Thursday, June 23, 2016

Book Review: I Will Send Rain



The book, I Will Send Rain, is set during the Dust Bowl. There is no escaping the endless amount of dust that is everywhere. The people cannot get rid of it.

People in Mulehead, Oklahoma have begun to move to California rather than stay. They leave all their things behind and head out. The Bell family are one of these families. They have lived in the area for over 20 years, but now they are at a loss to what to do. They don't even feel like they can turn to each other to talk about the difficulties.

There is also Birdie, who is in love with Cy Mack. These two want to go somewhere away from the farm life. Birdie's mother, Anne, worries that she will end up like here.

Fred is the youngest at eight years old. He is mute, and has asthma, which is not a good mix with the dust.

The author, Rae Meadows, tells the story of this family and of this time from the different family members viewpoints. We are allowed to see the hardship that this time placed on the people and the land and how the people of the area lost hope in survival. Each person in the story has their own worries and concerns.



It is difficult to say that you love such a book, but I felt like the book was able to relay the story in such a way that I was able to relate to each of the characters.

I was given this book by NetGalley and Henry Holt and Company in exchange for my honest review.














Child's book review: The Mixed-Up Chameleon















Eric Carle has such a gift for creating books which reach children's imagination. The Mixed-Up Chameleon is just such a book. In this book a little chameleon is not happy with his life, so he wishes for different traits of different animals. In the end though this did not make him happy. To be happy, he just needed to see what was the best things about himself.

My granddaughter and I read this book over and over again on a visit. At 2 1/2 she was practically reading the book with me.

I cannot recommend this book any higher to all readers with young ones. I loved this book.

Child's Book Review: Maisy Goes to the Hospital

 











While visiting my granddaughter I had the privilege of reading Maisy Goes to the Hospital several times in one day. This is proof enough to me that this book garners the attention of children, both with the stories and the illustrations.

Lucy Cousins is the author and the illustrator of this and other Maisy books. In this book the main character, Maisy, breaks a leg, so she needed to visit the hospital. This book covers many topics which can prove scary to children: being injured, seeing the doctor, going to a hospital, and spending the night away from home.

This book is entertaining for children and the illustrations draw their attention to the details of the story as they follow along.

My granddaughter and I highly recommend this book to everyone with children.


Thursday, June 16, 2016

Book Review: The Book of Memory Gaps

The Book of Memory Gaps by Cecilia Ruiz is a book of contemplation. The author tells about 14 people who are dealing with different aspects of memory. Some of them are sad, confused or misguided. Each character is given a brief introduction and he drawing are beautiful in earth colors and feed into the tone of the book.

This is a thoughtful book which is also rewarding. I feel her work is worth a look.

I received this book from NetGalley and Penguin Group in exchange for my honest review.



Children's Book Review: Henry Hodges Needs. Friend

Henry Hodges Needs a Friend, by Andy Andrews, is a lovely book about a boy who is looking for a one-of-a kind friend. This sets his mind going into all the possibilities. His parents take him to a shelter, where he find just the perfect friend....a dog. Through this adventure, Henry learns how this new friend is also looking for someone to accept him and to give him a home. It is very touching and warm.

The illustrations reflect the variety of friends that Henry imagined. I loved this book. My one problem is on my Kindle Fire there were some issues with illustrations lining up with the story. Otherwise, this is a great book to share with little ones.

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





Friday, June 10, 2016

Book Review: One: Impossible Starts Here

The authors of One: Impossible Starts Here, Gwen Oatsvall and Suzanne Mayernick were adopting children when they met each other. Between them they are proof that God's love can give them inspiration and faith they needed, plus the never ending love to  bring them to a total of 13 children and seven adoptions. These two came together through God's love and his desire to have them serve as missionaries in this way.

They also created an organization called 147 Million Orphans to help children who need help because of vulnerability.

This is such an inspiring book which makes you believe that God will always help you meet the challenges that He places in front of him.

I loved this book and am so glad that I was given this book by NetGalley and B & H Publishing in exchange for my honest review.






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Thursday, June 9, 2016

Book Review: Home Cooking

This is so much more than a cookbook. Home Cooking does include recipes and very good instructions, but there are entries along the way. I love the style with which Laurie Colwin wrote. It is so inviting and welcomes the reader to realize that cooking does not need to be scary nor does it require complicated, expensive equipment. I feel this book is so refreshing and funny.

I feel that this book is a wonderful book for all readers, whether a novice cook or an experienced chef. 

I was given this book by NetGalley and Open Road Media in exchange for my honest opinion.

Tuesday, June 7, 2016

Book Review: The Plum Tree in the Desert

The Plum Tree in the Desert, by Naomi Reed, was a work of love. The author collected 10 stories from missionaries who worked, or are still working, in the field through Interserve. These people share the victories and the hardship they would face as they did God's work. At times the victories would not be seen for quite a while, or would come around in a different way than expected. Through each story, the reader sees how God is good and if we have faith we will see this goodness even in the hard times.

I loved this book and am so glad that the cover and the back story grabbed my attention. I know this is a book that I will turn to again, and again in my journey with God.

I was given this book by NetGalley and Authentic Media in exchange for my honest review. Thank you to them and to all the missionaries that are following God's lead.

Cookbook Review: The Naked Cookbook

The Naked Cookbook by [Ward, Tess]The Naked Cookbook, by Tess Ward, is exactly as its title suggest. It is a very basic cookbook. When I requested it, I don't think I was thinking about the cover of the book. It is made from a heavy cardboard with a simple spine. Once inside though there are so many recipes which can be used when looking for going to a simple cooking, and eating, lifestyle. There are so many recipes inside that cover a variety of foods. It begins with infused oils, sauces, broths and stocks and then comes soups, one-dish meals, instructions on how to make sauerkraut and kimchi, pickles and so much more. The recipes are broken down into pure, raw, stripped, bare, nude, clean and detox. I am so glad that I had the chance to review this book and I can see how I can use it to enrich my lifestyle.

My one concern with this book is I am not sure how well the spine will hold up if it were to be used as a go-to cookbook regularly. If this weren't an issue with me I would definitely give it five-stars. Overall, though, I would recommend it to anyone who is looking for practical recipes for a healthy lifestyle.

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