A Word of Encouragment

Today I received an email from one of my blogging for books programs asking me to promote a new book that is releasing October 2, 2012.  I watched the video trailer and was moved to read the introduction and first chapter of the book Unstoppable by Nick Vujicic. It was encouraging and moving to see and hear the desire of Nick's heart to serve God in the midst of life's difficult circumstances.  Nick was born without arms and legs.  However, he doesn't allow his disability to keep him from enjoying life and living out his faith in Jesus Christ.  I hope each of my readers will take a moment to watch this book trailer and see and hear from Nick.  Once you watch the book trailer I think you will want to check out the free excerpt of Nick's book.  He truly is an encouragement to all as he lives out his faith in obedience to God.  What an incredible first chapter and I look forward to the rest of the story.

Watch the book trailer here.


Read the Chapter 1 excerpt here.

Book Review: Waiting for Morning by Karen Kingsbury

Waiting for Morning is a fictional novel, filled with fictional characters that took me on a very real emotional roller-coaster.  The main character, Hannah Ryan, experienced such tragic loss early in the book.  I cried with her in her anguish and at times I wanted to reach out and shake her as she struggled to find new ground.    I rejoiced in the new friendships she unknowingly formed in the midst of tragedy.

Karen Kingsbury has written what I would call plausible fiction.  While this is categorized and intended as a work of fiction, I found myself asking if I would respond the same way Hannah Ryan responded if faced with similar circumstances.  In many ways, I hope not.  Yet, I realize that Hannah's response is very real and possible.  Could I be the friend to Hannah that she found in Carol and Matt?  Would my relationship with God change for the better or worse?  Would I be able to reach out to my children in my pain?

Waiting for Morning is the first of Kingsbury's Forever Faithful Trilogy.  I look forward to completing the series and taking another ride on an emotional roller-coaster.  Kingsbury also includes discussion questions at the end of her novel for personal or group consideration.

An excerpt of this book is available here.

I received this book for free from Waterbrook Multnomah publishing for the purpose of my unbiased review.

Book Review: Submerged by Dani Pettrey

A glowing review from one of my favorite authors, Dee Henderson, on the front cover of Dani Pettrey's novel, Submerged, set me up with high expectations for this romantic suspense.  I am pleased to report that my high expectations were not disappointed.  Dani Pettrey did a superb job of mixing characters, faults and faith with twists and turns to keep you tuned into the action.  In the midst of action, Pettrey creates budding romances and restored relationships that satisfy the hopeless romantic reader.  I thoroughly enjoy a book that keeps me so involved I don't want to let it rest.  That is what I found in Submerged.  Be prepared to pull an all-nighter when you pick up this romantic suspense.  Obviously intended as "book one" of an Alaskan Courage series, upon completing Submerged, I immediately went looking for information on the release of book two.  Dani Pettrey has earned her place on my "watch-list" of favorite authors.

I received a free copy of this book from Bethany House for the purpose of my unbiased review.

Dee Henderson Returns!

One of my favorite author's has returned!  Last year when I began my blogging for books pastime, it led me to an area of the library I had never been before, Inspirational Christian Fiction.  There I discovered Dee Henderson's O'Malley Series which I quickly conquered in a couple weeks.  I just wrapped up reading her Uncommon Heroes series, which took a little more work to access through the inter-library loan program at my local library. Don't get me wrong - the program is great and free -  I just had to remember to request them and be patient for them to arrive!  You can only imagine my joy when I received a confirmation email that I was going to receive an advance reading copy of her new book, Full Disclosure.  I must admit it sat on my nightstand for a couple weeks while I completed other books, but once I picked it up I completed it in my typical reading style for great books.  Have I mentioned how much I love a Dee Henderson book?

I have been looking forward to Dee Henderson's new release and Full Disclosure did not disappoint.  Although I sensed a different writing style in Full Disclosure compared to Dee's previous novels, it grabbed my attention at the very beginning of the book and held it to the end. The depth of characters in this book is extremely deep and well planned. I enjoyed reading tidbits about the lives of the characters I met in Dee's previous books. I strongly encourage anyone who plans to read Full Disclosure, to spend the next month catching up on all of Dee's previous books in order to appreciate the depth of Full Disclosure. There are many twists and surprises within the novel that kept me engaged and curious to the end. I appreciate how the author always manages to bring each character to life and how she weaves together budding romance within the same pages of mystery and suspense.

Thanks Dee for another great read!

Full Disclosure releases October 2, 2012.

You can join the Full Disclosure Countdown on Facebook for chances to win your own copy of Full Disclosure here.

You can also view the book trailer and check out the Full Disclosure website: http://fulldisclosurenovel.com/

If you are interested in checking out Dee's previous novels before the Full Disclosure release, I've compiled a list to get you started:

Danger in the Shadows - prequel to the O'Malley Series

The O'Malley Series:

The Negotiator

The Guardian

The Truth Seeker

The Protector

The Healer

The Rescuer

Uncommon Heroes Series:

True Devotion

True Valor

True Honor

True Courage

Happy Reading!

Book Review: Cleaning House

I just finished reading the book, "Cleaning House: A Mom's 12-Month Experiment to Rid Her Home of Youth Entitlement." by Kay Wills Wyma.  In this book the author gives her readers a first-hand look into her family and her home.  She wrote about both the good and the bad of the experiment, about the reluctant attitudes and the surprisingly upbeat attitudes and about the successes and the failures of the experiment.  Over the course of the year she sought to teach her five children, ages 4 to 14, how to become more responsible and more independent in areas of cleaning their bedrooms, learning to plan a menu, shop, cook and clean-up the kitchen, outdoor landscaping and clean-up, searching for employment, cleaning the bathroom, doing the laundry, simple home repair, planning a party and extending hospitality, working together, running errands, serving others and learning and using manners.  


This book took me longer to read than others.  It contained a lot of information and sometimes I found myself absorbing some of the information over several days and often sharing highlights with my husband.  As a mother of three, ages 3 to 10, I found myself sympathizing with the author's challenges and cheering her on in her endeavor to teach her children responsibility.  The book is peppered with a few quotes and scriptures that I thoroughly enjoyed .  I applaud her efforts and determination to push through to the end of the year long experiment and to share it with the rest of us.


I would recommend this book to anyone looking for insight on ways to involve their children in the household operations.  I found that I especially enjoyed the chapters the author focused on kitchen chores, hospitality, service and manners.  Besides the information I took away to help teach my own children about responsibility and independence, I was inspired to grow in a few areas of my own.  Here is a highlight from my favorite chapter on hospitality: "One of the secrets to hospitality is that people are just excited for an excuse to get together.  They don't care about the timing, the food, the theme, the decor, the [fill in the blank]. They just love to be included, welcomed, and cared for."


You can check out the first chapter of Cleaning House for free by following this link: http://www.scribd.com/doc/84567050/Cleaning-House-by-Kay-Wills-Wyma-Chapter-1-Excerpt

I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review.

2012 Reading List

I enjoyed keeping up with my 2011 Reading List so much that I decided that I would continue it with a 2012 Reading List.  I hope it proves to be as fun and productive as last year's.


1) Indelible - Kristen Heitzmann
2) The Lucado Inspirational Reader - Max Lucado
3) How to Get Organized - Mary Masterson
4) Frugal Kitchen Tips - Mary Gail Stanley
5) The Witness - Dee Henderson
6) Simple Secrets to a Happy Life - Luci Swindoll
7) Fatal Judgment - Irene Hannon
8) True Devotion - Dee Henderson
9) A Fair to Remember - Stacey Joy Netzel
10) Jenna's Cowboy - Sharon Gillenwater (Callahans of Texas #1)
11) Emily's Chance - Sharon Gillenwater (Callahans of Texas #2)
12) Megan's Hero - Sharon Gillenwater (Callahans of Texas #3)
13) A Bend in the Road - Nicholas Sparks
14) Everything Romance
15) The Best of Me - Nicholas Sparks
16) Shades of Blue - Karen Kingsbury
17) Unforgettable - Kristen Heitzmann (Michelli Series #2)
18) Ever After - Karen Kingsbury (sequel to Even Now)
19) Echoes - Kristen Heitzmann (Michelli Series #3)
20) Unlocked - Karen Kingsbury
21) Deadly Pursuit - Irene Hannon
22) True Valor - Dee Henderson
23) Cleaning House - Kay Wills Wyma
24) Full Disclosure - Dee Henderson
25) Submerged - Dani Pettrey
26) True Honor - Dee Henderson
27) True Courage - Dee Henderson
28) Waiting for Morning - Karen Kingsbury
29) Lethal Legacy - Irene Hannon
30) Inescapable - Nancy Mehl
31) The Widow of Saunders Creek - Tracey Bateman
32) Saving Hope: Men of the Texas Rangers Book #1 - Margaret Daley
33) The Breath of Dawn - Kristen Heitzmann

Mirrors of Motherhood

A few months ago I discovered my tween Crazy Horse had been writing on my bathroom mirror after her evening shower.  When I mentioned it to her, she was surprised by the interesting knowledge that although the writing disappeared when the steam vanished, it would reappear the next time someone took a shower unless the mirror had been wiped clean.  I had much fun teasing her about her mirror writing.  


This morning as I stepped out of the shower a message came into view.  In the middle of my mirror my crazy tween had written:  

I (heart) you 

Mom

In the process of posting this memory, I decided to fog the mirror one more time to see if I could capture the message with my camera.  Although I was unable to take a picture of the message from Crazy Horse, I did realize that I missed part of the original message this morning.  The complete message read:

I (heart) you

Mom &

Dad!

I suppose this crazy tween has enough love for both of us.

What a wonderful "mirror" Monday.