Book Review: Amish Knitting Circle

This is a wonderful book that encircles a group of Amish. It shares the hardships, questions, love, and the knitting that  surrounds the people in the town of Smicksburg. Granny sets up a knitting circle of 5 very different individuals. One has low self-esteem, one cannot have a  baby, one has eight  children and is dealing with medical issues, one has questions of a past love and one wishing she could escape her marriage.

The stories tell how faith in God can help each other through difficult times, no matter what they are. This book was a blessing and an eye-opener to Amish life. I highly recommend it.     

This book may be purchased at Amazon HERE
This book may be purchased at Barnes and Noble HERE

Book Review: Death at Thorburn Hall

This is book six in the Drew Farthering Mystery Books. Don't let this turn you away, however. I don't always enjoy coming into a series not having read the previous books, but I thought I would try this one since it was a mystery. I am very glad that I did.

In this book, Drew Farthering was going for a holiday at the 1935 British Open at Muirfield. While there he discovers that the partner of Lord Rainsby, his host, is believed to be embezzling. Lord Rainsby as for help but soon is found dead. As is his way, Farthering continues looking around, in spite of all the guest present, each who had motive to kill Rainsby.

This book is filled with history and mystery, two things that draw me right into a book. The characters in the book gave me a feeling that I was glancing into a life I would not have known, if I were around at that time. This makes me feel like a fly on the wall, trying to absorb as much as I can. The same can be said about the way the mystery was written. I felt like I was looking for a solution with Farthering, without interfering or knowing what was to come next.

I loved this mystery and I hope to now pick up other books by the same author. I was given this book by Bethany House Publishing in exchange for my honest review.

This book may be found at Amazon HERE!
This book may be found at Barnes and Noble HERE!

Book Review: Jacob's Ladder Reading Comprehension Program Grade 5

This reading program was created for children who demonstrate high reading skills. Each section includes tools to help build skills in critical analyses of work. As children progress through the program they learn many skills including cause and effect, literary elements, summarizing, themes and more.
This material may be used to aid in homeschooling or in a gifted program within a school.
The Short Story section includes:
    *A Plentiful Harvest
    *The Elves and the Cobbler
    *Intense
    *The Real Princess
    *One Girl's Song
    *The Three Spinning Fairies

Poetry:
    *A Corn-Song
    *I Hear America Singing
    *Prairie Song
    *If
    *A Jelly-Fish
    *Recuerdo
    *Sunset
    *Read
    *Lost Illusions

Nonfiction:
    *Economics 101
    *Mass, Volume and Density
    *Population Explosion: How Math Helps You Understand America's Past
    *The Systems of the Human Body (Parts 1 and 2)
    *What is Sound

Essays/Speeches:
    *Excerpts from Common Sense
    *Franklin D. Roosevelt's First Inaugural Address (excerpt)
    *The Gettysburg Address
    *Moving Pictures Evoke Concern, 1922
    *Washington's Letter to His Wife Martha

I believe this would be a beneficial tool to use to assist students in moving forward with their reading skills.
I was given this book by the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

Book Review: The Yuletide Angel

This book is set in the 1890s at Christmas. Violet Madison has an uncertain future. Her home has been inherited by her brother and he is to be married soon. Violet assumes that this means she will not be welcome there when children come. In addition to this, she has been given the title of the Yuletide Angel, a mysterious person who leaves items at the homes of the needy at night. The only one who knows of her nighttime excursions is Hugh Barnes. He worries for her as she goes out to aid others.

Finally, Violet tells Hugh about her uncertain future, who helps by allowing her to sell her goods in his store. When Hugh's brother shows up and show an interest in Violet, he becomes worried. In addition, there is someone that is stalking Violet at night, she fears they will try to stop her good works.

I could rave about this book for a long time. I loved the setting, the time and the characters. The story's pace was good and kept me wanting to pick it back up to read more. I highly recommend this book.

The Yuletide Angel can be found at Amazon HERE!
or
at Barnes and Noble HERE!

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Book Review: Colors of Christmas

This book, Colors of Christmas, has two stories set for the contemporary book reader. Christmas in Gold tells about an older woman who faces the changes moving into a community housing center can bring. She grew up during the time of Hitler, in Germany. She tells about the fighting and not being allowed to ask or say anything. The tale is from her perspective and how her life has brought her closer to others, especially the physical therapist. She also shares Jesus and her telling shows how this was how she broke through to her therapist.

Christmas Blue features Angela who lost her best friend eight months ago and still misses her. Her friend had the joy of Christmas. She would lead decorating and all the special traditions that made this time of year special. Now Angela is expected to take her friends place, which she accepts. Unfortunately, misfortunes keep appearing - a broken wagon, water damage on ornaments that were stored in the basement of the church when a pipe broke and so on. When someone arrives to help, things begin to look better.

Both of these stories are good Christian fiction without being preachy. They each deal with loss and love during Christmas. I enjoyed both of these books. tremendously.

I was given these book by NetGalley and Barbour Publishing Company in exchange for my honest review. 

These book may be found on Amazon HERE
or
at Barnes and Noble HERE

Book Review: Mehendi Tides

Set on the shores of the Arabian Sea, Mehendi Tides, by Siobhan Malany, follows Kate McKenna who is discovering the beauty of India and Pakistan. She becomes so enthralled with the culture and the history of this area as she travels with Nasreen, a childhood friend, and Krishna, as she visit family.

Along with the rituals which surround an arranged marriage, Kate becomes aware of feelings inside of her. Many years later, she reflects on this time while she looks for her own meaning of life and struggles with secrets that her friends have.

I love how this book is written. I have never traveled in this part of the world so to see it through the eyes of this young one was splendid. The descriptions of the places placed me right there. I also loved the friendship between the three girls. It was so much fun.

I received an autographed copy, from the author, in exchange for an honest review.

This book may be found on Amazon HERE!
or on Barnes and Noble HERE!

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Book Review: Bible Promises to Live By For Women

This little book is filled with promises from God for almost any time in your life. I began by looking at each of the entries where I found a short reading with a wealth of Bible verses to reinforce the entry. Some of the topics that inspired me were Belonging, Comparison, Conflict, Family, and Peace.

Each topic is arranged in alphabetical order so they are easy to find. This helps them to aid the reader faster so they can savor each word or the promise.

I plan on keeping this little book by my bed so that I can turn to it whenever I find a need.

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

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Book Review: Where We Belong

Where We Belong, by Lynn Austen is set in 1892 in Chicago. Rebecca and Flora Hawes are sisters in this Victorian Age. However, instead of enjoying balls at home they head to the Sinai Desert.

Their butler Soren Petersen and Kate Rafferty, a lady's maid in training, formerly from the street, are accompanying the sisters as they are looking for a biblical manuscript.

This is not an easy trip. They face many dangers, which cause each of them to look at their past and what has made each of them the person they are today.

I went on the journey with these travelers as I followed along page-by-page. It was also interesting to see how the author was able to instill her faith in God throughout the book. I enjoy books about history and all the adventures it took to create the world today. This was a wondrous book and I highly recommend it.

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