Fiction Friday: Waiting for Morning by Margaret Brownley.

In this humorous, entertaining tale, Molly Hatfield is the next wishful woman who has dared to try her hand at cattle ranching. In 1890s, reputable work for a single woman was hard to find. Not to mention that her brother is unable to walk, and must have constant care.  That is, until she meets Dr. Caleb Fairbanks. As a handsome, youthful doctor, Caleb is often ignored, thought to be lacking experience. When he meets Molly and her brother, he is shocked at Molly’s beauty. Through the rigors of life on Last Chance Ranch, Molly must choose between her brother’s well being, and that of her heart.

I liked:

• The cover. I believe, although you should not judge a book by its cover, the cover is important.
• The humor. One of my favorite things about Margaret’s books is the humorous sections.

I disliked:

• The sickness. While I realize that there was sickness in the 1800s and 1900s, I honestly cannot find a reason that books consistently talk about modern-day illnesses. I am not talking about her brother’s disability, more so the different diseases mentioned in the book. I read books as a form of entertainment, and I want them to be uplifting. If I wanted to read about sickness, I would read a medical journal.

Overall, if you do not mind reading about sickness, it is reasonably good. I understand that this is completely my opinion on the matter, and therefore I am still giving this book three stars. If you read the first book in this series, Dawn Comes Early, then I will warn you that this book is not nearly as good as the first. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a humorous read along with medical science.

This book was given to me courtesy of the publisher, in exchange for a review. 

Book Review: Crazy Dangerous by Andrew Klavan

Jennifer is trapped. Her days are filled with people making fun of her, and her nights with tormenting voices taunting her. It seems that she is the only one who hears them.

Sam Hopkins is an average Pastor’s kid, but he has fallen in with the wrong crowd, and now he is about to pay for it.

In an interesting twist of fate, Sam befriends Jennifer, and oddly, starts to believe her. He thinks that she may be the only one who knows what is going to happen to their small town. It might just be a horrible deed worse than anything they have yet seen.

I loved:

• ·         Sam’s wit. I laughed out loud when he responded to the bullies. It was hysterical.
• ·         The first person writing style. It suited this book perfectly, and made reading it really enjoyable.
• ·         The character description. Although not done in the typical way, you could see how the characters looked, as well as their tone of voice. Although it may seem odd, I loved how Andrew described the characters.
• ·         The mystery. It is not often that you can find a book that is hilarious, easy-to-read, and suspenseful.
• ·         The twist at the end. I won’t let out any secrets, but it is pretty awesome.

I didn’t love:

• ·         A little bit of theology. Barely any, but you know how it goes; “Eat the meat, spit out the bones.”
• ·         It was a tad gruesome. I would not recommend it to anyone who is under 15. It wasn’t necessarily bloody and gory, but there is still a lot of death.

Overall, I think it was a very intriguing book.  Very different from anything I have read before. This book is, although 324 pages, a very quick read. I sat down and just kept reading. I would definitely buy  this book as a gift for anyone who likes a good, funny read.

This book was given to me for free from Thomas Nelson Publishers for this review.

Book Review: By Faith, Not by Sight by Scott Macintyre

This book was given to me for free by Thomas Nelson Publishers in exchange for this review.

“Is it possible to be high on a mountain and deep in a valley at the same time?"

Scott Macintyre had been asking this question since he was diagnosed with kidney failure at the young age of 19.  Being a prodigious child, Scott’s musical abilities far excel the talents of those the same age. Not only could the kidney failure be fatal to Scott’s career, it could also be fatal to Scott.  His story is an interesting one. One of a scholar, a songwriter, a student, an American Idol contestant, and most importantly, a child of God. With prayer, perseverance, and praise, Scott’s roller coaster-like biography proves the goodness of God even in the most trying circumstances.

I ♥

·         His writing style. I felt as if I was having coffee with him, or at least hearing him speak at an event. You can see his personality through his writing, and it is one of the best parts of this book.

·         His detail. While some readers would complain that too many details are a bad thing, I think it is rarely true. Scott added the perfect amount of detail: Enough to describe accurately the setting/person/thing, yet not enough to cause readers to become uninterested.

·         His story. It is very uplifting, and fascinating. Usually in biographies/memoirs, there is at least one portion of the book that is somewhat dull. Not this one!

·         His attitude. He remained with a great attitude towards his problems, never giving in to moping or discontent, despite his blindness.

·         His humility. I think in autobiographies, a lot of times, the author can come across as prideful, even if they are not doing so intentionally. Fortunately, Scott is extremely humble.

I didn't ♥

·         I cannot honestly think of something that I disliked about the book. While it is not for the light of heart, it is easily rated a G. It is fantastic.

Overall, I think if you are into American Idol, Biographies, or books in general, this one is a great one to add to your library!

Book Review: The Wedding Dress by Rachel Hauck

The Thickening Plot

Life is good for Charlotte. She is the owner of a chic, modern bridal salon in Birmingham, Alabama she is engaged to an awesome man, and she is certain she will find the perfect dress for her wedding. It is smooth sailing until she purchases a hundred year old trunk, with the lock on front welded shut. Her curiosity piqued, she goes to great lengths to find out the mysterious history behind the lovely wedding dress the trunk contains. Through her journey, she begins to discover more about herself, and doubt her upcoming wedding. In the end, she must find out the truth of her beautiful heritage.

I ♥

·        The multiple stories woven into the book. Each one was so unique, yet so very similar.

·        The characters. I love it when the character seems like a friend.

·        The detail. Just the way the author described the dress, and the way she described the characters. It is a true art.

I Didn’t ♥

·        A couple romantic paragraphs. Not awful, but something for parents to be wary of.

·        The beginning was a bit slow, not unbearably, but it takes a minute to get into the book.

Overall

This book is worth your time. The perfect book for an airplane ride, or a road trip. This book would also be fun to give at a bridal shower, or as a party favor at a bridal shower. I would say this book is worth your money.

This book was given to me for free by Booksneeze, in exchange for this honest review

Book Review: An Amish Wedding by Beth Wiseman, Kathleen Fuller, & Kelly Long

     This sweet, fun, Amish book is composed of three novellas: "A Perfect Plan" by Beth Wiseman, "The Perfect Match" by Kathleen Fuller, and "The Perfect Secret" by Kelly Long. With three stories of three different couples weaved together effortlessly, this book is a sure win. Priscilla is having numerous problems with her wedding preparations, she wonders if perhaps God is telling her to postpone the wedding. Rose is content with her recent engagement, but only content. Could her fiance be hiding something? Naomi tries to be happy as an "old maid" as her friend calls it, however she is terribly sad that she has not met her special someone yet. Through the tales of trial and triumph, An Amish Wedding shows the live of the Amish, in a way us "Englischers"
     I loved this book. There was such an innocent feel to it. I always enjoy books about the Amish, and this one was great, it made me want to read more! I really enjoyed the use of Pennsylvania Dutch words, and felt like an Amish scholar by the time I finished! As for all things cosmetic, the cover was lovely! It was simple {in a good way} and plain, no pun intended. This book would make a wonderful gift, and I enjoyed it very much!

Sincerely,
Libbi H.

This book was given to me by Thomas Nelson Publishers {free} for this review

Book Review: His Steadfast Love by Golden Jeyes Parsons

    

     The Civil War, America's biggest scar. Brother against brother, father against son, and countrymen killing their other countrymen. Families and lives torn apart in a second. So is the world that Amanda Belle finds herself hating, as both her brother, and potential husband have left to fight. On different sides, that is. Through the long, miserable war, Amanda finds herself hating the cruel soldiers, Yankee and Confederate, and wishing that her sweetheart and her brother could simply return.  Through the war, she remains fearful for her Brother’s life, as well as the life of her beloved. Will her world ever be the same?
      I dearly enjoyed this story, and the detail woven within.  Until I read this book, I understood what happened during the Civil War, and that it was a terrible time in America. I never had understood the depth of the tragedy until now, and I am amazed and thankful that America even got through that devastation. This book was detailed enough, but not overly so, it was lengthy enough, but again, not overly. The one side note  {Not a criticism} I had was this: If you choose to read this book  {which I hope you will} pay attention to the dates listed! If you ignore the dates, you will be lost. I overly enjoyed this book, and would recommend it to whosoever enjoys historical/fun books!

Sincerely,

Libbi H,

I received this book from Thomas Nelson Publishers for this review.

Book Review: Peace Be With You by David Carlson

     Love. Doesn't that seem to be lacking in our culture today? With wars, lawsuits, and crimes running rampant, it seems that we have a little more hate in our culture then we do love. This is one of the reasons that David Carlson decided to do research in the monasteries and retreat centers across New Mexico. Interviewing many of the inhabitants, David deduced the theory that as Americans, having a war is unbiblical, and more, UN Christlike. Through this book, David asks if we as the body of Christ are really doing our job as believers, sharing the love of Christ in a world that only knows hate. Or, are we simply sitting on the sidelines and cheering on those doing things against God's perfect will.
     I was bitterly disappointed with this book. Rather then encouraging the body of Christ to do our best to help our brothers and sisters in need, it is somewhat condemning, making the reader feel as if a "bad" christian if he was not fighting the war on the war on terror. Unfortunately, I disagreed with the majority of the philosophy of this book. I was disappointed, because I have liked most of Thomas Nelson's books up until now.  I wouldn't really recommend this book to anyone, sadly, it was one of those books I just disagreed on the doctrine. But that is another post in and of itself
Sincerely,
Libbi H.
P.S. Thomas Nelson fave me this book for free in exchange for an honest review.

Book Review: Fresh Brewed Life by Nicole Johnson

    Is your life feeling a little bland? Are you cracking under pressure? You my friend, need a fresh-brewed life. In this witty, knowledgeable book, Nicole Johnson shares her personal triumphs and tribulations, all the while showing us christian girls how to "freshly brew" our life, after all, you can only drink old coffee for so long before it is, old! While everyone has to face the daily grind, Nicole shows how you can use it to make a wonderful life!She uses ten helpful "guidelines" to jump start everyone's fresh brewed life. With helpful tips, refreshingly funny stories, and a base in scripture, this book is a sure hit!
     I thought this book was very cute, and I enjoyed the beginning thoroughly! She is a funny, interesting author, who actually made me laugh out loud at a couple of sections. One disclaimer I must add: I was unable to read the sixth chapter, for personal reasons only. This said, I would recommend this book to a married woman more quickly than I would an unmarried woman. I absolutely adored the cover of the book, simple, colorful, and enticing! It seems to call to you, wishing for you to read it! I would definitely give this book a high score in my "book rating" list, and my mom actually loved it as well! I urge you, if you are married, to pick up this book very soon!

Sincerely,
Libbi H.
Thomas Nelson gave me this book for free as a trade for my review.

Book Review: Don't Check Your Brains at the Door By Josh McDowell and Bob Hostetler

     “Seven in ten Protestants ages 18 to 30—both evangelical and mainline—who went to church regularly in high school said they quit attending by age 23, according to the survey by LifeWay Research.” (USA Today)
 Do you ever wonder why the statistics are so grim? How could Tom from youth group or Jane from your Bible study, abandon their faith? As Josh and Bob both show in this interesting book, the cause is that these seemingly devoted highschoolers were playing a Christian game, rather than having a real relationship with Jesus Christ. They knew the scriptures to recite, just not the significance of them. This handy book ( which also can be purchased as an e-book) shows 42 myths, and how we can disprove them using scriptural proof, archeological proof, and good ol' common sense.
     I thought this book was a well organized, easy-to-understand book. Never had I realized how many of the facts I had not ever thought about, and how necessary they are to maintaining a relationship with Christ through the rest of my life. I looked at my youth group, and applying the statistic, I realized that seven of every ten could possibly leave their faith. This  is a tragic story, that we as Christians will end. With the easy to access chapters and the "Brain Food" section at the end, I would highly recommend asking everyone in their early to late teens to read this. Overall, it was a highly researched book, full of vivid detail, and wonderful truths.

Sincerely,
Libbi H.

P.S. Thomas Nelson gave me the book for free to review honestly

Book Review: God's Love Letters to You - By Dr. Larry Crabb

       In this forty day devotional, Dr. Larry went through {obviously} forty different books of the Bible, based off of his book "66 Love Letters". In that book, he went through each of the books of the Bible, and rewrote it in the form of a love letter from God to you, trying to say what he thought God wanted to say to His children through that book. The way it is written, it can be read either straight through like a book, or , across 40 days {or weeks!} as a devotional.
Each day’s devotional includes:
-a selected Scripture reading
-a short devotional message
-reflection questions  
-a closing prayer




      What I thought: I thought that this book, while good in theory, was lacking in sound theology. I could not quite believe that if someone was really in love with me that they would make me sick, or take away a loved one. The books cover, however, was absolutely gorgeous! I loved it! I actually thought the questions at the end of each chapter were thought-provoking, yet some were still on the incorrect side. Overall, I disliked the book. If anyone is going to attempt to use a book, song, or picture to try and show how God talks to us, it needs to be biblical, and not heresy. Unfortunately, this book's "letters" did not quite add up.


P.S. Booksneeze gave me this book for free to honestly review.

Book Review: The Waiting Place by Eileen Button

     As humans, we spend most of our time waiting, waiting for our sweet 16 birthday party, waiting for our graduation, waiting for our aunt to marry her boyfriend, waiting to get married, waiting to go to college, waiting for the person in front of us to finish checking out. In this sweet, tenderhearted book full of life's humorous tales, life's trials, and most of all, life's waiting places. Eileen Button demonstrates through her own life stories, showing readers how to make the most of the waiting places, and rather then wish them away, to savor them happily.
     This book is one of a humorous nature, bound and determined to make readers laugh to themselves. Although extremely fun to read, one must agree that this book would be most beneficial when it is read by a married adult. One must enjoy her witty sense of humor and understandable circumstances, all the while looking upon the essays with a knowing heart, seeing the resemblances in her life and theirs.Overall, one can expect to laugh, to cry, to sympathize, and many will undoubtedly love this book, along with it's troubled tales, hilarious happenings, and sincere stories. In the meantime, enjoy your waiting place!

P.S. Book Sneeze gave me this book for free to honestly review.

Book Review: The Fight of Our Lives by William J. Bennett and Seth Leibsohn

      What would you say if you knew that since 9/11, there have been numerous more attacks based on "doing allah's will"? What if I told you that rather than fighting ferociously against this obvious threat to American Citizens, America is just ignoring the drastic happenings of radical islam? Sadly, this is the case with many, if not most Americans. This eye-opening book uses many different true stories, which were violent acts of terrorism, yet when questioned about the acts, not one were the words Radical, muslim, or Terrorist used in a tv interview. Our own President not only is ignorant of this saddening islamic ritual, but he bowed to a known supporter of terrorists.
     This book was very good. I never realized the dire effects of ignoring radical islam. It was unbelievably interesting how  some American people can be so worried about appeasing the muslims, that they forget when George Washington mentioned that everyone should have freedom of religion, AS LONG as they remained peacefully with America and her laws. Overall, this book really inspired me to stand up against radical islam, as it daily endangers many of my fellow Americans. I learned that as Christians, and as proud American citizens, we need to rise up, and stand against this vicious, brutal, and merciless sort of a religion.
    

P.S. Booksneeze gave me this book for free to review honestly.
P.P.S. I refuse to capitalize muslim, islam, or allah. I apologize if the freaks out the grammar part of your brain.

Book Review: The Elemental Journal by Tammy Kushnir

     Do you like to do crafts? I sure do. This book contains over 15 uniquely designed crafts, with incredibly easy to understand instructions. Are you Eco-conscious? This book is for you too! Barely any of the craft supplies used are new. Many are used from a  thrift store, your backyard, or even you house! This book helps you find a new way to use everything from polaroid photos to old towels! This book is perfect for a liberal, Eco-conscious girl. While it contains some beautiful bohemian crafts, it also contains a few odd crafts such as "Graven" and a couple other peculiarities, it contains some wonderfully lovely home decoracions.
     What did I think of it? I thought it was beautifully designed, with some stunning pictures! With a lovely bohohemian/vintage look to all of the crafts, except for a couple which I believed were somewhat, eerie. The entire book, though beautiful, was not quite what I expected. It had a grave, solemn atmosphere to it. I didn't enjoy the amount of, earth-worship if you will. I have come to expect a bit more from Tommy Nelson. Some of the supplies are a tad harder to find anywhere, but it sincerely depends on your necessites and quality value. Overall, I did find it a strikingly designed manuscript, with only minimal dislike.
P.S. Tommy Nelson gave me this free book to review, regardless of my disposition on the book :)

Bible review: Take Action Bible , Tommy Nelson

What a Beautiful Bible! I chose to read Mark, and found that it had an easy to read, convenient style. What sets this Bible apart from others?

1. It's size. It is a very convenient size, and easy to carry around. I was even able to carry it in my pocket!
2. It's lovely pictures. It has amazingly moving photography, and is a great telescope into impoverished countries.
3. It's inserts. Their are five inserts, which read; GO,SERVE,GIVE,HEAL, and TEACH. They each contain a relevant scripture, and a few tales of men and women around the world who are "taking action"                                

     I loved this Bible. It in fact is the one I intend to bring to my classes. It has a unique touch to it, and automatically draws the reader to open it.  I liked the "Notes" sections at the end of each story, though I don't know if I would ever write on the beautiful pages. I have always had a desire for missions. I loved at the beginning of each section of the bible, a simple map was sketched with the area which the book would e taking place in :) My only complaint is that the inserts sometime cut through the middle of books, but it honestly wasn't that big of a deal. Overall, I loved it!


P.S. Tommy Nelson Gave me this book in exchange for an honest review, be it good or bad.

Book Review: Unsinkable by Abby Sunderland and Lynn Vincent.

    Did you know that the Indian Ocean is 27,000,000 square MILES wide? Imagine being stuck on a boat, in the middle of that vast aura. Imagine Being 16, with a broken mast, and a dead phone. Now you know what it's like to be Abby Sunderland. Abby Sunderland set out on an attempt to be the youngest person to sail solo, unassisted, and nonstop around the world. She baffled her critics, becoming the youngest person to sail solo around Cape Horn, the scariest sailing ground of all. It is no surprise, considering she has been around sailboats her whole life. On January 23rd, 2010, Abby sailed off from Marina Del Ray, determined to achieve her goal.
     This book had some high and low points, one of the highs being the time when her family to a 3 year family cruise. Just them,the Amazing Grace ( their boat) and the long rolling waves of ocean. They sailed around Mexico for three years, lingering at the ports they liked the most. One of the low points of the books was when Abby asked God how long He had been planning her  mast breakdown. Not cool. I also did not enjoy the pride laced throughout the book. Granted, she deserves to have a little pride in what she accomplished, but in this sort of a book, it is hard not to sound prideful even if you're not. I think the book was interesting, but I believe it would've been better had it come out 10 years from now. Overall, I think this book was an interesting book about a courageous 16 year old, and I believe it is a good read for anyone who has sailed before.








P.S. Booksneeze gave me a free copy of this book to review, honestly and in all truthfulness.

Curiosities of the Civil War by Webb Garrison

     Did you know that Abraham Lincoln was the first sitting president exposed to open fire? Or that John Wilkes Booth often rode his one-eyed steed around town? One can find these facts and MANY more are in this interesting book by Webb Garrison. It is chock full of random facts, from dead-horse barricades to hostage situations.. 526 pages overflowing with interesting info. One of the most interesting things in the book was that some Clergyman were the FIERCEST fighters, and rarely were they shot.
   I LOVED this book. Us homeschooled folk thrive on random facts, so this book was like manna from heaven! I loved the effort Webb took to make sure that EVERY fact was short enough to read aloud to people. This for me is important, because I tend to love reading random facts to my family! "Hey mom, did you know that a lot of the wives of soldiers followed the soldiers around rather then stay at their homes?" and then I read her the article :) I don't think there was anything I disliked about the book, however I was concerned a tad bit about the paper. Actually, I wasn't, but I thought I'd mention it. If you rub the books cover or its pages on the outside of the book {like the border, the place that gives you paper-cuts} it kind of wore off, not tear, but kind of "ruffled" the edges. I thought it looked really rustic-y, and I liked it a lot! Overall, I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys reading random facts, and DEFINITELY if you are a history buff.
Sincerely,

 

P.S. Book sneeze gave me this free book to review! Thy did not require that I write a positive book review, only that I give an honest one :)

Book Review: Voices of the Faithful 2 by Beth Moore

      Imagine what a day in the life of a missionary is like. What about a year? What would it be like to witness hundreds of lives being changed,and multiple hearts being healed?What would you do if you could travel to a different part of the world, every day for a year, for less then the cost of a theme park ticket?

      You can do that with Beth Moore's sequel to Voices of the Faithful. 366 new stories, with a different theme for each month. Themes all the way from prayer to hope, and the constant encouragement throughout.

Each day has both a scripture at the beginning, and a prayer at the end. Not to mention the incredible stories!

Incredible, Miraculous stories inscribed on every page! One of the stories that stood out to me is the one on December 25th. So encouraging, and completely edifying! Mission work has always been on my heart, and this book definitely shared experiences of many different missionaries.  I love books like this that have happy endings. Though this book had a few sad stories, they almost always turned out well, and everything written portrayed a purpose. I also liked that all of the royalties of the book were donated to support the International Mission Board. On a more vain note, the book is beautifully designed. I couldn't believe how incredibly striking it was! The font matched the book perfectly :)
   Overall, I loved it! I plan to post more in the future, as I have saved a few of the days for next year :) Great book, and it is 100% worth your money!


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.”