Not this time

As the third book in a series, I expected to feel a sense of loss as I read Not This Time, since I had not read the other two books. But this wasn't the case. Vivki Hinze does an excellent job telling the story without losing the reader by referencing the previous books. That isn't to say the former stories are not referred to. This book is built upon the other two, but is easily read as a stand alone book.

Beth knows what NINA, a feared terrorist group, can do. She has seen it first hand. And yet she faces them once more, only closer to home. Her best friend Sara, whom she relates to as a sister, has been threatened and Beth doesn't know what to do to help. Of course, it would be easier to help if Sara would tell her what is going on. But she won't. Sara clams up, saying it is safer for Beth if she doesn't know.

Beth relies heavily on her friend Joe, of the FBI. He has been there with her through previous altercations with NINA and she knows she can trust him. But, can she love him? As Beth turns to Joe for support, she also finds that she is faced with the task of searching her heart to discover if she can let go of a failed relationship from the past and learn to love again.

This page-turning novel will have you caught until you reach the last page and everyone is.... well, I'll let you find that out for yourself.

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I received this complementary eBook from Waterbrook Multnomah Publishers in exchange for my honest review.

Uncertain Heart

In 1866 most young women looked forward to getting married and having a family. Sarah McCabe was one of  the minority, who did not. Instead, she couldn't wait to teach music in Chicago. While waiting for the new school year to begin, she takes a position as a governess to four young children.

Sarah meets two men as she works in the Sinclair household. The first is Richard Navis, the handsome steward who helps her find her way to her new home and lends a hand with anything she needs help with. The second is Captain Brian Sinclair himself, a suave handsome man who could offer her the chance at the life she wants to live, a life of luxury.

Step into Sarah's life as she decides which path to take. As she learns that there is more to life than luxury and money.

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I received this complementary book from Charisma House in exchange for my honest review.

Prize of My Heart

Drew lives in a loving home with Nathaniel and Lorena Huntley, his father and sister. Or, the people he believes to be his father and his sister. Of course, he is also raised believing that his name is Drew. Until he meets Captain Brogan Talvis, who mistakenly calls him Ben.

For three years Brogan has been searching for his son, who was taken from him as toddler. Brogan's deceased wife disappeared with the child while he was out to sea. He finally finds young Ben, but as he spends time with the Huntley's, he realizes how happy Ben is. Does he take the child from the only family he remembers?

Lorena can't help herself. She is falling for Brogan. She shouldn't. She knows she shouldn't. After all, isn't he here to take Drew from her?

I really enjoyed this book. The author incorporates topics such as love and devotion in a way that makes the reader feel a part of the story.

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I received this complementary book from Bethany House in return for my honest review.

Wildflowers from Winter

Description:
When Bethany left Peaks Iowa to go to college, she didn't look back. She eventually took a job with an architectural firm, beginning to live her dream. When her childhood friend needs her, she reluctantly returns to her hometown. When she arrives at her grandfather's farm she meets Evan, Grandpa Dan's farm help. Although, the relationship between Dan and Evan is more pronounced, and seeming more like Grandfather/grandson, after Dan passes away and leave the farmhouse to Evan. The fields, he leaves to Bethany. Now Bethany has to choose. Sell the farmland and leave Peaks, again. Or keep the farm and learn to be happy as a farm girl.

My review:
It took me a bit to get into Wildflowers from Winter. But once I got past the initial "meet the characters", I was interested enough to keep reading. Katie Ganshert does a good job portraying Bethany, and expressing her feelings and emotions. The reader actually feels like a part of the story.

Pain, heartache, loss, depression, joy, life, forgiveness. Life's challenges and pitfalls side together with joys and happiness in this wonderful fiction story.

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I received this complementary book in return for my honest review from Waterbrook Publishers.

Please rate my review to help me increase my score on Blogging for Books. Thank you.

Private Selection

As a member of BzzAgent, I am selected to review certain products. I recently accepted the invitation to review The Private Selection brand of food offered at Kroger stores. I am very impressed. I tried the Sea Salt and Black Pepper Kettle Chips. Typically, I don't like this flavor... but wow! Those chips were great.

Unfortunately, my family ate the rest, so now I have to go back to the store and get more!

Garden of Madness

As a child I heard the stories of Daniel in the lion's den. And of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego in the fiery furnace. I knew who Nebuchadnezzar was, but didn't pay much attention to much more than the popular Bible stories.

The Bible tells of Nebuchadnezzar being driven away from people and living with wild animals (Daniel 4:31-33). In the very next verse (v.34) his sanity is restored as he praises God. There is nothing between those two verses to suggest what happened during the "seven times" he was to live as a wild animal.

Tracy Higley does a great job taking those events and telling the story from a different point of view. Tiamat, Nebuchadnezzar's daughter, leads the story line as she becomes a widow at a young age. She goes on to investigate, wanting to know who killed her husband, and why.

Although this story dives into the politics in the palace, a subject I am not really in to reading about, I still found it an enjoyable historical fiction novel.

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I received this complementary e-book from Thomas Nelson Publishers in exchange for my honest review.

Arms of Love

The death of a loved one causes people to react in many different ways. When his mother dies, ten-year-old John Yoder reacted in the only way his young mind could fathom, anger. His little sister Abby looked for comfort. Their father, who was in jail when his wife died, accepted the loss as God's will.

But Lena wasn't sure how to react. Her father was in jail. Her mother died giving birth. And her baby sister would also die if she didn't find a wet nurse soon.

Adam Wyse wants to be a comfort to Lena. But before her death Mary, Lena's mother, made him promise to let Lena go; he promised not to marry her until he was able to deal with the burden he carried. Only, how would he get rid of a burden, when he didn't even understand its origin?

When Lena realizes that Adam has no plans to marry her, she decides to marry for convience rather than love. And Adam can do nothing to stop her.

Arms of Love takes place when the Amish were still new to the Lancaster area. They were judged and ridiculed. Samuel Yoder is imprisoned for not allowing the Patriots to take his last cow, his only way of offering milk to his children. In a time of unrest and of war, the Amish faith was tried and tested. Some young Amish men left their families and their faith to enlist and fight the British.

It was an interesting perspective, as most of the Amish books I have read take place in current times. I chuckled to read how much the Amish were the minority in an area that is now known as "Amish country", Lancaster, Penn.

I give this book two thumbs up and recommend it to anyone who enjoys Amish fiction, or historical fiction.

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I received this complementary eBook from Thomas Nelson Publishers in exchange for my honest review.

In Too Deep

Widow with two young children, no home and no income, needing support. * Single ranch owner, no kids, and not looking for a wife. * And somehow they end up together.

I enjoyed reading about Ethan learning to conquer his fears and Audra learning to love someone. The stories of Seth and the trials he has had to face, and the joys that Rafe and Julia have, starting out a new life together. But I did feel lost, not knowing what happened to Audra's first husband or how she and Julia were related. It took me a while to learn things that happened in book one, things I would already know, had I started there.

This book was exceptionally written, but not as a stand-alone book. You have to read book #1, Out of Control, first to completely grasp the story line in book #2.

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I received this complementary book from Bethany House Publishers in exchange for my honest review.

The Beauty Book

I review books for Thomas Nelson Publishers. In exchange for each review, they let me keep the book, free of charge. Sometimes I pick books that I think my kids will enjoy. This time, I had my nine-year-old daughter in mind when I picked The Beauty Book.

Girls are starting to develop earlier and earlier. My ten-year-old niece has already started puberty. My girls aren't too far behind. And the thought almost terrifies me. How do I convince my child that she is beautiful, no matter what others say? How do I know what to say when she wants to try out the newest trends, the ones I don't want her to try out? Shaving, skin care, hair care, pimples, bra sizes, nail care.... there is so much!

When I began reading through The Beauty Book, my first impression was "Now here's a book that can help". This book has it all. It covers the shaving, skin care, hair care, etc. It helps a girl realize that she is beautiful, just the way she is.

Each chapter has questions and answers, 'Check yourself out' (where the girl studies her own body and answers questions about herself), 'How is this a God thing?' (scriptures that correlate to the chapter topic), 'Talking to God about it' (a helpful start to praying, to talking to God), and a Lily Pad where the girl can write a few thoughts.

I look forward to sharing this book with my daughter as she grows and develops into the beauty that God created.

Paws and Tales

This DVD is very well done. It teaches kids about forgiveness and working together. Even though both episodes are about a go-kart race, they are separate stories and do not build on each other. Included in the DVD are activity sheets for kids and a discussion sheet for parents to use with their children. The lessons are taught with younger children in mind, but my daughters (ages nine and eight) enjoyed them as well. I asked them a few questions after each episode, to see what they thought. Here are their answers.

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Episode #1: The Hullabaloo at Hunker Hill
C.J. and his friends learn a lesson in forgiveness and being tenderhearted toward one another.

Me: Did you like the movie?
Girls: Yes, we did.

Me: What was your favorite part?
9-year old: When Staci started feeling better.
8-year old: When C.J. and Staci were praying.

Me: What lesson did you learn?
Girls: To forgive others no matter what.

Me: What part didn't you like?
Girls: When Staci got hurt.

Me: What age kids do you think would like this movie?
Girls: My age and younger.

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Episode #2: The Great Go-Kart Race
The team discovers how to work together.

Me: Did you like the movie?
Girls: Yes, we did.

Me: What was your favorite part?
9-year old: When they were working together.
8-year old: When they were trying to find parts to make go-karts.

Me: What lesson did you learn?
9-year old: To work together
8-year old: To help each other

Me: What part didn't you like?
9-year old: When they fought with each other.
8-year old: When the go-kart crashed.

Me: What age kids do you think would like this movie?
Girls: My age and younger.


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I received this complementary DVD from Tyndale publishers in exchange for my honest review.