Maybe It's You

Maybe It's You

Crisis Team #3

Candace Calvert

 Sloane has left her past behind when she moved to Los Angeles. She even went so far as to change her last name. But in trying to help a young girl, she is noticed by the PR Manager for the hospital. He's looking for a face for Hope Hospital and thinks that Sloane would be the perfect candidate. But Sloane is doing everything to avoid the spotlight. Her conception of Micah didn't get off to a great start, but maybe learning that he's also a volunteer crisis responder will change her mind.

While this book is in a series, I do think it could be read as a stand-alone. I somehow missed book #2 and was still able to jump right in to this story without feeling like I was missing a piece. I enjoy the laid back writing style and the character depth that the plot had. The author gave enough background and information to make the main characters intriguing. There was a bit of mystery and intrigue combined with the romance of the story. I always enjoy medical drama and was a tiny bit disappointed that there wasn't more medical jargon, but appreciate the author thinking of the non-medical readers. Overall, this was a fun story that I read quickly and enjoyed.

I received a copy of this book from Tyndale. All thoughts expressed are my own.

If You Were Me and Lived in. . .

If You Were Me and Lived in. . .

Germany

Carole P. Roman

Two German children take the young reader on a tour of their beautiful country. Children will learn about games, food, and family. Bright, colorful illustrations help tell the story and bring life to the page. Each book in the series follows the same pattern and helps children learn more about the country while enjoying the information in story form. At the back of the book is a glossary for any words that might be unfamiliar.

The author has done a great job of presenting the facts in a fun and enjoyable format. My children love these books and look forward to reading each one as they come out. The book would make the perfect edition to a school library or as an addition to a home school curriculum. I would definitely recommend this book or any other in the series.

I received a copy of this book. All thoughts expressed are my own.

Friendship Coloring Book

Friendship Coloring Book

Suzy Toronto

 

The artist who designed this book is a self-proclaimed “wacky” person and revels in her uniqueness.  This book is all about friendships, but you can definitely see the author’s quirkiness coming through in the coloring pages. The book begins with some thoughts from the author, a few of the pages she’s colored herself, and some instructions on how to make each page your own. She shares full color pages of how she colored each page. The coloring pages begin with the left side almost completely blank. There is a quote in light print and a few small lines should you want to write something. The right side is the color page.

I love the uniqueness of this book. It’s not like most of the adult coloring books out there and that is a good thing. I also really liked the quotes on every page and the space for writing should the mood strike. This book would make an excellent gift, but be sure to get yourself a copy as well.

I received a copy of this book from Fox Chapel Publishing. All thoughts expressed are my own.

Sandpiper Cove

Sandpiper Cove

Hope Harbor #3

Irene Hannon

 Lexie returned home after the death of her husband. She manages to hold the job of police chief and raise her son as a single mom. She's not remotely interested in dating again. Right now all she wants is to catch the person or persons responsible for the vandalism that has been happening in her small town. When Adam, a man with a criminal past, becomes one of the victims of vandalism, Lexie enlists his help to catch the people. She doesn't expect a friendship to grow.

I've always been a fan of the suspense novels by this author. But I'm really, really enjoying this series by her. The stories have heart. They can definitely be read as stand-alone, but I have enjoyed each book and recommend starting at the beginning. The characters are quirky, funny, authentic, and heartwarming. The author does a wonderful job of giving them depth and making them come alive. Her writing style makes me feel like I'm in the small town and I know the residences. The elements of faith, the importance of family, the sweetness of romance all come together to create a beautiful story. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and can't wait for the next one.

I received a copy of this book from Revell Reads. All thoughts expressed are my own.

An Afffair in Winter

An Afffair in Winter

Season #1

Jess Michaels

 

Rosa Wilde is on the way to meet up with her sister when weather stands her at a local inn. There she spends the night in the company of a man that she knows only as Mr. Gray. Imagine her surprise to arrive at the estate where her sister is about to get married and find that he's the brother of her sister's fiance. And he doesn't want the two to get married. 

This book was a mixed bag for me. I liked the two main characters and quite a few of the secondary characters. I think the author did a great job of grabbing my interest with them. The story was a quick read that I was able to enjoy in one afternoon. There were some sweet and heartfelt moments throughout the book and I liked the way the author showcased the closeness in some families. I wasn't as fond of the plot, it was very obvious what the outcome would be from the very beginning. The element of mystery wasn't really there for me. And I felt like the bedroom scenes were a distraction rather than a plus in the story. I skipped over most of them to get to the interesting sections. The chemistry between the characters just wasn't there. I liked them individually, just not together. This was my first book by this author and since I enjoy the genre so much, I'm definitely willing to give her another shot.

I received a copy of this book. All thoughts expressed are my own.

Vera Bradley

Vera Bradley Floral Patterns Coloring Book

Unless you are living under a rock, you've noticed the adult coloring books rise in popularity. With so many of them out there, it's hard to know which one to pick. I enjoy coloring in these books, so I've been reviewing all different kinds to find the best ones.

This is one of those "best ones". The binding and cover are thick, yet bendable so the book can be opened to color. The pages are of thick cardstock style paper that makes bleed through impossible. I didn't even have any ghosting when I used markers. The first few pages consist of an introduction, suggestions, information on the various markers or pens to use, coloring techniques, and more. The coloring pages are of the various flower patterns that Vera Bradley has used. About half of the pages have flower quotes on them, in addition to the colors. At the back of the book are some note cards and gift tags that can be colored as well. In the beginning of the book are a few suggestions on how to use these. Overall this was a beautiful book that I've really enjoyed using. While this would make an excellent gift, I recommend getting two. You won't want to part with it.

I received a copy of this book from Fox Chapel Publishing. All thoughts expressed are my own.

Dinner

Dinner: Changing the Game

Melissa Clark

Each recipe is designed to make dinner a wonderful celebration of food and is intended to become a family classic. Each recipe is for dinner and can be a stand alone dish with perhaps a salad or some bread added. The author wanted to change the game and make meals easy and fun again. More than 200 recipes fill this large cookbook. Full page photographs add appeal as well. 

The recipes are well laid out and easy to read. All of the ingredients are easily obtainable. The average recipe contains 4-5 steps of instructions. The author also included some of her thoughts on the recipe at the beginning of each one. This adds an authentic and personal feel that I enjoyed. The book is very large, but lays flat on my counter for easy use. This is a cookbook that I will be keeping and adding to my shelf. But it would also make an excellent gift for the cook in your family.

I received a copy of this book from Blogging for Books. All thoughts expressed are my own.