Book Give-Away

Just a notice to let you know that I'll be hosting several blog give-aways here in the very near future. My pile of books is starting to get crazy big and my husband might be complaining. =) So I decided to let my fellow readers benefit and give them away in contests and give-aways.

Let your friends know by sharing or tweeting each contest!

Danburgh Castle

Danburgh Castle

Catherine Chapman

Emma has just lost her husband. Newly married and pregnant, she now finds her self destitute and back living with her family. But rescue comes in the form of Lord Robert, a new widower himself, who hires her to be a wet nurse for his son.

This story was not what I was expecting. For one thing it was incredibly short. It also lacked depth. This might be, in part, due to the lack of length in the story. I enjoyed the story, but it felt hurried. There was so much that could have been done with this plot and instead it was rushed and cheapened. The ending especially felt very rushed and poorly done.

I received this book free of charge in exchange for my honest review.

Spy in a Little Black Dress

Spy in a Little Black Dress

Maxine Kenneth

 

 Jackie is on the run in yet another country. She works for the CIA and often this means her life is in danger. Her boss sent her to Cuba to see if a new upstart, Fidel Castro, is going to be a detriment to the USA. But once there she is involved in solving a treasure map and rescuing a new friend. 

The cast of famous characters is endless. The plot is twisted and exciting. The premise for this book was not something I'd imagined, but it was easy to believe. It was a lot of fun to follow the author as she wove the story through history and explained some of what happened before Kennedy took office. A delightful story that will amuse and entertain even those who aren't into history.

I received this book from Hachette Book Group in exchange for my honest review.

Natural Weight Loss

The Diet Dropout's Guide to Natural Weight Loss

Find Your Easiest Path to Naturally Thin

Stan Spencer

Are you sick of dieting? Have you tried everything and nothing is working? Dr. Spencer tackles the age old dieting questions with a simple and yet amazingly effective way to naturally loose weight.

In my opinion, diet books are tedious, boring, and too full of useless information.

But thankfully this book doesn't follow the norm. The instructions are easy to follow and simplistic and yet very effective. All of the information is given in ten easy to read chapters. Following the chapters are recipes and worksheets that will help implement this lifestyle change.

I will definitely be recommending this book to anyone wanting to lose weight.

I received this book free of charge from Goodreads in exchange for my honest review.

Biblical Books of Wisdom

Biblical Books of Wisdom

A Study of Proverbs, Job, Ecclesiastes, and Other Wisdom Literature in the Bible

James Efird

 The title explains the book well. Each chapter deals with how to cope with different situations in life. Pulling from the three books mentioned  in the title and a couple of other books it tells the reader how to deal with tragedy, but also normal, everyday life.

The book was easy to read and very informative. My only complaint would be the tiny print. It made reading the book difficult if done for more than a few minutes. Otherwise this is definitely a book I would recommend reading.

I received this book free of charge from WIPF in exchange for my honest review.

Paw Prints in the Moonlight

Paw Prints in the Moonlight

Denis O'Connor

Denis  returns home from work to find a mother cat in a trap. What follows the rescue is a mad dash to the vet to try to save the mother and her kittens. Only one kitten survives and it takes a fight from both kitty and Denis. Kitty earns the name of Toby Jug and soon becomes the author's most beloved companion.

I enjoyed this story. It was sweet and heartwarming. There weren't any big surprises and gripping plots, just a feel good story about the love he found for his little friend. It's a story that my son will enjoy as much as I did.

I received this book free of charge from Goodreads in exchange for my honest review.

Autumn Changes

Autumn Changes

Season of Cherryvale Book Two

Beverly Nault

 Grace and Maggie are best friends with too many irons in the fire. A surprise visitor or two, a romance to help along and parties to plan keep these two ladies hopping. But they will be reminded that God is in control and they can't be the catalyst for everything in town.

This is the first book in the series that I read and I'll admit to quite a bit of confusion. There were quite a few characters and stories to try to keep track of. But despite this I loved the story. The writer has the gift of capturing the feelings of love and community and drawing the reader in. I will definitely have to check out the previous books.

I received this book free of charge in exchange for my honest review.

Hearts Unlocked

Hearts Unlocked

A Cherryvale Thanksgiving Romance

Beverly Nault

Stephanie has defiled her family to live the life of her dreams. Helping other people is what she is made for. But sometimes dreams can be difficult to endure and even harder to understand. When Brandon, a movie star, enters the picture, Stephanie isn't quite sure what to do with him.

Hearts Unlocked is a novella that fits between books in the Season of Cherryvale novels. It's a bit shorter, but doesn't feel rushed or incomplete. I enjoyed the story and appreciated the Christian aspects in the writing. It felt a bit like YA at times, but this didn't detract from my enjoyment. While this book is sort of part of a series, it can definitely be read as a stand alone.

I received this book free of charge in exchange for my honest review.

Cracking the Dating Code

Cracking the Dating Code

Kelly Hunter

Poppy, a highly intelligent, code-cracker, needs a private place to crack a code. It MIGHT be slightly illegal, hence her need for secrecy. When a friend offers the use of his private island she accepts. But fear of water and talking to new people are just the beginning of her problems when she takes a boat out to this island.

I enjoyed this story. It was cute, fun and entertaining. While very predictable, it did have a few angles that were a bit different. It is the second book featuring Poppy's family and I would recommend reading the first. I felt just a bit lost a couple of times when people and situations were mentioned. But this book is definitely stand alone.

I received this book free of charge from Goodreads in exchange for my honest review.

Test of Faith

Test of Faith

Spiritual Journeys with Scientists

Ruth Bancewicz

J.I. Packer

Many people believe that science and faith are not compatible. If you believe in God than science is a myth and the reverse. Test of Faith shares ten scientists thoughts on how God created science, therefore it is very compatible.

I didn't choose this book to review. Science has never been my thing. But since I was sent the book I figured I'd check it out. Science STILL isn't my thing. I could barely make it though the book. It is very well written and easy to understand. My complaint would be only that it bored me to tears. But for the science lover who wants to learn how to link God and science, it will be a great book.

I received this book free of charge from WIPF in exchange for my honest review.

Apology

I want to apologize to all of the authors who are waiting on a book review from me. Not only has life been super, crazy busy this fall, but my kindle has decided it wants to die. I won't bore you with the details, but it's more likely not to work than work. So again I am sorry and will eventually get to all of my mobi and pdf books. The print books do not require batteries and technology so are being reviewed on schedule as much as possible.

Thank you for your patience!

Small Plates & Sweet Treats

Small Plates & Sweet Treats

My Family's Journey to gluten-free cooking

Aran Goyoaga

Becoming gluten-free can be scary and intimidating. Small Plates begins with a story and beautiful pictures that tell the story of the author and how she came to write the cookbook.

By dividing up the book into seasons Goyoaga uses fresh foods that are in season to create healthy, filling meals that just happen to be gluten-free as well. When it comes to food, I'm told that presentation is half of it, and the pictures create a gorgeous presentation. The book is well laid out with a recipe on one side and a picture on the other. 

I have several friends who are eating gluten-free and I know they would love this book as a gift.

I received this book free of charge from Goodreads in exchange for my honest review.

A Season for Tending

A Season for Tending

Cindy Woodsmall

Rhoda has an unusual gift. But very few people in her community appreciate her gift and she is feeling trapped and unappreciated.  Samuel is trying desperately to save the family apple farm. But family and nature seem to be against him. Perhaps the two of them can combine efforts to save their businesses.

I enjoyed this book. There were enough plot twists and character depth to keep the story moving and interesting. This story wasn't just about Rhoda and Samuel. It involved all of their families and is told in such a way that captures the reader's attention. I wanted to know what was going to happen to each one of them. I think my only complaint would be the ending of the story. The book is clearly setting up for book two in the trilogy. It didn't so much end as it just abruptly stopped. I didn't feel that any of the issues were resolved or any of the little life stories completed. I'm sure this will be resolved in the next book, but was a bit frustrating to me.

I received this book free of charge from WaterBrook in exchange for my honest review.

Architecture Laid Bare

Architecture Laid Bare!

In Shades of Green

Robert Brown Butler

Do you want to build your own home? Make your current home more "green"? Are you confused about structures, tools and basics about architecture? This book has it all. A comprehensive book that covers all of the basics in simple, easy to understand language. There are numerous drawings throughout the book. Each chapter is detailed without leaving the reader overwhelmed.

I must be honest - I'm not a builder or an architect. I have almost no idea about anything involving my home. But as I read through this book I was amazed at how much I grasped and how easy it was to understand. It's definitely a technical book, but the concepts explained so thoroughly that I could understand the majority of what I was reading. I also really liked the green element that was added to the basic architecture part of the book.

I received this book free of charge in exchange for my honest review.

Thought I Knew You

Thought I Knew You

Kate Moretti

 Claire is lost and confused when her husband Greg doesn't return from a business trip. As the months go by she realizes that she may not have know as much about her husband as she thought she did. Is her husband missing or did he choose to disappear?

A gripping first chapter and high emotions start this book off on a good foot. The excellent writing continue as the main character searches for her husband. There were places where the story lagged a bit, but overall I felt the story was paced well. The characters were real and engaging. This is definitely a fun and entertaining read. It has a bit of mystery, suspense, and romance. Can't wait to read more by this author.

Check out the blog tour for this book and read the other reviews.

I received this book free of charge from Red Adept Publishing in exchange for my honest review.

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/0510ed3/" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Marriage Trap

The Marriage Trap

Jennifer Probst

Michael needs to find a fake fiance - fast. His family's tradition states that he must marry before his younger sister can marry. She is now engaged and threatening to elope. He turns to the one woman who he knows will not expect him to marry her. She doesn't even like him. But she agrees in exchange for a favor. But in Italy all bets are off and feelings may change.

The Marriage Trap is a follow up to the Marriage Bargain although both books are stand alone. I really enjoyed the first book, but I'll have to say that this one is my favorite. The characters were fun and the tension between them was romantic and fit the story well. The strong sense of family made this book sweet and heartwarming. I can't wait to see what Probst does with the third book. I'll definitely be reading it as soon as it comes out.

I received this book free of charge from BWR in exchange for my honest review.

The Story Shell

The Story Shell

Friendship Bog Series 2

Gloria Repp

Gaffer's story shell has disappeared. It's Gaffer's birthday and it just won't be the same without his story shell. So little Pibbin needs to find the shell and save the birthday. But complications keep making his mission more difficult.

Children will love this story. The cute little characters, simple drawings and smooth flowing story will keep them entertained and engaged. The website on the back of the book allows for more interaction from the readers. My children are almost 4 and 6 years old. Both children, as well as myself, enjoyed the story. My eldest enjoyed looking at the website and learning more about the frogs. As a parent, I enjoyed the message of the story. You can be brave and accomplish big things even if you are small.

I received this book free of charge from the author in exchange for my honest review.

Kindle Buffet

Kindle Buffet

 Steve Weber

Part of the title on the book is also "Find and download the best free books, magazines and newspapers for your Kindle, iPhone, iPad or Android" This explains the book very well.  It is an amazing resource for finding free books. The book is oversize and easy to understand. It is full of step by step instructions, graphics and pictures to help explain the steps.

I learned quite a bit from this small book (only 53 pages) and will definitely be recommending it to anyone who enjoys ebooks.

I received this book free of charge from Goodreads in exchange for my honest review.

X0

X0

Sherrie Cronin

 Lola is a geophysicist living in the US. Somadina is a young married woman living in Nigeria. They are brought together by a connection that the rest of us do not comprehend. Being able to talk to someone and experience their emotions while countries away is not the average gift. These two women come together to help each other.

Science fiction and fantasy are not my favorite genres. There are few books that can grab me in either of these styles. Since this book was a mixture of both I was a bit skeptical. Also the mention that it was an interactive book threw me a bit. First I never noticed where I was supposed to interact. Perhaps my kindle isn't updated enough or this was left out of my version.

The research seemed to be very thorough. The characters were believable and very well written. But I just couldn't connect with the book. Perhaps if the subject matter had been different I might have connected better. If you are a science fiction or fantasy fan, or would love to read about the oil industry, or about Nigeria you will probably really enjoy this book. It just wasn't for me.

I received this book free of charge in exchange for my honest review.