Barn Weddings

Barn Weddings

Maggie Lord

Barns can be a beautiful backdrop to a wedding.  The author is the founder of a blog about rustic and country weddings. And based on this book, she knows her stuff. The book is filled with gorgeous photography and tons of practical advice. The photographs show weddings from simple country to classy elegance. And the advice is practical and often green. Any bride anticipating her upcoming wedding should check out this book for ideas about her wedding and reception. I've been married for seventeen years and I still really enjoyed this book. The photography is amazing and a lot of the ideas could also work for a family reunion or outdoor party.

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

For Every Season

For Every Season

Amish Vines and Orchards, Book 3

Cindy Woodsmall

Book 2 in this series left the reader wondering how Samuel, Jacob, and Rhoda are going to handle the romantic issues between them as well as the orchard. The orchard is giving them enough problems without the tensions between Rhoda and the brothers. Book 3 handles most of these issues while bringing in some new characters and families to the orchard. But things can't be resolved if Rhoda can't choose which brother she really wants to marry.

Once again the author has told a brilliantly crafted story that is so much more than just a romance. There are quite a few characters and their stories being told, but never once did I feel lost in the details. The book was left open for a 4th book in the series, but the story was left more resolved then the previous two books. I will admit to opening the back of the book to see which brother she chose, but I'll keep it a secret for those that don't like to know before they read the entire book. I've really enjoyed reading all of the books by this author and can't wait until spring to get my hands on the next book.

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

Mud Puddle Hunting Day

Mud Puddle Hunting Day

Callie Grant

Follow a young child as she goes hunting for mud puddles in the rain. Bright colorful pictures and rhyming words will grab a child's attention and keep their interest. The little story takes children through a wet and raining day and shows them what can be found in God's nature. It ends with a scripture verse from Psalm. The board book is perfect for little hands and will keep even a non-reader interested.

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

Courageious Canine

National Geographic Kids Chapters:

Courageous Canine:

And More True Stories of Amazing Animal Heros

Kelly Milner Halls

Animals can be just as courageous as humans. And often their heroic deeds are rescuing the humans that they love. The author has taken three different types of animals and tells the stories of the heroic rescues they accomplished. Meet Lilly, the pit bull who rescued her human mom from a train. There are also dolphins who rescue swimmers from sharks, and gorillas who rescue small children when they fall. Written in chapter form, the stories are simple and easy for a child to read, but interesting enough to capture an adult's attention. Pictures are spread through the book for visual aid. Brightly colored borders add interest to every page and help divide each chapter. Any words that might be a bit difficult are sounded out in parenthesis. Little bullet points throughout each chapter provide addition information about the animals. The stories are a beautiful way to bring children closer to their pets and show just how amazing animals can be.

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

This Book Might Make You Gag

This Book Might Make You Gag

A Collection of Crazy Gross Trivia

Connie Colwell Miller

Blood squirting from a lizard's eye, poop being flung by a tail, or drinking urine are just a few things that might make a person gag as they read this book. Everything is completely true. The bright and colorful pictures add to the trivia facts and help showcase the grossness of the topic. Each page is filled with pictures and potential new vocabulary words to learn. The glossary at the end gives definitions for any of the larger vocabulary words that might have an unclear meaning. There is also a list of books to read for further information and two really fun, kid-friendly websites to check out. Use the code in the back of the book to get links to more gross books and websites based on the grade of the child. The publishing company also includes their own website that is filled with projects and games. My son loved this book and enjoyed sharing the information with his friends.

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

The Stone of Fire

Geronimo Stilton Cavemice #1

The Stone of Fire

Geronimo Stilton

Geronimo Stiltonoot is Geronimo Stilton's cavemouse ancestor. He also runs a newspaper company. But everything is written on stone tablets. His life is a little bit more dangerous because it includes meteorites, dinosaurs, and falling stone mail. But Geronimo puts his life in even more danger when one day he decides to help the town's museum get its stolen Stone of Fire back. His cavemouse friend, Hercule Poirat, joins him on his journey to rescue the stone from some ancient fighting felines. The chapters are designed to hold even the shortest attention. The bright and colorful pictures are funny and fit perfectly with the story. Each paragraph is filled with colorful words that are drawn to indicate their meaning. Boys especially, will enjoy the gross descriptions of fur balls, brown sludge goo, and poop. Most of the characters from the original Geronimo Stilton books are brought back in the caveman book, with slightly different names. Fans of Geronimo will love the spinoff that tells all about where Geronimo came from, while still filled with danger and intrigue.

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

Dogs, dogs, Dogs

Dogs, dogs, Dogs

Anne Emerick

There are all types of dogs in our world. Slow dogs, fast dogs, in the snow dogs. Twenty-eight pages with approximately 28 photos all showcasing different types of dogs.

The book appears to be geared towards small children. The pictures and print are large and simplistic. The back ground is colorful. The easy to read words would be good for a beginning reader. It wasn't my type of book, but my 4 yr old daughter enjoyed it. Probably worth the price as long as you are expecting a very short children's book.

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

Snow on the Tulips

Snow on the Tulips

Liz Tolsma

The Nazis are trampling through the Netherlands and  Cornelia is trying to survive until they leave. She has already been dealt a tragic blow and just wants to coast until the war is over. But one night she hears a firing squad and her brother shows up at her door with a severely wounded man. She's already hiding her brother Johan. She can't hide Gerrit or she runs the risk of dying. Can she find the courage to hide two men and lie to the Nazis.

I was a little skeptical when I picked up this book. It takes a special talent to write about such a dark time in history, without the book being dark and depressing itself. But Tolsma accomplished this wonderfully. There were definitely some dark parts, it was a war story after all. But the theme of hope and survival seemed to overshadow this for me. The story is part love story, and part drama. But it's also a story of faith and redemption.

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

The Legend of Boomer Jack

Somewhere Down the Line:

The Legend of Boomer Jack

Tim Martin

Boomer Jack would rather be riding a train than anything else. His owner can't keep him at home, despite her best efforts. The railroad employees soon adopt Boomer and allow him to ride trains and roam the depot. Boomer inspires love among the railway employees and young students. But his penchant for running away to ride a train also gets him into trouble.

The story of Boomer is fun for all ages. Young children will love the simplicity and smooth flowing language of the story. Adults will also enjoy reading the story of this adventuresome dog.

The story isn't long. But the chapters and larger print will make it perfect for young children to read.

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

The Marriage Merger

The Marriage Merger

Jennifer Probst

Julietta's sisters have all found husbands. They claim that it came about after using a secret love spell. Julietta is skeptical, but decides to try it just to get her sisters to leave her alone.

Very soon after, she meets Sawyer, a business connection. Ironically enough, he seems to fit everything she's asked for. But it takes quite a while before either can trust each other with their secrets.

I've read all of the previous books in the series. And while I enjoyed this one, it was my least favorite. The story line was interesting, but it felt a bit more overdone and forced. The details were way too much for me. There was quite a bit more sex than in the first three books. The previous books characters were brought into the book, but they didn't play a very big part.

I guess I would have to conclude with it was a cute book, but not a favorite. It felt like the author hurried to finish the story of the family, but her heart wasn't as into this one as the previous three.

I received this book free of charge from Simon & Schuster in exchange for my honest review.

Into the Whirlwind

Mollie took over her father's watch company when he died. She now employes some of the disabled vets that fought with her father in the Civil War. But everything changes when a fire brings Chicago to it's knees. Standing beside her from the very beginning is Zack, an attorney for one of her buyers.

Now they must decide if they can overcome the obstacles in their path for a future together or if circumstances will tear them apart.

The story begins with a very vivid word picture. It definitely brings a touch of reality to the Chicago fire. I could smell the smoke and feel the heat of the fire. The terror of the people was flowing out of the pages. The aftermath of the fire was the remainder of the story. And sadly I found this a bit hard to read about. It seemed tedious for me to get through. I know that the author had to lay the ground work and describe the events, but I didn't care for that section. The last few chapters really picked up again and the story ended nicely. Although everything wasn't explained or tied up as neatly as I might have liked, it was a good ending. I will definitely be checking out other books by this author.

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

Buttons and Beads

From Trash to Treasures

Daniel Nunn

Do you have old buttons and beads that you are about to throw away? Instead of throwing them away, why not recycle them into something beautiful. This instructional book will tell you all about buttons and beads and how to turn them into decorations, jewelry, and fun games. The book begins with a small section describing exactly what buttons and beads are and what happens if we throw them away. The next five chapters give ideas and instructions on how to turn those objects into something decorative or fun. The words in bold scattered throughout the book are in a glossary at the back to help expand the readers vocabulary. There is also a page with additional websites that can be checked out for further information. Every page has a colorful photograph to illustrate the text. Young readers will be inspired to try out the different projects and recycle trash into treasures.

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

On Pins and Needles

On Pins and Needles

Sew Zoey #2

Chloe Taylor

Zoey is making new friends, writing her fashion blog, and meeting a real fashion designer. Her life seems to be just about perfect. But when the fashion designer recommends that Zoey enter a fashion designer contest things begin to unravel. Zoey can’t figure out why her friends are upset with her. Suddenly repairing her friendships seem much more important than winning the designing contest. Young readers will be drawn to the story that is written from Zoey’s point of view. The situations are realistic and entertaining. The illustrations of dresses that Zoey designs are at the beginning of each chapter and help set the topic for the story. The author does a great job of weaving a message of the importance of friendship into a story about fashion for young girls. The story ended well and will leave readers wanting to read the next book in the series. I enjoyed reading the book as an adult, but know that my ten year old niece will enjoy it even more.

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

Courage of the Soul

Wise Woman Collection

Courage of the Soul

Inspiring Stories of Overcoming Life's Everyday Challenges

Marion Elizabeth Witte & Melissa J Murphy

The two "authors" asked people that they knew to tell true stories of courage from their personal experience. So each story is told by a person who exhibits, or knows someone who exhibits, courage in some form. As with most multiple author books, there are some amazing and inspiring stories, and a few that left me wondering why they had been included.

As a whole, the book is heartwarming and inspiring. It can be read all at once, or each story individually. If I was going to pick anything apart, it would be the fact that some of the stories just didn't seem to fit in with the title of courage. But overall, it was a good book.

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

The Governess of Highland Hall

The Governess of Highland Hall

Carrie Turansky

Julia has been in India with her parents for the past twelve years serving as a missionary. But as her father's health declined they made the decision to return to England so Julia could find a governess job and support the family. She begins working at Highland Hall for a widow. His two children and orphaned nieces are often a trial, but she loves her job. Can she leave this family when her father gets well and returns to India?

The story started out strong for me and continued for the entire book. The characters felt very real and authentic. I appreciated the secondary characters as much as the main ones. The side romances and bits of intrigue amongst the staff made the story more full and entertaining. It isn't an edge of your seat book, but definitely has some drama and romance. I will definitely be checking out the other books by this author.

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

Yuck's Big Booger Challenge

Yuck’s Big Booger Challenge

Matt and Dave

Illustrated by Nigel Baines

                Yuck is a very gross little boy who loves to eat his boogers and wear very smelly socks. When his mother and sister tell him to stop picking his nose or to wear clean socks he rebels. In the first story, Yuck is challenged to stop picking his nose for one whole week. If he can accomplish this task he will be given a massive amount of candy. He somehow completes the entire week without once picking or blowing his nose. In the second story, Yuck is told to wear clean socks to school when he creates a poem for class. He rebels by finding the grossest things to put into his socks to make the smells as gross as possible. He can’t imagine anything better than a sticky booger or gross smelling socks. The two separate stories tell all about Yuck’s grossest moments. 

Little boys will love how the authors have filled every page with the stickiest, smelliest descriptions. The pencil illustrations are suitably gross and fit the story perfectly. While parents might not be as thrilled with the descriptions, they will love the giggles and laughs that will occur when their little boys read or hear these stories.

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

Undeniably Yours

Undeniably Yours

Becky Wade

Meg's father has passed away, leaving her with an oil empire that she has no interest in running. She's completely out of her element in her father's world and sets about letting some of his side businesses go in an attempt to lessen her stress. But one man, Bo Porter, will not be fired. Despite her best efforts, she finds herself visiting the horse farm she tried to get ride of. Surprisingly, despite her dislike of horses, she finds a peace there that she can't seem to find anywhere else. Is it the horses? Or is it the handsome trainer who keeps her company?

I LOVED this story. It had all the right elements of romance, suspense, faith, and love. I often feel this way after reading a romantic story, only to have the euphoria fade after a few days. So I waited several weeks before posting this review. My thoughts are still the same. This is a really great book. The author did an outstanding job of mixing faith (without being too preachy), realistic emotions and life situations, and lots of fun scenarios. I really liked the main characters, but the secondary characters were great as well. In fact, I was thrilled when the author told me she was planning on writing books on the other members in the Porter family. I borrowed the book from a friend and will now be purchasing it for myself since I will definitely re-read it in the future. I look forward to reading more by this author and have added her to my favorites list.

Mommy's First Picture Book

Mommy's First Picture Book

What Nobody Told You About Parenting!

JD Simone

There are just some things about pregnancy and parenting that no one ever tells you about. It's often the disturbing and embarrassing things that would be lovely to know about before they happen. So the author decided to write some rhymes to help the new mom or mom to be. The entire book is illustrated by the author with comical clay figures and often graphic depiction.

The illustrations are funny, the rhymes unfortunately often true. While I enjoyed the few minutes that it took me to read through the book, I'm not sure I'd spend money to purchase the book. It would, perhaps, make a great joke for a baby shower gift. But it isn't something a new mom-to-be is going to have on her must have list. It's more of a funny gag gift that could potentially be taken wrong.

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

The Dinosaur Tooth Fairy

The Dinosaur Tooth Fairy

Martha Brockenbrough

Illustrated by Israel Sanchez

Dinosaur tooth fairy is the very last one left. A long time ago she was very busy collecting dinosaur teeth. But now the dinosaurs are gone and she is feeling very lonely. A new tooth would make her feel so much better, but she doesn’t know where to find one. But the dinosaur tooth fairy is in luck. A visitor to the dinosaur museum has a loose tooth. She follows the little girl home in hopes of acquiring the tooth for her collection. But she is competition with the human tooth fairy. After a little bit of scuffling, both tooth fairies find a compromise that has them both happy and not alone. 

The illustrations are hilarious and fit perfectly with the story. Children will have fun trying to find the human tooth fairy hidden on almost every page. My four year old daughter was a little confused with the storyline, but still enjoyed the story. The book would be a perfect fit for the child about to lose a tooth.

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

Ozzie and the Art Contest

Ozzie and the Art Contest

Dana Sullivan 
Illustrated by Dana Sullivan

                Ozzie is very excited about the art contest at school. His teacher reminds him to read the instructions, but Ozzie is too excited. He works on his masterpiece all weekend. Back at school on Monday, he is very disappointed to learn that his art project has only received honorable mention. But his teacher points out that while his goat is very well drawn, the instructions say to draw a boat. Ozzie learns a very valuable lesson about paying attention and following the rules. He also learns about accepting situations and fixing mistakes. 

Children will love the playful pictures that help illustrate the story. The message in the story is perfect for young children and students who are having a hard time understanding the importance of listening. The multi-level message will teach the lessons of listening, paying attention, and not complaining about our mistakes. My children enjoyed the story, especially the way Ozzie adapted once he learned from his mistake.

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