Love on Assignment, a book by Cara Lynn James, was a great read over the Christmas Holiday Break! It focuses on Charlotte Hale, who is a secretary for the Rhode Island Reporter with dreams of becoming a real reporter. Her employer places her within a family under the guise of being a governess in order to have her act as a spy; she thinks this is the perfect opportunity to show her reporting skills and move up within the business. Little does Charlotte Hale know, the family she is living with is not what she was told by her employer. Throughout the book, she struggles with her deceit and tries to justify her lies as necessary since she is doing what she must to keep her family going during difficult times.
I really enjoyed this book and the focus of forgiveness it shows. I also liked how, although it was the second book in a series, you did not need to read the first book to follow the story. I will definitely be reading more books in the series, and I cannot wait to learn more about the families who spend their time at Summerhill.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255 [...] : "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
An Amish Love
An Amish Love contains three stories which are all, as the title indicates, dealing with individuals who are Amish. A Marriage of the Heart is by Kelly Long, What the Heart Sees is written by Kathleen Fuller, and Healing Hearts is written by Beth Wiseman. All three stories are around 100 pages and focus on relationships which are being tested within the Amish community.
A Marriage of the Heart focuses on Abigail Kauffman and Joseph Lambert, who are in a marriage that allowed Abigail the opportunity to escape from the life she lived with her father. They struggle with various issues that are looked at within the extremely short first story. This story was a very quick read, and had me wanting to read more stories by Kelly Long.
What the Heart Sees focused on the characters Ellie Chupp and Christopher Bender. After becoming blind in a car accident at a young age, Ellie begins to befriend Christopher, who was also gravely affected by the accident that took her sight. Their relationship plays out within the pages of the story by Kathleen Fuller.
Healing Hearts is the final story in An Amish Love. Lavin and Naaman Lapp have been married 30 years and Naaman leaves for an extended period of time. The story focuses on their reconnecting after he returns home.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book. I liked that I could read a whole short story in one sitting, and they were similar enough to tie the book together, but not too similar to make me feel as if I was reading the same story three times.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."
A Marriage of the Heart focuses on Abigail Kauffman and Joseph Lambert, who are in a marriage that allowed Abigail the opportunity to escape from the life she lived with her father. They struggle with various issues that are looked at within the extremely short first story. This story was a very quick read, and had me wanting to read more stories by Kelly Long.
What the Heart Sees focused on the characters Ellie Chupp and Christopher Bender. After becoming blind in a car accident at a young age, Ellie begins to befriend Christopher, who was also gravely affected by the accident that took her sight. Their relationship plays out within the pages of the story by Kathleen Fuller.
Healing Hearts is the final story in An Amish Love. Lavin and Naaman Lapp have been married 30 years and Naaman leaves for an extended period of time. The story focuses on their reconnecting after he returns home.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book. I liked that I could read a whole short story in one sitting, and they were similar enough to tie the book together, but not too similar to make me feel as if I was reading the same story three times.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
The Truth of the Matter
The Truth of the Matter by Andrew Klavan is the Third book in the Homelanders Series. The book again takes us into the mystery of Charlie West’s last year of life which he is unable to remember. His last moment of clarity is going to bed one night and waking up a year later being tortured. He does not remember being jailed for his best friend’s murder, falling in love, and becoming a wanted criminal.
Charlie is attempting to clarify his missing year by looking for the one person whose name he can remember: Waterman. Upon contacting Waterman, trouble ensues as the Homelanders continue to close in upon Charlie. Charlie continues to struggle to remember his missing past as well as stay hidden from the Homelanders and the police.
I really enjoyed this book, and finally starting to see some clarity on what happened the last year of Charlie’s life. I think this book would really be enjoyed by a middle school aged boy, particularly one who is interested in non-stop action. The book is continually going, and there is never a boring moment as we are brought along with Charlie on the roller-coaster his life is turning into.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."
Charlie is attempting to clarify his missing year by looking for the one person whose name he can remember: Waterman. Upon contacting Waterman, trouble ensues as the Homelanders continue to close in upon Charlie. Charlie continues to struggle to remember his missing past as well as stay hidden from the Homelanders and the police.
I really enjoyed this book, and finally starting to see some clarity on what happened the last year of Charlie’s life. I think this book would really be enjoyed by a middle school aged boy, particularly one who is interested in non-stop action. The book is continually going, and there is never a boring moment as we are brought along with Charlie on the roller-coaster his life is turning into.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."
Thursday, November 18, 2010
Dining with Joy
Although Dining with Joy was the first book I read by Rachel Hauch, I plan on reading many more of her books in the future. It was a very enjoyable read, that I found hard to put down, as I was brought into the romance between Joy and Luke.
Joy finds herself hosting a cooking show on television after her father’s untimely passing. The only problem is...she can’t cook! She is relatively successful in keeping this fact hidden until Luke, a recently bankrupt chef of a Manhattan restaurant, joins her show. Her relationship struggles with Luke, along with her inability to cook being revealed to all on television by Wenda Devine would be enough to cause any person to question their faith. Throughout all of these disasters, Joy must rely upon her faith and her close friends to help her get through her struggles.
This book was a very quick read, and I will definitely be adding it to my list of gift ideas for friends and co-workers. I also want to read other books by Rachel Hauck, especially to learn more about Joy’s friends and her family.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."
Joy finds herself hosting a cooking show on television after her father’s untimely passing. The only problem is...she can’t cook! She is relatively successful in keeping this fact hidden until Luke, a recently bankrupt chef of a Manhattan restaurant, joins her show. Her relationship struggles with Luke, along with her inability to cook being revealed to all on television by Wenda Devine would be enough to cause any person to question their faith. Throughout all of these disasters, Joy must rely upon her faith and her close friends to help her get through her struggles.
This book was a very quick read, and I will definitely be adding it to my list of gift ideas for friends and co-workers. I also want to read other books by Rachel Hauck, especially to learn more about Joy’s friends and her family.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
A Suitor for Jenny
A Suitor for Jenny, the second book in the Rocky Creek Romance books, by Margaret Brownley tells the story of Jenny and her two sisters as they travel to a new town with the hopes of finding suitable husbands. Although Jenny feels as if she is unlovable after her past mistakes, she is determined to find proper husbands for her sisters Brenda and Mary Lou. Since her parents are deceased Jenny is determined to find an educated man who is able to provide for her sisters so they never have to worry about where their next meal will come from.
Throughout the book, Brenda and Mary Lou find themselves thinking about men who their sister does not deem appropriate, but they learn the plans God has for them may be different than their sisters plans. They must learn to follow their hearts and God’s guidance in their lives. Throughout their journey to this discovery, they are faced with many trials and tests of their faith. They must also reconcile their past relationship with their father and also move past Jenny’s controlling ways. As Brenda and Mary Lou find love, Jenny changes her position on finding true love.
I really enjoyed this book. It was an easy read, and even though it was the second book in a series, it’s not necessary that you read the first book in order to understand A Suitor for Jenny. I would be interested in reading the first book of the series to find out more about the townspeople of Rocky Creek. There are many characters that we only hear about in passing, and I think the additional books will also focus on these characters.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."
Throughout the book, Brenda and Mary Lou find themselves thinking about men who their sister does not deem appropriate, but they learn the plans God has for them may be different than their sisters plans. They must learn to follow their hearts and God’s guidance in their lives. Throughout their journey to this discovery, they are faced with many trials and tests of their faith. They must also reconcile their past relationship with their father and also move past Jenny’s controlling ways. As Brenda and Mary Lou find love, Jenny changes her position on finding true love.
I really enjoyed this book. It was an easy read, and even though it was the second book in a series, it’s not necessary that you read the first book in order to understand A Suitor for Jenny. I would be interested in reading the first book of the series to find out more about the townspeople of Rocky Creek. There are many characters that we only hear about in passing, and I think the additional books will also focus on these characters.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Where Hearts are Free
I was extremely excited to read the book Where Hearts are Free by Golden Keyes Parsons from the moment I set eyes on the cover which made me believe it would be a great romance book. Although this book concludes the Darkness to Light Novel series which I did not read in its entirety, I did not feel as if this book was lacking due to my not reading the first two books.
This book focuses on Bridget, a wealthy young woman in Philadelphia, PA in 1681. Edward Moorehead has been chosen by her father as the man she is to be married to, but Bridget has difficulty with this arrangement. Although Bridget wants to honor her family’s wishes, she realizes that Edward is not the man God has chosen to be her husband. Rather, she finds herself drawn to her childhood friend and family servant, Phillippe Clavell. Phillippe, who was once a member of French royalty, came to the United States as an indentured slave to Bridget’s family.
Overall, I was impressed with this book, and I really want to read the first two books in the series. I would recommend this book to anyone who is interested in historical books and also books that contain romance.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."
This book focuses on Bridget, a wealthy young woman in Philadelphia, PA in 1681. Edward Moorehead has been chosen by her father as the man she is to be married to, but Bridget has difficulty with this arrangement. Although Bridget wants to honor her family’s wishes, she realizes that Edward is not the man God has chosen to be her husband. Rather, she finds herself drawn to her childhood friend and family servant, Phillippe Clavell. Phillippe, who was once a member of French royalty, came to the United States as an indentured slave to Bridget’s family.
Overall, I was impressed with this book, and I really want to read the first two books in the series. I would recommend this book to anyone who is interested in historical books and also books that contain romance.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."
Friday, September 10, 2010
Outlive Your Life
Recently I had the opportunity to read one of the most recently published books by Max Lucado, Outlive Your Life: You Were Made to Make a Difference. I was extremely excited to get this opportunity, as I have enjoyed all of the previous books I read which were authored by Max Lucado. He did not disappoint with this work that focuses on how we can make a difference in the lives of those around us.
I like how Lucado uses the book of Acts for inspiration, or as a basis for this book, but he ties the concepts into our everyday lives. Through looking at the Church in Acts, he highlights the fact that we are called to help those in need. He focuses on helping others who are struggling with issues such as poverty, disease, and violence.
I would recommend this book for others, and I think it would serve as a great Bible Study for small groups. It is especially helpful that there is a Discussion and Action Guide at the end of the book which will provide topics that can be discussed in a small group setting.
I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their Booksneeze book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255 : "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."
I like how Lucado uses the book of Acts for inspiration, or as a basis for this book, but he ties the concepts into our everyday lives. Through looking at the Church in Acts, he highlights the fact that we are called to help those in need. He focuses on helping others who are struggling with issues such as poverty, disease, and violence.
I would recommend this book for others, and I think it would serve as a great Bible Study for small groups. It is especially helpful that there is a Discussion and Action Guide at the end of the book which will provide topics that can be discussed in a small group setting.
I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their Booksneeze book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255 : "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."
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