Category: book review

October 28, 2014

Becoming Bea by Leslie Gould #review

Will a childhood rivalry slowly turn to romance? Or will our two main characters fracture their relationship beyond repair?

About Becoming Bea

Beatrice Zook knows God wants her to learn patience towards others. When assisting a family overwhelmed by triplets is quite successful for her, her confidence in dealing with others grows.

One person that she will never be able to find peace with is Ben Rupp. They have known each other forever and Ben understands precisely how to crawl under her skin. What neither she nor Ben will admit is that beneath all their bickering, attraction awaits. When friends decide to try and bring the couple together, will the pair be able to find true love? Or will they damage their relationship beyond repair?

My Thoughts

A simple story of young love that grows and matures in to so much more. Both so unsure of their own feelings, they both need to come to accept their feelings and figure out how to act on them. Bea is a beautiful young woman who is learning much about herself in this novel (which I loved!) and her place in the world. She grows from an unsure young girl into a much more confident young lady more sure of what she wants in life.

It was beautiful to be able to witness Bea’s growth and her acceptance of her feelings for Ben. I love the way Leslie writes – you feel as if you are a part of Bea’s life. You feel her every pain and joy. Most of her moments you can directly relate to your own.

To find more reviews of Becoming Bea, check out the Litfuse Blog tour here.

Rating: 5/5

About the Author

Leslie Gould is the co-author with Mindy Starns Clark of the #1 CBA best seller The Amish Midwife, a 2012 Christy Award winner; ECPA best seller Courting Cate, first in the Courtships of Lancaster County series; and Beyond the Blue, winner of the Romantic Times Reviewers’ Choice for Best Inspirational Novel, 2006. She holds an MFA in creative writing from Portland State University and has taught fiction writing at Multnomah University as an adjunct professor.

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

October 23, 2014

Too Loved to be Lost by Debora M. Coty #review

Too Loved to be Lost is full of simple steps we can all take each day to refresh and heal our mind, body and faith.

About Too Loved to be Lost

In Too Loved to be Lost you will find simple, practical steps for the healing and refreshment of the spirit, body and faith. Whether you are struggling with issues related to trust, depression, patience, relationships or hurts this humour full volume will deliver a much needed smile and equip you with simple to implement tips for attaining the guidance you crave – the kind that can only be found in the unconditional love of Papa God.

My Thoughts

I love the way Debora Coty writes. This was a conversation with Debora guiding you and encouraging you through the difficult moments versus telling you what to do. Her humour is infectious and I found myself laughing out loud at parts (which the hubby did not appreciate as I kept waking him up at night!). She shares her personal stories which I think many of us can relate to (I know I sure did!). While the book provides steps for healing you do not need to be in a painful place to appreciate this book.

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

About the Author

Debora M. Coty is a popular speaker, columnist, lifelong Bible student, internationally published freelance writer, and award-winning author of numerous books, including Too Blessed to Be Stressed, and More Beauty, Less Beast. She’s also an orthopedic occupational therapist, writing instructor, and tennis addict. Mother of two grown children, Debora lives and loves in central Florida with her husband, Chuck, and desperately wicked pooch, Fenway.

Rating: 4.5/5

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

October 23, 2014

Bad Grrlz’ Guide to Reality by Pat Murphy #review

Two novels collide in Bad Grrlz’ Guide to Reality to bring you Wild Angel and Adventures in Time and Space with Max Merriwell. Both novels tie into each other but are both very unique in their own way.

About Bad Grrlz’ Guide to Reality

One novel is set in the hills of the Old West and the other sails across the Bermuda Triangle.

In Wild Angel, Sarah sits by the river with her mother while her father pans for gold. The calm of the California hills is broken suddenly by a rifle shot – the start of an ambush that leaves Sarah’s parents murdered and scalped forcing the three year old to flee into the woods.Sarah is left hungry, cold and lost when she is rescued by a she-wolf named Wauna. Wauna feeds and cares for Sarah as if she were one of her own pups. As Sarah grows up among the wolves, she will tame the wilderness and her adventures that are chronicled by a writer named Max Merriwell – will make her a legend.

Unlike the hero of Wild Angel, the women of Adventures in Time and Space with Max Merriwell do not expect danger when they set off on their journey. But when Pat and Susan’s cruise ship sails into the Bermuda Triangle, reality begins to twist. As supernatural creatures menace the ship,these two would be vacationers will have no choice but to hang on for the ride.

My Thoughts

I fell in love with the story of Sarah in Wild Angel. Here was a young girl left abandoned (by circumstances out of her control and not by choice) who in order to survive lives with a pack of wolves. She becomes so much like her wolf family – learning to communicate in the same way they do, hunt like a wolf hunts and treat others in the pack like a wolf would. The story brings to mind the nature vs nurture debate. Sarah left all alone in the world adopts the traits of the wolves in order to survive but she doesn’t just survive she thrives. No matter how hard she tries she will always feel at home and a closer connection to her wolf family instead of her human family. I could not put down Wild Angel – Sarah’s story was incredible, you just have to know what happens to her.

The second story, Adventures in Time and Space with Max Merriwell was very different to novels that I am used to. The novel incorporates parts of the previous story (Wild Angel) and the authors various names. At times, I found myself having to re-read certain parts to ensure I properly understood what the author was trying to portray. Pat Murphy did a really great job intertwining the stories while still making this novel interesting and unique in its own way.

Want to find out more info on the Bad Grrlz’ Guide to Reality – check the novel out on Goodreads or Amazon.

Rating: 4.5/5

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

October 14, 2014

The Hardest Peace #review & #giveaway

An incredible life changing story of one woman’s journey through cancer and how it has changed her as a woman, a wife, a mother and as a daughter of God.

About The Hardest Peace

The Hardest Peace is the story of Kara Tippetts, a young mother battling cancer who invites readers to embrace grace in every season of life.

Kara Tippetts knows the mundane but rich days of mothering four kids, the joy of watching her children grow and the devastating reality of stage four cancer.

In her book, she invites readers to see the grace of the everyday in all seasons of life and to live well even when the living is hard. As the thousands of readers of her blog know, Tippetts explores the hardest questions of life with rare beauty and honesty. Most of all, she draws them back to the God who is present, in the ordinary and the suffering, and shapes every life into the best story of all.

My Thoughts

It is hard to know where to start with my own feelings and thoughts. Firstly, I feel blessed to have had Kara share her journey and story with us. Her faith is so strong and humbles me. While I cried at parts of her story I feel like she did not share her story for us to feel sad but instead to see all the good in her story. She wants us to see that sometimes the bad things in our lives can also help us recognize and appreciate all the beauty that is in our world. It helped me to step back and appreciate the life God has given me and that no matter how I am feeling that day that this is the path I am meant to be walking along and that I can conquer each day.

The Hardest Peace has changed the way I parent as well as the way I perceive situations with my children. I can’t imagine how it must feel to be in her shoes looking at your children every day but it also makes you appreciate each cuddle, each achievement and each I love you that much more. When I am feeling frustrated I now take a deep breath and say to myself remember grace – sometimes I may have to repeat it more than once but it helps remind me that these moments (even the screaming ones) are precious and a gift to be held dear.

Rating: 5/5 ++

About Kara Tippetts

Kara Tippetts and her husband, Jason, have four children. They lead a church in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Cancer is only a part of Kara’s story. Her real fight is to truly live while facing a crushing reality. You can find her on her website, Facebook and Twitter.

Giveaway Time!

One of my lucky Canadian readers will have their own chance to win a copy of Kara’s inspirational book! Enter via the Rafflecopter form below and good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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

October 4, 2014

Rhythmical Rhymes of Biblical Times by Kelly Pulley #review

About Rhythmical Rhymes of Biblical Times

This treasury of Bible stories has been designed for children aged 4-8. The book features favourite and loved Bible stories using rhymes and beautiful, bright illustrations.

The stories use lighthearted moments to help teach spiritual truths. The book is perfect to read out loud allowing families to use this book to read together every night to help make memories while learning about their faith.

My Thoughts

Many of my favourite Biblical stories were included in this lovely book for children! The illustrations were wonderful and complimented each story perfectly. I loved how the stories rhymed which made reading out loud that much simpler (nothing worse then trying to read out loud and you are stumbling on the flow of words!). Teaching children about Bible stories can be hard but this book makes it easy. The stories are written in a way to relate easily with children with the language used while still teaching valuable lessons. It is an incredibly helpful tool to get the conversation going with our children about faith and the Bible while still keeping the right maturity level necessary for this age group.

You can find more reviews on the Litfuse blog tour page. If you are interested in purchasing your own copy you can do so here.

Rating: 5/5

About the Author – Kelly Pulley

Kelly Pulley works from his Tennessee home writing and illustrating children’s picture books. Some of his more recent work includes Ten Unusual Features of Lulu McDunn and The Cycling Wangdoos. He is best known for illustrating dozens of books in the Beginner’s Bible series, including The Beginner’s Bible (over 1.25 million copies sold).

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