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Touching the Clouds Blog Tour

Posted by html404 on July 16, 2010
in Books

I received the following product in exchange for writing a review. While I consider it a privilege to receive free products to review, my review is my honest opinion and thoughts of the product.

Touching the Clouds

Touching the Clouds was written by Bonnie Leon. It is story based in Alaska. The main character is Kate, who is a female pilot. She has an independent spirit, yet I detected that she was “escaping” more than she was searching for adventure as a bush pilot. One of her co-characters, Paul, seems to have the same escape mechanism.

I think many of us can relate to that because how often do we just wish to run away from our problems or circumstances when things aren’t going the way we want or think they should? I know I can. The thing is God doesn’t want us to just “escape”, He desires us to know who He is amidst our difficulty. He wants us to know that His thoughts of us have not changed just because our feelings and circumstances have.

Through events and circumstances, Paul and Kate learn not only how to trust themselves again, but also the Lord. It was a good read.

“Available July 2010 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.”

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Out of the Spin Cycle Blog Tour

Posted by html404 on June 14, 2010
in Books

I received the following book in exchange for writing a review. While I consider it a privilege to receive free products to review, my review is my honest opinion and thoughts of the book.

Out Of The Spin Cycle

Out of the Spin Cycle is a MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) tested and MOPS-approved book. Author, Jen Hatmaker is also a speaker. This little book she has written is filled with “mom moments” with God – 40 of them to be exact. By that I mean that they are short little chapters that enable a busy mom to spend snippets of time with the Lord.

Jen Hatmaker is very down-to-earth and gets to the heart of mothering in each little snippet she shares. She has been there and done it as a mother. She also shares with great humor her own experiences and for those of us who may be more serious, it definitely helps see the humor in one of the darker moments of our mothering.

I enjoy devotionals like this because it is really easy to grab a couple minutes and read a three page chapter – it only takes three pages or less to get interrupted by one of our children, doesn’t it?

I’ll leave you with a couple of chapter titles to see if they intrigue you enough to want to read the book yourself:

Chapter 1 – I’m Perfect and My Kids Never Fight
Chapter 21 – Egg Salad Sandwich Disorder and Road Rage
Chapter 22 – My Missing Inner Saint
Chapter 24 – SAHM (Sleepy Anxious Hysterical Mama)

There are a few more that I could have added, but I think that is enough of a teaser for now. 😉

“Available June 2010 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.”

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What Happened to My Life? Revell Book Tour

Posted by html404 on May 26, 2010
in Books

I received the following book in exchange for writing a review. While I consider it a privilege to receive free products to review, my review is my honest opinion and thoughts of the book.

What Happened to My Life

What Happened to My Life? was written by Danna Demetre. It is a book about finding new passion, purpose and joy. Mrs. Demetre’s introduction includes these questions:

~ If you are discontent with your life today…this book is for you.
~ If you are bored, angry, or frustrated…this book is for you.
~ If you are stressed-out and running like a hamster in a wheel…this book is for you.
~ If you are unhappy, but don’t know hwy…this book is for you.
~ If you are discouraged beause life isn’t fair…this book is for you.
~ If you have had more heartbreak than one woman can handle…this book is for you.
~ If you have created more heartbreat than one woman should…this book is for you.
~ If you are living in mediocre complacency…this book is for you.
~ If you cannot find joy and purposse most days despite your circumstances…this book is for you.

In the first half of the book, Mrs. Demetre shares some of her personal story, as well as stories of about six of her friends. Their stories made my life seem like a piece of cake compared to what they have gone through. Yet parts of their stories I could definitely relate to and I am sure most women could.

The second half of the book is a 40 Day Journey or plan to reclaim your life. It is forty short devotionals that do require some effort on the part of the reader, but is meant to help us slow down, make wise choices, assess our lives, have more realistic expectations, recoginze the lies we are believing and start pursuing God’s promises with renewed vigor.

I cannot say that I have arrived, however, the book certainly made me think and I am convinced that the way I think is the biggest influencer in my life right now. Mrs. Demetre talks quite a bit about how God has changed her thinking patterns over the years and I believe it may be a life long process for me.

This is definitely a book to be read by those struggling with contentment or for any of the reasons stated in the opening paragraph from the introduction to What Happened to My Life?

“Available May 2010 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.”

{One comment}

This Fine Life – Revell Blog Tour

Posted by html404 on May 19, 2010
in Uncategorized

I received the following book in exchange for writing a review. While I consider it a privilege to receive free products to review, my review is my honest opinion and thoughts of the book.

I enjoyed the book, This Fine Life. It is a book about growing up and in Christ. It shows real characters struggling to find out who they are in Christ. The story is set the deep South in the late 1950’s and reveals the struggle of a young lady, Mariette Putnum, who doesn’t know what she wants to do with her life after high school graduation. Each of her parents have their own ideas as to what she should do, but she is quite undecided. The book takes a turn when Mariette is changed by one event. From that point on there is excitement and strain in relationships, which affect each of the characters’ decisions and emotions .

Based on the description of the book, the story was different than I expected in many ways, so I am hesitant to give away too many details because if you choose to read the book, I want you to have that same element of surprise of the unexpected.

I was able to take something from the real life struggles of the characters in This Fine Life. It really made me think through life’s trials and how we can always see the “finer” side of things if we try, if we persevere and have faith that God has everything under control.

“This Fine Life proves that growing into love can rip one apart, quitting might be the easiest thing, but walking away is out of the question. I bled with these characters as they struggled to become who they were meant to be. So real and so true to life.”
—Lauraine Snelling, author, Daughters of Blessing

Eva Marie Everson is a successful speaker, a popular radio personality, and the award-winning author of Things Left Unspoken. She is coauthor of The Potluck Club series and The Potluck Catering Club series. She lives in Florida.

“Available May 2010 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.”

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How Do You Tuck in a Superhero? – Revell Book Tour

Posted by html404 on May 1, 2010
in Books

I received the following book in exchange for writing a review. While I consider it a privilege to receive free products to review, my review is my honest opinion and thoughts of the book.

I mentioned that I had started reading a book back at the end of March about Life with Boys and have been trying to finish it up amidst everything else so I can post my review. So here I am on the last day of the Revell Book Tour posting my review. I have thoroughly enjoyed Rachel Balducci’s book, How Do You Tuck in a Superhero? It has been a very good book. Rachel knows what life with boys is really like since she has five sons. In her book, she shares the mysteries of raising a crew of boys.

This book isn’t about her spiritual journey in raising boys, so don’t expect to see great exhortations about how the Lord has inspired Mrs. Balducci to parent boys. It is a book about the nitty-gritty details of boyhood. How Do You Tuck in a Superhero? is a refreshing look at life with boys. As I have stated, I have grown very frustrated with my boys on more than a few occasions. Mrs. Balducci helped me see the beauty and the normal-ness of what if means to be a boy. Like I said in my March post, I grew up with ALL girls. Having an all girl family is much different than having and all boy family or even a mixed gender family – so many differences that affect the dynamics of family life.

I loved the short chapters of the book – I think Mrs. Balducci realizes how busy we parents are! The short snippets of stories about her boys gave me a chance to either laugh or ponder the incredible task we have in raising boys. Her experiences also made my life with my own boys seem almost normal too. I love the fact that Mrs. Balducci has embraced her calling as a mother of all boys because I think it is important for us as mothers, as parents, to embrace the family He has blessed us with. He didn’t make a mistake when He put our families together, but sometimes I think we can mistakenly think that when the going gets rough. If only we could all find joy in the tough, real moments of living together, how much better would those “bad” days be!

I think this book is a must read for anybody trying to figure out the male gender. As Dr. Kevin Lehman is quoted on the back of the book, “This book is a celebration of boyhood in all its glory.”

“Available April 2010 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.”

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In Harm’s Way – Revell Book Tour

Posted by html404 on April 18, 2010
in Uncategorized

I received the following book in exchange for writing a review. While I consider it a privilege to receive free products to review, my review is my honest opinion and thoughts of the book.

In Harm’s Way was another suspenseful book that was a good read. I found it a bit more predictable than I did Too Close to Home, but it was a good story line with a bit of romance tucked in for the romantic at heart.

This book is actually the final in a series called, Heroes of Quantico, but each of the books can be read without reading the others, so it wasn’t like I felt I was missing any details. It was about another FBI agent who is hard pressed to solve an uncanny, yet intriguing mystery. All because of a rag doll. I loved how the author wove the story line of this together. She did catch me off guard with the spin she put on one aspect of the story.

What struck me in this book was how badly some people want children, but cannot have them. One character in this book wanted children so badly she was willing to do anything to have a baby. It is sad and I realize how much I take for granted my ability to conceive. Not that I haven’t had my own difficulties with our losses, but still I have seven children here with me. The rest just happen to be waiting in heaven.

Another topic of interest In Harm’s Way deals with is the intuition between twins. I find that intriguing and I know that this isn’t just some phenomenon, like ESP, which is touched on in the book as well. Before I even told my mother I was expecting again, she outright asked me if I was pregnant. I was taken aback and asked her what made her ask and she said she just had a feeling. Now, that doesn’t happen all the time or with every pregnancy and is certainly of a different calibur of intuition that that of twins; which I happen to believe in because I don’t doubt God’s ability to give such close siblings the ability to feel and “know” something about a person who was knit together with them in their mother’s womb. Intuition is just one of those uncanny things you just cannot explain. And it is one aspect of the story that the main character must deal with too.

I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a change of pace in their normal reading. It is another good, clean mystery that I really enjoyed.

“Available April 2010 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.”

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Too Close to Home – Revell Book Tour

Posted by html404 on April 13, 2010
in Books

I received the following book in exchange for writing a review. While I consider it a privilege to receive free products to review, my review is my honest opinion and thoughts of the book.

The book Too Close to Home was a refreshing change from the historical romances that I usually enjoy and receive for reviews. It is about Special Agent Samantha Cash entering an investigation with Homicide Detective Connor Wolfe to crack the case of what appears to be a series of unsolved murders and disappearances of teen girls. Of course, intertwined within the case is a budding romance too. The story was filled with suspense and intrigue. It kept my attention and made me want to read until I found who committed the crimes.

This story also comes close to home to parents or it should. Due to the advances in technology, we all need to be watchful of our children’s activities online. I don’t think a week goes by without there being an article on how the police have arrested some person for solicitating sex from a minor online. I also found the details of Too Close to Home interesting in how investigators track and find these perpetrators.

Too Close to Home should also give us, as parents, pause as far as how busy we are in relation to how much time we spend with our teens. Teens need us as much, if not more, than younger children because of the many temptations that are bombarding them. Are we available and open and ready to listen to them when they need us? If we aren’t, then they are going to find someone else who is and just who will that person be?

I really enjoyed this suspenseful book and am looking forward to the next book in the Women of Justice Series, since Ms. Eason left me with a cliff hanger at the end of the last chapter! Reading this book was like watching a really good, clean detective show, seriously. Too Close to Home is Book One is the Women of Justice Series.

“Available April 2010 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.”

{2 comments}

The Promise of Morning – Revell Book Tour

Posted by html404 on March 28, 2010
in Books

I received the following book in exchange for writing a review. While I consider it a privilege to receive free products to review, my review is my honest opinion and thoughts of the book.

The Promise of Morning
by Ann Shorey

The Promise of Morning is book 2 in the At Home in Beldon Grove series. This story was heart wrenching in some ways. In other ways it was a typical frontier story that showed the strength and endurance the pioneers are known for during such a tough time in our nation’s history. This story was set in Illinois and I haven’t read too many stories from the 1800s that were based in Illinois.

The pioneers faced many controversial issues just as we do today and the towns people of Beldon Grove were no different. Sometimes people are called to stand alone in certain issues/convictions which makes it a lonely road to travel. Our family can certainly understand what that’s like. Having seven children and another on the way in a time when 1.2 children per family is the norm, we definitely stand out in our townhouse community and when we go to public places. Plus the fact that we homeschool, but that isn’t so different anymore since homeschooling is becoming more well known. Most people are very accepting of that fact. It’s the amount of children we have that blows their minds.

I liked this story and the real life struggles the characters experienced, as well as how their faith was strengthened through their trials. So often during tough times it feels like we are at our weakest, but it is on the other side of the trial that life’s next hurdle of hardship show us how the tough times have made us stronger. The Promise of Morning characters endure hardships only to discover their marriages, their communities and families are stronger because of what they experienced during their trials. If only more people today had the endurance and strength of the early pioneers, how much better would individuals, marriages and families weather the storms of life.

“Available March 2010 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.”

{2 comments}

Scattered Petals – Revell Book Tour

Posted by html404 on March 26, 2010
in Books

I received the following book in exchange for writing a review. While I consider it a privilege to receive free products to review, my review is my honest opinion and thoughts of the book.

Scattered Petals is the second book of the Texas Dreams series written by Amanda Cabot. It is set in the wild west era (1856) and deals with very tragic events that occurred as a result of traveling across country from the East Coast to Texas. The experience of the main character, Priscilla Morton is devastating to her spirit and to her faith.

I devoured the book and cried all through out it. What can I say, I am a cry baby (wry smile). This book tugged at all sorts of emotions. I could only imagine what I would do and feel if I were the one who had to go through what Priscilla Morton did.

The way the author wound the story into one of healing, forgiveness, unconditional love and second chances makes it a delightful love story.

I found it hard to write this review because I really didn’t want to give away any of the story. I thoroughly enjoyed it, but wouldn’t necessarily recommend it for younger readers (11-18) until their mom has had a chance to read it first. The bible deals with many of life’s issues and if our children are exposed to scripture then our children will already be familiar with of life’s problems and sins. I would just hate to unnecessarily scare a young woman, especially one who might be prone to the sin of fearing too much.

“Available March 2010 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.”

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A Distant Melody – Revell Book Tour

Posted by html404 on March 14, 2010
in Books

I received the following book free in exchange for writing a review. While I consider it a privilege to receive free products to review, my review is my honest opinion and thoughts of the book.

A Distant Melody was written by Sarah Sundin, a new and upcoming authoress. After I finished the book, I couldn’t help but compare her to one of my all-time favorite Christian fiction authors, Lori Wick. A Distant Melody engaged me; I didn’t want to put the book down and even declined free pancakes at IHOP on National Pancake Day to stay home to finish it. It is over 400 pages long and I finished it in record time – I didn’t even pull an all-nighter to keep reading.

A Distant Melody is a a heartwarming-heartwrenching story set in the time of World War II. Mrs. Sundin’s detail and research of B-14s had me asking my husband questions about them so I could see if I was picturing correctly how the crew operated.

You know a story is good when the characters come alive to you. After all, that is a huge part of what makes a book a great book. I am already looking forward to the second book.

One thing I will say is that it was pretty predictable in some parts, but other parts had me on my seat – obviously, since I couldn’t put it down. And that’s not to say that there weren’t little things that I didn’t agree with or that could have been left out; there were and I know that most would argue that these “little” things were in keeping with the time of World War II. To that I say, “To each his own.”

“Available March 2010 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.”

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