of this book today, please click on the links below:

Desperate Diva Diaries-Catie Conrad: Faith, Friendship and Fashion Disasters by Angie Spady

Motherless

Some of the most memorable novels are the ones that don't follow the structure we would expect. It's like watching the movie, "The Sixth Sense," yes the one about a young boy who can see dead people who seeks the professional help of Bruce Willis, who promises to help him. It isn't until we get to the very end of the movie, when everything we have been led to believe comes completely unraveled as the real plot is revealed. It makes you realize not everything is as it seems. That is just what Erin Healy has managed to masterfully accomplish.

Now don't be misled by the questionable reviews out there. I honestly believe most didn't finish with the novel and see how it all is revealed by the end. I even, wondered to myself more than 100 pages in, how did I get so lost in this story. I wondered if I was the only one, was it worth digging in deeper to finish or should I throw my hands up in defeat and surrender. After all, all of the novels I have read from Erin Healy have been amazing. So I wondered just what is going on.

I don't want to give any of the details away, because those are so precious when you finally discover what is happening, I don't want to ruin it for you. What I will say is press on, because the prize is so worth it. This isn't like any other suspense novel I have ever read and the ending will completely turn you upside down. You will need to press on pass more than 100 pages in the beginning and give yourself a break from what you are trying to figure out. Don't!!! Simply take your time and read it as it is happening. Don't try to figure out anything, just take it as it comes. It will be so worth your time and I honestly believe you will LOVE it as much as I did. I did put it down for a few days while trying to figure out what I was going to do about finishing it. As an honest reviewer, I feel I am committed to providing an honest review of any novel I am asked to review, whether it is positive or negative.

To give you a brief overview of the novel without giving anything away, I will refer to the synopsis that Erin provides on her cover. "A whispering voice at the back of my mind reminds me that I've been this way for some time. Dead. That is."

"The dead have a very broad view of the living, of actions performed out of sight, of thoughts believed to be private. I would know. Losing both parents is a trial no child should endure, and Marina and Dylan have endured enough. They deserve the one thing I could never give them: a mother's love."

"A mother's love, and the truth."

"My children have believed a lie about me for years and years. After all this time, I can still feel their hurt in my heart. But the tether holding me to them is frayed from years of neglect... and I have to find a way to make my confession before it snaps."

"But when the truth comes out, what other beasts will I unleash?"

"Why do we lie to the children?" someone asked me once.

"To protect them," I answered.

"How terrible it is that they need protection from me."

I received Motherless by Erin Healy compliments of Thomas Nelson Publishers and Shelton Interactive for my honest review. Besides receiving a free copy of the novel, I did not receive any monetary compensation for a favorable review and the opinions expressed in this review are strictly my own. This is such a great novel because it completely deviates from your standard novel. It doesn't follow scripted patterns you can easily figure out, it has you all over the place because as readers, we honestly are trying to figure it out before it ends. Erin, keeps your guessing. Everything I thought was tossed over the ocean cliff by the time I got to the final chapters. Don't even read the discussion guide questions for clues because you will ruin it for yourself. Keep pressing on despite how difficult the beginning may be. Even I struggled, but I persevered and for once it was SOOO worth it! Erin Healy is by far becoming one of my favorite authors because she doesn't write the novels you are expected, she gives you the unexpected and for me that was so refreshing. Hands down a well-deserved 5 out of 5 stars.

For more information about Motherless, Erin Healy or where you can pick up a copy of this novel today, please click on the links below:

Motherless by Erin Healy 

You can find Erin Healy on Facebook to stay up to date with all her latest novels.

To read more reviews on Motherless, please visit Thomas Nelson Publishers. 

A.D. 30

I've been a huge fan of anything written by Ted Dekker. In fact, there hasn't been anything I've read that I haven't loved. Now whenever I get a request to review any novels from him, I don't even have to read the synopsis because I am already so excited to get my hands on another of his exciting series. His latest novel A.D. 30, was inspired by his wife, whom he references as Maviah, the main character in this novel. She has to utilize all her strength going beyond what she feels and pulls from an invisible source to deal with what life hands her throughout this novel.

But it wasn't so much the story that captivated me as much as Ted's chapter "My Journey into A.D. 30" at the beginning of the novel that really hit home for me as a believer. I too have struggled in my life as a believer so many times, when adversity hits home and we struggle to find that strength in Christ to measure up and move forward often times failing worse than a non believer might. It's a brutal honesty of his heart that resounded with me and made me want to venture into my own personal search in reading this novel. "What about you? You're saved in the next life as a matter of sound doctrine, but do you often feel powerless and lost in this life? Without a doubt, the answer for me and I am sure plenty of other readers will be a huge "Yes!"

Ted references Jesus in this novel as Yesua, the name He was called in His day. He takes readers into the search through this novel to discover "His Way through the lens of a foreigner - a Bedouin women who is cast out of her lofty position in the deep Arabian desert by terrible tragedy. Her epic, unnerving journey forces her to the land of Israel, where she encounters the radical teachings of Yeshua, which once again turn the world upside down." (5). As the alliances in which Maviah's people has broken down and betrayal runs rampant, she is the last hope, much like Esther was to her own people, to find salvation and restoration in meeting with Herod to broker an agreement that might save her father as well as her town of Dumah.

Along the way, her loyalty will be tested, her beliefs in the gods of Ancient Egypt will be questioned, and the faith and unconditional love she finds when she encounters Yeshua is bound to affect you in a remarkable way. It truly is a story of sacrifice for those you love and how far you might be willing to go, what the costs of revenge truly are, and how we can find strength in the midst of the darkest places in our life. Now I can't wait for the next novel A.D. 33 to come out. What an amazing novel that will impact you long after you finish the final page.

I received A.D. 30 by Ted Dekker compliments of Shelton Interactive and Center Street Publishing, a division of Hachette Book Groups,  for my honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation for a favorable review and the opinions contained in this review are strictly my own unless otherwise notated. I absolutely love the richness of the details in this novel. I actually felt like I was part of Maviah's small caravan as she and her companions headed out across the desert oasis relying on the stars and the sand to help navigate the way to Sepphoris to reach King Herod before she is hunted down by the Thamud who are trying to stop her. It truly allowed me as a believer to experience the Way of Jesus as I never had until reading this novel. I love the interaction between Yeshua and Maviah and how she conveys how He literally saw not only her but through her to the deepest places of pain in her life, much as I would expect Yeshua would if we encountered Him. Well done again Ted Dekker, and now I wait anxiously for A.D. 33 in anticipation!!! Hands down a 5 out of 5 star novel!

For more information about A.D. 30, Ted Dekker or where you can pick up a copy of this novel today, please click on the links below:

A.D. 30: A Novel by Ted Dekker

You can find Ted Dekker on Facebook to stay up to date on all his latest novels.

To read more reviews on A.D. 30, please visit Center Street Publishings website. 

Lock, Stock and Over a Barrel

When Daphne Ballinger learns that she has inherited her Aunt Dee's estate, she is completely at odds at why her Aunt would leave everything all to her. She lives in New York and though she was fond of visiting her Aunt, she can't come to terms with why everything is now in her name. Unfortunately it's not quite a cut and dry proposal either. There are a few conditions before Daphne can lay claim to not only her Aunt's fortune but gain possession of the old home and everything in it. The first condition is that Daphne must be willing to live in the home and care for her Aunt's two cats, Lucy and Ethel. For Daphne that is a no-brainer since writing for the New York Times for the last few years she isn't going to ever gain a promotion working with her current boss who seems to have it in for Daphne.

The second condition is that Daphne must be willing to assume taking over her Aunt's advice column for the local paper, Dear Daphne as well as in the New York Times. This is an easy decision since all Daphne's been writing at the New York Times is engagement announcements so she feels this is a simple step up in her writing career.

The third stipulation is that she has to fall in love and get married within a year. Not that one may just in fact be the biggest challenge for Daphne to face since she has no prospects on the horizon either in New York or moving back to her Aunt's hometown of Appleton. If she doesn't follow all the stipulations in the will, the house and all the estate holdings will go back to The Cat House, a pet rescue facility where her Aunt Dee adopted Lucy and Ethel.

Looking for a prospect of a new future on the line, Daphne agrees to the conditions of the will and hopes that in time she may just find someone she can love. But if she can't she'll be both homeless and jobless and have to find a way to start over again quite literally from nothing. Good thing for her that Appleton is a small town and she seems to have no problem finding men who are interested in learning more about Daphne from her Aunt's gardener, to the local organic produce owner, and even her Aunt Dee's attorney seem to be lining up willing to date the latest heiress in their small town. In fact Daphne thinks things are fine until the man she fell in love with ten years ago that broke her heart suddenly shows up at her front door. Oh what's a girl to do?

I received Lock, Stock and Over A Barrel by best selling author Melody Carlson compliments of Shelton Interactive and B and H Publishers for my honest review. This is definitely one you want to add to your summer's reading list and features a list of characters you find yourself rooting for Daphne to chose as her potential husband. I was rooting for the local gardener with the Australian accent that stops by to help keep her landscaping looking amazing and enjoy a cup of coffee or lemonade if she has it available. I've been a huge fan of Melody Carlson's books and this one has found a permanent home on my library shelf. I'd rate this one a 4.5 out of 5 stars.

For more information about Lock, Stock and Over A Barrel, Melody Carlson or where to pick up a copy of this novel today, please click on the links below:

Lock, Stock and Over A Barrel by Melody Carlson

You can also find Melody Carlson on Facebook to stay up to date with all her latest novels.

• Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: B&H Books (June 1, 2013)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1433679302
• ISBN-13: 978-1433679308
• Product Dimensions: 5.4 x 0.9 x 8.3 inches 

This book is available in paperback and ebook formats from your favorite book retailer.

One Thousand Gifts Devotional

"It all began quite spontaneously, unintentionally. One of those things God grows up in the most unexpected places.

A friend dared me to start counting one thousand things I loved. I took the dare, accepted the challenge, kept track of one thousand things, one thousand gifts - a thousand graces - on a quiet, unassuming blog. Before I knew it, thankfulness to God began to fully change me.

What I actually found - startling! - was more daily wonder and surprising beauty than I ever expected. And in a few short years, this daily hunt for God's grace, His glory, had ushered me into a fuller life. A life of joy! Over the past several years, I've listed over four thousand gifts...and I continue. Once one has begun, has tasted and known He is God, who can stop giving Him glory?

I wrote a book about this gratitude journey called One Thousand Gifts. I didn't start with any specific steps, but through this intentional, daily practice of giving thanks, I found myself on a tranformative journey that affected every aspect of my life - including all the broken places." (pg 9).

In her latest book, One Thousand Gifts Devotional, by Ann Voskamp, she teaches the reader how to go about their own practice of noticing the blessings of God around you through sixty reflections that chronicle her own discovery, each one like a singular tree in a lush forest of grace. She teaches you through sharing her own glimpses into God's grace will be the perfect companion and encourage you on your own prayerful discovery of a lifestyle of Christ-focus and communion. Of how extravagantly God loves you and how desperately you need Him every moment. Most of all, Ann hopes that these entries expand your view of the endless and matchless grace of an overflowing God. In the back of this book are plenty of space for journaling your own thoughts and for beginning your own list of one thousand gifts.

I received One Thousand Gifts Devotional: Reflections on Finding Everyday Graces by Ann Voskamp compliments of Shelton Interactive and Zondervan Publishing. Having read Ann's first book, One Thousand Gifts and visiting her blog, I was inspired in my own personal way to begin to notice the small things we take for granted every single day, much like Ann has done. It truly shows us all just how much God is working in our lives, if we are only willing to stop, notice them, and thank God for them. It really does change your daily outlook on life. I easily give this book a 5 out of 5 stars. If you haven't taken the time to visit Ann's blog or to read One Thousand Gifts, you might just want to do that as well. It truly is inspirational.

For more information about One Thousand Gifts Devotional, Ann Voskamp, or where to pick up a copy of this book today, please click on the links below:

One Thousand Gifts Devotional by Ann Voskamp

You can also find Ann Voskamp on Facebook by clicking here. 

You can visit Ann Voskamp's One Thousand Daily Gifts Website, by clicking here. 

You can also find Ann's own daily online journal by clicking here. 

Mended: Pieces of a Life Made Whole

"If you would have told me fifteen years ago I would be working on a book about my Christian walk, I would have laughed. And so the story goes, right? God has a way of redefining our expectations.

It has been a labor of love to walk back through some writing published over the past four and a half years on my blog, Bring the Rain. The blog began as a way to keep family and friends informed as we walked through the pregnancy of our fourth daughter, Audrey Caroline, who we only got to have with us on this earth for a few short hours. I blogged through the brokenness and hurt, clinging to God's Word and a community emerged. Somewhere along the way I began to consistently get e-mails from people asking if there was some way to combine my more devotionalesque entries into book form. Mended is the fruit of that vision, and I hope it blesses you and reminds you how loved you are by your Creator. Has something convinced you that you aren't a worthy recipient of His love? Where are the distractions and the noise of life getting in the way of your walk with Him?

Whatever calls our name louder than the voice of Jesus needs to be identified as an obstacle in our walk. Life is busy and days are short. We don't take the time we need to let our souls breathe. I want to invite you into my little corner of the world for a few minutes of your day and ask you to sit with me in silence. There's no wrong way to read Mended. Go at the pace that matches how God is speaking to you. But as you start, let me suggest that you carve out a half hour out of the madness each day and let's talk about the way He loves us in spite of ourselves.

My hope is that will be a resource that leads you to pray and dig deeper into His word. I have given you some prompts to help with this along the way, whether you are reading alone or with a trusted friend or spouse. Each entry has a focused Scripture, a devotional, and then some brief application ideas." (pg 2).

In the book, Mended: Pieces of a Life Made Whole by Angie Smith, she incorporates her own stories as a way to help the reader look into their own life circumstances and be challenged to see how God can heal all those broken places and renew us in ways we might never have imagined. This would be a perfect for a women's small Bible Study to help heal the areas within us all that remain broken and make us feel less than perfect, when God's whole purpose is restoration in our lives. I think the way Angie has utilized her own stories creates a bonding of sorts with what women can relate to on their levels. The overachiever, the one never feeling worthy enough, the ones whose past is holding us back from the future God has imagined for us. This book does just that and more and one I highly recommend!!!

I received Mended: Pieces of a Life Made Whole by Angie Smith, compliments of Shelton Interactive and B and H Publishing Group for my honest review. Far too often, as women who are busy in families and marriages we place our own needs far below others and this book helps heal those places and makes us better equipped to deal with those challenges that women face. I rate this book a perfect 5 out of 5 stars.

For more information on Mended: Pieces of a Life Made Whole, Angie Smith or where to pick up a copy of this book today, please click on the links below:

Mended: Pieces of A Life Made Whole by Angie Smith

You can also find Angie Smith on Facebook. 

To visit Angie Smith on her website, please click here. 

Harriet Beamer Takes the Bus

What do you do when you look back at the last 72 years of your life and realize you're not getting any younger? The only time you've ever gone anywhere was to the Jersey shore on vacation. Now that she has lost a bet with her son Henry and his wife Prudence over an accident at Christmas, Harriet is forced to sell her home and move in with them. After all, it's apparent to them, you can't be left to care for yourself all alone. Yet rather than jump aboard a plane and head for Grass Valley, CA on their terms, you do what Harriet Beamer does.

You plan a road trip.

From Pennsylvania to California.

Seeing whatever it is you've wanted to see before you die taking whatever means necessary except for a plane if she can help it. Once she has secured her faithful companion, Humphrey, her Basset Hound on board a plane headed to California, she is ready to begin. And with Harriet, that begins with a bus. Not a Greyhound bus mind you but a local public bus and see how far it will take her. Unfortunately for her, it only goes as far as the University, but since she's never seen that, she takes a walk around the campus before heading off on another bus.

Harriet's goal is not only in seeing the sights she feels she has missed in her 72 years of living, but also to prove to herself and her family that she isn't as incapable in caring for herself as they think she is. The journey that the reader is invited along with Harriet is memorable, fun and often times sobering as she meets with people from all walks of life. She finds herself offering invaluable wisdom to the people she engages with, names her GPS application within her Droid phone, Amelia, and continues collecting her salt and pepper shakers as she journeys to California, one bus, one train, one memorable journey at a time.



I received Harriet Beamer Takes The Bus by Joyce Magnin compliments of Shelton Interactive and Zondervan Publishers for my honest review. I LOVED this adorable story because it relates to a situation close to my own heart where an elderly woman living alone was asked to sell her own home because they felt she couldn't care for herself and live with them. I would have loved to see her have as much gumption as Harriet Beamer did and take life by the reins and ride it for the best time of her life. I rate this novel a 5 out of 5 stars and it truly shows in the character of Harriet Beamer that age is just a number, and life is truly worth living to the final moment! Oh and Harriet, if you need a place to stay while your traveling on through, give me a call, I'd love to have you stop on by!

For more information on this book, the author and where to pick up a copy of this book today, please click on the link below:

Harriet Beamer Takes The Bus by Joyce Magnin

Downfall

Emily Covington, despite her past life of severe drug addiction, has turned her life around, committing her self to a yearlong treatment program and has been completely sober for a little over five years now. Despite her efforts though, her family still has trouble trusting her, always afraid that she may relapse; Emily has a lot to prove.

One morning as Emily rushes out to her car to make it on time for her college exam, she sets fire to her car by turning the ignition and discovers a homemade bomb duct taped to the underside of her car. Police cannot find to much evidence left behind by the assassin at the crime scene, and begin searching for possible suspects, having to dig through Emily's years as a drug addict to get to them. Who wants Emily dead and why? To make matters worse, the wife of one her friends was also murdered that same morning.

Emily, wanting to find the connection between her and the on going murders around her, frantically begins exhausting her resources to try and identify the killer and save the next potential victim. But with her past, no family support, and not knowing anyone in her new town, Emily finds this exceedingly difficult and is afraid that she may not be able to catch the killer in time.




Downfall by Terri Blackstock (An Intervention Novel) kept me hooked until the very end as do all of her amazing novels. Blackstock did a terrific job concealing who the murder was until the very last pages! I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys murder mysteries, and action/thriller novels!

I received this book compliments of Shelton Interactive and Zondervan Publishers for my honest review and would rate this novel a 5 out of 5 stars. For more information about this book, the author and where you can purchase a copy of this, please click on the links below:

Downfall by Terri Blackstock

The Road Trip

Liz always felt God beside her, but she never thought she would be in his passenger seat! In this humorous, heartfelt adventure story, God invites an ordinary woman to travel with him on a life-changing road trip. Along the way, they encounter fantastic beings, heavenly houses, and extraordinary communities that Liz could never have imagined. But this is no vacation. Liz soon realized there was a lot she didn't understand about God, the world, and her role as a Christian.

God has a lot to teach Liz, and underneath all the whimsy is a deeper spiritual message with real-life applications. Will she be able to comprehend all this new wisdom - and will she have the courage to accept the challenging mission God charges her with? Buckle up and join God and Liz on a journey of a lifetime.

I received The Road Trip compliments of Shelton Interactive for my honest review and found this an interesting way to explain all the concepts of a Christian life as a road trip taken with God. From what it means to be saved, to producing fruit in our lives to tithing, this is such a phenomenal book that does just that through the telling of a road trip God invites Liz on. As each story is told, the concept is explained along with scriptural references to those passages within the Bible.

My favorite chapter is probably It's the Pits. In it God takes Liz on her last stop on their road trip to the Kingdom of Its. We've all been there, no matter where we are at in life and we all think we are the rulers. Yet in reality they don't have one. See if you've heard these lines before, "Oh, what is it? Where can I get it? How much is it? I've gotta have it and I need it!" How many times do you go to the store for milk and bread only to come back with more than just milk and bread because you had to have something? Welcome to the Kingdom of Its!

God doesn't mind us acquiring its as long as they are what God wants for you in your life. Things that are pure, without requiring us to take out a second mortgage on our home or working a second job or putting in crazy hours just to pay for that 'it!' The reality is if you've ever wondered how Christian principles fit into your life and need a simple way of getting to the point, then this is the perfect book for you! This one rates a stellar 5 out of 5 stars!

For more information on this book, the author and where to pick up a copy of this book, please click on the link below:

The Road Trip by Jo Lynn Crozier