Shattered Book Review



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Shattered by Dani Pettrey is the second book in the Alaskan Courage series. Though it isn't necessary to read the first book to understand this one, it does give you a better understanding of the characters in the book. This book focuses on the lives of Piper and Landon, both of whom are thrown into solving a murder case. Piper's brother Reef was at the scene of the crime and thought to be the killer, Piper is certain her brother could never do such a thing and goes on her own discovery to track down a killer. Landon is the deputy and has to follow protocol but some things in the murder case don't add up. Piper and Landon embark on a wild journey that leaves you in suspense at the end of every chapter.

Suspense, mystery, and romance in Yancy, Alaska-does it get any better? I loved this book and I could not put it down. The plot and characters are so creatively put together, Dani Pettrey is definitely a new favorite and a talented writer.

Check out Dani's website.

"I received this book from Litfuse Publicity in exchange for an honest review."

Dani Pettrey is celebrating the release of Shattered with a Nook HD giveaway and a Facebook Author Chat Party {3/14}. 

One winner will receive:

• A brand new Nook HD
• Submerged and Shattered by Dani Pettrey {Be caught up in this riveting series.}

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on March 13th. Winner will be announced at the "Shattered" Author Chat Party on 3/14. Connect with Dani for an evening of book chat, trivia, and a chance to win gift certificates, books, and other fun prizes!

So grab your copy of Shattered and join Dani on the evening of the March 14th for a chance to connect and make some new friends. (If you haven't read the book - don't let that stop you from coming!)

Don't miss a moment of the fun; RSVP today. Tell your friends via FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning. Hope to see you on the 14th!

Decisive Book Review

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Decisive: How to Make Better Choices in Life and Work by Chip Heath and Dan Heath.

In Decisive, Chip Heath and Dan Heath, the bestselling authors of Made to Stick and Switch, tackle the thorny problem of how to overcome our natural biases and irrational thinking to make better decisions, about our work, lives, companies and careers.
    When it comes to decision making, our brains are flawed instruments.  But given that we are biologically hard-wired to act foolishly and behave irrationally at times, how can we do better?  A number of recent bestsellers have identified how irrational our decision making can be.  But being aware of a bias doesn't correct it, just as knowing that you are nearsighted doesn't help you to see better.  In Decisive, the Heath brothers, drawing on extensive studies, stories and research, offer specific, practical tools that can help us to think more clearly about our options, and get out of our heads, to improve our decision making, at work and at home. (Goodreads)

Honestly, this is not a book I would usually pick up and read. But it was sent to me for review and there were a few parts that I found interesting. There are multiple stories that include some type of choice, and then examples of what could happen and what did happen. Some of the titles include: The Four Villains of Decision Making, Overcome Short-Term Emotion, Consider the Opposite, and Trusting the Process.

I don't  really like the way that the book is set up and organized, it made it rather difficult to follow at times. But if you are interested in this type of research of decision making, you will like this book.

"I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah in exchange for an honest review".

Wishing On Willows ARC Winner!!

 


 


The winner of the Wishing on Willows Giveaway is Caitlyn!


Thanks to everyone who stopped by and participated. I have emailed the winner and the book will be sent out to her in the next couple of days! To those who followed my blog- I will be having more giveaways so keep an eye out for that post.

Congrats Caitlyn!!


-Michelle

Fear, Faith, and a Fistful of Chocolate Book Review

 

 

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Fear, Faith, and a Fistful of Chocolate: Wit and Wisdom for Sidestepping Life's Worries by Debora Coty is a delightful read. I have never read anything by Debora before and her sense of humor is so fun as she talks about life topics. There are many different chapters that span from jealously, depression, death, aging, money, health, and relationships. Debora covers it all in short chapters that start with a real life story, helpful advice, verses that relate to the topic, and then bullet points of what you can do to actually make a change. 

 

This is a small read that I didn't want to read all at one time, but about one or two chapters a day. I will probably go back and read different topics over again. I highly recommend to anyone who needs a little pick me up every once in awhile. 

 

"I received this book for free from Litfuse Publicity in exchange for a review."   

 

Celebrate the release of Fear, Faith and a Fistful of Chocolate with Debora Coty by entering her Kindle Fire Giveaway and RSVPing to the March 7th Author Chat Party on Facebook!

One "sweet" winner will receive:

• A Kindle Fire
• A Debora Coty Library (Fear, Faith and a Fistful of Chocolate, More Beauty, Less Beast, Too Blessed To Be Stressed, and Everyday Hope)
• Chocolate (Every good thing begins with chocolate!)

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends 3/6/13. Winner will be announced at Debora's "Fear, Faith and a Fistful of Chocolate" Facebook Party on 3/7. Debora will be hosting an evening of chat, fun trivia, laughter, and encouragement - bring your friends! She'll also be giving away some GREAT prizes: gift certificates, books, and a book club prize pack! (Ten copies of the book for your small group or book club and a live chat with Debora via Skype.)

So grab your copy of Fear, Faith and a Fistful of Chocolate and join Debora and friends on the evening of March 7th for an evening of fun. (If you haven't read the book, don't let that stop you from coming!)

What I'm Into Right Now...

My posts are few and far between because it doesn't seem like many days are too different from the other. Here is what is on my mind these days:

SPRING Now that I have lived in Kansas for a couple of years I know that spring comes earlier than I've ever experienced. So I know that even with the foot of snow outside, spring is right around the corner.

Buying a house This has been an ongoing search and dilemma for the past couple of months. This will be our first house we buy and there are limited houses available in this area so finding the right one has been difficult.

Yoga I'm loving it!

Ahmad Tea from London. This is really yummy!


Watkins



Love Comes Softly Movies It has been ten years since the first movie came out. That I simply can't believe but I have re-watching all of them. Though they are not at all like the beloved books by Janette Oke, they are still decent movies that have good values.



The Piano Guys and Downton Abbey Soundtrack





Swept Away




As odd and random as this list is, these are the things that I am into right now.

Thanks for stopping by! 

-Michelle

Wishing On Willows Advance Reading Copy Giveaway!!

 

This is a giveaway for Wishing On Willows by Katie Ganshert advance reading copy! This book does not hit stores until March 19th so this will give the lucky winner an opportunity to read it before it's even in the stores.

 You can read my review on the book over here. 

 A three-year old son, a struggling café, and fading memories are all Robin Price has left of her late husband. As the proud owner of Willow Tree Café in small town Peaks, Iowa,  she pours her heart into every muffin she bakes and espresso she pulls, thankful for the sense of purpose and community the work provides.
                                     
So when developer Ian McKay shows up in Peaks with plans to build condos where her café and a vital town ministry are located, she isn’t about to let go without a fight.

As stubborn as he is handsome, Ian won’t give up easily. His family’s business depends on his success in Peaks. But as Ian pushes to seal the deal, he wonders if he has met his match. Robin’s gracious spirit threatens to undo his resolve, especially when he discovers the beautiful widow harbors a grief that resonates with his own.

With polarized opinions forming all over town, business becomes unavoidably personal and Robin and Ian must decide whether to cling to the familiar or surrender their plans to the God of Second Chances. (Goodreads)

Take Note: Advance reading copies are uncorrected proofs that the publisher sends out. Also, the front cover will say that it is an advance reading copy.

 Simply enter through the Rafflecopter below. U.S. entries only please.

Thanks for stopping by!

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Wedded to War Book Review



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Wedded to War by Jocelyn Green is the first in the new Heroines Behind the Lines: Civil War Series.

Tending to the army's sick and wounded meant leading a life her mother does not understand and giving up a handsome and approved suitor. Yet Charlotte chooses a life of service over privilege, just as her childhood friend had done when he became a military doctor. She soon discovers that she's combatting more than just the rebellion by becoming a nurse. Will the two men who love her simply stand by and watch as she fights her own battles? Or will their desire for her wage war on her desire to serve God?

Wedded to War is a work of fiction, but the story is inspired by the true life of Civil War nurse Georgeanna Woolsey. Woolsey's letters and journals, written over 150 years ago, offer a thorough look of what pioneering nurses endured. This is the first in the series "Heroines Behind the Lines: Civil War," a collection of novels that highlights the crucial contributions made by women during times of war. (Goodreads)

Jocelyn creates a lovely historically accurate story about young women nursing on the battle lines. Charlotte is sick of her entire purpose in life being about marriage and children, she is unmarried and ready for a change. This takes her on quite an adventure during the Civil War. She faces a lot of criticism and blood. To add a twist, her suitor is very full of himself and involves himself in shady dealings without her knowing. At the end of the book I discovered that everything had been researched to the smallest details and was loosely based off of Georgeanna Woolsey's life during that time.

This book is written a lot like Jane Kirkpatrick's books with tons of history and fun fictional additions.

I highly reccomend to those who don't mind reading about bloody battles and like historical facts.

"I received this book for free from Moody  in exchange for an honest review".

Beautiful Battlefields Book Review



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"We rejoice in our suffereings, knowing that suffereing produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame." Romans 5:3-5

Bo Stern realizes life is full of fierce and unexpected battles. When her husband was diagnosed with a terminal illness, she knew she had found her Goliath. With winsome sincerity, Bo points to the battle plans available to us in Scripture and to our God who brings beauty from the struggles we face. (Goodreads)

Bonita Stern is an excellent story teller and this book is full of hope, even when she is going through her own battle. Her husband has been fighting ALS and a disease that is taking over his body. With the medical bills, the stress of a man not being able to live the way he once did, Bo writes with a strong faith in God. Every chapter is new and different along with a story and Biblical reference. Bo also adds questions at the end of each chapter for the reader to think on. I read this as more of a devotional or a couple chapters a day. I enjoyed her take on life and the common question on why do we suffer-just read Romans 5!

I enjoyed this book and for others who are going through their own battle this book is a good one to read.

Hop over to Litfuse for more info!

Stop by Bo's website.

You can buy the book here.

"I received this book for free from Litfuse Publicity in exchange for an honest review".

The Brushstroke Legacy Book Review



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Ragni Clauson’s work, relationships, and body all seem to be falling apart. And she isn’t convinced that spending her vacation fixing up her great-grandmother’s cabin and supervising her rebellious teenage niece, Erika, will offer any much-needed rejuvenation.

As Ragni and Erika clean, they begin to uncover the secret paintings and life of Nilda, Ragni’s ancestor who lived in the cabin in the early 1900s. Ragni doesn’t know how much she has in common with her great-grandmother, but it becomes clear Nilda faced her own struggles. Taking care of home and menfolk, fighting off locusts, raising her daughter, and finding time to paint in the midst of it all were not easy tasks. Will Nilda’s passion for enduring art re-ignite Ragni’s artistic soul a century later?

Weaving together the stories of three generations of women, The Brushstroke Legacy stirs us to believe that no matter the circumstances, we are called to use our gifts– never knowing when they might bring a stranger to a new place of hope. (Goodreads)

The Brushstroke Legacy by Lauraine Snelling  is a beautiful story about Ragni and her neice and how their life suddenly takes a turn from the typical.

Ragni is going on a relaxing vacation, that is until her mother tells her that their old family cabin in North Dakota needs fixed up. Ragni's vacation ends up  her dragging her teenage neice to the middle of nowhere in order to fix up a cabin that has defintely seen better days. As the story moves on the two women grow and they discover a family secret of an ancestor who lived in the cabin a long time ago. God is evident even with the trials that they face with cancer, alzheimer's, and stessful work situations. This story is so easy to relate to with our every day life and it combines a contemporary story with a historical romance.

I am reviewing this book simply for my blog.

Stop by Lauraine's Website!

If You Have A Craving, I Have A Cure Book Review



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If You Have a Craving, I Have a Cure: Experience Food, Faith, and Fulfillment a Whole New Way by Sheri Rose Shepherd. I really enjoy anything that Sheri has to write and this book was no exception. I had no idea what this book was really about or how she would tie food in with faith. To my delight I discovered that this book is completely full of healthy recipes and quotes that Sheri writes to encourage readers on a daily basis. This is not a devotional, but it could defintely be used as one. Each chapter is about a different important part of our life, not necessarily about food but about God's part in our lives.

Sheri includes tips on how to be healthy as she has lost over 50 pounds and grown in her relationship with God. This book is easy to read and understand and I highly reccomend this book, even if you already eat healthy!

 

With her many recipe's I can't wait to try the corn chowder, spinach cream soup, or chamomile vanilla ice cream!!

 

"No food is as satisfying as the energy to enjoy life."

 

 

 

 

Here is a recipe from Sheri:

 

HONEY-BAKED ALMOND BRITTLE
Serves 4

Ingredients:
1/4 cup honey
1 cup almonds
Dash sea salt

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Heat honey in microwave for 30 seconds.
3. In a bowl, pour honey over almonds and mix evenly so every almond is coated.
4. Coat sheet with non-stick spray, spreads almonds on cookie sheet, and sprinkle with sea salt.
5. Bake at 350 for 15 minutes, or to desired taste. Let cool, and enjoy!

 

 

 

I love the seasons of love and laughter, but I have discovered that it is the seasons of loneliness and pain when I experience real faith. The best way to taste faith again is to become salt in someone else's life when you feel lifeless. What I mean is, take that very thing that you are craving in your life, and turn it into a gift to give into someone else's life.

New Life Recipes
1. Try a New Flavor
Taste and see that the Lord is good.
Oh, the joys of those who trust in him! Psalm 34:8

If you are craving more flavor in your faith walk, pick up a new Christian book to read or find a new Christian friend to hang out with. If your church does not help you grow closer to God, don't be afraid to try a new church.

The great thing about all the different ways and styles of Christian churches is that you and I have the freedom to look for the one that stimulates our faith and works best with our gifts and personality.

2. Sing a New Song
Sing a new song to the Lord! Let the whole earth sing to the Lord!
Psalm 96:1

Worship should bring joy and flavor to our faith. Find some new worship songs that fit the style of music you love to listen to. If you're craving closeness with God, sing a new song or better yet sit down and write a song to the Lord, putting it to your own melody.

3. Purify Yourself
Then he went out to the spring that supplied the town with water and threw the salt into it. And he said, "This is what the Lord says: I have purified this water. It will no longer cause death or infertility."
2 Kings 2:21

Many times we can't taste God's goodness because we feed our soul salt substitutes instead of real faith. In other words, we watch, read, and listen to things that go against everything we want to become in Christ. We lose our craving for the Word and attempt to satisfy our soul with unhealthy, man-made forms of entertainment. Just like a whole food diet makes you crave healthier foods, a pure soul food cleanse will get rid of the junk in our spirit so we can taste God's goodness again.

4. Power Up with Prayer
Let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.
Matthew 5:16

Dear God,
I pray you will increase our craving for You and fill us up so full that salt and goodness spill out onto those we love. Show us the artificial things in our lives that are keeping us from tasting and becoming your salt to this world, Amen.

Taste of Truth
Life will lose its flavor if it is not seasoned with faith, hope, and love.

Watch today's message and laugh a lot and fall in love with your Lord all over again! View the first week of my Bible Study at http://biblelifecoaching.com/2013/01/day5/ and enjoy the recipe below! (From Sheri Shepherd)

"I received this book for free from Tyndale Publishing in exchange for an honest review."

 

 

Unglued Devotional Book Review

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Unglued Devotional by Lysa Terkeurst is set up as a sixty day short read devotional.

Lysa writes on many topics such as marriage, deary days, kids, family, disappointments, and self control. I do not have kids yet, so some of the topics I couldn't relate to. Lysa includes different verses for each topic as well.

My personal favorite devotional was the one on husbands. The title is Advice to Unglued Wives: Stop Praying which is followed by the "thought for the day" God isn't looking for me to be a "fix-him" wife. God is looking for me to be a "love-him" wife. At the end of her devotionals she often asks questions. This question is a good for any wife to remind herself: Am I praying about my husband or for my husband? 

How do I pray for my husband? Do I pray for him or ask things to be different in some way? Even with praying you have to understand what you are really praying about.  

I have not read any other books by Lysa Terkeurst but have found that she has written multiple other books. She also a part of Women of Faith. Along with this devotional she has also created a DVD and an entire Unglued package.

I enjoyed this devotional, it was easy to read and understand, short, meaningful, and to the point.

 "I received this book for free from Zondervan through the Booksneeze program. This is my honest opinion of the book."