Camels

Camels

Melissa Gish

Have you ever wondered why some camels have two humps and some camels have only one hump? And what exactly are those humps used for? Large, bright photographs on every page capture a child's attention from the very beginning. But each page is also filled with tons of informative facts about all of the different types of camels and how they live. Children and adults alike will enjoy reading about all of the different ways camels have to conserve water or about the history of the wild camels still roaming the earth today. The author did a great job of researching camels and then presenting the information in a fun and creative way. Young readers will be captivated while learning more about a unique and very special animal. The book will make a wonderful addition to your home or school, in addition to the other books in the "Living Wild" series.

I received this book free of charge from Children's Lit in exchange for my honest review.

Love Contract

Love Contract

Lisa Watson

Milan has moved to town to escape a bad relationship mistake. She doesn't like leaving her family, but soon makes some amazing friends. One of those friends sets up an interview for Milan at her son's realty company. But Adrian is tired of his mom's incessant matchmaking and mistakes Milan for another match. It will take him tons of apologies to correct his mistake.

The book was funny at times. It also seemed a little cliche. The outcome was completely predictable, as are most romance novels. But the emotions and reactions were also predictable. The standard conflict that seems standard issue in a romance was also there, but it felt thrown in at the last minute to create some drama. I just didn't buy the resolution.

The female character in the book speaks Spanish. Since I don't, it was extremely difficult to follow the story. The author would translate some of it, but it really broke up the flow of the story. 

I guess I like my men and women in a romance to have a lot less fighting and more of a connection than just physical.

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

Upside-Down Prayers for Parents

Upside-Down Prayers for Parents

Lisa T. Bergren

Described as "31 Daring Devotions for Entrusting Your Child - and Yourself to God".  The author turns 31 prayers into devotions. They begins with the prayer and a Bible verse. The author breaks down the concept of the prayer and ends with a prayer. The last part is divided into how to make it personal and making it relevant. The relevant part is interactive with the child and has two options depending on the age of the child. A sample prayer - "I pray you'll have to wait--and learn the value of patience."

This was an interesting devotional. I loved the concept of praying for my child. The idea of turning our typical prayers upside down is wonderful. I think my only issue was how the prayers were worded. Every person needs to face trials and adversity to grow character. But to pray for my child to "brush up against death" just rubs me wrong. My five year old DID brush up against death last year. But his little friend had to die to make that happen. And I just can't bring myself to prayer for death in order for my child to gain a strong character. There were several of the prayers that I would have worded quite a bit differently. That being said, this is good book if you can take the idea and use it to make your own prayers for your children.

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

Sweet Sanctuary

Sweet Sanctuary

Kim Vogel Sawyer

Dr. Micah is a doctor in New York. He felt a calling from God to help the immigrants. But when he receives a letter about an old co-worker, he rushes to Boston. Things aren't exactly as they seem and Micah finds himself working with Lydia to bring families together no matter the risks. Set during WWII, the story covers immigration issues, adoption, addiction, and family relationships.

I appreciated the author using the slant of the innocence and naivety of the Americans about the horrors of the war. The story had several different elements going on at once. This might be a bit overwhelming to some. But I enjoyed it, so didn't mind. It was fresh and captivating. The message of salvation was brought out several times. I will be checking out more books by this author.

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

Lucky School Bus

Lucky School Bus

Melinda Melton Crow

All of the other vehicles in the Wonder Wheels Garage think that School Bus is a very lucky vehicle. He has a very special job. Today is the first day of school and School Bus is ready for his job. He waves good bye to his friends and heads to work. He picks up the children and takes them to school. After school is out, he returns the children to their home. When he returns home School Bus tells his friends how great his day went.

Short sentences and easy to read words make this an excellent level 1 reader. Children will enjoy the colorful pictures and fun story. The book is written at a kindergarten to first grade reading level, but much younger children will enjoy having the story read to them. The size of the book is perfect for little hands. The story concept is one that will be familiar for early school age children.

I received this book free of charge from Children's Lit in exchange for my honest review.

Journey to Riverbend

Journey to Riverbend

Henry McLaughlin

Michael is at the hanging of an innocent man, Ben Carstairs. Right before his death, Ben asks Michael to find his father and give him a message. Michael begins the journey with only one thought in mind. He'll find Mr. Carstairs, give the message and then go on with his life. But his plans aren't even close to reality. A beautiful woman, a manhunt, and death were not on the agenda. But God can bring beauty out of death and pain.

I just couldn't love this book the way I wanted to. The cover kept me from even starting the book, but once I did, it didn't get any better. The characters didn't resonate with me. The plot was slow moving and easily predictable. And the ending was left in such a way that there might be a sequel, but I couldn't find any hint that another book was coming. If you like any loose ends tied up, then you won't like the ending. There wasn't anything at all resolved. My summery would be that this is a Christian western with lots of "preaching", quite a bit of violence, scenes not appropriate for children to read, and a good writing style. I'm giving the book such a low rating because I really didn't like the book and can't honestly recommend it to anyone.

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

Sammy Experiences God

Sammy Experiences God

Tom Blackaby and Rick Osborne

Sammy loves reading Bible stories and wants to experience God for himself. The book takes Sammy and the reader on a journey to learn about how to personally experience God. Each page is filled with scriptures and questions to help in the experience.

My kids and I loved this book. The book is extremely interactive. The questions are conversation starters. The frogs add a fun element and the secret codes were perfect for my son. While incredibly fun, it was also the well written and thought provoking message that really hit home with us. It was a fresh new way of presenting a loving and caring heavenly Father. Will definitely be keeping this book and re-reading it often.

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

Florian's Gate

Florian's Gate

Davis Bunn

 Jeffery is bored with his current job. So when a relative offers him a job in London, he jumps at the chance. Alexander Kanton owns an antique shop and needs someone to run it for him while he spends his time on buying trips. Jeffery falls in love with his job. When the shop gets busy he hires a woman named Katya to help. But everyone has secrets and those secrets might lead Jeffery back to the God he abandoned.

This was a very difficult book for me to review. I just couldn't get interested no matter how far I read and how much I learned. And yet I felt that the author did a great job through out the book. It was very well written and had drama, intrigue, and faith. I guess in summery, I would have to say that this is a good book, just not my style.

I received this book free of charge from Hendrickson Publishers and The Book Club Network in exchange for my honest review.

Where God Finds You

Where God Finds You

Anita Higman

This is a devotional that was written in order to bring Bible characters to life. There are 40 devotionals total. Each devotional begins with the author telling a story in her own words. This is followed by the Bible verses that the story was pulled from. After the scripture comes the section called From Then to Now. This is the devotional section and pulls thoughts from the scripture to ponder. The last section is the questions. These five to seven questions will bring out more points from the story and leave the reader with a more in-depth look at the Bible story.

There were several aspects that I liked about this book. The author made it personal with her telling of the Bible story and character. There were a total of 40 devotionals so it could be read each morning in a little over a month. I also appreciated the questions at the end which allowed for a deeper look at the scriptures and person being studied.

I received this book free of charge from The Book Club Network in exchange for my honest review.

Search & Rescue

Rock Harbor Search & Rescue

Colleen Coble

 Emily is an eight grader who enjoys making jewelry and going on rescues with her step-mom and her dog, Charley. The rescue missions start when someone is lost and a scent dog is needed to find them. Emily hopes to sell enough jewelry to pay for her very own search dog.

But before she can get the money she is accused of stealing a very expensive piece of jewelry from another seller. Her parents don't believe her and it's soon obvious that only her closest friend is willing to help her find the real thief.

This book is a children's book that appears to be written in conjunction with the adult series, Rock Harbor. Because I haven't  read anything from this series, I was left a bit lost several times in the book. The author makes the assumption that the book will be read by readers of the adult series. My only other complaint would be the portrayal of the dad. I felt very frustrated, even as an adult, at the way he handled the theft with his daughter. But these two things aside, I did enjoy the book. It was full of mystery, boys, faith, and family. I would definitely recommend this to young readers.

I received this book free of charge from Thomas Nelson and The Book Club Network in exchange for my honest review.

Fear Has a Name

Fear Has a Name

The Crittendon Files Book 1

Creston Mapes

 A home invasion in broad daylight has Pamela and her husband Jack feeling violated and scared. But when they realize that the intruder may be a stalker their worries turn to fear. Jack, a reporter, is following a lead about a missing pastor while trying to maintain some semblance of safety for his wife and two daughters. Can they trust God to handle their situation or will fear have them acting irrationally?

I loved this book. It caught my attention from the very first page and didn't let go. The character development was great, the suspense was thrilling, and the messages of salvation, redemption, and hope were beautifully woven through out the story. I was very excited to learn that this was book 1 in a series.

I received this book free of charge from David Cook Publishing and The Book Club Network in exchange for my honest review.

ManQuest

ManQuest

Leading Teenage Boys Into Manhood

Mike McCormick

In ancient times, boys passed an initiation that changed them into men. Today boys drift along until their 18th birthday and are then suddenly considered an adult. The author has two boys and wanted something to do that would help them become the men he wanted them to be. He wanted his boys to grow up to be God fearing young men with courage, honor, and integrity. This book was created to fill that need. Each chapter (or guidepost) has a key Bible verse, discussion and questions relating to the topic and ends with a movie to watch that will produce more discussion.

I am a mother. But I do have a son and loved the idea of my husband doing this with him when he gets older. My husband was also intrigued. The instructions are straight forward and thought provoking. The topics discussed were definitely things that I want my son to be learning about. As a woman I'm probably not the best judge, but I felt this guide was well written and would be perfect for a father and son to use to initiate the son into manhood.

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

Jesus the One and Only

Jesus the One and Only

Beth Moore

The author takes you on a personal journey with her as she explores how to know Jesus personally. The book is broken up into 10 different sections with 53 chapters. Each chapter begins with a Bible verse and focuses on a different aspect of Christ and how to apply that to our lives personally. The author's approach is on a personal level instead of a more scholarly level. 

The book was well written and inspiring. It is a large book, but the personal aspect of it helps the reading to go by quickly. If the time is taken to absorb each thought, the book will be an encouraging and enlightening experience. My only complaint is a personal one. There are books that click, that the author somehow speaks my language. This was not that book. I enjoyed the message, but the writing just never spoke to me. But as I mentioned, this is a personal thing and not really against the book.

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

Congo Dawn

Congo Dawn

Jeanette Windle

Robin is on assignment with an international corporation. Their job is to secure a mine that has been under fire from some insurgents deep in the Congo rain forests. She expects uncomfortable conditions and gunfire. What she doesn't expect is to see the man who betrayed her and her brother five years ago, leaving her brother dead. But as she's beginning to learn, everything isn't as it seems.

I'll be honest, I was a bit skeptical going into this book. It isn't my typical style. I thought I'd be passing it off to my husband rather quickly. But it really surprised me. It took me a while to get into the book, but once I got past the first few chapters and made sense of all of the names and places, I really enjoyed the story. It is filled with history about the Congo and the imagery is great. The author has the talent of writing so I could "see" everything. The plot was complicated, dramatic, and suspenseful. But it had tiny elements of romance as well. Beautifully written with the message of salvation and God's love woven through out the story. If massive descriptions bother you, than this book might be a bit much. But I enjoyed most of the historical descriptions and skimmed the rest. When put all together, I enjoyed this book enough to check out the author's other books.

I received this book free of charge from Book Club Network in exchange for my honest review.

Swept Away

Swept Away

Trouble in Texas Book 1

Mary Connealy

Ruthy finds herself swept downstream after a fatal river crossing. She is thankful to be alive and equally thankful to be away from her adoptive family. This saves her the trouble of running away. The only problem will be the man who rescued her. When Luke begins his journey back to save his father's ranch, he never imagined that he'd have a wet, bedraggled woman along for the ride. But she's in the thick of it now, and there is nothing he can do about it.

I really had fun reading this story. It grabbed my attention from the very beginning. While it definitely had its moments of drama and suspense, it also had humorous and romantic parts. Christian elements were woven in quite nicely. One of my favorite parts was the elements of brotherhood that enabled Luke to reclaim his ranch. While tying up the current story the author also left parts open for the next book in the series. I'm now eagerly waiting for September so I can continue reading the story.

I received this book free of charge from Bethany House and Book Club Network in exchange for my honest review.

Better Than Chocolate

Better Than Chocolate

Life in Icicle Falls

Sheila Roberts

Samantha has been left with the crumbling remains of her family's chocolate company. Left in ruins by a ailing step-father, it is now on the brink of going under. Samantha must deal with her mother's grief, her anger over the ruin of her beloved company, and a very annoying bank manager who can't seem to offer any help. But her sisters are there to help her find a way out of the mess their step-father created. And maybe they can find a way to save the company.

This was a fun book to read.While it appears there are other books in the series, I didn't feel lost or confused when reading the story. It was an enjoyable and fast read. The author did a great job of portraying real family issues while still maintaining the importance of family. There was a bit of romance, but it didn't seem to dominate the story at all. I will definitely be checking out more books by this author.

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

A White Wind Blew

A White Wind Blew

James Markert

Dr. Pike is a widower, a doctor at Waverly Hills, and an aspiring priest. He's also a musician who believes in the power of music to heal the soul. And if the soul is at peace, the body can begin healing as well. So he tries to fulfill every request for music he receives despite the appalling conditions and resistance he receives from his boss. Death, racism, love, and the effects of war are only a few of the touchy subjects contained in this book. 

The story flows along, like a slow moving stream. It contains some insightful views into a world most of us will never experience. Its redemptive story is refreshing and depressing at the same time. I can't say that I enjoyed this story as much as I thought I would. But based on the subject and writing style, I can definitely see this book becoming a best seller. It just isn't my style and took my quite some time to get through it. But if thought provoking and reflective writing is your thing, then definitely read this book.

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

Finding God at Yellowstone

Finding God at Yellowstone

A 30 Day Devotional Journey

Sammy Thale

Yellowstone is majestic and will leave you awe struck with its grandeur and beauty. What better place to find our Creator and get in touch with the One who gave us this place in nature.

This is the park that inspired the devotional. Each devotional begins with a Bible verse and ends with a prayer. The devotional draws a spiritual lesson from what the author learned at Yellowstone. It helps the reader learn more about the park and its Creator, while drawing one closer to Him.

I enjoyed this book. The thoughts were well written and thought provoking. My only complaint would be that the pictures spread liberally throughout the book were in black and white. It would have made the book appear more interesting and worth the price if they had been in color. But that is only my opinion. Perhaps the author was going for the Ansel Adams look.

I received this book free of charge from The Bible People in exchange for my honest review.

Otis and the Puppy

Otis and the Puppy

Loren Long

Otis, the tractor, loves the little farm where he lives. Once his work is complete he loves playing with his friends, the farm animals. Hide and seek is his favorite game. But Otis makes sure he is home every evening before dark. One evening the farmer presents a new animal to the menagerie, a little puppy. Puppy is scared of the dark, just like Otis. So they soon become friends as they share a spot in the barn together. But when Puppy becomes lost in the woods after dark, Otis must overcome his fear of the dark to help his friend find a way home. 

This is a delightful story that will entertain children while showing them the meaning of true friendship and overcoming fears. The illustrations are imaginative and fit perfectly with the story line. The book is perfect for reading to small children, but the words are simple enough for a 1st grader to be able read alone.

I received this book free of charge from Children's Lit in exchange for my honest review.

My Lucky Day

My Lucky Day

Keiko Kasza

Fox is starving. Just as he's preparing to head out to find some food he hears a knock on the door. Much to his surprise, it's a little lost pig. It's his lucky day. But after a long day of trying to get pig ready for a pig roast fox finds he's too exhausted to even eat.

This is one of my favorite children's books. My kids (4 & 6 years old) share my opinion. The  illustrations are hilarious and fit perfectly with the story. The story is well written and captures the attention from the very beginning. If you only have a small space for books, make sure this is one of the ones you keep.

Yellow Crocus

Yellow Crocus

Laila Ibrahim

Just moments after being born, baby Lisbeth is dumped into Mattie's arms to be cared for. Mattie, a slave and a wet nurse, is forced to leave her own son at home to care for the plantation owner's daughter. Lisbeth forms a deep bond with her Mattie. So when Mattie is sent back to work in the fields a very conflicted Lisbeth must learn that Mattie isn't a really a human being and she must shun all personal contact with the slaves.

I was surprised at how much I liked this book. I'm a bit of a wimp and shy away from things that I know will be sad or hard to stomach. But the author did a great job of relating the emotions and horrors of that time period without turning me off from the story. Without giving anything away, I loved the ending. It ended up more realistic than syrupy sweet. And while I would have enjoyed a happy ever after ending, I felt this one portrayed more realistically what might have happened. Great job from a first time author. I look forward to reading her next book.

Bread & Wine

Bread & Wine

A love letter to life around the table with recipes

Shauna Niequest

Food isn't just for fuel. It's meant to be enjoyed, savored, and eaten with friends and family. Taking this idea to heart, the author begins each chapter with a story about how food touched her life in some way. Most chapters are followed with a relevant recipes. The recipes are made personal with notes from the author.

This book really spoke to me. The writing was simple and real. Most of the recipes appear easy enough that I didn't feel intimidated with the thought of trying them. The way faith and friendship was subtly woven into each story was beautiful and heartwarming. This book will inspire the reader to open their home and hearts and to try out new recipes. It has definitely inspired me.

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