The Secret Lives Of Dresses

Mimi was an lady who believed that everything had a purpose and that few things should be thrown away. She manages a vintage clothing store selling old clothes from the 20's and up. Nothing is ever considered out of date or out of style. Each piece of clothing is uniquely designed to fit the wearer and transform them like nothing else could.

Mimi met each customer's needs unlike your typical sales person. She believed that her store was not a thrift store. She believed that customers should not feel that they are being sold something less expensive, but selling them something more special. "We have to tell them the story of what we're showing them. And then we have to show them how they can be the new heroine in the story" she would explain to her granddaughter Dora, who spent hours working in the store while doing her homework.

As Dora grew and made plans for college, Mimi made sure she had plans for the future. Dora never felt compelled to wear any of the pieces Mimi felt would compliment her. However, when Dora is called home from college to hear that Mimi has suffered a stroke, she believes she has missed out on something special.

All these years Mimi has a collection of pieces of clothing she felt were meant to be Dora's and since arriving with no bags packed, she begins to explore every piece that Mimi has so meticulously selected with her in mind. She wishes that Mimi could see her just this once in something more than sweatshirts and jeans.

When Dora decides to take over the store til Mimi recovers and in that time discovers a secret that Mimi has created in each dress that she sells. Each one comes with a timeless story that upon reading will transform the lady wearing it and show her that she truly is something special.

I received the beautiful classic novel, The Secret Lives of Dresses by Erin McKean, for my honest review from Hachette Book Groups, and fell in love in a completely different way. This novel is a must read and will change the way you see ordinary things in your daily life. This one is a 5 out of 5 stars hands down! No longer when I dress will I be wearing clothes but each piece tells the story of the life they have witnessed being worn by someone special. Each has a story to tell. What does yours say?

For more information about the book including an excerpt, the author and where to purchase a copy of this amazing novel, please click on the link below:

The Secret Lives of Dresses by Erin McKean

The Truth About Dating, Love and Just Being Friends

Oh where was this book a few years ago, when my oldest daughter was struggling with the questions that are answered in this wonderful book for teens. It's called The Truth About Dating, Love and Just Being Friends.

This book is relevant in so many ways for teens that often have these questions wandering through their minds but rather than seek our advice, they will often ask a friend. However, the answer that they are provided may not be the advice we would want them to consider.

The first question that this book deals with is defining what dating means. When you ask anyone to define what a home is, the answers are all pretty similar, but when you ask them to define dating, it opens up such a wide range of responses. When you see things that way, it's understandable why our children are confused when we ask them to consider dating as an option over instantly becoming boyfriend/girlfriend, going together, or exclusivity to one another only.

This book addresses so many things that each gender struggles with especially the big one, how do you know if they like you or are interested in you. Both my husband and I reviewed the book, and found the answers to be honest in respect to both sexes. Boys respond in relationships and in dealing with girls much differently than girls do with boys.

Chad Eastman, the author of this book, does a great job in researching every probable question that teens are most likely to deal with in this phase of their growing up. The dread "just friends" topic is dealt with as well as most teens that have this as a reason for breaking up can't get past what that means to them.

I have passed this book along to my oldest for her opinion and she agrees that most of the topics are geared for teens interested in one another. Even though our preference is to wait and only date those they are interested in for marriage, this book provides a safe way for teens to address their concerns about dating, being in love, and just being friends.

I received this book, compliments of Thomas Nelson Publishers for my honest review and think it's a must have for parents and teens. This one rates a 5 out of 5 stars because it deals with these topics from God's perspective and in raising a great Christian son or daughter.

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

The Truth About Dating, Love and Just Being Friends by Chad Eastham

When We Were Strangers - Giveaway and Review

We know that at some points in our lives our families have migrated to different areas of the country in search of a better life. Too often we fail to see just how wonderful those difficult decisions were to make and the consequences that resulted along the way. Until now!

When We Were Strangers is the newest novel by Pamela Schoenewaldt, that takes the reader on the journey in the life of one such remarkable lady, Irma Vitale, who we find living in Italy in a small part of town called Opi. It doesn't have the best reputation and the only hope Irma has of making her life better is marriage to a man who doesn't drink and works hard. Unfortunately the prospects for this are worse at best. There are only 5 men in the village and two of them are promised to the baker's family leaving the worst available.

Yet time and time again Irma has been living in the lies of low self esteem, when people call her ugly and spread rumors about the girls from Opi being street whores, not of which is true but growing up in the sheltered mountain town makes them more believable. Only when her cousin Carlo leaves for America and the promise of something better, is Irma willing to look outside her small town and hope for something more.

This is Irma's story of making her way in a world alone, the difficulties and challenges she must face along the way. Her mother's death, her father's drunkenness and the prospects of making a family of her own someday. We get to journey with her and see the light behind an immigrants struggle to survive and in the process we can see hope at the end of the road.

I received this wonderful book compliments of TLC Book Tours in exchange for my honest review and marveled at how eloquently the author takes us into each new part of Irma's quest for a better life, from the small town of Opi where it began to the new life offered to each immigrant in the land of the free. This one rates 5 out of 5 stars and offers a new belief that there are no such thing as strangers when you are willing to make friends and believe in something more!

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

When We Were Strangers by Pamela Schoenewaldt

Thanks to the generous folks at TLC Book Tours, they are offering a copy to one lucky reader of this blog. Simply leave a comment telling me why you'd love to win a copy. The giveaway will end on February 11th. I will notify the winner by email at that time, so please include it with your comment. You can use the words (at) or (dot) instead of the symbols. You must be a follower of this blog to enter and have a US shipping address. Please NO P.O. Boxes.

Larkspur Cove

Andrea Henderson moves back home to the town she loved as a child. Back to Moses Lake with her son Dustin. After her marriage has fallen apart, she feels a move away from things may give her a better perspective on the next stage of her life. Not only that her parents are offering her a house on the lake which makes things a bit easier on the finances. She begins work as an counselor for Child Protective Services and finds navigating some of the back roads a bit challenging.

When game warden Mart McClendon brings Dustin in for joyriding in a boat with a bunch of other boys, the paths of Andrea and his will cross and become intertwined. Seeing him as a bully picking on her son, Andrea defends Dustin's actions explaining that this is a difficult time for him while Mart believes once more he's heard it all from rich people trying to buy their kid's way out of trouble.

Yet when a recluse suddenly finds himself with a little girl claiming her to be his daughter, Andrea and Mart team up and try to find out just what is really going on and if she's in trouble. As wounded pasts collide for both, will their quest bring the redemption and hope they need or consequences neither of them expected?

In the latest novel by Lisa Wingate, Larkspur Cove finds us knee deep in the lives of Mart and Andrea as they try to make amends with their past and try to make a new start in Moses Lake. Will they find it or will God's divine providence bring them both together to heal their lives as one?

I received this book compliments of Christian Fiction Blog Alliance for my honest review and loved the mystery and suspense that wove this story together. I have to rate this one a 5 out of 5 stars for taking the reader along for an action packed ride. For more information on this book, the author and even a first chapter peek, read on below:

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing Larkspur Cove Bethany House (February 1, 2011) by Lisa Wingate

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Lisa Wingate is an award-winning journalist, magazine columnist, popular inspirational speaker and a national bestselling author of sixteen books. Her first mainstream novel, Tending Roses, is in its eighteenth printing from Penguin Putnam. Tending Roses is a staple on the shelves of national bookstore chains as well as in many independent bookstores.

Recently, Lisa’s Blue Sky Hill Series, set in Dallas, received national attention with back-to-back nominations for American Christian Fiction Writers Book of the Year Award for A Month of Summer (2009) and The Summer Kitchen (2010). Pithy, emotional, and inspirational, her stories bring to life characters so real that readers often write to ask what is happening to them after the book ends.

Lisa is one of a select group of authors to find success in both the Christian and mainstream markets, writing for both Bethany House, a Christian publisher, and NAL Penguin Putnam, a general market publisher. Her bestselling books have become a hallmark of inspirational fiction. Her works have been featured by the National Reader's Club of America, AOL Book Picks, Doubleday Book Club, the Literary Guild, Crossings Book Club, American Profiles and have been chosen for numerous awards.

When not busy dreaming up stories, Lisa spends time on the road as a motivational speaker. Via internet, she shares with readers as far away as India, where her book, Tending Roses, has been used to promote women's literacy, and as close to home as Tulsa, Oklahoma, where the county library system has used Tending Roses to help volunteer mentors teach adults to read. Recently, the group Americans for More Civility, a kindness watchdog organization, selected Lisa along with Bill Ford, Camille Cosby, and six others as recipients of the National Civies Award, which celebrates public figures who work to promote greater kindness and civility in American life.


ABOUT THE BOOK

Adventure is the last thing on Andrea Henderson's mind when she moves to Moses Lake. After surviving the worst year of her life, she's struggling to build a new life for herself and her son as a social worker. Perhaps in doing a job that makes a difference, she can find some sense of purpose and solace in her shattered faith. For new Moses Lake game warden Mart McClendon, finding a sense of purpose in life isn't an issue. He took the job to get out of southwest Texas and the constant reminders of a tragedy for which he can't forgive himself. But when a little girl is seen with the town recluse, Mart and Andrea are drawn together in the search for her identity. The little girl offers them both a new chance at redemption and hope--and may bring them closer than either ever planned.



If you would like to read the first chapter of Larkspur Cove, go HERE.

An Unlikely Blessing - Kindle Giveaway and Review

It must be hard to pick your life up and start all over again in a new town, new faces and new opportunities but it can also be exciting as well.

When Alex Armstrong decides to make a new change after living in the city his whole life and start life over again as a pastor of Hilltop Community Church, he believes he is taking a step that God has called him to pursue.

At 42, and almost married, he is ready for new challenges. Armed with his nephew Jared, he packs everything up and heads for the hills. What he finds there is a beautiful countryside full of farms that have been handed down to families for generations. People have been praying for a minister for their church and since Alex was the only one to apply for the position of pastor, they feel led that he is the one.

But is Alex ready to deal with new challenges? Hilltop Township has been hit hard by the recession and people are literally on the verge of losing everything, but will Alex be able to help them?

In the latest book, An Unlikely Blessing by Judy Baer, the reader is transported to a slower pace of life, where people still welcome newcomers to town with plenty of food and conversation. You are never a complete stranger here. In the enchanting story woven through the pages of this book, we are delighted in the new experiences just waiting around each corner for both Alex and the reader. I loved this book and can easily give it a 5 out of 5 star rating!

I received this book compliments of Litfuse Publicity for my honest review and would highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a virtual new start in a wonderful town. For more information about this book, the author and where to purchase a copy of this charming story, please click on the link below:

An Unlikely Blessing by Judy Baer

Prolific author of over 75 novels, Judy Baer, is launching her new Guideposts series, Forever Hilltop, with a KINDLE giveaway! The first book in the series, An Unlikely Blessing is available now wherever fine books are sold.


Read the reviews here.

In celebration of the release of An Unlikely Blessing, Judy is giving away a KINDLE prize package worth over $175.

One lucky winner will receive:

• Brand New KINDLE with Wi-Fi


• A $25 gift certificate to Amazon.com

To enter just click on one the icons below and then tell your friends! Winner will be announced on February 21st on Judy's blog, http://www.judykbaer.com/wordpress

For more information please visit the Litfuse website, www.litfusegroup.com and click {HERE}!

Small Wars - Giveaway and Review

Some say that when people go away to war they come back completely different, never to return to who they once were. Yet sometimes we fail to see the changes that affect not only the soldier, but the families of those that support them during their absence. Often times it takes such a toll on them as well that the war doesn't stop when the soldier returns home. That may be when the small wars begin.

As Clara marries into the British army to Hal Treherne, she believes that theirs will be a marriage and family that lasts forever. Hal's greatest desire in becoming a soldier is that he will be a part of the war that his father was and be the pride to his family by joining in the ranks of supporting his country.

Yet that isn't the text book scenario for Hal. He spends the majority of his time on the home front conducting interrogations as the war erupts over unification with Greece and not on the battle fields risking his life. Great for Clara and the girls but not so great for Hal. The tension slowly begins as you see the changes that take place between Clara and Hal as one pulls away and the other attempts to draw near.

It isn't until mines are planted on the beach on the base, that will launch Hal into his dream career and forever change the lives of him and Clara. In the newest novel by Sadie Jones, Small Wars, chronicles the lives of Clara and Hal as they attempt to navigate the turbulent waters of war in their own country but the war that is developing between them in their marriage. No amount of military training will prepare Hal for the moral compromise that lie beneath every battle he fights.

I received this book compliments of TLC Book Tours for my honest review and must say I felt I got a front row seat into the lives of what really goes on behind the doors of many military marriages. This one is a captivating 5 out of 5 stars. For more information on this book, the author and where to purchase a copy for yourself, click on the link below:

Small Wars by Sadie Jones

Thanks to TLC, they are offering a giveaway copy to one lucky follower of this blog. Here are your guidelines to enter.

1. Be a follower of Reviews From The Heart.

2. Must be a resident of the US or have a US shipping address.

3. I need a way to contact you if you are the lucky winner of the giveaway, so please include it with your comment. You can use the words (at) or (dot) instead of the symbols.

4. Leave me a comment and let me know why you'd love to win a copy of the book.

The giveaway will end on February 8th and I will notify the winner via email at that time.

Beyond the Rapids - Giveaway and Review

Imagine you are a believer living in a communist country. You live with the knowledge that anytime you could be imprisoned, tortured, or killed simply because you are a Christian.

Beyond the Rapids by Evelyn Puerto is the true story of Ukrainian pastor Alexei Brynza and his wife, Valentina, who endured persecution in a culture that was hostile to their faith as they struggled to raise their four children as believers.

From the Great Terror of the 1930s to the time when believing in Christ is no longer a crime, this close knit Ukranian family quietly persisted through the years, trusting God for everything. The Brynza's children, forced to choose between God and the communist system, wrestled with temptations of ambition, popularity, love and wealth. For periods of their lives, one or more gave in. But God heard the faithful prayers of Alexei and Valentina, and eventually the Bryzna family was able to not only survive while serving God, but to thrive. Their son in law, Igor Yaremchuk, adds his own testimony of coming to Christ with the help of miracles and atheistic propaganda.

I received this amazing book of the Bryzna's testimony of God's faithfulness in all circumstances compliments of the author Evelyn Puerto for my honest review. I loved this book, not only based on all the details of just how difficult life was for the whole family but in knowing my own friends that have immigrated here from the Ukraine and knowing personally from them just how difficult life was for them being Christians.

The book details how difficult it was for them and how many times God came through for them in miraculous ways. One of them was when Valentina had developed a painful lump in her left breast, not only had it doubled in size but turned black and green and developed a horrible smell. She prayed to God to help save her because she couldn't imagine her children enduring life without her. When she realized was a foolish prayer it was to God saying that she doubted His ability to care for her children without her presence, she changed that prayer.

As she prepared for surgery to remove that breast, she felt a peace in her heart. As the doctors performed her biopsy to see how difficult the tumor was, all that came out was pus. There was nothing left to remove and surgery wasn't necessary after all. There are so many examples of just how God constantly showed His hand to this amazing family and just how it strengthened and challenged their faith.

This book rates a 5 out of 5 stars! I would highly recommend it to anyone looking to build their faith and make it stronger. Sometimes just seeing difficulties in others is such an encouragement in our own lives and shows us that God really does love and care for all of us. As you sail through your own torrents in your life, God will meet you right where you are and guide you to the smooth water beyond the rapids.

For more information on this book, the author and where to purchase a copy of this book, click on the title below:

Beyond the Rapids by Evelyn Puerto

Thanks to the generosity of Evelyn Puerto, she has agreed to offer a giveaway copy to one lucky reader of this blog. Here are your guidelines:

1. Be a follower of Reviews From The Heart.

2. You must be a resident of the US or have a US shipping address.

3. I must have a way to contact you if you are the lucky winner, so please provide your email address. You can use the words (at) and (dot) instead of the symbols and please include it with your comment.

4. Leave me a comment and tell me why you'd love to win a copy of this book. The giveaway will end on February 7th. I will notify the winner via email at that time.