Reading, Writing & Pondering

  Are you someone who likes to entertain at home? If you're like me, your answer is probably, not really. Gather and Give: Sharing God's Heart Through Everyday Hospitality by Amy Hannon offers a lot of wonderful encouragement and advice from the author. If you want to entertain more but aren't sure where to start this book may help you. Hannon talks about how to offer up your home with whatever you have to offer. The book starts out with an introduction and then is divided into three parts: Understanding Hospitality is the first section. In this section, I learned that hospitality isn't really an option if you believe the Bible. . .Rather it is a command. Hannon talks about that command and how she came to write this book to encourage readers to gather more. She says we can all do it well--and doing it perfectly just isn't necessary. Just because she has a restaurant, is a pastor's wife and all doesn't mean she is better at it than anyone else, she says. We...

  Preston Whittaker walked away from his famous and affluent family several years ago. Now he feels he must go back as his father and brother have passed away. Was it an accident or were they targeted somehow? Whittaker aims to find out--and finds himself in danger. He hires Laila Rabbinowitz from the Elite Guardians as a bodyguard.  In Defending Honor, Lynette Eason and Kelly Underwood write a truly suspenseful story full of twists and turns. There are also suspects all over the place. I was a long way into the book before I narrowed down my list to the actual killer. There was a lot of mystery to this book.  I also enjoyed the romance that developed between Preston and Laila. . .They had some good talks and I liked that they worked on communication between them even though they did have some misunderstandings. I also felt the attraction and the chemistry. I also enjoyed that there were bits of humor interspersed within this relationship. I especially loved Laila's intro...

  I will admit the cover of Dangerous Beauty by Melissa Koslin really caught my eye. I also read and enjoyed her first book and was looking forward to this one too. It did not disapoint! Dangerous Beauty starts out with Lilliana Vela escaping from the hands of human traffickers. She does not like the term victim and she tries to uphold her strength and resolve to live a better life throughout the book. I admired her and I also admired her for her faith that she hold fast to as she struggled to overcome her past and those who hurt her and her family.  Meric Toledan came to Liliana's rescue. He was a bit more difficult to like at first but he grew on me as the book went on. I understand why he need to keep secrets although it was frustrating in some places early on when he was so reserved and quiet. There was a lot of action and suspense in Dangerous Beauty. It is a book that will keep you turning pages. I thought Koslin did a good job with the story as a whole. I liked the e...

  Joyce Meyer has a new devotional out, Daily Devotions from the Psalms . I always appreciate Meyer's books because they are so down-to-earth, easy to read and easy to relate to. Meyer always seems to put herself on the same level as her readers--she doesn't talk down to anyone.  Daily Devotions from the Psalms is a small book, measuring a little over 5 by 7 inches. That is a great size to stick in your purse, backpack or brief case for a quick read when you need some encouragement to keep living the Christian life. This book has 365 devotions in it and they cover a broad range of topics that most Christians deal with on a day to day basis--stress, worry, waiting, finding peace, anger, and so much more. Each reading starts with a Bible verse, then a short devotional written by Meyer and ending with a short prayer.  There is a short introduction in the beginning of Daily Devotions from the Psalms . You could read this book every day, you could pick and choose your reading...

  Your Greater is Coming is Joel Osteen's latest book. In this book, he reminds readers to keep looking ahead for good things and God isn't finished with your story. I always appreciate Osteen's positivity when I get down on myself or life. I honestly think there are times, we just need this sort of positivity. Your Greater is Coming offers a mix of positive Bible stories with other uplifting stories from Osteen's life and other people in the world today. If you have read Osteen's books before, he does share a couple of stories that he has shared in past books. If you are new to his books, then these stories are good ones to encourage you to look ahead and look to God. Your Greater Is Coming offers positivity but I don't really think it is over the top. He encourages to you to wait in the hard times, to have faith and to keep hopeful. He talks about all people going through hard times and places of suffering, but he encourages readers to not get stuck there. I...

    Are you in a place of heartache and looking for hope? Kayla Stoecklein became an unexpected widow when her husband, Andrew, who was also the pastor of their large church in California, committed suicide. Unexpectedly, Kayla became a widow and a single mom to three young boys.  In Rebuilding Beautifu l, Kayla shares her difficult journey to help others find hope and healing—and to learn to dream again. I felt this book was a good balance between learning to grow through the pain and healing from trauma, to learning to really live again in the aftermath. It is a book that could offer hope to many women who have gone through some really difficult times and a reminder that God cares for each of us in the midst of challenges. From TLC Book Tours:  In  Rebuilding Beautiful , Kayla shares the life experiences that have turned into lessons, including acknowledging the pain; making the choice to start healing; finding courage in uncertainty; embracing God’s ...

  Where the Blue Sky Begins by Katie Powner will make you laugh and also may leave you in tears so keep a tissue box handy. Powner is a rich storyteller who leaves me feeling as though I am in the story with the characters, living and feeling things right along with them. Through the characters in this book, readers will also be asking themselves the question, "What matters most when the end is near?" In Where the Blue Sky Begins , she tells the story of Eric Larson, who is sent to his Uncle's financial company in rural Montana to work for the summer. Eric is in his early 30s, strong and handsome, eats only healthy foods and drinks the best coffee as he is from the big city, Seattle. Now, his summer rental house is next to Eunice Parker--with whom he had a literal run-in with when first he came to town, before he knew she was his neighbor. Even though she is only in her 40s, Eunice his a terminal illness, with little time left to reach out to a list of people to talk to ...

  Are you looking for a fun activity to do for Advent with your little ones? The Press-out-and-play book, My Advent Nativity by Tama Fortner and illustrated by Keith Allen, is such a wonderful idea for Advent with small children. Small children are curious and love to touch as they learn. With the new board book, My Advent Nativity, little children, about ages three to seven, can press out pieces of the nativity each day of Advent until Christmas and they have a whole pressed-out creche set.  My Advent Nativity Press-out-and-play book is a great idea for little children. It gives them something to look forward to, it helps them use their skills to press out the pieces, and it helps them to have their own nativity set. If you have a special set that you would rather not have children touch, as my mom did, then you could direct them to their own set that they can touch. At the same time, they are learning the true meaning of Christmas and hearing the Christmas story in bite-size...

  Are you a fan of Precious Moments? If so, there is a new book for young children out, Precious Moments Little Book of Angels by Jean Fischer. This sweetly illustrated board book is aimed at children under four years old. It is a 32-page board book measuring roughly 7 by 5 inches. It is a great size for little hands to turn the thick pages themselves. Precious Moments Little Book of Angels is a mix of Scripture verses, gentle poems and reminders of God's protection through angels throughout life. Each page is illustrated with beautiful Precious Moments pictures. I like that the illustrations are inclusive of children of all colors. It would be a lovely baby gift as an early contribution to baby's own home library. I received a copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions within this review are my own.

  Are you children fans of VeggieTales? Mine sure were. Now, VeggieTales God's Word for Me: 365 Devos for Boys and 365 Devos for Girls are available. These devotional books include short devotions for boys and girls ages four to eight.  Each version of God's Word for Me measures about 5 by 7 inches. They are a good size to carry along in a backpack or book bag as well as fitting nicely on a nightstand. Each book has 365 devotional readings that include a Bible verse, a short reading, a though of the day and a short prayer. The pages are colorfully illustrated with Veggietales too.  I know my son would have enjoyed these readings when he was young. He had a hard time sitting still and he liked Veggietales. This would have been a good book for him as the readings are short. They also are somewhat interactive as the thought of the day is often a question or something to do. This Veggietale devotional is something we may have also used before homeschooling or before bed. I t...

    The Inkwell Chronicles is a new series for Middle Grade readers from J. D. Peabody. The first book in the series is called The Ink of Elspet. The Ink of Elspet features 11-year old, Everett and his little sister, Bea, who are left with a big mystery after their father is in a train crash in London. They receive a mysterious pen and magic ink that help them as  they face enemies and danger searching for their father. The Ink of Elspet is a great adventure book for middle-grade readers that focuses on the struggles between good and evil. There is a lot of magic, interesting creatures and adventure to keep tweens turning the pages. I think it is one many kids who enjoy fantasy and magic would enjoy. I received a copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions within this review are my own.