Author: cvegnad

November 27, 2018

The Good, the Bad and the Duke Book Review

A lady with a noble mission. A duke looking for redemption. A forbidden love that cannot be denied, in The Good, The Bad, and The Duke by Janna MacGregor.

About The Good, the Bad and the Duke

Lady Daphne Hallworth is ready to celebrate the holidays with her family. But when they accidentally leave her home alone, Daphne uses the time to work on her dream—opening a home for unwed mothers. But her quest isn’t problem-free: She’s in a battle to win the property for the home against her brother’s best friend-turned-enemy, Paul Barstowe, Duke of Southart. And that’s not all: someone has stolen her personal diary, which holds secrets that could devastate her family. Daphne has always harbored private feelings for the man her family scorns…though perhaps striking a bargain with the handsome Duke will solve both their problems?

Paul, long considered good for nothing, aims to open a hospital to honor his brother and restore his reputation. So when a conflict over the land brings him straight into Daphne’s life, they make a deal: He will help her find her diary if Daphne can change her family’s opinion of him. But before he can win her family’s affection, he has to win hers first. Maybe love was the answer to their family feud all along?

My Thoughts

A beautiful historical romance set in the backdrop of the holiday season but is so much more than a holiday novel.

Lady Daphne may not be married and may be considered to old in society eyes (which is ridiculous when you think of how young she truly is) but she is not a wallflower. She feels forgotten by her family at times and at other times a burden. She is quiet but has a kind and brave heart. Her ultimate goal is to purchase property so that it can be converted into a home for unwed Mothers. She wants to honour a young woman who died and pursue this dream of helping others as she has been given a high place both with her status and her finances in society. The only drawback? Someone else wants the same property – the Duke of Southart. Who also happens to be the man that she has had a huge crush on despite her family despising him. Paul has quite the reputation, some if it earned and some of it unfairly bestowed upon him. He grew up with his Father hating him and only became the Duke by chance when his brother and Father died. His Father made it his life goal to torment Paul, even continuing to do so beyond the grave.

These two are brought together again over the property and Lady Daphne’s stolen journal that contains secrets that could destroy her family. We watch as they work through their past pain, open their hearts to each other and truly trust each other with their secrets and pain. You find yourself hoping and praying that they can not only find a way together but to also find forgiveness and acceptance of their relationship from her family.

This is a beautiful story of healing, faith and tied into an well written, suspenseful plot full of twists and turns. I loved every moment.

You can purchase a copy of this book on Amazon.

Rating: 4.5/5

About the Author

Janna MacGregor was born and raised in the bootheel of Missouri. She credits her darling mom for introducing her to the happily-ever-after world of romance novels. Janna writes stories where compelling and powerful heroines meet and fall in love with their equally matched heroes. She is the mother of triplets and lives in Kansas City with her very own dashing rogue, and two smug, but not surprisingly, perfect pugs. She loves to hear from readers. She is the author of the Cavensham Heiresses series, which includes The Bad Luck Bride, The Bride Who Got Lucky, and The Luck of the Bride.

Disclosure: I received a digital copy of this book in order to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own.

November 26, 2018

The Ghost Book Review

Assassinations, a love story, a kidnapping, and many twists and turns characterizes this riveting novel of historical fiction, circa 1958, thirteen years post World War II.

About The Ghost

Assassinations, a love story, a kidnapping, and many twists and turns characterizes this riveting novel of historical fiction, circa 1958, thirteen years post World War II.

Events are uncovered where The Ghost, a powerful Vatican Bishop, is sending assassins to retrieve a secret tailpiece – a hidden extension of the 1942 Wannsee Conference Papers that underpinned the Holocaust against Jews. Only two copies of this tailpiece remain where names of thousands of high level Nazis such as Eichmann and Mengele are listed along with their future destinations – should Germany lose the war.

At the same time, New York City detectives working with British M16 secret service, and Israeli Mossad agents, get Nazi hunter Simon Wiesenthal and his group, (including an Israeli sanctioned killer) involved in order to find and send the crucial coded microfilm to England’s renowned decryption center. Now, in 1958, these Jewish Nazi hunters will not forgive and not forget.

This story is newsworthy testimony regarding the villains who are actual historical figures and are named. Fitting it all together (as in the screenplay based on the story titled: “We Will Find You,”) is the avenging drama of the novel.

My Thoughts

The Ghost is set thirteen years post World War II and follow several characters who are solving and trying to protect secret paperwork that could destroy a Vatican bishop and release the whereabouts of all of the top Nazi criminals.

The story starts off with the attempted murder of a young boy who was trusted by his Mother with the paperwork. This sets off several events that tie in his alcoholic uncle, New York detectives, British secret services and Israeli agents. It is quite the fast moving and complicated plot with a lot of twists and turns. I found myself at times having to go back and double check to ensure that I did not miss anything. It was an excellent story from start to finish and I found myself researching the characters and some of the events that were described in the novel. While heart breaking and some of the events make you feel sick to your stomach as they did happen, these stories need to be told so that we don’t see this happen again. History classes in school do not cover enough of these stories and I think it is important that we teach our youth and adults about these atrocities so that they will never be repeated again.

The story is well written but is fast paced and demands your attention. It blends history with a great sense of mystery and suspense. You never quite know what is coming next. The ending was well suited to the tone of the novel, although I would love to know what happened next for these characters as I am sure the events in the novel would have forever changed their lives. A definite must read for youth and adults a like.

You can purchase a copy of this book on Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

Rating: 4.5/5

About the Author

Dr. Henry Kellerman, psychologist/psychoanalyst/author, is a practitioner in New York City. His more than 50 years of treating individuals with a host of humanity’s psychological/emotional struggles as well as his more than 30 books published, is testament to his virtuosity AND SKILL in the telling of compelling stories.

The Giveaway!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclosure: I received a digital copy of this book in order to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own.

November 23, 2018

The Children’s Cookbook Review

The Children’s Cookbook is full of delicious dishes kids will want to make over and over again.

About Children’s Cookbook

The Children’s Cookbook brings to life simple recipes from breakfast to light meals to main dishes to even baking for your child and yourself to prepare together. With beautiful full-color photography, simple instructions, and a focus on safety, each one makes an ideal cook-together project that will have children excited to try the new flavors in the dishes they helped make. The step-by-step instructions are easy to follow and feature a picture for every step, so children can see clearly just what to do as they build basic cooking skills, safe kitchen practices, and adventurous palates.

Our Thoughts

Empowering your child with the knowledge, skills and confidence to cook in the kitchen is so important. I still remember my first week on my own in my first apartment and my spouse asking me to make a boiled egg. I can now laugh about it but at the time my response was how the heck do I make a boiled egg??! My parents had always done this for us as kids and in our teen years so I never had to do this on my own. I had no idea where to start and this is not an over exaggeration, I didn’t know what temperature to put the stove at, how long to cook them and how to cook them properly so I don’t make everyone sick. I wont even mention when I had to cut an onion for the first time – I wasn’t even quite sure where to start, which side to cut first and how big/small it should be, my spouse had a fantastic time laughing at me over this one.

As parents, it is so important for us to teach our children these life skills so one they wont repeat our mistakes but most importantly so that they are ready to tackle the world once they leave our nest (because really we don’t want them living on five minute rice and breakfast sausages every day for months on end – not speaking from too much personal experience here!).

This book is perfect for young children and even for teens who are just starting out in the kitchen.

It is bright, bold and to the point – there is no question about what each step is asking you to do, there is the proper safety notes in place and they use ingredients you will have on hand. I joke about the boiled egg but in all honesty, children need to be shown these simple meal items. I loved that they included simple things like boiled and scrambled eggs. They also include items like making your own pizza from scratch, naan bread, chicken curry and a variety of delicious recipes from various cultural backgrounds. There is something for everyone in this book. The step by step photos are a huge bonus, I am a visual learner so this helped me greatly. You can compare what you are doing to the pictures and make corrections. There is something for all skill levels, make sure you start off easier but then as your child’s confidence grows – choose something harder. The possibilities are endless and the big bonus? Your child spending quality time with you in the kitchen. A complete win win for this Mom.

You can purchase a copy of this book on Amazon.

Rating: 5/5

Disclosure: I received a copy of this book in order to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own.

November 22, 2018

Charge on the Go with the MYNT Wireless Charging Pad

My lifestyle is constantly on the go – I have work, family and extra curricular activities but at the same time I must still be open to communications and receiving phone calls and emails regardless of the time of day. This puts a huge strain on my cell and tablet battery life. I go into instant panic mode when I see a low battery message especially when I know I have a deadline or commitment to make. I can not afford for my electronics to give out on me.

With my busy lifestyle, a wireless charging pad was an important decision for us to make. I could not be tied down by cords and electrical plugs anymore. Too many times, I had my phone or tablet shut off on me because I could not find a outlet to plug it into. Not to mention the hassle of the cords in my purse which after time, the wires at the ends tend to break and it takes longer and longer to charge (no fun at all!).

The MYNT Wireless charging pad has every feature that I wanted and needed to ensure I never miss any calls, emails or photo opportunities with my children. It is wireless, sleek and efficient, the complete package!

When I first opened the package, my son didn’t believe me that it was a charging pad because of how sleek and slim the design was. It can easily fit in your purse or be tucked away in the office without taking over the space and it adds a nice element of design (it makes a style statement all on its own!).

Features of the MYNT Wireless charging pad:

stable charge to protect your phone’s battery life
smart modes that automatically change the charge based on the phone
surge protection when the phone is fully charged
case friendly
slim, lightweight and portable

The charging pad was simple to use and easy to figure out. I really appreciated the fact that I did not have to take my phone out of its protective case in order to charge it. It charged efficiently and at the same rate as a regular charger would (maybe even a bit faster). My phone held the charge well, I had no concerns about it losing battery life faster after a charge. I was impressed with its power for its small size! I could easily slip it into my purse and take it with me to work, events and soccer practices without worrying I would lose it, break it or would not be able to use it when we got there. This is a definite must have item in any busy household!

Are you still looking for holiday gift ideas for the techie in your life? With its affordable price and fast delivery, this would make an excellent gift under the tree this holiday season. Gift receivers will love the design and efficiency! You can purchase a MYNT wireless charging pad on Amazon.

Disclosure: I received the above mentioned product in order to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own.

November 22, 2018

Dead Sea Rising Book Review

From #1 New York Times bestselling author, Jerry B. Jenkins comes a heart stopping adventure of historical proportions in Dead Sea Rising.

About Dead Sea Rising

Nicole Berman is an archaeologist on the brink of a world-changing discovery. During her first dig in Jordan, she believes she has found concrete evidence of a biblical patriarch that could change history books forever. But someone doesn’t want the truth revealed. While urgently trying to connect pieces of an ancient puzzle, a dangerous enemy is out to stop her.

“From a criminal investigation in Manhattan to the birth of Abram in ancient Ur, Jerry Jenkins weaves together a tale of drama and suspense that will draw you into the lives of two families separated by 4,000 years of history yet sharing remarkably similar struggles of faith. Dead Sea Rising combines the thrill of a whodunit with the moral and political intrigue of the ancient, and modern, Middle East. But be prepared. Once you begin, you won’t be able to stop until you reach the final page!” — DR. CHARLIE DYER, PROFESSOR-AT-LARGE OF BIBLE, AND HOST OF THE LAND AND THE BOOK RADIO PROGRAM

My Thoughts

Dead Sea Rising is an intense thriller crossing two time periods with a connection that will astonish you.

The novel covers the life of Nicole Berman who is an archaeologist following in her Father’s footsteps. She has put in a request to complete a dig in Saudi Arabia – a location that she feels holds a secret that will rip apart everything we ever knew about religion and history. While this is in the background of our plot, Nicole’s Mother is attacked in their family home which was made to appear as a fall. This quickly escalates as the police are forced to investigate whether this was domestic abuse, an attempt by Nicole to harm her Mother or worse – an attempt of murder. As the story progresses we learn new revelations about her Father’s history and how this attempt on her Mother’s life may be tied to Nicole’s work and potential dig in Saudi Arabia.

This story flips back and forth with the story of Terah and the birth of his son, Abraham. We view the struggles of Terah both morally and religiously as he battles between the Gods of his ruler and the God of his wife. We watch as he makes painful decisions that alter the life of others around him and ultimately himself.

This was an amazing story from start to finish – I loved how he managed to intertwine the two stories but at the same time develop each one fully so that you are left on the edge of your seat never knowing what was coming next. This is a definite must read novel.

You can purchase a copy of this book on Amazon.

Rating: 5/5

About the Author

Jerry B. Jenkins’s novels have sold more than 70 million copies. Twenty of his books have reached the New York Times, USA Today, Publishers Weekly, and Wall Street Journal bestseller lists. The phenomenally bestselling Left Behind series inspired a movie starring Nicholas Cage. Jenkins has been featured on the cover of Newsweek and his writing has appeared in Time, Guideposts, and dozens of other periodicals. He and his wife, Dianna, have three grown children and live in Colorado.

Disclosure: I received a digital copy of this book in order to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own.