Friday, November 29, 2013

Book Review : Stones For Bread

Stones for Bread is a book that peaked my interest from the title alone.  I have been grinding grain and baking bread for our family since 2008, honestly I cannot remember before we did this!   We love it, and when I saw this book centered around the making of bread I knew I wanted to read it.

Stones-for-Bread-Parrish-e1380312425756

This book, however, is not just a book about a woman who makes artisan bread.  This is more like a 3 in 1 book.  There is the main story line that takes place “today” and it is about Leisel, she owns a small bakery and she makes bread from starters that grow wild yeast.  I  thoroughly enjoyed reading this part of the book, learning about her love of bread making, and all that it entails. 

The other part of this book is her past, her parents, her mother and grandmother specifically.  Her mother and grandmother shared their love of home made bread with Leisel, so much so that Leisel still maintains her grandmother’s starter that she brought from Germany.  Leisel still carries a tremendous burden of dealing with the loss of her mother when she was 12 years old. 

The last part of the book is the historical telling of bread.  This is the smallest story line woven throughout the book, telling bits of the history bread, ending with the story of Jesus being the bread of life.

While this may initially seem confusing it was beautifully woven together.  The far past, the near past and the present. 

There are many tough parts to read in this book, because quite honestly this felt more real than fiction.  Several parts were so raw that if felt like the truth pouring from the pages, the hurt and the anger and the grief that Leisel and her father work through as they navigate life without her mother.

Did I mention the romance?  No?  Well, there is and it is so sweet and subtle you are not really sure it is happening.  For someone {ME}who does not enjoy lovey-dovey drippy romance novels, I LOVE how the romance element was delivered, just the right amount!!

I was quite captivated by this book, read it in about 3 days and could not touch another book while I was in this one.  It certainly grabbed my attention, but I think also Leisel grabbed my heart with her story. 

I highly recommend this book, one of the best, most realistic fiction books I have ever read, it felt so real and sincere and raw that my heart broke and rejoiced with Leisel.  Not sure I have seem so many elements all come together to form such a beautiful story at one time.

To read more about Stones for Bread check out the LitFuse page HERE.


Meet the author: Christa Parrish is the award-winning author of CParrish-186three novels, including the 2009 ECPA Fiction Book of the Year Watch Over Me. When she's not writing, she's a homeschool mother of three wonderful children. Married to author and pastor Chris Coppernoll, Christa serves with him as co-leader of their church's youth ministry as well as serving as a facilitator for a divorce recovery ministry. She is now also slightly obsessed with the art of baking bread.


NOTE : I received a copy of Stones for Bread, at no cost in exchange

for an honest review by LitFuse.

Thursday, November 21, 2013

Book Review : Aloha Rose

Aloha Rose is a novel by Lisa Carter in the Quilts of Love series. 

aloha rose

Aloha Rose takes place in Hawaii where Laney comes back to meet her biological family.  The heritage of the Hawaiian people is clearly of tremendous importance to her family as they prepare for her return.  When she arrives she is shocked to not find anyone waiting for her, until her “cousin” shows up.

The instant sparks that appear between Laney and Kai are obvious.  Both Kai and Laney are accustomed to remaining in control of their feelings and maintaining their own space.  With one another they realize they need to learn to trust the other and be willing to let each one into their lives.  This is especially difficult when Kai is torn between his interest in Laney and his suspicion that she is up to no good.

I enjoyed the descriptions of the area as Kai gave Laney her own personal tour of the islands.  Ms. Carter writes a compelling story with a vivid backdrop.

Many family issues are touched on in this story, showing that there is rarely a simple explanation to adoption.  Watching Laney and Kai heal from past hurts as their relationship grows was my favorite part of the story.

I recommend this story for readers who enjoy a romantic style novel, that is both a fun read and one that moves along quickly.

 


About the book: When Laney Carrigan's adoptive parents encourage her as an adult to seek out her birth family, her only clue is the Lokelani quilt in which she was found wrapped as an infant. Centering her search on the Big Island, she battles fears of rejection from a family that abandoned her once before while her faith struggles to embrace God's love.

Along the path to her true heritage, she meets Hawaiian cowboy/helicopter pilot, Kai Barnes. Kai is determined to protect the people he's come to regard as family against a woman he suspects of being nothing more than a gold-digger, but he finds himself drawn to Laney in spite of his reservations. He's spent his entire life seeking forgiveness from past mistakes and longs for a second chance at happiness.

Laney's painstaking journey to find restoration and a place to belong among the breathtaking allure of the Big Island will lead her closer to her past and maybe even something more.

Meet the author: Lisa Carter has been published in MomSense and lisa carterChristian Parenting Today. Lisa is currently teaching music at a preschool and enjoying the enthusiasm and joy for life for which preschoolers are famous. She and David have two beautiful daughters.
Find out more at: http://www.quiltsoflovebooks.com


To read what others are saying about Aloha Rose, and more about the book check out the LitFuse page for Aloha Rose.

NOTE : I received a copy of Aloha Rose, at no cost, in exchange for an honest review, by LitFuse.

Tuesday, November 19, 2013

Book Review : Christmas at Harmony Hill

This book, Christmas at Harmony Hill is my first Shaker Story.

Christmas-at-Harmony-Hill

 Ann H. Gabhart writes Shaker stories and this is her first Christmas one.  I enjoyed her mix of history (Civil War is going on), the romance (a young couple is separated by the war), and the family drama.

In this story a young woman who has been on the front lines of the war with her husband, decides to return home to deliver her baby.  Upon arriving home she must face terrible news and a unwelcome response from her family.  As a result she turns to an aunt she does not know, who lives in a Shaker community for help.

I found the Shaker story line very intriguing.  Their beliefs were completely new to me, and were more than fascinating.  As I read about their customs and why they do what they do, it made me think about why we do what we do.  I also pondered how their beliefs differed so much from biblical teaching and my own faith.

I enjoyed the story line of Gideon and Heather, their relationship was quite deep for such a young couple.  Their faith in their relationship and their closeness was very tender and sincere.

This was a very interesting story that I enjoyed very much.  I hope to get a chance to read more novels by Ms. Gabhart.

Available November 2013 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group


A little more about the book :

A stirring story of healing, hope, and home at Christmas

She stared up at the Shaker buildings. They took in those in need. That was why she was riding into their village. But she couldn't stay here. Not forever. They divided families. She'd heard her grandmother speak harshly of the way Shakers didn't believe in marriage and had special houses where children were kept from their parents.
Heather put a hand over the swell of her baby inside her. Surely they wouldn't take a newborn from his mother's bosom. Heather's mother couldn't have imagined that happening or she'd have never told her to come . . .

It is 1864 and the nation is torn apart by civil war when Heather Worth discovers she is with child. With her husband at the front and nowhere else to turn, she seeks refuge in the Shaker village of Harmony Hill. Amid the tumult of the times, Heather yearns for the peace she sees in this strange community. But can this longing really be fulfilled amid these people with their peculiar beliefs about family?
As Christmas approaches, the joy of new life and the love that is born of forgiveness may hold the answer.


Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc. Available at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.

Book Review : The Christmas Quilt

Next up on the list of book reviews is The Christmas Quilt by Vannette Chapman. 

christmas quilt

I enjoyed this sweet story about two sisters-in-law who are both expecting their first babies. Leah is due near Christmas with twins and Annie is expecting her first later into March.

The story shows us the love of family through thick and thin. When Leah finds herself on the floor in her bathroom, unable to get up and having contractions weeks before her due date, she knows something is wrong. As she is rushed to the hospital by ambulance Annie stays by her side. Annie’s past as a nurse at Mercy Hospital in Philadelphia comes in handy when Leah finds herself there on bed rest. Annie is able to reunite with friends, and even gets to hug a former patient.

The love that these two sisters share is quite special. They encourage each other and hold each other accountable for who they are. As Leah must remain in the hospital resting, Annie keeps her company as she sews a quilt for Leah’s baby. They both share stories from their past that represent the Fruits of the Spirit from Paul’s letters in Galatians. Even one of the doctors that sees to Leah is brought into the cast of the story tellers. The stories are encouraging and full of goodness and they help Leah to stay positive no matter what is going on.

This is a great family Christmas story, I suspect young adult readers would enjoy it too, mostly girls, however. This is a great book to give as a gift, or to enjoy yourself during the Christmas season!


Meet the author: Vannetta Chapman has published over one vanettahundred articles in Christian family magazines, receiving over two dozen awards from Romance Writers of America chapter groups. She discovered her love for the Amish while researching her grandfather's birthplace in Albion, Pennsylvania. Chapman lives in the Texas hill country with her husband.
Find out more at: http://www.quiltsoflovebooks.com


To read more about this book and what others are saying check out the LitFuse Page for The Christmas Quilt.

NOTE: I received a copy of The Christmas Quilt, at no cost, in exchange for an honest review by LitFuse.

Monday, November 18, 2013

Book Review : A Simple Christmas Wish

I love reviewing Christmas books!  It kick starts my holiday spirit, it gives me some sweet stories to enjoy, and then I can gift these darling books to friends!! Win/Win!

simple christmas

Today’s book is A Simple Christmas Wish by Melody Carlson.  This is a perfect book to snuggle up by the fire with some cocoa and read.  I flew through this book as it is a light fun read, but the story is one that will grab your heart. 

Melody writes in a way that you are drawn into the story and you want to keep going until the end.  She paints a picture of life in both a high rise apartment in the city and an Amish home with just the right amount of detail.  You can feel the atmosphere but you don’t get lost in the details (if you know what I mean).

I fell in love with Holly from the very beginning and I watched she dealt with devastating loss, and yet clung to a great hope.  As Holly’s Aunt Rachel helps her cope and plans to make a life with her, neither sees the future ahead of them.

There is a bit of intrigue in this story, you will wonder why several things happen, and as those stories are revealed more relationships are started and a bit of love  is in the air as well. 

This is a sweet story that anyone would enjoy.  This is certainly appropriate for young adults as well, without any hesitation.  A great gift book for Christmas, one that could be passed around the family throughout the season!

I love Melody Carlson’s books!  Check out my reviews of her book The Christmas Shoppe.


Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc. Available at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.

Friday, November 15, 2013

Book Review : A Million Little Ways

This book popped onto my radar on another blog probably before it was out, and after reading her review I KNEW I needed this book!  I planned to add it to my cart through Amazon as soon as I made a purchase.  Lucky me!  I did not have to.  Either later that day or the next I got an email offering this book for review – I was thrilled!!

million

So, A Million Little Ways is a book that will encourage you on many levels.  It will help you to see that all those things you do, from the heart, for others, are a way that the Lord works through us.  The way we make a yummy meal, pack a note in a lunch sack, tuck kids in at night – all these things they are the way we communicate love to others. 

So often I find that we moms are struggling to do enough, to make sure our kids see all those things we “should” be doing – but really we are showing them far more than we realize. 

Emily Freeman takes the reader on a journey to figure out the gifts and talents the Lord has gifted us with, but not through a personality test or something similar.  Instead, Emily asks questions that cause us to dig deeper into who we are.  She encourages us to remember the things that make us feel alive, the things we love to do, and to grab hold of those ideas.

Emily points out that the Lord has given us many ways to be who we are, yet we tend to squash down those desires in our busyness of life.  She challenges you to remember, to grab hold and to make those things a part of your daily life now.  If you had a dream, ask yourself what stopped you from accomplishing it? 

Recently I read something that talked about a mom who was dying, she said that she wished she had not made homemade bread for her family – instead that she just bought it and had more time for her family.  This has bounced around in my head since I read it.  Making me wonder if I would feel that way, if what I do every day, if it is not the most important.  After reading this book I realize that if I love to make bread for my family, then I need to do it – it is another way my children see god loving them through me.  It is a form of art to create meals that wow my family. 

It is art when we create a room that is fun to be in comfortable and inviting.    This week I wrapped a sheet tacked to the ceiling around AG’s top bunk.  Oh my!  You’d think I offered her and E the world – they have been up playing in that bed for more hours than I can count.  That is making art – living, touchable, fun art – the art of creativity to imagine and play with your best friend and brother.

I hope that as I wrap up my life on this Earth (whenever that is) that I will not dismiss all those things I did, the bread I made, the cookies, the granola – that I will remember that my children were loved through that food.  That I made many moments matter in a way that will stay in their memories.  That is what this book spoke into me.

We are all living, breathing art from the most amazing creator, he’s created us to be ART to the world, to show his love every day in a million little ways.

I enjoyed this book, I suspect it will be one I read more than just once!  I recommend this book to encourage you to embrace who God has laid on your heart to be, to grab hold of those deep hidden desires to love others with your talents and gifts!  Emily will help you figure out how to do just that!

NOTE : I received a copy of A Million Little Ways, at no cost, in exchange for an honest review by Revell Publishers.

Available November 2013 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.

Tuesday, November 12, 2013

a little of this and a little of that

Holy cow – life is flying by, and I am afraid that it may  not slow down until my sweet girl moves out – UGH!!!

I hate that I am not even chronicling what is going on in our lives on here, for my benefit, let alone keeping family and friends up to date!

So we have been more dedicated to Archery this year, trying to practice as much as we can, and J and P even went to an outdoor shoot! 

Archery practice

The next priority seems to be hunting – we are going hunting in about 2 weeks, and we are slowing acquiring people and gear to make this trip a success!!  We needed guns (check), ammo (ongoing need, but check), another adult to chaperone (check – Nathan is coming with us), shooting practice – still working on that! – oh the list goes on and on.  Hoping to get the boys qualified this week so we can breathe next week as we pack and prepare for our trip.

Then there is a bit of 4h sprinkled in -

A MADD walk here :

lets go lets growmadd walk

madd walk again

Food Practice there :

Food Challenge practice

 

Everyone once in a while we try to get together with our homeschool friends too  - actually we meet twice a month to study artists, composers, nature, and hymns!!  While getting there is a struggle each week, and planning'/preparing is a bit of work, once we all settle in this is a GREAT time!!  Watching these kids learn is blowing me away!  They are loving it!!

So that is what has been going on in our world. 

The animals are good – my goats are pregnant (we suspect) – our buck needs a new home, and the calves need a bigger yard, but otherwise life is good!!  (Did I mention that Robert woke up the other afternoon, while on night shift, to the sound of a goat in the house.  Oh my!! Axle was walking down the hall in the house! Love this life!!)

Saturday, November 9, 2013

tapestry in the making

Have you ever experienced the Lord weaving a tapestry before your eyes? Taking different threads, different textures and colors and connecting them?

This time, yes it has happened before, but this time He is doing it with words. With words on printed pages in a variety of books I am reading. With words spoken by a man I do not know, one older, further along on this journey yet travelling toward the same destination as I. And today, this morning, as I read a few more words, as I chew on the words I read when I woke, and reflect on those spoken yesterday the tapestry begins to come together. The design does not reveal itself fully, yet, but it is becoming beautiful. Not beauty like we know it, not glorious and amazing to our eye, instead a beauty only our heart can see and recognize.

I realize that sometimes we get from someone all they can offer. We hope for more, and yet that person barely has less. And they give us less, and leave us wanting. The wanting drives us somewhere. Hopefully, it drives us to the cross, that is where He wants it to drive us. To the cross once, and again, and again. Over and over. Realizing we wanted more, but that person did not have it to give. They never got the more either and they were left wanting, but never understanding there was more to offer.

So now, I look at those I offer to. And I see that as hard as it is, as much as it causes me to bleed tears and heartache– I do offer more. Not because I was offered more – not because I received the Truth, or Love, or Grace – but because when I was left wanting more I ran to the cross and those things were waiting for me there. I did not run the first time, not to the Cross. I did not even know about the cross. But over time He continued to woo me, allowing me to realize there was more to want and yearn for. And I did.

The colors blend together, the pain, the hurt, the forgiveness never offered. But among those threads are joy and love and good and truth and right. And if I look just at the pain and hurt I would miss the bigger picture. If I take just one thread and focus only on that one I would miss the beauty of it all.

He is revealing some of the glory of his work right before my very eyes with those who I have offered more. I have offered more not because I was given more, but because in my wanting I allowed HIM to give me more, enough to run over and into others.

I always feel a sense of wonder when after the storm the Lord silently appears to remind me of what I stand for, who I am, and most importantly WHOSE I am. After days of wondering why I do anything, if ANY of it matters, and if there was another way – HE shouts it to me through a stranger that “IT ALL MATTERS MORE THAN YOU KNOW.” He heals the hurting in my heart over past hurts, and he encourages me to stay the course and reminds me of WHO I do all of this for. And I am encouraged, buoyed, inspired. Resolved to go on, I will remain faithful through it all.

Monday, November 4, 2013

Book Review : To Know You

I know I like books, I can generally see good in each of the books I review and try to give an honest opinion of the book.  It may seem like I endorse every book, but while I do try to find good to share, I do not always LOVE the book. 

This time, OH MY – I LOVED the book!  I have talked about this book every day since I finished reading it.  I have told my husband countless treasures I took away from this story.  I find myself thinking about the characters all the time.

I loved this book!

to know you

To Know You is written by Shannon Ethridge and Kathryn Mackel.  The story is expertly woven in such a way that it tells a story, but teaches so much more!  The characters in this story are almost 3d – I honestly felt like I knew them at the end of the book, and not in a forced contrived way at all.  The journey the characters take is so real, that I honestly wanted to be there to see more that was on the page.

There is so much redemption in this book, so much healing and so much of God.  The conflicts, sins, and consequences are all very real as well as the healing, loving, and the reconciliation.  The characters demonstrate an ability to forgive tough things, to reconcile beyond difficult circumstances and keep trusting to Lord with their hopes and dreams.

I highly recommend this book to everyone.   This is a safe story for young adults, but there is a bit of adult depth – nothing not suitable but they would not get everything out of it.  I do think it would be a great read though, for our young adults because of the real life consequences the characters face – as well as the grace and forgiveness offered.

I loved this book.  And I need to tell you, many tears were shed at the end – it was just an amazing conclusion to a strong well constructed story!!

 


NOTE : I was offered a copy of To Know You, in exchange for an honest review, by LitFuse.

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