Reading, Writing & Pondering

  Three sisters are on the run. Laura, Jilly, and Michelle are all running away from their step-father. They thought he was a good man before their mother married him, then they found out he was a cruel man. He also planned to marry the girls off to other cruel men.  In The Element of Love by Mary Connealy, Laura and her sisters leave with an elaborate plan to get away as fast as they can and go as far away as they can. The goal was for each of them to get married and then come back to claim their inheritance in part of the lumber empire their father left them. The Element of Love mainly tells Laura's story.  I enjoyed the sisters and the adventures throughout The Element of Love . I also enjoyed how they each took so much time to reflect on their next move and also to pray about each step they took. It was a different book than I usually read but I have not read a Marry Connealy book before. This is clearly Christian fiction as the girls connect with a group of missiona...

  I think a lot of us are facing or have face some real life challenges in the past couple of years along with the pandemic. Aggressively Happy by Joy Marie Clarkson sounded like just the book that I needed to help me see things differently--and it doesn't disappoint.  In Agressively Happy , Clarkson shares stories of both joy and sadness from her own life. She also shares stories from the Bible and other prominent Christians from years past as this is a Christian based book. Each chapter reads like you are visiting with an old friend. Then in between the chapters, Clarkson has pages that list ideas for you to read, to watch and to ponder. I especially liked those pages and the recommendations that she made. Some of them I was familiar with and some of them made me curious enough to check them out. I would recommend this book to both new Christians and those who have been following Christ for awhile. There is something to learned for nearly everyone in Aggressively Happy . ...

    Are you a fan of World War 2 history? If you are, I encourage you to read Sarah Sundin's historical fiction if you haven't read her books yet. Until Leaves Fall in Paris by Sarah Sundin is her second book in this series following When Twilight Breaks. I think they are better as a series but it can also stand alone. In Until Leaves Fall in Paris, Lucie Girard is a ballet dancer with the Paris Ballet and then the Nazi's march toward Paris. When her Jewish friends feel that they must escape she buys their English-language bookstore and continues to run it. When the Germans make it difficult for her to keep the bookstore afloat, she works with the resistance passing secret messages through books.  Through the bookstore, Lucie meets Paul Aubrey, a widower, who brings his little girl to the bookstore. Paul is an American who chose to stay in Paris and keep his factory running while passing German information along to the Americans.  I enjoyed Lucie and Paul's story. Th...

    Super You! by Anne Kennedy Brady is a brightly colored, fun children's board book for toddlers. This 24-page board book measures seven inches square. The thick cardboard pages make it easy to toddler to look at on their own.  The words in Super You! are fun and uplifting for little ones. The prose has great rhymes and it is a fun book to read out loud. At the same time, there are some large words in this book that may be difficult for little ones to read yet on their own.  I especially like how Super You! invites kids to be the hero in their own lives. Children can learn to be kind and care for others. Even when they make mistakes, they can be a hero and do the right thing. I think this theme of love and compassion for others is the best part of the book as well as the rhyming way it is presented. I received a copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions within this review are my own.

  I don't know many of us that aren't facing challenges in these days and times. One things I can always count on is that Joel Osteen will help me get my mind going in the right direction. Rule Your Day is a great book to remind yourself that you don't have to give way to negative thoughts. Instead, Rule Your Day encourages readers to rule their attitude and thoughts each day when they get up in the morning. Rule Your Day is a fairly small book that is a quick read. However, Osteen offers easy to follow and understand advice for keeping your mind on the things that help you look towards God and serving Him each day. Each chapter in this book offers some advice, Bible verses and stories from Osteen's life that relate to each point he is making. If you are struggling to see the good in a situation or in each day, I encourage you to pick this book up and to begin applying the principles in it. It is a good pep talk for any Christian who needs one. I received a copy of t...

  Good Morning, Little One by Amy Kavelaris is just simply a gorgeous children's book. This is a large book at about 10 inches square with a dust jacket and is 32 pages long. The author also illustrated the book and I just love the sweet pictures with the rhyming prose. Good Morning, Little One is written to remind four to eight year olds that God is with them throughout the whole day. For the animal lovers, the illustrations are just lovely. And the book looks perfect for spring and Easter baskets. It is a nice book to have for your own family and a nice book to give as a gift. Based on Bible verses, the book is written to remind young children that God is watching over them and they are safe in His care. I received a copy of this book from the publisher through JustRead Tours. All opinions within this review are my own.

  The Rooted Life by Justin Rhodes is a gorgeous book that could be truly inspiring for those who want to grow their own food and live a more sustainable lifestyle that is connected to the land. The Rooted Life is full of color photos that show beautiful pictures of gardens, chickens, egs, harvesting produce and time spent together as a family enjoying the land. I wasn't familiar with this author before this book but he teaches people to grow their own food through a YouTube channel and his own streaming platform called Abundance. Some of this information may be from those platforms but it is all new to me through this book. If you are new to gardening and raising chickens, there is a lot of step-by-step instructions along with the pictures in this book. There is also a chapter with recipes using garden produce, chicken and/or eggs in them. Everything is up-to-date and helpful for life in our world today. There is also an appendix in the back that shows how much space to leave in ...

  Beautiful Wisdom Daily Devotions is a lovely devotional both inside and out. The cover is gorgeous and each page has a pretty decorations of butterflies and flowers around the edges. There is also a ribbon marker. There are 365 devotions in this book, which is more than one for every day of the year. You can start the book at any time of the year. Topics include: Mondays, Bitterness, Thankfulness, Saying Good Things and Forgiveness, among many other topics. Each day's reading includes a Scripture verse from the New Life Bible Translation, a short reading on the day's topic, and a short prayer. Beautiful Wisdom would make a nice gift because it is so pretty. It would also be nice for yourself as it is small enough to fit in your purse or book bag quite easily if you want to read on the go or when you have time. I received a copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions within this review are my own.

    One Word For Today from Chosen books is a 90-day devotional with short devotions. But this book is short but "not a quick snack, but a meal to savor throughout your day." Each of the 90 readings is focused on a topic such as wisdom, joy, comfort, and light. Each one includes a Bible verse, a short reading, something to think about and reflect on throughout the day, a prayer, a declaration sentence and an idea of how to put the reading in practice that day.  I like these short readings in One Word for Today because they are indeed meaty. They offer me something to think about, reflect and do each day. I can read it fairly fast in the morning but I do like to reflect on the reading and prompts throughout the day. I would recommend One Word for Today for anyone wanting a new devotional and it would make a nice gift too. I received a copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions within this review are my own.

  Are you looking for a new book with a fresh look at the resurrection of Jesus? If The Tomb is Empty: Why the Resurrection Means Anything Is Possible by Joby Martin with Charles Martin recently released. This book is easy to read and understand and yet it is full of thoughtful wisdom and Biblical guidance.  If The Tomb Is Empty starts with a forward written by Tim Tebow where he shares why he feels this is such an important book. Then the book begins with a prologue. In the prologue, he shares more about what the book will be about and asks several questions for the reader to reflect on. I think the most thought-provoking for me is, "Do you live every day of your life as if the tomb is empty. . .or as though Jesus is still hanging on that cross?" Joby says that if you believe the tomb is empty at Calvary, it shoud change how you answer that question along with the others he asks. Each chapter after the prologue in If the Tomb is Empty focuses on a Mountain: Moriah, Sinai...

  Dr. Ivy Collins is one driven lady. She is the head of a company and close to a breakthrough after years of hard work and research. Then one day she finds herself in a terrible position with some pretty awful people holding her hostage. Can she get out? If she does, how can she keep working on the project? U S Secret Service Agent Gil Dixon may be able to help her. Can he save her? Can he help her solve her work problems too? Malicious Intent starts out making my reader-heart pound and Lynn H. Blackburn doesn't give my heart much rest until the end of the book. This is romantic suspense series is one that I have really enjoyed. I like the characters. I like how they are real but also share their faith. I like the action. I like the romance. I think the cover is eye catching and works well for the book. Malicious Intent is the second book in the Defend and Protect series. I can't wait for the next book, which I hope is Zane and Tessa's story. I received a copy of this book...