Friday, March 27, 2015

Book Review: Fisher of Men by Pam Rhodes

Fisher of Men by Pam Rhodes is the first in a series called the Dunbridge Chronicles. This book takes place in St. Stephen's, in Dunbridge. The church becomes atwitter when Neil Fisher is made the new curate. This shy man is apprehensive with the outspoken Rev. Margaret Prowse and the constant comments from hi sown mother. He is also a target for all the unwed women of this church.

The interaction of the characters in this book made me cry tears of laughter and concern.

This is a fun read for most people. I was given this book by bookfun.org and Kregel Publications in exchange for my honest review.

Cookbook Review: Bread and Butter



Bread and Butter is full of vegan and gluten-free recipes. Erin McKenna includes sections on assistance with ingredients, such as the different flours and powders, sweeteners, and fats. Then there is a help section that is filled with FAQ which helps to resolve potential problems people may have when first approaching this style of baking.

Then come the recipes. She has sections called : the waking hours; breads; sandwiches; pizza and focaccia; this is for the kids; foreign affairs; puff pastry and beyond; snacks; dips and dressings; bread reborn and sweets: the bonus round.

I did try a few of the recipes from the breads and the snacks and they were easy to understand and follow. Plus the items turned out wonderful.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone who cooks gluten-free and vegan.

I received this book from blogging for book in exchange for my honest review.




Thursday, March 26, 2015

Book Review: The Fleeting Years by Connie Monk

This book has characters that I found interesting, mainly because their lives are so different from mint.
Connie Monk has created a couple, Peter a famous film star and Zinia, a former violinist, who have twins that are now of age to send off to boarding school. Zinia sees this as a time to go back to the music world, however there are many areas of conflict that arise. None of the characters in this book is able to see the world through the others' eyes. This leads to disgruntled feelings and people trying to manipulate each other to get what they want.

The characters are well-written, as is the story itself.

I was given this book by NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

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Book Review: Buzz Books 2015.

I enjoy reading Buzz Books and getting a preview of some of the books that are coming out in the next year. This one is the adult version which has 39 different excerpts in it. This has allowed me the opportunity to build my shopping list for this year.

I was given this book by NetGalley in exchange for my honest review

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Book Review: Gatehaven by Molly Noble Bull

Wow!! I don't know that I have ever read a book that I literally could not put down. So many things that I enjoyed about this book. The setting is in Scotland, and even though I am not a fan of Gothic, in this book it worked.

The main character in this tale is Rachel, who is the daughter of French Huguenots. When the Earl of Northon sets his evil intentions on Rachel, her brother Peter and Ian Colquhoun, a young minister-to-be, help to save her.

There are many twists and turns which make this book irresistible, yet thrilling. There are mysteries and evil throughout along with a battle of good against evil, with God on the side of good. This supernatural book would be welcome in any Christian home that enjoys books by Dekker.

I was given this book by bookfun.org and the author in exchange for my honest review.


Tuesday, March 24, 2015

Book Review: The Thirteenth Tower

This fantasy book by Sara C. Snider drew me in from the first sentence. It did not end there, instead Snider was able to build the story as I went along. I was constantly surprised by the twists and turn that she placed throughout this book.

I love reading fantasy books and this was a very original and creative book. I look forward to reading more books by this author.

I was given this book by NetGalley in exchange for my review.

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Monday, March 23, 2015

Book Review: Christmas Truce

This is a wonderful retelling of a true event that occurred during World War II. On Christmas Eve, the two sides came to a cease fire as German and English voices were heard to sing Christmas songs. What a wonderful way to show children that, even though there are differences between people, there are also similarities that can tie us together even in a war zone.

I was so excited to see someone wrote a book about this event and I look forward to sharing it with my grandchildren for years to come. Thank you.

I was given this book by NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

Book Review: The Rise to Power

This first book of the Legacy Series, by David Francis, is set in England during the early life of James, Earl of Pembroke. The throne is located in the East Wing of the Bannerman Estates.

The book contains a good balance of intrique, humor, and romance with a bit of spirituality. Overall this book reflects the times in which it is set and the characters are well-developed. I decided to read this book based on the location of the book. I am a English history buff and enjoy books from this era. I look forward to reading the next book.

I was given this book by bookfun.org and the author in exchange for my honest review.

Friday, March 20, 2015

Book Review: Supermarket healthy

Supermarket Healthy: Recipes and Know-How for Eating Well Without Spending a LotThis cookbook by Melissa D'Arabian has recipes for everyone interested in preparing healthy food without breaking the bank. This book includes various strategies for using the recipes, including supermarket, kitchen and entertaining strategies. Then she helps the reader understand the meaning behind the phrases of organic, GMOs, Artificial flavors and sweeteners and more.
The recipes themselves are broken down into breakfast, snacks, soups and stew, salads, wraps and sandwiches, veggie mains, pasta, fish and seafood, chicken and turkey, beef, pork and lamb, sides, and desserts.
Most of the recipes include consumer friendly items but some of them include items that are not within the everyday budget of many.
Overall, the pictures and directions for the recipes are lovely and easy to follow.

Book Review: Maggie Malone Makes a Splash


Maggie Malone Makes a Splash
Maggie Malone has mostly magical boots (MMBs) which she wears to go on great adventures. Maggie is having problems with her friends Elizabeth and Maggie who want to try out for the swim team. Then Maggie lets them know about a problem which they do not believe. Maggie sets out to try to prove that she is telling the girls the truth. She puts on her boots and becomes the daughter of an oceanographer. She has to do many jobs that are not all fun, like swabbing the deck of the boat they are using to get to a coral reef. There are positives and negatives about this trip, just as there are in her other life.

These books help children see how to deal with real problems, even while they are having fun reading about Maggie. Hopefully, this book will help children when faced with times when their friends do not believe them.

This book was given to me by NetGalley in exchange for my honest review

I read an e-book provided by the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Review: Wonder of Wonders by Keith Wall

Wonder of Wonders uses the Christmas story to lead the reader through 25 days of finding the Glory of God in their life. This book works best if started on the first day of December and then read through each day. It leads the reader through the events and people that make up this moment.
Keith Wall put together a wonderful collection in this book, which can be used year after year to help the Christmas season come to life in a special way.


Book Review: Aileen's Song


Aileen's Song, the first in the "Sisters in Spirit" series, is a beautiful, uplifting book for all girls and women. Aileen and her friends made a pledge to remain pure until they married. After high school they went their separate ways until they were reunited after college. When asked to perform at a fundraiser, Aileen's friend Liam, name the group of girls "Sisters in Spirit". During this time Aileen and Liam begin to fall for each other. They have issues to overcome but they decide to work on them. This book is so well written and I truly enjoyed every page.

I was given this book by bookfun.org in exchange for my honest review.

Monday, March 16, 2015

book review: Passing Strangers by Angela Hunt

Passing StrangersAngela Hunt has written another five-star book!. Passing Strangers introduces the reader to three train passengers that are traveling from Washington, D.C. to Florida. One of the passengers decided to take the trip, at the last moment, to make some decisions. The second one is taking the trip with her children, to visit their grandmother, to see if she would be able to care for the children for a short while. The third one was sent on this trip by her company to take a long-overdue vacation.

These strangers meet on the train and begin to examine their lives, not only from their point-of-view, but also how others view them.

Each character is well-developed and introduced separately, then the story lines blend together so seamlessly it almost happens without being aware of it.

I was given this book by The Book Club Network in exchange for my honest review and I am very grateful that I was on the receiving end of this exchange.

Book Review: Travels with Gannon and Wyatt: Ireland

Written by Patti Wheeler and Keith Hemsfreet, this installment of the adventures of these two brothers have them traveling through Ireland. While here they see many of the historic sights such as castles, the Cliffs of Moher and the Blarney Stone. Soon they find that the farmland in Ireland is beset upon by a blight. While looking for the cause they find themselves running in fear of their lives.

This is such a good book for the young adult reader. The pace and the adventures throughout the book keeps the reader involved, while they are learning about the history of Ireland.

As a huge fan of Irish history this book immediately appealed to me and I can see how I would recommend it to my nieces, nephews and the students that I used to teach. I highly recommend this book and am glad that NetGalley had it available for me to review. Thank you.

Book Review: Imposters of Patriotism by Ted Richardson

Imposters of PatriotismIn this historical thriller, an antiques dealer, Matt Hawkins, finds a diary with a letter in it where Washington was surrendering during the worst of the Revolutionary War. Even though the letter was written, it was not sent. Because of this the colonists continued fighting and turned the tide to win the war.

In the present day, a presidential candidate is under attack as this news become more public. The story goes back and forth between time-lines as the story, from both continues to unfold.

This is a well-written, easy-to-follow novel by this debut author. I look forward to reading more by this author in the future.

This book was given to me in exchange for my honest review by NetGalley.

Book Review: Untraceable by S.R. Johannes

Untraceable (Nature of Grace, #1)I  chose to read this book from NetGalley because it was a YA adventure and I used to teach the age that would enjoy this book. Looking at it from this perspective, I was not disappointed.
The main character of this book was a young girl named Grace. Her father, a forest ranger, was missing for three years and the authorities wanted to close the case and declare him dead. Grace would not give up. Using the skills for tracking and survival that her father taught her, she set out to find him. Along the way we discover that Grace is a smart, brave and stubborn girl who looked up to her father.

I believe that this story would appeal to girls in the YA age and it would keep them intrigued. Especially if they enjoy nature and strong female characters. This book would be difficult for them to put down until the end.

<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12731861-untraceable" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px"><img alt="Untraceable (Nature of Grace, #1)" border="0" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1321045070m/12731861.jpg" /></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12731861-untraceable">Untraceable</a> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5235537.S_R_Johannes">S.R. Johannes</a><br/>
My rating: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1218985809">4 of 5 stars</a><br /><br />

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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/4708602-kimberly">View all my reviews</a>