Audio: Audacious by Beth Moore

About the book:
Thirty years in the making, Audacious is a deep dive into the message that has compelled Beth Moore to serve women around the globe. Glancing over the years of ministry behind her and strengthening her resolve to the call before her, she came to the realization that her vision for women was incomplete. It lacked something they were aching for. Something Jesus was longing for. Beth identifies that missing link by digging through Scripture, unearthing life experiences, and spotlighting a turning point with the capacity to infuse any life with holy passion and purpose. What was missing? Well, let's just say, it's audacious and it's for all of us. And it's the path to the life you were born to live.

My thoughts:
I have read several books by Beth Moore as well as done some of the Bible studies. To be honest, this one was hard for me to "get into" and follow (which is why it has taken me so long to complete this review).  I don't know if it was the time of year in which I was trying to listen or what, but it was just really hard for me to focus on it or understand the flow.

She makes some good points, but overall she seems to tell a bunch of stories about her life and relate them to the topic of each chapter.  I felt like I kept waiting for it all to connect, and it just didn't for me. I will say that the last chapter was beautiful and a really sweet reminder of the awesome God we serve.

This audio version was read by the author.  It does take a little bit to get used to hearing her voice. She does add emotion to the reading of the words though which makes it enjoyable.

I received this audio book as part of the christianaudio reviewers program.  Thank you.

Have a day of blessings!
 

Book: The Forgotten Recipe

I have finished the first book in the Amish Heirloom series called The Forgotten Recipe by Amy Clipston.

Veronica Fisher is grieving the loss of her fiance Seth who died in an accident at the shop where he worked. She finds a recipe made by her grandmother in an old chest in the attic; baking gives her something to occupy her mind.  She begins selling her pies at a bake stand.

Jason Huyard was a friend of Seth's and was with him when he lost his life.  Jason wants to offer his sympathy to Veronica; however, when he meets her he is left fumbling for words.  He continues to visit her bake stand each week for her delicious raspberry pies.  He can't seem to workup the courage to admit to Veronica that he knew Seth and blames himself for his death.  

The two begin spending more time together.  Will Jason ever be able to admit the truth to Veronica?  Will she accept him if he admits his secret?

I enjoyed reading this book and look forward to the next one in this series.  Veronica received a lot of help from her sisters and parents.  Jason was a likable character who clearly cared greatly for Veronica. I wanted to give him a push to just tell her the truth!  

This book was somewhat predictable with a twist at the end.  Check it out and find more information and other books at Amy Clipston's website.

This book was sent to me as part of the Bakery Bunch. Thank you.

Have a day of blessings!
 

The Dog That Saved Stewart Coolidge

I was interested in this book because of the title and the cover. Let me share a little about this book, The Dog That Saved Stewart Coolidge by Jim Kraus with you today.

Stewart Coolidge works bagging groceries at the local grocery store. A dog comes into the store and steals rawhide. This happens multiple times, and the manager tells Stewart to catch that dog. Stewart feels lost in life and unsure where to go since he doesn't want to spend his life as a bag boy.

Stewart's neighbor, Lisa, works at the local coffee shop with aspirations of becoming a journalist. She writes a story about the dog bandit. Soon the whole town is talking about the dog who keeps stealing bones.  Is this her big break to be noticed by a real news station.  Stewart gives her pictures of the dog which she uses for the story. Soon a friendship develops between the two.

Will the dog be caught? Can Stewart and Lisa have more than friendship?

I found it interesting to see the similarities between Stewart and Lisa. Both were warned by family members about becoming involved in a relationship. There were also similarities between the dog and Stewart which helped them connect.

When I first started reading, I thought it was odd that the dog's perspective was included. I got used to it though as I read, and it did provide an interesting aspect to this story to imagine the dog's feelings and thoughts about Stewart and why he stole the bones.

This is a fun story to read. It was provided to me for my review by Hachette Book Group.

Have a day of blessings!
 

Glory Days

About the book:
The wilderness. Maybe you know it well. 

The Israelites sure did. After all, they spent forty years wandering the desert. Victories were scarce. Progress was slow. They were free from Pharaoh but not free from fear. Saved but stuck. 

Sounds a lot like midlife misery. Caught in a rut. Stalled out. Running on empty. Are you mired in the same? 

You can name the day you became a Christian and escaped Egypt. But you can’t remember the last time you defeated a temptation or experienced an answered prayer. You’re fighting the same battles you fought the day you came to Christ. You’re out of Egypt, but Egypt’s not out of you. 

Isn’t the Christian life supposed to be better than this? 

Jesus offers abundant joy. Yet you live with oppressive grief. The epistles speak of grace. You shoulder guilt. You are more than a conqueror yet are commonly conquered by temptation or weaknesses. 

But there’s good news. With God’s help you can close the gap between the person you are and the person you want to be. Like Joshua and the Israelites, you can move from a wilderness existence into a promised inheritance. 

This is God’s vision for your life. You, at full throttle. You, as you were intended. You, as victor over the Jerichos and giants. You, minus the stumbles, hurts, and hate. 

You and your Promised Land life. 

New York Times bestselling author Max Lucado invites readers to leave the wilderness and discover a life defined by grace, refined by challenge, and aligned with a heavenly call. By studying the life of Joshua and the biblical book that bears his name, Lucado reveals God’s promises for every step and reminds readers that God still fights for them.

About the Author:
More than 120 million readers have been inspired by the words of Max Lucado. He lives with his wife, Denalyn, and their mischievous mutt, Andy, in San Antonio, Texas, where he serves the people of Oak Hills Church. 

My thoughts:
I have read many of Max Lucado's previous books.  I was interested in his new one called Glory Days.  It goes through the study of the book of Joshua, and I found this book to be encouraging.  It gave me a new perspective on the book of Joshua, and I want to go back and read this book of the Bible again with the thoughts from Lucado's book in mind.  There are great personal examples he uses with each chapter as you find in his other books, and his writing is very easy for reader to relate to what he is saying.  Also as is typical for many of his books, there is a study guide at the end with questions for each chapter.  I recommend this book to you and hope you benefit from it as I have.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookLook Bloggers book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.” 

Have a day of blessings!
 

Called for Life

I was so blessed to listen to this book, Called for Life by Kent and Amber Brantly and Dave Thomas. I closely followed the story of Dr. Kent Brantly last year when he had Ebola, listening to updates and praying for him and his family.

This book tells the Brantly's story--how they met, why they went to Liberia, and the details of his battle with Ebola. It is truly a remarkable story. This is a great read to hear things from his perspective instead of parts of the story we were told via the media.  I appreciated that his wife's story was included as well of her feelings as she tried to process the whole ordeal as she was was across the globe from her husband.

The narrators, Kaleo Griffin and Sarah Zimmerman, were a great fit for this book. I've heard Dr Brantly speak in person and felt the male narrator did a good job with his part. The female narrator was just as fitting in my opinion. I appreciated that two narrators were used.  

This is an excellent book, and it will touch your heart.  Find Called for Life here.

I received the audio version of this book as part of the christianaudio Reviewers program.  Thank you. (I should add that it ended up taking me a while to listen to this completely and get my review done due to some things happening at home.  Thank you for your patience.)

Have a day of blessings! 

 

Submarines, Secrets and A Daring Rescue

About the book: 
A Revolutionary War action-thriller filled with spies and heroes, targeted to boys and girls 8-12. In this second book in the American Revolutionary War Adventure series, twins Ambrose and John Clark find themselves volunteering for another mission to help the newly forming United States of America. Inspired by their success in delivering a secret message to General George Washington himself, the boys step up to help transport much-needed gunpowder to the patriots and end up in an even more dangerous situation, manning one of the first submarines and then, later, attempting a prison break to rescue their older brother, Berty.

Written by Robert Skead with the help of his father, the main character is based on their ancestor who fought in the American Revolution as part of the Connecticut militia. Though historical fiction, the events that occurred with George Washington in New Jersey regarding the war effort are true.

My thoughts:
My son (age 10) enjoys historical fiction books, and I thought this book would be great for him.  He read it very quickly when I received it in the mail, and then I read it myself.  I thought this was a good book to share a piece of history with children.  It was interesting and held the reader's attention. This is a book about war so there was battles and such included.  It also included the beating of a prisoner.

This is the second in a series so there was parts of the first story included in this book.  At the back of the book is a glossary, a set of questions, a list of historical characters, and historical letters related to the book.

My son said it was an okay book for historical fiction, and he would have liked more facts about the Turtle.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookLook Bloggers book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
Have a day of blessings!
 

A Worthy Pursuit

I can't tell you how much I enjoyed A Worthy Pursuit by Karen Witemeyer.  Her books have all been enjoyable, and this one is such a great read.

About the book:
A teacher on the run. A bounty hunter in pursuit. Can two enemies learn to trust each other before they both lose what they hold most dear?

Stone Hammond is the best tracker in Texas. He never comes home empty-handed. So when a wealthy railroad investor hires him to find his abducted granddaughter, Stone eagerly accepts. 

Charlotte Atherton, former headmistress of Sullivan's Academy for Exceptional Youths, will do anything to keep her charges safe, especially the orphaned girl entrusted to her care. Charlotte promised Lily's mother she'd keep the girl away from her unscrupulous grandfather, and nothing will stop Charlotte from fulfilling that pledge. Not even the handsome bounty hunter with surprisingly honest eyes who comes looking for them.

When Miss Atherton produces documentation that shows her to be Lily's legal guardian, Stone must reevaluate everything he's been led to believe. Is she villain or victim? Then a new danger forces Charlotte to trust the man sent to destroy her. Stone vows to protect what he once sought to tear apart. Besides, he's ready to start a new pursuit: winning Charlotte's heart.

My thoughts:
I loved the characters and story line of A Worthy Pursuit. Charlotte and Stone are both such strong, no nonsense type main characters. Their relationship changes throughout the book as they get to know one another. The children are so unique, and I appreciate the way Charlotte mothers them even though they are not her own. 

I read most of this while feeding my new baby, and it was hard to put the book down!  There was plenty happening to hold the reader's attention.  I liked the ending and would love to see more about these characters. As I finished I thought how this could be a great movie.

Be sure to check out this book. If you like historical fiction, you will love this one!  

This book was provided to me by Bethany House publishers for my review. Thank you.

Learn more at Karen Witemeyer's webpage and find more books to enjoy!

Have a day of blessings!
 

The Love Letters

I have read many books by Beverly Lewis and recently finished another one called The Love Letters.

Marlena is staying with her grandmother during the summer after the death of her grandfather.  She enjoys being with her grandmother but also looks forward to returning home to her family and beau Nat.  Marlena is asked to care for baby Angela Rose, the daughter of her sister Luella (who left the Amish faith) when Luella is in the hospital.  Marlena feels the baby will only be with them a short time.  They have a difficult start together, but Marlena quickly becomes attached to the baby girl.  What will happen to baby Angela Rose when Luella dies and her father is overseas in the war?

Marlena has a lot to deal with internally as she is at her grandmother's home.  She attends a Mennonite church which Marlena attends while she is there.  Her beau who is Old Order Amish, however, does not approve of this.  Marlena feels torn with the new things she is learning and the things she has been taught her entire life.

Another character of this book is a young man nicknamed Small Jay.  He lives near Marlena's grandmother. Small Jay befriends a man he finds living in an old mill. Their friendship is a big part of this book as well.

I enjoyed this book and recommend it to you.

This book was provided to me by Bethany House Publishers for my honest review. I am appreciative of the extra time they gave me for this review with the recent birth of my son.

Have a day of blessings!
 

Nobody's Cuter than You

About the book:
There is nothing as precious in life as a friend who knows you and loves you in spite of yourself. Yet over the last couple of decades, we’ve substituted the joy of real friendship with cheap imitations. We settle for “community” on Facebook and Twitter and a series of text messages that allow us to communicate with someone without the commitment. We like each other’s beautifully filtered photos on Instagram and delude ourselves into believing we have a community. But real friendship requires effort. It’s showing up, laughing loud, and crying hard. It’s forgiving and loving and giving the benefit of the doubt. It’s making a casserole, doing a carpool pickup, and making sure she knows those cute shoes are 50 percent off. Written in the same comedic style as the New York Times bestsellers Sparkly Green Earrings and The Antelope in the Living Room, Nobody’s Cuter than You is a laugh-out-loud look at the special bond that exists between friends and a poignant celebration of all the extraordinary people God had the good sense to bring into our lives at exactly the right moments.

 From the friendships we develop over a lifetime to the ones that wounded us and the ones that taught us to love better, Melanie Shankle reveals the influence our friends have on who we were, who we are, and who we will become. And on a day when our jeans feel too tight, our chins have decided to embrace hormone-related acne reminiscent of our teen years, and our kids have tested the limits of our sanity, they are the ones who will look at us and say, “Nobody’s cuter than you!”

My thoughts:
I am so glad I got to listen to this third book by Melanie Shankle. She's written one about motherhood and another about marriage. This one is about friendship.  It pretty much went through her life, sharing stories about the friendships she's had at different stages.   I enjoyed hearing her stories and could relate to so many of the feelings evoked by these various situations. I found myself thinking about my own friends and lessons I learned through the years because of the situations she shared about her friendships. Friends are important in all stages of life, and this book was a reminder of that to me.  We can learn from our friends and support each other through the happy and sad times of life.

This audiobook is read by the Melanie Shankle. I always seem to enjoy the books more when they are read by the author. She adds more emotion to the reading since they are her own words.

I really enjoyed this book and would recommend it to you.

This book was provided by christianaudio reviewers program in exchange for my review.


Have a day of blessings!
 

A Simple Prayer

I have another wonderful book by Amy Clipston to share with you today.  I finished this book a couple of weeks ago and really enjoyed this story.  A Simple Prayer is the 4th book in the Hearts of the Lancaster Grand Hotel series. (I reviewed A Hopeful Heart here previously.)

This book is mainly about Linda Zook and Aaron Ebersol.

Linda is a grown Amish woman who lives with her uncle because her parents were killed in a buggy accident when she was a child.  Her uncle is very bitter towards Linda even though she does everything to take care of him and the home.  She is very lonely in her situation and wonders if life will ever be different.  She begins working at the bed and breakfast and enjoys helping there and develops a friendship with the owner.

Aaron returns home after leaving 17 years before.  He finds out his mother is ill so he comes home.  He is unsure how his return will be received because he hasn't heard from his family during this time even though he tried to contact them through letters.  While some family members accept him, others do not.   Was it a mistake for Aaron to return?

Aaron stays at the bed and breakfast and chats with Linda about his return home and how his family treats him. Linda is surprised to receive any attention from him. Linda does not want to get close to him because he is not Amish and will be leaving soon.

This is a good book that people will be able to relate to because of the common problem of strained relationships between family members. I liked the way the characters tried to work through their problems. It is also a story of friendship and the value of having someone believe in you.

I enjoyed this story, and I hope you will check out this book as well as others by Amy Clipston.  Find out more at her website.

I received an advanced copy of this book as part of the Bakery Bunch.

Have a day of blessings!

An Amish Cradle

I wanted to share a book with  you that I finished a while back.  It is called An Amish Cradle and includes four novellas by four different authors.

About the book:

In the Father's Arms by Beth Wiseman Ruth Anne Zook is excited that she and her best friend are due with their children the same week. But when Ruth Anne's baby is born with Down Syndrome, she and her husband struggle to understand God's plan. 

A Son for Always by Amy Clipston
Carolyn and her husband Joshua are thrilled to be pregnant with their first child. A teenager when she had her son Benjamin, Carolyn still feels obligated to work to secure Ben's future, even though Josh adopted Ben. She struggles to realize that Josh will love and protect both of their children equally.

A Heart Full of Love by Kathleen Fuller
Ellie's mother loves to meddle in her personal life-especially now that Ellie's pregnant. Since Ellie is blind, her mother worries that she won't be able to handle the baby. When Ellie gives birth to twins, her mother insists on moving in. Just as everyone reaches the breaking point, a miracle draws them closer to each other and to God.

An Unexpected Blessing by Vannetta Chapman
At 42, Etta thought her time of having children was over, but she's pregnant again. She goes into labor during a blizzard, and complications with the delivery raise fear. Etta struggles to accept Gotte's wille for the baby and her son, David, who moved away two years earlier in search of what he would do with his life. 

My thoughts:
I enjoyed reading this book about babies and pregnancy during my own pregnancy. All four stories were touching in their own way.  I liked that they were short and easy to read, and I feel women of any age would enjoy reading this book.  I was able to use the lessons learned by the women in each story as related to my own pregnancy...trusting God, not worrying, waiting for God's timing.

I received an advance copy of this book as part of the Bakery Bunch.

Have a day of blessings!
 

What are you reading?

I had a couple books to share with you that I have finished. These were not received for my review; I just chose them from the library.

I listened to the audio version of Live Original.  I thought it was a good book with lots of good advice for young people as well as stories from Sadie and her family.  She seems to be a good role model for the youth of today.

Here is some information about the book from online:
Seventeen-year-old Sadie Robertson—star of A&E's Duck Dynasty and daughter of Willie and Korie Robertson—shares her outlook on life as she opens up about herself and the values that make her family what it is.
Sadie Robertson represents everything that a well-adjusted teenager should be, even while growing up in the spotlight on Duck Dynasty. She exhibits poise, respect for her family and friends, and a faith that influences her choices. Everyone wants to know how a family as eclectic as the Robertsons are raising such confident, fun, family-loving kids. With this book, Sadie sheds light on the values instilled by her family that make her the person she is.
Sadie lives by a simple list of principles that lead her to personal and spiritual growth and allow the relationships she has with her friends and family to flourish. These values include think happy, be happy; dream big; shake the hate; do something; and many more.

Living as a culturally relevant teen who loves God and her family, Sadie has become a role model for other teens and for parents who are eager to instill the same characteristics in their children.
---------------------------

Another book I have listened to is called The Struggle by Wanda E. Brunstetter.  This is the third book in the Kentucky Brothers series.  I had listened to the others in this series and was glad to find this one to listen to on Hoopla.  I have found this to be an enjoyable series with each book focusing on a different brother and his difficulties.  This book is the story of Timothy Fisher and his wife Hannah who have recently moved to Kentucky from Lancaster County.  Hannah does not want to be there.  Will the couple be pulled apart even more after a terrible tragedy or will they be able to come together?

The stories of the other brothers continue in this book too which I enjoyed. Check this out if you enjoy Amish fiction.

Have a day of blessings!
 

Book: More Than Just The Talk

I have finished a book called More Than Just The Talk Becoming Your Kids' Go-To Person About Sex by Jonathan McKee.

About the book:
Have Real Conversations With Your Kids About Sex

The old ways of having the "sex talk" just won't cut it anymore. Sadly, the number one place today's young people go to for answers about sex is Google. Meanwhile, kids view nearly 14,000 sexual references a year on television, and 70 percent of teenagers have encountered pornography on the Internet. If we want our children to know the truth about healthy sexuality, we need to create a comfortable climate of continual conversations.

Jonathan McKee will show you how to move beyond the initial awkwardness of this subject into an ongoing communication with your kids about God's amazing gift of sex. He equips you with what you need to talk openly about dating, temptation, porn, and purity, and you will find answers to tough questions and relevant Scripture on sexual issues.

It's normal for kids to be curious about sexuality, and they need to know that their parents are the most reliable source of information. Be the one your kids turn to on this crucial topic.

My thoughts:
I saw this book available for review and felt it would be an interesting and appropriate read as our son is getting older. I had not read anything previously by this author.  I really enjoyed this book because it was very eye opening to me as a parent.

The main idea of the book as the title suggests is for parents to be the ones their children go to when they have questions about sex.  It may be awkward for parents and children, but if they are talking about it frequently instead of a one time conversation of "don't have sex till you are married" then the children will be more likely to come to you when questions arise.  Sadly, many are finding out information from Google because they don't want to ask their parents.

I was surprised at the statistics shared about sexual activity, pornography usage, etc. about young teens or even those younger ages.  Also surprising to me was the huge influence of the media on our children. I mean I know this is an influence in our culture but to read the examples of song lyrics, videos, etc. was shocking to me.  Children need to know the truth about sex and how it is God's gift, not the perversion seen everywhere around them in society.  Parents need to be the ones to share this truth, and this book is a great resource to help parents do just that.

I highly recommend this book for parents or others who work with young people.  It is a practical, easy to read book full of helpful information.

Click here for more information about this resource.

Thank you to Bethany House Publishers for providing a free copy of this book for my honest review.

Have a day of blessings!
 

Where Trust Lies

Do you enjoy reading historical fiction? I have finished the second book in the Return to the Canadian West series by Janette Oke and Laurel Oke Logan.  I reviewed the first book called Where Courage Calls here.

About the book:
She loves her friends and students in the West, but family obligations have called her home. Where does she truly belong?

After a year of teaching in the Canadian West, Beth Thatcher returns home to her family. She barely has time to settle in before her mother announces plans for a family holiday--a luxurious steamship tour along the eastern coast of Canada and the United States. Hoping to reconnect with her mother and her sisters, Beth agrees to join them, but she quickly realizes that things have changed since she went away, and renewing their close bond is going to be more challenging than she expected.

There's one special thing to look forward to--letters and telephone calls from Jarrick, the Mountie who has stolen her heart. The distance between them is almost too much to bear. But can she give her heart to Jarrick when it will mean saying good-bye to her family once again--and possibly forever? And will she still want to live in the western wilds after the steamship tour opens up a world of people and places she never imagined?

Then comes a great test of Beth's faith. Someone in her family has trusted the wrong person, and suddenly everything Beth knows and loves is toppled. Torn between her family and her dreams, will Beth finally discover where her heart truly belongs?

A companion story to Hallmark Channel's When Calls the Heart TV series!

My thoughts:
I found this book to be much different from the first in the series because now Beth is at home with her family.  She ends up taking a cruise with her mother and sisters.  She is glad for the time to be with them but also misses her time in Coal Valley and wonders if she will be asked to return there to teach again.  

I found the sisters to be very different from one another. They had an interesting relationship in how they interacted with one another, their mother, and others on the ship. 

Beth tries to maintain a relationship with Jarrick who she met in the previous book.  They write letters and talk by phone when they are able, but Beth isn't sure how long this will last.

I enjoyed this book overall. At some points I felt it moved slowly though.  I am not familiar with the areas mentioned so I found it hard to stay focused at certain points.  Some mention is made to Coal Valley and the people there; it is clear Beth wants to return and experiences a totally different life there than on the ship with her family.  

You can read more here. This book was sent to me by Bethany House Publishers for my honest review.  Thank you.

Have a day of blessings!
  

Miles From Nowhere

Here is a book for you to check out by Amy Clipston!

About the book:
In the third book in the Roadside Assistance trilogy, Chelsea Morris has always been responsible, and focused on her dreams of fashion design-a dream that will officially begin come fall, when she leaves for college in New York City. And as she settles into her role as the lead designer for the local theater group, she decides to make the most of her last summer in North Carolina. But with her best friend Emily working late and spending time with Zander, and tensions with Chelsea's boyfriend, Todd, running high, the summer she envisioned seems to be falling flat. Then Dylan joins the latest summer production. There's something about the college boy that makes her feel free and alive, and soon she's broken up with Todd, and is sneaking out late to meet Dylan at parties and breaking rules at the playhouse. Before she knows it, her exciting nights are interfering with her job, her role on the play, as well as her relationship with Emily and with her parents. Worse, Chelsea finds herself feeling more and more estranged from God.

My thoughts:
I had not read any of Amy Clipston's young adult books.  I must say this is a very enjoyable book and I would recommend it.  There are so many lessons in this book for young adults which would make it a great book for a book study group.  I felt like the relationships and troubles experienced in this book are real to life for young adults today.  I liked that things were not just solved immediately and Chelsea doesn't always make the right decisions, which makes her seem like a real person.  I think young adults will be able to relate to the situations in this story.

If you have young adults in  your life looking for a good author with great stories, check out Amy Clipston.

This book is available April 7.  You can find more information here.  I received an ARC of this book as part of Amy Clipston's Bakery Bunch.

Have a day of blessings!
 

The Fringe Hours

I have seen this new book called The Fringe Hours by Jessica N. Turner mentioned on a few blogs.  I was glad to be able to listen to the audio version.

About the book:
Every woman has had this experience: you get to the end of the day and realize you did nothing for you. And if you go days, weeks, or even months in this cycle, you begin to feel like you have lost a bit of yourself.

While life is busy with a litany of must-dos--work, child-rearing, keeping house, grocery shopping, laundry and on and on--women do not have to push their own needs aside. Yet this is often what happens. There's just no time, right? Wrong.

In this practical and liberating book, Jessica Turner empowers women to take back pockets of time they already have in their day in order to practice self-care and do the things they love. Turner uses her own experiences and those of women across the country to teach readers how to balance their many responsibilities while still taking time to invest in themselves. She also addresses barriers to this lifestyle, such as comparison and guilt, and demonstrates how eliminating these feelings and making changes to one's schedule will make the reader a better wife, mother, and friend.

Perfect for any woman who is doing everything for everyone--except herself--The Fringe Hours is ideal for both individuals and small group use.

My thoughts:
When I read this book's description, I thought it sounded interesting so I would give it a try.  What I liked was this was a practical book of ways for women to take time for themselves.  Women are busy whether they are stay at home Moms or work outside the home, and it is vital for women to make time for themselves in all stages of life.  Women need to make it a priority to find time to do something they enjoy just for them.  There are many reasons we do not do this because of guilt and the pressures of comparison due to social media.  The author asks the reader to identify her passions and use those to find what you will enjoy doing during your "fringe hours." When we pursue our passions as women, we will end up being better wives, mothers, and friends.  Some scriptures are mentioned but not many.  I found this to be a useful book that would be beneficial to women no matter what stage of life they are experiencing.

Reading this book would be a good first step in making time for yourself as a woman!

This audio book was read by Carla Mercer-Meyer.  I did not enjoy her reading at first but got used to it as the book went on.

I received this book via the christianaudio Reviewers Program for my honest review.  Thank you.

Have a day of blessings!
 

Book: Always on my Mind

I have read other books in this series about the Christiansen Family and expected to enjoy this one like I have the others. I was not disappointed!  Today I'd like to tell you about book 4 called Always on my Mind by Susan May Warren.

About the book:After a failed dig in Honduras, aspiring archaeologist Casper Christiansen heads home to Minnesota to face his unresolved feelings for Raina Beaumont, the woman of his dreams. But when he arrives unannounced on her doorstep, he receives the shock of a lifetime: Raina is pregnant with someone else’s baby.

Heartbroken, especially when he discovers the identity of the baby’s father, Casper tables his dreams and determines to be dependable for once, helping his older brother, Darek, prepare the family resort for its grand reopening. Casper longs to be the hero of at least one family story, but a never-ending Deep Haven winter and costly repairs threaten their efforts—and the future of the resort.

Worse, one of Casper’s new jobs constantly brings him into contact with Raina, whom he can’t seem to forget. A tentative friendship begins to heal fresh wounds, but can they possibly overcome past mistakes and current choices to discover a future together? 

My thoughts:

I have enjoyed all the books I've read by Susan May Warren.  Her characters seem so real, and I enjoy her writing style.  I appreciate the close-knit family of the Christiansens and how they seem like a realistic family with real problems and struggles.  

In this book I liked the mystery/treasure hunt that Casper and Raina work on together.  I saw a deeper meaning than just the treasure hunt on the surface though; both Casper and Raina were looking for their own treasures even though they may not realize it.  I thought the author did a good job of weaving these two characters' stories together in a believable way.  They both have such pain in their heart because of their pasts.  

If you have read other books in this series, you will see those main characters pop up throughout this book as well which I like. This book can be read alone if you haven't read the others though.  I look forward to the next book in the series!  

Thank you to Tyndale House Publishers for providing me with a complimentary copy of this book.
Have a day of blessings!