Reading, Writing & Pondering

  Just looking at the cover of The Happy Crab by Layla and Kevin Palmer and Illustrated by Guy Wolek makes me happy. The story inside goes well with the fun and uplifting illustrations. The Happy Crab is the story about an adventurous little hermit crab who is picked up when a young boy finds a beautiful, unbroken shell on the beach and plans to take it home. However, on the way home, the boy discovers the crab. He isn't sure what to do with him so he and his family have a talk about what is best for the crab.  My family just enjoyed The Happy Crab so much. The illustrations are truly delightful. The story is beautiful and is such a good reminder about how sometimes we need to do what is best and put someone else's needs ahead of our own. The Happy Crab is 32 pages long and is written for children ages 3 to 8. I think I would say ages 3 to 100 because it is a delightful story for anyone to read of any age. It would be fun to read aloud with the whole family and it is a good boo

  Do you have little ones that you plan to take out trick or treating for Halloween? Trick or Treat You're So Sweet! is a fun board book for children age three and under.  Trick or Treat You're So Sweet helps little ones imagine outfits that they could wear--and might see on other children to help them better understand the fun of the Halloween holiday. It helps them imagine the candy goodies that they might get as treats. It also gives them something to do along with the reading as there are fun lift-the-flap doors on each page that reveal the child behind the door. All of the pictures are fun and brightly colored, which is appealing to young ones. Also, the children in costumes are all cute--there is nothing scary for little ones to see.  Trick or Treat You're So Sweet! is 16 pages and is nice and sturdy. The door flaps are a thinner cardboard so may need a little care to keep them nice for the long haul. I would also add that this is more of a "see and look" b

    Heiress Emma Grace McMurray has seen greed and some unsavory things related to wealth. She becomes very upset when she finds out that her father has offered her up as a bargaining chip for his expanding wealth. As a result, shortly before she turns 18, she decides she has had enough of it all and runs away. She dons a disguise and becomes a Harvey Girl. A Deep Divide by Kimberley Woodhouse is the first book in her new Secrets of the Canyon series. Emma Grace has been working as a Harvey Girl for five years when she starts working at the El Tovar Hotel by the Grand Canyon. She loves the beauty of her surroundings and she meets people she truly becomes friend with and a man she is attracted to named Ray. I enjoyed Ray and Emma Grace's developing relationship. I thought he seemed real and charming, especially in how awkward he was in talking to her at first.  I also enjoyed her friendships with the staff. This book is a clearly a Christian book with the Christian characters shari

  Meri Newberg is still single. Sigh. She was just a bridesmaid at her friend's wedding and came away with the bouquet--and a 1950s magazine article with a list of "ways to get a husband." Husband Audtions by Angela Ruth Strong is a contemporary romance novel with some fun characters. When Meri's brother's roommate's sees her list, he comes up with a crazy plan for Meri to to the items on the list while he films her and the reactions of the men she tries to catch. Kai Kamaka believes the videos will go viral and he will finally get the dream job he has been wanting. So together Meri and Kai create this fun show. As time goes on, though, Kai and Meri continue with the list but the results aren't exactly what they expected. Husband Auditions was a fun rom-com. Some of the scenarios were pretty fun to read about and did make me chuckle. I also enjoyed the chemistry between Kai and Meri. The the other supporting characters in the book were also well develope

  I think there are a lot of us in this day and age that struggle with sleep at times. Give it to God and Go to Bed by Laura Harris Smith, N. D. looks at sleep struggles from a Christian point of view. Give it to God and Go to Bed helps you look at the issues and struggles that you have that may be stealing your sleep. She encourages you to look at the stressors in your life, your environment at nights, spiritual warfare, your inner voices, struggles with social media, inner spiritual struggles, struggles with other people, and more. Smith is a naturopathic doctor who encourages people to look at all aspects of their lives to have their best health and to live the best that they can for Christ. There are 10 chapters in this book just full of good information. At the end of each chapter, there are questions to ask yourself. She really encourages readers to take the time to answer the questions. Then at the back of the book, she has a 10-day program to help readers make lasting changes

  I find home decorating books to be fun and relaxing to look at. We love the character of older homes so we bought one and have been working on fixing it up and decorating it a bit at a time. Feels Like Home by Marian Parsons is a simply gorgeous book with lots of pictures and encouragement to decorate your own home. In Feels Like Home , Parsons offers a lot of budget-friendly, practical tips for making your home the relaxing place that you want it to be. She has chapters specific to living rooms, kitchens,  dining areas, bedrooms, home offices and work rooms, bathrooms, hallways, laundry rooms and mudrooms. They are a whole lot of gorgeous pictures in this book to inspire you. But the thing I like best about this book is that Parsons truly encourages you to make your home your own. She invites you to find your own style, not just copy hers. At about 300 pages, there is just so many practical home tips in this book, that I believe Feels Like Home would be a great addition to anyone&

  The Healing of Natalie Curtis by Jane Kirkpatrick has a cover that just oozes the songs of the Old West desert. Kirkpatrick's words also are beautifully written with a rhythm that drew me in to this tale.  Natalie Curtis is a classically trained pianist and singer who has lost her joy of song due to some health issues and struggles. In 1902, her brother George invites Natalie to come back with him to the West. George lived out there for a few years and was healed of his asthma and he wants good things for Natalie too. Natalie not only enjoys the Old West but she finds a purpose for her life and both her joy and song return. I have been meaning to read a Jane Kirkpatrick book for a long time. I am so glad that I did. I enjoyed Natalie's story, which is based on a true story. I could relate to some of Natalie's struggles. I also really felt for the Native Americans and the way they were treated. I didn't feel like there was a lot of Christian content but this was a goo

  Since You've Been Gone by Tari Faris is the third book in the Restoring Heritage series. However, I will share up front that this is the first book that I have read in the series. . .and now I want to read them all! I know I may have missed a few things because I haven't read the first two books, but Since You've Been Gone was still an enjoyable read for me. I really liked the main characters. Leah Williams is ready to try again to run a successful business. Jonathon Kensington is back in town with his sister Abbey. He is wearing the hats of business owner and guardian to his sister after his parents passed away. Colby Marc is taking a break from his music career. Madison Westmore is in town to remodel and sell the house that her dad owned until he recently passed away.  I enjoyed getting to know each of these characters and the secondary characters in Since You've Been Gone . The plot was interesting although I expected the happy ending that I got. Sometimes you just

    I don't know about you, but my days go much better when I start off with my devotional for the day. Strength for Each Day by Joyce Myer is a daily devotional with a year's worth of devotions. Each day starts off with a Bible verse, includes a reading written by Joyce Meyer, and concludes with a short prayer. Strength For Each Day is a small book that would be easy to carry with you in your purse or book bag to read any time of day if you don't have time in the morning. It measures about 5 by 7 inches. The cover has pretty flowers on it, as you can see, but each page also is decorated with a floral background. In the brief introduction, Meyer encourages readers to read each devotional slowly, to think about what they read, and to consider how they can apply it to their own life. There are a variety of topics in the readings: gratitude, self-care, kindness, honesty, peace, and wisdom among many other topics. I think Meyer is so easy to relate to in her writing and this

    Is your life hectic? Do you long to slow down and be still? Some days we just have too much noise and anxiety in this day and age. Instead of focusing on all the hard things, get a copy of Stilte: The Dutch Art of Quietude by Marjam Van Der Vegt and learn to slow down. Stilte is a little book measuring 6.25 inches square with a Delft-looking cover. Even though it is small, this book has a lot of great information and encouragement in it for living life that is both slower and more focused on the world that God made around us. The book is divided in to four parts: Silence as a Basis, Silence in Motion, Silence by Concentration and Contemplation, and Silence through a change of Scenery.Within these four sections there are forty "keys" to practice to learn to better be still and to grow as a person and as a Christian. Each key has an explanation for what it is and what to do to better learn the key. Some of them have some great practical exercises to help you learn and gro

The Lines Between Us by Amy Lynn Green is a historical novel based on World War 2. However, this book isn't like any other World War 2 novel that I have read.  Gordon Hooper and Jack Armitage stuck to their values as conscientious objectors and fight fires in the Pacific Northwest. Jack's Sister, Dorie Armitage, is a member of the Women's Army Corps. While working as a smoke jumper, Jack is badly injured. Dorie takes leave and investigates the accident to see what really happened. Before this time, Jack and Dorie were at odds with one another as they held opposite positions regarding the war.  Green based The Lines Between Us on the true stories of men and women who had these roles in the war. This book has both history and a mystery. I thought The Lines Between Us was interesting. I learned a lot about some history that I hadn't heard about before. I also thought there were some parallels to American culture today as families quarreled over opposing views during th