Book Review: The Love Letters

From the Back:

Marlena needed time to let things sink in. It was beyond her how all this could possibly work out--adding the care of an infant to her daily routine. Fortunately, it would just be until Luella returned home from the hospital and was stronger.No more than a couple weeks, surely.

Marlena Wenger's life takes an unexpected turn on the day she learns she must care for her estranged sister's baby. Spending the summer in Brownstown, Pennsylvania, to assist her Mennonite grandmother, and miles from Marlena's Old Order Amish beau, she feels out of her element in nearly every respect. Yet Marlena determines to do her best and stay focused on her future, even as those hopes become drastically altered.

My Reflections:

A sweet story of love, redemption, and the hurtles met to come to that place.

The courage to overcome tragedy and loss are not something that can be prepared for, only God can hold us and carry us, equipping us with the tools and people in our lives to overcome such brokenness. 

This story touched me deeply because of the raw emotions attached to the subject matter. on more than one occasion I had to put the book down and just ponder the story. The main character Marlena Wenger dose this often through the novel, you become well informed with her inner thoughts. I felt this gave the story depth and substance.

Marlenea's life jump the rails when she learns of her sister's death. Stricken with grief she makes the momentous decision to care for her sisters baby. Marlene decides to stay with her grandmother to help out where she can, but being so far away from her beau Nat Zimmerman, caring for her niece and being separated from her old order faith have set Marlena's life upside down. 

I so enjoyed all the little side stories in this novel from little Jay, to the vagrant, these tidbits really kept the story going for me. Heart warming and tender a perfect summer read! 

If you are looking to top off your vacation with a book that is moving and encouraging pick this one up, I'm sure you won't regret it.

I received this book free of charge in return for my honest review, from Graf Martin Communications. Thank you Graf Martin!

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The Author

1. 

   Photo courtesy of Gene Photography

   Beverly Lewis

   Beverly Lewis, born in the heart of Pennsylvania Dutch country, is the New York Times bestselling author of more than ninety books. Her stories have been published in eleven languages worldwide. A keen interest in her mother's Plain heritage has...
   

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Book Review: Faithgirlz Bible

From The Back:

Bestselling NIV Faithgirlz! Bible with a fun, new magnetic closure binding.

This special binding of the NIV Faithgirlz! Bible offers a trendy and unique magnetic closure. Packed with exciting features that help tween girls better understand themselves and Scripture, the NIV Faithgirlz! Bible teaches girls that the Bible is real, relevant, and, best of all, that the story of God and his people is also their story. With in-text features written by tween expert Nancy Rue, the NIV Faithgirlz! Bible uses the bestselling New International Version (NIV).

My Reflections:

Faithgirlz Bible caught my eye right away with the attractive eye catching cover, perfect for the young lady in your life. This is a hardcover, sturdy NIV version with a handy magnetic flap to keep the pages secured. Absolutely love the look, feel and quality of this bible, some of my girls favorite colors as well, I am sure it will be a hit!

Some of the features this Bible includes are: 

Book Introductions- this is where you can get a synopsis of what the book will include. I love this feature as it is always great to get an idea of what will be included in the book you will read.

Dream Girl- this section lets your child imagine what it would be like to be in the story. It really helps our children to think about what they are reading and come up with questions they may have. I loved this section! It is pretty and eye catching as well.

Bring It On- A fun section where your child can take quizzes. Who wouldn't want to take a quiz? I mean think about it? This is the tool popular magazines draw our kids in with. I'm glad it is biblicaly based and not quizzes about the latest greatest trends in fashion that I often see these on the grocery store shelves.

Is There a Little (Eve, Ruth, Isaiah) In you?- Another self check section where your kids can compare themselves to biblical people of the past, and the actions they took. Another great tool to keep your kids thinking and digging deeper within themselves.

Words to Live By- My favorite as a homeschooling mama! I want them to hide scripture in their hearts, and this section encourages them to memorize selected passages, Hoary! I am thinking of getting my daughter to create flash cards as she works her way through the Bible and using these to continually memorize these scripture passages.

What Happens Next?- I love how interactive Faithgirlz material is. In this section kids get the opportunity to gather information, make notes, and tell the story in their own words. What a great writing activity! I know everything is school related. Ah well it is perfect!

The last section is: Oh, I Get It- This is probably the most eye catching with the side notes. It is what caught my eye right off. Bordered with pretty pink ink, featuring the verse at the bottom, the font is fun and hip. These kinds of tools are awesome. This is a space to explore the answers to questions you have, and have always wondered about. 

This is such a fun and engaging way to present the Bible to our kids. The color, the hip font, the interactive sections really make this Bible stand out, I am sure kids 9-14 would be thrilled to have this Bible to facilitate their spiritual growth.

I highly recommend purchasing this bible for any young lady in your life be it your daughter, granddaughter, friend, sister or student in your youth group, this Bible is well worth the price.

This Bible was provided free of charge in return for my honest review from Book Look Bloggers. Thank you so much Book Look!

Book Review: Gone Without A Trace

From the Back:

The past is repeating itself--and time is running out
It's been more than two years since homicide detective Livy Reynolds's cousin disappeared from Logan Point. Unlike most people in her hometown, Livy has never believed that Robyn left voluntarily. When Dallas private investigator Alex Jennings contacts her concerning a senator's missing granddaughter who was last seen in Logan Point, Livy notices eerie similarities between the two disappearances. With self-doubt plaguing her and an almost instant dislike of the self-assured PI, she's finding this investigation an uphill battle. But with the prospect of finding her cousin on the horizon, she'll have to find a way to work with Alex--before it's too late.

My Reflections:

Gone Without A Trace is the third book in the Logan Point series, and I must say Patricia Bradley has seceded to make her name onto my "favourite Author" list. 

I absolutely loved getting reacquainted with characters form A Promise to Protect and Shadows of the Past. It is simply fantastic how Patricia Bradley is able to intertwine characters from her series and seamlessly continue the story-line with depth and a multi layered storyline.

Livy Reynolds a Memphis homicide detective. She is a woman who is dedicated, and pushes through tough situations on a daily basis, thing is she just can't seem to dodge the effects of a fatal incident with an unarmed teenager.
Needing a distraction from her own issues she heads to Logan Point, where she meets a certain PI, Alex Jennings who proves to indeed be a distraction. This coupled with an intriguing case sets the stage for an enjoyable and very unpredictable suspense!

Alex Jennings has to prove himself as a reputable PI or else.... He refuses to buckle under the pressure from his family. Can he solve the mystery of where the senator's missing granddaughter is? Is her disappearance the act of a serial killer? Time is of the essence and clues are hard to come by in this small town where there seems to be several plausible suspects.

Riveting suspense and non stop action make this book a pleasure to read.
I must admit I was a tad creeped out by the villain in this novel. Though the scenes are not by any means graphic, you do get a glimpse into the sinister mind of the bad guy, and let me tell you it's not pretty!

One thing that stands out in this book is you really can't predict who the bad guy is. I really thought I had a clue but Bradley is a master at twisting the story so that the reader is kept in the dark. A nice change from most predictable suspense stories where you pretty much know where the story is going. Fabulous job Patricia Bradley, I am waiting eagerly for book 4..

I received this book in exchange for my honest review from Graf-Martin Communications.
Thank you Graf Martin!

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About THE AUTHOR

1. 

   Patricia Bradley

   Patricia Bradley is the author of Shadows of the Past, A Promise to Protect, and Gone without a Trace. Bradley has been a finalist for the Genesis Award, winner of a Daphne du Maurier Award, and winner of a Touched by Love Award. Bradley...

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Our First Trip With An Autism Assistance Dog Guide

Beautiful painted bikes sit in front of the quaint homes on this beautiful island.

Time flies, commitments linger over heads, deadlines quickly swallow up family time. Sound familiar?

We needed a break. Time away from the phones, time to look in each others eyes without the distractions of hand held devices. It was high time, our bodies were weary are minds numb and cluttered.

We decided that somewhere quiet, quaint and restful was exactly where we should end up, after all we only had 3 days.. max.
After a quick Internet search I came up with Malcolm Island. A sweet little Island off of the Northern end of Vancouver Island....ahhh perfect!

Jan's place looked like a home away from home, affordable, comfortable and had everything we needed right at our finger tips, and they were comfortable having Waylen our Autism Assistance Dog Guide come along.

Waylen ready to go

It amazes me how well Waylen has fit into our lives, he is no trouble at all and has become an extension of our son. He follows him everywhere, comforting him with his very presence. Most of all he enables us to enjoy life to the fullest!

The view from Jan's Place

Since most everything is closed on this island from Sunday to Tuesday we brought all our own food, and because the room has a full kitchen it was perfect!

The Co Op "hub of the town"


This Co Op is the go to place for shopping in this small town, when it is closed your next option is the gas station. Check out the still used diesel pump.

When you go to the beach covering up is essential. We thought it was hilarious that Waylen wore his hat.

I can't put in words just how much this dog has changed our lives. Some may look at our family and think "why would you need an assistance dog?"

Some people have invisible barriers, and judging or asking too many questions is just plain painful. So when you encounter a service dog, please don't ask why do you need a dog? or what's your dog doing for you? Questions like these are counter productive.

Below is one of the best pictures I have to describe our very first vacation with our service dog.
Perfect in every way!

Book Review: Refining Fire

From The Back:

Twenty-two-year-old Militine Scott is in training at the Madison Bridal School in Seattle, yet she has no intention of pursuing marriage. What respectable man would have her? But she has found the school provides the perfect opportunity to keep her unsavory past hidden.

Thane Patton, though fun-loving and fiercely loyal to his friends, hides a dark secret, as well. He finds himself drawn to Militine, sensing that she harbors a haunting pain similar to his own.

Will they allow God to make something new and beautiful from the debris of their past?

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My Reflections: 

Refining Fire is Tracy Peterson's second book in her "Brides of Seattle" series. The first in the Series is titled: "Steadfast Heart".
Tracy Peterson has the ability to make history come alive through her works of fiction, and I especially love how descriptive and colorful her stories become, it makes historical events feel as if you have lived them.

I was excited to learn more about Militine Scott and Thane Patton, after book one it was apparent that this book would delve into these two characters lives.

Militine is training at the Madison Bridal School and although she wishes to marry one day, secrets from her past are marring her future ambitions.

Thane Patton is in a similar predicament, his past is dragging him down, he recognizes the hurt and deep pain in Militine's eyes. Trouble is they must both work together to face their demons and try to move into the future whole and healed.

While I expected from the synopsis that these two would be the main characters, I was surprised when the story of Abrianna and Wade took centre stage for quite a chunk of the novel. It was a twist and I am betting book three will focus on these characters in greater detail.

As always I loved the three old bittys that ran the School. They were always into every ones business and up to something.

I also enjoyed the historical aspects of the Seattle fire of 1889. Unfortunately the events in this book took on a new meaning as while I was finishing up this book our neighbour's house caught on fire and scenes from the book kept running through my mind as I raced to help out where I could and try to protect the surrounding properties. So in the end this book really did come alive for us!

although I did experience some lag in the story line from time to time I did enjoy the history and the antics of the ol'bittys! I am looking forward to book three of this series to round off all of the characters in this novel.

I received this book free of charge in return for my honest review from Graf Martin Communications. Thank  you Graf Martin!

About The Author

1. 

   ©Lissa Barber Photography

   Tracie Peterson

   Tracie Peterson is the bestselling, award-winning author of more than 100 novels. Tracie also teaches writing workshops at a variety of conferences on subjects such as inspirational romance and historical research. She and her family live in Belgrade,...
   
   

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The Big Fire That Swallowed The House Whole

This sight is what I came upon tonight.

This is about 10 minutes after I arrived to see the house glowing. Our dear neighbour Susan lives here, she is a strong and wonderful woman.

Here's my adventure, there is no sleeping tonight so I am going to tuck you in with my frightening bedtime story:

Dear son is watching a neighbours chickens and although I usually make him bike over, the little one and dear husband (who is away) encouraged me to drive him tonight. We left earlier than usual. God planned? No doubt about it!

When we left everything was fine. 15 minutes later while driving back, through the trees I saw a lot of light, I knew instantly it was a fire, I told dear son go get help. Then I started to honk the horn, I ran up the drive way to the house as I was dialing 911. We have bad cell coverage so I didn't know if it went through, then I heard a voice through the phone and told them what was happening.

OK now step back imagine me panicked screaming fire!! fire!! fire!! Now the visual my friends....I'm in my pink doughnut pj bottoms, black rubber boots...Darn.

We live in the middle of no where right? Who am I screaming to, and me with my pipsqueak voice is given her all I got. I'm sure I must of sounded like a crazy woman, and I was. I was so frightened that my dear neighbour was in that house with her company, and her sweet yellow lab. I just wanted to throw up, but there was no time.

It was too hot and too big, all I could do was run around the house screaming and looking.
I didn't see anyone and I thought I had better see if there was anyone in the cabin, so I ran back and pounded on the door still screaming. No one home. Thank you Jesus!

Finally I saw another neighbour, dear son the trooper has ran to every house on the street, alerting the whole road of possible spreading fire. At this point I snapped a picture and sent out an urgent Facebook post for prayer. So many people took time out of their day to stop what they were doing and pray for our situation. I didn't know it at the time but our neighbourhood was wrapped in the prayers of our friends all across the country.

O.K. did I happen to mention how proud of my kids I am? Poor wee one was with us and was so scared she ran home and hid, not the best thing to do, but the peanut was terrified beyond understanding. My strong middle girl stayed calm the whole time packing watching the peanut, collecting farm animals, and pets and hosing down the house and forest. My kids rock!

My next fear was the forest catching and spreading to our house.
We have been in a drought, and throwing a cigarette out your car window will get your car impounded right now. This was a whole lot bigger than a cigarette ember. So my next job was hosing down the forest, moving explosives, turning vehicles around, packing. Funny how when you are faced with loosing everything how clear everything becomes. What is important?

Tonight it was apparent to me without a shadow of a doubt what I hold dear. (OK not a saint here I looove my stuff and felt a teeny bit sad)

But really when I was packing I didn't care too much, I just wanted my kids, the dogs, and the pictures. But most of all I knew I needed God. Without him none of this "stuff" mattered. He was and always will be my everything.

In the midst of all the chaos dear middle daughter had the insight to stop us all and gather us around and ......pray......Did I mention I am so stinking proud of her?

When the world is crashing and pushing us in so many chaotic circles, it simply astounds me that simply stopping and praying can make everything stand still...and the peace settles. You know deep in your heart whatever happens, happens. God is there. He is bigger than the boogie man, the pain of the past and the uncertainty of the future.

So friends, that is my grand adventure for the day. Tonight I sit and watch, hoses at the ready for embers that my spark. Fully dressed, no pink doughnut Pj's.

If you think of it keep my dear neighbour in your prayers, she is living the reality of tonight's scary story and her nightmare has just begun.

Book Review: Hope Harbor

 

From the Back:

Come home to Hope Harbor--where hearts heal . . . and love blooms.
Tracy Campbell never wanted to leave Hope Harbor, Oregon, or the idyllic three-generation cranberry farm where she grew up. But life--and love--altered her plans. Now she's home again--with a floundering farm to run . . . a tragic secret . . . and a wounded heart. Romance is not on her agenda. Nor is it on Michael Hunter's. The visitor from Chicago has daunting secrets and devastating regrets of his own. But when Tracy recruits him to help with a project that is close to her heart, winds of change begin to sweep through Hope Harbor, bringing healing, hope, and love to countless lives--including their own.

My Reflections:

Irene Hannon is another favourite author on mine, I simply cannot miss reading her works. I always enjoy books set in quaint little towns, in lighthouses or on a farm. Hannon's newest book Hope Harbor is set in the fictional coastal town of Hope Harbor.

The plot is realistic and as always Hannon's characters are multidimensional, so much so that I found myself actually relating to some of their struggles on a personal level. This book is more than just a quick read it is more character development on a deeper scale. The fact that nothing is ever a coincidence, but God's hand in our very lives resonates deeply in the depths of this book. Hannon masterfully paints the canvas and shines light into her characters hurts and regrets and thus helps her readers to possibly ponder their lives and trials. as well.

This book gets a page flipping rating not because of the suspense or drama but for the desire to know the outcome of the characters plight. Sometimes fictional books are not about the spine tingling suspense, or mindless fluff but more about life lessons and a deeper understanding of what God wants us to develop in our lives.

This book is not the usual Hannon style, but I quite enjoyed this one just the same. Love how God can work in our lives, even through a work of fiction!

I received this book free of charge from Garaf Martin Communications in return for my honest review. Thank you Graf Martin!

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The Author

1. 

   © DeWeesePhotography.com

   Irene Hannon

   Irene Hannon is the bestselling author of more than forty-five novels, including That Certain Summer, One Perfect Spring, and the Heroes of Quantico, Guardians of Justice, and Private Justice series. Her books have been honored with two coveted...
   

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