Gathering the Threads by Cindy Woodsmall

ABOUT THIS BOOK

Finally back in the Old Order Amish world she loves,
Will Ariana’s new perspectives draw her family closer together—
or completely rip them apart?

After months away in the Englisch world, Ariana Brenneman is overjoyed to be in the Old Order Amish home where she was raised. Yet her excitement is mixed with an unexpected apprehension as she reconciles all she’s learned from her biological parents with the uncompromising teachings of her Plain community. Although her childhood friend, ex-Amish Quill Schlabach, hopes to help her navigate her new role amongst her people, Ariana’s Daed doesn’t understand why his sweet daughter is suddenly questioning his authority. What will happen if she sows seeds of unrest and rebellion in the entire family?

Meanwhile, Skylar Nash has finally found her place among the large Brenneman family, but Ariana’s arrival threatens to unravel Skylar’s new identity—and her sobriety. Both Ariana and Skylar must discover the true cords that bind a family and community together and grasp tight the One who holds their authentic identities close to His heart.

Gathering the Threads is the third and final novel in The Amish of Summer Grove series.

 

MY THOUGHTS ON THIS BOOK 

I have been waiting to read this third book in The Amish of Summer Grove series. I loved the first two books in the series, though the first book had a very heartbreaking ending. But that part had to happen for the series to continue! Ariana Brenneman is back in her Amish home after her DNA dad let her come home earlier than expected. But she wasn’t the same Ari that left months ago. Living with her English family changed her in ways she never though possible. This didn’t go over well at all with her Amish parents and siblings, with them thinking their Ari would be back and everything would be as it was.

Watching the Amish folks and their actions about the change in Ariana was interesting, but yet I was so angry at her dad, the Bishop and preachers. Their attitude was horrible and was it really bullying instead of trying to get her to see the error of her ways? You and figure that out for yourself when you read the book. Though I really like this book, it didn’t have the same excitement as the first two books. I was surprised and pleased at how Ariana’s English dad treated her. And it was surprising that  she learned so much from him, and I really did too. And I can’t leave out Quill. From the beginning I have liked this guy, though I didn’t really understand him at first. He was an all around good guy!

Gathering The Threads is a really good name for this book because Cindy Woodsmall’s does a really good job of weaving all of the loose ends in this series together and writing a very nice ending that satisfies your soul. One that everyone can live with. I received this book from Blogging for Books  to read and review. 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 55.

 

 

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Cindy Woodsmall is a New York Times, CBA, ECPA, and USA Today best-selling author who has written seventeen (and counting!) works of fiction and one of nonfiction. She and her dearest Old Order Amish friend, Miriam Flaud, coauthored the nonfiction, Plain Wisdom: An Invitation into an Amish Home and the Hearts of Two Women. Cindy has been featured on ABC Nightline and on the front page of the Wall Street Journal,and has worked with National Geographic on a documentary concerning Amish life. In June of 2013, the Wall Street Journal listed Cindy as the one of the top three most popular authors of Amish fiction.

She’s won Fiction Book of the Year, Reviewer’s Choice Awards, Inspirational Reader’s Choice Contest, as well as one of Crossings’ Best Books of the Year. She’s been a finalist for the prestigious Christy, Rita, and Carol Awards, Christian Book of the Year, and Christian Retailers Choice Awards.

Her real-life connections with Amish Mennonite and Old Order Amish families enrich her novels with authenticity. Though she didn’t realize it at the time, seeds were sown years ago that began preparing Cindy to write these books. At the age of ten, while living in the dairy country of Maryland, she became best friends with Luann, a Plain Mennonite girl. Luann, like all the females in her family, wore the prayer Kapp and cape dresses. Her parents didn’t allow television or radios, and many other modern conveniences were frowned upon. During the numerous times Luann came to Cindy’s house to spend the night, her rules came with her and the two were careful to obey them–afraid that if they didn’t, the adults would end their friendship. Although the rules were much easier to keep when they spent the night at Luann’s because her family didn’t own any of the forbidden items, both sets of parents were uncomfortable with the relationship and a small infraction of any kind would have been enough reason for the parents to end the relationship. While navigating around the adults’ disapproval and the obstacles in each other’s lifestyle, the two girls bonded in true friendship that lasted into their teen years, until Cindy’s family moved to another region of the US.

As an adult, Cindy became friends with a wonderful Old Order Amish family who opened their home to her. Although the two women, Miriam and Cindy, live seven hundred miles apart geographically, and a century apart by customs, when they come together they never lack for commonality, laughter, and dreams of what only God can accomplish through His children. Over the years Cindy has continued to make wonderful friendships with those inside the Amish and Mennonite communities–from the most conservative ones to the most liberal.

Cindy and her husband reside near the foothills of the North Georgia Mountains in their now empty nest.

If you’d like more information or to contact her, you can go to her website: http://www.cindywoodsmall.com or Facebook https://www.facebook.com/authorcindywoodsmall

The Road to Paradise by Karen Barnett

 

The Road to Paradise

by Karen Barnett

About This Book

An ideal sanctuary and a dream come true–that’s what Margaret Lane feels as she takes in God’s gorgeous handiwork in Mount Rainier National Park. It’s 1927 and the National Park Service is in its youth when Margie, an avid naturalist, lands a coveted position alongside the park rangers living and working in the unrivaled splendor of Mount Rainier’s long shadow.

But Chief Ranger Ford Brayden is still haunted by his father’s death on the mountain, and the ranger takes his work managing the park and its crowd of visitors seriously. The job of watching over an idealistic senator’s daughter with few practical survival skills seems a waste of resources.

When Margie’s former fiancé sets his mind on developing the Paradise Inn and its surroundings into a tourist playground, the plans might put more than the park’s pristine beauty in danger. What will Margie and Ford sacrifice to preserve the splendor and simplicity of the wilderness they both love?

Karen Barnett’s vintage national parks novels bring to vivid life President Theodore Roosevelt’s vision for protected lands, when he wrote in Outdoor Pastimes of an American Hunter: “There can be nothing in the world more beautiful than the Yosemite, the groves of the giant sequoias and redwoods, the Canyon of the Colorado, the Canyon of the Yellowstone, the Three Tetons; and our people should see to it that they are preserved for their children and their children’s children forever, with their majestic beauty all unmarred.”

MY THOUGHTS ON THIS BOOK 

Margaret Lane lands the job of her dreams when she gets her job alongside Chief Park Ranger Ford Brayden, in Mount Rainier National Park. But Ranger Brayden wants nothing to do with the senator’s daughter. But as they work together, Brayden soon finds out the Margaret is indeed interested in the National Park and its beauty. And will work hard to retain that beauty. But Margaret’s ex-boyfriend has other ideas for the park and he usually gets what he wants.

I love this very interesting and charming story by Karen Barnett. The main characters, Margaret and Ranger Brayden are very likable and captured my heart from the beginning. The boyfriend, not so likeable, but necessary to spice up the story a bit. Mount Rainier National Park sounds like a wonderful place to visit and possibly work, and I would feel just as Margaret felt. Saving the beauty of the park, its animals and it’s peacefulness is essential. Thinking about Margaret’s dad, I highly respect him for wanting and allowing her to spend time in the park. Many fathers with the outstanding position he had would have wanted something more ‘high society’ for their daughter.

And Ranger Brayden, I just loved his thoughts toward the quirky Senator’s daughter from the beginning. He was so determined he didn’t have the time or patience for this addition to park job. And even more determined the park would stay as his dad left it, always wanted to honor his dad in everything he did. And he seems a bit of eye candy to the eyes too! But he had a job to do so he was off limits!

And then there is Phillip, a character who needs to be there but we all very much dislike. My heart was aching for Brayden and Margaret  as they fought to honor their National Park, and as Phillip was fighting just as much to make it into the biggest tourist attraction around. But Phillip wasn’t just in it for the money, but for the lady as well. Or did he really want her? Having her hike Mt. Rainier with no experience, non at all. How could he love her, yet want this dangerous hike in her near future?

Ok this is all I need to say about this wonderful read. I sure hope there will be more book following. I can’t wait to see what Karen Barnett has for us next. I highly recommend this book and I give it a 5 Star rating ⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I received this book from Blogging for Books blog Tours to read and review. 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 55.

 

 

Talking With God by Adam Weber

Life is crazy. Prayer is simple.

Prayer seems like it should be so simple. Yet, when it comes to actually praying, often it feels awkward and complicated.

I mean … what should you actually pray about? What do you say?

Is there anything you should or shouldn’t say? Do you have to speak out loud? Where do you even start?

To make matters worse, we’ve heard about prayer for so long that we feel awkward asking about it. It’s like having to ask a person’s name after knowing them for years. Because we really should know their name by now, we feel embarrassed to ask.

Then comes the reality and craziness of life. Between work, changing diapers, walking the dog, a full inbox, trying to keep up with our neighbors … and the laundry, who has time to pray?

The truth is, prayer is simple.

It’s like talking. Talking with a good friend.  And what we may not know is the best part: no matter where we are in life, God can’t wait to talk with us.

What does it look like to pray in the midst of your life?
What do you say when you don’t know how to pray?

I’m asking the same questions.

Let’s talk.

 

MY THOUGHTS ON THIS BOOK

Even though prayer is simply talking to God, sometimes its difficult to know just the right thing to say. And sometimes during difficult time our hearts just don’t know what to say. This book does a really good job of helping get through those times when we have problems with just what to say. They use many examples of different people in the Bible who have prayed, and the outcome of their prayers. One that I identify with so much is David. Psalms is a wonderful place to read David’s conversations with God. Being reminded of some of these verses while reading Talking With God was encouraging to me. There are many more tips and ideas for help with your prayer life. Sometimes reading these thing in a book is just what we need to boost our prayer life. I plan to use this book as a devotional, going through a few pages at a time. It can also be read straight through. Really any way you want to use it. I would highly encourage you to pick up a copy of this book for your prayer life. Even if you have a healthy prayer time with God, this can help make it even better.

I received this book from Blogging for Books to read and review. 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 55.

Tune In The Beatles…All These Years

ABOUT THE BOOK

Now in paperback, Tune In is the New York Times bestseller by the world’s leading Beatles authority – the first volume in a groundbreaking trilogy about the band that revolutionized music.

The Beatles have been in our lives for half a century and surely always will be. Still, somehow, their music excites, their influence resonates, their fame sustains. New generations find and love them, and while many other great artists come and go, the Beatles are beyond eclipse.

So . . . who really were these people, and just how did it all happen?

‘The Beatles story’ is everywhere. Told wrong from early on, rehashed in every possible way and routinely robbed of its context, this is a phenomenon in urgent need of a bright new approach. In his series All These Years, Mark Lewisohn – the world-recognized Beatles historian – presses the Refresh button to relate the entire story as it’s never been told or known before. Here is a full and accurate biography at last. It is certain to become the lasting word.

Tune In is book one of three, exploring and explaining a period that is by very definition lesser-known: the formative pre-fame years, the teenage years, the Liverpool and Hamburg years – in many ways the most absorbing and incredible period of them all. The Beatles come together here in all their originality, attitude, style, speed, charisma, appeal, daring and honesty, the tools with which they’re about to reshape the world. It’s the Beatles in their own time, an amazing story of the ultimate rock band, a focused and colorful telling that builds and builds to leave four sharp lads from Liverpool on the very brink of a whole new kind of fame.

Using impeccable research and resources, Tune In is a magisterial work, an independent biography that combines energy, clarity, objectivity, authority and insight. The text is anti-myth, tight and commanding – just like the Beatles themselves.

Here is the Beatles story as it really was. Throw away what you think you know and start afresh.

MY THOUGHTS ON THIS BOOK

If you are a Beatles fan, you need this book! Mark Lewisohn was hired to do an amazing job, to listen to every Beatles recording session tape that existed and catalog them. And this is what this book is. It has everything The Beatles recorded. I grew up during The Beatles era, so I love this book. I sat for hours and hours just reading through this book. Its fantastic and has a host of information. Some of the songs I had forgotten about, and it was nice to refresh my memory again. This is the book you want to add to your Beatles collection.

I received this book from Blogging for Books to read and review. 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 55.

Fraying at the Edge by Cindy Woodsmall

---

About This Book

Family, community, faith, and love.
These “quilt blocks” sewn together made Ariana’s beautiful life.
When they are pulled to pieces,
will anything familiar remain?

The Old Order Amish life Ariana Brenneman loved vanished virtually overnight with the discovery that she was switched at birth twenty years ago. Now she’s immersed in the Englischer world, getting to know her mother and under the authority of her biological father, an atheist intellectual with resolute plans to expand Ariana’s worldview. Only Quill Schlabach, a childhood friend living Englisch, can steady the tilting ground between Ariana’s two worlds, but can she trust him after so many betrayals?

At the same time, Skylar Nash is forced to choose rehab or spend several months with her true relatives, the large Brenneman family and their seemingly backward life—no electricity, no technology, no fun. What the young woman can’t leave behind is her addiction to illegal prescription drugs and a deep emptiness from the belief that she doesn’t belong in either family.

New ties are binding Ariana and Skylar to the lives they were meant to have. Can they find the wisdom and strength they’ll need to follow God’s threads into unexpected futures?
 
Fraying at the Edge is the second novel in The Amish of Summer Grove series.

MY THOUGHTS ON THIS BOOK

This first book in this series, Ties That Bind ended with Ariana Brenneman and Skylar Nash going to live with their biological parents. Skylar’s parents were not together, so she had two families to get to know. As well as doing everything on the lists that her parents had for her to complete. One the other hand, Ariana Brenneman did not care for her biological parents and their lifestyle. She didn’t want to live without electricity and everything that goes with that, including cell phones and internet.

This series deals with the harsh situation of babies switched at birth. These two young ladies were from completely different lifestyles, so it makes for an amazing read. My heart went out to both ladies, because neither of them wanted to change their way of living. But as I followed their story in Fraying at the Edge, it was interesting to see the changes in Ariana and Skylar, the longer they stayed with their biological parents. Cindy Woodsmall does an amazing job of weaving together each family and the interaction between the two. I read this book in one setting, because I had to find out what happened to these young ladies I have grown to love. I simply can’t wait for book three to hit the shelves. This is such an amazing series I plan to keep this series on my shelves and read it again. Ms. Woodsmall puts a different twist to her Amish stories that makes them different from all other.

If you enjoy Amish fiction, Fraying at the Edge is one you need to check out. And don’t forget the first book in the series as well, Ties That Binds. I just can’t say enough about this wonderful book and series!   I received this book from Blogging for Books to read and review. 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 55.

Buy on Amazon
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http://www.deepershopping.com/index.php?module=productiframe&dcn=6769734

Christian Book Store

Celebration Lit Presents…The Wedding Shop by Rachael Hauck plus Giveaway

To purchase your copy, click here.

About the Book

Two women separated by decades. Both set out to help others find their dreams when their own have crumbled.

It’s the early 1930s, but Cora Scott is walking in stride as a career woman after having inherited her great aunt’s wedding shop in Heart’s Bend, Tennessee, where brides come from as far away as Birmingham to experience her famed bridal treatment. Meanwhile, Cora is counting down the days until her own true love returns from the river to make her his bride. But days turn into months and months to years. All the while, Birch Good continues to woo Cora and try to show her that while he is solid and dependable, he can sweep her off her feet.

More than eighty years later, former Air Force Captain Haley Morgan has returned home to Heart’s Bend after finishing her commitment to military service. After the devastating death of her best friend, Tammy, and discovering the truth about the man she loved, Haley is searching for her place in life.

When Haley decides to reopen the romantic but abandoned wedding shop where she and Tammy played and dreamed as children, she begins a journey of courage, mystery, and love.

As Cora’s and Haley’s stories intertwine through time in the shadow of the beloved wedding shop, they both discover the power of their own dreams and the magic of everyday love.

MY THOUGHTS ON THIS BOOK

Wow, this is an amazing story! I fell in love with the characters early in the story. I loved the way Ms. Hauck interweaves Cora and Haley’s stories, and though one was historical and one modern, the story was beautiful written in a way that made me crave more of each character. I couldn’t put this book down because I wanted to find out what was happening with each lady.

Cora was the sweetest young lady with a lot of disappointments and heartaches. Rufus, well I just wanted to give him a piece of my mind. And Birch was a sweetheart, a man every women dreams of. Haley was independent like Cora, and wanted to open the Wedding Shop, despite what her parents thought. She was determined to try and forget her ex forever.  And I really liked Cole as well. He has his share of disappointments and heartaches too. And I love the way Rachel Hauck interweaves the stories of these four characters in an amazing way, weaving together their dysfunctional lives with their faith in the Lord. And she shows that even though our lives don’t turn out the way we want, and despite the heartaches and disappointments we may go through, Jesus will always be there in us and with us. And He can take all of our baggage and make something beautiful from it all.

The Wedding Shop is another beautiful story from author Rach Hauck. I highly recommend this book for anyone who enjoys a good clean heartwarming read. And if you haven’t read The Wedding Dress and The Wedding Chapel, I encourage you to check out these two books as well.

I received this book from Celebration Lit Blog Tours to read and review. 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 55.

 

About the Author

Rachel Hauck is a USA Today Bestselling author. Her book, The Wedding Dress, was named Inspirational Novel of the Year by Romantic Times and was a RITA finalist. Her book Once Upon A Prince was a Christy Award finalist.

Rachel lives in central Florida with her husband and two pets and writes from her ivory tower. Visit her online at rachelhauck.com, Facebook: rachelhauck, and Twitter: @RachelHauck

 

 

Guest Post from Rachel Hauck

Hey everyone! I’m so excited to share The Wedding Shop with you. This book is one of my favorites.

While all books are my “babies,” this one found a special place in my heart.

This standalone novel is part of the Wedding Collection – The Wedding Dress and The Wedding Chapel – and it came to life when I discovered the story of Cora Scott, a 1930s wedding shop owner.

At 30, she’s an old maid, but the best “bride’s maid” in fictional Heart’s Bend, Tennessee. But she’s in love with a charismatic, charming river boat captain.

The contemporary heroine, Haley Morgan, is a retired Air Force captain returning to Heart’s Bend to restart her life. She’s recovering from a broken heart. The handsome, dynamic, charming man she loved was nothing but trouble.

Returning home, Haley is set on keeping a childhood promise she made with her best friend—to open the old wedding shop.

The shop is legend in Heart’s Bend. Haley grew up with stories of Miss Cora and the shop, hearing the town’s mothers, grandmothers, and great grandmothers reminiscing about their “day in the shop,” walking down the grand staircase in their wedding gown.

But in 2016, the shop is dilapidated, neglected and in need of more money than Haley possesses.

While writing this story, I had to ask a lot of questions. Why reopen the old shop? Why not just open a new one?

Haley was a combat veteran, deployed to Afghanistan twice, why would she want to open a wedding shop?

I also investigate the meaning of the shop to the town? To Cora? To Haley?

As I developed the backstory for the characters, the shop and the town, Cora’s came to life. She fascinated me. I admired this fictional woman. She exuded ingenuity, courage, and deep, deep devotion.

On the other hand, Haley was a bit of a mystery but from the start, she saw value in something no one else did.

What if we all saw value in people or places others wanted to reject?

Isn’t that what Jesus does for us?

The heroes of the book, Birch and Cole, are just stellar guys. Princes among men. I love writing about slightly wounded but strong and tender men.

The theme of family and community populates the story. Also, how misconceptions and preconceived ideas often ruin relationships.

Booklist gave The Wedding Shop a Starred Review and called it, “Spellbinding.”

There’s a lot of fun drama in this book! I hope you enjoy spending time with Cora and Haley, the men they love and the shop they bring to life.

I’d love to hear your thoughts! Connect with me at www.rachelhauck.com.

Blog Stops

September 13: History, Mystery & Faith

September 13: A Holland Reads

September 14: Giveaway Lady

September 14: Daysong Reflections

September 15: Book Bites, Bee Stings, and Butterfly Kisses

September 15: Bibliophile Reviews

September 16: Bigreadersite

September 16: The Scribbler

September 17: Books,Dreams,Life

September 17: ASC Book Reviews

September 18: Book Babble

September 18: D’S QUILTS & BOOKS

September 19: Pause for Tales

September 19: Book by Book

September 20: The Power of Words

September 20: Lighthouse Academy

September 21: Proverbial Reads

September 21: Splashes of Joy

September 22: Faithfully Bookish

September 22: Singing Librarian Books

September 23: Tell Tale Book Reviews

September 23: Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations

September 24: Quiet Quilter

September 24: Reading Is My SuperPower

September 25: For The Love of Books

September 26: His Grace Is Sufficient

September 26: Chas Ray’s Book Nerd Corner

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Rachel is giving away her Wedding Collection Series! Click here to enter: https://promosimple.com/ps/a366

The Flower Workshop: Lessons in Arranging Blooms, Branches, Fruits, and Foraged Materials

The Flower Workshop: Lessons in Arranging Blooms,
Branches, Fruits, and Foraged Materials

by Ariella Chezar and  Julie Michaels

About this book

Written by a celebrated floral designer and lavishly illustrated with full-color photography, this book not only provides step-by-step instructions for 50 stunning floral projects from simple to spectacular, but also equips readers with the skills to customize arrangements at home.

Whether hosting a party, helping out with a friend’s wedding, or wishing to incorporate the beauty of flowers into everyday life, The Flower Workshop allows you to create dazzling arrangements that go beyond merely pretty and into realms of the dramatic, the unexpected, and sometimes even the magical. Written by a celebrated floral designer and lavishly illustrated with full-color photography, this book not only provides step-by-step instructions for more than forty-five stunning floral projects from simple to spectacular, but also equips you with the skills to customize arrangements at home.

Known for her hands-on flower workshops at FlowerSchool New York, Ariella Chezar walks you through the nuts and bolts of creating a variety of small flourishes, tonal arrangements, branch arrangements, handheld bouquets, wreathes, garlands, grand gestures, and more—all accompanied by detailed photography. Chezar offers advice and philosophy on everything from texture and color to foliage and containers, providing an overall approach to living and working with flowers, with an eye toward fresh, local, wild, seasonally influenced floral design. For every occasion, from relaxed and simple to lavish and monumental, The Flower Workshop celebrates the special moments in your life with glorious, fragrant floral arrangements and enhances your surroundings with abundant beauty.

MY THOUGHTS ON THIS BOOK

This is a beautiful book inside and out. I love the beautiful flowers on the cover. This book would sure stand out on any bookshelf or bookstand in a store. If you are into flower arrangements, or decorating with flowers, this book would be an awesome choice for you to pick. It is hardbound, so it is more durable while you are working with it.

The fifty flower arrangements taught in this book are amazing, and I might could do a decent job of doing an arrangement after going through this book. No only does she show you how to do these 50 beautiful arrangements, Ms. Chezar gives you enough tips and ideas that you will be able to make your own arrangements. It may take a little time, and going back to the book for help at first, but the more you work with the flowers, the easier it becomes. This author leaves nothing out, she gives you full instructions, the kinds of flowers, what is in season when, and tells you the tools you need to make your flower arranging successful.

And I can’t leave out all of the full color pictures. They are simply gorgeous. This is a book you can have fun just looking through over and over again, just to see the beautiful pictures of the flowers.

I received this book from Blogging for Books to read and review. 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 55.

Room for Hope, by Kim Vogel Sawyer

About Room for Hope

In a desperate time, can Neva find forgiveness for a grievous wrong—and make room for hope?

Neva Shilling has a heavy load of responsibility while her husband travels to neighboring communities and sells items from his wagon. In his absence, she faithfully runs the Shilling Mercantile, working to keep their business strong as the Depression takes its toll, and caring for their twins.

When a wagon pulls up after supper, Neva and her children rush out—and into the presence of the deputy driving a wagon carrying three young children. The deputy shocks her with the news that Warren and his wife have died, insisting it was their last request that the three children go live with “Aunt Neva.”

Neva’s heart is shattered as she realizes that Warren’s month-long travels were excuses for visits with his secret family. She wants nothing more than to forget Warren, but can she abandon these innocent children to an orphanage? Yet if she takes them in, will she ever be able to see them as more than evidence of her husband’s betrayal and love them the way God does?

MY THOUGHTS ON THIS BOOK

Neva Shilling, this lady went through things no women should ever have to endure, but she comes out being one of the strongest women around. And I know this is pure fiction, but there is probably a real life story somewhere that this has happened. Neva thought she had a comfortable life, running the Shilling Mercantile while her husband travels with a wagon full of items he is selling to make even more money, or so Neva thinks. her life fall apart completely when a wagon pulls up, Neva and her children thinking that their husband and dad is returning from his travels, only to find out that her husband Warren and his wife have died, requesting that Aunt Neva raise the three children they had together. What? Neva is his wife isn’t she? But then Neva realizes that her husband’s extended travels were not to sell items, it was to live with his other family.

My heart ached for this poor lady so much. Everyone wanted her to give these three children up to foster care, and Neva did think about it. But this children were innocent, thinking they are now living with their Aunt. This is when you want to ring the mans neck, but then he’s already dead. Kim Vogel Sawyer is one of my very favorite authors because she makes the pages of a book come to life before your eyes! This was just like a real life story, and I felt like I was living right in the middle of Neva and her problems. Trying to imagine how she felt giving up all of the extravagant gifts back she thought was hers to keep. The secrets this man Warren had! I simply can not wait to read what is next from this awesome author.

I received this book from Blogging for Books to read and review. 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 55.

About the Author

Kim Vogel Sawyer is the author of nineteen novels, including several CBA and ECPA bestsellers. Her books have won the ACFW Book of the Year Award, the Gayle Wilson Award of Excellence, and the Inspirational Readers Choice Award. Kim is active in her church, where she leads women’s fellowship and participates in both voice and bell choirs. In her spare time, she enjoys drama, quilting, and calligraphy. Kim and her husband, Don, reside in central Kansas, and have three daughters and six grandchildren. She invites you to visit her Web site at http://www.kimvogelsawyer.com for more information.

 

Whatever Is Lovely: A Coloring Book for Reflection and Worship Paperback Adult Coloring Book

Whatever Is Lovely:
A Coloring Book for Reflection and Worship
Paperback Adult Coloring Book

Color your way to peace and worship.

We live in such a busy, hectic world—but what waits for you inside this cover is a way to quiet the noise, express creativity, and spend some sweet time with God. Each page features an original design from one of a dozen different artists, beautifully illustrating a contemplative quote from an inspirational writer, a beloved hymn, or Scripture.

When we create, we echo the heart of our Creative God who designed everything and gave us the capacity to recognize beauty.

So go ahead! You have permission to pick up your colored pencil and be reminded of truth in a fresh way.

MY THOUGHTS ON THIS BOOK

Adult Coloring Books have made it to the Christian market! This beautiful book is filled with inspirational pages that would be wonderful to use with your quiet times with God. All 46 pages are filled with beautiful pictures and Scripture or quotes to go along with the picture. Each picture will help you as you worship the Lord which you color. I liked the ideas the publisher suggest to use these coloring books in a group, coloring together, worshiping and praising the Lord as you color. This would give you a peaceful joyful time with your friends. I highly recommend this new trend sweeping the country today in the form of books and crayons, markers or whatever you wish to us.

I received this book from Blogging for Books to read and review. 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 55.

Ties That Bind by Cindy Woodsmall

Ties That Bind

by Cindy Woodsmall

About This Book

Ariana’s comfortable Old Order Amish world is about to unravel. Will holding tightly to the cords of family keep them together—or simply tear them apart?

Twenty-year-old Ariana Brenneman loves her family and the Old Ways. She has two aspirations: open a café in historic Summer Grove to help support her family’s ever-expanding brood and to keep any other Amish from being lured into the Englisch life by Quill Schlabach.

Five years ago Quill, along with her dear friend Frieda, ran off together, and Ariana still carries the wounds of that betrayal. When she unexpectedly encounters him, she soon realizes he has plans to help someone else she loves leave the Amish.
*
Despite how things look, Quill’s goal has always been to protect Ariana from anything that may hurt her, including the reasons he left. After returning to Summer Grove on another matter, he unearths secrets about Ariana and her family that she is unaware of. His love and loyalty to her beckons him to try to win her trust and help her find a way to buy the café—because when she learns the truth that connects her and a stranger named Skylar Nash, Quill knows it may upend her life forever.

Ties That Bind is the first novel in the Amish of Summer Grove series.

– See more at: http://waterbrookmultnomah.com/catalog.php?work=242924#sthash.6UVVnVks.dpuf

MY THOUGHTS ON THIS BOOK

 Five years have gone by since Quill and Frieda jumped the fence, leaving Quill’s girl Ariana behind, hurting because of the betrayal of her boyfriend and best friend. Then Quill shows back up in Summer Grove. It was kind of difficult sometimes to follow what was going on because the reason for Quill and Frieda leaving was so secretive, it didn’t make a lot of sense. The story gets interesting when Ariana’s parents come to Quill because they suspect their baby was switched with an Englischer’s baby at the time of birth. Resulting I a lot of tension and unanswered questions. Questions that only Quill could find out. This part of the story was so very interesting I couldn’t put the book down, because I wanted to see what happened to these two young ladies. I sure hope there is a book two coming soon because the book ended in the middle of the story, leaving me hanging off a cliff! Can’t wait to see what happens with these two young ladies!

I received this book from Blogging for Books to read and review. 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 55.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Cindy Woodsmall

Cindy Woodsmall is a New York Times and CBA best-selling author of numerous works of fiction and one of nonfiction. Her connection with the Amish community has been featured widely in national media. She lives in the Foothills of the North Georgia Mountains with her family.

– See more at: http://waterbrookmultnomah.com/catalog.php?work=242924#sthash.6UVVnVks.dpuf

Author Website is  http://www.cindywoodsmall.com/

It’s Good to Be Queen: Becoming as Bold, Gracious, and Wise as the Queen of Sheba

It’s Good to Be Queen:

Becoming as Bold, Gracious, and Wise as the Queen of Sheba

by Liz Curtis Higgs

About this Book!

Gain wisdom from a legendary royal! Longing to deepen her understanding of God’s ways, the queen of Sheba traveled to Jerusalem to sit at Solomon’s feet. In It’s Good to be Queen, Liz Curtis Higgs invites you to join this celebrated woman as she learns how to be bold, seek counsel, admit wrongdoing, and above all else, to honor the King of Kings. Includes Discussion Questions for a single session discussion, and an in-depth Study Guide for multiple session groups. Paperback.

MY THOUGHTS ON THIS BOOK

I have  been through many Bible Studies written by Liz Curtis Higgs, and I have loved them all, and have learned so much from the studies. This is another awesome study. I love that she wants to help women everywhere how to live their fullest Christian life by teaching us how to be the person we should be. Sometimes it takes action in doing what we need to do in order to be in the right relationship with the Lord, and this book will help you will that. Its really difficult for me to tell what its all about, so I’ll list the chapters so you can get a feel of what it is like. Here they are:

Be bold and take frequent leaps of faith. – This chapter is awesome, one that I really, really needed in my life at this time.
Be open to whatever God has prepared for you.
Seek wise counsel from trustworthy sources
Be humbled, trusting Him to lift you up
Be honest with God, with yourself, with others
Encourage everyone who crosses your path
Praise God in all things and in every season

I received this book from Blogging for Books to read and review. 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 55.
Give generously, with open hands and heart
Receive graciously, to honor God and the giver
End well by loving well all the days of your life

Twenty Dinners by Ithai Schori and Chris Taylor

Twenty Dinners

by Ithai Schori and Chris Taylor

Twenty Dinners is a different kind of cookbook than any I have seen. Each group of recipes are centered around an entire meal, even the drinks. Ithai Schori and Chris Taylor  take their cooking skills and their loads of experience and put them between the pages of this beautiful hardcover book. They make it easy because there is virtually no meal planning. Its all there for you. I don’t know that I would do the exact meal, but then I might. But it would be easy to substitute things that you don’t have or things your family doesn’t care for. The book is beautiful inside and out. This would be perfect to display in your kitchen, even when you are not using the recipes. But I will say, the recipes in here sound delicious! And I am excited about trying some of the different things here. And oh, if you are a cookbook collector, or if you just like to sit and look at cookbooks, then you need to add this to your collection, because it is different and unique!

Blogging for Books  sent me this book to read and review. 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 55.

When Grace Sings by Kim Vogel Sawyer from Blogging for Books

When Grace Sings

by Kim Vogel Sawyer from Blogging for Books

When trouble roars into quiet Arborville, Alexa and Anna-Grace find themselves the target for discord and exposed secrets. Can they continue to seek the God of all grace amidst the fog of confusion?

Alexa Zimmerman wonders if the Old Order Mennonite community in Arborville, Kansas will ever fully accept her. Her family roots here aren’t what anyone thought when she first arrived, but she is hopeful that her culinary and hospitality skills will win the skeptics over. The bed-and-breakfast she’s operating needs to succeed so Alexa agrees to allow Briley Forrester, the hotshot reporter from Chicago, to stay as a long-term boarder not knowing his real motives for being amongst the Plain folk.

But when Alexa agrees to host her cousin Anna-Grace Braun, the presence of extended family brings out Alexa’s insecurities and sets Briley on the trail to uncovering a web of hidden truths.

Plans for a secure future and the sweetness of young romance hang in the balance when Alexa and Anna-Grace have to face that their secrets are interconnected, binding the two in ways they could not have imagined. They must trust in a loving, heavenly Father and His plan for their futures.

Learn more and purchase a copy.

MY THOUGHTS ON THIS BOOK

This is the best series! I just love Kim Vogel Sawyer, she is by far one of my favorite authors of all time!  Alexa is now running her B&B, Grace Notes at her grandmothers house. when Anna-Grace needed someplace to stay while visiting family, Alexa agreed to let her stay at the B&B, despite how difficult it would be. Even though Anna Grace didn’t know the truth about her real mom, Alexa and her grandmother knew. And the there is  hotshot Chicago reporter Briley Forrester nosing around trying to find out all he could about the Amish, things would get very testy at the B&B.

My heart went out to Alexia because of her insecurity, but I don’t think she had a reason to be, because her grandmother was truly crazy about her. And Alexia had been a joy to the older woman’s life. The entire story is full of tension because of the close quarters in the house with the two young ladies and the grandma there. And Briley added more tension as well as fun to the story. You had to like Briley, even though he was annoying at times. You just have to read the this book to get the full effect. And I agree with other reviewers that several issues was left hanging, but I hope the third book in this series will take care of this.

I received this book from Blogging for Books to read and review. 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 55.

ABOUT THIS AUTHOR

Kim Vogel Sawyer is the author of twenty-nine novels, including several CBA and ECPA bestsellers. Her books have won the ACFW Book of the Year Award, the Gayle Wilson Award of Excellence, and the Inspirational Readers Choice Award. Kim is active in her church, where she leads women’s fellowship and participates in both voice and bell choirs. In her spare time, she enjoys drama, quilting, and calligraphy. Kim and her husband, Don, reside in central Kansas, and have three daughters and nine grandchildren.

Litfuse Presents When Grace Sings by Kim Vogel Sawyer

Litfuse Presents When Grace Sings

by Kim Vogel Sawyer

When Grace Sings (WaterBrook Press, March 2015)

When trouble roars into quiet Arborville, Alexa and Anna-Grace find themselves the target for discord and exposed secrets. Can they continue to seek the God of all grace amidst the fog of confusion?

Alexa Zimmerman wonders if the Old Order Mennonite community in Arborville, Kansas will ever fully accept her. Her family roots here aren’t what anyone thought when she first arrived, but she is hopeful that her culinary and hospitality skills will win the skeptics over. The bed-and-breakfast she’s operating needs to succeed so Alexa agrees to allow Briley Forrester, the hotshot reporter from Chicago, to stay as a long-term boarder not knowing his real motives for being amongst the Plain folk.

But when Alexa agrees to host her cousin Anna-Grace Braun, the presence of extended family brings out Alexa’s insecurities and sets Briley on the trail to uncovering a web of hidden truths.

Plans for a secure future and the sweetness of young romance hang in the balance when Alexa and Anna-Grace have to face that their secrets are interconnected, binding the two in ways they could not have imagined. They must trust in a loving, heavenly Father and His plan for their futures.

Learn more and purchase a copy.

MY THOUGHTS ON THIS BOOK

After reading book one in this series, I will excited about reading When Grace Sings. Alexa is now running her B&B, Grace Notes at her grandmothers house. But she never thought she would be hosting her cousin, Anna-Grace Braun. Though Alexia knew the truth about what happened years ago, Anna-Grace had no idea. So when Alexia agreed to host Anna-Grace at the B&B, she was the one that had no idea how she could be in the same house together with Anna-Grace. And with hotshot Chicago reporter Briley Forrester nosing around trying to find out all he could about the Amish, things would get very testy at the B&B.

Another Kim Vogel Sawyer book that I love! My heart went out to Alexia because of her insecurity, but I don’t think she had a reason to be, because her grandmother was truly crazy about her. And Alexia had been a joy to the older woman’s life. The entire story is full of tension because of the close quarters in the house with the two young ladies and the grandma there. And Briley added more tension as well as fun to the story. You had to like Briley, even though he was annoying at times. You just have to read the this book to get the full effect. And I agree with other reviewers that several issues was left hanging, but I hope the third book in this series will take care of this.

I received this book from Litfuse to read and review. 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 55.

ABOUT THIS AUTHOR

Kim Vogel Sawyer

Kim Vogel Sawyer is the author of twenty-nine novels, including several CBA and ECPA bestsellers. Her books have won the ACFW Book of the Year Award, the Gayle Wilson Award of Excellence, and the Inspirational Readers Choice Award. Kim is active in her church, where she leads women’s fellowship and participates in both voice and bell choirs. In her spare time, she enjoys drama, quilting, and calligraphy. Kim and her husband, Don, reside in central Kansas, and have three daughters and nine grandchildren.

Hope Crossing …The Complete Ada’s House Trilogy by Cindy Woodsmall

 Hope Crossing …

The Complete Ada’s House Trilogy

by Cindy Woodsmall

 Hope Crossing…where Ada’s House stands as a haven for weary souls looking for kindness, faith, and second chances.
 
The Hope of Refuge
Two very different women are pulled by their strongest desires. Deborah Mast joined the Amish church and longs to marry her fiancé, but he is changing. Cara Moore is forced to look into a life that was meant to be hers. Will Ada’s House help them realize their hearts’ desires or will it force them to accept what life has done to each of them?

The Bridge of Peace
Living out her passion for teaching, Lena Kauffman’s work is suddenly interrupted by a series of pranks and accidents targeted toward her and her students. When tragedy strikes her dear friend Grey Graber’s family on school property, the school board begins to blame her for the trouble. As grief and confusion take their toll on Grey and Lena’s friendship, they are both forced to face a new reality that may offer the peace and love they each long for.

The Harvest of Grace
Fleeing a terrible mistake, Sylvia Fisher dedicates herself to saving the failing Blank farm. When prodigal son Aaron returns, he is surprised by this unusual farmhand who opposes all his plans. Will Aaron and Sylvia’s unflinching efforts toward opposite futures mask the bigger picture—a path to forgiveness, grace, and the promise of love?

This three-in-one collection includes the entirety of the best-selling Ada’s House trilogy, now at a new low price!

MY THOUGHTS ON THIS BOOK

Hope Crossing is a wonderful three full size books by Cindy Woodsmall. I love anything Cindy Woodsmall writes so I was thrilled to get this trilogy. The Hope of Refuge, The Bridge of Peace and The Harvest of Grace will keep you reading for many hours. The characters are so believable and realistic that I feel that I have a host of new friends! I love reading books that make me feel that way! I wont go into detail of each book, because many have done that already, but I want to encourage each of you to pick up this wonderful trilogy to read for yourself. And what a bargain it is, to get three books for one low price! If you enjoy Amish stories, you will love this one. The only thing with Ms. Woodsmall’s books, there is always a little different twist to her stories that you will really enjoy!

I received this book from Blogging for Books to read and review. 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 55.

A Love Undone by Cindy Woodsmall

A Love Undone by Cindy Woodsmall

ABOUT THIS BOOK

A husband and son abandoned to forge a path alone.

A young woman who sacrificed her dreams.

How will the God of grace and hope help them find their way?

At nineteen years old, Old Order Amish Jolene Keim was on the brink of happily-ever-after when everything changed, stealing the future she expected and burdening her with an unbearable decision. For the next ten years, Jolene throws herself into family life—and then she meets Andy Fisher. The horse trainer and father to a sweet nine year-old challenges her and holds up a mirror to issues Jolene has been unwilling to face.

Andy is cautious about his deepening friendship with Jolene, but he believes she knows the truth about him – that he is a grass widower. As a man whose wife has abandoned him six years past, he is unable to divorce or remarry according to the Amish ways. Andy has wrestled with God concerning his reality, and he had found peace with the solitary future facing him…until he met Jolene.

As Andy and Jolene find themselves confronted by difficult choices, will they trust in God’s guidance—or will the allure of their deepening friendship only lead to further temptation?

MY THOUGHTS ON THIS BOOK

 

Jolene was anxiously awaiting her marriage, only two weeks to go. But that all changed one rainy night when her mother was called out to deliver a baby and both her mom and dad never came home. In order to keep the family together, Jolene did the only thing she knew to do, she put her life into taking care of her siblings. But that meant no marriage because her fiancé wasn’t willing take on Jolene’s family to raise. After 10 years, her siblings started getting married, and Jolene meets Andy Fisher, and the sparks started flying. But Andy had problems of his own, so there was no way the two could make a go of it.

This is the most amazing story! At first, I wasn’t so sure, because it was kind of slow and sad for me, but then everything started happening and I couldn’t put this book down! Cindy Woodsmall is an amazingly awesome writer, and A Love Undone is one of my favorite books she has written yet! My heart hurt so bad for Jolene, having to give up her marriage, and I thought she did really well taking care of her brothers and sisters. It was time for her to think about herself when she met Andy Fisher. And it was difficult to read about his wife leaving him years before and he couldn’t marry again because that was the Amish way. But in her amazing storytelling, Cindy pulls this story together, giving readers and ending that will be both a blessing and honor to read! I hope there will me more about this family in later books. If you enjoy Amish stories, you must read this one!! I am sure you will find it awesome!

I received this book from Blogging for Books to read and review. 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 55.

About the author

Cindy Woodsmall is a New York Times and CBA best-selling author who has written fifteen (and counting!) works of fiction and one of nonfiction. She and her dearest Old Order Amish friend, Miriam Flaud, coauthored the nonfiction, Plain Wisdom: An Invitation into an Amish Home and the Hearts of Two Women. Cindy’s been featured on ABC Nightline and the front page of the Wall Street Journal, and has worked with National Geographic on a documentary concerning Amish life. In June of 2013, the Wall Street Journal listed Cindy as one of the top three Amish fiction writers.

She’s won Fiction Book of the Year, Reviewer’s Choice Awards, Inspirational Reader’s Choice Contest, as well as one of Crossings’ Best Books of the Year. She’s been a finalist for the prestigious Christy, Rita, and Carol Awards, Christian Book of the Year, and Christian Retailers Choice Awards.

Cindy and her husband reside near the foothills of the North Georgia Mountains in their now empty nest.

Mickey and Willie: Mantle and Mays, the Parallel Lives of Baseball’s Golden Age, By Allen Barra

Mickey and Willie: Mantle and Mays,

the Parallel Lives of Baseball’s Golden Age,

By Allen Barra

ABOUT THIS BOOK

Acclaimed sportswriter Allen Barra exposes the uncanny parallels–and lifelong friendship–between two of the greatest baseball players ever to take the field.

Culturally, Mickey Mantle and Willie Mays were light-years apart. Yet they were nearly the same age and almost the same size, and they came to New York at the same time. They possessed virtually the same talents and played the same position. They were both products of generations of baseball-playing families, for whom the game was the only escape from a lifetime of brutal manual labor. Both were nearly crushed by the weight of the outsized expectations placed on them, first by their families and later by America. Both lived secret lives far different from those their fans knew. What their fans also didn’t know was that the two men shared a close personal friendship–and that each was the only man who could truly understand the other’s experience.

MY THOUGHTS ON THIS BOOK

I guess this is a book that you either love it or you don’t. For me, I thoroughly enjoyed reading about two of the very best and most famous Baseball players of all times. My love of baseball drew me to this book. Barra takes the lead as he compares the lives of these two men, their personal lives, as well as their professional lives. If you already know a lot about Mickey and Willie, you may not be as enthused as I was, but it was neat to read about how two men, one black and one white, grew up close to each other, both having a history of baseball playing in their families, turned out to be the most amazing men and players of baseball in history. And it is clear that Barra is an avid fan of both Mickey Mantle and Willie Mays and thought of them as his idols throughout his life!

I loved this book, and I think it would be an awesome addition of your library if you enjoy Baseball, or if you enjoy reading about hero’s of our time. I’m very glad I had the opportunity to read this book honoring these two men, and I encourage you to pick up a copy to read for you!

I received this book from Blogging for Books to read and review. 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 55.

A Broken Kind of Beautiful by Katie Ganshert

A Broken Kind of Beautiful

by Katie Ganshert

 

ABOUT THIS BOOK

Fashion is a fickle industry, a frightening fact for twenty-four-year-old model Ivy Clark. Ten years in and she’s learned a sacred truth — appearance is everything. Nobody cares about her broken past as long as she looks beautiful for the camera. This is the only life Ivy knows — so when it starts to unravel, she’ll do anything to hold on. Even if that means moving to the quaint island town of Greenbrier, South Carolina, to be the new face of her stepmother’s bridal wear line — an irony too rich for words, since Ivy is far from the pure bride in white.

 

 

MY REVIEW

This is an awesome book, and I just loved, loved it!!!  For ten years Ivy Clark has been modeling fashions, and outside beauty is all she knows or cares about. Then Ivy meets Davis and Ivy begins to see that outside beauty is not the really important kind of beauty.

A Broken Kind of Beautiful was sometimes difficult for me to read, because it is full of heartache and difficulties because of what the characters are going through. But author Katie Ganshert does the most fantastic job of showing the love and redemption of God’s grace into the lives of her characters. This is a book that anyone would not only love, but your life will change when you follow the lives of these wonderful characters. I hope you love this as much as I did!

I received this book from Blogging for Books to read and review.  I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Christy Award finalist, Katie Ganshert is the author of Wildflowers from Winter and Wishing on Willows. She lives in Iowa with her handsome husband, their dinosaur-loving son, and their goofy black lab, Bubba. When she’s not busy writing or playing or reading or snuggling, she is obsessing over the paperwork and the waiting that comes with adoption, which she and her husband hope to complete sometime before they are fifty.

VB6 Cookbook by Mark Bittman

VB6 Cookbook by Mark Bittman

Following up on his bestselling diet plan, VB6, the incomparable Mark Bittman delivers a full cookbook of recipes designed to help you eat vegan every day before 6:00 p.m.–and deliciously all of the time.

Whether you call it felxitarian, part-time veganism, or vegetable-centric, the plant-based, real-food approach to eating introduced in Bittman’s New York Times bestselling book VB6 has helped countless people regain their good health, control their weight, and forge a smarter, more ethical relationship with food. VB6 does away with the hard and fast rules, the calorie-counting, and the portion control of conventional diets; it’s a regimen that is designed to be easy toa dopt and stick to for a lifetime.

When Bittman committed to a vegan before 6:00 pm diet, he quickly realized that everything about it became easier if he cooked his own meals at home. In The VB6 Cookbook he makes this proposition more convenient than you could imagine. Drawing on a varied and enticing pantry of vegan staples strategically punctuated with “treat” foods (including meat and other animal products), he has created a versatile repertoire of recipes that makes following his plan simple, satisfying, and sustainable.

Breakfasts, the most challenging meal of the day for some vegans, are well represented here, with a full range of hot cereals, whirl-and-go-dairy free smoothies, toast toppers, and brunch-worthy entrees. Lunches include hearty soupls, sandwiches, beans, grains, and pastas to pack along wherever the day takes you, and more than a dozen snack recipes provide the perfect afternoon pick-me-up to banish the vending-machine cravings that can undo a day of eating well. Dinners are flexitarian, focusing on vegetable-forward meals that are augmented by a range of animal products for fullest flavor, satisfaction, and nutrient density. A chapter devoted entirely to “building blocks”–make-ahead components you mix and match–ensures that a flavorful and healthy meal is never more than a few minutes away.

If you’ve thought of trying a vegan diet but worry it’s too monotonous or unfamiliar, or simply don’t want to give up foods you love to eat, Bittman’s vegan and flexitarian recipes will help you cook your way to a new, varied and quite simply better way of eating you can really commit to…for life.

 

MY THOUGHTS ON THIS BOOK

I found this cookbook pretty interesting. The idea of eating vegetables, and plant based foods until 6pm, then finish off dinner with a full meal including meats and vegetables is quite intriguing, to say the least. This kind of diet makes it easier on those who have problems giving up foods they love. I really like a lot of the recipes here, and especially the veggie ones because my diet is mostly vegetables.

The 350 recipes included in this book help follow this diet plan, as well as the really good tips and ideas of the author. Each meal, including snacks is broken down separate to make it more simple and easy to follow. Mark Bittman does a really wonderful job of researching his ideas and bringing out the facts of what he is saying. I think this is a diet plan that a lot of us could definitely follow. If this sounds like your kind of eating, I highly recommend that you check out this really neat cookbook for yourself.

I received this book from Blogging for Books to read and review. 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

Through the Deep Waters…Kim Vogel Sawyer

Through the Deep Waters

Kim Vogel Sawyer

 

ABOUT THIS BOOK

A past filled with shame can be washed away with a love that conquers all

Born to an unloving prostitute in a popular Chicago brothel, timid seventeen-year-old Dinah Hubley was raised amidst the secrets held in every dark, grimy room of her home. Anxious to escape, Dinah pursues her dream of becoming a Harvey Girl, waiting tables along the railroad in an upscale hotel. But when she finds out she isn’t old enough, her only option is to accept a job as a chambermaid at the Clifton Hotel in Florence, Kansas. Eager to put everything behind her, Dinah feels more worthless than ever, based on a single horrible decision she made to survive.

The Clifton offers a life Dinah has never known, but blinded to the love around her, Dinah remains buried in the shame of her past. When a handsome chicken farmer named Amos Ackerman starts to show interest, Dinah withdraws further, convinced no one could want a sullied woman like her. Despite his self-consciousness about his handicapped leg and her strange behavior, Amos resolves to show Dinah Christ’s love. But can she ever accept a gift she so desperately needs?

 

MY THOUGHTS ON THIS BOOK

Wow! Just when I think Kim Vogel Sawyer’s books can’t get any better, she blows me away with another awesome one! Boy I felt so sorry for Dinah and the lifestyle she grew up in. Being a prostitute, Dinah’s mother raised her in a brothel, didn’t want or care for her.  I can’t even imagine what it would be like. My heart ached for her so much while reading this story! But I did appreciate the cook at the brothel because he watched out for Dinah, and was the only father figure she had! And he was willing to help her with anything! The sad thing about this story it, there are people out there that live in these conditions daily, and reading Through the Deep Waters reminded me of how much I need to be in prayer for these precious young girls.

Ms. Sawyer created characters that developed into real people jumping from the pages are I read this book! Even though I wasn’t raised as Dinah, I could feel each heartache she felt, and each struggle she faced. I really got so angry at the brothel owner, the very idea of her acting like she did about Dinah’s mother, and then the unthinkable things she put Dinah through. No one should get by with her actions, and to think that there are people today just like this woman, or worse makes me cringe. I appreciate Kim Vogel Sawyer writing a book dealing with this horrible issue and I hope that each person that reads Through the Deep Waters will pass the books along, and encourage to pray for precious souls today that live this life. But it doesn’t end there! Mrs. Sawyer gives us the other side of the story too, a story of love, mercy, grace and redemption through out Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! And she takes the feelings and emotions, the past and the present, weaves them together to create an ending that you will not forget! Can you tell I love, love, loved this story! And I will keep this book to pass around to those I love! I highly encourage each Christian to pick up a copy of this book to read for themselves. You will be amazed!

I received this book from Blogging for Books to read and review. 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 55.

 

 

 

 

Praise for Through the Deep Waters

“Kim Vogel Sawyer paints a picture of redemption and forgiveness in not one but many lives in Through the Deep Waters. Just as weary travelers found comfort in Mr. Harvey’s hotels, readers will find comfort in this wrenching tale
of one woman’s shameful past and one man’s struggle to look beyond her indiscretions and accept the woman she has become—a woman redeemed by grace. Ms. Sawyer’s historically accurate novels tug the strings of the heart
while giving hope to those who feel unworthy.”
—Pam Hillman, author of Claiming Mariah

“Kim Vogel Sawyer’s careful attention to detail and heartfelt writing make her one of the industry’s favorites.”
—Lori Copeland, author of The Healer’s Touch

“Kim Vogel Sawyer has crafted an emotion-packed novel about two damaged souls whose faith and courage ultimately come shining through. Readers will root for Dinah and Amos to overcome the wounds of their troubled pasts in order to find love and hope for the future. With its vividly rendered settings and well-rounded characters, this lovely story is sure to please Ms. Sawyer’s many fans.”
—Dorothy Love, author of Carolina Gold
– See more at: http://waterbrookmultnomah.com/catalog.php?isbn=9780307731296#sthash.CyKA6DU3.dpuf