A December Bride

December Bride is the first book in the bride novellas. I actually read it third after reading January Bride and February Bride. It is of course a story of a Christmas love story. Just as the last two novellas it is a very quick read, maybe about 2 hours or so to read the entire story. Don’t expect a deep novel but the characters are fun. The novellas so far are very predictable so if you are looking for more these are not for you. But if you need a small break from your day with a quirky love story you will enjoy these.

These novellas are short and sweet. They aren’t very thought provoking in a deep sense but they do contain a Christian message and have applications that could be applied in life.

I received this book from booksneeze at no charge in exchange for an honest review.

January Bride and February Bride

 

 

This review will be a review for 2 novellas: January Bride by Deborah Raney  and February Bride by Betsy St. Amant.

These novellas are part of the collection of the Year of Weddings Novellas.

January Bride is about writer Madeleine Houser who has moved into her sister’s home so that she can be close to her ailing mother since her sister and bother-in-law were transferred out of town. Their home is being remodeled so that they can sell it and Madeleine is having a hard time meeting her deadlines with all of the chaos. Madeleine’s neighbor makes a suggestion that she use a friend’s bed and breakfast to help try to break the block. Then the misunderstandings and assumptions begin.

I loved this novella. It is a very quick read it probably took me about an hour two to finish it. I loved the plot and the characters it was so much fun to read. The author did a great job drawing me in especially in such a short book. It is a feel-good book.

February Bride is about Allie Andrews, a runaway bride. Again another quick read taking only a couple of hours to read. Allie left her groom at the altar. Then just a few months later her best friend, her ex fiancé’s sister, announces her engagement and wants Allie to be in her wedding. Allie can’t tell her no, but she doesn’t have any idea how she will deal with Marcus and what she had done to him.

The author of this novella did a wonderful job in such a short book introducing her characters along with their lifelong struggles.  Many people struggle with the shortcomings of their parents and grandparents and fear those generational curses will fall on them. I loved the way this was addressed by the author.

I would recommend these books to those who love quick read romances.

I received both of these books from Booksneeze at no charge in exchange for an honest review

Butterfly Palace

 

 

Colleen Coble’s Butterfly Palace is set in the early 1900’s. “Austin, Texas, 1904: Abandoned by the love of her life and still mourning the loss of her mother. Lily Donaldson has turned her back on the pain and come to Austin for a fresh start.” After the death of her father and then her mother Lily needs to survive and finds employment in Austin.  She faces life head on because she must. There are several twist and turns in this historical, mystery, and romantic novel.

Although I  wouldn’t say I was left wondering what was going to happen I really enjoyed reading Butterfly Palace. The characters were fun and colorful. I really want a house like the Butterfly Palace with all of its corridors and rooms. One thing that I look for when reading this type of book is how well the imagery is. I want to be able to feel like I’m there and that I can hear and see the people and the location. Ms. Coble did a good job pulling me into the story. I would suggest this book to anyone who loves historical romances with a little action and mystery thrown in. It’s a fast and easy read because it is so much fun.

The only con I could think about this book is that it is pretty predictable but that’s okay with me when I’m looking for something to read so I can sit back and relax. This is a good vacation book.

I received this book from Booksneeze at no charge in exchange for an honest review.

 

The Power of a Half Hour

The Power of a Half Hour by Tommy Barnett tells us that in only takes a half hour to make a difference at times. Tommy Barnet is a pastor who is trying to help “people connect with God and find better ways to live.”  In this book he gives us examples and advice on how to take our life in 30 minute increments. He tells stories of 30 minute events that have changed lives.

The book is broken into 7 parts with approximately 5 chapters in each part. Part 1 tells us how the power of a half hour can impact our lives. Part 2 tells how to chart your life in half hour increments. Part 3 teaches how to strengthen faith, part 4 how to build character. Part 5 is about advancing your dreams. Part 6 how to improve relationships and finally part 7 how to change the world. Each idea is that you can accomplish these things in 30 minute sessions.

Pros: There were some really good points made that sometimes it only takes 30 minutes to get things done and to make changes in our lives for the good. It doesn’t always take a lot of effort on our parts just the willingness to follow through. Any of us can take 30 minutes at a time to do something productive. He’s not saying that everything can be done in 30 minutes but if we take small bits of time it isn’t as overwhelming. He spoke of meetings not lasting more than 30 minutes because if preparations had been made before the meeting that would be all of the time it should take. I like this concept because sometimes meetings get off track. If we know we have 30 minutes maybe there wouldn’t be anyone getting off on another rabbit trail. He made some really good points on communication and taking criticism and turning it into a growing experience

Cons: It was exhausting to me to read the number of 30 minute activities that Mr. Barnett does in one day. It felt to me as if it is an all consuming concept. Maybe it would be best to implement a few ideas at a time until it becomes common place. The book seemed to become redundant after a while with all of the 30 minute examples but I do have to say about the time I would get bored I would come across a point that applied to me.

Overall I enjoyed the book but there were times I felt like I just wanted to get through it and it seems as though this pastor came from a very legalistic denomination although he doesn’t push those beliefs in his book.

I received this book from Waterbrook/Multnomah at no charge in exchange for an honest review.

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Hidden Falls

You can download the first episode here for free

I'm not sure what to think. I enjoyed this first installment of the weekly series. The author introduced the characters, and I felt I could get to know them. I'm looking forward to the next installments, that is if I don't forget to download. I read the 1st installment in about an hour and it kept my attention. The story so far revolves around Ted Quinn a beloved teacher who isn't thrilled about all of the attention being put on him. The story takes place in a small town which seems to have some secrets. If you like a book that you have to wait on the next installment I think you will like this one. It made me want to know what happens next. 

No Cape Required

 

 

No Cape Required: 52 Ways to Unleash your Inner Hero by Kristen Parrish includes 52 devotionals that can be applied to daily life. In the introduction Ms Parrish states “we are all in search of heroes”  and  “the good news is that being a hero requires no cape”. “The Holy Spirit enables us to do great things”.

The book is broken up into 52 devotionals each one featuring a hero from television, movies and books. Each devotional gives and example of a situation that the hero has been in and then scripture is given so that we can see how biblically we can apply the life lesson to our own lives. Then that is followed by a suggested prayer and ideas on how we can tap in on our inner hero.

Each of the heroes are well know and probably recognizable by most people and the devotions seem as though they could be helpful. I would have personally would have liked to have had more biblical references and biblical heroes versus fictional characters but still there are good biblical comparisons to the fictional heroes and situations.

This is probably not my favorite devotional but I believe my daughter would probably enjoy it a lot more. This is one of those books that I’m not sure I would highly recommend but if asked wouldn’t give it a poor review either. It will be an individual’s preference and taste in devotionals. It does seem biblically sound which is very important to me.

I would suggest looking through the devotions before purchasing and see if it would be of interest to you. I received this book at no charge from booksneeze.com in exchange for an honest review.

 

 

 

Emma of Aurora

Jane ­Kirkpatrick’s Emma of Aurora is a trilogy that includes the following books: A Clearing in the Wild, A tendering in the Storm, and A Mending at the Edge. This is the Change Cherish Trilogy that is based on the true story of Emma Wagner Giesy. It is Emma’s journey from the colony in Bethel, Missouri to the colony of Aurora in the Washington Territory in the middle 1800s. Emma was an outspoken woman who yearned for independence but also inclusion into the Bethelite Colony. She faced many trials throughout her journey and a lot of times her outspoken ways caused her trouble. I believe she was probably an early version of a women rights activist and was probably ahead of her time. She struggled with her spiritual beliefs and her wants.

First, I would like to say I enjoyed this book but be aware this is 3 books in one and is over 1100 pages. It’s a BIG book and will take some time to read. You can purchase each book individually if the size seems to daunting.

As I was reading I didn’t realize the book was based on a real person. I wish I had known this it may have made the book even more enjoyable. Ms Kirkpatrick seems to have really researched the colony and its residents. She has included an excerpt at the end of the book about her research. (This is when I realized it was based on reality, haha). I guess I should have read the back of the book better.

At times I felt frustrated at the colony and at Emma then I had to realize the 1800’s were vastly different than that of today’s world. I can’t say too much without spoiling so I will just say there were things that I assumed were going to happen and then they didn’t. I will leave it at that. You will just have to read the books to see what I mean. I think I would’ve liked to have seen one more book in this series in order to give me some more closure.  Emma constantly struggled with her personality challenges that were not totally in line with the beliefs of the colony. She struggled with her spiritual life and wanted to desperately do what God wanted her to do. At times I felt she used the “spiritual” beliefs to justify her “wants” and it wasn’t always spiritual at all it was just a means to an end for her. Emma was at a constant war with herself and at times would seem selfish but I can’t say that I would be much different. Again I had to remind myself that this was a different era and the expectations of women were very different than they are now. She wanted equality and I found myself wanting equality for her much like what we have today.

At times the scripture seemed to be used incorrectly but again it seemed as though the characters were trying to us it to meet their “wants” or to make them “right” to another person. The three books flowed easily together and if you were reading them separately you definitely would want to read them in order. I’m not sure they could be stand alone books.

I would recommend this book if you like historical books and if you have the time to sit down and read. It’s not a book that you will finish quickly and it’s not really a romantic type book. It is more of a religious journey with life and hardships that one would face in the 1800s.

I was given this book at no charge by Waterbrook in exchange for an honest review. A favorable review was not expected.

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The War on Christmas

 

 

The War on Christmas: Battles in Faith, Tradition, and Religious Expression a book to help “Find the truth about Christmas and the Christian’s response to a culture that seems to be declaring war on traditions and the Bible!”­

I have become so tired of trying to defend my Christian beliefs and the reasons we do the things we do. I have been approached by even Christian people who have be confused about holidays that we celebrate and at times even question if they are right or not. I was excited to receive this book to read and review to see if maybe it could clear up some of the confusion. Although reading some of it seemed almost like reading a textbook and some of the information I already knew it did make some interesting points. A point that was made that I liked was if we are uplifting Christ and making it about Him how could it be wrong? We are after all praising Him. Now if we are turning a Christian holiday into something else I feel it would be wrong. As a Christian I feel we should take any opportunity we can to uplift His name. I have also been asked about the decorating of the tree that is mentioned in the bible as wrong and the book addressed this. I’m glad that I now know what the tree in the bible represented and can pass that along. You will have to read the book to find out J.

I liked that the book included biblical references and not just opinions. I believe anytime we defend our Christian beliefs it should be backed up by His Word. The book seemed to be a little choppy but other than that it was well written and beautifully illustrated. I do wish there was some more elaboration on a few issues but overall I enjoyed the book. I wouldn’t say it was life changing or overly enlightening but there are some good points that could be brought up when one is questioned about the holiday. If you are questioning the Christmas holiday pick this book up and give it a read.

I was given this book by Handlebar Publishing at no charge for an honest review.



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Fatal Tide

Lis Wiehl’s book number three in the East Salem Trilogy, Fatal Tide, does a great job wrapping up the series. “In East Salem, the Elite St. Adrian’s Academy is at the nexus of the satanic apocalypse – and the fatal tide is rising.’ Fatal Tide continues with Tommy and Dani trying to solve the spiritual mystery that has invaded the town. Everything seems to be centered around the school. There are evil entities lurking everywhere. Can they get to the bottom of this mystery before it is too late?

This trilogy brings forward a spiritual warfare that exists around us daily and we may not even be aware of it. I highly recommend reading these books in order or you may be lost. As I posted in my first review of Lis Wiehl’s first book in this series last year, her books are written kind of like Frank Peretti or Ted Dekker. The demons take on physical forms that can be seen as do the angels. There are battles between the two all through the story. She did a good job holding my interest and at times I found it hard to put the book down. I’m not sure it is a good book to read right before bedtime if you are prone to have sleeping problems or nightmares, but I read it anyway. I love this style of writing but if you have a problem trying to visualize the spirit world in a realistic, tangible way you may not enjoy it. If you have never read one of her books I suggest you start to see if you like her writing style. Her style may not be for everyone but I personally love the difference from other authors. I read a lot of different genres of books and the predictable gets old. I thing this series isn’t completely predictable although there are some parts of it that are. There is a little romance going on mixed with mystery and spiritual warfare.

I would recommend this book to others and have done so with my husband. Sometimes (at least in my brain) I feel like men will shy away from female authors I would shout out please don’t take that attitude with Lis Wiehl. Her books are by no means “girlie” books and can be enjoyed by both genders equally.

I received this book from booksneeze.com in exchange for an honest review.