Book Review - "Every Girl Gets Confused"

"Every Girl Gets Confused" is full of humor and heart as are all of Janice's books.  I love how Janice ties in characters from her previous novels by giving them little roles, and taking the reader back to other stories. 
Katie is loving life in Dallas even though she has yet to hear that word from Brady.  Katie is working at Nadia's bridal shop and loving her new life.  However, she finds herself in moments of homesickness and being drawn back into Casey's world and her comfortable own life in Fairfield, leading her to question her decisions and her heart. 
I love the storyline and the characters and the unique approach that Janice takes.  The first book in this series, Katie's dress is created and modeled after Loretta Lynn.  This book revolves around a bride and a dress that is created for her with Doris Day as the inspiration.  There was mention of a Scarlett O'Hara gown, I hope Janice ties this storyline and design into a book as well.
The other characters and their stories meld so nicely as well and I love the ones that involve Queenie and Katie's brothers and their girls. 
I am looking forward to book #3 coming out next summer!


*Thanks to the Revell Reads Program for the complimentary copy of this book in exchange for a honest review.*

"You First"

I love everything about this journal by Lea Michele!  It is so much more than just a journal, it is divided into sections with readings and questions to help you answer them and make lists all for the purpose for you to live the best life possible. 
The first section focuses on you, specifically your roots and family background, along with fitness and diet.  The second section addresses ambition and focuses on goals you have or have been wanting to create and pursue.  The third section is about relationships, all types of relationships as there is a chapter for friendship, colleagues and romantic relationships.  My very favorite section is on happiness and this focuses on bringing happiness into your life through giving back to others, gratitude and creating and spending time on hobbies that bring joy. 
This is a gorgeous hardcover edition that has ample space for answering the questions and really delving into your thoughts and dreams. 


To read more about this book, go here!



To learn more about this author, go here!




"I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review."

Book Review - "Vendetta"

"Filled with red herrings and heart-pounding danger, Vendetta will leave readers anxiously awaiting Nikki Boyd's next adventure."--Irene Hannon, bestselling author of the Private Justice series

No one needs to push Nikki Boyd to excel on the Tennessee Missing Persons Task Force. The case of her own missing sister, still unsolved after ten years, is the driving force in her work. When a Polaroid photo of a missing girl shows up at a crime scene, Nikki quickly recognizes similarities to the past. The closer she gets to the abductor, the more she feels this case has become personal, and she is not the hunter . . . but the hunted.

With this explosive first book in The Nikki Boyd Files, award-winning author Lisa Harris takes you on a fast-paced pursuit of justice that will have you holding your breath until the heart-stopping finish.

Praise for the suspense novels of Lisa Harris

"Readers looking for a strong female protagonist and a unique murder mystery will find much to admire in Harris's work."--Publishers Weekly on Dangerous Passage

"A thrill ride from start to finish. Full of twists and turns, this exciting story will keep readers enthralled."--RT Book Reviews, 4-star review of Fatal Exchange

"Appealing characters along with fast-paced action . . . a great read for fans of romantic suspense."--Booklist on Hidden Agenda


Lisa Harris is a Christy Award winner and the winner of the Best Inspirational Suspense Novel for 2011 from Romantic Times. The author of nearly thirty books, including Dangerous Passage, Fatal Exchange, and Hidden Agenda, Harris and her family have spent twelve years living as missionaries in southern Africa. They currently live in Mozambique. Learn more at www.lisaharriswrites.com.


My Review:
Lisa Harris' new series is off to an exciting start!  Seriously, you will not want to stop reading this book once you start!  In the first chapter alone, the reader is introduced to Nikki, her partner and bits and pieces of their personal lives as well that will create an emotional connection with them and instantly hook you to the story.  A crime that has been unsolved for a decade is brought to the forefront once again with a new case that Nikki is assigned to, but then her role become much more involved. 
This book is a must read for those who enjoy romantic suspense; this needs to be on the top of your to read stack. "Vendetta" moves at a fast pace and has such likable characters that I am so looking forward to reading book #2.  


*Thanks to the Revell Reads Program for the complimentary copy of this book in exchange for a honest review.*

Book Review - "A Reason To Stay"

Sometimes the thing that keeps us from making the wrong choice is the one thing we can't control.


I have loved the first two books in Kellie Coates Gilbert's Texas Gold novels and this third one is a must-read as well.  Kellie does an amazing job with creating characters whom the reader cannot help but fall in love with and empathize with as they are so realistic and dealing with real life issues. 
"A Reason To Stay" is a fast-moving story that immerses the reader in Faith's life as a reporter and the lifestyle that she has chosen for herself.  However, things drastically change when she gives her heart away and she realizes that some have different priorities. 
I found myself immediately transported back to Texas and the affluent lives of the individuals in this story.  Faith and Geary have some different lives and yet they have a strong bond.  This is an emotional read that will remain with you long after you finish reading the book.


*Thanks to the Revell Reads Program for the complimentary copy of this book in exchange for a honest review.*

Do your kids have questions about God? @MartyMachowski's new book is here to help them understand

Book info

About the book: The Ology: Ancient Truths Ever New (New Growth Press, October 2015) A page-turning storybook of theology for kids In the cellar of the old stone cathedral, Carla and Timothy uncover a life-changing treasure, a carefully wrapped ancient book known as The Ology. What adults might describe as a beautifully illustrated storybook of systematic theology, the kids discover to be a story of adventure, mystery, and wonder that leads them to the truth about God, themselves, and the world around them. Truth is for kids, not just for adults! So The Ology gives kids of all ages a beginner's theology book to help them understand who God is and how we, as his children, relate to him. Arranged within a traditional systematic theological framework, each truth in The Ology is also connected to the larger redemptive story of Scripture. The doctrine of God, for example, is presented in the larger framework of creation, where the attributes of God are more clearly on display. The Ology takes abstract theological concepts and makes them easier to understand with the use of creative examples, illustrations, and analogies. The goal is not to say everything that could be said about a theological topic, but rather to share the key thoughts behind a theological concept. The Ology is a starting point to learning theology and aims to create a hunger and desire in children to learn more as they grow older. Designed for six-year-olds through preteens, this flexible resource includes built-in adaptations for use with younger or older children, so that entire families can enjoy it together. Read The Ology to preschoolers, read it with grade-school kids, and let older kids discover the "hidden" truths by reading the corresponding Scripture passages for each section. However you read it, The Ology will give your children a gift that will last a lifetime---a solid foundation of life-changing biblical truth that will point them to the God who loves them and gave himself for them.  Check out this preview! A companion The Ology CD from Bob Kauflin and Sovereign Music will also be available. Purchase a copy: http://bit.ly/1Mt98lx  About the author: Marty Machowski is a Family Life Pastor at Covenant Fellowship Church in Glen Mills, Pennsylvania, where he has served on the pastoral staff for over twenty years. He is the author of the Gospel Story for Kids series, which includes The Gospel Story Bible, Long Story Short, Old Story New, and the Gospel Story Curriculum, as well as the Advent devotional and curriculum Prepare Him Room. He and his wife, Lois, and their six children reside in West Chester, Pennsylvania. Find Marty online: website, Twitter My Review: This is a beautiful book to share with your children and to read through together discovering and gaining a deeper understanding of God's truths.  Divided into 11 sections and then further divided into chapters within the sections make this so easy to use and read with children as it is a easy to use and the right amount of information for small attention spans.  The first section focuses on God, who God is and characteristics of God.  Another section focuses on sin, including Satan's first temptation, how sin entered the world and how sin spreads like a disease.  The church, adoption into God's family, change and end times are some of the other sections included in this book as well. The illustrations in this book are amazing!  They are gorgeous, soothing and full of detail; I could spend hours just paging through studying them.  The layout is very well-done as well; the pages do not have a cluttered feeling or look to them and yet have so many details included.  There is a main verse included in a cute text box and then where other related verses are found are included strategically among the illustrations; I love this look! I highly recommend this as it will become a treasured keepsake that will be loved by children, parents and grandparents and a way to instill Biblical truths and lead to deeper discussions about faith.  To read other reviews included on this blog tour, go here! *Thanks to the Litfuse Publicity Group for including me on this blog tour and for the complimentary copy of this book in exchange for a honest review.*

"Treat"

My seven year-old daughter spotted this book as soon as I opened the package it arrived it and she immediately began to page through it.  She started to tell me different ones that she wants to make for different occasions and began to read me the ingredients that we would need to make some of the recipes.  She is a fan and I love that she is so excited to try these recipes with me!
My daughter's reaction to this book is my favorite thing about it as I love when my children want to bake, cook, and create in the kitchen with me.  I also love the layout and design of this book.  It is a cute, hardcover book that is a nice size and square shape.  The recipes are well-written meaning that is ample space and the directions are easy to understand.  The variety of recipes in this book is great as well as there are recipes that are more "everyday" while there is also a section for holidays, ones that are a little fancier or holiday themed.  I cannot wait to try out these recipes as they all sound amazing and use ingredients that I would not have thought to use in one of these treats. 


To read more about this book, go here!


To learn about the author, go  here!


"I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review."

Thanksgiving weekend could be disastrous for the Whitman clan in @AuthorDebRaney's new book!

Book info

About the book: Another Way Home (Abingdon Press, October 2015) Sometimes God's ways are not at all what we expect . . . and exactly what we need. Grant and Audrey are adding grandchildren to their family left and right, but middle daughter, Danae, and her husband, Dallas Brooks, have been trying for years with no baby in sight. Though Danae is ready to consider adoption, Dallas will not even discuss it. Despairing of ever having a family of her own, Danae decides to pour her passion and energies into volunteer work with a newly opened women's shelter in town. Looking for a good cause to fill her lonely days, she never expects to give her heart to the hurting women she meets there. She's finally learning to live her life with gratitude, but then heart-wrenching events on Thanksgiving weekend threaten to pull the entire Whitman clan into turmoil-and leave them all forever changed. Purchase a copy: http://bit.ly/1NQhjf8  About the author: Deborah Raney's books have won numerous awards, including the RITA, National Readers Choice Award, HOLT Medallion, and the Carol Award, and have twice been Christy Award finalists. She and her husband, Ken, recently traded small-town life in Kansas-the setting of many of Deborah's novels---for life in the (relatively) big city of Wichita, where they enjoy gardening, antiquing, movies, and traveling to visit four children and a growing brood of grandchildren who all live much too far away. Find Deborah online: website, Twitter, Facebook My Review: I am a huge fan of Deborah's books! "Another Way Home" is a great addition to the series as it continues on with the Whitman family saga while focusing on Danae and Dallas.  Danae and Dallas have been unable to conceive a baby and this has caused tension between not only them, but between Danae and her siblings as well.  When Danae feels God nudging her to a new opportunity she seizes it, never expecting to become so emotionally involved or that she would the answer to a mother's struggle.  What I love about this series is that the characters are so real.  Seriously, this could be your family or mine, individuals trying to live a life pleasing to God while finding peace and happiness.  However, unexpected things arise such as job struggles, infertility, health issues and other numerous problems.  This story hit closer to home for me as my job is similar to the work that Danae was doing and unfortunately there are so many women and children living in difficult situations and it can be heart-wrenching.  I found myself loving Danae's heart and willingness to help, but also found myself warning her to guard her heart as I knew how difficult this situation could ultimately be for her.  I am eagerly awaiting the next book in this series; I have been ever since I finished the very last page in this book.  To read other reviews included on this blog tour, go here! *Thanks to Litfuse Publicity Group for including me on this blog tour and for the complimentary copy of this book in exchange for a honest review.*