Saturday, June 30, 2012

The Harvest of Grace by Cindy Woodsmall

Sylvia Fisher is an Old Order Amish young lady who is much more interested in taking care of the herd at the family dairy than getting married and tending house.  She is devastated by a betrayal and feels she must leave home.  She goes to a farm to help an older couple that is in debt and cannot run their dairy as needed.
Things are going well, then the couple's son, Aaron, returns from rehab and wants nothing more than to sell the farm and move his parents to town. He hopes for an easier life for his parents, and has the best intentions, but they have renewed hope in the farm because Sylvia has created a more positive outlook and has actually increased earnings.
Sylvia and Aaron must learn to compromise and to work together.  It is very difficult to do this when your goals are so opposite, and your parents think the new girl is amazing and you are a reprobate!
This book is #3 in the "Ada's House" series.
This was an enjoyable read as all of Woodsmalls books tend to be.  The Amish culture is clearly defined and beautifully portrayed.  The characters are rich and full of life.  This book will be a great read for anyone that enjoys reading Amish ficiton.
This book was a complimentary review copy received from Waterbrook Multnomah Publishing Group.

Great for God:Missionaries Who Changed the World by David Shibley

This is a wonderful collection of  23 of the world's most influential missionaries.  Their stories and legacys are told in a very concise manner.  Each chapter begins with vital statistics such as birthdate, date of death, their legacy and a quote by the missionary being featured. This is a book about people whose lives impacted millions for God. This is such an encouraging book!  These brief glimpses into the lives of the greatest missionaries will enlighten you and motivate you to live a life that pleases God, and also a life that is made great for God.  Bill Bright, Jim Elliot, Amy Charmichael, and David Livingstone are some of the people highlighted.
This is a must have book for every library! These people were not called to be ordinary...they were called to be extraordinary!  What are you called to be?  This book challenges each of us to answer that question. 
This book was given as a promotional consideration by the publisher.

Mondays With My Old Pastor by Jose Luis Navajo

If you have ever had doubts, if you have ever felt disillusioned with your faith, if you have ever felt just exhausted or are struggling in your faith...this book is definitely for you!  Through anecdotes, stories and fables, we are brought to the foot of the cross.  Writer and Pastor Jose Luis Navajo felt this way.  He was so tired and was actually considering leaving the ministry.  In his discouragement, his wife Mary suggested he visit with his old pastor, who had retired a few months prior. 
As he visits each Monday, he begins to become renewed.  You will as well after reading this book.  There are 15 principles covered that will delight your soul and motivate you to continue the race.  I highly recommed this book! 
The following quote is just one of the many passages that had a huge impact on me.  I am sure I will read this book again and again...
""Love the cross that God brings into your life,"my old pastor told me, "whatever it is. At times the cross takes the shape of a sickness...(sic) incredible lonliness, or economic hardship. Carrying your cross implies paying a price, but I assure you, it's worth it. It won't be long before you discover that cross turning into a ladder that will lift you up...""
You will probably want to have a pencil and highlighter ready as you study the principles.  They are truely a breath of fresh air...
This book was provided as a promotional consideration by the publisher through Booksneeze.

Saturday, June 9, 2012

American History High School Level

American History High School Level (10th grade) by James P. Stobaugh  (Student and Teacher Manuals)
The covers on these books are fabulous!  Scenes from history are shown as a film clip on the right while the main picture is of a young boy selling newspapers with the headline "War Declared".  The images evoke emotional responses from the beginning.

Student manual:   The chapters are short and to the point, and contain useful and necessary information.  My high schoolers thought it was easy to work with and the material was relevant, and easy to understand. 
The images inside the book are very nice and relate well to the information presented.  It would be nice if they were in color, but even for black and white they are well done.
There are 34 chapters corresponding to 34 weeks of study.  Each chapter contains 5 lessons that take about 30 minutes to complete.  There is a short reading section followed by critical thinking questions.  The questions will either require a specific answer, or they may be open-ended allowing the student to form their own answers. Assignments are due daily or weekly depending on the desires of the parent/teacher.
Overall, the textbook seems very informative, but average.  Any student wanting more will need to have other source materials as this text appears to be very basic.  I like the format used and like the Biblical world view presented.  I would definitely use this in my home, but I would make other resources available as well.
I would amp this up with additional resources such as colorful maps, outside reading assignments, and colorful pictures.


Teachers manual:  There are 34 chapters included designed for 34 weeks of study.  Each chapter has 5 lessons and takes about 30 minutes to complete.  There is a weekly exam at the end, and students do this without using their book (unless otherwise noted).  Assignments can be graded daily or weekly depending on the desires of the parent.  This course is geared for independent learning and allows the parent to step back and let their student work alone.
The teachers copy includes these features:  Narrative Background, Critical Thinking Questions, Concepts/Generalizations, History Makers, Historical Debate, World View Formation, and History and World View Overview.
Chapter tests are in the back of the book or can be downloaded from the site given.  All review questions are included from the student copy and answers are included. 
This is a very brief teachers copy with basically just the answers included.  It would be nice to have the text included as well since it is very distracting and time consuming to have to refer to another book while grading.  I like the way the discussion answers are presented, and the other features are nice.  Overall, well done but needs the student text added.

I received these texts from New Leaf Publishing Group/ Masters Books as complimentary copies for review purposes.  I was not asked to give a positive review in exchange, and the review above is my honest opinion of the books presented.

Firestorm by Lisa Tawn Bergren

This was a fairly good romantic novel.  Usually I go for action/mystery more than romance, but this was entertaining.This is Book 6 in the series and follows the story of Reyne Oldre who was introduced in an earlier book.  Reyne is a smoke jumper, and had led a team of firefighters into an inferno that claimed lives, and her confidence as well.  Now, disabled by her lack of confidence and total fear, she conducts research for other firefighters, and stays away from the blazes.  But then she meets smoke jumper Logan McCabe, and suddenly she is back into the heat of things...with Logan, that is!  As things heat up between them, Reyne must face the emotional trauma of her past and confront the fear that has driven her confidence into the ashes.  In doing so, she must also come to terms with the fierce attraction brewing between her and Logan. 
This was a good read, easy going but filled with enough mystery to keep me interested.  I was disappointed in the speed of the relationship development because it did not seem very realistic.  Other than that, the book was good. This would be a great book to take on a plane or vacation.  It is interesting enough to keep you entertained, but pleasant enough to leave you feeling good at the end. Plus, it is a fast read.
I was pleasantly surprised at the end to find another short book included called "Sandcastles".  It was similar to Firestorm but followed another character.  Another fast, easy flowing read.  This author has a great writing style.
Overall, if you like romance books, you will enjoy this!
This book was a complimentary review copy received from Waterbrook Multnomah Publishing Group.

Angel Eyes by Shannon Dittemore


Brielle is an older teen returning from the big city of Portland after the horrific murder of her best friend. She is coming home to a small town in Oregon. She is severely traumatized, and is having trouble coping.
Jake is the new guy at school. He has an unbelievable gift, and for some reason, his hands are always very hot!
Jake and Brielle are brought together by events bigger than the both of them.  Supernatural forces are gathering in this small town and the two high schoolers play a pivotal role in the coming events.  They are guarded by two angels and evil has entered the town. A demon has arrived and is bringing trouble for these young people and the town.
Jake and Brielle are called to join the battle...amazingly in the spiritual realm.
This was a good book.  I liked the story line and the characters were well developed and believable.  I really liked the way the author describes the visualization of fear in the supernatural realm.  The angels can literally see the fear clinging to humans, oozing off of them, and "...like a heat-seeking missle, it runs...seeking someone, anyone to attach itself to."  If only we, as humans, could see what fear actually looks like...we could perhaps understand better how it is the weapon of choice for the enemy, paralyzing us and holding us hostage...(paraphrased).
I am looking forward to Dittemores next book in this series.  Although the book is appropriate for the teen market, I feel that adults can enjoy it as well.
This book was a complimentary copy from the publisher through Booksneeze.   This review reflects my honest appraisal of this book. 

Sunday, May 6, 2012

Survival Tactics for Office Workers by Rolf McEwen

     This is a book that all office workers should own!  It is a comical foray into the life of office workers everywhere.  McEwen uses tongue in cheek comedy to impart advice and yes, bits of wisdom as well!  There are 107 exercises to relieve the boredom suffered by office workers.  Each exercise will leave you laughing and yet, you will want to actually try these!  There are many ways suggested to relax as well. 
This is a very uplifting book.  I thoroughly enjoyed reading and imagining these tactics!  I am an ex-office worker and I can assure you that I probably would have lasted longer if I had these tidbits of comedic wisdom at my disposal.
     Whether you fancy the sedentary  "paper clip jewelery" exercise, or the more active "parking lot cigarette butt pick-up" exercise, you will definitely find something to suit your tastes.  And the wisdom found in these exercises will make you think on a deeper level, thereby increasing your ability to stay focused at work!  For example: "It takes courage to be a little crazy.  It requires courage to get in touch with your true self, and to express who and what you really are.  Have you got a little courage?"  Have you ever considered that?
     This is a survival manual for everyone, no matter where you work.  It can be adapted to fit your environment and will provide you with limitless entertainment value and water cooler topics for quite a while!  And as an added bonus you will receive nuggets of wisdom embedded in the exercises.
     I received this book as a gift from the author.  It was not given to solicit a favorable review.  The review is my honest opinion of this authors work.

2 Seconds Late by Eric Wilson

The 2nd book in the "By the Numbers" series is a modern re-telling of the story of Esther.   This book is just as entertaining and addicting as the first book (1 Step Away).  Natalie Flynn, a minor character in the first book, is developed more fully in this story.   She becomes the central figure in a controversial vote to allow humans to be implanted with Radio Frequency ID, basically a microchip that would allow the person to be monitored wherever they were, as well as provide other basic information.  Natalie is all for this since she survived a brutal abduction, and feels that she would have been saved the pain and scars from her ordeal if someone could have located her earlier.  She is dating Ruben King, a State Representative in his 2nd term in office.  He has misgivings about the microchip implantation and his vote will sway the outcome of the decision to allow the use of these RFID's.  They are being heavily influenced by others that have a lot invested in the outcome of the vote, and will do whatever it takes to swing the vote in their favor. 

The suspense grabs you from the outset and keeps you riveted until the end, where a twist in the story makes you rethink every conclusion you had reached to this point.  I was pleasantly surprised to find that Aramis Black and Detective Meade make a come-back in this book.  Aramis Black is a wonderfully flawed character from Wilson's previous books "The Best of Evil" and "A Shred of Truth". 

Eric Wilson has penned another fantastic story in his "By the Numbers" series.   His writing style remains as intriguing as the first book.  It captures you in its embrace and only releases you when you have reached the end.  Then you take a deep breath and frantically search for the next book's release date!  Which will hopefully be soon!

I received no gratuity for this review.  This book was purchased from Amazon.com where you can find other Eric Wilson books at great prices!

One Step Away by Eric Wilson

A modern re-telling of the story of Job...with a twist!  Bret and Sara Vreeland struggle to make ends meet.  They have 2 children and they are deeply in love.  Besides the obvious difficulties that come from being poor, Sara has a deceased fiance that she still occasionally still dreams about.  In spite of all their problems, they remain committed to each other and to their relationship with God.  It is for this reason that Satan asks God's permission to test their faith.  Instead of stripping them of everything as had happened to Job, the Vreelands are given the blessing of a six million dollar inheritance.  Suddenly all their financial problems disappear, their work lives become better, their friend base expands, and the blessings just keep coming.  The game is afoot...will the Vreelands pass the ultimate test of faithfulness or will they succumb to temptations borne of wealth?
This is an amazing story!  It captured my attention immediately and compelled me to read the book in one sitting.  It is the story of rags to riches...and how our faith can be tested in times of plenty as well as in times of need.  It is a story of greed, murder, and espionage, and the Vreelands are unwitting players in the game devised by Satan to destroy their faith.  This is a must read book for fans of  Dekker, Stephen James, and Travis Thrasher.  Wilson's books take you on a trip to your soul and ask you to really look deeply at what you find there...I highly recommend this book, and any other Eric Wilson book you can find. 
I received no compensation for this review.  This book was purchased from Amazon.com where you will find other Eric Wilson books at fantastic prices!

The Joseph Story by Rolf McEwen

A Play in Two Acts (adapted from The Book of Exodus)
     This is a wonderful play that encompasses the life of Joseph.  It has a cast of 20 men and 10 women, and has an estimated run time of 2 hours.  This play is such a strong story and has a constant flow, especially since the use of props are minimized, and are carried onstage by the actors. 
     Act 1 begins in Jacob's house with Joseph recounting a dream he had, which ends with his brothers bowing down to him.  His brothers are already very jealous and begin to mock him.  Their envy causes them to plot Joseph's demise.  The play goes from there and continues with the Biblical account of Joseph's life.  It is written in an easy flowing format, and keeps your attention riveted on the story line.  The characters are well developed and their conversations flow easily. 
     This is a story about a man of strength and integrity that never fails regardless of the trials he goes through.  Ultimately, it is a story of encouragement.  Joseph kept his integrity, his compassion, and his honor, and sets an example for all of us to follow.
     This play would be wonderful for a church youth group or an adult class to perform.  A very well done play with an easy to follow script.
     I received a complimentary copy of this play from the author.  My review is based on my honest opinion, and the complimentary book was not given to solicit a positive review.

Are You There? by Dianne Fairchild

Illustrated by Vincent Fairchild...This is a wonderful children's book!  The art work is fantastic, and is very appealing to children.  (I tested with my 2).  The story is about a young boy pondering the existence of God.  He questions where God is, and if He will always be there, no matter where "there" is.  Will He be there when he grows or in the darkest night? He says "If I walked to the very edge of the world, stretched my arms as wide as I could, and peered over the vast side of life, would I reach You then?".   I love this question!   My 7 year old told me this is her new favorite book!  My 10 year old said he really likes the story, but said it was for younger kids.  So, the experts have spoken!  I agree with them.  This is truly a delightful book, and will remain on my bookshelf. 
I received a complimentary copy of "Are You There?" as a member of the Dorrance Publishing Book Review Team.  Visit dorrancebookstore.com to learn how you can become a member of the Book Review Team.
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Friday, April 20, 2012

Crazy Dangerous by Andrew Klavan

This is a great read!  The target audience is teens, but I really enjoyed it.  Sam Hopkins is a PK (preachers kid), and is searching for something to make him more popular at school.  He is a good kid, but his search leads him to the wrong kind of friends.  He knows it won't be long before they will require him to do something crazy that will surely get him into lots of trouble.
However, one day he witnesses these "friends" tormenting a classmate named Jennifer.  She is eccentric, but in an interesting way.  She rhymes her words constantly as she talks, and she also has visions and hears voices.  Sam saves her from the bullies, and actually comes to believe that her visions are, in fact, prophecies.  He knows he has to help her and at the same time try to stop these events she forecasts from happening.
This book has a lot of action and was very well written.  It was easy to follow, and the characters came to life in the story.  I loved the humorous element...I actually found myself laughing out loud at some of  Sam's remarks.  Highly recommended.  I will look for other books by this author.  I am now going to get my teens to read this!
This book was given to me as a promotional consideration by the publisher through Booksneeze.

Wednesday, April 4, 2012

The Final Summit by Andy Andrews

The people of the world are being given one last chance to right the wrongs of the world.  Enter David Ponder, originally introduced in the book "The Travelers Gift".  He is given the opportunity to work with others to find the answer.  The solution is 2 words, and he gets only 5 tries.  He is allowed to ask others for help on this journey...and they are the brightest minds from history.
I love to read, and I have enjoyed other books by Andy Andrews.  This book, however, was difficult for me.  I had a hard time getting interested but I did enjoy parts of the story.  David Ponder is reminiscing about his life and is overcome with grief at the loss of his wife a few months prior.  He is lost and no longer knows what to do.  Suddenly the angel Gabriel is in the room with him.  His conversation with the angel leads him to understand that he must take another journey and join a group called "Travellers", men and women from history such as Winston Churchill and Lief Erickson.
Although I had a hard time reading this, there were some quotes that really stuck with me.  For example,  a quote engraved on George Washington Carter's monument: " He could have added fortune to fame, but caring for neither, he found happiness and honor in being helpful to the world."  There are many quotes that I can use as life quotes.  A lot of the dialog is a sermon in itself. 
The author takes liberty with the conversations between the characters, but he also weaves fact into the story.  It was very interesting to read the factual information, and I was impressed by the research that must have gone into this book. If you are a history buff, you will definitely enjoy this book.
Perhaps at another time in my life I will find this book to be just the balm I need.  For this reason, I give this book 4 out of 5 stars.
This book was a complimentary copy from the publisher through Booksneeze.

Sunday, April 1, 2012

The 13th Tribe by Robert Liparulo

The 13th Tribe by Robert Liparulo
     Another winner from an amazing author!
     When Moses returned from Mt. Sinai he found his people worshipping idols.  God struck many of them and they died immediately, but there were 40 that escaped the death sentence.  The death sentence would have been more welcome.  They were destined to roam the earth eternally, separated from God; immortals.  In their distorted point of view they believe the only way to gain God's favor (and ultimately die and go to heaven) is to kill other sinners. 
     Jagger Baird survives a car crash that takes the life of his best friend, his arm, and sadly, his faith in God. He is struggling to come to terms with the losses, especially his faith, and relocates his family to the Middle East after accepting a job as the head of security on an archaeological dig.  Unfortunately, he crosses paths with the Immortals and he and his family become intertwined with them in a very dramatic way.
     The story begins in earnest with the break-in of a facility by "invisible beings", death, and the emergence of the Immortals.  We meet the Immortals and become acquainted with their style, technology, and incredible abilities.  There are a couple that are likable, and one makes me shudder.  Their home is scarily interesting as well. Soon, the Baird family is introduced.  Jagger elicited sympathy because if his struggles and I fell in love with his son, Tyler.
     I LOVED this book!!  I have enjoyed all of Liparulo's books, but there was something about this one that made me think: movie, movie, movie!  I am a huge fan of drama and this book is full of it!  It twists and turns and keeps you up at night, yet does not leave you hanging in the end.  I have to admit, I guessed the truth before the end, but it in no way detracted from the story.  This is definitely a book worth reading!
     This book was a complimentary copy from the publisher through Booksneeze.