The Hawaiian Quilt

I realized I had never posted my review of this book so I wanted to do that.  I've read many books by Wanda E Brunstetter as well as various other authors who write stories about the Amish.  This one is very different because four friends who are Amish take a trip on a cruise ship to Hawaii.  That makes for an unusual setting for this book.   It was interesting the things that took place in the story (without giving away too much) that led Mandy to end up being longer in Hawaii than she originally planned.
I do look forward to more about the characters.  I was surprised by how the main character Mandy acted at times.  

This book had a different feel from other Amish books I've read and took me a while to "get into it." Overall, it was an okay book.

I received a copy of this book from the author for my honest review.  Thank  you.

Have a day of blessings!
    Bethany

Book: Things I Wish I'd Known....

About the book:

In Things I Wish I’d Known Before We Became Parents, Chapman and Warden share wisdom gained from raising their own children and from the many families they’ve counseled through the years. They explore numerous topics like how children change your life, how to accept your child’s uniqueness, potty training (yes!), why kids need boundaries (starting as infants), the importance of modeling, why social skills are as important as academic skills, and why emotional health is critical. While much of the book focuses on parenting, Chapman and Warden also spend a chapter focused on marriage, encouraging couples not to put their marriage on auto-pilot when the kids come.

About the authors:

Dr. Gary Chapman is an author, speaker, and counselor who has a passion for people and helping them form lasting relationships. He is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The 5 Love Languages® and the director of Marriage and Family Life Consultants, Inc. Gary travels the world presenting seminars and his radio programs air on more than 400 stations. He and his wife have two children and several grandchildren. Dr. Shannon Warden is an assistant teaching professor at Wake Forest University where she teaches in the graduate counseling program. She is also the director of counseling and director of women’s ministries at Triad Baptist Church in Kernersville, NC. As a professional counselor, Shannon has counseled children, families, young adults, women, and couples since 1998 and has served as an assistant to Dr. Gary Chapman since 2003. She and her husband have three children.

My thoughts:

This is an easy to read book that would make a nice gift for a couple expecting a child.  The authors give good, practical advice on various topics such as the costs associated with raising a child, educational decisions parents need to consider, and how the husband/wife relationship will change once a child is born.  There were several things they shared that I agreed it would have been nice to know before we had children!

One chapter I particularly enjoyed was about how all children are different.  I have seen this with our two boys, and it was nice to read and be reminded how ALL children truly are unique and different. What works for one may not be the best approach for another. One may learn something faster than another.  That's all okay and important for parents to realize before they start comparing their baby to other babies.

I enjoyed this book and recommend it to couples expecting a child.

I was sent a copy of this book by the publisher for my review.  Thank you.

Have a day of blessings!
  Bethany

While My Child Is Away

About the book:
Parents and children are separated for many reasons: divorce, school, camp, even work. It might be for just a few days or indefinitely. These 140 prayers give voice to all that you are hoping for your child when you can't be the one to meet their needs. Prayers of blessings, protection, instruction and grace. Or prayers for those around your child to choose wisely, see their needs, and love then as you would. Prayers for friends, teachers, coaches and mentors to step in and fill every need. Knowing that a loving Father God is caring for your child, even when you can't, gives you the peace and assurance that all will be well.

My thoughts:
I have enjoyed reading these prayers plus devotional thoughts for parents.  As our children age they spend less time at home.  These prayers are applicable for any parent experiencing time with a child away for whatever reason.

This book has been a reminder to me of the importance of praying for my children.  The prayers in the book are written from the heart and helped me consider things I had not previously prayed for my children.

This is a nice resource for parents and will be a comfort to those with children who are away.

I received this book from the FirstLook blog tour program for my review.  Thank you.

Have a day of blessings!
   Bethany

No Other Will Do

About the Book:
Men are optional. That's the credo Emma Chandler's suffragette aunts preached and why she started a successful women's colony in Harper's Station, Texas. But when an unknown assailant tries repeatedly to drive them out, Emma admits they might need a man after all. A man who can fight--and she knows just the one.

Malachi Shaw finally earned the respect he craved by becoming an explosives expert for the railroad. Yet when Emma's plea arrives, he bolts to Harper's Station to repay the girl who once saved his life. Only she's not a girl any longer. She's a woman with a mind of her own and a smile that makes a man imagine a future he doesn't deserve.

As the danger intensifies, old feelings grow and deepen, but Emma and Mal will need more than love to survive.

My Thoughts:
I always enjoy books by Karen Witemeyer.  The reader gets transported to a different time period in her writings, and she does such a good job of making you feel like you are there and part of the story. I really liked the characters of Emma and Malachi.  I liked their past and the way they've stayed connected through the years and that Emma knew she could count on him to come help when the need arose.

This book has some surprising twists as the trouble and threats at Harper's Station increase. I enjoyed her previous book series and am glad this one will be a series too so I can find out more about the other characters. If you enjoy historical fiction, check out this book (or any by this author)!

Visit Karen Witemeyer's author site here or find her on Facebook.

This book was sent to me for my review from the publisher. Thank you.

Have a day of blessings!
    Bethany

Audio: Wreck My Life

Whoa! This is an amazing book!

About the book:
Inspiring Story of How Brokenness Leads to Bold Faith Jesus promises peace and trouble for his followers. But most of us accept the peace and are confused and angry when adversity comes our way. All-American soccer star Mo Isom knows the struggle firsthand. While her life seemed like a success, she was battling an eating disorder, the suicide of her father, and a horrific car accident. It wasn't until God wrecked her life that she discovered the glory of renewal through Jesus Christ and that wreckage can be sacred rather than scarring. Readers take the journey from broken to bold with her and learn to surrender their lives to the King who was wrecked on their behalf.

My thoughts:
I am not a sports fan and was not at all familiar with Mo Isom.  I usually enjoy autobiographies so I thought I'd give this one a try.  I'm so glad I did! I was so touched by her openness and honesty in how God changed her life amidst brokenness. She learned who God is through the "wreckage" of her life.  It is beautifully written and will touch your heart.  

The book is read by the author which made it all the more moving to me as I listened.

**There are parts of this book that are very intense regarding eating disorders and suicide.

Read more about this amazing autobiography at the christianaudio website.

I received the audio version of this book as part of the christianaudio reviewers program for my review.  Thank you.

Have a day of blessings!
  Bethany

Come to the family table!

About the book:
In our busy world, family time around the dinner table is easily displaced by other things. Ted and Amy Cunningham call parents to a slower way of living that allows them to intentionally build into their family’s relational and spiritual fabric and into the community around them.

No more rushing to the table for a quick bite so we can get back to our other activities. Prioritizing mealtime slows us down long enough to enjoy our food, each other, and Jesus. Inspired by the slow food movement,Come to the Family Table seeks to encourage families with intentional strategies to engage one another and create the table as a space for practical ministry to their community.

My thoughts:This was a very enjoyable read for me.  Family meal time has always been a priority to me. I've read so many times about how important this time is for families and children. This book provides some wonderful ideas for families to come together and just slow down a bit from the busyness of every day life.

Instead of just rushing through the meal to get to the next task, event, etc. this book provides some tools to help families linger longer around the table....talking, sharing memories, asking questions, reading the Bible. The authors share personal stories that show the benefits of the family table.  Each chapter has a recipe to try as well as a devotional thought to share with your family.  There are also various "games" you can play as a family such as "The 'Or' Game" and "guess the object."  The second part of the book is how to help people at your family table. For example there is a chapter on being an advocate for marriage and your table can be a safe place to do that for your friends and loved ones.

I have really enjoyed this book and recommend it to you.  My family has already started using some of the ideas.  We read a devotional one night this week and played the "or" game.

Families have to choose to make this time a priority, but there are so many benefits of having this time together. Let this book help you and your family do that.

I received this book for my review as part of the Tyndale review program.  These opinions are mine.  Thank  you.

Have a day of blessings!
  Bethany

Lazy Crafternoon

About the book:

Spend a lazy crafternoon with your friends. From pretty school supplies to colorful tech accessories to perfect party decor, Lazy Crafternoon guides tween crafters through simple steps to create amazing projects.
For ages 9-13.
*Step-by-step instructions and images of complex steps makes crafting easy
*Over 50 fast, fun crafts to create & share

My thoughts:

This is a fun book of ideas for a preteen/teen to enjoy creating with friends.  There are a variety of projects here.  I liked that the materials that are used for these projects are not too expensive, and they are easy to obtain if the crafter does not already have them on hand.  It has good pictures of finished projects along with the directions.  The directions are fairly simple to follow; I will say that for some projects I had to go back and reread a couple of times to understand fully what I would need to do.

I recommend this book for preteen or  young teens who enjoy crafting with their friends and family.

I received this book from Capstone via NetGalley, and these opinions are mine.  Thank you.

Have a day of blessings!
   Bethany

A Different Beautiful

I have shared in previous posts about this book because I was part of the launch team.  Today I want to share my official review of this wonderful book!  There is just so much I love about this book! 

All through the book I kept reading and finding little nuggets that made me stop and think. Brenna's story is beautifully written and will definitely touch your heart. The message of this book is extremely relevant for our time. These are the words that can bring change if people would apply them. I felt like I learned so much from this book!  It is one I want to reread and see what I can gain from it the second time around. 

It was easy to read, and there were so many times I would stop and reread a passage to try to soak it in. I also found that the information was very informative to me as a parent and how to handle situations with my own children regarding our differences and the beauty of each of us. 

This book definitely touched my heart, and I'm so glad for the opportunity to read it. I enjoyed Westlake's writing style and would love to see more books from her in the future. 

Please consider buying it! I'm sure you will be blessed to read it. You can visit the author's blog here. I have been reading her blog for several  years now and always enjoy her stories about her family.

I was given a copy of the book as part of the launch team, and the review opinions are my honest feelings. Thank you.

Have a day of blessings!
  Bethany

Book: The Second Half

We commonly hear of children being raised by their grandparents. That is the case in the book The Second Half by Lauraine Snelling. Main characters Ken and Mona have many plans to enjoy life as Ken is about to retire from the local University. They both look forward to that season of life, and then suddenly everything changes. Their son is deployed so they are left caring for two young grandchildren since their mother had previously abandoned them. How will Ken and Mona adjust to having two children in their house again? Will they be able to figure out a new routine with the kids while their plans have to be put on hold?

I enjoyed this book overall. Since I am not to this stage of life yet, I could not totally relate to the characters.  The author did a good job sharing the characters' feelings and emotions about having this sudden change in life.  The emotions they felt seemed to be how real people would feel if they experienced this change.  They love their grandchildren but were totally not expecting to have two of them moving into their home.  Plus they are worried about their son's safety during his deployment. Another aspect of this book I found interesting was depression.  I thought the examples given of how the character Mona felt and dealt with her depression during this season of life were insightful.  I have not faced this personally but found it to be helpful to know how people facing depression must feel daily.

This book is easy to read and a good story.  I'd also like to add that when I received the book in the mail, my 11 year old son read the back and wanted to read it.  He read it quickly and enjoyed it as well.     

This is a standalone novel.  You can visit Lauraine Snelling's website here to find out about this and other books.

This book was provided to me from FaithWords with the Hachette Book Group for my review. Thank you.

Have a day of blessings!
    Bethany

Hope Unfolding

I recently finished listening to Hope Unfolding by Becky Thompson.  I had seen this book on several blogs and when I read the description I thought it would be a good book for me.  I had read some blog posts from the author's blog in the past so I was familiar with her writing.  You can visit her blog here.

This book is very encouraging to moms with stories filled with hope.  It reminded me that other moms feel the same way I do, experience the same highs and lows, face the same challenges, and that we are all loved by our amazing God.  The author shares many personal stories from her childhood, marriage, and motherhood that will help the reader relate to her.

The audio version is read by the author herself.  She does an outstanding job reading this text and I really appreciated that for this title it was read by its author.  It felt like she was right there talking to me, encouraging me through my day.

I cannot say enough good things about this book and highly recommend this book for moms.

This book was provided to me through the christianaudio reviewers program.  Thank  you.

Have a day of blessings!
 

Having a Martha Home the Mary Way

About the book:
Get your home and your heart in order in just 31 days! Sarah Mae wants to let you in on a little secret about being a good homemaker: It’s not about having a clean house. She’d never claim to be a natural, organized cleaner herself―yet, like you, she wants a beautiful space to call home, a place where people feel loved and at peace. Where people can really settle in with good food, comfy pillows, and wide-open hearts.

Is it possible to find a balance? To care for your heart―and your home―at the same time?

Journey with Sarah Mae on this easy, practical 31-day plan to get you moving and have your house looking and feeling fresh. But even more than that, you’ll gain a new vision for the home of your dreams, and how to make it a place of peace, comfort, and community. Originally published as the e-book 31 Days to Clean and now revised and expanded in print for the first time, Having a Martha Home the Mary Way will inspire you to find a happier, healthier . . . cleaner way to live.

My thoughts:
I thought the description of this book sounded interesting and would be helpful for me in this stage of my life.  I liked the layout of this book with short, easy to read chapters followed by a "Mary Challenge" with questions and with space to write your answers and then a "Martha Challenge" which is directions for one thing to clean in your home.

I really wanted to like this book, but it just didn't appeal to me overall.  I liked the short chapters and she does have some good ideas for cleaning.  But it seemed like she just repeated herself.  She kept repeating about getting the kids involved and saying that certain things may not work for everyone so just do what works for you and that bugged me.  It is a nice idea to use a month to get the house clean, but that just does not seem like real life to me. I have not finished to the end of this book because it just does not hold my attention.   I caught myself thinking numerous times why is this even a book?

This book was provided to me through the Tyndale Blog Network reviewers program.  Thank you.

Have a day of blessings!
 

The Restoration

The Restoration by Wanda E. Brunstetter is the third book in The Prairie State Friends series.  I have read the other two so I was familiar with these characters.

In this book the main character Priscilla is courted by a young man named Elam.  An Englisher David comes to the area to visit his grandparents.  He has visited in the past so he's already friends with Priscilla and Elam.  He decides he wants to become Amish.  Priscilla also eventually realizes that David is interested in her as more than a friend.  She has to figure out how she feels about Elam and David.

Also in this book you will find out more about the other characters from this series and their families. I wasn't sure how it was going to end but let's just say I was pleased with the ending.

Visit the author's site here.

This book was sent to me by the publisher and author for my honest review. Thank you.

Have a day of blessings!
 

The Amish Millionaire Series

I have completed the first in a series of six books in a new series called The Amish Millionaire by Wanda E. Brunstetter and Jean Brunstetter.  Book #1 is called The English Son.  

In this book readers are introduced to Joel and his girlfriend Kristi.  Joel has left his Amish family for the modern world.  He works in the construction business.  It does not take long to realize Joel has a problem with spending more than he has.  He is trying to solve his problem but does not share what he has done with Kristi.

Kristi cares for Joel but wonders why he never talks about his family or childhood.  She begins to feel Joel is keeping something from her.  Is he stressed because of his work or is it something else?  

Joel visits his family and they all suspect he comes just because he wants something.  Will his father listen to him or turn him away?
 
This is a short little book and a great read!  I recommend this book to you if you enjoy Amish fiction.  I can't wait to read #2 which is called The Stubborn Father.

I received this book from the publisher for my honest review.  Thank you.

Have a day of blessings!

Climbing With Abraham

Several months ago I received an email asking if I'd be interested in reviewing a 30 day devotional called Climbing With Abraham by David Ramos.

I must say I was very pleased with this devotional, both its content and format.  Each day has a passage to read from the Bible about the life of Abraham followed by a devotional thought and prayer.

I like how each day related a different event of Abraham's life to something that we may face today. It was encouraging to be reminded again of how God was with Abraham and used him.  I appreciated the practicality of this devotion.  It is one that I would read again as I found it so beneficial the first time I read it.  There are many aspects of Abraham's story that have always been some of my favorites of the Bible, but this book showed me some things I had missed.  I look forward to reading more in the future from this author.

I apologize for my delay in posting my review. I received an electronic copy of the book for my review.

Have a day of blessings!
 

Treasuring Christ When Your Hands Are Full

I recently received an email to review a book called Treasuring Christ When Your Hands Are Full by Gloria Furman.  Wow!  This could not have come at a more appropriate time for me!

About the book:
Grocery shopping. Soccer practice. Dirty dishes. Motherhood is tough, and it often feels like the to-do list just gets longer and longer every day—making it hard to experience true joy in God, our children, and the gospel. In this encouraging book for frazzled moms, Gloria Furman helps us reorient our vision of motherhood around what the Bible teaches. Showing how to pursue a vibrant relationship with God—even when discouragement sets in and the laundry still needs to be washed—this book will help you treasure Christ more deeply no matter how busy you are.

My thoughts:
This book is perfect for the busy Mom who has days filled with serving her family day in and day out.  Mothering is a difficult role; however, in the midst of the routine and the regular, it is important for moms to realize the eternal reach of what they are doing. There is a bigger purpose, and as Moms we need to be reminded of this instead of being weighed down in the worries of today. We miss so much when we get so focused on the "now" instead of the eternal. We lose our joy. We don't show grace to our children.  

This book is so encouraging.  I will be listening to it again.  I recommend it for Moms who need the reminder of bringing the focus of their mothering back to Christ.

This audio version is read by Sarah Zimmerman.  She did a wonderful job and made listening to the book enjoyable.

I received a copy of this audio book from the christianaudio reviewers program. Thank you.
Have a day of blessings!
 

Raising Grateful Kids In An Entitled World

I have completed a wonderful book called Raising Grateful Kids in an Entitled World by Kristen Welch. Visit her website here. I've read her blog for many years as well as her previous book Rhinestone Jesus so I was excited to be able to read this new book.

There's no question our society as a whole has an entitlement mentality. I've witnessed this multiple times in my life, and it's just everywhere really in all different age groups.  In this book the author shares her experiences with her own family off  what they do to raise grateful kids. She admits it is not easy to be different from the world, but as Christians that is who we are supposed to be. I appreciate her honesty as a Mom that she is not an expert and doesn't have everything figured out.

The book is easy to read with 4 parts divided into ten chapters. Each ends with practical ideas of how to implement the ideas in your own family with ideas for parents, toddlers/preschoolers, elementary aged, and tweens/teens.

I marked a lot in this book as I read and gained some wonderful ideas to incorporate in our family. I want my husband to read it next, and I plan to reread it too at some point because it just has so much good stuff.

You can pre-order a copy for yourself today. Visit this website for more information about the special offer for when you pre-order.

This book was provided to me by the Tyndale reviewers program for my honest review. Thank you.

Have a day of blessings!