Life, Love and Books

A Life Once Dreamed by Rachel Fordham This is my first time ever reading a book written by Rachel Fordham, I truly love getting to read new to me authors. The first thing that draws me to this book is the cover which portrays an genre that I have loved since I was a little girl, the genre historical.  As you open to the first page you are drawn back to a time when things were very different than they are know. A time when things were more simple, but also women  only had some many choices of what they could do in their life. Our heroine Agnes Pratt has a deep secret that sent her running away from the life that she had dreamed of. It has led her to the small  town of Penance, where she has established herself as the beloved schoolteacher of the their kids. Life has settled into a rhythm for Agnes and she has built friendships in the six years in her new home. But when her life is upset by the arrival of her childhood friend, things turn upside d...

Don't Keep Silent by Elizabeth Goddard In the third installment of the Uncommon Justice series, we return to the McKade ranch in snowy Wyoming. Liam Mckade has returned to his childhood home to find out what he want to next in his life. Never did he ever think when he came back home to see his brothers did he think he would run into the one woman he didn't want to see again. Rae Burke's sister in law has disappeared for the second time and Rae's investigative reporter skills have been called upon by her brother. The clues lead her to the wintery Wyoming and its busy  ski slopes. But she was not prepared to run into someone from her past, that she has caused pain in their life. As Rae discovers clues along the way about her sisters in law past, that make her wonder if she ever knew  her sister in law at all. Her search starts to lead her down some very dark  twists and turns that lead her head on into danger....

Standoff By Patricia Bradley In the newest book by Patricia Bradley, she takes us to the Natchez Trace and we meet the Park Rangers that serve that area. Brooke Danvers is getting ready to change positions and join her father as a Park Ranger. Before she can be sworn in her father is found dead and his death is ruled a suicide.  Determined to find out who killed her father, Brooke starts investigating on her own with the assistance of her childhood friend Luke Fereday. Luke has been working as an undercover park ranger, trying to infiltrate a drug origination to stop the flow of drugs into the area. When he gets a phone call from Brookes dad informing him of a drug drop. But he arrives on the scene to late to help his old friend, determined to figure out who killed Brooke's dad.  When Luke realizes that Brooke has now became the target of the person who killed her father, he has to do the r...

The Way Of The Brave By Susan May Warren This book was one I have been  looking forward to reading and it was so worth the wait. So I was very delighted to get the chance to review this book. Jenny Calhoun is a former CIA profiler and psychiatrist, whose way of easing her guilt from her time  overseas is to bury it. Now each year she and her two best friends embark on a extreme challenge, this year they are climbing the Denali in Alaska. What she never thought would happen was her past would be standing in front of her again. Orion Starr is a former pararescue jumper who wants to just not deal with the past that haunts him each day. Now he is being bugged to join up with his friend's Hamilton Jones's elite rescue team. So when he hears that three climbers are lost on Denali, he feels called to assist the rescue team on the rescue.  When the long awaited climb turns into the worst nightmare for Jenny and her friends. She has to put he...

Strong Brave Loved by Holley Gerth Author Holley  Gerth takes her writing to the another level in this devotional/journal. She touches us deep, where the longing is intense to be a confident and victorious woman. This devotional takes us on that journey toward finding the woman we want to be in our lives. Toward becoming Strong to stand our ground, Brave enough to face the battles in front of us and Loved deep enough to take the leap of faith. We all struggle with fears and insecurities in our lives, this devotional helps us to take a moment and get the hope we need. This devotional is a must read for women of all ages, I would recommend it for all to read. "I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book provided by the  publisher. A favorable review was not required, all views expressed are my own."

Listening to Love by Beth Wiseman   In the second installment of the Amish Journey series, we find englischer Natalie Collins and Lucas; the older brother of Levi Sheltar having friday night suppers together. As time passes, the two have become very much best friends to the concern of their family and dear friends Levi and Mary. The opinions of those around them, starts to frustrate Natalie, who adamantly says that it is friendship only. But deep down she is realizing that her feelings have grown toward love for Lucas.  Lucas loves getting to talk with Natalie in the late night hours, but time has come that he has to face the truth of the struggle between their two ways of life. To leave would cause so much pain for his family. Also he knows that asking Natalie to walk away from her plan to become a veterinarian, would break her heart. But the more time they spend together the truth starts coming out that they have feelings for each other When Natal...

               Cross My Heart By Robin Lee Hatcher In Cross My Heart, we meet Ashley, the owner of a horse rescue farm and Ben, who is starting up a equine therapy farm. When Ashley and Ben first  meet, they find they have several things in common. Having been both raised by single mom's and sharing a passion for helping those who are hurting. While Ashley and Ben work together to bring forth Ben's dream, they both feel drawn toward a deeper relationship. But there is a big issue that is standing in their road toward this. Being that they both have very broken pasts that have affected their choice's in life. Carrying these burden's  can also drive them apart instead of bringing healing to their lives if they do not face the truth. Will they choose to hand these burdens over to the one who can handle them or walk away from a beautiful thing in each of their lives? This is a beautifully written story about he...

Engraved on the Heart by Tara Johnson This book brings to Pre-Civil War Savannah Georgia, to the home of a very staunch Confederate family. We meet Debutante Keziah Montgomery who is being brought out to meet her potential suitors, but her family hides a very deep secret from the public eyes.  This beautiful young woman has lived her life being forced to hide her illness from others. Now she has to be the object of attention for the balls and parties  to come. When one evening she runs into an old classmate that introduces her to a very life changing truth. It is at this moment she feels she can do something to help others out of the circumstances by becoming an conductor in the underground railroad.  Dr Micah Greyson never dreamed he would come back home and run into his childhood classmate at a ball.  But the moment Keziah waltzes back in to his life, he is taken in by her beauty and reminded why he...

Whisper by Mark Batterson  Have you ever longed to hear the voice of God in your life? In the days of the Bible times, it was something that was part of the lives of the Israelite.  The best-selling author of the book, Circle Maker introduces us to discovering the 7 languages of God. The voice that spoke the world around us into existence and breathed life into each human being is the same voice that spoke to Joseph in the prison and closed the mouths if the lions for Daniel in the lions den. That voice is the voice of God, who longs to speak love and hope into all of our lives. His voice comes as a whisper, not to make it difficult for us to hear him, but to draw us closer to him. If you are like many people it is hard to believe that God still speaks in our lives. Mark Batterson truly believes that God does speak to us!! Diving into this book we can open a door to decipher the Seven Languages of God; Scripture, Desires, Doors, Dreams, People, Pr...

Shine by Allison Allen We all at some point play a role in our lives, we play a character that is not our true self. We walk into a room and put on a mask that hides our true thoughts. We choose the lines we want to say, but not saying what we truly need to say. By becoming someone else, we tell ourselves it is just another version of who we are. Everyone one of us have done this at some point in our life.  By using fascinating person stories and sharp insight into human nature, former Actress Allison  Allen calls us to drop the act and step up to the role in front of us. No matter what the critics around us say, we can be our real self that God has created. Allison gives us permission to talk about the things we feel, rather than beating around the bush to say what we feel. Freeing us to step out of the shadows we have hid in, allowing us us to step into the light of God's true calling. This book is for anyone looking to throw of the the role we are playing...

An Encounter with the Saviour thru the Women of Easter!! A Review of Women of Easter by Liz Curtis Higgs. "This Season of Grace, Deepen Your Faith in God Who So Loved the World that He Gave Us His Son."    A quote from Amazon   As I read this book it gave me more insight into the Easter story, a very different outlook. Liz breaks down each verse and brings it to life with her writing. We meet the women who followed our Lord thru his journey to the cross. Mary, mother of Jesus, Mary of Bethany and Mary Magdalene are just a few of the women that are spoken about. Each of these women played a special part in the ministry and journey of Jesus Christ. It amazes me how much women are held highly by our Lord. He cared enough to speak to the women and provide comfort for them even in his time of suffering. He put aside his cares to think of provision for his mother while he was on the cross. Then he chose to appear to a very shaken up  Mary Magdalene after his...

Today we will be having a very special person visiting the Blog!! We welcome Rachelle Dekker, the author of the Seers series. The Returning  by Rachelle Dekker When I heard that Rachelle Dekker was the daughter of Ted Dekker, it really peaked  my interest in reading her first book The Choosing. I truly do love getting to read new authors books, because I never know when I might find another fave.   After I read The Choosing I was hooked and could not wait to read the next book. Rachelle is very good at taking a story line and moving it along in years; without making you feel like you missed out on something. Also she takes the Christian faith and puts it into a very different way of thinking that even had me looking at my life differently. It made me take a step back and see how much we are like Elise. That we each as believers have a light inside of us that we need to let shine on all who is around us. Also being able to see our Lord Jesus Christ po...

Wild Montana Skies by Susan May Warren I was blessed with the opportunity to meet Susan May Warren in person, recently at our local community library. She had chosen our library as one of her stops on her book tour for Wild Montana Skies. Her visit to our little local reading spot was a bright spot for several of our regular patrons. Susan spent some of her time with us telling us about her newest series and giving us some tips on becoming an author. In her newest series called Montana Rescue, Susan introduces us to a new group of unsung heroes. A SAR  (Search and Rescue) team that has been put together by a very wealthy benefactor in the town of Mercy Falls, Montana. In Montana Rescue we meet a former military search and rescue pilot Kacey Fairing who has returned home on a leave. During her time home she has accepted an offer to fly for the local SAR team, with the hopes of reconnecting with her teenage daughter. At the same time Ben King has placed his dreams and c...

Where Two Hearts Meet by Liz Johnson Return to the beautiful Prince Edward Island in the newest arrival from Liz Johnson. We briefly met Caden Holt in the first book of the series as the baker at her fathers shop. Now we find her in the position of executive chef at the Red Door Inn. Being able to do the her favorite thing in life, baking and making meals for others. When word comes that a travel writer is coming to visit the Inn, Caden is placed into a position she does not want. Her boss is concerned about the lack of profit coming in and the promise of a travel writer brings hope in their dire situation. Caden is their best hope at entertaining the writer and showing him the sights while selling the red door inn as a choice for a travel site. Liz Johnson has written another delightful read based on the Prince Edward Island; also the home to the Anne of Green Gables series. I love getting to read about a different area then where I live. Caden reminds me of myself, wan...

An Amish Harvest: Four Novellas by Beth Wiseman, Amy Clipston, Kathleen Fuller and Vanetta Chapman Four very wonderful authors come together to bring us another amazing novel with four uplifting stories. Under the Harvest Moon  by Beth Wiseman After suddenly losing her husband, Naomi Dienner is not looking for love again. All she wants to do is be able to provide for her family and get the harvest in for the fall.When her father suggests a English family friend, Brock Mulligan; that will be able to help her in her time of need. As the time passes Naomi struggles with a very deep and dark feeling that seems to weigh her down with concerns. What seems to be a innocent option to help with this weighted down feeling turns out to be very much a bad thing. With the help of her handsome harvest worker, will she be able to see the light God has provided and the love that is in front of her. Love and Buggy Rides  by Amy Clipston On her first day working ...

Anchor in the Storm by Sarah Sundin  In the second book in the Waves of Freedom series, we meet Lillian Avery a plucky young Pharmacist. After landing a coveted job as a Pharmacist, she is met with many more roadblocks. After losing her leg in an accident, Lillian has pressed on proving that she could be strong on her own. When she meets her brothers friend Ensign Archer Vandenberg; the society darling and heir to the Vandenberg fortune. She is not impressed with the charm he pours onto her during his visit to her family home. As Lillian adapts to working for Dixon's drug store and the rules that the Mr Dixon impresses on her. She starts to see a pattern that doesn't seem right to her, she puts her trust in Archer.  As a survivor of a sinking destroyer, Archer is struggling with having to go back on a ship with anxiety issues. When he starts noticing that there is more men on the ship having issues and it seems that no one wants to listen to wha...

Meet the New You by Elisa Pulliam We as women are always looking for ways to make ourselves better, by re-evaluating everything about our lives. This book empowers us to take charge of our own life transformation by engaging in a deeper relationship with God. Broken down into a 21 day plan it gives us new and fresh attitudes with focused habits to give us a real life change. Elise uses real life stories, biblical applications , personalty assessments, thought provoking questions combined with life coaching principals to bring us to a real life change.  If you are looking for to change in youtr life this is a book for you!!!  Taking time to read a chapter a day is a way to take a big step toward becoming the new you!! This book was given to me for free by blogging for books!!

By Your Side by Candace Calvert ER Nurse Macy Wynn learned some life lessons early on after being put into the California Foster Care system, one of them was land on your feet and trust no one. When she has finally located her foster sister, she finds out that she is in trouble. Determined to do what ever she can do to help her sister get better, Macy decides to take a big step in her life and go searching for a house. When life throws a twist at her at a major accident scene with a sniper firing shots at the stranded motorists.  Deputy Fletcher Holt has came back from Houston to assist his mom during her time of illness, while his dad is away at work. Still fancying himself in love with the girl next door, he does not know how to tell her of his feelings. When the sniper sets his eyes on going after Macy, Fletcher sets his eye on finding the sniper before he fulfills his plans to harm others.  As the two spend more time together, each of them learn somethin...

On Lone Star Trail by Amanda Cabot The third book to the Texas Crossroads series brings back the beloved characters of the first two books. Not sure of where she wants to go next in life Gillian Hodges heads to the Rainbows End Resort for some much needed R and R. Upon her way to the Resort she witnesses a motorcycle accident and stops to assist the rider.  TJ Benjamin had set out to fulfill his wifes bucket list, with no thought of what is ahead for him in the future. When a sudden thunderstorm blows in causing him to wreck on the roadway. Having no where to turn to, he takes up Gillian's offer to take him to Rainbow's End Resort.  What TJ thought was a plan to just finish the list his wife had before she died, turns into a search for his true self and a fulfilling of God's plan in his life. For Gillian all she has ever known is playing the piano, now after suffering a bad accident that crushed her hands, she has to look at her future and find a new purpo...

The Prophetess (Deborah's Story) by Jill Eileen Smith Deborah's life was touched with tragedy when her father and brothers was slaughtered by the enemies of the nation of Israel. In this very dark time period of her life, she is called to lead God's people back to him. Deborah never asked to be the one to lead her people or to be the one sitting as a judge for them. As she sees visions with a voice she feels compelled to be there for them. Will her family ever be able to see that the work she is doing will lead them to the freedom they are longing for. Will her people trust her to hear the word from God calling them to turn from the idols they have set up. Another beautifully written story about a very strong woman in the bible, that is mentioned as a judge of the nation Israel. It shows that God not only chose men to do his will, but also a woman who was chosen to do a very big job in a very hard time period. Jill Eileen Smith artfully crafts a story out of a...