Monthly Archives: February 2016

Book Review: The Prophetess

23 Tuesday Feb 2016

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Deborah

I first encountered Author Jill Eileen Smith when I read the first book in her Daughters of the Promised Land Series, The Crimson Cord.  I absolutely loved it and I knew I had to read book two, The Prophetess. In The Prophetess, Smith writes a historical retelling of Deborah, the only female judge in the Bible. The story of Deborah can be found in The Book of Judges, chapters 4 and 5. Jill Eileen Smith amazes with her ability to imagine what life was like for Deborah. She tells her story in such a way, the Bible comes to life. Smith writes this novel with the same precision and thoughtfulness as she did the story of Rahab in The Crimson Cord.

The Prophetess recounts the life of Deborah, her marriage to Lappidoth, and her leading in the successful attack against King Jabin of Canaan and his commander Sisera. I loved the way Smith brought Deborah’s marriage full circle. It is hard to imagine how a man could be married to such a woman at such a time. I was so glad that Smith ended this book the way she did. I am blown away with Smith’s ability to tell a story with so little to go on, and do it well. This book is more than a Bible story, it is a beautiful piece of historical fiction.

I was given a complimentary copy of this book by its publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opines are my own and I have not been compensated in any way.

Knock-Knock!

20 Saturday Feb 2016

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Knock Knock

I am not sure if it is the age of my boys or just their personality, but lately…jokes are the thing. And quite frankly…my boys are horrible joke tellers. They usually don’t make any since at all and are terribly hard to tolerate. They try to out do each other and somehow it always ends in potty humor. Lots of Knock-Knock Jokes for Kids, was the perfect solution!

The test for any juvenile book for me is to give it to my boys. They absolutely love this book and have been cracking each other up with the punch lines. I am still not a fan of 30 minutes of Knock-Knock jokes, but at least now they work and are quite clever. I read through the chapters to get a good idea of what I was giving them. These jokes are clean, funny, and absent of potty humor. There is also a chapter of riddles that my older son really enjoyed.

Lots of Knock-Knock Jokes for Kids is for boys and girls with at least a second grade reading level.  I would place the age range at 6-10. My six year old is a super reader and can easily get through these jokes. I love this book for developing humor in my boys. I give this easy book an easy 5 stars for its hilarity and age appropriateness. I was given a complimentary copy of this book by BookLookBloggers in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and I have not been compensated.

Book Review: Roots & Sky

11 Thursday Feb 2016

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Roots and Sky

I love the idea of this memoir type novel by Christie Purifoy. The cover is lovely and the idea of reflecting about life through the eyes of living in a farm house in Pennsylvania through the four seasons seems lovely and like a book I would absolutely love. Except, I am sad to say that I did not love it. But I would not want to dissuade others who might enjoy this type of read.  This is a book for anyone but not a book for everyone.

Purifoy writes beautifully and with so many nuggets of truth (some quite tweetable) buried in chapters of free flowing thought. While there is a sequence to this book, it is easy to get lost in her reflections. She says so many beautiful things, about life, love, and family. My mistake might have been the anticipation of an Ann Voscamp type book, and this is not it at all. I am not sure it could be classified or filed with a certain genre.

I am required to give an honest review and so I did, but please be sure not to pass this book by just because I personally don’t care for it. (Can you tell I hate giving a bad review?)  You might love this book with its lyrical form. It is endearing and could be a favorite of yours, it just was not my cup of tea. I was given a complimentary copy of this book by the its publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and I have not been compensated in any way.

Laughter and Tears

03 Wednesday Feb 2016

Posted by in Books I LOVE, Reviewed Books, Uncategorized

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Secret to Hummingbird

Oh how I loved this book! It was a fantastic read and I encourage you to read it! If you love Steel Magnolias, The Secret to Hummingbird Cake delivers the same laughter and tears and just as well. It is full of charm, love, true friendship, and wonderful storytelling. I laughed out loud so many times. Author Celeste McHale has penned an unforgettable novel that I hope one day will make it to the big screen.

The Secret of Hummingbird Cake is about a friendship between three woman who are so similar to my own friends. McHale writes these ladies true to life. They are full of flaws and and imperfections. Carrigan, Ella Rae, and Laine have been friends for a lifetime. They have seen each other through the difficult high school years, an elopement, and now a troubled marriage. Laine is the the pillar of the group. She loves everyone around her and is wise beyond her years. Carrigan is a hot mess and Ella Rae is her enabler. These women make quite a group and I loved reading their story!

My only warning to a sensitive reader is that McHale writes about real problems and real women. One character in particular has an occasional potty mouth. I found it hilarious and appropriate to the storytelling. Do not let other reviewers dissuade you from reading this book. I loved it and I highly recommend it.

I was given a complimentary copy of this book by BookLookBloggers in exchange for an honest review. I was not required to give a positive review and I have not been compensated in any way other than the joy of reading a delightful book.