Category: book review

October 21, 2016

A Sister’s Wish Book Review

In Shelley Shepard Gray’s third book in her Charmed Amish Life series, A Sister’s Wish, a respectable young woman finds herself falling for an Amish man from the wrong side of the tracks.

About A Sister’s Wish

Amelia Kinsinger is the perfect Amish woman—at least according to her neighbors. And while Amelia takes pride in her role as homemaker, she’s also harboring a secret: She’s been in love with bad boy Simon Hochstetler for as long as she can remember. Too bad he’s about as far from “perfect” as an Amish man could get . . . but that’s exactly why she’s so drawn to him.

Life hasn’t been kind to Simon. He ran away from an abusive home at fifteen and things went downhill from there. Eventually, Simon landed in prison. But the experience changed him. Now back in Charm as a grown man, he’s determined to make a new life for himself and not think too much about his wild past . . . unless it pertains to Amelia.

He’s loved Amelia for years. To him, she represents everything good and kind in the world. When he realizes that she returns his affections, he starts calling on her in secret, even though her older brother Lukas—who just happens to be Simon’s best friend—has made it perfectly clear that Amelia deserves better. Simon disagrees and believes he’s the only one who can truly make her happy.

But when Amelia gets hurt, it sets off a chain of events that forces them to consider their future together—and face their past mistakes. There’s a chance for love . . . but only if Simon dares to trust Amelia with the secrets of his past.

My Thoughts

I have always loved Amish fiction stories. They are sweet, full of hope, forgiveness, love and faith. This story by Shelley Shepard Gray is all of that and more.

Amelia is a sweet, kind and loving young girl in her family who takes care of a lot more than her family cares to admit. She is charge of the household, the chores and so much more. She never complains and she loves her job but nor does anyone quite realize all she does and the young woman that she has become. Her long time crush, Simon, returns to their small town. Simon had suffered greatly as a child and it led him down a destructive past. Simon had to go through these hardships in order to become the young man he is today. They helped him with his faith and his understanding of others but it is also a secret he keeps tucked away afraid to show the world. He has always been in love with Amelia but never felt good enough for her. When he realizes she returns his feelings, he feels blessed. Except no one in her family sees how much this relationship means to her.

When Amelia is hurt and the family has to come to the realization that she is now a grown woman who has been looking after a lot more than they expected, it forces them to look at themselves and their way of thinking in ways that no one wants to. No one wants to have admit they are wrong nor do they want to go about fixing it. Thus begins a struggle for understanding, trust, acceptance and faith in each other.

A Sister’s Wish is well thought out, well written and a beautiful story from start to finish.

You can find more reviews on the Litfuse blog tour page. You can purchase a copy of the book here.

Rating: 4/5

About the Author

Shelley Shepard Gray is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author, a finalist for the American Christian Fiction Writers prestigious Carol Award, and a two-time HOLT Medallion winner. She lives in southern Ohio, where she writes full-time, bakes too much, and can often be found walking her dachshunds on her town’s bike trail.

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

October 21, 2016

Christmas Joy Book Review

USA Today bestselling author, Nancy Naigle, comes bearing gifts this season with her heartwarming novel Christmas Joy – a story about family, friendship and finding love in unexpected places.

About Christmas Joy

Joy might be all work and no play but all of that changes when her Aunt Ruby takes an unexpected fall that lands her in a rehabilitation centre just before the holidays. Joy takes a leave of absence from her job as a market researcher to run the family farm, even though the leave may hinder her chances of a promotion.

Ben isn’t your average accountant. He also happens to be the handiest man in all of Crystal Falls! He has helped his elderly neighbour, Ruby, decorate for the annual Christmas Home tour and win for the last several years. He is not about to let some drop in niece ruin their winning streak!

Ruby seems overly concerned that Joy will not be able to handle Molly. Under the impressions, she is referring to Molly the bunny, one of many animals, Joy is not too worried until the next morning when Molly the child shows up. For the sake of her Aunt, Joy is forced to team up with Ben while Ruby is on the mend to help with the preparation of the Christmas tour and in turn finds her career focused heart dreaming of her own family.

My Thoughts

Christmas can be a very difficult time of the year for many people. For some, they feel alone while others may have lost a significant person in their life around the holidays. This has turned the holidays into a negative experience for them, one from which they want to hide from. This is very true for Joy who lost her Mother around the holidays. This has changed the person who she is and her relationship with the only family she has left and the holiday season.

Joy is your typical young individual who is trying hard to make it in their career. They give and give, almost until there is not enough of them to give. At most times she feels like it is worth it. She doesn’t have anymore family, except for her Aunt Ruby so she doesn’t feel the loss as harshly as others might. What she doesn’t realize she is missing out on family, love and the feelings that go along with it. When she is forced to come ‘home’ to care for her Aunt’s home and animals, she begins to realize her life hasn’t been all that she thought it was. She is forced to look at her past, her emotions that she has hidden so well and she is scared of what she finds.

Ben is a good friend and help to Aunt Ruby. He has also felt his own fair share of pain when his wife left him to pursue the bright lights of the city. He is also just the person that Joy needs to open her eyes. They get off on quite a rocky foot and you are not sure throughout the book whether or not they can get over their differences but you know in your heart Ben is just the person that Joy needs.

Christmas Joy is a heart warming story of forgiveness, letting go of our past and moving forward, family and love. It was a beautiful story that I just couldn’t put down as it touched my heart. I know so many people like Joy who have been hurt around the holidays and who find it hard to let go. I felt so connected to her and wanted to reach out and hug her throughout the story. This is definitely a truly special holiday book that you will treasure year round.

You can purchase a copy of the book on Amazon.

Rating: 5/5

About the Author

Nancy Naigle whips up small town love with a dash of suspense and a whole lot of heart. Now retired, she devotes her time to writing, antiquing and the occasional spa day! A native of Virginia Beach, she now calls North Carolina home.

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

October 18, 2016

Boots and Bedlam

Wedding bells will soon be ringing in the Lowcountry.

About Boots and Bedlam

Wedding bells will soon be ringing in the Lowcountry. All Sam Sweeney wants is to marry her man on Christmas Eve surrounded by family and friends. But emerging complications, some humorous and some not so humorous, threaten to converge and derail the best-laid plans during the busy stretch between Thanksgiving and Christmas. Amidst the chaos—dealing with real estate, planning a wedding, running a seafood market, honoring traditions, and contending with teenagers—even the weather rears its head when the weatherman forecasts a white Christmas. Never has family support been more needed, but will it be enough to restore order and save the day?

My Thoughts

Another AMAZING book in the Sweeney Sister series! Ashley is an amazing story-teller who draws you into the novel and connects you deeply to the characters. You end up feeling like they are your best friend and sister!

This book was all about Sam, who has suffered so much personal heartache in the past. All you want for her is to be happy but you understand how hard this is for her to. She has a tendency to not trust and get scared, and for good reasons too! If you read the other novels in this series (which you don’t have to understand this book), you will know her reluctance to wed and you find yourself so happy with her decision to finally marry the man she loves and who adores her! My heart was so happy for her. But when little things start to go awry, you feel her frustration and worry. I am so superstitious and I would feel the same – that things are doomed to go wrong! Sam needs to learn to rely on her fiance, her son and her family to help her get through this chaotic time – something she is not used too!

By the end of the novel, you are smiling, laughing and a little teary for all they have gone through. Both Sam and her son are both different people by the end of the novel, growing in spirit and maturity. The actual ending of the novel left me whirling! It was not what I expected but was the perfect way to end this story and lead in to the next book in this series. Which I know CAN NOT wait to read!!!! You will fall in love with Ashley’s writing and her ability to draw you right into the story. This book and whole series are a must read for sure.

You can purchase a copy of this book on Amazon.

Rating: 5/5

About the Author

Ashley Farley is a wife and mother of two college-aged children. She grew up in the salty marshes of South Carolina, but now lives in Richmond, Virginia, a city she loves for its history and traditions.

After her brother died in 1999 of an accidental overdose, she turned to writing as a way of releasing her pent-up emotions. She wrote SAVING BEN in honor of Neal, the boy she worshipped, the man she could not save. SAVING BEN is not a memoir, but a story about the special bond between siblings.

HER SISTER’S SHOES—June 24, 2015—is a women’s novel that proves the healing power of family.

Look for MERRY MARY this holiday season, a heartwarming story of the powerful connection between a caring soul and an innocent child in need.

You can connect with her online, Facebook and Facebook.

October 10, 2016

Michelangelo’s Ghost

In Michelangelo’s Ghost, a lost work of art linking India to the Italian Renaissance. A killer hiding behind a centuries-old ghost story. And a hidden treasure in Italy’s macabre sculpture garden known as the Park of Monsters… Can treasure-hunting historian Jaya Jones unmask a killer ghost?

About Michelangelo’s Ghost

Filled with the unexpected twists, vivid historical details, and cross-cultural connections Pandian is known for, Michelangelo’s Ghost is the most fast-paced and spellbinding Jaya Jones novel to date.

When Jaya’s old professor dies under eerie circumstances shortly after discovering manuscripts that point to a treasure in Italy’s Park of Monsters, Jaya and her brother pick up the trail. From San Francisco to the heart of Italy, Jaya is haunted by a ghost story inexorably linked to the masterpieces of a long-dead artist and the deeds of a modern-day murderer. Untrustworthy colleagues, disappearing boyfriends, and old enemies—who can Jaya trust when the ghost wails?

My Thoughts

An exciting, adventure and educational full novel that demands your attention and leaves you never wanting to put it down.

I love history, I took the majority of my university electives in anthropology and history while studying for my Bachelor’s degree. I loved learning about people that lived hundreds of years ago, their culture and their beliefs. This story is based on one of the greatest artists in history – Michelangelo. In this novel, we find missing art, unfinished manuscripts, deception and a murder.

Jaya, a strong, intelligent young woman who I admired throughout the novel, heads to Italy with her brother and his new girlfriend to follow the missing trail of art. This is when the story gets very interesting! We find a town wrapped up in superstition (not uncommon for these parts), secrets, lies and a garden full of mystery. Every layer of this novel is intricately woven and revealed to us slowly. The path the novel follows is not one I had expected! I definitely was not expecting the ending that happened but it was perfect and fit the book excellently.

Michelangelo’s Ghost is a well written novel that draws you in chapter by chapter, as you follow Jaya as she seeks to help discover a possible lost art treasure and hiding spot of the great artist. It is full of mystery, suspense and leaves you on the edge of your seat to the last minute. You will not regret one minute of this novel!

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

Rating: 5/5

About the Author

USA Today bestselling author Gigi Pandian is the child of cultural anthropologists from New Mexico and the southern tip of India. She spent her childhood being dragged around the world, and now lives in the San Francisco Bay Area. Gigi writes the Jaya Jones Treasure Hunt mysteries, the Accidental Alchemist mysteries, and locked-room mystery short stories. Gigi’s debut novel, Artifact, was awarded a Malice Domestic Grant and named a “Best of 2012” debut by Suspense Magazine. Her fiction has been awarded the Lefty Award and short-listed for Macavity and Agatha Awards. Sign up for her email newsletter at www.gigipandian.com/newsletter.

You can connect with her on her website, Twitter and Facebook.

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.

October 7, 2016

Fall Activities with Raincoast Books #PlayTestShare

As we enter back into school and the cooler weather, it becomes time to be more creative with our indoor play and activities with our children. We want to keep them entertained, learning and having fun all at the same time. Raincoast Books has an excellent section of activities for your child to learn and have fun with. We were able to try out their Animals Matching Game and Make & Move: Monsters over the last few weeks and had a blast trying out the game and creating puppet shows.

Alain Gree Animals Matching Game

It’s an animal menagerie! Kids will delight in this classic matching game, featuring the timeless art of beloved French picture book illustrator Alain Gree. It’s the perfect opportunity to identify favorite animals, and to discover new ones. Large, sturdy cards are ideal for small hands, and the game play of discovering 18 different animals builds memory, concentration, and matching skills.

Our Thoughts

Our family LOVED this matching game! There were plenty of cards, which were made out of a sturdy material so you know your child wont be able to rip them or bend them in their excitement – which can happen! The cards were brightly coloured, easy to recognize pictures and also contained the name of the animal, which is great for learning. When we first opened up this activity, we ended up playing five games in a row – our youngest LOVED it that much! The rules came with the game but our youngest seemed to enjoy making up his own rules to this game (pretty much every turn is his turn!!!). Even with these little game alterations we had a super fun time with the matching game.

You can purchase a copy of this game on Amazon.

Rating: 5/5

Make & Move Monsters

Have fiendish fun with this collection of creepy critters, from graveyard ghouls and villainous vampires to spooky skeletons and slippery deep-sea monsters. Create fantastic model comes with easy-to-follow assembly instructions, and no scissors or glue required! Contains nine ready-to-play monsters, plus three to color in with your own fantastic designs.

Our Thoughts

Pop up monsters that your child can make move – all of which can be created without glue and scissors? YES PLEASE! There are nine monsters that you can make in this activity book. There are instructions in the beginning of the book, these are very easy to follow but I think this activity would definitely be geared to a slightly older child. While our youngest couldn’t wait for his monster to be made, he definitely would not have been able to make it himself. While made out of paper, the ways the monsters are folded and bend into place made them quite sturdy for play and less likely to rip. The monsters also moved when you pulled on one section of them to create a pretty cool open mouth or a lifting arms effect. The monsters took probably about ten to fifteen minutes to put together and then we were able to act out monster attacks after, our youngest loves Hotel Transylvania so this was just like bringing the characters to life for him!

You can purchase a copy of this activity book on Amazon.

Rating: 5/5

What are your favourite fall activities to do indoors?

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