Merry Christmas!

Our family Christmas is over.  We have had quiet an eventful one.  Long too.  We've had over night guests.  Some are still here!  From Texas and Arizona to Missouri and Oregon.  Our version of Four Christmases included Star Wars, guitar jamborees, football, 5 hour poker games (twice), target practice, a couple of car wrecks, a tiny blizzard, extreme snacking, three babies, Christmas morning in London, and watching the Chiefs snag the playoffs live and in person.  Presents included homemade dishes, appliances, 4 pairs of shoes, and 6 World Series shirts!  It was fun while it lasted but I am glad things are calming down.  Time to think about the birth of our Savior and the impact of his life (and death).  Merry Christmas everyone and Happy New Year!

Going back to Sanctuary

"Rising Darkness" by Nancy Mehl is the third novel in the Sanctuary series.  It also incorporates the Kingdom series.  I love that she decided to write about Sophie from Kingdom.  You remember her.  The weird, hateful girl with the horrible parents.  Sophie has become tired of being that girl from Kingdom and has reinvented herself.  She has a job as a food critic for a St Louis paper, but has dreams of being an investigative reporter.  She has a lead on a cold case of two robbers/killers that may be hiding out in Sanctuary.  She goes undercover to root them out.  Only to discover Jonathan, the love (from afar) of her life has taken up residence there.  Sophie has changed so much, that even Jonathan doesn't recognize her.  Sophie begins a delicate tight walk of finding the story and dealing with the hurt of her past that Sanctuary keeps reminding her of.
Mehl just gets better with each novel.  Sophie is such a great, realistic character.  She wasn't covered deeply in Kingdom, but here we get to know her and her past.  Mehl develops her characters more with each novel.  I give this one 5 stars.  I don't know what I'm going to do with the next one.  Have to readjust my rating scale I guess.  I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review from Bethany House Publishers. 

House at Homecoming Review

"The House at Homecoming Cove" by Ginny Baird begins as a simple romance, but then the ghosts enter the picture.  I would classify this as a romance/mystery/ghost story.  There is a little something for everyone.  Melissa is a pianist that writes music for television shows.  She has writer's block, therefore, she rents a house in Homecoming Cove for a month to set her mind straight.  While there she meets Stone, the caretaker's goodlookin' grandson who does the yard work.  The two have sort of de ja vu thing going on and an instant attraction turns to romance.  Melissa learns of the house's story and the legend of Fiona, the ghost of the house.  As Fiona is haunting the two, the romance is brewing.  When they aren't gazing they are trying to solve the mystery of why Fiona is haunting in the first place. 
Though an experience romance reader might find the story predictable, the younger reader will love it.  It is a sweet romance. Making out, no sex.  I would recommend it for the teen to 30 year old crowd.  Or really any one wanting a little romance and is tired of the "just sex" part.  I received this book from the author through the Sweet Team. 

Good things come in threes

"An Amish Christmas Gift" is a group of three novellas by three different authors, Amy Clipston, Ruth Reid, and Kelly Irvin.  All three books are about romance brewing in Lancaster County at Christmas time.  Nothing deep or complex here; just sweet romance.  Reid's "An Unexpected Joy" was my favorite so I will review that one.  Abigail is a talking whirlwind that at the ripe old age of 24 has given up on marriage and has plans to buy her own horse to ease her growing need for independence.  She takes a job with Micah, helping his grandmother around the house, in order to pay for the horse.  Along the way she does what she can to help her cousins who are on the brink of shunning.  Their son, who has jumped the fence, has returned from the army with a case of PTSD. 

Some of these novellas are better than others, all are good.  I received this e-book from BookLook Bloggers in exchange for an honest review. 

Bigfoot needs friends too (spoiler)

"Elwood Bigfoot:  Wanted:  Birdie Friends" by Jill Esbaum is a children's picture book about Elwood, a bigfoot, who is lonely in the wilderness.  He does love birds, though.  So in order to make bird friends,  he jumps through all these figurative hoops in order to bring them in; and finally changes his behavior around them to win the birds over.  Though the pictures are wonderful, the book is kind of depressing.  I felt sorry for him most of the time and even though it ends (spoiler alert!) with him winning over the birds for friends, he has to change who he is first.  It's a sad book.  I won this book in a giveaway from Grandma's Cookie Jar. 

sadie speaks

Sadie Robertson, co-star of Duck Dynasty on A&E, has written "Live Original" a book on bettering oneself and keeping it real for the teen reader.  Though is it written for a teen by a teen, it is still an awesome book for any age.  In my opinion, Sadie is the next Joyce Meyer. Though both leave areas of improvement in their writing, both have a message that they can communicate on an across the universe level.  They can deliver the message to both sexes and all age groups without confusion.  They tell it like it is.  Robertson delivers a message of improving oneself, forgiveness, confidence, and Godly love.  Sharing that love.  Standing your ground with kindness.  I really like this girl.  Because she isn't a main star on the show, I didn't know too much about her personality.  This book left me kind of glad I didn't, because I rather enjoyed getting to know her through her own writing rather than A&E's version.  I give it 4.5 stars.  I received this e-book through www.edelweiss.abovethetreeline.com. 

Restoration #3

"On This Foundation" is book number 3 in The Restoration Chronicles written by Lynn Austin.  Austin has been following the migration of the Jews back into Jerusalem after the exile had come to a close.  In "Foundation", Ezra has retired from being a governor and Nehemiah has taken over.  Nehemiah's primary concern is the rebuilding of the wall and safety of the citizens in Jerusalem.  There are two side stories as well.  Chana, a young woman whose fiancée has been murdered, has become interested in courting Malkijah, a rich land owner with many servants.  And Nava, one of the servants that works for Malkijah, is desperately trying to be free to marry her fiancée and not the son of her master.  (or whatever he has in mind) 
I find that each installment to the Restoration novels is written better than the last.  They hold my interest longer and the writing is better.  The characters tend to be more in depth as well as the story lines more involved.  However, these are some really long books.  Close to 500 pages.  I find them easier to read the first couple of hundred pages, and then slow things down, take a break and read a different book a little while.  I think that helps keep the story fresh.  I received this book in exchange for an honest review from Bethany House Publishers.