Tag Archive for Book Review

When There Are No Easy Answers ~ Book Review

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About the book:

Christians often assume they’re equipped to deal with tragedy if it enters their lives, but like most people, think it never really will. What happens, then, when we follow God’s will to the best of our abilities and heartbreak strikes? Do we mean it when we implore “Have Thine own way, Lord” or does that only apply in times of blessings or small, manageable hurts?

 

Our Review:

This is an awesome book! Feinberg has outdone himself with thinking outside the box! I loved reading this book. Not only did it answer questions I have been asking myself but it opened my eyes to a different way of thinking about things that may happen in my life and/or the lives of others. Again, another great read from Kregel Publications!

For more information on this publication visit: http://www.kregel.com/busqueda?txt=easy%20answers


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Lethal Harvest ~ Book Review

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In order to save the president’s life, a brilliant embryologist– the president’s nephew–made a “devil’s bargain” with a secret group of federal agents. But Tim Sullivan’s illegal genetic manipulations of human embryos place everyone he knows at risk. Before he can finish his work, a freakish accident kills him and leaves only troubling questions behind.

Our Revew:

This is a great read! It is tough to put down once you start reading … very riviting! I liked how the author’s wove the tale into modern day society. This is one book you will want to pick up and read!

For more information on this publication visit: http://www.kregel.com/busqueda?txt=lethal


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Children’s Book Review

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We are pleased to introduce the next installment to the Captain No Beard Series by Carol P Roman.

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What a great book! Our children just love reading about the Captain No Beard adventures! We (the parents) love the valuable life lessons that the book series teachers our children!

In this installment Fribbet the Frog has gone missing! The crew searches for the excitable frog and finally find him troubled and cying in the stern. Fribbet is very upset,and it is up to Captain No Beard and the crew to find out what is wrong.

Fribbet the frog and the Tadpoles is another great voyage into problem solving abd friendship, as well as an adventurous trip into the imagination.

Join Captain No Beard and his friends as they learn the value of sharing our troubles with others and that help is always there when we need it.

About the Author:

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Award winning author Carole P. Roman is a formaer teacher turned businesswoman. She has successfully run a family business with he husband. Her most favorite job is being a grandmother to her many grandchildren. She currently lives on Long Island with her husband.

Her first book, “Captain No Beard: An Imaginary Tale of a Pirate’s Life” has been named to Kirkus Reviews’ Best of 2012 as well garnered the star of remarkable merit and was just named as one of Children’s Indy Best – The Pinnacle Award of 2013. “Strangers on the High Seas” was named Readers Views Kids Award ~ Best Children’s Book of the Year.

You can visit Carole’s website to find more about her and her books at caroleproman.com

 

You can find this book and ALL of Carole’s books on Amazon.com


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If You Were Me and Lived In…~ Series Installment Book Review

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IF YOU WERE ME AND LIVED IN … : A Child’s Introduction to Cultures Around the World, is the latest exciting new children’s series of children’s books from Carole P. Roman. Roman takes young readers all over the globe to explore different countries and cultures. With each book covering a different nation, Roman opens up a world of wonder while highlighting the fact that underneath it all we are far more alike than we might have imagined. Focusing on what life would be like for children if they were to live in another city or country, she examines the diversity around the world and the value possessed by each different culture. Think of the series as a children’s version of the travel Channel that is filled with entertaining and educational facts.

We reviewed two more exciting books in Carole P. Roman’s series

 

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IF YOU WERE ME AND LIVED IN … SCOTLAND

In short we are in love with the idea of this new series! What a wonderful way to introduce young children to cultural diversity. The text of the books are simple yet powerful. We liked that the book was written for children … I did not have to summarize or paraphrase information because the text was outside of their knowledge grasp…what a plus! The vibrant illustrations were also a plus. My children not only loved listening and learning but took the book after we were done reading just to look at the pictures.

On a cultural note… this book really hit home for us. Our dear friends are of Scottish heritage and we are forever hearing of their Scottish traditions.  I thought this was very poignant for our family because it let the children learn about our friends’ cultural identity.

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IF YOU WERE ME AND LIVED IN … HUNGARY

The books are geared toward Pre-K through age eight… well… my 5, 8, and 10 year olds all LOVED the books! Love of literature and cultural awareness is a must in our household, so this series was a hit!

Wow! What an excellent read! This is such a lovely book and we look forward to the next installment of the series!

For more information about the author or her books please visit www.carolproman.com

These books and the entire series can be found on Amazon.com


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Book Review ~ Made by Raffi

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Celebrated singer and actor Craig Pomranz debuts his new children’s book, Made by Raffi, that embraces differences and promotes diversity in children.

Synopsis:

Raffi is a shy boy who does not like noisy games and is often teased at school. But when he gets the idea of making a scarf for his dad’s birthday, he is full of enthusiasm even though the other children think it is girly to knit. Then the day draws near for the school pageant, and there is one big problem: no costume for the prince. And that’s when Raffi has his most brilliant idea of all — to make a prince’s cape. On the day of the pageant, Raffi’s cape is the star of the show.

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Our thoughts:

This was an EXCELLENT book! We enjoyed sharing it with our children. The story , message and illustrations all exceeded our expectations. The message that runs through the book is acceptance … it is so great to see a book written from this perspective. We often read books about a little girl being a “tom boy” but rarely …dare I say never do we read about a boy being a “tom girl”. This book did an excellent job tackling a subject about acceptance.

I cannot reiterate how much we enjoyed reading this book to our children. It was a GREAT way to start the school year and facilitated discussions each time we read the text …and even each time my children ran into a child that did not fit into the square box as I like to call it! I love books that help convey a message and values that I am trying to convey to my children… this book did just that!

Though thoughtful text and vivid illustrations the author have a winner here in my opinion! Go ahead and peruse the text over at amazon (you can even look inside the text and preview the book)  …you will not be disappointed!

 

 

 

 


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Captain No Beard Series Installment ~ Book Review

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Another great series from author Carole P Roman! The Captain No Beard series stresses valuable life lessons and topics such as sharing, teamwork, loyalty, and cooperation.

We reviewed the latest installments in Carole P. Roman’s pirate series

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The Treasure of Snake Island: A Captain No Beard Story

 

The crew of the Flying Dragon is together again and exploring the vast and beautiful oceans in search of treasure. A colorful sunrise sparks talk of how important books are in learning things. This is followed by a search for treasure, danger, and a great reward. Once again, the crew learns that through teamwork, friendship, and cooperation, there is nothing that can stop them from exploring and discovering the treats the world has to offer.

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A Captain No Beard Story: The Crew Goes Coconuts!

 

As the imagination of cousins Hallie and Alexander bring their stuffed animals to life, the crew of critters is stranded alongside a desert island. The friends wish to refresh their thirst; however, the newcomer to the ship makes a critical error that draws the negative attention of the other shipmates. Miffed by Matty the Goat’s mistake, the parched crew turns on the hapless greenhorn with cruel taunts and personal attacks. Captain No Beard steps in and expertly navigates the rough waters of bullying with sensible leadership that leaves everyone with a good taste in their mouths.

 

These arre two wonderful installments in the Captain No Beard series of books! My children were engaged throughout both books. We loved the colorful illustrations that each book had to offer. I as a mom enjoyed that the books provided entertainment, while providing a life lesson for my children. That fact alone makes this an important series to read! We also love that the book is full of imagination and even after we read the book we could imagine our own adventures! We LOVE the entire series… this is a great new addition to the Captain No Beard adventure!

 

For more information about the author or her books please visit www.carolproman.com

 

This book can be found on Amazon.com


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If You Were Me and Lived In…. ~ Series Installment Book Review

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IF YOU WERE ME AND LIVED IN … : A Child’s Introduction to Cultures Around the World, is the latest exciting new children’s series of children’s books from Carole P. Roman. Roman takes young readers all over the globe to explore different countries and cultures. With each book covering a different nation, Roman opens up a world of wonder while highlighting the fact that underneath it all we are far more alike than we might have imagined. Focusing on what life would be like for children if they were to live in another city or country, she examines the diversity around the world and the value possessed by each different culture. Think of the series as a children’s version of the travel Channel that is filled with entertaining and educational facts.

We reviewed two more exciting books in Carole P. Roman’s series

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IF YOU WERE ME AND LIVED IN … PORTUGAL

 

In short we are in love with the idea of this new series! What a wonderful way to introduce young children to cultural diversity. The text of the books are simple yet powerful. We liked that the book was written for children … I did not have to summarize or paraphrase information because the text was outside of their knowledge grasp…what a plus! The vibrant illustrations were also a plus. My children not only loved listening and learning but took the book after we were done reading just to look at the pictures.

On a cultural note… this book really hit home for us. Our neighbors are from Portugal and we are always hearing about their Portuguese traditions. I thought this was very poignant for our family because it let the children learn about our neighbors’ cultural identity.

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IF YOU WERE ME AND LIVED IN … RUSSIA

 

 

The books are geared toward Pre-K through age eight… well… my 5, 8, and 10 year olds all LOVED the books! Love of literature and cultural awareness is a must in our household, so this series was a hit!

 

Wow! What an excellent read! This is such a lovely book and we look forward to the next installment of the series!

 

For more information about the author or her books please visit www.carolproman.com

 

This book can be found on Amazon.com


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The Waiting Book & Giveaway

Faith and Family Reviews received the following product in exchange for writing and participating in The Waiting review. We are being compensated by Tyndale Publishing and The Motherhood. While we consider it a privilege to receive free products to review and compensation, our reviews are our honest opinion and thoughts of the product.

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All I wanted to do this past Mother’s Day was relax and read The Waiting by Cathy LaGrow. My husband let me sleep in and when I woke up I read my book. What I didn’t expect to give myself was a huge headache, a pile of tissues, and red, puffy eyes!

FFR Teary eyes after The Waiting
Lighting in our bathroom is awful! Should have taken it somewhere else!

I don’t think I have ever cried as much while reading a book as I did during The Waiting. That’s why I took pictures of my pile of tissues and red, puffy eyes.

On to the review….

The Waiting Review

The Waiting is a true story of a woman’s wait to see her first born daughter again after giving her up for adoption.

I loved this book. I couldn’t put it down until I was done. I shooed my children away , mostly because I didn’t want them sitting there on the bed with me watching and staring at me while I cried buckets of tears!

As emotional as the book made me, I cannot imagine living it as Minka did. I cannot imagine giving up my child and waiting 77 years to see her again.

There are so many facets of the story that show God’s faithfulness to a young mother and her years of praying and waiting. The fact that all the letters Minka wrote to the director of the “home” (like a pregnancy crisis center where young girls were sent to hide their pregnancy) were put into Betty Jane/Ruth’s adoption file, which would eventually be proof to Betty Jane/Ruth that her birth mother loved her fiercely for 77 years and never, ever forgot about her.

I loved the reunion and family bond Minka and Ruth’s families experienced upon meeting. I loved the honor and love bestowed upon Minka and how active and involved she continues to be even at age 102 (or possibly 103 at the time of this review). There’s so much more I could say but I think you should just read the book…how often do I say that!?

I highly recommend this very inspirational book. You won’t regret it. My daughter B read it the same day I did!

The Waiting in the Press

The NBC TODAY Show interviewed the author of The Waiting, Cathy LaGrow, who is Minka’s granddaughter. The interview aired on Friday, May 9, click the NBC link to watch it.

Tyndale is Giving Away FIVE Copies of The Waiting!

Enter to win one of five copies of The Waiting below!

a Rafflecopter giveaway


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Roses Have Thorns

Faith and Family Reviews received the following product in exchange for writing a review. While we consider it a privilege to receive products to review, our reviews are our honest opinion and thoughts of the product.

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Yes, I found some time in the April rains to get a few more books read for review features. This book, Roses Have Thorns, written by Sandra Byrd is a new book about Queen Elizabeth I. Sandra Byrd is also a new author to me. I actually enjoyed both story and author.

This novel was more than a historical romance, it was a story of the life of the lady of the Queen and her relationship to the Monarch. Lady Helena served Queen Elizabeth I through her single, married, widowed, remarried life, life with and without children.

The life of a lady of the queen was a privileged one, yet it was extremely demanding as well. Trust, devotion and true love for Monarch lead to the path of success for those who chose it. However, for those who didn’t…..they quickly discovered the consequences.

Roses Have Thorns was and is an intriguing story set in 1565 about the loving devotion between a queen and her lady. I loved seeing the story play out through threats on Queen Elizabeth I’s life, acts of treason and plots by Mary Queen of Scots; detailing the sacrifices each one made on behalf of England and her Queen.

This book kept me captivated as I lived through Lady Helena and felt her love and pain. It was extremely interesting to live the life of a lady through her eyes. I give the book two thumbs up because I’ll probably read it again. I’d also like to read the other books in the Tudor series, all written by Sandra Byrd.

To order Roses Have Thorns visit http://amzn.to/XHX5LJ


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Waiting for Spring

If you like historical fiction, especially set in the West, you will probably like Waiting for Spring by Amanda Cabot and is the second in the Westward Wind series. This book is set 1886 in the Wyoming Territory and is a story about an independent woman named Charlotte who is making a life for herself and son, in Cheyenne, working a dressmaker.

Waiting for Spring by Amanda Cabot

Charlotte has a secret though and had to tell some lies to keep her secret hidden. As you all know, secrets have a way of being discovered and as things start to unravel so do the lives of those around her. She also has something to fear but won’t allow herself to talk to anyone about it, even her family in another state.

Power, politics, social standing and money are not important to Charlotte, but they are to Barrett Landry, a wealthy cattle baron, who Charlotte fast becomes friends with.

This is another book where a sweet friendship develops into love but not without some bumps along the way, including a kidnapping! Not your typical courtship to say the least.

I loved Charlotte’s strength of character to overcome her past, her son’s disability and turn it all into something good.

Barrett Landry was a true gentleman and I loved how he eventually got around to wooing Charlotte and her son.

I found it ironic that Barrett eventually went back to doing what he left home to avoid. There’s something about our roots that can call us back to the very depths of that is familiar and comfortable; and find real happiness in the process.

Waiting for Spring was a sweet story in which Amanda captures the Wyoming Territory for it’s wealth, poverty and realities of being a cattle baron, shopkeeper and dressmaker. Not to mention the intriguing aspect of living among common criminals without even being aware.

This was what I consider a “candy” read. Easy, predictable and not very challenging. However, I liked the book, a candy read is the kind of book I like to read to relax without any heavy duty thinking and a way to spend a pleasurable time away from every day life and the stress that goes along with it.

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

Faith and Family Reviews received the following product in exchange for writing a review. While we consider it a privilege to receive products to review, our reviews are our honest opinion and thoughts of the product.


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