A Reluctant Belle

I had the opprutunity to read A Reluctant Belle {Daughtry House Series} by Beth White.
This was an excellent read! It was the first book I had read by Beth White. This is actually the second book in the series, however, you do not need to read the first to understand the second!

Joelle has never quite fit in. She is still trying to find her way in her family which consists of her sisters and brother-in-law. There is the annoying Schuyler.  Joelle has known Schuyler since childhood and a rather unfortunate preteen boy/girl incident! And then there is the matter of Joelle's hidden writing for the newspaper. Unheard of for a lady in her time!

This is a great read, however, it does also tie in the time period of the ending of the Civil War and the time of reconstruction and remenants of the war.  You will read some difficult topics - especially racists groups, which the author does explain.

I did enjoy this novel, and it would make for a relaxing weekend read or for sitting on the beach enjoying a good book.

I was given a free copy from the publisher for my honest review, which I was happy to do!

A Mamma of Girls MUST READ!!!

I make it no secret that I am a fan of Dannah Gresh and her work! I did have a chance to review Lies Girls Believe by Dannah Gresh. Honestly, I thought A Moms Guides to Lies Girls Believe & the Truth That Sets Them Free would just be a simple recap of the book for girls.

Boy (pun intended), was I wrong.

This book is a GIFT. A TREASURE. A handbook for MOMS!

In A Moms Guides to Lies Girls Believe & the Truth That Sets Them Free Dannah looks at lies girls are told. It does contain the entire workbook for girls, AND it also contains insight, research, data, advice and wisdom for Moms.  If you know Dannah's work, Dannah does not "beat around the bush" she is straightforward in calling moms to do their job and to educate their daughters.

I throughly enjoyed Dannah's insight, and was quite honestly challenged.

I would recommend this book for mothers of daughters ages 6+! Yes, that's right age 6! Dannah addresses hard issues that it would be ideal to "get ahead of" while your children are young! This book is a practical how to for mammas!

I was given a free copy of A Moms Guides to Lies Girls Believe & the Truth That Sets Them Free  from the publisher for my honest review which I was happy to do!

Mammas - grab this book as a resource for yourself!

Powerful Prayers for Your Son AND Powerful Prayers for Your Daughter

I had the privilege to read Powerful Prayers for Your Son and Powerful Prayers for Your Daughter both by Rob and Joanna Teigen.  As one involved in a prayer ministry, I love getting my hands on additional prayer resources! These books did not disappoint!

What you should know is that Powerful Prayers for Your Son  is mostly written by Joanna Teigen (at least the "commentary" is by her) and Powerful Prayers for Your Daughter  has the commentary by Rob Teigen. I found this interesting. As a mother, I appreciated the wife's perspective.

There are also additional insights from other authors sprinkled throughout the books. But the main content is the prayers! I found this to be a great resource to have handy when life comes at you as a parent!  You will appreciate the prayers and scripture to go along with each prayer. Topics include purity, grief, contentment, friendship, dating, and so much more!

These books are great resources for every parent.  I was given a free copy of both Powerful Prayers for Your Son and Powerful Prayers for Your Daughter  by Rob and Joanna Teigen for my honest review. I am happy to recommend these books!

The King’s Mercy by Lori Benton

As a Scottish rebel,  Alex has been granted the King’s mercy and transported to North Carolina. Unfortunately his trip was not without complications. He experienced heartbreak and heartache both just before his trip and during his trip.  Life has not been easy and without trials. Alex tries to bring respect to those he can. He has just arrived at a large plantation in North Carolina. He will now be an apprentice as the new blacksmith. He will eventually take over for the current blacksmith who was injured in a serious accident. Joanna is the mistress of the home. How will Alex adjust to his new home? Will he recover from his ordeals? 

I have to be honest. The King’s Mercy is set in the mid-1700s. The language is very descriptive. Personally, for me it was rather difficult to read. It is period language. When I first started reading I had to re-read and re-read to try and make sure I was comprehending the text. I know many have spoken well of The King’s Mercy. For me personally, it is just not a genre that I can enjoy. I would encourage you to check out the book for yourself and see if it’s something that you would enjoy instead.

I was given a free copy of The King’s Mercy from  the publisher for my honest review which I am happy to do.

living lives book review

I had the chance to read Living Lies by Natalie Walters. It was the first book I read by her. I throughly enjoyed it!

Living Lies by Natalie Walters is the story of Lane and her past. She stumbles upon a young body in a small town where murder is unheard of. But what is going on?  What in keeping her from facing her past and what exactly did happen?  Who is this new young (handsome) deputy?

I loved what was written on the back cover of Living Lies by Natalie Walters. It reads: "A nail-biter that will make you play hooky from your day job, feed your children cereal for supper, and not stop reading until the last page. (by Jaime Jo Wright).  Although, I wasn't THAT hooked, I did throughly enjoy that book! I did enjoy how Natalie tied in her military experience.

Living Lies by Natalie Walters was a great read and would make an excellent summertime book, especially for beach reading!  I was given a free copy from the publisher for my honest review. I was happy to do just that!

Finding Beautiful!

Women. Their stories. Their shame. Their past. God's redemption.

Finding Beautiful by Rebecca Friedlander is a beautiful book that could be considered a "documentary"!  And it is valuable!

Rebecca takes you on a journey of twelve different women. She shares about their lives and includes a "before" photo.  One that she (as a photographer) has taken. She then shares how God has transformed their life. Not always easy, but He transforms nonetheless.

I loved how Rebecca shares deep personal hurts and real issues women (and definitely teens) face in their lives. Beauty affects so many as well as their self image. This book is real.

Rebecca then shares an "after" photo of each woman showcasing how God transforms. She then relates it to her own life, and perhaps my favorite is when she relates it to the Bible and how God transforms.

Rebecca writes that "beauty is not just for ourselves - we are called to give it away."

I was given a free copy of Finding Beautiful by Rebecca Friedlander for my honest review. I would recommend this book to mothers of tweens and teens as well as all women as an inspiration of true beauty.