Book Review

 

This is my latest read. I just finished it up. The back reads:

As the rest of the nation is embroiled in the civil war, the Amana Colonies have remained at peace-until now. Amalie Wiese arrives in the newly built village of Amana in 1863 only to find that her fiance, Friedrich, has left to fight with the Union army. Amalie fears for his safety even as she struggles with his decision to abandon the colony's peace-loving beliefs. She hopes that working alongside Friedrich's best friend will provide some comfort, but Matthias himself leaves for the battlefront to deliver supplies to the soldiers, war rages in Amalie's own heart. Will love claim victory?

I would give this book an eight out of ten stars (and that's only because I reserve the higher awards for only the best of the best of the best!)

 

The part that sticks out in my mind is:

     "I'm on my way to Iowa," she told him. "Our new community is separated from the rest of the world."

     " No matter how hard you try, you and your people will never be able to completely separate yourself from the world."

It struck me as odd because all my life those who have been placed above me in authority have pounded in my head that "we are to not be conformed to this world" and "be separate and different from the world" etc. I know that we are supposed to live our lives differently than those who do not have a relationship with Christ, but I believe that some people that i know actually feel that they can be completely separated from the world and that is just not possible. I think God just wants us to live life differently as an influence to those around us, that hopefully they will feel God's love for them through us. It makes me really stop and think about some of the choices that I make and although I still have a long way to go, I think I am doing better than I was. And after all, isn't that the point? To be constantly changing and trying to be more like Christ? Even if it is baby steps?

This book (by Melanie Dobson) was cute, grabbed my attention almost right away. It is well written, the story is believable, the characters are like able. It was actually a very good book. Thanks for listening to my ramblings. Thanks for reading.

 

-erin-

Book Review

 

This is my latest read. I just finished it up. The back reads:

A former marine is no match for the spunky Sam Sinclair. Bryce Stone has returned to his hometown of North Pole, Alaska, and the self-admitted scrooge is not very happy about living in a town "Where the Spirit of Christmas Lives Year Round." What's worse, Bryce must postpone his dream of opening a furniture shop when his aunt Olive retires and leaves him with the family's cluttered Christmas boutique. When Bryce underestimates Sam, the inexperienced young woman hired to manage the store, it becomes a battle of wills, and the two soon find that they're fighting for more than just the shop.

I would give this book an eight out of ten stars (and that's only because I reserve the higher awards for only the best of the best of the best!)

 

The part of the book that stuck out to me was:

     Sliding her Bible from the bag, she'd told Bryce to find I Corinthians, chapter 10, verse 13.

     "'There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man,'" he'd read haltingly, "'but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.'" When he'd finished, Bryce admitted he hadn't understood a word of it.

     "It means," Olive had said, "that the Father knows you better than anyone in your life, so He knows exactly how much pain and pressure you can handle. And because He knows there will be times when you think He's forgotten what your limits are, He gave you this verse, to remind you that no matter how tough life seems, He'll always provide the strength to cope...or a door to escape through."

 

It is such a nice reminder and came just when I needed it.

This book (by Loree Lough) was cute, grabbed my attention almost right away. It is well written, the story is believable, the characters are like able. It was actually a very good book. Thanks for listening to my ramblings. Thanks for reading.

 

-erin-

Book Review

 

This is my latest read. I just finished it up. The back reads:

Cassie Constantine has no plans to stay in Florida. She's just here long enough to sell the vacation house she shared with her late husband, and then she'll hightail it back to her gracious Boston brownstone. But Cassie gets more than she bargained for with house renovations and wacky neighbors who manage to sidetrack her mission at every turn. Then there's Richard Dillon, the stuffed shirt she's paired with on the dance floor, who seems involved in a mystery...and who makes her heart beat faster than the rhythm of the quickstep. But the biggest surprise of all? The has-it-all-together Cassie finds herself in the midst of a personal overhaul. Will she let loose long enough to find new love in Holiday?

I would give this book an eight out of ten stars (and that's only because I reserve the higher awards for only the best of the best of the best!)

This book (by Sandra D. Bricker) was cute, grabbed my attention almost right away. It is well written, the story is believable, the characters are like able. It was actually a very good book. Thanks for listening to my ramblings. Thanks for reading.

 

-erin-

Book Review

This is my latest read. I just finished it up. The back reads:

The roaring twenties come to a very small town... At a time when most American girls are dreaming of bobbed hair and flapper dresses, Hestia Myatt dreams only of becoming a doctor. Stinging from a broken engagement, she heads for the quiet hills of Maiden, North Carolina, to care for an ailing aunt. While there, Hestia becomes reacquainted with her former childhood nemesis, the now-handsome Booth Barrington. Things are going well for her until a glamorous cousin, Selene, arrives from New York under mysterious circumstances and begins to make Hestia feel hopelessly behind the times. Will Hestia be tempted to embrace the lifestyle of her cousin, who can talk of nothing but speakeasies and wild parties? Or will Hestia's maidenly influence convince Selene to give up her worldly ways?

I would give this book an eight out of ten stars (and that's only because I reserve the higher awards for only the best of the best of the best!)

This book (by Tamela Hancock Murray) was cute, grabbed my attention almost right away. It is well written, the story is believable, the characters are like able. It was actually a very good book. Thanks for listening to my ramblings. Thanks for reading.

 

-erin-

Book Review

This is my latest read. I just finished it up. The back reads:

 

Second chances aren't easy to come by in a town named Tombstone. When Christy Gray receives an urgent summons to Tombstone, Arizona, she reluctantly leaves her new life in California for an unseen future. The trip goes from bad to worse when masked men hold up Christy's stage. She finally arrives in Tombstone to find her mother ill and her brother trapped in a life of gambling. Desperate for money to support her family, will Christy bow to pressure from local saloon owners and return to a life she thought she'd given up for good?

 

Nevada King has problems of his own. He's been dodging bullets for years and wants nothing more than to settle down and get married. but hes on the run from outlaws bent on revenge, and the one woman who captures his interest recognizes him from the stagecoach holdup. Will Christy turn Nevada in to the authorities, or will the outlaws on his trail catch up with him first?

I would give this book an eight out of ten stars (and that's only because I reserve the higher awards for only the best of the best of the best!)

This book (by Miralee Ferrell) was cute, grabbed my attention almost right away. It is well written, the story is believable, the characters are like able.There is also more about Christy Gray in the book Love Finds You in Last Chance, California by Miralee Ferrell. It is kind of a prequel to this book but they also both stand on their own so it doesn't really matter what order you read them in. Thanks for listening to my ramblings. Thanks for reading.

 

-erin-

Book Review

This is my latest read. I just finished it up. The back reads:

Trudie Abernathy is a little inelegant, and she's never had much luck in love. To make matters worse, her thirtieth birthday is fast approaching and her sister, Lane, has decided to "treat" her to a makeover and a blind date. Trudie is about to protest, but then she meets the kind and devastatingly handsome Mason Wimberly. In spite of Trudie's humble manner, Mason finds her attractive, funny, and smart. But there's one obstacle in the way of the budding romance: Lane sudden;y decides she's in love with Mason! Trudie has never been one to compete with her glamorous sister, even when it means giving up the things she wants. Will she be able to stay true to her humble self and find her heart's desire in the process?

I would give this book an nine out of ten stars (and that's only because I reserve the higher awards for only the best of the best of the best!)

This book (by Anita Higman) was cute, grabbed my attention almost right away.It was such a slow read for me and I have no idea why. It is well written, the story is believable, the characters are like able. It must have just been the mood I was in because it was actually a very good book. Thanks for listening to my ramblings. Thanks for reading.

 

-erin-

Book Review

This is my latest read. I just finished it up. The back reads:

What can a California girl do with a few dusty acres of land in rural Nebraska? So Kennedy Blaine wonders after she inherits a ranch in the small western-style town of Valentine, Nebraska. As Kennedy makes arrangements to sell the property, she finds herself drawn to the ranch and to its attractive manager, Derek Sterling. She decides to spend the summer in her ancestral home and reconnect with family members. But soon Kennedy is subjected to harassment by someone who clearly wants her to leave Valentine. Depending on God's protection and Derek's assistance, she sets out to discover whoever is behind the offenses. But when her search reveals painful details about her family and raises questions about Derek's own past, will Kennedy still want to know the truth? 

I would give this book an nine out of ten stars (and that's only because I reserve the higher awards for only the best of the best of the best!)

This book (by Irene Brand) was cute, grabbed my attention almost right away.I really connected with this book because...well maybe it was the cowboy fantasy every girl haves but this book also had just the right amount of suspense as well as an unexpected twist at the end. Pick it up sometime! Thanks for listening to my ramblings. Thanks for reading.

I've also noticed that I don't so much "review" the books as tell you what the back says, give it a rating and if anything jumps out at me I pass it along. Maybe I should rename it "What I've been Reading". Any votes out there?

-erin-

A Book Review

This is my latest read. I just finished it up. The back reads:

Emma Miller arrears to be the most blessed girl in Indiana. She teaches school, enjoys the attention of a wonderful man, and has a loving family. But this Amish girl has more on her mind than buggies and bonnets; she longs for adventure and wants to see the world. So when her sister Abby convinces her to spend the summer with relatives in Charm, Ohio, Emma jumps at the chance. In Charm, she meets an Englisher who has come to town to escape her chaotic life, and despite their differences, the two become fast friends. Emma finds herself pulled between two worlds, and her ultimate decision will impact not only herself but everyone she knows.

I would give this book an nine out of ten stars (and that's only because I reserve the higher awards for only the best of the best of the best!)

This book (by Annalisa Daughety) was cute, grabbed my attention almost right away.I really connected with this book because Emma was feeling like she didn't belong in her world and like she was the only one who felt that way. Until she meets Kelly and Noah and through her friendship with them learns that they both have those feelings as well. I know that in my head but when you get lonely or have hard times it is nice to have a reminder that you are not the only one, even if the reminder comes in the form of a fictional book.

 

There was one specific section of the book that stood out to me:

     Once they were seated, Emma bowed her head. Once she was finished praying, she looked up. "This looks delicious."

     Kelly nodded. "Can I ask you a question?"

     Emma gave a tiny smile and nodded. "Sure."

     "How do you know what to say to God? The last time I tried to pray, I just felt silly."

     Emma's brown eyes were thoughtful. "I can understand why, if you only pray once in a while, it might feel that way." She pointed at her white head covering. "This kapp is to help remind me to constantly pray. When you begin to talk to God often throughout the day, not just before a meal, or when you need help with something, I think it gets easier."

     "So it's okay to feel like that at first? I just never know what I am supposed to say. What if I don't use the right words?"

     Emma shook her head. "The words you use and the words I use might be different. But each of us have a different relationship with Him, so He understands." She smiled



I love that! "The words you use and the words I use might be different. But each of us have a different relationship with Him, so He understands." It's such a nice reminder that we are all going through different things so our relationship with Him is different but we are ALL going through things and he understands that. I guess I will have to work on it. Thanks for listening to my ramblings. Thanks for reading.

-erin-

A Book Review

This is my latest read. I just finished it up. The back reads:

For as long as anyone can remember, tourists have flocked to the quaint town of Paradise, Pennsylvania, where Amish buggies are as common as shops selling hand-crafted goods. But to attorney Julia Spencer, this town is anything but a paradise. Raised in foster homes, Julia has succeeded in life only through steely determination and independence. The close knit Amish people are a mystery to her. But local veterinarian Simon Thomas knows them well and is fiercely protective of their simple ways, which are increasingly threatened by the outside world. When Julia agrees to defend a local teenager charged in a case involving an amish boy, she and Simon find themselves on opposite sides of an intense and emotional legal battle. Just when it all seems they will never understand one another, God has something to teach them both about the power of forgiveness...and the joys to be found in Paradise.

I would give this book an seven out of ten stars (and that's only because I reserve the higher awards for only the best of the best of the best!)

This book (by Loree Lough) was cute but there wasn't anything in it that really grabbed me or jumped out at me or spoke to me. I felt like the storyline was actually a little different than what the back of the book describes but was still cute. I just didn't feel there was anything extra special about it.

-erin-

A Book Review

 

Another book down! Love Finds You In Miracle Kentucky. The back reads:

 

Anything can happen when you live in a place called Miracle. Meg Jorgensen wants a fresh start, miles away from the city and a failed relationship. She takes a teaching position in the tiny town of Miracle, Kentucky, and vows to steer clear of smooth talking men. Before long, Meg is smitten, but its eight-year-old Cammy Bayer who wins her heart. The young girl has spent much of her life in a wheelchair but firmly believes that God will heal her someday. Cammy's widowed father, Vance, has devoted his life to caring for his young daughter, and he is delighted by the attention she receives from her new teacher. But will Meg and Vance see eye-to-eye when it comes to an experimental procedure that may grant Cammy the use of her legs? Will they open their minds to the miracle of healing, and their hearts to the miracle of love?

 

I'll be honest. This book was so cute despite some of the story being "told" by an eight year old which normally drives me nuts! I give it seven out of ten stars (and that's only because I reserve the higher awards for only the best of the best of the best!)

This book was one that grabbed my attention immediately. It was refreshing to read a story about a woman that although she had made some bad choices in her past; is working to make better choices and to mend her reputation.

 

-erin-

A Book Review

 

OK, so I'm always reading and this was my latest finish. Love Finds You in Revenge Ohio. The back reads:

 

The only thing worse than being a spinster is being a twice-jilted spinster. At twenty-five, Catherine Morgan is hardly an old maid. But she's given up on marriage and instead manages the family's general store in the small town of Revenge, Ohio. Bound by a promise to care for her three sisters until they marry, she'll do anything to keep them safe. But Sheriff Corbin Hunter stands in her way. He has evidence that her sister's fiance is really an infamous bank robber - and the man who murdered his father. Catherine finds herself torn between saving her sister's heart and losing hers to the man who jilted her seven years ago. Will Corbin's desire for revenge cause him to lose Catherine for a second time?

 

I give it seven out of ten stars (and that's only because I reserve the higher awards for only the best of the best of the best!)

Set in 1884, this book has just the right amount of mystery and romance. And I will have you know that normally I figure out "who done it" long before the end of the book; yet in this case even I was surprised! I thought this story was super cute, so check it out sometime!

 

-erin- 

 

 

A Book Review

This is my latest read. I just finished it up. The back reads:

 

Hope Bartolli has avoided Sisters for years - both her hometown of Sisters, Oregon, and her two sisters who live there. But when the 32-year-old corporate lawyer returns home to attend her beloved grandmother's funeral, she's surprised to learn that she has inherited Nona's old house, her little dog Andy, and an unexpected friendship with Nona's attorney, Lewis. If Hope had any plans to bury the hatchet with her sisters, these "gifts" from Nona aren't going to help. As Hope becomes reacquainted with old friends and the charming town she once loved, the thought of returning to her fast-paced city lifestyle grows less appealing. She wants more out of life - but is she willing to take the risks to get it? And can she trust her family to stand by her side?

 

I would give this book an eight out of ten stars (and that's only because I reserve the higher awards for only the best of the best of the best!)

 

This book (by Melody Carlson) was cute, grabbed my attention almost right away and guess what? It was another book with the lesson of letting go/relinquishing your will for God's will. I'm beginning to see a pattern, and no, it is not planned that way.

 I guess I will have to work on it. My ramblings are done for the day. Thanks for reading.

-erin-



A Book Review

 

This is my latest read. I just finished it up. The back reads:

Native American beauty Sunny Wescott is not one to let her hair down. But her friend Aubrey manages to drag her to Pendleton, Oregon, and the pair arrives just as the hundredth annual Pendleton Round-Up begins. Sunny is surprised by how much she enjoys watching the rodeo, riding horseback, and getting to know Aubrey's family - particularly a handsome cowboy named Cody. Pendleton is also home to the Umatilla reservation where Sunny's ancestors once lived, and the trip gives her the chance to do some digging into her family's history - a topic she knows next to nothing about. But will Sunny like what she finds? And how will secrets from the past compete with the current drama unfolding in Cody's own family?

I would give this book an eight out of ten stars (and that's only because I reserve the higher awards for only the best of the best of the best!)

This book (by Melody Carlson) was cute, grabbed my attention almost right away and guess what? As are true of most every book I read there is a lesson that the main character has to learn and that lesson in this book was of letting go/relinquishing your will for God's will. That's two books with that "lesson" now. Hum... There seems to be a trend.

I guess I will have to work on it. Thanks for listening to my ramblings. Thanks for reading.

-erin-

A Book Review

Have you read this book? I just finished it. The back reads:

Canadian sisters Melanie and Joanne are stunned to hear they've inherited their uncle's beachfront summerhouse in Mexico. With a snap, the trip is planned: They'll travel opulently by cruise ship to Ensenada, zip over to San Felipe, sign a few papers at the bank, and the tropical hideaway will be theirs.

 

What they don't expect is a spa treatment gone loco, snails and cactus on their dinner plates, risky ocean dips, a cross-country dessert drive, a dishy doctor, or a Federale who doesn't speak English! Fortunately, some problems really can be solved with coconut cake and, if necessary, a water fight. The beachfront property - and what it takes to get them there - becomes a gift beyond their wildest wishes as these SISTER CHICKS relinquish themselves to the dreams God has for them...all under the sombrero of his Grace.

I'll be honest. This book was an enjoyable read. I give it seven out of ten stars (and that's only because I reserve the higher awards for only the best of the best of the best!)

Robin Jones Gunn books always have some kind of 'lesson' as well (most books do I guess) and this book was no different. During her time in Mexico, Melanie  spends some time learning lessons. Melanie is the type to plan and make lists and everything has to go off exactly as planned. What she learns on this trip is that sometimes it is OK to relinquish some things to God and that he will give her better than she could ever hope to expect.  

 

God wants us to trust him and relinquish our wills for his and in return he will do more in our lives than we could ever hope for, but if we continue to try to control every aspect, we will be sorely disappointed. I guess that's something I will have to work on. My ramblings are done for the day. Thanks for reading.

-erin-

A Book Review And A Glimpse Into My Thoughts

 

Have you read this book? I just finished it last night actually. The back reads:

 

When Kathleen and her husband, Tony, pack up and fly off to New Zealand for Tony's three-month film job, Kathleen discovers more than her geography has flip-flopped. In the land down under, comfort food comes in a jar labeled "Vegemite," gardens sprout hobbit statues, and, if you're not careful you just might venture into the Chocolate Fish cafe with feathers in your hair.

Of course, the feathers could open up a conversation with fellow diner Jill, also a California girl and an instant SISTERCHICK. Together they take in a performance at the Sydney Opera House in Australia; hold "hands" with a mama kangaroo and greet her in-pocket joey; watch dolphins surf the New Zealand waves; and discover that, in a topsy-turvy land where "Bob's your uncle" is a statement that actually makes sense, one's heart is likely to fall head over heels into a deeper sense of God's love.

 

I'll be honest. This book was a slow starter for me. But to be frank, I had just received a huge blow to "my plans" and I'm not one to handle change well (like the main character of this book). I basically started the book to distract myself. But once the 'I Love Lucy' type antics started the book became a much more enjoyable read. I give it seven out of ten stars (and that's only because I reserve the higher awards for only the best of the best of the best!)

 

Robin Jones Gunn books always have some kind of 'lesson' as well (most books do I guess) and this book was no different. During her time in New Zealand Kathy (as her new SISTERCHICK renamed her) spends some time learning lessons. One of her devotions that she reads is from the book of Ephesian in chapter 5. Her version (I'm sorry not sure which one it is) reads: 'Mostly what God does is love you. Keep company with him and learn a life of love. Observe how Christ loved us. His love was not cautious but extravagant. He didn't love in order to get something from us but to give everything of himself to us. Love like that.' That verse gets her thinking about how she spent the previous part of her life. Had she ever truly loved anyone extravagantly; God or otherwise? And after many experiences she decides for herself that what God wants for her is to love God (extravagantly) and love people (extravagantly) and that those were the most important things in life.

 

Now that lesson was "nice" and "cutely put in fiction terms" however when I went to church on Wednesday and the verses were read for what the message was about, I had to start to wonder if God had planned this out and if it was some kind of a message for me. The verse were: Mark 12: 28-34.

 

²⁸ One of the teachers of religious law was standing there listening to the debate. He realized that Jesus had answered well, so he asked, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?”

²⁹ Jesus replied, “The most important commandment is this: ‘Listen, O Israel! The Lord our God is the one and only Lord. ³⁰ And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.’ ³¹ The second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ No other commandment is greater than these.”
³² The teacher of religious law replied, “Well said, Teacher. You have spoken the truth by saying that there is only one God and no other. ³³ And I know it is important to love him with all my heart and all my understanding and all my strength, and to love my neighbor as myself. This is more important than to offer all of the burnt offerings and sacrifices required in the law.”
³⁴ Realizing how much the man understood, Jesus said to him, “You are not far from the Kingdom of God.” And after that, no one dared to ask him any more questions.

God wants us to Love him and love people! I'm far from perfect and right now I even struggle to love people in my own family. In fact I would go so far as to say that I have been hurt so many times that it is hard for me to love others. It is hard but God still asks it of me. I guess I will have to work on it. My ramblings are done for the day. Thanks for reading.

 

-erin-