Minding the Light by Suzanne Woods Fisher

This whole series fascinates me in several ways. As I mentioned in my review of Phoebe's Light, the first book in this series, this is not my usual genre that I prefer. I don't tend to like books focused on the Quakers. However, for some reason, I have fallen in love with these stories. The more I think about it, the more I think that it's because of the setting and the strong story centered around a journal. The setting is in Nantucket and I have loved learning more history about this place. Also, Suzanne Woods Fisher does a fantastic job making the Quaker part of the story, which is strong and so hard to put down! I'm hooked from the very first page!

Minding the Light focuses on Captain Reynolds Macy who got married and then left his new bride, Jane, a month later. He's a whaling captain and had to head out to sea to make money. Neither of them knew it would take 6 years for him to come home. Nothing is the same as he left. His family has grown, unbeknownst to him. When he returns, it turns into a welcome he never anticipated. He realizes what he did to Jane and wishes he could make different decisions that would have protected her more. You can't live in the past, though. So as his life is totally flipped upside down, he has a choice to either stay, run, or move forward. It's not an easy decision in light of the tragic event that he has just faced.

Minding the Light can be read separately, but it adds more depth to the story if you read Phoebe's Light first.There's not a lot of the same characters, but there are a few. It makes the story so much sweeter when you see the thread of the Mary Coffin Starbuck's journal. She's said to be the wisest person on the island and was thought to be like Deborah the judge in the Old Testatment. In fact, Phoebe's Light gave a little history into the journal, which I could fascinating. 

There is so much history wrapped into this series that I've found myself researching places and now I long to visit there and see the beauty. I am excited for her to release the third book in this series!

___________

I received a complimentary copy of this book. No review was required, and all thoughts expressed are my own.

I Can’t Believe You Just Said That! by Ginger Hubbard

I was first introduced to Ginger Hubbard when a friend told me that I needed to read her book “Don’t Make Me Count to Three!” I really enjoyed that book and was so excited to see that she had written another book.

First of all, I LOVE the cover to this book. It got moved up on my reading list simply because I couldn’t resist the fun cover. The subtitle to the book also got my attention: “Biblical Wisdom for Taming Your Child’s Tongue.”

There is so much wisdom packed into the pages of the book. I loved how she encouraged her readers to focus on the child’s heart. I loved it when she said “Jesus’s questions caused people to evaluate themselves which led to the realization of their own sin and need for the Savior.” I loved this because it made me think about my conversations with my children. How often do my questions cause them to evaluate themselves instead of lecturing them and pointing things out to them.

This book covers 14 issues that children face. They face more things than that, obviously, but it’s 14 of the most common things that come out of their mouths. There was so much wisdom and several things that I had never linked together. I liked how she pointed out that “whining is an issue of self-control.” But she doesn’t just leave it at pointing out struggles. She gives ideas of how to help your child realize what they are doing and how to get to the heart, which is what ultimately leads to change and not behavior modification.

I really hope Ginger Hubbard is working on another book. Her books stay on my shelves and I loan them out because I don’t want to be without them!

_____________

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

Saving Each Other by Stacy Mitchell

I'll admit that I wasn't hooked on this book in the first few pages. I didn't like the way that the prologue started, with scenes that didn't necessarily have to be in the book. I wish the first prologue had been a different story from Ean's life. I almost set the book aside because I thought it would be too much of a romance book, and I'm not a lover of a lot of romance.

I appreciated the raw emotion that filled the pages. I felt like I could easily place myself there and feel what each of the characters were feeling. I was a little surprised at how easily I was able to do that within the first couple of chapters.

This is a story of two people who have had their lives torn apart by a drunken driver. Dani Adams loses her husband on her anniversary. Ean Montgomery loses his pregnant wife and son during the same accident.  This has pushed them to visit a grief counselor to help them process what has happened and to help them learn how to move forward.

I don't particularly like to read a lot of books with colorful language, simply because I think words are beautiful and there are other words that you could use to get the same point across. This book does have some colorful language, so that was something that I struggled to get through. It would be a great book with the same level of emotion even if they had been left out. I didn't feel like they enhanced the moment at all. Each person is different, but that's just my opinion and how I felt reading.

____________

I received this book free from PR by the Book and Stacy Mitchell in exchange for my honest opinion of this book. 

Why Motherhood Matters by September McCarthy

Why Motherhood Matters is a book that encouraged this mother's heart. I felt like I was sitting across the table from September and listening to her encouragement on weary days. One of the most encouraging, truthful things she said was at the beginning of her book. She said "Your overwhelmed is God's opportunity to amaze you." I needed that reminder right away. Another reminder I needed was, "Your calling will never be the woman's next door. It will never look the same."

There are four parts in this book. The first part is Why You are Not Alone. It really focuses on moms and addresses the many ways and reasons women feel alone. She reminds the readers that we are not alone, that we don't have to be it all, and we need others.

The second part is Why We Cannot Live Motherhood by the Seat of Our Pants. I thought of this part as the relationships that moms have and disciplining out of love. I found this to be such a grace-filled section, touching on topics that every mom deals with on a daily basis.

Part three is Why You Will Lead Them in the Way They Should Go.  I felt like this was about passing our faith down to the next genenration and some tips on how to do that. It also addresses why it is important and the influence of a mother.

Part four is Why Giving Your Children a Reason to Change Makes All the Difference. This part focuses on the heart and not the behavior (although we do deal with the behavior. But ultimately, we want a heart change otherwise it's behavior modification. It's encouraging moms that it's okay to say no, to have those hard conversations, to let their children think, to encourage responsibility, and to continue to work on our relationships with our children.

These chapters are very short so it's one of those books that you can read a chapter right before bed or in the middle of a chaotic day when you need a little encouragment from someone who has gone before you.

If you're looking for a book to encourage a mother, this book would make a great gift!

____________

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

A Time to Stand by Robert Whitlow

I'm a huge Robert Whitlow fan. I normally shy away from this genre of books, but I have absolutely loved every single book that I've read by him. My mom likes John Grisham and when I told her to read this book, she said he wrote very similar. I've converted a new reader!

A Time to Stand did a fantastic job balancing a topic that has become of conversation (and should) in our society. In A Time to Stand, a policeman of character find himself in a situation that he never dreamed. An African-American boy is in a coma after being shot by a white policeman. It's a small town so news of a "racist cop" shooting an African-American is the headliner in most conversations. Suddenely, the police officer finds himself in the line of fire and his family and his own life is threatened by the very same people he has spent his life trying to protect.

He's almost certain he heard a shot ring out before he shot, but maybe he really didn't. Maybe his mind played a trick on him....if only he could remember each moment clearly.

Adisa Johnson is a lawyer who lost her job and has come back to the small town in Georgia to help take care of her grandmother who raised her. Initially, she hears about this case and sides against the policeman. However, after some time, she begins to feel like she is supposed to help the police officer. This doesn't sit well in the small town that is full of racial tension.  Her community can't understand why she would help this white police officer. She can't explain it either, except she feels deep down that it's what she's supposed to do.

The truth eventually comes out, thanks to Adisa. A Time to Stand focuses on this small community and how things can look when we set aside our differences and love each other for who they are....no matter or race, language, etc. Let us all be people who stand for our friends of different races and fight for unity amongst each other.

_____________

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Thomas Nelson Publishing and was under no obligation to post a review.

Buried Secrets by Barbara Cameron

It would be impossible not to like Luke Miller. He's a man who has fallen in love and wants to take on the role of being the husband of Rose and the father of Daniel. It wasn't what he had initially planned, but after working for Rose and getting to know her, he knew where he wanted to spend the rest of his life. However, before he met her, he was interested in her farm. So naturally, Rose is curious. Does Luke want her because he truly loves her or does he want her because the farm comes with her? 

Rose, who is a widow, can't bear to have her heart broken again. Trust isn't something that comes easily for her so she's having to really relearn trust. After all, Sam was the man she met, fell in love with, and married so quickly. She had plans of spending her life with him until the leukemia took over his body and he passed away. Now she finds herself returning back to her farm to be near her sister. Of course, that means that she has a farm and she needs help fixing it up and running it. Her sister has found Luke, whom she thinks would be a great help to Rose. Of course, she may have other  intentions, too. However, she feels that the secret she holds close to her heart is too much for anyone else to know, besides her sister. She has to learn to trust someone other than herself and her family.

Buried Secrets is the second book in the Harvest of Hope series. It could read as a stand alone novel, but as in all books of a series, it really does make more sense if you read Seeds of Hope first. However, you won't feel like you've missed a thing if you choose not to.

Overall, I enjoyed this book. It was a quick read and I grew to really like the characters. The only thing that I felt was missing was a little bit more of a "mystery" about the book. I knew the ending, and it had a couple of surprises, but even those I had figured out before it was told to the reader. It was an enjoyable book to read on the beach though!

_____________

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Gilead Publishing and was under no obligation to post a review. 

The Prayer Map for Women: A Creative Journal

I love the idea of a prayer journal, but I have had trouble finding one that I really love. I wanted one that gave me space to journal, but still be creative. I wanted one that would prompt me in several ways, not just pointing me towards one general direction. I wanted one that was like a journal in my thoughts but also let me keep my lists separate. Alas, my journal became what I turned to because I couldn't find any other option.

But then!

I ran across this journal: The Prayer Map for Women! I love it! It's simple, yet allows me to journal out my prayers. It has a section on the page for giving thanks. I have the ability to to keep a list of people I am praying for and why, too.  Then it also has a section to write things I'm worried about, what's happening in my life, things I need, and even other things on my heart that I need to share with God. It's perfect!

My only wish for this journal is that it was bigger and included more pages. I feel like I will be buying a new one each month. I'd much rather it fit several months into a book....or even a year.

____________

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing and was under no obligation to post a review.