Too loved to be lost by Debora Coty

In Too Loved to Be Lost (Barbour Books, October 2014), you’ll find simple, practical steps for healing, refreshment, and revitalization of spirit, body, and faith. Whether you’re struggling with issues related to trust, depression, patience, relationships, hurts, or hopes. . .this humor-filled volume will deliver a much-needed smile and equip you with simple-to-implement tips for attaining the kind of guidance and belonging you crave—the kind that can only be found in the unconditional love of Papa God.

My thoughts: This was an easy read that really deals with anxiety and depression, it is a good reminder about God's love and is very uplifting.
This little gem is full of encouragement and is a great uplifting read.
I received this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

A Kitchen in France by Mimi Thorisson

What a beautiful cookbook! I was utterly delighted to get this book because I am in love with French cooking and the gorgeous cover was enough to make you anticipate what the rest of the book held and I certainly wasn't disappointed!
This book has gorgeous photography and the recipes look so delicious, I cannot wait to try them. It is wonderful having a great addition to my cookbook collection.

I received this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

Lady of Willogrove Hall by Sarah Ladd

A Lady at Willowgrove Hall || Whispers on the Moors series
Her secret cloaks her in isolation and loneliness.
His secret traps him in a life that is not his own.
Cecily Faire carries the shame of her past wherever she treads, knowing one slip of the tongue could strip away everything she holds dear. But soon after accepting the position of lady’s companion at Willowgrove Hall, Cecily finds herself face-to-face with a man well-acquainted with the past she’s desperately hidden for years.
Nathaniel Stanton has a secret of his own – one that has haunted him from birth and tied him to his father’s position as steward of Willowgrove. To protect his family, Nathaniel dares not breath a word of the truth. But as long as the shadow looms over him, he’ll never be free to find his own way in the world. He’ll never be free to fall in love.
When the secrets swirling within Willowgrove Hall come to light, Cecily and Nathaniel must confront a painful choice: Will they continue running from the past . . . or will they stand together and build a future without the suffocating weight of secrets long suffered?

My opinion: There wasn't much of a mystery in this book being that you know what is going on pretty early on, that being said the author did a wonderful job at writing a sweet Regency love story.I enjoyed it more than I thought I would and thought it was well written and enjoyable.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

The Daughter of Highland Hall by Carrie Turansky

The Daughter of Highland Hall || Book 2, Edwardian Brides (Waterbrook Multnomah, October 2014)
What if the title, the estate, the life of security and splendor… what if it isn’t enough?
Strong-willed and beautiful, debutante Katherine Ramsey feels ready to take the London social season by storm, and she must. Her family estate, Highland Hall, has been passed to older male cousin Sir William Ramsey, and her only means of securing her future is to make a strong debut and find a proper husband. With her all-knowing and meddling aunt as a guide, Katherine is certain to attract suitors at the lavish gatherings, sparkling with Great Britain’s elite.
When a shocking family scandal sidelines Katherine, forcing her out of the social spotlight, she keeps a low profile, volunteering with the poor in London’s East End. Here Katherine feels free from her predictable future, and even more so as a friendship with medical student Jonathan Foster deepens and her faith in God grows. But when Katherine is courted anew by a man of wealth and position, dreams of the life she always thought she wanted surface again. Torn between tradition and the stirrings in her heart for a different path, she must decide whom she can trust and love—and if she will choose a life serving others over one where she is served.

My opinion: I was excited to read this book as I enjoyed Mrs. Turansky's previous book and I was utterly delighted that she used characters that we were introduced to in her previous book.  Starting off I was not crazy about the main character, Katherine, but she had a lot of character development throughout the book and I grew to like her. I thought the romance was sweet and the overall book was a good read with well developed characters.
I received this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

Expectant Parents by Suzanne Gosselin

Expectant Parents: Preparing Together for the Journey of Parenthood || (Focus on the Family, October 2014)
Many books focus on prenatal development and the health of a mom-to-be. While Expectant Parents does touch on important issues of pregnancy, its core purpose is help expectant parents understand key issues related to the arrival of a new child in the home, offering practical assistance as they prepare themselves for long-term family success.
It’s often said that babies don’t come with an instruction manual. This book actually provides parents with information and practical steps for writing their own—as they work to create the kind of home and family they choose to build. This includes strengthening their own marriage relationship, setting plans and expectations for parenthood, increasing communication, and preparing for the new stage of their family life that is just ahead. Ideal for first-time parents, this book would also be helpful for couples wanting to explore and prepare for the emotional, physical, and spiritual life changes that come with the arrival of any new child into the family.

My opinion: Even though I do not have children of my own yet I found this book to be really insightful and enjoyable. I really enjoyed how Mrs. Gosselin had a different approach to preparing for a baby by talking about the emotional and even spiritual side of preparing for a little one.  I really appreciated the authors honesty and humor.
I think this book would make an exceptional gift to anyone who finds themselves preparing for a little bundle of joy.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

The Natural Pregnancy Book

This is a great resource book! I was delighted to receive this book and was even more delighted when I got the book as it was everything I was hoping for and more! This book would make a great gift for anyone who is expecting or is a great book to hold onto if you are planning on having a child in the future.
This book is packed full of exceptional advice and is a great guide for how to have a natural pregnancy.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for  my honest opinion.

What color is your Parachute? 2015

My Dad has always swore by Richard Bolles famous book "What color is your parachute?" so I was utterly delighted to received the most recent edition of this classic book and it did not disappoint!
This job is great for any job hunter, whether it is someone starting out early in ones career like myself or someone who has been in the work force for a long time. Filled with up to date information that is wonderfully relevant in this day and age, to information on what jobs would best suit you best this book is very insightful and I can see why it is such a best seller.

I received this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

Citizen by Rob Peabody

For Rob Peabody, the young pastor at a mega-church in southern USA, the realization that his faith had little real connection with the world around him meant that something had to change. He redirected his church towards the poor on their doorstep and then took the larger step of moving to the UK to establish the missional fellowship ‘Awaken’.
In Citizen he outlines the Kingdom-centered identity that is given to followers of Jesus. It’s a wake-up call to the church in the West. Jesus’ death and resurrection initiates and invites people into a life of so much more than the status quo. God is re-building, re-newing, and re-creating that which is broken and marred by sin, and he is doing this – setting things right in the world – through Jesus. As citizens of the Kingdom, we have been saved and set apart for this work. We have a new allegiance, a changed identity, and a new mission as we seek to establish the rule of God on earth as it is in Heaven.

My opinion: This book was an interesting read. It really explored what it means to truly be a citizen of God's kingdom, to step out of ones comfort zone and have a meaningful connection with the world around you. I found this book to be inspiring and thought provoking, one of those books that causes you to take a step back and really evaluate what you are doing and what you need to be doing. I highly recommend this book and found it to be an excellent, well written read.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

The hardest peace by Kara Tippetts

The Hardest Peace
A young mother battling cancer invites readers to embrace grace in every season of life.
Kara Tippetts knows the mundane but rich days of mothering four kids, the joy of watching her children grow.and the devastating reality of stage-four cancer.
In The Hardest Peace, she invites readers to see the grace of the everyday in all seasons of life and to live well even when the living is hard. As the thousands of readers of her blog know, Tippetts explores the hardest questions of life with rare beauty and honesty. Most of all, she draws them back to the God who is present, in the ordinary and the suffering, and shapes every life into the best story of all.

My opinion: Wow, this book was amazing. I loved how brutally honest Kara was about her struggles with cancer, she did not try to sugar coat anything or try to make herself sound amazing, she was real and for that I really appreciated this book.  This book gives great insight to what a cancer does to ones life and yet how even in the darkest of times God is there and is taking care of you.
I received this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

Keeper of the Covenant by Lynn Austin

Keepers of the Covenant, Book Two in the Restoration Chronicles
The Old Testament Comes to Thrilling Life in the Latest from Lynn Austin
In one life-changing moment, the lives of the Jewish exiles in Babylon are thrown into confusion and despair when a decree arrives from the king’s palace in Susa. It calls for the annihilation of every Jewish man, woman, and child throughout the empire on the thirteenth day of Adar, in less than one year. Ezra, a quiet Jewish scholar and teacher, is suddenly called upon to lead the community as they seek God for a reason for this catastrophe. When a second decree arrives, authorizing them to fight back, Ezra is thrust into the role of military leader as they defend themselves against their enemies.
When the battles come to an end, Ezra’s brother Jude is dead and Ezra is required by the Law he so diligently studies to marry Jude’s widow, Devorah, and provide an heir. Fatherhood changes Ezra, and he asks God to make a way for him and the other exiles to leave Babylon for good and return to Jerusalem. His prayers are answered and the exiles move to Judea to revitalize worship at the temple–but the fight to keep God’s Law is never easy. As more and more of his community are tempted, a new battle emerges…this one for the survival of God’s covenant and the souls of His chosen faithful.

My opinion: I have always been a huge fan of Lynn Austin so I was excited to read her newest book in the Restoration Chronicles series. Overall it was just as well written as her other books, but I did not find the characters as engaging as some of her previous works. The storyline was strong and it had a lot going on which was good, but I wouldn't say this was one of my favorite works by Ms. Austin.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

Buried beneath the words by Betel Arnold

Buried Beneath the Words
Words! Words! Words!
Words all over the place. Accusing, blaming, and degrading words are the worst of all. After hearing those words over and over again, we begin to feel the weight of them threatening to crush the very life out of us.
Buried Beneath the Words cleverly shares a true life story about the different ways someone can end up buried beneath the weight of negative words. Then it shares a Christian course for how God’s word can revive us. By putting the advice given within these pages into practice, you will experience an awakening of the real you—the you that has been buried way too long.

My opinion: This book was very encouraging and really struck a chord with me. It really talks about the significance of words which is something that one doesn't think of often enough. I really enjoyed this book and found it to really hit home several times. This world is full of so much negativity and too often it does weigh us down and we let ourselves be defined by it. This book is a great reminder about focusing on the Lord and not letting words get us down.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

The Mason Jar by James Lingerfelt

 

The Mason Jar 

What if your old college roommate called, raving about a book someone sent her, calling it the most beautiful book she’s ever read? “But,” she said, “it’s about you.” The author is your college ex.

In The Mason Jar, Clayton Fincannon is a Tennessee farm boy raised at the feet of his grandfather. He and his grandfather leave letters for each other in a Mason jar on his grandfather’s desk—letters of counsel and affirmation. When Clayton attends college in Southern California, he meets and falls in love with a dark debutante from Colorado. However, when an unmentioned past resurrects in her life and she leaves, Clayton is left with unanswered questions.

Clayton goes on to serve as a missionary in Africa, while he and his grandfather continue their tradition of writing letters. When Clayton returns home five years later to bury his grandfather, he searches for answers pertaining to the loss of the young woman he once loved. Little does Clayton know, the answers await him in the broken Mason jar.

A story about a girl who vanished, a former love who wrote a book about her, and a reunion they never imagined.

Written for the bruised and broken, The Mason Jar is an inspirational romance that brings hope to people who have experienced disappointment in life due to separation from loved ones. With a redemptive ending that encourages us to love again and written in the fresh, romantic tones of Nicholas Sparks, The Mason Jar interweaves the imagery of Thoreau with the adventures and climatic family struggles common to Dances with Wolves, A River Runs Through It, and Legends of the Fall.

 

My opinion: I was a little skeptical of this book at first and it started off a little slow, but once I got into it I found it very engaging and I really enjoyed the story. The style of writing was unique and intriguing and I really enjoyed the characters and the story.

I received this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

The Kitchn Cookbook

This cookbook is awesome! Even though I have had my own kitchen for over 4 years this book was filled with so many great ideas and tips that I delighted to have at my fingertips! This book had a ton of pictures and very practical advice for all cooks at any variety of skill.

This is a superb book that I highly recommend. I received this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

Tell me about prayer by Stephen Elkins

What a delightful little book! I was utterly charmed by this book and think it is a wonderful book to add to ones personal collection or to have at church. With lovely drawings, stickers and a cd this book is sure to be a hit with small children. I am so glad that books like this are out there and I was particularly pleased to see that there is a whole series of these types of books so you can have a whole collection!

I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

Playing by heart by Anne Mateer

I have been a huge fan of Anne Mateer's books since reading the first one she published, so I was very excited to read her latest work. Overall it wasn't quite as good as her previous works but it was still enjoyable. I was not quite as engaged with the main character as I would of liked,she just wasn't as likable but I did like the character of Chet and found that he made up for Lula being stiffer and not as personable.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

Setting your marriage free by Neil Anderson

I am big into marriage books.I truly feel like reading marriage books before you are married is vital and it is important to keep up on reading them both individually and together, after you are married. I know for myself personally it is a lot harder to read them after you are married, but when I do take the time to read a marriage book it is well worth the effort and it reminds me of things I need to work on in my own marriage.
I truly enjoyed this marriage book and found the advice that the author gave to be very solid and grounded in Biblical principals. It was an engaging and thought provoking read and I highly recommend it.

I received this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

The Sacred Year by Michael Yankoski

The Sacred Year: Mapping the Soulscape of Spiritual Practice How Contemplating Apples, Living in a Cave and Befriending a Dying Woman Revived My Life

One searcher’s honest and fascinating journey to encounter God, love others, and discover his true self through a year of spiritual practices.

Frustrated and disillusioned with his life as a Christian, motivational speaker Michael Yankoski was determined to stop merely talking about living a life of faith and startexperiencing it. The result was a year dedicated to engaging in spiritual practices, both ancient and modern, in a life-altering process that continues to this day. Whether contemplating an apple for an hour before tasting it (attentiveness), eating on $2.00 a day (simplicity) or writing simple letters of thanks (gratitude), Michael discovered a whole new depth through the intentional life.

Stirred on by the guiding voice of Father Solomon, a local monk, Yankoski’s life is slowly transformed. Both entertaining and heart-wrenching, Yankoski’s story will resonate with those who wish to deepen their own committed faith as well as those who are searching – perhaps for the first time – for their own authentic encounter with the Divine.

My opinion: I fell in love with Michael Yankoski's thought provoking writing when I read his book "Under the Overpass" so I was utterly delighted to read his latest book and was even more delighted that he has not lost his raw, totally open and honest writing style. Once again his book has managed to engage me and get me to think in ways I haven't thought of before or in a very long time. This book is like a breath of fresh air and I thoroughly enjoyed it and highly recommend it!

I receive this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

The Sea Horse by Elisabeth Gifford

Scotland, 1860.

Reverend Alexander Ferguson, naive and newly-ordained, takes up his new parish, a poor, isolated patch on the Hebridean island of Harris. His time on the island will irrevocably change the course of his life, but the white house on the edge of the dunes keeps its silence long after Alexander departs. It will be more than a century before the Sea House reluctantly gives up its secrets. Ruth and Michael buy the grand but dilapidated building and begin to turn it into a home for the family they hope to have. Their dreams are marred by a shocking discovery. The tiny bones of a baby are buried beneath the house; the child’s fragile legs are fused together – a mermaid child. Who buried the bones? And why? Ruth needs to solve the mystery of her new home – but the answers to her questions may lie in her own past.

Based on a real nineteenth-century letter to The Times in which a Scottish clergyman claimed to have seen a mermaid, The Sea Houseis an epic, sweeping tale of loss and love, hope and redemption, and how we heal ourselves with the stories we tell.

My opinion: I enjoyed how there was more going on in this book,I really enjoy it when books switch from the past to modern day. This book had engaging and interesting characters, some I liked and some I really didn't. Overall it was a pretty good read, a bit darker at times then I generally like, but it handled some heavier things quite well and made you think.

I received this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

The New American Herbal by Stephen Orr

I was absolutely delighted to get this book and when it came in the mail I was not at all disappointed, in fact, if anything this book exceeded my expectations. This book is everything one would want in an herbal book and more. It is filled with lush photographs that clearly show what the herb looks like and it intermittently  has recipes that include some of the various herbs that look not only delicious but incredibly fun to make.
I just love the amount of detail that Mr. Orr includes on each and every herb he has selected to put in the book. He goes to great lengths on each of them, including such things as origins, safety (very important!!), season, how to grow and other names and types. The little blurb he writes on each herb is interesting and informative.
I cannot recommend this book enough and think it makes a great additions to any one who is interested in herbs.

I received this book in exchange for my honest opinion.