Splash of Sunshine Blog Party

1. What word are you totally loving at the moment?
 Grace. I really  am loving it right now.
2. Any tv shows/movies you are excited for this fall? 
My family has been renting the PBS series Texas Ranch House, Frontier House, etc. I believe we will be getting them late into the year!
3. Anything that symbolizes something to you? 
No, not really.
4. Two favorite songs at the moment?
"I Am Set Free" by All Sons And Daughters and "Close to Your Heart" by The Glorious Unseen
 
5. If there was suddenly a world taker over by an evil dictator what would you do?
Cry. And then pray a lot for someone to stop the dictator. 
6. What is your favorite summer activity?
I love to swim. My grandparents have a pool, so swimming for me is definitely my favorite!

7. What has been your favorite summer vacation?
Last year my family went to Pt. Angeles, WA. It was such a peaceful trip. They surprised me and my sisters by renting a beach house. We had a great time!

8. If you received an unlimited shopping spree to any store, what store would it be for?
Anthropologie.. And I would buy this: http://www.anthropologie.com/anthro/product/clothes-floorskimmers/25332982.jsp#

9. What is your favorite summertime food?
Watermelon. Corn on the cob is a close second.

10. What is your favorite summertime movie? .
I just saw The Amazing Spiderman with my friend. I was pretty skeptical at first, but it ended up being really awesome. Or should I say "amazing."

Book Review: Annie's Truth by Beth Shriver

Annie is happy in her life as a young Amish woman. She has a beau, a kind family, and a future that looks bright. She is shocked when she finds out that she was adopted, and she almost immediately decides to go into a secular town to look for her biological mother.  After a few grueling weeks with no answers, Annie is thrilled when her birth mother is found. The happiness, however, is extremely short lived. When Annie learns the tragic happenings surrounding her birth, she  begins to wish she were never born.  Only when she trusts god will she truly be set free.

I liked:

• The plot. At first, I thought it could be a lot like The Shunning by Beverly Lewis, but it really took an unexpected turn towards the middle.
• The unpredictability. It had so many unexpected twists and turns, that it really made for an interesting book.
• The character’s description. I believe that the characters were very well described.

I disliked:

• There is a *SPOILER* rape scene*SPOILER OVER*, and while it was not graphic, I wasn’t very comfortable at all reading it. Given, I am 17, and I just don’t read this kind of stuff.

Overall:

I liked the book as a whole, and while I would only recommend it to ages 20+, I still believe it to be a great book!

Charisma House gave me this book in exchange for an honest review.

Book Review: Arms of Love by Kelly Long

Lena Yoder has loved Adam Wyse her entire life. Therefore, it is a huge blow when he suddenly breaks off their long-lived relationship.  She struggles with his unidentified need to fight; to kill even. For the peaceful Amish, fighting is never an option, only forgiveness. Lena is struggling through many trials, and Adam leaving her is not helping. Through a succession of unfortunate happenings, and small glimpses of joy, Lena has to decide if God is for her, or if she is alone.

I liked:

• The heritage. Having read many modern-day Amish tales, it was interesting to read one in such a unique time.
• The time frame. I have never thought about there being Amish people during the Revolutionary War, but it added a very unique plot to the books.
• A scene towards the end. I won’t give any spoilers, but it has to do with praying for the sick, and them recovering. SO powerful

I disliked:

• The sorrow. The entire book had a heavy oppressiveness hanging over it. It wasn’t until the  last page it was happy. *note* The Author DID say she didn’t plan for the book to be a happy one, just one explaining the terrors of life as an Amish person in the 1700s. I just like happy books, and I hadn’t seen the author’s note until the book was over.
• The PG-13 sections. Surprisingly, for a historical book, this book was EXTREMELY incomfortable for me to read at some parts.

Overall:

While I did enjoy certain aspects of this book, I would only recommend it to people who are fine with reading a lot of sadness.

This e-book was given to me in exchange for a free review.

Book Review: Not a Fan-Teen Edition by Kyle Idleman

Are you a follower of Jesus? Many would say so. What does a follower really consist of? If held up to the light of the Word, many “followers” would turn out to be fans. Being a follower is much more than just attending church, having a Christian ringtone, or staying pure until marriage. Being a follower means to have a personal relationship with Jesus, not to follow some rules. It means having a DTR talk, and seeing how committed to Jesus you really are.

I liked:

• The premise.  I really loved the book as a whole. It was interesting enough to keep up with a teenager’s attention span, but profound enough to make you think. Hard.
• The prologue. I could not believe how insightful it was. Literally. I read it a few times just to grasp the profoundness therein. Free bread? Ouch hallelujah.
• The down to earth writing style. Wow. It is really hard to maintain the balance between profound and approachable. Kyle Idleman did it well.
• The prologue. I know I wrote it twice, but seriously. It was fantastical.

I disliked:

• How much it challenged me. Just kidding. That was my flesh talking, my spirit loved it J

Overall:

I would 100% recommend  this book to anyone. Literally. While it is meant for teenagers, I think anyone could benefit from reading once, or twice, or a lot. (There is an adult version, which I hope to read soon.) I give this book 5 out of 5 stars.

Libbi H.

 

This book was given to me for free from Zondervan in exchange for my honest review.  

So.

So. One of the blogger tips I have read constantly is to not talk about when you don't write posts for a while. Seriously. I have been half-MIA. I have been writing a lot of book reviews lately, but real posts? Yeah. So, in another attempt to better my blogging dependability, I have decided on the goal I have for my blog.
That's right.

Decided.

I am not always the most decisive person, and sometimes, I see other people's blogs and I am floored by how much I love them. And how beautiful they are. Seriously.

So what is my goal?

Basically, my goal is to enjoy life, and help everyone else to enjoy it too. My new  motto for the blog?

Rejoice. Choose Joy. Be Happy. 

Pretty catchy, right?

Yeah, basically stayed up until midnight a week ago redesigning the blog's exterior and interior. So awesome peoples, check out my manifesto, why funner, and favorites pages. (Just a note, I felt like a rockstar when I figured out how to map images. Seriously.)

I am not perfect (obviously ;) so I cannot promise a post on certain days, but I will promise that my post will be funny. Or happy. Or a book review(Especially promising book reviews! :)

I will have a post up in the next few day about the past couple of months, and any news. Until then, check out my awesome image mapping SKILLS, and stand in awe that I decided on a purple and orange color scheme.

Boo Ya.

(this picture basically is my favorite in the world)

Book Review: Love in Disguise by Carol Cox

Ellie Moore has lost all hope. She was fired humiliatingly from her job as an actress’s assistant, and with nothing more than a few dresses and wigs to her name, she is growing increasingly worried about her future. When she overhears two men with the need for an observant actress, she jumps on the opportunity. She is accepted as a detective, and is sent to Arizona to solve her first mystery. When her investigating partner decides not to continue with the investigation, Ellie must decide whether to continue alone, or to give up.

I liked:

• The humor. There were parts of this book where I chortled, cackled, and guffawed. Loudly.
• The  suspense. I really couldn’t wait to see what Ellie would discover.
• The unique theme. I have noticed that most Christian historical fiction books almost always have some of the same plots, but this book was totally unique!
• The characters. The author did a fantastic job describing characters, you almost felt as if you knew them personally.
• The lighthearted romance. I loved how clean, pure, and beautiful the love story was.

I disliked:

• Nothing important. I think at the end, I would’ve enjoyed Steven telling Ellie that she was beautiful(on the outside.) The author still ended it really well though!

Overall:

If you have been looking for a humorous, romantic, pure, and funny book, this is the book for you! I absolutely adored the perfect mix of characters, descriptions, and plot twists. This book is a fantastic read for ages 14+

Bethany House Publishers gave me this book in exchange for an honest review.

joy unspeakable.

Isn't she sweet? I was taking pictures of my cousin, my sister Abby, and my sister Ellie (above) I said something funny, and she started laughing. Every time I see this picture, my heart smiles.