Choices of the Heart by Laurie Alice Eakes

I was intrigued by this book from the beginning.  The cover gave an idea of mystery, which depicts the opening pages of this book perfectly.  The story begins with Esther Cherrett leaving because of some terrible problem that has happened involving Esther and some horrible, threatening letters that have been sent to her.  Seeing her only way to protect her family and their reputation, she thinks that the only solution is for her to leave.

I'm sure that Esther was very nervous when the feud was revealed to her.  The plot thickened as it is revealed who the feud is between.  Who would ever think that brothers and cousins would be fighting against and killing each other.  Esther was a midwife, but gave it up to be a school teacher to those in the mountains of Virginia.  The families had hoped that Esther would be just the person to help end the feud because she would be able to teach them to love each other and she would give them an education.  However, their mom just might have forgotten to mention this deadly and dangerous feud to Esther.

I have really enjoyed this series.  I love the history that fills the pages of Laurie Alice Eakes's books.  She has done so much research and that shows.  Her stories vary in each book, but they each include midwives and I think the stories are brilliantly told.  This is the third book in her series, The Midwives.  You don't have to read the books in order to understand what is or has happened.  She does a great job giving you the information you need.

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I received this book free from Revell Publishers in exchange for my honest opinion of this book.

Cheaper, Better, Faster by Mary Hunt

Wow!  Where has this book been?  I could have definitely used this book a long time before now!  This book is full of the most helpful tips and has over 2,000 tips and tricks to save you both time and money.  They are categorized into different chapters, such as pets, automobiles, kids and babies, gifts, etc.

 

We actually have been having some flea problems with our dogs and I used the tips in this book to address the problem naturally, first.  It worked and I didn't have to go out and buy some really expensive medicine.  I also liked the home section, particularly the "fake vent" solution.  I had never thought of that, but it would be very neat to try.  The tips in the cooking chapter are also quite handy and I'm surprised at how many I didn't know, considering how much I enjoy cooking.

 

This book would fit a man just fine, but I think a woman would profit from it a lot.  I like how many of the tips and tricks use common household things that you either have or can get from any store.

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I received this book free from Revell Publishers in exchange for my honest opinion of this book.

The Lesson by Suzanne Woods Fisher

I have absolutely enjoyed this series.  I know the series has covered the entire Lapp girls but I would love for one more book in this series!  I have liked each girl, but Mary Kate (M.K.) Lapp has been my favorite.  She makes me laugh at the things that she does and says.  She is full of spunk and takes delight in her detective skills. 

I liked Chris from the beginning and I did cry at the end when it seemed as if his whole world was falling apart.  I was so mad at his mom and couldn't believe how she behaved to her own children.  I related to Amos in the fact that I wanted her to pay for all she had done. 

I thought it hilarious that M.K. had to fill in for Alice for a bit, and then permanently.  Of all occupations for M.K. to have!  I laughed so much during the first half of the book because of how her days kept getting worse.  I just loved the sense of humor that Suzanne Woods Fisher used in this book.

This series is great from book 1 to book 3.  How I hope that Fisher might consider writing another one in this series!

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I received this book free from Revell Publishers and Litfuse Publicity Group in exchange for my honest opinion of this book.  For more reviews of this book, go to http://litfusegroup.com/campaigns/thelesson.

Waiting for Spring by Amanda Cabot

I have greatly enjoyed this series and I am absolutely looking forward to her next book in this series that is set to come out in the spring of 2014.  That's an awful long time to wait! 

I found the cover of this book to be very intriguing.  Almost everywhere I took it, people would look at the cover and ask me questions about this book.  Of course, I gave it praises since I love this series!

I really liked Abigail in the first book of the series, but then I felt bad for Charlotte when the book ended.  However, when this book ended, I felt bad for Gwen and happy for Charlotte.  I did not expect the baron to be who he ended up being.  Once I figured out who the baron was, I wanted Barrett to be more careful!  My heart went out to David and I was so glad that Amanda Cabot wrote about blindness in this story.  I hope that the next book elaborates more on the school and about David and at least a little update on the sisters. 

Cabot writes with a lot of knowledge and you can easily tell that she has spent countless hours researching about this time period and the events that would happen at this time.  The characters are fictional, but she does add some names that aren't but who were influential during that time.

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I received this book free from Revell Publishers in exchange for my honest opinion of this book.

Candle Bible for Kids: Toddler Edition

This little story Bible is full of beautiful pictures that are sure to draw your toddlers eyes and have them asking questions about what the pictures mean.    The pictures are bright in color and very detailed.  My 2-year-old enjoyed looking at this book and carried it around for many days. 

The stories are short and a little more concise than I enjoy but my daughter seemed to like it.  It did make it easier to read just one story a night.  I also liked that it had the Biblical account located at the end of each story so that we could read it in its full version for my 4-year-old to enjoy.

This book is definitely a good read for toddlers, but I would say that children over 2 wouldn't enjoy this books as much.  They would like the pictures, though....or at least my son does.

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I received this book free from Kregel Publications in exchange for my honest review of this book.

Vanished by Irene Hannon

Irene Hannon is responsible for getting me to like suspenseful books.  When I first began writing reviews, I couldn't do suspense.  However, after reading the last series by Hannon, I am now an avid fan or hers and of others in the suspense genre.

 

Although in most of her books you typically know who is the bad guy/killer, it has certainly never taken away from the suspense of the book.  I still find myself flipping the pages and get that nervous feeling in the pit of my stomach.  This book was fast-paced and captured me from the very first sentences.

 

This is the first book in her new series, Private Justice.  I'm looking forward to reading the rest in the series.  I know I won't be disappointed in this series!

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I received this book free from Revell Publishers in exchange for my honest opinion of this book.

Spring Hope by Martha Rogers

At times, this book was hard for me to read because I wanted to reach through the pages of this book and protect Libby and give her a much better life.  My heart broke in the beginning because I hated the life she had.  However, it turned into such a beautiful story of hope, which is exactly how I believe all of our lives turn out. 

 

At times, I found myself wanting Libby to tell someone but then I remember the time setting in which this book takes place.  Women weren't treated well during this time and it wasn't unusual at all for people to pretend that abuse didn't happen to women.

 

I like Cory from the beginning.  I loved how his love blooms for her and how he protects her and feels a need to watch out for her.  Libby has a lot of issues to work through, understandably, but I like how Rogers doesn't shy away from the tough emotions that abused women have.  Forgiveness isn't easy, but its a beautiful thing to watch the process.  That's exactly what you get to see in the pages of this book....someone learning to forgive who doesn't deserve forgiveness.

 

This book is the fourth book in the Seasons of the Heart series.  Having not read the first three books, I didn't feel like I was lost.  Rogers did a good job at making sure she gave enough information for her new readers.  I still want to read the other books, though!

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I received this book free from Charisma House Publishers in exchange for my honest opinion of this book.

J.R.R. Tolkien: The Making of a Legend by Colin Duriez

Tolkien is probably most famous for The Lord of the Ring series.  I would be one person who has heard a lot about this series, but have never read it or seen it.  However, just because it's not my favorite genre to read, I still respect Tolkien and how brilliant he was.

I was expecting this book to read just like every other biography, but I was wrong.  This book tells a story.  It takes you back to the world of some other great and well-known writers.  I was fascinated by his life story.  I did not realize how difficult his life had been and just how much he had overcame.

I was saddened by how his brother became orphans and was a little surprised at the illness from which his mother died.  Even though I didn't know the characters in his book, I still liked learning how he formed his characters and in some cases, who was the inspiration behind certain ones. 

Having not read any biographies on Tolkien besides this one, I would dare say that this in one that any Tolkien fan should read.  It's easy to read but very intriguing, which surprised me.

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I received this book free from Kregel Publications in exchange for my honest opinion of this book.

Sisterchicks in Gondolas by Robin Jones Gunns

I am a big fan of the Sisterchicks series.  I tell my friends that they make me feel like I've been on a vacation and been to certain places, when in reality, I haven't.  Robin Jones Gunn is somehow able to transplant you to a totally different country using only her words!

 

I think everyone can relate to feeling like these characters at some point.  I know many who feel useless and like God is done with them.  That's what God likes most, I think, because then it gives Him room to work without us insisting on stepping in and taking control.  This trip is where God draws these wonderful two women to Himself.  They begin to see that their lives aren't over.  It may be a new chapter with new things to see and do, but it's in no way over.

 

I couldn't help but laugh at many of the things the girls do or say.  I love that Robin inserts "girly humor" into her books.  I think that's part of what makes these books so much fun to read and gives you that easy, peaceful feeling that only a vacation can bring. 

 

I not only recommend this book, but definitely recommend all of her books in this series!

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I received this book free from Waterbrook Multnomah Publishers through their Blogging for Books program in exchange for my honest opinion of this book.

A Plain & Simple Heart by Lori Copeland and Virginia Smith

I have wanted to read this series since the first book in the series came out.  The cover of the first book made me want to read it.  I just couldn't put the Amish world with the western world and didn't know how that even came to pass.  However, time went by and I forgot about the book.  When I saw the second book in the series, I was reminded that this was on my to-read list. 

I love how this book looks and I love the storyline.  I never would have put these two very different worlds together, but it made for a great story.  Since I still haven't read the first book (I do own it now, though, and plan to read it), I was not attached to Jesse at all.  That probably made Colin very endearing to me and I really was hoping that Rebecca would not find Jesse and would like Colin instead.

I laughed at the predicament that Rebekah found herself in as she started her journey to find Jesse.  I loved her temper coming out, as well.  And though I didn't like the older ladies in the temperance movement, I began to like them and their quirky ways. 

I'm excited to go back and finish the first book now and read all about Emma and Luke and how Rebekah came to live in Apple Grove.  I am very much looking forward to reading the next book in this series.

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I received this book free from Harvest House Publishers in exchange for my honest opinion.

Spiritual Simplicity by Chip Ingram

I have heard of Chip Ingram's ministry "Living on the Edge," so when I saw his name on a book, I thought I might would give it a chance.  I liked the title and the look of the book.  It was very simple, which kept with the theme of the book. 

My favorite part of this book were the three questions that he challenged his readers to ponder on concerning what is our view of success.
     1.  Instead of asking "How did I do?", we should ask "Who am I becoming?"
     2.  Instead of asking  "What do I have?", we should ask "How am I using it?"
     3.  Instead of asking "How much do I give?", we should ask "Why do I give it?"

These were some very thought-provoking and were questions that I would love for my children to grow up asking themselves.  I don't want them to look at themselves, but look to God and I feel that's what these questions do.  He mentions putting them on index cards for a few weeks, but I think I want to make them a little bit more permanent in our house and write it on canvas as a reminder to us of what success should be.

Chip serves as pastor in Los Gatos, California and his congregation knows something about the world's view of success.  It's a very fast-paced place where people go to work early, come home late, eat dinner in the car on the way to dropping kids off at ballgames/practices....sound familiar?  I think it describes where we all live. 

This book is very relevant to everyone and is challenging to make relationships a priority.  It's a reminder about how we are called to love...which can't be done if we are not relational people.  The book covers loving those who are lovable to those who aren't so lovable.  At times, I felt very convicted and it has caused me to think on these points even after I have finished this book.

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I received this book free from Howard Books in exchange for my honest opinion of this book.

The Invested Life by Joel Rosenberg &" Dr. T. E. Koshy

I have a huge heart for discipleship and I have noticed that is something that is so deeply missing in our culture today.  There have been several people who have been bringing discipleship to the forefront of the minds of Christians.  I am so thankful for that because that means that there are more resources to help guide even those younger in the faith who feel that they need some aid. 

I appreciate that both Rosenberg and Koshy don't take lightly the fact that we are to "make disciples as we go."  This is a book that is challenging, that is not comfortable to read (because who really likes going out of our comfort zones), and one that needs to be read by professing Christians everywhere.  In the time in which we live in, it is a must that we make disciples, and that means that our disciples can disciple someone else and it makes a chain.

I also like the name of this book.  Discipleship is about investing yourself in the life of others.  To be honest, that name of this book made me want to read it, along with the fact that I like all of the books by Rosenberg.  The title of this book was well thought out and I think it sums up the book perfectly and it sums up the Great Commission in three words.

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I received this book free from Tyndale Publishers in exchange for my honest opinion of this book.

Belonging by Robin Hatcher

I have seen Robin Hatcher's books in the bookstores and they always looked interesting but I never picked one up to read.  I'm not for sure why because I have a feeling that I have really been missing out on some really great reads.  I really liked everything about this book, from the cover to the storyline.

I had never really thought about what happened to orphans back in the 1800s.  The thought that they would just be put on a train to an unknown family and split up from brothers and sisters was so sad.  I couldn't even imagine what life would be like to be put in that place.  I was rooting for her to find her brother and sister.

I found Felicia to be a very likable person and she and Kathleen seemed to have such a beautiful friendship.  I really wanted Felicia and Colin to be together but I also wanted Kathleen to have someone special to take her out of their in-laws house.  That mother-in-law of hers is horrid and grumpy!  I liked that Felicia cared about her students and all that she helped Charity accomplish.

This is the first book in her new series, "Where the Heart Lives."  I am very much looking forward to reading the second book in this series.  I think I'm going to have to find all of her other books now!

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I received this book free from Zondervan in exchange for my honest opinion of this book.