August 5, 2015
Among the Fair Magnolias
In the most turbulent decade of our nation’s history, four Southern women whose destinies are forged by birth, hearts steeled by war and who face near impossible choices on their journeys in life and in love.
About Among the Fair Magnolias
Four books in one make up Among the Fair Magnolias: To Mend a Dream, An Outlaw’s Heart, A Heart So True and Love Beyond Limits.
To Mend a Dream by Tamera Alexander
Savannah Darby would do almost anything to revisit her family home. So when the new owner, Aidan Bedford (a Boston attorney and former Union soldier) seeks help to redecorate the house for his fiancée, she jumps at the opportunity. But the clock is ticking – can she find the box her father supposedly hid there during the war (and may hold the key to her financial security) before her assignment is completed? And before she sees yet another battle lost on the home front. This time the battle will be one of the heart.
An Outlaw’s Heart by Shelley Gray
When Russell Stark returns to Fort Worth, he is determined to begin a new life. But when he arrives at his mother’s homestead, he discovers she’s very ill and the woman he loved is still as beautiful and as sweet as he remembered. With time running out for him, Russell must come to terms with both his future and his past.
A Heart So True by Dorothy Love
Abigail knows all too well what is expected of her: to marry her distant cousin Charles and take her place in society. But her heart belongs to another man. A terrible incident forces Abby to choose between love and duty.
Love Beyond Limits by Elizabeth Musser
Emily has a secret: She is in love with one of the freedmen on her family’s plantation. Meanwhile, another man declares his love for her. Emily realizes some things are not always as they seem and that secrets must be kept in order to keep those she loves safe.
My Thoughts
I always worry when I read a novel that contains more than one story, that the story will not be developed enough or will feel too rushed. This was definitely not the case in Among the Fair Magnolias. Each of the four stories brings its own unique writing skills (that also complement each other) and story. At the root of each story is a difficult decision each main character has to make – accepting the past and present in order to find love, forgiveness and hope. It is a novel that explores love and forgiveness in many different forms, that will not leave you disappointed (but maybe craving for some more!).
You can find more reviews on the Litfuse Blog Tour Page. You can purchase a copy here.
Rating: 5/5
About the Authors
Tamera Alexander is the best-selling author of numerous books including A Lasting Impression and The Inheritance. Tamera is a two-time Christy Award winner, two-time RITA winner, and a recipient of the prestigious Library Journal Award. A native of west Tennessee.
Dorothy Love makes her home in the Texas hill country with her husband and their golden retriever. An award-winning author of numerous young adult novels, Dorothy made her adult debut with the Hickory Ridge novels.
Shelley Gray is the author of The Heart of a Hero series. Her Amish novel (written as Shelley Shepard Gray), The Protector, recently made the New York Times best seller list.
Elizabeth Musser, a native of Atlanta, Georgia now living in France, is a novelist who writes what she calls ‘entertainment with a soul.’ For over 25 years, Elizabeth and her husband, Paul, have been involved in mission work with International Teams.
Disclosure: I received a digital copy of this book in order to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own.
August 4, 2015
Go For Gold in Rio 2016 #WannaPlayChat #RoadtoRio
We are huge sports fans in our home. Most of our weeknights are spent at soccer games or swimming and when we are not there we are taking advantage of our local parks to play basketball, football or frisbee. Being active and outdoors is a way of life for our family, we like to joke that we are raising a young ‘Messi’ and ‘Rinaldo’.
When sporting events are broadcasted, it is quite the event in our household. The events are broadcasted non stop and we make friendly bets on who will in. Soccer is definitely number one in our home, followed closely by swimming (my kids love watching the swimming with me as I used to compete and teach swimming in my younger years and miss it so much!).
In 2016, the Olypmics are heading to Rio! Already our Canadian atheletes are hard at work training and preparing for this moment (can you even begin to imagine being in their shoes??). The summer Olympics have always held a special place in our heart because we participate in so many similar events at home.
You can encourage your children to prepare for the Olympics through:
- pick a new Olympic sport to you and your family and play it!
- create a goal and go for it, track your progress over the year.
- work on a specific goal or move over the next year.
- create a mini Olympics for your children in the backyard or at the park.
We are very excited to watch the BMX cycling next year. Our eldest just purchased his own BMX bike and it is always fun to copy the awesome moves we see on television. I found the above fact on their website pretty amazing -> from the age of five, BMX riders can compete in this sport! Pretty cool, right?
August 5th is the official one year countdown to Rio 2016. To help kick off this special date, Canadian Tire wants to celebrate with you at a Twitter Party!
The Details:
Date: Wednesday, August 5th, 2015
Time: 8:00-9:00pm Eastern
Host: @CanadianTire
Co-Hosts: @RosieMacLennan @bthieseneaton @markadejonge
No RSVP needed – just show up and chat with the #WannaPlayChat #RoadtoRio. There is $1,000 prizes up for grabs!! Looking forward to chatting with you.
If you are on Periscope, make sure to tune in for a chat with @RoseMacLennan at 6:45.
Disclosure: I received compensation for this post. All opinions expressed are my own.
August 4, 2015
Believe and Know by Cathy Bryant
A companion Bible study, Believe and Know by Cathy Bryant asks all the hard and important questions we all ask no matter what faith.
About Believe and Know
Each human being, on their journey and search for truth, must at some point reflect on their life and answer some important questions such as: Why am I here? Is there life beyond life as I now know it? How did the universe and man come into existence, and how does the answer affect me?
We must also carefully consider the avenues open before us. The wrong choice will be detrimental to our current life as well as the life to come. Believe and Know addresses the hard questions and decisions that accompany the search for truth.
It was written with three types of readers in mind: those who struggle with faith, many times because of skewed perceptions or even anger; those who profess faith in the unseen, but find it difficult to live out; and finally those whose faith is strong, but who need information to combat the arguments and questions of others.
My Thoughts
I strongly believe that it is important for all individuals to step back at least weekly from their busy lives to re-focus on God and their faith. In Believe and Know, Cathy helps Christians deal with many of the difficult questions we have in our faith.
Cathy breaks down each section (for example: how do we know the Bible is accurate, why would God want us to suffer,etc.) and includes specific scriptures to read. Each scripture helps to illustrate and defend her points, as well as providing you with your own opportunity to read the scripture to discover your own thoughts on it. Cathy presents valuable and important questions and reflections for individuals in all stages of faith. Believe and Know is not about just reading Bible scriptures but to also work through your faith and understand the meaning of God’s love for us. No matter where we are in our faith, it is always important to re-visit God’s teaching on His love for us.
An excellent Bible Study guide for individuals in all stages of their faith. Cathy will leave you enlightened and re-examining your own life. You can find more on Believe and Know on her website.
Rating: 4/5
About the Author
Amazon best-selling author Cathy Bryant writes Christian fiction set in the heart of Texas. Her popular romance and romantic suspense novels take place in the fictional town of Miller’s Creek, where folks are friendly, the iced tea is sweet, and Mama Beth’s front porch beckons. Her debut novel, TEXAS ROADS, was a 2009 ACFW Genesis finalist and has been on the Amazon Best-Seller list. Since then four other stand-alone novels have been added to the series, one of which was a reader-nominated 2013 Grace Award nominee (PILGRIMAGE OF PROMISE). Readers have compared her work to that of Karen Kingsbury and Nicholas Sparks.
A native Texan, Cathy has written devotions for The Upper Room devotional magazine, two devotional books, and for online sites. She also has written two Bible studies that correspond with the spiritual themes of Miller’s Creek novels. In addition to her writing, she enjoys thrift store shopping and romping in the great outdoors. To learn more about Cathy and her books, visit her website at www.CatBryant.com.
Disclosure: I received a digital copy of this book in order to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own.
July 30, 2015
Keep Learning Fresh in the Summer with My First French Book Words
While summer is all about fun and getting outside, don’t forget about learning too! Our children can forget so much over the summer months so it is important to keep up those skills by practicing their math and language skills.
Our eldest had his first year of French lessons at school and he fell in love with the language (can you blame him?). It also brought back so many memories for me as well. Children that can speak two languages definitely have a strong advantage and I want this for my kids, especially as Canadians it is important to speak both French and English.
My First French Book Words covers topics ranging from toys to farm animals to shapes food. The book contains both the English and French word to accompany each picture.
The best features of this book:
- bold and bright photos that draw your attention
- easily divided tabs on the top and side of the book so you can jump ahead to a preferred section (or find your spot again)
- a fantastic variety of words that goes well beyond the basics (for example parrots, budgies and guinea pigs are included in the animal section)
- thick pages to help little hands turn the pages themselves (a must for those independent children!)
- the writing was kid friendly and easy to read
DK Canada’s My First French Book Words will be the perfect tool to expose your children to the French language and garner their interest in learning a second language. Make sure you check out the DK Oh Canada Boutique this summer for lots more fun!
Does your child speak another language at home?
Disclosure: I received this book free of charge in order to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own.
July 30, 2015
Summer Time Family Fun in the Sun #KinderMom
We are halfway through the summer (hard to believe right?!) and our family has been taking full advantage of this warm weather from swimming, to movies, to the Pan Am Games – Ontario has so much to offer for family fun and Kinder treats have been with us each time.
But sometimes, we just need to unwind and have some downtime to help us focus as a family. There are so many fun (and free) things you can do in your own community. Here are my top places and activities to do in the summer for free:
- Splash Pads: these provide hours of endless fun for children and help to cool them down on hot days.
- Family Movie Nights: we like to set up blankets and pillows in front of the television (our ‘campout’) and put on an oldie but goodie movie to enjoy at night. Throw some popcorn and Kinder eggs and it is a win win!
- Hiking: while the weather has been far too hot to actively be hiking the trails, find a hiking trail in your community and get out there. Supply your children with a mission to complete (finding a certain amount of birds,etc..) and have fun. You can combine exercise and education in this one.
- Picnics at the park: I am a huge fan of picnics. You don’t even have to go far just pack up a small bag of food and get outdoors. You can even eat in the front yard and the kids will have so much fun with the change-up of routine.
- The library: there are so many activities provided at the library over the summer from movie days, to bingo and animal days. Take advantage of these free activities as your children will learn, have fun and meet new friends.
- Fishing: while I am not a huge fan of removing the fish or attaching a worm (seriously gross), my kids can spend hours at the lake fishing!
Where ever you go this summer, make sure to pack lots of water (a must) and a special little Kinder egg treat for your kids!
What are your favourite summer time activities to do with your kids?
Disclosure: I am a KinderMom and receive perks associated with this affiliation. All opinions expressed are my own.
