Zekpro LED Clip Reading Lamp

As a busy mom, we love it when we can find great products that truly work as well as they say they do. As a product reviewer, I am always looking for things that make my life easy and as a book reviewer working with major publishing houses, finding time to read is challenging. Most of the time it is done when everything else is from cooking dinner to getting homework done. As a wife who's husband travels, we know how precious sleep can be. So without disturbing my husband with a bright bedside table lamp, I offer you Zekpro LED Clip Reading Lamp. This is by far the BEST portable reading lamp I've ever tried. In fact, I didn't even get to try it out before my youngest daughter who is in high school snatched it up for her late night gaming sessions in bed.

The best things about this product are the 3 touch brightness settings that you can simply push a button to dim or raise the intensity of the LED display. I love how powerful the high setting is. The clamp is big enough you don't have to worry about it breaking, and it really has some weight to it so it doesn't feel cheap. The flexibility of the gooseneck all you to position it just where you need it the most. The best part, I saved for last, is the ability to eliminate the use of those disposable batteries and this one simply plugs into your USB port for a recharge. It lasts up to 5 hours which is just perfect for me to fit in a full length novel without disturbing anyone.

Some great uses for this are gaming to highlight your computer if it doesn't come with a lighted keyboard, camping for finding all those things we can misplace in the dark, and even for latenight cookouts on your bar-b-Que or campfire. It truly does put out some incredible light for this LED display. The light comes with both an adapter and a USB plug so you truly have the best of both worlds. This would also be great for college dorms for those late night study sessions when your room mate must get their sleep.

I received the Zekpro Reading Light Lamp compliments of VIP Power Club in exchange for my honest and unbiased review and did not receive any monetary compensation for a favorable review. I truly would buy more than one of these for use in my own and have to anyways because my daughter has commandeered mine, so this mom is purchasing another one. This a great gift for a book lover or busy student who is wanting a book reading light that truly works better than expected. For me, this one was a 5 out of 5 stars in my opinion.

You can order a Zekpro Reading Light Lamp at Amazon.com. 

All Summer Long

"Whether the subject of change was partners, possessions, or places, some people had an easy time letting go."

I love capturing the essence of the novel I'm reviewing by its opening sentence and this one launches All Summer Long, the latest novel from best selling author Dorothea Benton Frank. Readers who are looking for something wonderful to read this summer, will definitely want to add this to their beach or lakeside bag as it is sure to provide you with simply all the entertainment and virtual escape you will need.

Olivia Ritchie, an interior designer and owner of her own company, has been living in two worlds. One in New York where she has made a wonderful living working on upscale designs for some of New York's wealthiest clientele. She has a great marriage with her husband Nick Seymour, an English professor and southern gentlemen who has made Olivia promise that one day they will leave the rat race and settle back in his childhood home of Charleston, South Carolina. For Olivia that day has come.

The one thing she has failed to do, is to clue Nick in on their finances. He has retired and while drawing his retirement, small pension and social security, Olivia had always felt confident she could handle all the finances. That is until the market began to dry up and clients could no longer afford those expensive homes that fed her salary requirements to keep the lifestyle she loved afloat. Without telling Nick, she agrees to sell their New York condo in lieu of keeping her promise and downsize to Charleston. It also means that her love of collecting trinkets to decorate their home, will have to go as well. But she vows she will do what is necessary to keep them alive until her next client comes through, which in this case is Bob and Martiza Vasile.

To say they're are rich is a complete understatement and this affords them the luxury of experiencing what it's like to be rich without all the hassle when they are invited on trips to private islands aboard a yacht, last minute trips to Spain for their son's wedding or whenever Maritza need's a good friend to talk to, Olivia is the one to call. But like the saying goes, life isn't always greener on the other side and when Olivia and Nick see what turmoil Maritza and Bob's marriage is, they vow to do all they can to help. I mean if you can't help your very well off friends, who can you help? After all, these trips are all 100% paid for by the Vasile's who don't seem to have a bottom to their bank account.

I received All Summer Long by Dorothea Benton Frank compliments of William Morrow Publishers, a division of Harper Collins Publishers in exchange for my honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation, aside from a free copy of this novel in exchange for my personal honest unbiased opinion. I absolutely LOVED this novel. From the catty arguments between the rich friends who show up on these excursions, to the far fetched things Bob decides to spend his money on. It's like living vicariously through this novel what it might be like to either have that kind of money or simply be able to enjoy it from those who do. I love the relationship that Nick and Olivia have as well because at the heart of it all, they have what works, and it shows that money can't buy it all. I would rate this one 4 out of 5 based on my rating system as there is some profanity used in this novel that might offend readers. Without that, it would be a 5 out of 5 stars.

For more information about All Summer Long, Dorothea Benton Frank or where you can pick up a copy of this novel today, please click on the links below:

All Summer Long by Dorothea Benton Frank

You can find Dorothea Benton Frank on Facebook to stay up to date on all her latest novels.

To read more reviews on All Summer Long, please visit William Morrow's website. 

iCooker 4 Sided Cheese Grater

I love getting new products to try out. As a mom of two daughters and a very busy husband who travels extensively for work, I am always on the look out for new products to try that might in fact make a difference in the work, busy moms and wives are challenged to undertake.

iCooker has come out with a smaller version of the 4 Sided Cheese Grater. It has on each of the 4 sides, a slicer, a zester, a fine up and down grater and your standard grater. Not only that it measures about 10 inches high, is stain-less steel and for the me, the best part is a life time warranty. Men have their Craftsman line of tools and for women, I am always on the hunt for lifetime warranty products.

Not only does this grate cheese, like Parmesan and zest your citrus fruits, but you can even use it for chocolate to make all those fancy chocolate swirls, and even to grate nuts, slice pepperoni for pizza. I love that it fits on the top shelf of your dishwater and is super easy to clean. For me, having young girls and teens, sometimes, bigger is not always better. This is the perfect size for anyone to use and be comfortable with. The compact size also allows it to fit in most places your standard size grater doesn't. The handle is comfortable and it sits on a rubber base to prevent sliding.

I received iCooker's 4 Sided Box Cheese Grater compliments of the VIP Power Club in exchange for my honest review and did not receive any monetary compensation to write a favorable review. This review is my own personal opinion of how well this worked in my home. For me, this product worked far better than I had imagined and like the all-in-in compatibility coupled with a life time warranty. For that this one rates a 5 out of 5 stars and the price point is amazing.

For more details on where to purchase your iCooker 4-Sided Box Cheese Grater, please click on the link below:

iCooker 4-Sided Box Cheese Grater on Amazon.com

The Second Half

It seems like their entire life has been for this moment, a time for a new chapter and a new beginning for Mona and Kenneth Sorenson. Now that their children are grown and have families of their own, they are ready to begin retirement and make those plans that they have put off until now. But when Steig, their oldest son receives word that he is about to be deployed overseas temporarily as a single day for some unknown mission, he can only turn to his parents to help take care of his two children.

While it may have to put a temporary hold on their retirement plans, they know that they will take the two children. Where else can they go. Their mother abandoned them all, years ago and as much as they are eager to begin a new chapter in their own life, Mona and Kenneth accept the challenge they believe God has for them at this time. This will mean a whole new adjustment for all of them becoming initially full time parents again. Two children who had never stayed with their grandparents by themselves; there had always been parents along. Two full-time children, not just visiting and going home. Dear Lord, how are we ever going to do...to what, Mona wasn't sure.

It will also be a huge adjustment for  ten-year-old Melinda and five-year-old Jake, who would be leaving their dad behind to live with their grandparents, now full time. Not just visiting when Dad was home on fishing trips or during holidays, but until he came back. If he came back at all. So why can't they stay with their mom, Angela? They would do well to spend some time with their mom, I mean what kid wouldn't want to stay and get to know their mom again. One thing for sure, it's going to take a whole lot of adjusting on all their ends.

I received The Second Half by Lauraine Snelling compliments of Faith Words, a division of Hachette Book Groups in exchange for my honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation aside from a free copy of the novel in exchange for my personal and honest opinion. As I am nearing the end of my own child rearing, I can sense what Mona and Kenneth would be going through. Wanting to finally have that alone time with the person you've been married to for years would be something I would be planning and anticipating only to have a monkey wrench thrown into the mix. Not knowing if this would be a temporary thing or a permanent one if Steig doesn't return from his deployment is also something you have to evaluate as well. Something to be said, for plans that work out according to God's and not ours can be found in this charming summer novel. I'd rate this one a 4 out of 5 stars.

For more information about The Second Half, Lauraine Snelling or where you can preorder a copy of this novel today due out in July of 2016, please click on the links below:

The Second Half by Lauraine Snelling

You can find Lauraine Snelling on Facebook to stay up to date on all her latest novels.

To read more reviews on The Second Half, please visit Faith Word's website. 

Through the Shadows

"We all suffer our own chains. The Lord holds out the gift of new life, but many turn Him away, not trusting the offer." (pg 201).

In the latest and third novel in the Golden Gate Chronicles Series, Karen Barnett takes readers back into historical San Francisco just after the 1906 earthquake and fire that subsequently leveled most of the city, in Through the Shadows. Elizabeth King is the last and youngest daughter to leave home in order that she might get out from under her mother's controlling interest in her life. She is struggling to come to terms with all the property investments her father had made prior to his death, that has left them financially strapped. Now that the earthquake and fire leveled those investment holdings she can't understand why some insurance companies are offering to pay their claims on some, but interestingly enough not on any of her father's property. Without it, they will face financial ruin.

She involves herself in helping Donaldina Cameron with managing the Missions House, that takes in abandoned Chinese children that have found their way into prostitution and have no way out. She is hired to be their sewing teacher to enable them to learn a life skill that will offer them a future once they leave the home. She isn't sure she is ready to face her own shadowed past that caused her to leave behind her chance as a concert pianist. All she knows is that she must find a way to atone for her sins of the past in an effort to please God and sooth her own guilty conscience. No one must ever know.

Up and coming attorney Charles McKinley has a bright future ahead of him, working under his Uncle Silas' law firm. Unfortunately it will be starting at the bottom even though his name guarantees him a leg up in the firm. His first task is to bring the paperwork to the King family to ensure them that Silas has done everything but the insurance companies won't settle on the property claims Mr. King had purchased. He hopes to put an end to all their endless phone calls into the law firm for a meeting, something he has avoided doing. Now Charles hopes he can live up to the McKinley name. He just doesn't expect to fall for Elizabeth when she answers the door and the news he has to give her isn't something he is looking forward to doing. He only wishes he had better news for the King family.

https://promosimple.com/ps/99f1

I received Through the Shadows by Karen Barnett compliments of Abingdon Press and Litfuse Publicity for my honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation, aside from a free copy of the novel in exchange for my honest and personal evaluation. I have been waiting for this novel since starting the Golden Gate Chronicle series! I was not disappointed. The story surrounding Donaldina Cameron is based on fact and her mission to help the struggling Chinese orphans is admirable. Again it is something missing from our history books and one I delighted in learning more about through this novel. I love Elizabeth King who is afraid of dealing with her past, tries to work out salvation on her own through her good works, but she will discover, that is not what God intended when He offers true forgiveness. I'd rate this one a 4.5 out of 5 stars and Discussion Questions are included that are perfect for book clubs.

For more information about Through the Shadows, Karen Barnett or where you can pick up a copy of this novel today, please click on the links below:

Through the Shadows by Karen Barnett

You can find Karen Barnett on Facebook to stay up to date on all her latest novels.

To read more reviews on Through the Shadows, please visit Litfuse Publicity's Book Tour Page. 

Chasing Grace

Sometimes you have hope when you pop in a DVD after viewing the trailer and truly look forward to a great movie. Other times, you wind up disappointed, that perhaps the best scenes of said movie were all combined in the trailer. That is the case with Chasing Grace by Catalyst Pictures. Now on DVD courtesy of Word Films, this is the story of one pastor's family and how they handle the grief and loss that comes when their daughter Grace is accidentally shot when she finds the gun her uncle Carter (David Temple) had brought to her birthday party. The uncle was just released from jail by his brother and pastor Jonathan Matheson (Michael Joiner), and had passed out in the family home when the tragedy happened.

Now each member of the family processes their grief in very different ways. Jonathan picks up drinking to bypass the pain same as his brother and father. He tries to hide it from his wife and board members of his church but soon even those lies are brought to lie with very profound circumstances. His wife Angela (Ashlee Payne), buries her feelings in trying to get the family back to normal as quickly as possible which leaves her in dark depression that even counseling can't seem to help. Her two remaining sons, Christopher, the oldest, has to fend off bullies at school and finds solace following in his father's footsteps to see how alcohol might help ease the pain. He soon finds himself in jail. While the youngest, David struggles to understand just what is happening to his family and how he can try to help.

I received Chasing Grace by Catalyst Pictures compliments of Word Films and Edify Media Inc for my honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation, aside for a free copy of this DVD in exchange for my personal evaluation either favorable or not. I have to say, I was not that impressed. The story line is boring and the pace of the film moves so slowly, you find yourself wondering just how much longer this film can drag the story out. Each character's evolution into grief in so slow paced, you simply wish they'd get it over with, so you can find other things to do. While the run time on this is 96 minutes, anything longer than a hour is beyond brutal. I had to keep trying to find a way to convince myself to finish this in order to see how it might all end up. You have a pastor trying to convince and manipulate the local police to take vengeance on his brother in any viable means possible even killing him if need be. While I understand processing grief is different for everyone, I think the point of finding forgiveness is so missing until the final moments, that most people would turn it off before getting that far. These are not characters you feel any kind of connection with and therefore are missing that factor of wanting to know how it all turns out for any of them. For me, this one was a 3 out of 5 stars in my opinion, and even that might be a bit generous. This is just my opinion but others might have a different one than what I posted here.

For more information about Chasing Grace, Word Films or where you can pick up a copy of this DVD today, please click on the links below:

Chasing Grace by Catalyst Pictures and Word Films

You can find Word Films on Facebook to stay up to date on all the latest film projects.

You can find Chasing Grace at your favorite Christian retailers or from Amazon. 

A Daughter's Dream

"Keeping twenty-five schoolchildren reasonably happy and on task for a solid hour was harder than it looked."

This is the first sentence that opens the second novel, A Daughter's Dream from best selling author, Shelley Shepard Gray, in her Charmed Amish Life series. I've been taking notice of how an author choices to begin each novel and what draws them to write that first sentence. This one immediately draws you into this amazing novel. Rebecca Kinsinger, has always had a dream to become a teacher in her Amish community of Charm, Ohio. Now she is filling in for Rachel Mast, from time to time when she needs to be gone for an hour or two or merely helping out when she is there. The one thing she can't quite figure out is why she is having such a hard time connecting with the students, if this is truly her dream job. Just as things are about to get out of control, Rachel returns and sets things to right.

Jacob Yoder finds that trying to fit in as a farmer now that he has moved back with his parents isn't working out as well as he hoped. Now he has taking over raising his thirteen-year-old niece Lilly after she lost both of her parents in an accident. She is barely talking and moving her away from her old school and friends probably isn't helping much. All he knows is he has to try. Lilly finds school boring and now being saddled as the new girl is about all a teen can handle. It's not enough that everyone is trying to help, but they just don't understand what she is dealing with. The only one who is really trying is another boy at school, Peter who seems to know just what she needs and right now that is a friend she can count on.

Rachel Mast loves that Rebecca wants to become a teacher soon, since she discovered she is pregnant and her husband Marcus insists that she quit her job as soon as possible. Not only that he wants her to refrain from seeing the Amish mid-wife and instead seek care under a real doctor and make plans to have their baby at the hospital. He can more than afford it, but how can Rachel convince Marcus that teaching is something she loves to do, and she knows she will quit when the baby comes. It just seems like everyone knows what they want to do and what they think is best for her as well.

 https://promosimple.com/ps/9a93

I received A Daughter's Dream by Shelley Shepard Gray compliments of Avon Inspire, a division of Harper Collins Publishers and Litfuse Publicity for my honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation, aside from a free copy of this novel, in exchange for my honest and personal opinion. The best thing about all of the novels I've read of Shelley's is that when you begin them, it's as if you have moved to one of her Amish towns and are learning about the people living there. At some point, it stops being a story and you find yourself actually living among the characters she introduces you to. While this is part of a series, you can read it as a stand alone, but trust me, you will want to go back and read a little more detail about Lukas life and how he met Delia! I can't wait for the next novel in the series which readers get a peek at in the conclusion of this one. There are even some great discussion guide questions for book clubs, a recipe for delicious granola bars, and an authors note from Shelley that takes you into the very heart of Charm, Ohio. This one easily garners a 5 out of 5 stars and a must read for Christian Amish Romance fans!

For more information about A Daughter's Dream, Shelley Shepard Gray or where you can pick up a copy of this novel today, please click on the links below:

A Daughter's Dream by Shelley Shepard Gray

You can find Shelley Shepard Gray on Facebook to stay up to date on all her latest novels.

To read more reviews on A Daughter's Dream, please visit Litfuse Publicity's book tour page.