The Big Pig Stampede

The Big Pig Stampede, and a bunch more amazing miracles, written by Bob Hartman, is the perfect story for young children. The book is written in a way that young children will be able to understand Bible-times from the perspective of someone their own age in Palestine.  This is a great idea to interest children in Bible stories that may sometimes be too hard for them to understand. These stories were really cute and there were a lot of different characters that were brought into the stories that showed the relationships between Goat Boy (Gideon) and his friends. I think this book is perfect for someone around 10 years old.

 

This book was provided by Tyndale in exchange for my review. 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.”

The Mistress of Tall Acre

The Mistress of Tall Acre, by Laura Frantz, is set after the Revolutionary War in Virginia. Sophie Menzies is left alone, waiting for her brother’s return from the military, after her father escapes the United States as a traitor, and her mother passes away. When her neighbor, Seamus, returns home she begins to form a relationship with his daughter, Lily Cate. Romance, mystery, and history are all intertwined in The Mistress of Tall Acre. I really enjoyed watching the relationships grow in this book, since they seemed realistic and nothing was forced. There were some mysteries in this book I did not see coming, and I found myself not wanting to put the book down once I started to read it.

As with all of her other books, Laura Frantz wrote a great story that provided some insights into the time after the Revolutionary War as well as showing the growing relationship between these two characters. I would recommend this book to anyone who is interested in reading historical romance books.

This book was provided by Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group, in exchange for my review. 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.”

Hot Mama

Hot Mama: 12 Secrets to a Sizzling Hot Marriage by Kathi Lipp and Erin MacPherson was a book different than anything I’ve ever read in the past, but I can understand why the topic is an important one. In a time where everyone is so busy, all too often relationships between spouses seem to take a back seat. In this book, the authors look at ways to keep moms feeling confident about themselves and their relationship. I liked that this book wove in funny stories, questions and answers, and Bible Verses. I think this is a great read for moms who are looking to spark their relationships again.

 

This book was provided by Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group, in exchange for my review. 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.”

The Potter's Lady

The Potter’s Lady, by Judith Miller, is going to be added to my list of favorite books I read this summer! The second book in the Refined by Love series follows Rose McKay and her brother, Ewan, as they relocate their family and take on the adventure of running a pottery business together. Although they have every intention of turning their business into a success, it seems that they are constantly submitting below price bids, but yet they aren’t winning any bids. What could be the reason for this? Will the contest to win a contract with a large Pittsburgh hotel turn their new business around? As Rose works with her brother, she also begins to work with Rylan Campbell, who has been with the pottery since a very young age. I enjoyed reading about their time spent working together and reading about how their relationship grew from the beginning of the book to the end.

 

I really enjoyed learning more about how a pottery was run, and I liked the relationship between Rose and her brother, Ewan. I think that may be because my family is involved in a family business, so seeing their interaction really interested me. Although I didn’t read the first book in the series, I was able to follow this story easily. Now, I’m planning to go back and read the first book in the series since I enjoyed the second book so much!

 

This book was provided by Bethany House, a division of Baker Publishing Group, in exchange for my review. 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.”

Trial Run

Trail Run by Thomas Locke is a book in his Fault Lines series. Although this is a different type of book than I’m used to reading, it was nice to read something a little different from my normal historical romance type book I enjoy. This book was a little confusing because of all of the characters and the focus on physics and quantum mechanics. Within the story, there are 2 different groups working on time travel. The first person is Trent Major, a theoretical physics student, who has dreams where formulas come to him. After dreaming about Shane Schearer, a woman working on her MBA, Trent believes she can make his dreams become a reality. As the book progressed, these 2 different groups interconnected to create a sci-fi thriller that kept me entertained, even if I did have to really think about what I was reading.

 

This book was provided by Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group, in exchange for my review. 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.”

Through Waters Deep

One of my favorite authors is Sarah Sundin, so I was so excited to read Through Waters Deep, her new book in the Waves of Freedom series. Mary Stirling is a perfect heroine in this book. She works at the Boston Navy Yard, where she serves as a secretary. After suspicious activities take place at the Navy Yard, she decides to use her secretarial skills to help the FBI catch whoever is causing many of the problems that are happening at the Navy Yard. While she is working at this job, she comes into contact with a person from her past: Jim Avery, a Naval Officer on the USS Atwood. While they were growing up, Jim had a crush on Mary’s best childhood friend. Does he continue to have feelings for Mary’s friend, can Mary discover who is sabotaging ships, and can Jim stop floating through life and find meaning in his work?

 

This book had the perfect amount of romance, suspense, and historical content to keep me interested from the first page to the last. I was actually disappointed to see the story end, although I was happy to see the mystery of who was sabotaging the Navy Yard resolved. I cannot wait to read more books in this series, especially since I think the next book is going to focus on Jim Avery’s younger sister who is moving to Boston for a new job. I’m sure her adventures will be just as interesting to read about as those in Through Waters Deep.

 

This book was provided by Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group, in exchange for my review. 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.”

Wild in the Hollow

Wild in the Hollow: On Chasing Desire and Finding the Broken Way Home, by Amber Haines, immediately caught my attention with the artsy cover that made me want to pick up the book and start reading it right away. Although I think the book provided an interesting look into the life of Amber, and her struggles with relationships, drugs, and an abortion, it was written in a way that I just couldn’t connect with. If the book had been a short story, I would have enjoyed the poetic way it was written. I just couldn’t connect with a full length memoir when reading that type of writing. With that said, I think others who enjoy reading more of a prose style book would really like this book. It’s just not the type of writing that I’m drawn to.  

This book was provided by Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group, in exchange for my review. 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.”

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