Adventures in Reading: Sarah Sundin's Newest Book!!

If you have been reading this little blog for any amount of time you will know my favorite author is Sarah Sundin. I have devoured all of her books and just adore the way she weaves a story. I just finished her newest book Anchor In The Storm, and am already counting down the months until her next book is released next year.

But today I wanted to share a little about her latest book with you. Anchor In The Storm. It's hard for me to even pick a category to put this book in. It is a WWII historical fiction novel, with a deeply Christian theme and an incredible mystery that kept me guessing until the action packed ending of the book. I stayed up way past my bedtime several nights, unable to put the book down! 

The main characters, Arch and Lillian, are ones we have met before if you read the first book in the Waves of Freedom trilogy. Don't worry if you haven't (but you would love it!) this story stands on its own. Arch is a Navel officer based in Boston and Lillian is a pharmacist who just got her first real job in Boston. When both suspect a drug ring being run out of Boston, they team up to uncover who is behind it. As they investigate their friendship deepens and they both open up about their pasts and their weaknesses. Friendship turns to trust and trust turns to love. But with a war roaring on there is danger around every corner - from U-boats to gangsters both Arch and Lillian need to trust in God to be their anchor in the storm. 

Sundin once again transports the reader back to WWII, exploring stories not often told about life during the war. The way rationing affected the world of pharmacy is not one that I had previously considered. Sundin's extensive research into every angle of the story brings life and realness to her characters. The mystery story line will keep you guessing and turning pages until the very last one... And then you will wish there were more pages!! 

Adventures in Reading: One Spring Lamb

Rebekah's new favorite thing is counting. She wants to count everything. She counts the rocks we find on our walks. She counts her bows. She counted her Easter eggs over and over. She counts her stuffed animals.

She is getting pretty good - never mind that she says 'nine' when she means one! Most of the time she can get from one to ten in a pretty understandable way. It makes my teacher-momma heart so happy to hear her practicing, "nine, two, tee, boor, bive, six, seben, eight, nine, ben. Yeeaaaaay!" is the soundtrack to my life these days! 

Books that have things to count in them are her favorite at the moment, especially our newest book from Tommy Nelson called One Spring Lamb. 

One Spring Lamb by Anne Vittur Kennedy has adorable spring things to count on each page. Rebekah gets to practice counting one to ten on things like flowers, kites, bunnies, and butterflies. Many of the pictures she can identify and the ones she didn't know, she is learning. This book is perfect for 1-3 year olds as it is written in rhyme so it flows well and makes the numbers easier to remember. I personally love that it is an educational book both in the traditional sense but also in the Biblical sense. Like all of our Tommy Nelson books, there is an underlying Biblical message about Easter that is often not found in Easter books that have bunnies and eggs. We will be reading this book over and over for weeks to come! 

Adventures in Reading: The Golden Braid

This is the first book by Melanie Dickerson that I have read and I LOVED it. 

"Rapunzel can throw a knife better than any man. She paints beautiful flowering vines on the walls of her plaster houses. She sings so sweetly she can coax even a beast to sleep. But there are two things she is afraid her mother might never allow her to do: learn to read and marry." 

I think the reason why I liked this book so much was the characters. They are so wonderfully developed that I was able to connect with them and really felt like I could relate to them. My favorite was Rapunzel and Sir Gerek was a close second. Dickerson's writing of these two main characters really made me feel like I knew them and I was rooting for them from the beginning and trying to figure out the story through all of the twists and turns. 

Dickerson is just as good at writing villains. Gothel, Rapunzel's mother, and a couple of the other characters, we're so terrible I found myself getting upset with them. Dickerson's bad guys are bad and her descriptions of them were very vivid. 

I found it masterful how Dickerson weaved elements from the classic Rapunzel story in with her own ideas. There were just enough elements that were kept the same so that there was no doubt as to which fairy tale it was taken from. But the story was so different that it kept me guessing and reading till the last page.

One added aspect that I really enjoyed was how much dependence the main characters had on God. I found it to be very encouraging to see how these characters demonstrated faith in the midst of great trials. 

I did receive this book free in exchange for my review - however these are my own true opinions. 

Adventures in Reading: The Methuselah Project

Who's ready for another WWII fiction book recommendation?

This time it is less of a 'chick flick book' as my husband would call it - when I was describing it to him, he decided he wanted to read it when I was done. 

It's called: 

The Methuselah Project

Roger Greene is a pilot in WWII, fighting the Nazis from the air over Germany. When his plane is shot down and he is captured, he expected to be placed in a POW camp, but he was taken instead to a secret laboratory run by a Nazi scientist who was working for Hitler on something called the Methuselah Project. He became apart of the experiment and when Allied bombs destroy his prison and the kill the head scientist, Roger is the only Methuselah guinea pig to survive. Within hours, his wounds miraculously heal, thanks to those experiments. The Methuselah Project is a success, and now the Nazis want to know how to reproduce the treatment - which means Roger must remain a prisoner. Seventy years later, Roger hasn't aged a day, but he has nearly gone insane. With no contact with the outside world, he spends his days reading and keeping himself as physically fit as possible from inside his prison in the basement. Will he ever escape and see the sky that he yearns to soar in once again? What will the world be like after 70 years? 

The premise of this book drew me in right away - WWII, Nazi scientists, air planes, a man that doesn't age, secrete societies, all very exciting! The book switched back and forth between Greene's story in the past and a present day story line that meet up together in the end of the book. This is the first Rick Barry novel that I have read and I found his writing very exciting and detailed. I could picture the plane crash and the prison room that Greene was held in. I could feel the excitement of possible escape. From page one the story line is filled with action, and while I felt like the middle lacked a little action, I was invested in the story and wanted to read on to find out how it ended. Would Roger ever make it back to the USA? What would he think about the changes in the world after living 70 years with no outside contact. No newspapers, no TV. The ending of the book was satisfying and I would be interested in reading another book about this character - to see what happened to him. 

I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review. All thoughts expressed are my own.

Adventures in Reading: Let's Learn About the Lord's Prayer

As a former teacher, I am constantly on the look out for resources to add to our home library. I like books that are both fun to read and have some kind of educational aspect to them. Let's Learn About the Lord's Prayer does a good job at meeting this criteria. 

The story is told by Emma, and takes readers on a play date. Emma introduces the reader to her room, her toys, her best friend, and a new prayer she is learning to say. Emma goes through the prayer line by line - which I feel is very helpful in helping children understand what the prayer is about. The book ends with the whole prayer together. 

The book is a board book that is easy to hold and the pages are easy for small fingers to turn. The suggested age for the book is 2-4 years. While some of the vocabulary may be a bit over a 2 year old's head, I think the book does a good job of teaching about the Lord's Prayer. It would be an excellent resource for a Sunday School library. 

This book is the first book in the Heart Smart Series, designed to teach children about God and make Him personal to their lives. You can learn more about the series and this book HERE. 

I received this book complimentary for the purpose of an honest review. 

Adventures in the Kitchen: CSA #15 and a new cook book!

I can't remember if I told you that our CSA box is coming from an Amish farm. Did I? Well, it is. Sometime I think the Amish way of life is something to be desired. Simple. Slower paced. Family oriented. Everyone working together...And then I think about having to use an outhouse in the winter...and or not being able to Skype my family....Anyway, I digress. Here is our CSA box from last week (I know, I'm behind. I'm going to try to do better this week!)

Beets, peppers, potatoes, onion, apples, garlic, cucumbers, carrots, green beans, cabbage, yellow squash, and a spaghetti squash. 

So I have to be honest, I'm not a big fan of squash. But I feel like we are going to be getting a few more in the last 5 boxes of the summer. So I'm going to make a go of it. For most of the summer I have been finding recipes on Pinterest. I found this one for the spaghetti squash 

from The Pickled Plum ~ It's called Yakisoba Spaghetti Squash.

Recently I received a new cookbook from Litfuse to review and I have been loving the recipes in it! 

It is called Gather Around The Amish Table by: Lucy Leid. 

Amish fruits and veggies + Amish recipes and stories = yum and interesting! 

I have gotten to try a few recipes with the fresh fruits and veggies of the end of summer, but I have quite a few more on my list to try. One thing I really like about the recipes included in the book are that they mostly use staple pantry ingredients. I can pick almost any recipe and have all of the ingredients on hand. No crazy shopping lists or jars of something that you just need a teaspoon of and then have nothing to do with the rest of it. The book had 10 different categories of recipes. Everything from breakfast, to salads, meat, and pies. And on many of the pages there are short stories by Leid and other Amish contributors explaining their personal connections to the recipe. I really enjoy the short stories, because many of my special memories in life have recipes or foods attached to them. And when I cook that recipe, the memory gets a little sweeter. 

Do you have any recipes that bring back special memories when you make or eat them? 

I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for my review of it.

Adventures in Reading: Count My Blessings

I am thankful that this girl is learning new things every day! 

Here's a little video of her newest skill:

(Walking...and showing off some pretty rad dance moves!)

There are so many things that I want to teach Rebekah. 

Skills like how to swim and how to read. 

Habits like saying 'please and thank you' and putting things away where they belong.

Life lessons like life isn't always fair, but God is always good. 

And how to be thankful for all of the blessings God has given her. 

Some of the above lessons will have to wait until she is a little older!

But some of them I can start teaching her now...

Like how to swim! I was so thankful for each time we were able to visit our public pool this summer and practice our swimming skills. 

Every night we pray with Rebekah and thank God for the food He provided for us, for the  beautiful day He gave us, and for our friends and family who love us. These 3 things are all included in our newest fit-together shape book book from Tommy Nelson called Count My Blessings 1-2-3. Being thankful for the blessings we have is a something I can teach and demonstrate to Rebekah right now!

Rebekah just loves the pictures in this book and I appreciate the reminder to be thanking God for our many blessings. Like all of the Tommy Nelson books we have, this one is very sturdy and stands up to the 'reading' of a 1 year old. Every other page has a 3 dimensional aspect to the illustration and Rebekah really enjoys touching the pages as I read to her.

 I am also thankful that Tommy Nelson Publishing is going to give one of you a free copy of this wonderful book! There are 3 different ways you can enter (and if you do all 3 you will have your name in the drawing 3 times!)

(1) Leave a comment on this blog post telling me one blessing you are thankful for.

~OR~

(2) Click over to our Adventures of D and V Facebook page and like or comment on the post about Count My Blessings 1-2-3

~OR~

(3) Visit my Instagram page and like or comment the picture I have posted about Count My Blessing 1-2-3

The winner will be selected and contacted on Monday, August 31st. 

I was provided this book for free from Tommy Nelson Publishing in exchange for sharing my opinions. My opinions on blog are all my own true thoughts. 

Adventures in Reading: Say and Pray Bible

It's no secrete that we are a family who loves to read. Rebekah and I read books every day - and there are lots of book related posts on this little blog. But by far the most important and most frequently read book in our house is the Bible. As parents, Daniel and I want to make sure that our children grow up knowing Jesus, and what better way to do that than growing up reading God's word. Eventually, Rebekah will have her own "big girl" Bible to read, but until she is ready for that, we want to make sure she has her own "little girl" Bible to look at.

We have several different kid friendly Bibles for Rebekah, but today I wanted to show you our newest one! It's called the Say and Pray Bible by Diane Stortz, and it's published by Tommy Nelson. This Bible is for children ages 0-4 years old. It's sturdy padded board book does a wonderful job of introducing little ones to God and Jesus. 19 familiar Bible stories from both the Old and New Testaments are included in the book. For each story there is a Biblical reference, a short story explanation (1 or 2 sentences), a Bible verse (short and great for memorizing!), a prayer, and familiar objects labeled for children to point out as you talk about the story. Below is the page for Jonah.

We really love this book! The thing I appreciate most is that there are a wide variety of Biblical accounts included in this Bible. While it does contain classic children's Bible accounts like Adam & Eve, Noah, and Jonah, it also includes 10 stories about the birth, life, and resurrection of Jesus. (Many children's Bible I have looked at just have the birth of Jesus.) But it does not include the death of Jesus - which I have mixed feelings about. On the one hand it is a book for children 0-4 years old, so I can see why the author would not include the account of Jesus dying on the cross to keep the content age appropriate. However, Jesus' death to pay the penalty for our sin is the most important part of the whole Bible, and I would have liked to see it included. That issue aside, I think this little Bible will be used by us for years to come. Right now I point to the different objects and name them, but I know it wont be long until Rebekah can point to them and even start naming a few. This would make a wonderful gift for a baby dedication or baptism! 

And guess what?! You have the chance to win your very own Say and Pray Bible from Tommy Nelson Publishing right now!! You ACTUALLY can earn up to 3 entries! 

 Here are the ways you can enter the giveaway: 

(1) Leave a comment here on the blog telling me who you would like to have this sweet Bible for. (Make sure there is a way for me to contact you if you win.) 

(2) Click over to the Adventures of D and V Facebook page and comment on the post there about the Say and Pray Bible.

(3) Find me on Instagram {HERE} and comment on the picture I posted of the Say and Pray Bible.

The winner will be drawn and notified on Tuesday, July 28th.  

I was given this book free by Tommy Nelson Publishing, and the opinions expressed here are my own true thoughts. 

Adventures in Reading: I Love You Even When

When you are pregnant with your first child, it seems like everyone tells you that you will be amazed by how quickly you will fall head over heals in love with her when she is born. And they are SO right. I thought I loved Rebekah when she was inside of me, but the moment that I held her little body in my arms...it was immediate, life changing love. Love that grows every day. Unconditional love. 

And as much as I love her, there is Someone else who her unconditionally even more that I do! It's God. He is the ultimate example of unconditional love. And Daniel and I, as parents, want to make sure Rebekah knows and feels this unconditional love. God's unconditional love for His children is hard for even adults to wrap their minds around, yet alone children. But Donna Keith just wrote a children's book that I think does a fantastic job of illustrating unconditional love to both young and young at heart readers. 

I Love You Even When by Donna Keith is a board book illustrated Allison Edgson for children ages 0-4. The rhyming story is about a family of bears who demonstrate unconditional love to each other through different life events. The parents show their unconditional love to the bear cubs in situations that happen to many children in their real lives. The bear cubs do things like playing to rough, making a mess, disobeying, and not sharing. The parents respond by demonstrating unconditional love, but also instill lessons of obedience, apologies, and consequences for their actions. The mother bear also makes a mistake and the bear cubs must demonstrate unconditional love to her as well.

I really enjoyed the message of this book, and I know we will be reading it for years to come. Rebekah is really drawn to stories that have rhythm and rhyme to the words, and this one has both. When we first read the story, I was questioning a bit the choice of the illustrator to make the bear cubs 3 different types of bears. A bear family with a brown, white, and panda bear cub isn't exactly something you would witness in nature. But then I realized that perhaps that was a conscious decision to connect with children who may be a part of a racially diverse family because of adoption or foster care. This book would make a wonderful gift for a family who may fall into that category with 'bear cubs' who look different on the outside, but who all need the same unconditional love. 

*GIVEAWAY* (yay!)

If you would like to win a copy of I Love You Even When for your own collections or to give away as a gift, all you have to do is leave a comment. (If you are a 'no reply' blogger please also leave some way for me to contact you if you win) You can earn extra entries by commenting here on Facebook, and here on Instagram. I will pick a winner and notify them on Friday, July 17th, and Tommy Nelson Publishing will send you a free copy! 

I was given a copy of this book for free in exchange for my review. The opinions expressed are my own true opinions. 

Adventures in Reading: Noah's Noisy Ark

Rebekah loves animals.

And she loves animal noises.

When I'm changing her diaper we often play the "what sound does _____ make". She can even make a horse sound! Well, I think it sounds like a horse. Some of her favorite animal noises are monkey, frog, duck, cow, rooster, and of course a horse.

Some of her favorite books have animals in them. She loves to point at the animals and I make the sounds for her...and I know wont be long until she will be able to make the noises herself. I am always on the look out for engaging books with a Biblical theme, and I wanted to tell you about a new one we love.

Noah's Noisy Zoo. 

Rebekah just loves this book by Tommy Nelson. 

Each page is illustrated with colorful animals that were on the ark and the sounds that they make.



And the pages don't just have pictures, this is a “fit-together” board book. It's our first fit-together book and Rebekah just loves touch the colorful animal cut-outs on each page. She can be a bit rough with the books - so sturdy board books are a must at the moment!



And this book has stood up well to her 'reading' it!

I received this book for free in exchange for my review, and Tommy Nelson would like to offer a free copy to one of our readers! There are 3 ways your can enter the drawing for a free copy of Noah's Noisy Zoo:

1) Leave a comment here on the blog letting me know who you would like to read Noah's Noisy Zoo with!

2) Follow and comment on the picture for the giveaway on our Instagram account {Click HERE}.

3) Follow and comment on the picture for the giveaway on our Facebook page {Click HERE}.

Feel free to enter all 3 ways if you would like, and I will put your name in the drawing 3 times! The winner will be drawn and contacted on Friday, June 12th.

Adventures in Reading: Daddy Loves You So Much

We had a wonderful Mother's Day weekend, did you? 

My favorite part of the weekend was getting to spend Sunday together as a family. Just the 3 of us. Since Daniel is on call for work every other weekend, our family time is somewhat limited. And often his free weekends get filled with other things like working on the house or fellowship with friends and family. So when we get to spend time just relaxing and playing, it is so special! I love getting to have Daniel help me with Rebekah and do things with her that I get to do ever day. One thing that I (try to) do every day is read to Rebekah. She LOVES books and will lay on the ground looking at her books, feeling the pages, giggling at the pictures, and babbling to herself. Her favorite is to lay on our bed, and I will hold the book above her and read on our backs. Since Daddy was home, he got to read to her, and one of the books he picked is a new one at our house. Its called Daddy Loves You So Much, by Tommy Nelson.

Rebekah just loves the pictures of the different baby animals with their daddies in the book. And Daniel and I really love the story. It is a sweet book with a great lesson for children and parents alike. I love that is gives practical ways that parents can show love for their children. 

She gets pretty into it! 

And GUESS WHAT?!

Tommy Nelson is giving away one copy of Daddy Loves You So Much to one of you! This would be a wonderful gift for a new dad, or a dad-to-be. It would also be a special Father's Day gift! It is certainly a great book to add to any children's collection. To enter, all you need to do is leave a comment letting me know you would like to be entered to win! Please include your e-mail address so I can contact you when you win. You can also enter the giveaway by commenting on my Instagram picture HERE. 

I was given this book free for the purpose of review, however the opinions in this post are my own. 

Adventures in Reading: Side By Side

This is the first contemporary missionary fiction novel I have read, and it is a bit of a different book pick for me. However when I was given the opportunity to read and review Side by Side by Jana Kelley by Litfuse, I decided to give it a go, and I'm glad that I did! 

A little about the novel: The story takes place in Khartoum, Sudan, an Islamic country. Mia, an American Christian mother and wife to a missionary who is working in the Northern Sudanese city, is struggling with the reality of being a Christian woman in an Arab world. A spiritual battle rages around her as she seeks ways to serve God and language and cultural barriers. Halimah is a daughter of a devout Muslim family. She is a student, leaning the skills to work for the family business. Living in a country where people can be, and frequently are, put to death just for being Christians, Halimah becomes a Christian. It is illegal to be a Christian. And when her family finds out, Mia also finds a reason for her time in the Sudan. Together the women face danger and grow in their faith in the Lord.

My thoughts: More often than not, I do not remember to keep the persecuted Church in my prayers. However after reading Kelley's description of the Christians who live in Sudan, I believe I will be much more likely to remember to pray for them. Kelley's writing transported me to the other side of the world. The characters in this novel were very easy to connect with and relate to. I also appreciated the details and descriptions about Muslim life and their culture. While some of the details are a bit gut wrenching and graphic, Kelley really force the reader to experience what it would be like...as much as one can when reading a book. 

I very much enjoyed this book and look forward to reading future books by Kelley!

I was provided this book for free from Litfuse in exchange for my review, however the above review is my true thoughts on the book. 

Adventures in Reading: Miracle at the Higher Ground Cafe

I've shared several of Max Lucado's books with you over the years.

If you don't remember you can go here and here. Both are devotional type books.

And I have always meant to write a post about his kids books - I LOVE his kid's books. 

So when I had the chance to read and review a novel written by him, I jumped at the opportunity! 

A little about the story:

Chelsea is trying to start fresh with her 2 children after splitting from her adulterous NFL star husband. She has returned to the place where she grew up to take over the cafe that her grandmother and great-grandmother had run for decades. But Chelsea needs help. In all areas of her life. She needs a miracle. And God is ready!

 Manny is Chelsea's guardian angle (literally) sent to Earth to fight on her behalf in a spiritual battle that is being waged in and around one of San Antonio's oldest neighborhoods, the King William District. Higher Grounds Cafe and the Chambers family is in the middle of the battle. 

My thoughts on the novel:

There are spiritual battles happening around us every day. I often do not think about it, but Max Lucado paints a crystal clear picture of this reality in Miracle at the Higher Ground Cafe. While this novel is fiction, the spiritual truths expressed in the pages are very much real. Like Lucado's other books I have read, this story causes you to stop and think - about a lot of things. One of the main elements in the story is "The God Blog" where people are given the opportunity to ask God one question - and He answers (on the computer) via a special router that is miraculously installed at the Higher Ground Cafe. One thing I have been pondering since finishing this book is "What would I ask God?" 

I would recommend this book for anyone who enjoys exciting, thought provoking fiction...and coffee! 

I did receive this book for free in exchange for my review. All opinions expressed are my own, honest opinion. 

Adventures in Reading: I Choose You Today

Valentine's Day was this past weekend. Did you notice all of the extra 'love' segments, posts, videos, pictures, commercials that have been everywhere?  I did. It seems more and more over the top every year. I saw a commercial encouraging men to show their love for their lady by buying her a 4 foot tall teddy bear.  Oh, it was ONLY $99!  (eye roll!)  All I could think of was, "Where is the heck would someone keep such a huge teddy bear?" I know, I'm to practical sometimes. 
Setting all of the 'commercialized' Valentine's Day mumbo-jumbo aside...I'm reading a book that I think I'm going to read every February from now on. It's about love.   It's called I Choose You Today by Deb DeAromond.

We all make thousands of choices everyday. Simple choices like what to wear or what to eat. Big choices like where to go to college or what kind of car to buy. Meaningful choices like how to respond to a negative comment or when is the right time to speak and when you should listen. In Deb DeAromond's book I Choose You Today, she describes 31 Biblical choices that the reader can make in their marriage to make love last.
I have been using this book as a daily devotional - each day reading a chapter and trying to live that concept out in my marriage. Each chapter is about 5 pages long and includes an explanation of the choice for the day, a short example of how that choice can play out, Biblical references to support the choice, talking questions and a prayer. I really like the straight forward format of this book. It is a book that can be read alone, as a couple, or even in a small group setting. DeAromond writes speaking to married people, but I think this would be a great book for an engaged couple to read together, or even a single person with the desire to prepare their heart for marriage. 
Choosing to love, support, honor and trust my husband every day is one thing. Choosing to tell him that, and showing him, is the next step that DeAromond challenges readers to do. Some of the choices have been challenging for me - like chapter 10 - "I choose to be adaptable". The first line of that chapter made me laugh out loud... "The only person who really likes change is a wet baby." I am notoriously un-adaptable. I don't like change. I especially don't like last minute changes. I get very grouchy. And on the day that I read this chapter, wouldn't you know, God had it all planned out for me to practice showing my love by being adaptable! 
Weather you have been married 5 months, 5 years, or 50 years, I think that the practical ways to make love last described in this book are wonderful reminders for everyone.  To learn more about this book, click the button below. 
I did receive this book free from Litfuse Publishing, however the above is my own true opinion. 

Adventures in Reading: The Daughter of Highland Hall

65 days until season 5 of Downton Abbey starts in the USA!! Yay! I've been careful not to see any spoilers, but I just love that time period and show so much that I'm a sucker for anything related to it. So when I saw that Carrie Turansky's new book The Daughter of Highland Hall takes place in the same time period in England, I knew that I would enjoy it! 

Katherine Ramsey doesn't see what all the fuss is about - a simple curtsy in front of the Queen - how hard can it be? Since she has turned 18, Katherine travels to London for her 'coming out' into society and hopefully find her future husband. Her Aunt Louisa insists she must secure a proposal from a wealthy young man to save her family's estate. When a scandal seemingly crushes Katherine’s hopes for the society season, she uses her time time to volunteer with Jonathan Foster, caring for children in one of London’s poorest areas. As she serves with the handsome medical student, a romance blossoms. Katherine’s faith grows and she begins to question her aunt's plan as she can now envision a different future with Jonathan helping in the poor East End of London. When wealthy suitor reappears, Katherine must make a choice...

Having not read the first book in the Edwardian Brides series, The Governess of Highland Hall, I was worried that I would feel a bit lost when I picked up this book (that has happened other times when I read book 2 before book 1 in a series), but I found Turansky's story telling to be excellent. This story definitely can stand alone. I enjoyed the story, characters, and the historical aspect of this story but what I most enjoyed was the spiritual aspects. At one point, Kate realizes that she has spent most of her time focused on herself and the task of finding a husband before the end of the season. She then grows to understand that these things are not the most important things in life. She changes her focus from herself to Christ and helping others. I will be going back to read the first book and looking forward to the next in the series.

Adventures in Reading: Home to Chicory Lane

Everyone has dreams of things that they would like to do "some day". Want to know a secrete? One of my dreams is to have a house on some land and open a little bed and breakfast. So when I read the summery of Deborah Raney's new book Home to Chicory Lane, I knew I needed to read it! 

The first in a new series, Home to Chicory Lane, is about the Whitman family. We are first introduced to the Whitman parents, Audrey and Grant, who have worked hard turned their family home into a bed-and-breakfast. On the weekend their inn is set to open, their youngest daughter unexpectedly shows up, without her husband, and her parents suspect trouble. 

This is the first book by Deborah Raney that I have read and I'm excited to read more!  

I very much enjoyed her style of writing. This story was filled with real life characters with real life problems. The theme of God's plan and perfect timing, even when we can not see it, is woven throughout the story. I was imitatively drawn into the story and found myself relating to the characters, rooting for them and hurting with them. I am excited to see what else is in store for the Whitman family in the books to come! 
I was given this book free of charge from Litfuse Publicity, but the opinions are my own true opinion. 

Adventures in Reading: In Perfect Time by: Sarah Sundin

 I'm a huge fan of Sarah Sundin's books - you may remember reading about some of the other Sarah Sundin books here on the blog. Well, I had been looking forward to this book for quite some time and I was so excited when it finally arrived I read the whole thing in just a few days! 

The 3rd book in the Wings of the Nightengale series by Sundin, In Perfect Time follows the events in the life of Kay Jobson and Roger Cooper. As a flight nurse and a pilot, Kay and Roger are continually assigned to work the same missions together - evacuating wounded and bringing supplies to the soldiers who are fighting in WWII. Danger is a normal part of their lives, but when their plain goes down behind enemy lines, it will take all their strength and courage to make it back alive. 

Both Kay and Roger appear in the previous 2 books in the series (in minor roles), so I was very excited to read about 'their story' in this 3rd book. Sundin does a remarkable job of weaving historical truths about life during WWII and the fictional lives of the characters that she writes about. I was intrigued by Kay in the other 2 books. She has lots of pain in her past as does Roger, and that pain (and the forgiveness from the Lord) draws the two of them together...and at the same time causes them to keep each other at arms length. It was very easy for me to relate to the internal battle that goes on in a sinful person's heart when truly accepting God's unconditional love and forgiveness. Sundin's writing captures this struggle in both Kay and Roger perfectly. This story has some exciting twists and turns that I did not expect (dont worry, I wont spoil it for you!) and it is my favorite of the 3 books in the series. I would recommend this book even if you have not read the previous 2 books in the series. Sundin does an excellent job of weaving the characters together, but still keeping the stories separate enough to stand on their own. 

I did receive this book for free from Litfuse Publicity, but the opinions shared are my own true opinions of the book. 

Adventures in Reading: Silenced by Dani Pettrey

Normally I enjoy historical fiction for my "fun" reading. But when this book came up on the Bethany House blogger review list, I was intrigued by the description. 

"Jake Knew Something Was Wrong. 

But He Never Guessed How Wrong. 

A relaxing day of rock climbing takes a disturbing turn when Kayden McKenna's route brings her face-to-face with a dead climber. Is it a terrible accident or something darker? When the case is handed to overburdened sheriff Landon Grainger, he turns to Jake Westin for help. With Jake's past now revealed, he's ready to use his talent for investigation again--but he could never prepare for where the mystery will take him."

My thoughts: I very much enjoyed Dani Pettrey's style of writing/story telling. It was an easy to follow story line (good 'summer beach reading') with lots of action, details, and shocking plot twists and turns. This is the fourth book in Pettrey's Alaskan Courage series. While there were a few points in the book that I felt like I may have been missing some information/back story that was in a previous book, especially when it came to some of the not-so-main characters. (Although after reading book 4, I would like to pick up the previous 3 books in the series!) Maybe if I had read the other books, I would have not been as surprised at the twist near the end of the book. But this story really kept me turning the pages and saying up past my bedtime until the very end! 

*This book was provided free of charge from Bethany House Publishing, but the thoughts in this post are all my own true opinion. 

Adventures in Reading: Out of Ruins by: Karen Barnett

I've got a new favorite author to share with you today!

Karen Barnett

Now, I've only read one of her books (I believe she has only written 2 so far...) but I really enjoyed it and her style of writing. 

Barnett expertly combined the historical events of the 1906 San Francisco earthquake, medical practices of the time, a romance, and spiritual trials and growth to create a book that drew me in from the first page and kept me interested until the last page.

Story Summary: (Contains some spoilers!) The main character Abby's sister is losing her battle with leukemia. When the suggestion is made that a new treatment might work they make the trip to San Francisco. When the treatment is unsuccessful, and Abby's sister passes away, Abby is left asking questions that so many of us wonder..."Why do bad things happen? Why did God not answer my prayers?" During the treatment process Abby had grown to care for Dr. Robert King, but when her sister dies she blames him as well as God. As she is dealing with the grief of her sister's death the 1906 earthquake hits and everything is thrown into chaos.

My thoughts: I LOVE learning while I read. I thought Barnett did a wonderful job of creating a detailed and highly descriptive picture of what the 1906 San Francisco earthquake (and aftermath) was like. I also enjoyed learning about the medical treatments of the turn of the century. I found that I could relate to Abby in her struggle to understand why her prayers were not answered in the way she would have chosen. I did feel that there were times in the 2nd half of the book that the story line dragged a bit, but I was still motivated to keep reading to see how everything turned out in the end. This is the first in a series of books called the Golden Gate Chronicles, and I am definitely looking forward to book #2! 

OUT OF THE RUINS | Kindle HDX Giveaway & Facebook Party!

**I was provided this book free of charge by Litfuse, however the opinions in this post are all my honest opinion. 

Adventures in Reading: The Heart's Pursuit by Robin Lee Hatcher

I don't know about you, but I tend to read more in the summer. There is just something about sitting out in the warm air and getting lost in a good book. Well, if you are looking for an easy, exciting, enthralling book for this summer, I just discovered a new (to me!) author that I really enjoy!

About the book:
Pictured on the cover, Silver Matlock is a young woman with a world turned upside down. Left at the alter, robbed of her family's wealth, she is determined to track down the person who smashed her life and heart. When she stumbles upon Jared Newman, a bounty hunter, the two are thrown together in their travels as each seeks justice in the West. Both with wounded hearts, Jared and Silver learn about each other on their journey and begin to trust again. They will need each other in order to face the villains of their past.

My thoughts:
This is a great summer read. Action, romance, bad guys, life lessons learned. It was a quick read for me and would be perfect for a pool side read. There are some slightly graphic details of crimes committed by the villains, gun fights, and a stabbing, but I personally felt like the details were beneficial to story and not overly gory in detail. I really enjoyed the journey of spiritual growth that happened when the main characters learned the difference between seeking justice and seeking revenge and that there is a fine line between the two.

Giveaway opportunity:
Robin Lee Hatcher's latest novel, The Heart's Pursuit, is receiving critical praise: "The Old West lives again in this inspirational romantic adventure. . . . Themes of forgiveness, justice and mercy dominate the story and add to the characters' depth. Hatcher treats readers to a rich sensory experience—you can taste the desert dust and smell the smoke and stench of a crowded gambling hall." (Publishers Weekly)

Robin is celebrating the release of her novel by giving away a $200 "Romantic Weekend Getaway."

  One winner will receive:

• A $200 Visa cash card (Get away for the weekend with that special someone!)
• The Heart's Pursuit by Robin Lee Hatcher

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on June 8th. Winner will be announced June 9th on Robin's website.

Don't miss a moment of the fun; enter today and be sure to stop by Robin's blog on June 8th to see if you won.

**I received this book free from Litfues, but the opinions in this review are all mine.