Tag Archives: Book Review

The Middle Matters by Lisa-Jo Baker

04 Tuesday Jun 2019

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The Middle Matters

 

“The middle is worth remembering while you are actually living it, because you won’t pass by this way again.” -Lisa-Jo Baker

I can clearly remember my dad’s over-the-hill party like it was yesterday. He turned 40 when I was in middle school. Now, I have a middle school son and I am staring 40 in the face. Lisa-Jo Baker’s new book, The Middle Matters, is the refreshment and encouragement I have needed! It is a reminder that this part of life is sweet, important, and can be just as fantastic as the 20’s felt.

I was first introduced to Lisa-Jo Baker on Instagram from another author’s mention. From there, I began to listen to her Out of the Ordinary podcast that she does with author Christy Purifoy. ( It is such an uplifting, cup-filling podcast! You should listen!) When Lisa-Jo announced she was releasing a book this year, I knew I had to have it! I was so right!

The Middle Matters is a collection of essays by Lisa-Jo about everyday, ordinary life. The book is divided into eight parts. There are essays about marriage, parenthood, faith, failures, body image, and friendship, Reading these essays is like sitting down with one of your closest friends and hearing their heart.  I feel like Lisa-Jo hits on so many things I have been feeling. The ordinary, everyday life stuff matters. Even in the middle.

I requested an advanced copy of this book from the author and publisher. If I had not been selected to receive a copy, I would have bought it!! All opinions are my own and I have not been compensated in any way.

Lady of a Thousand Treasures

13 Tuesday Nov 2018

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Lady of a Thousand Treasures

 

Reading Sandra Byrd’s A Lady of a Thousand Treasures was a much needed change of pace for me. It is a lovely Victorian Age historical filled with mystery, treasure, interesting history, and love. Many years ago I was an avid reader of all things Victoria Holt. Byrd’s novel reminds me so much of those lovely historical fiction books I read as teenager.

Both young and older readers will enjoy A Lady of a Thousand Treasures.  If I had to give it a rating for appropriateness for a younger audience, I would fall somewhere between G and PG. While there is a love story in to book, it’s mild and respectful. This lovely story is about an equally intelligent and beautiful Eleanor Sheffield. She is unique in that while she is associated with the upper crust of society, she is a woman who earns a living by evaluating antiquities. She learned her trade from her father and uncle. Early in the book, we learn that Eleanor must evaluate the worthiness of her former love interest, a baron’s son named Harry. Harry stands to inherit his father’s fortune of treasure if Eleanor finds him to be honorable and true.

While I would definitely recommend this book to readers who enjoy historical fiction, there were a few chapters where I definitely had to push through. I would have enjoyed more page time spent with Eleanor and Harry together. However, I did enjoy getting to see a peak at their past as Eleanor flashed back throughout the story. I requested a copy of this book from its publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions are my own. This is the first time I have read a book by Sandra Byrd and I am happy to say I am excited to read her other titles.

The BEST Book About the Holy Land

10 Tuesday Apr 2018

Posted by in Favorites, Food for thought, Reviewed Books, Travel

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The Road The Rock and The Rabbai

 

A few years ago I had the privilege to travel to Israel and tour with a group of pastors.  I was really in awe of everything I saw, and our tour guide did an amazing job of connecting the Bible to each site we visited. However, now that I have read the Rock, the Road, and the Rabbi,  I want to go back! There is so much I missed! Kathie Lee Gifford and Rabbi Jason Sobel do an amazing job telling the story of the Holy Land,  and communicating the significance of related scripture.

I imagine the travel itinerary for trips to Israel is similar regardless of the tour company you choose. This book covers it all including Mount Carmel, Capernaum, The Sea of Galilee, Bethlehem, The Mount of Olives, The Upper Room, The Garden of Gethsemane, and Jerusalem.  I was given a book on my tour to help me better understand all that I was going to see.  Where it was information, this book is insight! Even if you never get to go to Israel, this book will allow you to connect scripture with geography.  I absolutely loved it!  If you have a list of books you are wanting to read this year, move the Rock, the Road, and the Rabbi to the top of your list!

I requested a copy of this book from BookLookBloggers. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions are my own and I have not been compensated.

100 One-Dish Vegan Meals

25 Sunday Feb 2018

Posted by in Food, Reviewed Books, Uncategorized

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power-plates.jpg

 

While my family does not eat vegan all of the time, we do eat vegan many weeknights.  I love to feed my family whole food meals that are packed with veggies and satisfy.  I really have enjoyed exploring Gena Hamshaw’s new book Power Plates. Gena offers a fresh take on vegan meals that are sustaining and delicious.

Because I have two young boys, with somewhat picky palates, I wanted to try a recipe from Power Plates that I thought my entire family would enjoy. I decided on Gena’s Tortilla Soup with Roasted Corn and Black Bean Salsa.

I started by roasting corn, red onions, and poblano chiles tossed with chili powder, cumin and cayenne powder for a lovely salsa.

salsa

 

It came together beautifully with black beans and lime juice.

salsa done

 

I then made the soup by sautéing onion, carrots, and garlic in a bit of olive oil. I added the called for fire roasted tomatoes, chipotle peppers in their sauce, along with some additional seasoning and stock. After a quick blend in my Vitamix, it was ready to devour!

soup done

 

Gena’s beautiful illustration in Power Plates is far lovelier than my photo.

soup

 

I would only make one adjustment to this delicious soup! The chipotle peppers made the soup wonderfully spicy…but too spicy for my boys. I detest making two dinners, so in the future,  I’ll just add just one tablespoon of chipotle peppers. Other than that, this soup was amazing!

I highly recommend this book to anyone who is ready to give healthy cooking a go. Gena Hamshaw truly offers some amazing meal options. I am excited to try  her Sushi bowl, Spring Panzanella, and White Bean Soup. Thank you BloggingforBooks for a complimentary copy of this book. I was not required to write a positive review. All thoughts and opinions are mine and I have not been compensated. Check out more from Gena Hamshaw at The Full Helping. 

Why I Love “Why I Hate Green Beans”

09 Friday Feb 2018

Posted by in Books I LOVE, Reviewed Books

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Why I hate green beasn

 

I have come to love all of these memoir-ish books that feel like home, friends, and laughter. Lincee Ray is absolutely hysterical and her book,  Why I hate green beans, is pure joy.  Any woman can easily relate to Lincee and her story of growing up and taking life as it comes.

Like Lincee, I can remember my insecurities in high school like yesterday. I am not sure any woman has ever felt confident about her body…ever. The very thought of being weighed in high school…daily…makes me want to puke a bit. I would love to weigh what I weighed when I though I was fat!! For real! Lincee is honest and genuine about all of her experiences.  Reading Why I hate green beans was truly like sitting with a girlfriend and telling stories, laughing all night, and getting little sleep in the process.  I did go to bed super late these last few nights as I devoured this book!

Like me, you may find yourself googling Hot Stix after reading this book! I don’t know about you, but these curler type stix sound totally ideal!! I found myself wondering how I had missed Hot Stix in their heyday! Lincee Ray and I are close in age…surely I would have know about Hot Stix?! I requested a copy of Why I hate green beans from the publisher. It sounded similar in nature to books by Melanie Shankle (Big Mama) and Sophie Hudson (Boo Mama).  These women all know how to live and laugh. I feel like its safe to say that Lincee Ray is the same way. I was not required to give this book a positive review. If you read it, I know you will enjoy as much as I did! I have not been compensated..in case you were wondering.

 

Beautiful Story!

04 Sunday Feb 2018

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Steal Away Home

 

It isn’t often I read something outside of my favorite genre of historical fiction. I took a chance on author Billy Coffey when I read Some Small Magic last year. I quickly learned that Coffey is a poet and an unforgettable storyteller. Steal Away Home is a captivating, page turning, story of young love, summer, forgiveness, and redemption. If you read it and don’t love it, you didn’t read it right.

In Steal Away Home, Owen Cross has finally been given the opportunity to stand in the dug out at a major league baseball game. As the innings unfold, Owen reflects on his life. The story is told through Owen’s point of view as each inning of the game passes. This book is so much more than baseball. I dog-eared page after page so I might go back and reread all of the wonderful truth I found weaved in each remembrance.

“Your love is all wrapped up in a thing that can’t love you back…”  Bottom 5

“There is always tomorrow until there is not. ” Bottom 6

“A Lord not from wood and soil, but of them and among them, as He was of and among us all.  A dweller of the broken places.” Bottom 7

It isn’t often I underline fiction! I became mesmerized by the story of Owen Cross.  I have nothing to compare this book to, other than Field of Dreams.  Even if baseball isn’t your cup of tea, you should give this stunning work of fiction a shot. I loved it, I requested a review copy of Steal Away Home from BookLookBloggers. I was not required to give a positive review.  All thoughts are my own and I have not been compensated.

 

 

The Ladies of Ivy Cottage: A Review

10 Wednesday Jan 2018

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The Ladies of Ivy Cottage

 

From the Back Cover

A gentlewoman in reduced circumstances, Miss Rachel Ashford lives as a guest in Ivy Cottage. With her meager funds rapidly depleting, she is determined to earn her own livelihood…somehow. Her friend Jane Bell and the other village women encourage her to open a circulating library with the many books she’s inherited from her father. As villagers donate additional books and Rachel begins sorting through the volumes, she discovers mysteries hidden among them. A man who once broke her heart helps her search for clues, but both find more than they bargained for.

Rachel’s hostess, Mercy Grove, has given up thoughts of suitors and finds fulfillment in managing her girls school. So when several men take an interest in Ivy Cottage, she assumes pretty Miss Ashford is the cause. Exactly what-or whom-has captured each man’s attention? The truth may surprise them all.

My Review

I really enjoyed this second book in Julie Klassen’s Tales from Ivy Hill. While I felt it was a bit slow to start, it was a very satisfying read. This book picks up where the first book,  The Inn Keeper of Ivy Hill leaves off.  In fact, I suggest reading the first book first.  It has been awhile since I read the first book and it took me a bit to remember and connect the characters again. In fact, this book is full of characters. I almost needed a guide at the beginning of the book to help me sort through them. The Ladies of Ivy Cottage tells the story of three main characters, Jane Bell (the focus of book one), Rachel Ashford, and Mercy Grove. Even though Rachel’s story seems to be the focus of this book, there are many chapters devoted to Mercy and Jane.

The Ladies of Ivy Cottage reminds me so much of my favorite BBC, Masterpiece, and PBS shows. This book is not for the reader who needs instant gratification though. Because the story continues from book one, and all plot lines are yet to be resolved in this second book, a little patience is required, I appreciate the longevity of this series. I am found of Klassen’s characters and I become invested in their stories!  Fans of other village series books like Jan Karon’s Mitford series or the BBC series Lark Rise to Candleford will certainly enjoy the Tales from Ivy Hill.

I am a long time fan of Julie Klassen. In fact, I have read every novel she has written.  Although The Ladies of Ivy Hill is not my favorite, it is definitely worth reading. I requested a review copy from the book’s publisher, Bethany House. I was not required to give a positive review. All opinions are my own and I have not been compensated.

My Favorites

My favorite titles from Julie Klassen include the following: The Painter’s Daughter, The Secret of Pembrooke Park,  and The Girl in the Gatehouse. 

 

 

 

New from Laura Frantz!!

19 Tuesday Dec 2017

Posted by in Books I LOVE, Favorites, Reviewed Books, Virginia

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the lacemaker

 

From the Back Cover

Lady Elizabeth ”Liberty” Lawson has nearly everything a lady of her position could want. Daughter of the British lieutenant governor of the Virginia Colony and a darling of fine society in a rugged land, she is anticipating an advantageous marriage. That her betrothal is a rake and love is lacking is of little consequence- or she tells herself.

Though her own life seems in order, colonial Williamsburg is a powder keg on the verge of exploding, and her fiancé’s cousin, Noble Rynallt carries the flame of the revolution in his heart. Those with connections to the British nobility are suspected as spies, and Liberty  soon finds herself left with a terrible choice. Will she stay true to her English roots? Or side with Noble and the radical revolutionaries?

My Thoughts

I was so thrilled to receive a copy of the Lacemaker in the mail this week! I simply loved it in every way. Laura Frantz tells an unforgettable story, rich in history with vivid characters and perhaps my favorite heroine yet! The story unfolds in perfect tempo, with enough turns and twists to keep you up late reading! I loved that Liberty fought for her own independence as the story unfolded. The hero of the story, Noble Rynallt, could not have been better suited for this revolutionary tale.

Many years ago, I stumbled upon Laura Frantz’s first book, The Frontiersman’s Daughter, in my local library. For me, it was love at first read. I have a short list of favorites, and Frantz is at the top! The Lacemaker is Frantz at her best! You do not want to miss this book!  As a side note, I live in Fredericksburg, Virginia, not far from Williamsburg. This book was especially thrilling to read because I know the places in it so well. Thank you Laura Frantz for another piece of perfect historical fiction!

I requested a copy of The Lacemaker from its publisher. I was not required to give a positive review. I would have purchased this book had I not received a copy because Laura Frantz is my favorite! All opinions are my own and I have not been compensated.

About the Author

Laura Frantz is a Christy Award finalist and the ECPA best-selling author of several books, including The Frontiersman’s Daughter, Courting Morrow Little, The Colonel’s Lady, The Mistress of Tall Acre, A Moonbow Night, and the Ballantyne Legacy series. She lives and writes in a log cabin in the heart of Kentucky. Learn more at www.laurafrantz.net.

New From Ann Voscamp!

15 Wednesday Nov 2017

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Be The Gift

 

I can’t think of a current author who challenges me with words on paper  (or on screen) more than Ann Voscamp. Her newest release is Be The Gift and is filled with selections from her best seller, The Broken Way.  With the Thanksgiving month upon us and Christmas right behind it, this book is a beautiful reminder to walk in kindness, generosity, and love. We can bring hope, love, healing and grace to those around us if we will open our eyes to the needs in front of us.

In her moving introduction Ann says, “The thrilling secret beyond all suffering is that even- especially- in that place of suffering, we can become God’s gift to others, and we can taste the actual goodness of his abundance.”  And, “Even the smallest seeds of kindness can begin to break the worst kind of brokenness.”  What follows is a challenge, through Ann’s personal reflection and narrative, to be the gift.  I love all of it and need this reminder that God can use all of us to be the miracle our neighbors, strangers, and friends are thirsting for. As Ann compels us to action, she reminds us that we don’t have to be perfect to participate.

Also included in this beautiful book is a list of ideas to be the gift today, and some really cute gift tags to include with the plate of warm cookies or flowers. I feel like this book would be the perfect read to launch you into a less exhausting holiday season. There is so much wisdom and love in this book! I requested a review copy from the publisher and BookLookBloggers. I was not required to write a positive review and all thoughts and opinions are my own. I have not been compensated in any way other than the joy received from reading a great book.

Do Not Miss This One!

12 Thursday Oct 2017

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church of the small things

 

I read somewhere between thirty and fifty books a year. Some I barely get through, others I like enough to give away to a friend, and I genuinely love only a few. Church of the Small Things falls in the LOVE category without a doubt.  Melanie Shankle is hilarious, and I feel like we might be long-lost friends. I laughed so much reading this book, much to the chagrin of my trying to sleep husband.

Church of the Small Things is a memoir type book with reflection sprinkled throughout.  Even if memoir isn’t your thing, this book will be. My favorite few lines I highlighted I might just frame and hang somewhere I will be sure to see often. Melanie says in her introduction:

“A life is not made from one thing, one big moment, or one huge success. It’s created moment by moment, often with pieces that don’t look like anything beautiful on their own but are the very fabric of who God meant for us to become as we pack lunches, raise kids, love our neighbors, and simply be who he created us to be – nothing more, nothing less.”

It would be a mistake to have you believe this entire book is that serious. It totally isn’t. However, it reaffirmed for me the importance of the people around me. How I should love them fiercely, and treasure them while they are here.  Also, that dreams are worth chasing, and friendship is worth the investment.  I was given a complimentary copy of this book by its publisher and BookLookBloggers. I wouldn’t be honest if I didn’t disclose that I sought this book out. I knew I wanted to read it and so i went hunting. I was not compensated and I was not required to write a positive review.