Buried Secrets

When Lisa Grant moved back home as a police chief, she didn’t realize she would be investigating a cold case after a construction crew uncovers a human skeleton. Even more, she didn’t realize she would find herself falling for the past Navy SEAL, Mac McGregor, who works for the County as a detective. The investigation keeps them in close contact with each other, as they work through solving the mystery in Irene Hannon’s newest book Buried Secrets.

 

I liked that this book was more than just a mystery. It showed the pasts of both Lisa and Mac, and the reasons they left their very high pressure jobs to move to more quiet towns. I really enjoyed this book, and I was able to read it in only a few days. I found it hard to put down. I’m looking forward to reading the future books in this series.  

 

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a copy of this book free from Revell. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Double Cross

Book Synopsis

DiAnn Mills Website

Double Cross by DiAnn Mills is a part of the FBI series. The second book follows FBI Agent Laurel Evertson and her investigation to find out who is behind a scam that is targeting elderly people in Houston. She must go undercover to solve the mystery, and while she is doing her investigation she meets Daniel, who wants to make sure his grandparents are not the next target. You can assume, from the type of book this is, that these two characters will begin to have feelings for one another once they meet. I liked the mixing of romance and mystery, and I felt it was the perfect amount of both to keep me entertained and interested in the story.

 

Although this is the second book in a series, you will not be lost at all if you did not read the first book. I would recommend it, and I am looking forward to reading the next book in this series!  

 

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a copy of this book free from Tyndale Blog Network. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Sand in My Sandwich

Although I’m not a mother, I enjoyed reading Sarah Parshall Perry’s book, Sand in My Sandwich, and other Motherhood Messes I’m Learning to Love. This book talks about some of the things that happen to Sarah as she is raising her three children, two who are children with Autism. I think her situations are similar to the stories that I have heard from my friends who are parents or my family members, as they talk about day-to-day life raising young children. There were some funny topics she covered, while others focused on the more serious nature of motherhood.

 

This book was written very well, and it feels like you’re listening to an old friend. I think this is the perfect gift to a friend or family member who may be struggling with feelings of being the only one going through difficult times with their children. Through the pages of Sarah Perry’s book, it’s clear that others are going through the same struggles in their life. If she can let go of her need to control every situation, then others can find inspiration from her story.

 

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Life Unstuck

Life Unstuck, by Pat Layton, is a great book that I recently finished reading. Although I read more than 1 chapter per sitting, it would work well to read each chapter as a devotional in the mornings. There are four main sections in this book entitled Just Imagine Life Unstuck, Peace with the Past, Purpose in Your Present, and Passion for Your Future. Each chapter starts with a Bible verse that relates to the reading. I also really liked how there were sidebars in each chapter that had things like a personality test and Bible verses or steps to follow to reach a particular goal.

 

Another thing I really liked about this book was the fact that it relates to a website. In the final section of some of the chapters there are links to additional readings that relate to the topic covered in the chapter. Anyone who is looking for a new devotional will enjoy reading this book!

 

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

You're Loved No Matter What

I’ve recently read some books by Holley Gerth, and the most recent book I read was You’re Loved No Matter What: Freeing Your Heart from the Need to be Perfect. This is a really interesting topic because I think, so many times, everyone thinks they need to be perfect in order to have any worth. This book shows that is not true. We are living our lives just the way God made us, and we don’t need to feel inferior or have feelings of guilt in our lives. Rather, we should learn to grow from our mistakes and become the person we were meant to be.

 

This is a great book for anyone who may have ever struggled with feeling that they need to be perfect. The book is written in a way that it seems like a friend is talking to you and sharing insights that she has learned throughout her life. Although I don’t do a group Bible Study, I think this would be a perfect book for a group of women to read through together and to discuss. I may just need to start a Bible Study to share this book with some of my friends!! There are sections within the book that has questions for you to answer after reading the chapter, so that also would work well for a Bible Study.

 

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Inspiralized

If you are looking for healthier meals, Inspiralized by Ali Maffucci is a great book to read. This book tells you how to turn vegetables into healthy, creative, satisfying meals. The recipes are relatively easy to make, and they are made of groceries that most people have in their home. The book is separated into different sections including breakfasts, casseroles, rice dishes, soups, and desserts. The pictures in the book were a great compliment to the recipes. They made me want to try to make every recipe in the book!

 

I can’t wait to try out all of the recipes in this book. I will definitely be sharing some of these recipes with my friends, since they are always interested in cooking vegetables in a new, interesting way.

 

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Anna's Crossing

I recently read Anna’s Crossing: An Amish Beginnings Novel, by Suzanne Woods Fisher, and I could not put it down! Although Anna Konig did not want to leave her home, her Amish neighbors were counting on her to be their translator as they traveled to America on the Charming Nancy. She soon finds herself repeatedly running into Bairn, the Scottish ship carpenter. They seem to be drawn to one another, and I really enjoyed watching their romance play out throughout the pages of this book. Although they meet for the first time on the ship, there is a connection in their past that comes to their attention after they spend more time together.

 

I normally read a lot of Amish fiction books, and I liked that this book was set in a different time than most other Amish books. I liked reading about the experiences many people went through as they travelled to America. Although they faced many difficulties, this book focused on the faith of the Amish. They were able to remain true to their beliefs during some of the most trying times of their lives. I cannot wait to read more books by Suzanne Woods Fisher in the future. Her stories always keep me entertained from the first page to the last!

 

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Your Beautiful Heart

Ever since I read Still Lolo, that told the story of Lauren Scruggs, and the airplane accident she was involved in, I was interested in reading books she may release in the future. Added to that is the fact that she recently married Jason Kennedy (Photo credits to Lindsey Brittain and Kat Harris), who I really enjoy watching on ENews, since I always like seeing young Christians making a name for themselves in Hollywood.

As soon as I heard about this book releasing, I was excited to get the chance to read her new book, Your Beautiful Heart: 31 Reflections on Love, Faith, Friendship, and Becoming a Girl who Shines. The book is set up like a devotional that can be read just one chapter at a time, or you can read an entire section at a time. There are six main sections of the book, including Your Seeking Heart, Your Changed Heart, Your Obedient Heart, Your Heart for Others, Your Distinctive Heart, and Your Heart Looking Forward. Within these sections, there are about 4-8 chapters that fit into the specific categories. The chapters begin with a short story that connects to a Biblical lesson we can learn, or a Bible story. The chapters end with Discussion Starters that contain Bible verses that tie in to what has just been read.

 

I am sure some of my younger cousins would love to have this type of devotional to read, and I can’t wait to get a few of these to buy for them for their upcoming birthdays! J   

 

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Pure Food

Pure Food: Eat Clean with Seasonal Plant-Based Recipes by Veronica Bosgraaf is a great book for anyone who is trying to eat healthy, natural foods. The cookbook has great photos inside of it, that make you really want to try out the different recipes. The recipe book is set up in a different way from any I’ve ever used in the past. Instead of being broken down into chapters, the book is broken down based on the season and what foods are being grown at that time of year. This makes it really convenient for knowing what groceries will be available at local farmers markets.

 

Some of the recipes included in this book are Cheddar Artichoke Dip, Lentils and Rice, and Lemon Poppy Seed Cupcakes. Everything I made so far from this book tasted great and was pretty easy to make. I cannot wait to try more of these recipes throughout the upcoming year, and I know my family and friends will all be asking me for the recipes for these great meals!!

 

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a copy of this book free from Blogging for Books. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."