Book Lover

Picture by Emilia Dziubak

I love books. Love to feel them, hold them, smell them.  Love big books and small books.         Love red, blue, and orange books.  They have been an important part of my life since I was two and they were wonderfully read to me. You’ll find lots of information about books here: lists, new releases, authors, give-a-ways and challenges.   I also am a spiritual person so sometimes I will post a prayer or a quote. I’ll also have articles on mental health and diabetic awareness. My main focus, though, will be books. Lots  and lots of books.

My Current Mood is: Some depression and anxiety.

I am Currently Reading: The Awakening by Jude Deveraux.

Music I am Currently Listening to: Majestic by Kari Jobe.

Audio Book I am Currently Listening to: Frequency; Tune In. Hear God by Robert Morris.

I am Currently Watching: Little House on the Prairie, Season Three

Most Recent  Post: A review of An Uncommon Protector by Shelley Shepard Gray.

Today’s Thought/Scripture:  .

 

Psalm 23:2,3

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An Uncommon Protector by Shelley Shepard Gray

An Uncommon Protector (A Lone Star Hero’s Love Story)
Author: Shelley Shepard Gray
Publisher: Zondervan, February 7, 2017
320 pages
Christian Fiction, Historical Fiction

♥♥♥♥

Description from Goodreads:

Overwhelmed by the responsibilities of running a ranch on her own, Laurel Tracey decides to hire a convict—a man who’s just scary enough to take care of squatters and just desperate enough to agree to a one year post…

Former soldier Thomas Baker knows he’s in trouble when he finds himself jailed because he couldn’t pay a few fines. Laurel’s offer might be his only ticket out. Though she’s everything he ever dreamed of in a woman—sweet and tender-hearted, yet strong—he’s determined to remain detached, work hard on her behalf, and count the days until he’s free again.

My thoughts:

It’s always refreshing to pick up a Christian Fiction book. An Uncommon Protector is a tender, sweet love story. It was a quick read probably due to the short chapters. The main characters were very likable and I loved following their romance as it grew. I love historical fiction so I thoroughly enjoyed the parts where it told what it was like to be a Confederate prisoner on Johnson’s Island in Lake Erie following the Civil War. This was the first time I have ever read any books by Shelley Shepard Gray and hope to read more in the future.

This book was given to me from Zondervan through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Other books in A Lone Star Hero’s Love Story series:

The Loyal Heart

About the Author:

Shelley Shepard Gray

Website / Goodreads / Facebook

 

Unstuffed: Decluttering Your Home, Mind, and Soul by Ruth Soukup

Unstuffed: Decluttering Your Home, Mind, and Soul
Author: Ruth Soukup
Publisher: Zondervan, April 2016
208 pages
Christian Living, Home Improvements

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Description from Goodreads:

STUFF. It’s everywhere. Lurking in corners and closets, spilling onto counters and coffee tables, creating havoc everywhere we look. And it’s not just the physical clutter that weighs us down. Oh no, it is the stress of overbooked schedules, and the weight of life that sometimes feels oppressive and totally out of whack.

New York Times bestselling author Ruth Soukup feels your pain–she has been there too. Through personal stories, Biblical truth, and practical action plans, she will inspire and empower each of us to finally declutter not just our home, but our mind and soul as well. Unstuffed is real, honest, and gets right down to the question we are all facing–how can we take back our lives from the stuff that is weighing us down?

My thoughts:

I really liked this book; this author writes amazing books. Unstuffed is full of ideas on how to
declutter your home, your life, and your relationships. The ending is phenomenal; but you really need to read the entire book to appreciate it. I’m rereading it because it’s that good.

I received an e-copy of this book from Zondervan through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Other books I have enjoyed by Ruth Soukup
Living Well, Spending Less ♥♥♥♥♥
How to Blog for Profit Without Selling Your Soul ♥♥♥♥♥

About the Author:

Ruth Soukup

Website / Goodreads

The Memory Weaver by Jane Kirkpatrick

The Memory Weaver
Author: Jane Kirkpatrick
Publisher: Revell, September, 2015
354 pages
Historical Fiction, Christian Fiction

Description from Goodreads:

Eliza Spalding Warren was just a child when she was taken hostage by the Cayuse Indians during a massacre in 1847. Now the young mother of two children, Eliza faces a different kind of dislocation; her impulsive husband wants them to make a new start in another territory, which will mean leaving her beloved home and her departed mother’s grave–and returning to the land of her captivity. Eliza longs to know how her mother, an early missionary to the Nez Perce Indians, dealt with the challenges of life with a sometimes difficult husband and with her daughter’s captivity.

When Eliza is finally given her mother’s diary, she is stunned to find that her own memories are not necessarily the whole story of what happened. Can she lay the dark past to rest and move on? Or will her childhood memories always hold her hostage?

Based on true events, The Memory Weaver is New York Times bestselling author Jane Kirkpatrick’s latest literary journey into the past, where threads of western landscapes, family, and faith weave a tapestry of hope inside every pioneering woman’s heart. Readers will find themselves swept up in this emotional story of the memories that entangle us and the healing that awaits us when we bravely unravel the threads of the past.

My thoughts:

I love historical fiction that centers on America’s pioneer years and Jane Kirkpatrick has a gift of
bringing real life characters and events to life. The story is told through the eyes of Eliza
Spaulding and also through the journals of Eliza’s mother. This is the first book I have read from
this award winning author but I will be reading more.

This book was provided to me from Revell publishing through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

About the Author:

Jane Kirkpatrick

Website / Goodreads / Facebook

The Girl from Summer Hill: A Summer Hill Novel by Jude Deveraux

The Girl from Summer Hill: A Summer Hill Novel
Author: Jude Deveraux
Publisher: Ballantine Books, May 3, 2016
384 Pages
Kindle, Audio, Paperback, Hardback
Romance

♥♥♥♥

Description from Goodreads:

The first book of a new contemporary romance series set in the mountains of Virginia in a town with full of family legends, romance, and secrets from New York Times bestselling author of the Nantucket Brides trilogy.

Sparks fly as fiery Casey Reddick and brooding Hollywood actor Tate Landers clash in the Virginia summer heat. A chef who puts her career first and her love life second, Casey doesn’t see what every girl in town is swooning over. She made up her mind the moment she met Tate—he’s gorgeous, but stuck-up, nothing like his ex-brother-in-law, Devlin who’s playing the Wickham to Tate’s Darcy in local production of Pride & Prejudice. Casey makes the perfect Elizabeth Bennett—how could she be star-struck when she’s heard Devlin’s damning stories about Tate? As they rehearse together, however, Casey finds herself attracted to Tate—he’s much more down-to-earth than she expected and any physical contact between the two of them literally gives her a tingling, electric shock. As opening night draws near, Casey has some difficult decisions to make. Whom should she believe? The seemingly sincere, slighted Devlin or Tate, whose rough, arrogant exterior may only be skin deep. She’s come to love that jolt she gets when they touch—but will she get burned?

My thoughts:

Whenever anyone asks me for a book recommendation, without any hesitation I guickly reply,
“Anything by Jude Deveraux.”If you’re a fan of Jane Austen you’ll love The Girl from Summerhill.
I’m not particularly a fan of Jane Austen, but I still really enjoyed this fun-loving romantic
treat. I enjoyed the compelling characters, the delightful dialogue and the sweet storyline. As in
her other novels Deveraux teases us with her constant culinary references.

An e-copy of this book was given to me by Ballentine Books through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Other Jude Deveraux books I have read:

Twin of Fire ♥♥♥♥♥
Twin of Ice ♥♥♥♥♥
Highland Velvet ♥♥♥♥♥
Velvet Angel ♥♥♥♥♥
The Velvet Promise ♥♥♥♥
The Black Lyon ♥♥♥♥
Sweet Liar ♥♥♥♥♥
Wishes ♥♥♥♥♥
A Knight in Shining Armor
An Angel for Emily ♥♥♥♥
Legend ♥♥♥♥♥
Ever After ♥♥♥♥

About the Author:

Jude Deveraux

Website / Facebook / Goodreads

The Passenger by Lisa Lutz

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The Passenger
Author: Liza Lutz
Publisher: Simon and Schuster, March 1, 2016
320 pages
Kindle, Hardcover, Paperback, Audio
Mytery, Thriller, Suspense
Some Adult Language and Sexual Content

♥♥♥♥♥

 

Description from Goodreads:

From the author of the New York Times bestselling Spellman Files series, Lisa Lutz’s latest blistering thriller is about a woman who creates and sheds new identities as she crisscrosses the country to escape her past: you’ll want to buckle up for the ride! (more description here)

My thoughts:

I’m glad I picked up this psychological thriller. It was a rip-roaring road trip.The more I
read, the more momentum the story had. The story line was carefully constructed with short
chapters kept it fast paced. The characters were well developed and likeable. I particularly
liked the character of Andrew and wouldn’t mind seeing Blue again in another book. Thank you
Lisa Lutz for sidelining The Spellmans for awhile and giving us this tour de force.

A copy of this book was given to me by Simon & Schuster through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

About the Author:

Lisa  Lutz

Website / Goodreads / Facebook

Still Life: A Memoir of Living Fully with Depression by Gillian Marchenko

Still Life: A Memoir of Living Fully with Depression
Author: Gillian Marchenko
Published: InterVarsity Press; May 1, 2016
192 Pages
Kindle, Paperback
Christian Non-fiction

♥♥♥

Description from Goodreads:

“I stand on the edge of a cliff in my own bedroom.” Gillian Marchenko continues her description of depression: “I must keep still. Otherwise I will plunge to my death. ‘Please God, take this away, ‘ I pray when I can.” For Gillian, “dealing with depression” means learning to accept and treat it as a physical illness. In these pages she describes her journey through various therapies and medications to find a way to live with depression. She faces down the guilt of a wife and mother of four, two with special needs. How can she care for her family when she can’t even get out of bed? Her story is real and raw, not one of quick fixes. But hope remains as she discovers that living with depression is still life.

My thoughts:

When I invest time into reading a book, I like to have some return on my investment. Although
this book met the criteria of a memoir, it left me with the feeling that more could have been
explained in Marchenko’s dealing with depression. Besides this disappointment, Marchenko does write well and with a passion. She talks about working the program, but doesn’t give glimpses of what that program is. She talks a lot about her relationships with her husband and daughters and with God and she is very candid and transparent about her feelings. She opens up her heart and reveals her innermost thoughts.

This book was provided to me by InterVarsity Press through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

About the Author:

Gillian Marchenko

Website / Goodreads / Facebook

Parent’s Corner – Let’s Learn About Psalm 23

 

 

Let’s Learn about Psalm 23
Author: Catherine Devries
Illustrator: Ryan Jackson
Publisher: David C. Cook
26 pages

♥♥♥♥

Description from Goodreads:

In this second book of the HeartSmart series, preschoolers are invited to join five-year-old Jackson for a day at Grandpa’s farm. Together they learn how to gather eggs, feed baby lambs, and brush horses. When a storm approaches, they go inside for breakfast and Grandpa reads Psalm 23. Everything they have experienced on the farm helps Psalm 23 come alive.

HeartSmart is a Scripture memory series designed to create opportunities for children to fill their hearts with God’s Word. HeartSmart combines key scriptures with songs, giving parents a spiritual formation path for building a strong foundation of faith.

 

My thoughts:

Charming illustrations. Very age appropriate. This is one your children or grandchildren will love hearing over and over again. I’m a big fan of all Catherine Devries’ children’s books. This would be great as a gift, especially at Easter.

 

Instant Frontier Family (Frontier Bachelors) by Regina Scott

Instant Frontier Family (Frontier Bachelors)
Author: Regina Scott
Publisher: Harlequin Love Inspired Historicals
288 pages
Christian Historical Fiction, Christian Romance

♥♥♥

Description from Goodreads:

Maddie O’Rourke’s orphaned half brother and half sister have arrived safely in Seattle—with a man they hope she’ll wed! Though Michael Haggerty’s not the escort she planned for, Maddie allows him to work off his passage by assisting in her bakery…and helping care for her siblings. But she’ll never risk her newfound independence by marrying the strapping Irishman—or anyone else.

My thoughts:

This has all the elements of a book I could really like. I love romances when they are combined with historical information. However, I couldn’t get into the characters. I loved Michael Haggerty but Maddie O’Rourke was hard to get to know. If I couldn’t know her, I couldn’t like her. The cover is awesome and looks like a lovable frontier family, but I wasn’t convinced by reading the book. The plot was interesting and getting to know Michael Haggerty was worth the read and I will read other books in this series featuring frontier bachelors.

About the Author:

Regina Scott

Website / Goodreads / Facebook

 

An Amish Noel (The Amish Bachelors #2) by Patricia Davids

An Amish Noel (The Amish Bachelors #2)
Author: Patricia Davids
Publisher: Love Inspired, November 2015
288 pages
Christian Romance
Kindle, Paperback, Hardcover

♥♥♥♥

Description from Goodreads:

Luke Bowman’s homecoming is turning Emma Swartzentruber’s carefully ordered world upside down. Gone is her rebellious girlhood crush, and in his place is a handsome man who seems committed to serving the community. Luke’s even agreed to work for Emma’s ill father, whose last wish is to see his daughter wedded to a stable, loving man. But Luke – a man who flirted with the outside world with disastrous consequences – is hardly marriage material for a good Amish woman. Yet this Christmas, when her family is flung into crisis, Emma finds that he may just be the one to capture her heart for good.

My thoughts:

One of the reasons I love Patricia David’s novels is that she cares about her characters. In An Amish Noel it’s not just the characters she cares for but it’s also the chemistry between the two main characters, Emma and Luke. They both have to learn how to forgive. Emma learns to forgive Luke; and Luke learns to forgive himself. This well-paced novel is a very likeable story in The Amish Bachelors series.

 

About the Author:

Patricia Davids

Website / Goodreads / Facebook