Easter Stories and Prayers (Little Blessings), by Kathleen Long Bostrom

From the publisher:

Celebrate the real meaning of Easter with your kids. This special edition of Little Blessings books includes four books in one: Who is Jesus, Why is there a Cross, What about Heaven, and What is Prayer.

Each title is designed to help kids learn more about Jesus and his sacrifice for us. This volume includes a special note from author Kathleen Bostrom on how to help kids understand the meaning of Easter and the good news of Jesus’ resurrection.

Full-color art of the adorable characters draws kids in and makes them want to hear the stories over and over again. Scripture references support each answer to the questions so parents can study more.

Make Easter about Jesus this season.

My Review:

I am saving this book for our daughter as it gets a little closer to Easter, but I have read through it and really like it. It has colorful illustrations that I know she will enjoy. I appreciated the stories and the way that they are written. They explain who Jesus is, why He died, talks about heaven and prayer. I like the simple, but clear way that those things are talked about.

I really appreciate the scripture references as well. The stories aren't just making things up but are based on biblical truths... and I like that we can read about it, not just in the book, but in the Bible too.

I recommend this book.

I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Snuggle Time Devotions That End with a Hug, by Steven Elkins

From the publisher:

 

Children will grow in their understanding of faith and look forward to spending time with God as they read, play, hug, and get inspired through these 52 heartwarming snuggle time devotions. Along with the short devotional reading and Bible story, each snuggle time moment features a game or activity to help kids remember the lesson and tuck it away in their heart. This book will get you and your child talking together, laughing together, and hugging together! It’s a great way to strengthen your parent-child relationship while introducing young children to the joys of spending time with God. It’s also an effective resource for helping to shape behavior and for teaching kids biblically based life principles.

 

My review:

 

We have started doing this devotional with our 4 year old. When she saw the cover, she immediately said, "That's Jesus!" It has a sweet little picture on the cover. Each devotion is very short and written in a cute, rhyming way that summarizes the story. As far as a Bible story book goes, my opinion is that this doesn't do the Bible stories justice. We still prefer to read from one of her other Bible story books if we're really wanting a Bible story with information... But as a family devotional that brings us together, is cute, and has a fun activity, I think it's a great way to supplement what you're already doing.

I really like that it has questions/ activities that young children can do. Our daughter seemed to get excited about pretending to be an animal and us pretending to be an animal... She also very quickly got the point of the story.

I would recommend this book.

I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Like a Flower in Bloom, by Siri Mitchell

From the Publisher:

He Stole the Work She Loved.
Will She Let Him Steal Her Heart as Well?

It's all her uncle's fault. For years Charlotte Withersby has been free to pursue her love of plants and flowers by assisting her botanist father. But now that she's reached the old age of twenty-two, an intrusive uncle has convinced her father that Charlotte's future--the only proper future for a woman--is to be a wife and mother, not a scholar.

Her father is so dependent on her assistance that Charlotte believes he'll soon change his mind...and then Edward Trimble shows up. A long-time botany correspondent in the South Pacific, Trimble arrives ready to step in as assistant so that Charlotte can step out into proper society--a world that baffles her with its unwritten rules, inexplicable expectations, and confounding fashion.

Things aren't perfectly smooth between Trimble and her father, so Charlotte hatches a last gasp plan. She'll pretend such an interest in marriage that the thought of losing her will make her father welcome her back. Only things go quickly awry, and she realizes that the one man who recognizes her intelligence is also the person she's most angry with: Edward Trimble, her supposed rival. Suddenly juggling more suitors than she knows what to do with, Charlotte is caught in a trap of her own making. Will she have no choice but to leave her beloved flowers behind?

My Review:

Like a Flower in Bloom is a wonderful book by Siri Mitchell. The story is so good. Siri Mitchell writes characters that are genuine and believable, and each with their unique quirks that help to keep them all straight. I love the issue that is addressed in this book regarding who women are called to be... I'm not a feminist in any way, and would love to "just" be a wife and mother, but I love that it addressed the issue of being who God made you to be and glorifying Him with your gifts even if they don't fit others' expectations.

This book was absolutely wonderful. I won't share about the story, but I do want to share a piece in the "Note from the Author" afterward of the book that meant a lot to me:

As Mr. Trimble suggested to Charlotte, Eve's designation in the Bible as a helper should not consign women to a fate of eternal servitude. That word, ezer, is used only twenty-one times throughout the Bible. The first two are in reference to Eve. The other specific references are used when God refers to himself. Perhaps you are familiar with this one: "I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help [ezer] come? My help [ezer] comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth" (Psalm 121:1-2_. It's a shame that the vitality and strength of that description has been lost in translation. It lends a different slant to the idea of Woman to think that God gave that trait, that strength of His, specifically to the female of our species.

Read this book! You'll love it.

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

The Brickmaker's Bride (Refined by Love Book #1), by Judith Miller

From the Publisher:

In the clay-rich hills of the newly founded state of West Virginia, two families tentatively come together to rebuild a war-torn brickmaking business.

Ewan McKay has immigrated to West Virginia with his aunt and uncle, promising to trade his skills in the clay business for financial help. Uncle Hugh purchases a brickmaking operation from a Civil War widow and her daughter, and it's Ewan's job to get the company up and running again.

Ewan seeks help from Laura, the former owner's daughter, and he quickly feels a connection with her, but she's being courted by another man--a lawyer with far more social clout and money than Ewan. Resolving that he'll make the brickworks enough of a success that he can become a partner in the business and be able to afford to bring his sisters over from Ireland, Ewan pours all his energy into the new job.

But when Hugh signs a bad business deal, all Ewan's hard work is put in jeopardy. As his hopes for the future crumble, Laura reveals something surprising. Can she help him save the brickworks, and will Ewan finally get a shot at winning her heart?

My Review:

Judith Miller has outdone herself again! I really enjoy her books and this one was no exception. She has written this one with the perfect combination of a few of my time periods and cultures -- the antebellum time period and the Irish.

I really enjoyed the conflict between right and wrong and the ethical debate in this book -- though it wasn't much of a debate. Ewan was a character who was easy to love, Hugh easy to dislike, Laura gives mixed feelings... Laura is a strong female character who does what she believes to be right and what she wants to do despite how others might think or feel... except in regards to who she is going to marry. But God has other plans and works those out.

I highly recommend this book if you like conflict between right and wrong, a girl who MIGHT marry the wrong guy if something doesn't change, and you like to see people change and improve.

I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

A Lady's Honor, Laurie Alice Eakes

From the Publisher:

On the cliffs of 19th-century Cornwall, a spirited, impetuous young woman is torn between the honor of her family and the longing of her heart.
England, 1811
A tarnished reputation. A distant home. A forced engagement to a dangerous man. When Elizabeth Trelawny flees London, she has more than one reason to run. And when her carriage, pursued by her would-be fiancé, is caught in a storm, she quickly accepts the help of a dark stranger. Anything to get back to Cornwall.

But Rowan Curnow is not exactly a stranger. He’s not quite a gentleman either. Class disparity once kept him from courting Elizabeth . . . even if it didn’t keep him from kissing her.

The couple elude their pursuers and reach Bastion Point, Elizabeth’s future inheritance and the one place she calls home. But in the very act of spiriting her to safety, Rowan has jeopardized Elizabeth’s inheritance—if her grandfather ever learns she spent the night, however innocently, in the company of a man.

When smugglers unite the pair in a reckless, flirtatious alliance—an alliance that both challenges the social norms Elizabeth has been raised to revere and rattles Rowan’s fledgling faith in God. Elizabeth must choose between the obedience of a child and the desires of a woman: cling to the safety of her home or follow the man she loves.


My Review:

I have mixed feelings about this book. It never really connected with me on an emotional level. It was a good story, but I felt like it was a little scattered...

There were too many storylines and people went by different names. There were too many relationship connections and things that seemed insignificant while you were reading them, but later became significant enough that you wish you would have paid more attention.

It was a good enough book to finish reading, but I wouldn't recommend it.

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Truth be Told, by Carol Cox

From the Publisher:

Sometimes the truth can be dangerous...
When Amelia Wagner takes over her father's newspaper in 1893 Granite Springs, Arizona, she vows to carry on the paper's commitment to reporting only the truth. But Amelia soon learns that even the truth can have serious consequences. Her father's revealing articles about the Great Western Investment Company have caught the attention of the wrong people, and pressure mounts for Amelia to retract her father's statements.

Determined to find out the real story, Amelia begins her own investigation. She's joined by Benjamin Stone, a Great Western employee who's been assigned to keep tabs on her for the good of the company, a man Amelia finds both perplexing and intriguing.

What they uncover stuns them both--and has far-reaching implications for not only Ben and Amelia but all of Granite Springs. Can they reveal the truth before the enemy finds a way to silence them for good?

My Review:

I really enjoyed this book. It was suspenseful with well-developed characters and a love story that unfolded slowly.

I enjoyed Amelia's character -- her strength, her integrity, her tenacity. She stands for right despite personal hardship.

Ben's character was a good one as well... a man of integrity, willing to set aside his own aspirations for God's plan for his life.

There is a healthy mixture of deceit, family drama, greed, romance, spiritual development, suspense, etc in this book.

I highly recommend it!

*I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review*

With Every Breath, by Elizabeth Camden

From the Publisher:

In the shadow of the nation's capital, Kate Livingston's respectable life as a government worker is disrupted by an encounter with the insufferable Trevor McDonough, the one man she'd hoped never to see again. A Harvard-trained physician, Trevor never showed the tiniest flicker of interest in Kate, and business is the only reason he has sought her out now.

Despite her misgivings, Kate agrees to Trevor's risky proposal to join him in his work to find a cure for tuberculosis. As Kate begins to unlock the mysteries of Trevor's past, his hidden depths fascinate her. However, a shadowy enemy lies in wait and Trevor's closely guarded secrets are darker than she ever suspected.

As revelations from the past threaten to destroy their careers, their dreams, and even their lives, Trevor and Kate find themselves in a painfully impossible situation. With everything to lose, they must find the strength to trust that hope and love can prevail over all.

My review:

With Every Breath was a very enjoyable book. Elizabeth Camden did an excellent job of weaving history and facts in with her story without losing on or the other. The competitive relationship between Trevor and Kate provides endearing and amusing moments, but also emotionally charged moments.

Through the story, Trevor's character unfolds to reveal a man of many layers. I give this book highest praises for character development. Elizabeth created multi-layered characters that were still easy to follow. She built on small bits of information and you were always left wanting to know the next little bit without being overwhelmed. She wrote in such a way as to create real people with real personalities. Kate, too, has many layers and she doesn't begin to truly know herself until the end of the book... and her moment of figuring it all out is... wonderful.

Elizabeth wove mystery and romance and history all into one excellent book that I highly recommend.

I was provided with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

A Match of Wits, by Jen Turano

From the Publisher:

After his departure from New York two years ago to meet up with his almost-fiancée, Zayne Beckett is the last person Agatha Watson wanted to stumble upon in her travels as a reporter with the New York Tribune. Quite pathetically bedraggled, he clearly needs to be taken in hand and sent back East to his family. Although she no longer has feelings for him, Agatha realizes, by hook or by crook, she'll have to be the one to get the obstinate man home.

Zayne has no desire to be taken anywhere and is prepared to drag his heels all the way home... until he finds himself slipping back into the familiar banter of his former friendship with Agatha. Once they arrive in New York, Zayne realizes Agatha's determined nose for news has earned her a few enemies, and he hopes to repay her help with some help of his own. When she rebuffs all his attempts to prove himself a knight in shining armor, the lengths to which they'll go to win this battle of wills lead to some memorable antics.

Everyone else may think them a match, but nothing could be further from the truth--until Agatha finds herself in real trouble. Have these two stubborn, too-smart-for-their-own-good people been meant for each other all along?

My Review:

I really liked the characters in this book a lot. Agatha is interesting, feisty, independent... but also a lady. She is unconventional, but still wants love and romance. Zayne is completely clueless when it comes to women, but has a kind heart and is chivalrous. The supporting characters are equally as interesting. The book is worth reading for the characters alone.

The storyline was somewhat flat. Agatha got herself into a little trouble, but it was never very interesting and there was never really a climax to the plot... or it was a very small one. The plot could have been much more well-developed in this book.

This was the first book that I've read from Jen Turano, and I would read another one. I recommend this book, but if there is another that you'd really like to read... then read the other one first. Don't put this at the top of your reading list.

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The Waiting, by Cathy LaGrow

From the Publisher:

An unforgettable true story that will touch your heart and make you believe in love’s enduring legacy, and in the power of prayer.
In 1928, 16-year-old Minka was on a picnic in the woods when she was assaulted and raped. And suddenly this innocent farm girl—who still thought the stork brought babies—was pregnant. The baby was secretly born, named Betty Jane, and given up for adoption. For decades, Minka wrote letters trying to get news of her daughter; she kept loving and praying for her, even though she never dared believe they would meet again. Until nearly eighty years later, when Minka whispered her secret, impossible prayer for the first time: Lord, I’d like to see Betty Jane before I die. I promise I won’t bother her or interrupt her life. I just want to lay eyes on her. Unbeknownst to Minka, that very same day, a judge was releasing the sealed adoption records to her 77-year-old daughter. And soon, Minka’s phone would ring. Written by Cathy LaGrow (Minka’s granddaughter), The Waiting brings three generations of this most unusual family together over the course of a century to tell a story of faith that triumphs, forgiveness that sets us free, and love that never forgets.

My Review:

I knew that I wanted to read this book as soon I as I saw it listed on the Tyndale Blog Network offerings. It took FOREVER for me to get it; it was lost in the mail or not sent or something. Finally, I received the book after waiting a long time. I started reading it and it was really good... then I met Brian, my wonderful and amazing boyfriend. So, my two books read a week reduced down to one book read every two months and I finally finished this book today.

The Waiting is very well written. It's easy to read and flows well. I really liked that it's a true story. Minka's story will really touch your heart and the reunion between Minka and Betty Jane/ Ruth was beautiful.

I would have liked to have a little more information about Betty Jane/ Ruth's life, but I understand that since the book was written more about Minka and her love and her waiting and by her granddaughter that it would contain much more about Minka than Betty Jane/ Ruth.

I like that the book contained details about things like the weather... details that make you feel like you were really there. Everything was very well researched.

I highly recommend this book.

One More Last Chance (A Place to Call Home Book #2), by Cathleen Armstrong

From the Publisher:

Sarah Cooley has come home to Last Chance, New Mexico, for one reason--because it doesn't change. After an engagement gone bad with a man who wanted to change everything about her, Sarah is more than ready for the town whose motto may as well be, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it."

Chris Reed, on the other hand, wants nothing more than to spark some change in the little town. As the new owner of the Dip 'n' Dine, he's shaking things up to draw folks from all over the Southwest into his restaurant.

As it turns out, the winds of change are blowing into Last Chance--just not in the ways that Sarah or Chris might expect.

My review:

One More Last Chance is the first novel that I've read by Cathleen Armstrong. I thoroughly enjoyed this book.

Sarah is an immature, selfish recent college graduate. She is going through a breakup from a bad relationship, is completely unimpressed with Chris Reed, and hates change.

Chris is mature, kind, honorable and wants to see his dreams for the Dip 'n' Dine come to fruition, but the town is resisting change. Of course, life is all about change as all the characters discover.

I really did not like Sarah. Her character was very well-developed, I just really didn't like her at first. By the end of the book, some of her finer qualities started to show up. Chris was very likable and I felt a lot of sympathy toward him.

 

There were a few other interesting secondary characters that really added to this book.

 

Overall, the story was a very good one, full of interesting details that added to the story, rather than detracting from it. The relationships in the book are complex enough to be interesting, but not so complex that you get lost.

 

I would love to read another book by this author, and recommend One More Last Chance.

 

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

Gathering Shadows (Finding Sanctuary Book #1), by Nancy Mehl

From the Publisher:

Wynter Evans is a promising young reporter for a television station in St. Louis, but even a bright future doesn't take away her pain over the disappearance of her brother nine years ago. So when she stumbles across a photograph of a boy with an eerie resemblance to him, she can't pass up the chance to track him down. With research for work as her cover, she sets out with one of the station's photogs for the place where the picture was taken: the town of Sanctuary.

Almost as soon as she arrives, she meets the town's handsome young mayor, Rueben King, and together they begin to uncover long held secrets that could tear the small town apart and change everything Wynter thought she knew about her life. As the truth of her family's past hides in the shadows, it's clear someone will stop at nothing to keep the answers she's searching for hidden forever--even if the cost is Wynter's very life.

My Review:

This was a really good book. Full of suspense and mystery... you didn't figure it out who was doing what (or who did what and why) until the very end of the book. The entire time I was reading I kept trying to figure out what happened. The plot was fantastic.

I really like the friendship that developed between Wynter and Zac (her photographer). I actually would have preferred them to be in a relationship than her and Rueben. That was actually the one downfall this book had... the relationship between Wynter and Rueben didn't develop. It was he's cute/ she's cute one minute and declarations of love 100 pages later with nothing really happening in between. It almost seemed as if Rueben was an after thought... a character created to help find answers to the family secrets... and he had to have a connection so he was thrown into a relationship with Wynter. In fact, it almost seems as if the author originally intended for Wynter and Zac to be a thing.

This book was a great one in terms of mystery and suspense... but the people/ relational aspects could use improvement. That being said... I recommend this book.

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

Smart Money Smart Kids: Raising the Next Generation to Win with Money, by Dave Ramsey and Rachel Cruze

From the Publisher:

In Smart Money Smart Kids, financial expert and best-selling author Dave Ramsey and his daughter Rachel Cruze equip parents to teach their children how to win with money. Starting with the basics like working, spending, saving, and giving, and moving into more challenging issues like avoiding debt for life, paying cash for college, and battling discontentment, Dave and Rachel present a no-nonsense, common-sense approach for changing your family tree.

My Review:

I have loosely followed the Dave Ramsey plan since I got my first "real" job and started budgeting and recently heard he and Rachel discussing this book on one of the radio stations I listen to. Naturally, when I saw it offered through BookLook, I had to have it.

This book is excellent. It offers practical, age appropriate advice on how to raise your kids to be smart with money, starting at a very young age (3ish?) and into adulthood. It covers things like buying your first car, saving for college, paying for a wedding, etc. I wish my parents would have had this book when I was born!! Maybe then I wouldn't be paying off student loans!

Not only is the content great, but it's written in a format that is almost conversational. Dave and Rachel both tell stories about when things went right... and when they went wrong. It's entertaining, informative, and doesn't put you to sleep. There are sections written by Dave and then sections that are written by Rachel. (Everytime I read a Dave section, I could hear his voice in my head... voice inflections and everything.)

I requested the hard copy of this book so that I would have it physically in my library to reference when I have children. It's not only a keeper, but one I plan to use. You should buy this book!

I received this book for free from the publisher through BookLook in exchange for an honest review.

Full Steam Ahead by Karen Witemeyer

From the Publisher: 

When love simmers between a reclusive scientist and a wealthy debutante, will they abandon ship or is it full steam ahead?

Nicole Renard returns home to Galveston, Texas, to find her father deathly ill. Though she loves him, Nicole's father has always focused on what she's not. Not male. Not married. Not able to run Renard Shipping.

Vowing to find a suitable husband to give her father the heir he desires before it's too late, Nicole sets out with the Renard family's greatest treasure as her dowry: the highly coveted Lafitte Dagger. But her father's rivals come after the dagger, forcing a change in Nicole's plans.

After a boiler explosion aboard the Louisiana nearly took his life, Darius Thornton has been a man obsessed. He will do anything to stop even one more steamship disaster. Even if it means letting a female secretary into his secluded world.

Nicole is determined not to let her odd employer scare her off with his explosive experiments, yet when respect and mutual attraction grow between them, a new fear arises. How can she acquire an heir for her father when her heart belongs to another? And when her father's rivals discover her hiding place, will she have to choose between that love and her family's legacy?

My Review:

I started this book around 9:30 Friday night. I read the last page around 2:30 Saturday morning. 'nuf said. :)

This was an amazing book. The characters were likable and they had histories and personalities and thoughts and feelings!! Darius was amazing... a heroic gentleman created with some complexity to his character. He's so noble. Interestingly, the name Darius means "upholder of the good". I wonder if that was intentional. Both characters were unconventional for their time... I loved that.

The plot was SO good. There was some suspense and danger in the book. Darius's life sort of came full circle. Darius and Nicole both had issues unrelated to one another that they helped the other work through. This was a really good book. So good, in fact, that I gave my mom an extremely thorough summary of it when I woke up Saturday morning.

READ THIS BOOK!!

I received a free copy of this book from Bethany House in exchange for an honest review.

Out of Control, by Mary Connealy

From the Publisher: 
Julia Gilliland has always been interested in the natural world around her. She particularly enjoys her outings to the cavern near her father's homestead, where she explores for fossils and formations, and plans to write a book about her discoveries. The cave seems plenty safe--until the day a mysterious intruder steals the rope she uses to find her way out.

Rafe Kincaid has spent years keeping his family's cattle ranch going, all without help from his two younger brothers, who fled the ranch--and Rafe's controlling ways--as soon as they were able. He's haunted by one terrible day at the cave on a far-flung corner of the Kincaid property, a day that changed his life forever. Ready to put the past behind him, he plans to visit the cave one final time. He sure doesn't expect to find a young woman trapped in one of the tunnels--or to be forced to kiss her!

Rafe is more intrigued by Julia than any woman he's ever known, but how can he overlook her fascination with the cave he despises? And when his developing relationship with Julia threatens his chance at reconciliation with his brothers, will he be forced to choose between the family bonds that could restore his trust and the love that could heal his heart?

My Review:

This was an interesting book.There were some very strong and strong-willed characters in it, so there was some conflict between characters. The characters each had back stories, which I really enjoyed. They were relatively complex.

The plot was pretty good although it seemed to drag at times.

I enjoyed and recommend this book. I am not obligated to review this.

Talk of the Town, by Lisa Wingate

From the Publisher:

Between Hollywood glamour and small-town secrets, what is the truth? The show American Superstars is the hottest thing on television, but its associate producer, Mandalay Florentino, is worried. She's just arrived in the tiny town of Daily, Texas, to arrange a surprise "reunion concert" for hometown finalist Amber Amberson. Only it turns out everyone in town seems to know the secret. And paparazzi are arriving. And word from Hollywood is that Amber has disappeared with a "bad boy" actor. Can anything go right in this tumbleweed town?

Imagene Doll loves her town of Daily, Texas, but things are lonelier without her beloved husband. Life seems dull. At least until that fancy-dressed woman pulls into town, looking terrified and glamorous all at once. Soon life's not the least bit boring as Imagene--and the rest of Daily--find themselves at the center of a media maelstrom...with a young girl's future on the line.

My Review:

Sometimes people will surprise you if you allow yourself to look beyond the stereotypes and rumors and actually get to know them. In Talk of the Town each character seems to be different than what they're believed to be... in good and bad ways. Amber isn't the wild girl that the tabloids think she is, the "bad boy" actor has a good and caring heart, Mandalay's fiance isn't quite Mr. Right, Carter isn't "just Carter", Imagene isn't just a useless, meddling old lady...

This book was entertaining and the romance was woven into the story. I wouldn't say it had a strong focus on romance... this book was more about the character's lives in general.

The plot was interesting and kept me wondering why people did the things they did, who they really were, and what was going to happen next. It wasn't a particularly complex plot and the characters weren't complex either, but both were likeable.

I recommend this book as a nice, light read.

I received this book for free from Amazon as a special offer and wasn't obligated to review it.

One Perfect Spring, by Irene Hannon

From the Publisher:

Claire Summers is a determined, independent single mother who is doing her best to make lemonade out of the lemons life has handed her. Keith Watson is a results-oriented workaholic with no time for a social life. As the executive assistant to a local philanthropic businessman, he's used to fielding requests for donations. But when a letter from Claire's eleven-year-old daughter reaches his desk, everything changes. The girl isn't asking for money, but for help finding the long-lost son of an elderly neighbor.

As Keith digs reluctantly into this complicated assignment, he has no idea how intertwined his life and Claire's will become--nor how one little girl's kindhearted request will touch so many lives and reap so many blessings.

Through compelling characters and surprising plot twists, Irene Hannon offers readers this tenderhearted story of family connections that demonstrates how life is like lilacs--the biggest blooms often come only after the harshest winters.

My Review:

The characters in this book are wonderful because they are multilayered and evolve and grow throughout the story. In my opinion, the characters make a book worth reading just as much, if not more, than the plot. The characters are what move the story along.

The plot is also very important to a book, and this one had lots of twists and turns and surprises... but you were led to them so you thought you might know what's coming before it happened. The plot was great in this book.

The only thing I didn't like about this book is that I felt like the interactions between two of the supporting characters (David's daughter and son-in-law) might have been just a little too suggestive (and unnecessary
) for a Christian novel. Had they been in a secular novel, they would have been entirely appropriate and expected, by I feel like Christian novels should have not just a higher standard, but the highest standard.

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

While Love Stirs (The Gregory Sisters Book #2), by Lorna Seilstad

From the Publisher:

After graduating from Fannie Farmer's School of Cookery in 1910, Charlotte Gregory is ready to stir things up. She is thrilled to have the opportunity to travel, lecture, and give cooking demonstrations on the very latest kitchen revolution--the gas stove--and certainly doesn't mind that the gas company has hired the handsome Lewis Mathis to perform at her lectures. Lewis encourages her work, especially her crusade to introduce fresh, appetizing, nutritious food to those convalescing in hospitals. But young hospital superintendent Dr. Joel Brooks is not convinced any changes should be made--especially by this outspoken young woman.

When Charlotte and Joel are coerced into planning a fund-raising gala for the hospital, will this combustible pair explode?

Fan favorite Lorna Seilstad is back with a breezy, lighthearted love triangle that will keep readers guessing. Attention to historic detail adorns the timeless story of a young woman looking for true love and making her way in a rapidly changing world.

My Review: 

This was a nice book, though not particularly memorable. The characters weren't all that complex. The love story was a typical I-hated-you-but-you-grew-on-me-until-I-loved-you kind of story.

 Despite how this review will sound, I really did enjoy this book, I just think it could have been improved to be even better and worth remembering. The tense moments weren't really all that tense. Lewis was awkward and weak. The characters annoyed me with their assumptions of each other. I would have liked to have seen more emotion and in the book. It has so much potential.

The history regarding Fannie Farmer's School of Cookery and the gas stove was very interesting. I never considered how many incidents must have happened when the gas stove first came out or how many people were injured or made ill from gas leaks. I liked the focus on increasing awareness of the connection between nutrition and health/ healing.

I recommend this book, keeping in mind that it's a nice book, but could be better.

I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

A Table by the Window, by Hillary Manton Lodge

From the Publisher:

Heirloom recipes, family secrets…and a chance for love

The youngest heir to a French-Italian restaurant dynasty, food writer Juliette D’Alisa has spent her life negotiating her skill with words and her restaurant aspirations. When her brother Nico offers her a chance to open a restaurant together, she feels torn—does she really have what it takes? Should she risk leaving her journalism career?

After the death of her grandmother, Juliette discovers an antique photograph of a man who looks strikingly like her brother. As the truth behind the picture reveals romance and dark secrets, Juliette struggles to keep the mystery away from her nosy family until she can uncover the whole story.

Inspired by her grandmother’s evolving story, Juliette resolves to explore the world of online dating. To her surprise, she finds a kindred spirit in Neil McLaren, a handsome immunologist based in Memphis, Tennessee. With a long-distance relationship simmering, Juliette faces life-shifting decisions. How can she possibly choose between a promising culinary life and Neil, a man a world away in more ways than one? And is it possible her Grandmother’s story can help show the way?

My Review:

The Plot -- I enjoyed the plot of this book and the subject matter. I love cooking, so reading about others with a passion for cooking interested me. I liked the mystery of the Juliette's family secret and the struggle that she had with deciding the direction of her life.

The Characters -- I feel that the characters fell a little flat. That being said, they were very likable. While they could have been more developed and more complex, they are still interesting as they are.

The Writing -- I think that this book was written in such a way that it flowed easily and made you want to keep turning the pages for more!

What I didn't like -- I didn't like that the book didn't tie up loose ends. I assume that there will be a sequel. If you like sequels, you'll like this book. I'm not a big fan, myself. I prefer stand-alone novels.

What I did like -- RECIPES!!!!! And cooking techniques. I loved all the cooking stuff and want to bake now!!

Summary -- This is a 3-star book. I enjoyed it and don't feel like it was a waste of time, but neither was it memorable. If a sequel was put in my hands tomorrow, I'd read it. If it is more than a month from now, I will have completely moved on with my life and forgotten this book.

I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

The Language of Food: A Linguist Reads the Menu, by Dan Jurafsky

From the Publisher:

Stanford University linguist and MacArthur Fellow Dan Jurafsky dives into the hidden history of food.

Why do we eat toast for breakfast, and then toast to good health at dinner? What does the turkey we eat on Thanksgiving have to do with the country on the eastern Mediterranean? Can you figure out how much your dinner will cost by counting the words on the menu?

In The Language of Food, Stanford University professor and MacArthur Fellow Dan Jurafsky peels away the mysteries from the foods we think we know. Thirteen chapters evoke the joy and discovery of reading a menu dotted with the sharp-eyed annotations of a linguist.

Jurafsky points out the subtle meanings hidden in filler words like "rich" and "crispy," zeroes in on the metaphors and storytelling tropes we rely on in restaurant reviews, and charts a microuniverse of marketing language on the back of a bag of potato chips.

The fascinating journey through The Language of Food uncovers a global atlas of culinary influences. With Jurafsky's insight, words like ketchup, macaron, and even salad become living fossils that contain the patterns of early global exploration that predate our modern fusion-filled world.

From ancient recipes preserved in Sumerian song lyrics to colonial shipping routes that first connected East and West, Jurafsky paints a vibrant portrait of how our foods developed. A surprising history of culinary exchange—a sharing of ideas and culture as much as ingredients and flavors—lies just beneath the surface of our daily snacks, soups, and suppers.

Engaging and informed, Jurafsky's unique study illuminates an extraordinary network of language, history, and food. The menu is yours to enjoy.

My Review:

I loved this book!!! First of all, I love words. I love etymology. I love food. I love knowing the origins of food and how foods have evolved over time. This book was totally my thing!

The subject matter was right up my alley so that kept me interested, but the quality of information was also very good! The chapters followed a format that seemed to continue throughout the book. The author introduced a food, it's country of origin, what it was, what changed about it, where it traveled to, and so on until voila! we have the common food that we know of today. Fascinating stuff. Each chapter also ends with a brief paragraph about what the evolution of language/ food teaches us with a real-life, and often moral, application. That was a nice touch.

I was very surprised by some of the things I learned such as ketchup didn't originally contain tomatoes and it's not as American as you might think. Fish and chips didn't originate with fish. I learned what salad, salsa, fleur de sel, and flour all have in common. Also, ice cream and fireworks have more in common than the 4th of July. You'll have to read to find out more!

I enjoyed seeing the way words are used in menus. Words give us clues as to the caliber of the restaurant and if you read a menu carefully, it will also clue you in to the price range of the food being served.

I highly recommend this book if you are a lover of etymology, and even more so, if you are a lover of food.

I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Here to Stay, by Melissa Tagg

From the Publisher:
After playing nomad for five years, Blake Hunziker has finally had enough of adventure. Not sure what reception he'll get from everyone back in Whisper Shore, he's stunned at not only a warm welcome from his hometown but also a job offer. The job is his if he can successfully pull off the annual Christmas Festival. If only he knew the first thing about coordinating events...

If there's one thing Autumn Kingsley knows, it's Whisper Shore. For years, she's been stuck running her family's inn when all she wants is to see the world. Now she has a visit scheduled from a potential investor who could take over the inn, as well as a dream job offer in Paris. But with just two weeks to whip the inn into shape, her chance at escape is a long shot.

The Hunzikers and the Kingsleys may not get along, but Blake knows Autumn's the only one who can help him. She agrees to a trade--she'll help with the Festival and he'll help with inn repairs. But what was meant to be a simple deal quickly becomes much more than that when the guy who's done running away joins forces with the girl who can't wait to leave.

My Review:

I loved this book! I loved the drama between the two families and the history there, I loved the setting and the idea of an old inn and a more modern hotel. The characters were well-developed with good personalities and a history and emotions. This love story unfolds in the midst of controversy and drama, while Autumn and Blake decide to act like Christians despite the history between the two families... The plot is very good.

This is a great book and I highly recommend it.

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