Never Say No Book Review

I wasn't sure about getting this book because I read the blurb on it twice before I said, this might be something that I am interested in.  I actually don't even remember signing up for Never Say No: Raising Big-Picture Kids by Mark Foreman, Jan Foreman with everything else going on but I wrote it on the calendar and the book arrived so I was looking forward to finding out what it was all about.  The cover looked interesting and aren't we always trying to make things better for our kids so here is hoping there is something helpful with raising my son.

The question Mark and Jan Foreman are most often asked is: How did you raise your kids?  Never Say No takes you on a personal journey to learn first-hand how they raised Jon and Tim of Switchfoot. They share practical advice for instilling wonder in a media-saturated culture, cultivating specific gifts, and balancing structure with individual choice. Our purpose as parents is the same as our child’s: to live creatively beyond ourselves, bringing the love, beauty and nature of God to this world. Let the adventure begin.

The book tells stories of their children growing up and how they dealt with the strange things that kids do.  It was an interesting book that didn't preach or quote bible verses but actually gave you interesting ideas on how to be a better parent.  There are silly titles like Pizza with God and Thank You for Passing the Salt but when you read the chapter and learn exactly what they mean.  The great writing of the authors was wonderful to read and even better to learn all of the great insights that they had in raising kids.  The best part was never saying no which seems like a silly statement for a parent to believe because setting limits is the major job of the parents like no swimming in shark infested water and no crossing the road without looking both ways but the authors don't want you not to set limits for your kids safety but they want to teach the children to make better decisions themselves without negative words like no.  There are a lot of great ideas in this book and I hope that you pick it up and check it out for yourself.  Even if you aren't a parent, there are some great stories that you might enjoy!! 

**I was sent a copy of this book for my review and honest opinion.  All opinions here are my own.

The Proposal at Siesta Key Book Review

I went through my email to clean things out because I was so far behind and I saw an email about  The Proposal at Siesta Key: Amish Brides of Pinecraft, Book Two (The Pinecraft Brides) by Shelley Shepard Gray which I missed the response date!!!  I was so bummed because I loved the first book in the series and really wanted to read the second one.  I sent an email to the publishing people and begged for a copy of the book.  She added me on to the list and put me at the end of the tour.  I was super excited and got the book super early...I swear the day after I asked about it.  I was so excited to be on the list but I had so many other books that I needed to read first because the reviews were due first.  I put this one on the bottom of the stack but it sat there calling my name since the mailman brought it!

Penny Troyer, a young Amish woman, never disobeys her parents. In the years since her sister’s tragic death, they’ve wanted nothing more than to keep her safe…even if it means never leaving the house.  But she is bending the rules to be with friends to see The Knoxx Family, a traveling Mennonite Evangelical family, scheduled to speak. Penny loved hearing how he lost part of his leg in a terrible accident and uses the experience to inspire others. So, for the first time ever, Penny stands up to her parents and goes out on her own to make her own life and get a job.  Though he speaks about living life to the fullest, Michael knows he needs to take his own advice. Life on the road is grueling and Michael wants to slow down, to rest…to perhaps meet someone who sees him as a man, not just a celebrity. So when a twist of fate allows him the chance to stay a little longer in Pinecraft, Michael knows God is showing him a new path, especially when he discovers how much he and Penny Troyer have in common.  But new friendships can’t stop time. Soon, Michael's time in Pinecraft will be over and he'll be back on the road. Her time with Michael has brought her happiness, but will she be able to follow her heart? Or will she be faced with the one thing she’s sure she'll never have the courage to do?

What is not to love in this Amish fiction book?!  If you loved the first book in the series, then the obvious conclusion is that you will love the second book.  It follows up with the same characters and you get to meet new ones.  I knew as soon as I picked up the book and was reminded of where I left off in the first book.  This book could stand on its own if you have read the other book in the series because it casually mentions the information that you might have missed in the first one but not so much that it is repeating everything if you have read it.  That is a super hard balance to try to get which is only successful because the author had great writing.  It is a great book with some great characters which I know that you will want to get to know.  I hope that you pick this up at your local library or bookstore and check it out for yourself soon!!!  I know that you will love it as much as I did!

**I was sent a copy of this book for my review and opinion.  All opinions here are my honest opinion.

As Waters Gone By Book Review

As Waters Gone By by Cynthia Ruchticame into my email as a new book that I had a chance to review through the publisher.  I signed up to read this book because I just liked the cover.  Is there a silly reason to want to read the book?  I guess that means that the person who did the cover art should get a lot of credit.  Do you like the cover on the book?  It really brings up the idea of a small cabin that seemed really interesting to me and the book was about interesting sounding characters so what could be bad about that.  Nothing except my use of tissues!!  This book should come with a box of tissues attached to it because it really pulled on my heart strings.  I hope that you enjoy not only the cover art but the book itself like I did!

Emmalyn Ross has only a few months left to figure out if she and her husband, Max, can ever be a couple again. In prison for actions that ensured his wife could never be a mother, Max is now scheduled for release, and Emmalyn wonders how she can let him back into her life after all he’s put her through. During his five-year incarceration, Emmalyn moved to the beautiful, but remote Madeline Island in Lake Superior because she can't afford their house anymore. With the help of a circle of misfit town residents, including the exuberant owner of the Wild Iris Inn and Café, Emmalyn begins to restore her heart while refurbishing her very own island cottage. She learns what it means to love unconditionally and finds that her dream of a house and a home filled with God’s love might become a reality, but only if she and Max can find a way to rebuild their marriage…and win the fight of their lives in the process.

I loved this book.  I can't say enough about the characters but you really feel like you are in the middle of this book and want to jump up to help every time that they needed anything.  The descriptions of the foods will make you want to make these wonderful tasty comfort foods and the description of the surroundings will make you want to take a trip to this remote island.  I don't know why I have always wanted to live on such a small island but the thought has always been appealing!! This book will make you feel like part of this fun little community that pulls together in times of trouble.  Emmalyn, M for short, has gone through her life doing as she thought she should do but coming to this town makes her grow up and realize that there are other things that can make you happy and you need to open your life up to let them happen.  I hope that you check out this inspirational book and find out for yourself.  I know that you will want to run out and get the book (or come borrow it from me).  The even better news is that they sent me a second book from the same author that I get to read too!  You will see the review soon.

**I was given a copy of this book for my review and honest opinion.  All opinions here are my own.  If you are interested in becoming part of the publishers review, check out Litfuse Publishing here for details.

A Love Like Ours Book Review

I was so excited to get A Love Like Ours (Porter Family Novels) by Becky Wade.  It looked like a really fun book that would keep me interested and I wasn't disappointed...except maybe by the lack of sleep.  I started this book on Saturday and went to bed early so that I could get some more sleep.  I read a little bit of the book and then went to sleep.  I woke up a few hours later and couldn't fall back to sleep.  I read for at least a few hours before making myself shut my eyes.  I woke up in the morning and finished reading the book.  It might not have been the most productive use of time but I promise that once you pick this book up, you will want to find out what happens next!!!

Former Marine Jake Porter has far deeper scars than the one that marks his face. He struggles with symptoms of PTSD, lives a solitary life, and avoids relationships.  When Lyndie James, Jake's childhood best friend, lands back in Holley, Texas, Jake cautiously hires her to exercise his Thoroughbreds. Lyndie is tender-hearted, fiercely determined, and afraid of nothing, just like she was as a child. Jake pairs her with Silver Leaf, a horse full of promise but lacking in results, hoping she can solve the mystery of the stallion's reluctance to run.  Though Jake and Lyndie have grown into very different adults, the bond that existed during their childhood still ties them together. Against Jake's will, Lyndie's sparkling, optimistic personality begins to tear down the walls he's built around his heart. A glimmer of the hope he'd thought he'd lost returns, but fears and regrets still plague him. Will Jake ever be able to love Lyndie like she deserves, or is his heart too shattered to mend?

I loved it!  The characters and the writing was great!!  I was super glad to see that it was the third book in the series and I can't wait to get the previous two books to check them out.  I am sure that the are going to be just as good while getting to know other characters in the big family.  This book was very emotional and had me feeling everything that the characters which is why I couldn't put it down.  If you love books where you feel right in the middle of things, this is your book.  It deals with the struggles of PTSD, jobs and love.  All of the issues at the same time makes for a great story that is hard to put down.  I hope that you pick it up at your local library or bookstore and check it out for yourself!!  I am sure you will enjoy it as much as I did!!

**I was provided this book for my honest opinion and review from the publisher.

Called to Be Amish Book Review and Recipe

I wasn't sure about this Amish book because isn't of the normal Amish fiction, it was Amish non-fiction.  What a true story from the Amish?  I was skeptical but interested so I decided that I should read it and get an opinion from the actual book.  Who isn't interested in the Amish and how someone would have joined them?  I was!!! Called to Be Amish: My Journey from Head Majorette to the Old Order by  Marlene C. Miller was an retelling on one women's life who left a "normal" life to be part of the Old Order sect, her husband was a former member.

Fewer than one hundred people have joined the Old Order Amish and stayed since 1950. Marlene C. Miller is one of them. In this rare memoir, Marlene recounts her unhappy and abusive childhood, how she throws herself into cheerleading and marching band, and how she falls in love with Johnny, the gentle young Amish man who helps her lace her ice skates. Against the wishes of both sets of parents, Marlene and Johnny get married and begin a family. Follow the author on this unusual journey to find out how God's love called her out of bitterness and depression and into the warm embrace of her new Amish community. Accompany her as she dons an Amish dress and prayer covering and gets baptized. Learn how she endures the strain of ten children, a hundred-acre farm, and accidents and tragedy, and find out how she comes close to walking away from it all. Turning Amish has proven to be anything but plain and simple for this former majorette. But nearly fifty years later, Marlene is still living out God's call as an Old Order Amish woman.

The beginning of the book was a little hard to read going back and forth between parts of Marlene's life.  I was afraid that I was going to have to fight to get through the book.  Then everything changed and I got into the book and couldn't put it down.  I am at a mixed opinion on what type of rating to give this book because at the end, I was glad that I read it but at the beginning I was afraid I wasn't going to be able to get through the whole book so I am in between it was OK and I liked it.  It is worth reading because there is lots of information about the Amish community that Marlene joins and learning the difference between fact and fiction.  The parts that I didn't like about it was the parts where Marlene says how patient Johnny (her husband) was with her because she was so bad at being Amish.  She gave up her whole life to become closer to his family and faith and she spends all of the time saying how bad she is at cooking, cleaning, taking care of 9 kids and farming.  I know people can be hard on themselves but it is a little much to read over and over in a book.  The other part was more of an implication that she became Amish because her parents abused her.  There are plenty of people that have been abused and don't turn to the Amish so that is a silly conclusion but everyone upbringing affects them so I can certainly understand that she made decisions based on her past that lead her to her current life.  Overall, the story was heartwarming about how she found her place in the world and very sad with some of the trials that she went through but I enjoyed it and would recommend it to anyone who won't give up at the beginning of the book because the journey is worth the read.  I hope that you pick this up at your local library or bookstore and see what you think!

In addition, the back has a few fun recipes including some that I know I will never make mixed with a few that I just might.  She has Amish Dressing, Scrapple, Old-Fashion Date Pudding, Potato Doughnuts, Puffball or Quick Tea Doughnuts, and Dampf Knepp (Caramel Dumplings).  The two that are most interesting to me are, of course, the doughnuts. I went straight to the internet to see if there was anyone else out there making these tasty treats and found one here.  She suggests a little thinner batter so I am going to try it out and see and so can you with the following recipe.  The recipe for Mashed Potato Doughnuts seem to be all over the place on the internet so I am going to make a note of this one and see if I get a chance to make them.

Puffball or Quick Tea Doughnuts

3 eggs

1 c. sugar

2 c. milk

2 Tbsp. melted fat (or canola oil)

1/2 tsp. salt

2 tsp. baking powder

2 c. flour (plus more later in recipe directions)

Beat eggs.  Add sugar and milk.  Add dry ingredients together and into the liquid.  Beat thoroughly and add melted fat.

Add more flour to make a batter stiff enough to hold a spoon in a standing position. (I found that made pret-ty dense puff balls. I add flour to make it like stiff pancake batter, or the same consistency as corn fritter batter. That makes much better puffballs!) Drop by spoonfuls into deep fat at 375 degrees.  Remove when brown and drain on absorbent paper.  This makes approx. 4 dozen.

**I received a copy of this book for my honest opinion and review from the publisher.

Going to the Chapel Book Review

I was on the search for more books at the library and found Going to the Chapel (Life, Faith & Gettin​g It Right #19) (Steeple Hill Cafe) by Janet Tronstad.  I didn't know anything about it but I put it in the bag to bring home from the library.  I figured that since I like everything else by the author that I would love this one too.

Her rich, spoiled, about-to-be-married cousin always loved making Julie White feel inferior. So to impress Cousin Elaine, Julie lets her think she's landed her dream job--as a wedding planner. But when Elaine's real wedding planner runs off with all her families wedding money, she begs Julie to save her big day, forcing her to organize a huge, splashy wedding at the chapel where she actually works. Hopefully, the bride, the groom and two hundred assorted guests somehow won't notice that it's really a funeral chapel.  Pick up this book to find out how it all goes!

It was a fun book that was totally different then the other books by this author in the Dry Creek Series.  I was thinking that there was going to be more similarities but I think that this is more like Janet Evanvovich series with Stephanie Plum.  If there was something that could go wrong, it did and there are so many fun family fun times.  I thought it was a great character development book and I am going to start looking for a few more like these ones by Janet Tronstad.  I hope that you can pick this up this at your local library or bookstore and check it out for yourself!

Snowfall Book Review

I reserved a bunch of books at the library that I was interested in and I gave them all different times to come off reserve.  I got an email that two books were waiting for me at the library so I went to get them.  Snowfall: A Days of Redemption Christmas Novella by Shelley Shepard Gray was one of the books that was waiting for me.  It was the one that I decided to pick up first to read when I finished the book that I was reading while I was at the library.  I knew that it seemed a little familiar so I figured out that I read the teaser from another one of the Shelley Shepard Gray books that I read previously.  The book has a NEW sticker on the back which means that it is new to the library so I guess I was just lucky that I finally got to read it since they bought it at the library!

Twenty-year old Ruth Stutzman is a wonderful caregiver—but she has no experience with kinner (children). Laid off from her job at a retirement home due to budget cuts, she’s relieved to find work—even if it means temporarily watching widower Martin Rodes’ brood of six!  Martin has done the best he can since his wife’s passing, but he and the children need help. Their house, once full of laughter and light, has been darkened by sadness. Soon after Ruth arrives, the children are drawn to her warmth and gentleness, and so is Martin, even though he feels it’s wrong. But the harder he tries to ignore her, the deeper he begins to care for this attractive young woman who has brought joy back into his children’s lives . . . and his own.  Each passing day brings the Rodes closer to Ruth . . . and closer to Christmas, when she will have to say goodbye. Ruth, too, cannot deny the bond she feels with the children and with Martin.

I love these Amish fiction books that include great characters and the ever present setting of the Christmas snow.  The book gets you from the beginning with the similarities to Sound of Music where there are six children in need of someone to watch them while their widowed father is working.  The children have trouble getting along with anyone and run off the previous caregiver but Ruth knows what it is like to not belong so she quickly gains the trust of the children.  It is so easy to fall right into the lovely story and characters that you will also love this book.  The short 222 page book is a great quick read that will leave you wanting more of these characters and more books in the series!!  I hope that you pick it up the next time you are at the library or bookstore.