Sunday, May 25, 2014

Book Review : All My Belongings

I have had my nose in a book almost non-stop the past few weeks.  I have to admit I have gotten to read some amazing books, and All My Belongings was one!!

Cynthia Ruchti wrote a book that will draw you in through it’s charming characters, is dramatic plot twists and turns, and keep you hooked through the redemptive conclusion.

All My Belongings_MECH1.indd

I am drawn to books that address family issues.  I think there are many reasons I am drawn, one I was raised in a typical American family – WITH issues.  The older I get, the more I realize most of us, nearly all, have family issues.  However, the scale of issues does vary greatly between families.

All of My Belongings is a book about a family with some HUGE issues.  Jayne is the main character who is trying to leave her family issues in the past, but soon realizes that is much harder than she realized.  Jayne changes her name, and tries to re-create a history that she is not ashamed to share, when people ask.  The problem is that Jayne, now Becca is not a good liar.

Once Becca is settled into a new life, she is welcomed into a family with open arms.  Becca begins caring for an aged mother, Aurelia,  as she spends her last weeks dealing with dementia and fighting heart failure.  Meanwhile Isaac falls head over heals in love, mostly due to Beccas’ tender caring of his mother.

The real drama begins once Aurelia passes away.  I will not go into details but everything is thrown into turmoil!  After his mom’s death, Isaac also begins searching for his birth mother, since he was adopted as an infant.

Why did I love this book?  Because while it may have a happy ending (hope that did not spoil it for you) – there is so much meat to this story.  There are multiple twists and turns, enough to keep you reading and even up a bit late!  This story is as real life as you can get.  The forgiveness that is offered, the redemption that takes place, it is so healing to read about.  As Becca learns to stand on her own, despite her past, is huge. 

As an adult who still looks back too often, I really connected with Becca and her past.  I felt that so much of what she learned about herself is what I still have to learn or remind myself of daily.  The look that Ms. Ruchti gives Dementia was pretty genuine too.  Having watched a few family members suffer from Dementia and Alzheimer's, I appreciated the sensitivity used to address the topic.  I also appreciated the honest emotions that the family felt and Becca felt while loving Aurelia and dealing with her disease.

This is a sweet story, with enough drama to keep it from being sappy.  The character are deep, strong and real.  I thoroughly enjoyed this story and I highly recommend it!


About the Book:

After spending years running from the shame her father put on her family, Jayne is determined not to let him steal her future in the same way he stole her childhood. Changing her name to Becca Morrow, she moves to California and settles into a new life and new job caring for ailing mother of handsome young businessman, Isaac Hughes.

But just as she's wondering if she and Isaac are headed for a relationship, Becca's patient passes away under unusual circumstances. Suddenly, her past catches up with her and the unnerving details of her heritage threaten to destroy all sense of home and all hope for love.

Even if she could clear her name, a phone call wraps a suffocating shroud around her heart. Her estranged father needs her help. But can Becca open her new life to the man who ruined her past?


About Cynthia Ruchti:

About the author: Cynthia Ruchti has more than three decades of radio broadcast experience with "Heartbeat of the Home" radio and currently serves as Professional Relations Liaison for American Christian Fiction Writers.


NOTE : I was offered a copy of All My Belongings in exchange for an honest review, by LitFuse.

Saturday, May 24, 2014

Book Review : Moms’ Night Out Devotional

If you are in the market for a new Devotion Book to sink your teeth into, and if you are a mom, then I have a book for you!

mom devotion

Kerri Pomarolli has put together a wonderful devotion book, a great book for you or for a gift for a friend or family member!!  Kerri has a great sense of humor that she brings to her devotions, but she also brings  a serious perspective too.

Each devotion addresses a topic that is hardly new to any mom, she talks about real life issues that we all face, sometimes all day long. After each devotion there is a section of something to think about followed by a brief prayer. Topics include :Mirror Mirror in my car, Lies my daughter told me, Second Child Syndrome, Princess Mentality and many more!

Check out Kerri’s opinion of her book:

 

This is a great little devotion – I have enjoyed checking it out and plan to plant it next to my bed so that I can grab it before falling asleep and catching some humorous bits of truth to end my day with.  No matter what, these little stories will put a smile on your face as you brave another day as a mom!!

kerri

NOTE : I was offered a copy of Moms’ Night Out Devotional in exchange for an honest review, by LitFuse.

Saturday, May 17, 2014

Book Review : Moms’ Night Out

I was so excited to be offered a chance to review Moms’ Night Out!  I knew when I saw the trailer I wanted to see the movie, and I was expecting the book to be just as enticing!

moms night out

I loved this book!  At first I simply enjoyed the story that sounded a whole lot like my life as a young mom with several little people.    But by the end I was really met with a message that resonated completely with me!  In fact I honestly think the main message of this movie is for any mom, dad or anyone who knows one! 

As a mom of 4 kids, 5 years apart, I can honestly say that this book is a true representation of a mom’s life.  So often we moms get so caught up in the doing, the being, the running that we forget why we do it.  I just loved how this story shows how women can encourage one another and build each other up.  I loved watching how the relationships between these three friends interact with one another, and how these women would each do anything for the others.

So I encourage you to grab a copy of the book, because the book is always better than the movie!  Enjoy each and every page and then run out and see the movie (that is on my schedule for this week)! 

Check out the trailer for the movie:

 


More about the book :

Moms' Night Out is a novelization of the hilarious family comedy that celebrates real family life---where everything can go wrong and still turn out all right.

All Allyson and her friends want is a peaceful, grown-up evening of dinner and conversation . . . a long-needed moms' night out. But in order to enjoy high heels, adult conversation and food not served in a bag, they need their husbands to watch the kids for a few hours-what could go wrong?

Chronicling one night out gone awry, three harried moms, their husbands, a sister-in-law with a misplaced baby, a tattoo parlor owner, a motorcycle gang, and a bewildered cabbie all learn to embrace the beautiful mess called parenting. This book spotlights the unfulfilled expectations and serial self-doubts many moms feel . . . then reassures us that the key is raising kids in a loving home. Mom's Night Out is an endearing, true-to-life comedy.

About the author:

USA Today best-selling author Tricia Goyer is the author of over 35 books, including meet-triciathe three-book Seven Brides for Seven Bachelors series and Lead Your Family Like Jesus (co-written with Ken Blanchard). She has written over 500 articles for national publications and blogs for high traffic sites like TheBetterMom.com and MomLifeToday.com. She is the host of Living Inspired, a weekly radio show. Tricia and family live in Little Rock, Arkansas. They have six children.

About the film:

The Moms' Night Out film features Sarah Drew (Grey's Anatomy), Sean Astin (THE LORD OF THE RINGS), Patricia Heaton (EVERBODY LOVES RAYMOND, THE MIDDLE), Alex Kendrick (COURAGEOUS), Robert Amaya (COURAGEOUS), Andrea Logan White (REVELATION ROAD), Kevin Downes (COURAGEOUS), and platinum-selling country recording artist Trace Adkins (THE LINCOLN LAWYER).


NOTE : I received a copy of Moms’ Night Out from LitFuse

in exchange for an honest review.

Wednesday, May 14, 2014

Book Review : Fatal Exchange

I have another great summer read for you avid readers!!  Lisa Harris is the author of my latest read – and her book is Fatal Exchange.  This is the second book in her latest trilogy, however I did not read the first and it did not slow me down. 

 

fatal exchange

The series focuses on two sisters and a brother, and I suspect the first novel was about Michael, the brother, but it may have been about the oldest sister who is a detective.  Either way at the onset of this story, Michael is “dead” and Emily and Avery are Michael’s sisters and Avery is a detective with the police department that Michael also served on.  Clear as mud?

Okay.  So this story starts with Mason, Michael’s best friend, trying to help a friend (who is a student of Emily’s) find his brother.   Emily and Mason have a brief past, that was cut short due to her faith and his lack of faith in God.  Fast forward to today and Mason is living for the Lord, and a changed man.

As Emily and Mason have to work together to figure out just what is going on with their mutual friend, they rekindle their interest in one another.

There is many unknowns throughout the story, enough to keep you flipping pages, just when you think they have it figured out, a new twist presents itself.

I enjoyed the characters, they were easy to connect to and relate with, and I really enjoyed the story.  There were a few real life issues that were interesting to think about in between my times reading Fatal Exchange.

The most interesting point was the cliff hanger at the end, I cannot tell you what it was, don’t want to spoil it – but I will get my hands on book number three even if I do not get to review it!!

I am a new fan of Lisa Harris’ and I look forward to reading her future works! I think this is a great summer read, and no, you do not need to read the first book, but it would be fun!!

Tuesday, May 13, 2014

Updates

It has been so long since I have been on my blog for anything besides a book review! Oh My! It seems life has gotten a bit busy, a new computer has made updating my blog tough, and probably a slew of other excuses!

So I found a free trial of a software program to help with the blog updating issue. I hope to find a few spare moments to get back to updating this more often (I miss the journal it is for me) and I hope to conquer any other excuses!

So what is new?

Baby goats were born in January - 4 of them to my 2 does. We were there and loved it.
We added 2 turkeys in February along with 75 broiler chicks.
We love a turkey to a raccoon in May, and butchered all our chicks in April, after we showed.
We added a new chicken coop - still a work in progress - it will house our hens and offer a rotational grazing deal.
The garden is doing well, sans weeds! yay!! We have a slew of tomatoes, peppers, a few watermelon, and squash. We planted some green beans too, three varieties and hope something makes!
The cows are still growing out in the pasture. One should be leaving in about 3 months. The other has some growing to do still, so she will be around a bit longer.
The biggest addition has been our bees!! My oldest J has become a beekeeper along with his dad! They are both pretty cute in their bee suits! After we received our two hives and bee boxes and stuff, Robert was able to catch a swarm at work, so now we have three hives! Oh my!
He has tasted a bit of our honey and is sure it is the best he has ever tasted!!

Well, for today I think that is all the updates I have. Life certainly is speeding right along here. We are not too close to finishing school, but no matter what we are promoting and starting up July 8th. So we will be making a mad rush to finish all we can in the coming weeks - squeezing in VBS, a mission trip and friends & family visiting! It should make for a great summer!!
(I'll have to post pics later because I cannot seem to figure that out either.....oh well!)

Tuesday, May 6, 2014

Book Review : One Perfect Spring

If you are on the lookout for a perfect summer book, one that you can take to the beach, the mountains, or anywhere in between, I have it for you!!  One Perfect Spring by Irene Hannon is a great summer read. 

OnePerfectSpringSide

From the first couple pages I connected with  the characters and was quickly pulled in to their story!  When 11 year old Haley writes to a philanthropist for help to find her neighbor’s son, more than just a lost son is found.  Take a little mystery, some romance, Christians at different stages of life – mix it all up and you get another great book by Irene Hannon.

I cannot say who my favorite character is, because there is work-a-holic Keith who has supper with his mom every Sunday while repairing her condo.  Then there is fun-loving Haley who thinks there is a happy ending most days!  Claire is a damaged divorcee trying to figure out what the future holds for her and Haley.  Then there is the neighbor Maureen, the philanthropist David – oh my!  Needless to say there are a few hearts that need to find each other.

I read this book rather quickly – which makes for a perfect, quick, summer read!!  I enjoyed it and it was a great message on many levels.

I recommend this book!!

NOTE : I was offered a copy of One Perfect Spring in exchange for an honest review by Revell.

Saturday, May 3, 2014

Book Review : Critical Condition

I am always a fan of medical thriller or legal thriller fiction!   I have enjoyed reading other books by Richard Mabry, and I enjoyed this one too!!

Critical%20Condition%20%20-%20FINAL%20COVER

As it goes with medical mystery/thriller novels there is usually a death, in this case a few.  Throw in a doctor (or two) and mix it all up and you have the beginning of a book that will grab you and take you on an exciting journey.

I definitely felt this was a quick moving book, with several different story-lines going on.  Shannon is the main character who is having to deal with the mysterious death after a man dies in her front yard.  To make matters worse she begins to receive threatening phone calls which have her a bit worried.  At the same time her sister is staying with her as she is trying to get her life back on track.

I enjoyed the depth of Shannon’s character, but also the issues she is facing and dealing with.   Her faith is not what it once was, and through this story is grappling with who she is and who she is in relation to God. 

While dealing with all these things, at her side is her boyfriend Mark.  As a strong believer, Mark often encourages Shannon to rely on God and trust him, and he is a source of tremendous strength and encouragement.  Their relationship is very sincere and real, and I enjoyed watching them both grow individually and together throughout the story.

I enjoyed this book, it would make a great read for a summer vacation!

NOTE: I received a copy of Critical Condition from LitFuse in exchange for an honest review.

LinkWithin

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...