Saturday, April 30, 2016

Simply Calligraphy Review


25734064

About the Book

This simple guide to calligraphy teaches just the basics, allowing novices to jump right in and make their own wedding invitations, hand-label envelopes, write their own placecards, and explore their creative side.
With the rise of do-it-yourselfers, there is growing demand for a calligraphy guide that is much simpler than what's currently on the market. This book answers that call, with a focus on only the popular Italic alphabet rather than the scads normally covered by other books (Gothic, Uncials, Half-uncials, and so on). After learning the basic letters, this book presents an open invitation--and a bit of inspiration--to make calligraphy one's own with creative flourishes for every project and occasion. With a modern two-color design and simple explanatory text, Simply Calligraphy's unintimidating approach proves that calligraphy is as easy as picking up pen and paper. (Goodreads)

My Thoughts

I have always found calligraphy elegant and pretty. There seems to be a lot you can do once you know how to write this way and this book is perfect for beginners!! It starts with down strokes and lines and works up to bigger letters and writing. This book is set up nicely and makes it easy to understand and practice. I wasn't overwhelmed by too much at once, which can happen with books like this. 

Highly recommend!!


I received this book from Blogging For Books for free in exchange for an honest review.











Wednesday, April 27, 2016

Her One and Only Promo Party

wade event promo - fb 

A female bodyguard plus her star NFL client plus danger equals a great recipe for romance! Her One and Only, book four in Becky Wade's Porter Family novels, releases May 3. To celebrate, Becky is hosting an author chat party on her Facebook page on May 5 at 5 PM PDT/8 PM EDT. Join Becky for an evening of book chat with other bookworms and prizes.

Plus a portion of all pre-sales and sales the release week of Her One and Only will be donated to the Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund. For more details on how to purchase a copy, click here.

wade 400 - fallen heroes

About the Book

After ten years in the NFL, super star Gray Fowler is accustomed to obsessive fans. But when Gray starts receiving death threats from a stalker, his team hires an executive protection agency to guard him until the culprit is caught. Dealing with bodyguards 24/7 is a headache, especially when one of them is a young, beautiful woman. How can a female half his size possibly protect him better than he can protect himself?

Dru Porter is a former Marine, an expert markswoman, and a black belt–none of which saved her from disaster on her last assignment. In order to rebuild her tarnished reputation, she’s determined to find Gray’s stalker and, since relationships between agents and clients are forbidden, avoid a romantic attachment between herself and the rugged football player with the mysterious past.

Yet every secret that leads Dru closer to the stalker also draws her closer to Gray. As the danger escalates, they’ll survive only if they can learn to trust their lives — and their hearts — to one another.

Friday, April 22, 2016

A Flight of Arrows Book Review

27209312

 About the Book

 October 1776--August 1777

It is said that what a man sows he will reap--and for such a harvest there is no set season. No one connected to Reginald Aubrey is untouched by the crime he committed twenty years ago.

Not William, the Oneida child Reginald stole and raised as his own. Identity shattered, enlisted in the British army, William trains with Loyalist refugees eager to annihilate the rebels who forced them into exile. Coming to terms with who and what he is proves impossible, but if he breaks his Loyalist oath, he'll be no better than the man who constructed his life of lies.

Not Anna, Reginald's adopted daughter, nor Two Hawks, William's twin, both who long for Reginald to accept their love despite the challenges they will face, building a marriage that bridges two cultures.

Not Good Voice and Stone Thrower, freed of bitterness by a courageous act of forgiveness, but still yearning for their firstborn son and fearful for the future of their Oneida people.

As the British prepare to attack frontier New York and Patriot regiments rally to defend it, two families separated by culture, united by love, will do all in their power to reclaim the son marching toward them in the ranks of their enemies.(Goodreads)

My Thoughts
 
I am such a huge fan of Lori Benton. Her writing is superb and her historical research is extensive. Get ready to go back to 1777 and take off right where the last book, The Wood's Edge, left us. Now if you haven't read the first book, you really shouldn't read A Flight of Arrows. You won't understand half of the plot line or any of the back history. Though the author did a great job in reminding me the small tidbits from the first book that carried over that I had forgotten. The setting is wonderful and this book has all of the same characters whom I love. I think Benton could continue on with this family and history of that time though I am unsure if she will. I will say this one wasn't quite as captivating as the first, mainly because a lot of it is war history and setting. I don't mind it and I think it necessary for the story but it's not as interesting to me. Otherwise everything about this book is wonderful and the ending I did not see coming. 
I highly recommend if you have read the first book. If you haven't read The Wood's Edge you must. 

Five stars. 

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

Wednesday, April 20, 2016

Wild About the Bible Sticker Book


 26263644

About the Book
 The Adventure Bible comes to life with puzzles, activity pages, and 50 reusable stickers in the new Wild About the Bible Sticker and Activity Book. Featuring Bible time heroes and their adventures, activities are fun and engaging and will entertain as well as teach young children about familiar stories in the Bible.


Heroes and adventures include Creation, Noah, Moses, Esther, and the parable of the Lost Son. (Goodreads)

My Thoughts

Kids love sticker books, so this book is great in not only being fun but teaching Bible stories! There is more to this book than stickers, there are puzzles, word searches, and coloring pages. Now it says reusable stickers, but that’s not totally true. It sticks like a regular sticker and if you are fast you can take it right back off but if you leave it for a while, it will rip and not really work. Other than that this is a fantastic book for kids ages 4-8.

“I received this book from BookLook Bloggers for free in exchange for an honest review.”

Tuesday, April 19, 2016

The Longing In Me Book Review


26383203
 About the Book

Do your desires have you going around in circles? You may be looking for fulfillment in all the wrong places.

You vowed you d never repeat the same mistakes yet you find yourself right where you started. What is it that keeps drawing you back into the same old traps? The fact is, your longings are built from the blueprint of your needs: for protection, for love, for God. And those needs aren t going anywhere.

Sheila speaks candidly about the trials in her life, including the heartache of her first marriage, and intertwines her story with the biblical saga of King David. As both Sheila s and David s stories make clear, some cravings are misguided, but they all stem from the same hunger and they will haunt you until that hunger gets satisfied properly.

If you keep reaching out to the wrong people at the wrong times in your own life, The Longing in Me will help you understand that your cravings are not the problem. It s where they lead you that makes all the difference." (Goodreads)

My Thoughts

Well this book didn't really hit home with me as it did others. I like Sheila Walsh but this book was about a lot of personal pain that I honestly couldn't completely relate with. The book talks about Sheila's past and her pain and her life decisions and weaves David's story in with it for Biblical background. I found her personal life story interesting but I had read similar things in her previous book as well. 
This book didn't do a lot for me but in reading other reviews many people enjoyed it and it hit home with them. So if you have some stuff in your past or feelings of guilt or confusion this is the book for you. 

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











Thursday, April 7, 2016

Restore My Soul Coloring Book Devotional Review


28075720

About the Book
Grab your colored pencils and get ready to refresh your spirit with this coloring book devotional journey!For lovers of the "Secret Garden" and "Enchanted Forest" coloring books, "Restore My Soul" is a beautiful, interactive devotional designed to celebrate our unique creativity and connect us with the ultimate Creator. Find refreshment in short reflections on Scripture and be inspired as you color accompanying intricate illustrations created for meditation and prayer. Both contemplative and imaginative, "Restore My Soul" is the perfect space for the artist in us all. (Goodreads)


My Thoughts

What a brilliant idea!! This book has a fun coloring page (all of which are very detailed as you would expect) and the opposite page is an encouraging devotional. This is such a great idea and this would also make a wonderful gift for someone. The coloring book for adults is so popular right now, it's nice to see where people can take their creativity. Also, in the back of the book are blank pages for you to draw and color on just for fun. Overall this is a unique coloring book, unlike the many others I have seen and it's definitely worth buying! 
Five Stars!


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



Author Bio
Ann-Margret Hovsepian
Ann-Margret Hovsepian
Ann-Margret Hovsepian is an award-winning writer, editor, and illustrator from Montreal, Quebec. She has had more than 300 articles featured in a variety of Canadian and U.S. print publications. Her devotional for tween girls, The One Year Designer Genes Devo, was released by Tyndale House Publishers in 2007. She is also the author of Truth & Dare: One Year of Dynamic Devotions for Girls (David C. Cook Publishing, 2011) and Truth, Dare, Double Dare: Another Year of Dynamic Devotions for Girls (Cook, 2014), and she was the lead author and senior editor of Blossom, a tween BibleZine (Thomas Nelson, 2006). As an illustrator, she contributed five original drawings to Whatever Is Lovely: A Coloring Book for Reflection and Worship (WaterBrook Multnomah, 2015).









Monday, April 4, 2016

Noble Movie Review and DVD Giveaway!


Synopsis of Noble


At the tender age of ten, Christina Noble’s mother passed away and she and her brothers and sisters were moved around to various institutions where they was exposed to all kinds of mistreatment and told that the others had passed away.  When Noble was finally released from the orphanage, she ended up homeless where she even slept in a hole she had dug in a park.

When she was 18, Christina Noble escaped to England to live with her brother.  It was there that she and her husband met and married – they had three children, Androula, Helenita and Nicolas.  During this period in her life, in the early seventies, she had a dream about Vietnam.

She doesn’t’ know why she dreamed about Vietnam, perhaps because it has been so prominent in the news because of the Vietnam war, but she dreamt of poor children running down a road naked, escaping from napalm bombing.   They were running on cracked ground and running toward Christina.  One child in the dream begged her for help. 

It wasn’t until 20 years later, in 1989 that Christina actually arrived in Vietnam specifically to help children in need. 

Overcoming overwhelming odds, Christina has founded a foundation that is located in Ho Chi Mihn City – from there many programs have been developed that touch the lives of countless living in poverty both in Vietnam and throughout Mongolia. 

Giveaway
Enter through the rafflecopter below. U.S. Entries only please. 


 

 My Thoughts

First of all I would like to give a shout out to Jake from FishFlix who introduced me to this movie to begin with. This is a new-to-me website that has all the great Christian films!!

Noble is not a movie I knew anything about so I was curious to see where it led. The movie is rated PG-13 for a reason, so be cautious if watching with children. There are many difficult scenes in Noble especially during Christina's childhood and young adult years. It shows interesting Irish history and also Vietnam history which is not something many people know about today. Also, for those that want Christian films, Christina is Catholic because of how she grew up and was raised. She does pray and seems to trust in God as she tells Him to show her what to do. For me, this was a fairly long slow movie. I love a good biography but to be honest, I think this story would capture my attention more so in book form. I feel like there were so many things behind the movie scenes that I missed, all of the little details, that I felt like I was missing something. The acting is superb, the overall story is incredible and makes me consider things I hadn't thought about or realized. It takes what seemed a hopeless life to one that changed thousands of lives. 

I encourage you to watch the trailer and read up on this movie before viewing especially if watching with a family. There is a rape scene but the viewer doesn't see details as that part is more implied. There are also scenes with extreme poverty and drunkenness that leads to violence. 

Thanks to FishFlix for offering me a free copy of this movie in exchange for an honest review.

Learn More :

Noble DVD