4.22.2025
Earth Day and National Park Appreciation Week ~ Book Recommendations
2.14.2024
Heart of a Royal ~ Review
Heart of a Royal
Daughters of Peverell #1
By Hannah Currie
Heart of a Royal is a lovely book and perfect for Valentine's. For more than 17 years, Mackenna (Kenna) Sparrow has lived the life of a princess. When Princess Alina's mother died shortly after her birth, Kenna was raised alongside her when her mother stepped in to help care for the motherless baby. But though she has lived the life of a royal, Kenna knows that it will all end when Alina marries.
But what Kenna never knew was just how much certain people resented her, though most adored her. And with her final days living as a royal coming to an end, she is torn by her feelings. Her friendships with Princess Alina and Prince Thoraben are seemingly at an end. The fact of which is more painful than she had expected. What does a nearly 18-year-old former princess's companion do for the rest of her life? With questions and no answers in sight, she needs to untangle what she does and doesn't know about those closest to her before she can move forward into her new life as a commoner.
This is the first book in the Daughters of Peverell series, and my goodness, it is filled with secrets and dangers. The land is under threat from rebels and has been to Kenna's knowledge all her life and even before. In fact, a former friend was even expelled from the kingdom because of her rebellious leanings and refusal to see the error of her beliefs! With danger so close, there are fears that Kenna could be a target because of her close association with the royals.
But there is so much more to the story than what first appears, and it is interesting to see how everything unfolds. And believe me, there is a real doozie of a twist. There are actually a couple of twists that reveal some interesting facts about the various characters. It is also interesting how one decision can change the course of a life or even a kingdom. After reading this book, I really need to know what comes next. This book ends not on a cliffhanger, but it is obvious that there is so much more to the story. Overall this is a sweet read and one that explores family, responsibility, and truth. I feel that this is a clean read for teens looking for an alternative to the normal romance that is readily available today.
I was provided a complimentary copy of this book with no expectations but that I provide my honest opinion. All thoughts expressed are my own.
About the Book:
Brought to the palace as a newborn, the royal life bestowed upon Mackenna Sparrow was never meant to last forever.
With Princess Alina engaged to be married, Mackenna's presence as a companion is no longer required. And, like it or not, she must return to the birthright that should have been hers - that of a commoner. But not everyone at the palace wants her gone.
When the truths she’s based her life on start crumbling as fast as her future, will she find the courage to trust both herself and the prince she’s fallen in love with?
3.17.2022
Pangur Bán Celtic Fantasies Series ~ Spotlight
The books in this series include Pangur Bán the White Cat, Finnglas of the Horses, Finnglas and the Stones of Choosing, Shape-Shifter: The Naming of Pangur Bán (which is actually a prequel), The Serpent of Senargad, and The White Horse is Running.
1.16.2021
Thinking About ~ L.M. Montgomery
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By Unknown author - Wikimedia |
Anyone familiar with L.M. Montgomery's works knows her as the author of the Anne of Green Gables books. She brought Anne Shirley, that is Anne with an "e" to life, and we, the readers for several generations, were allowed to live for a time on Prince Edward Island and Green Gables home. Now I do have to admit I preferred Anne before she became a mother, I think she lost something of herself when she had her children and sort of faded into the background. But I loved the final book in the series Rilla of Ingleside though it was filled with the heartbreak of loss as the war in Europe claimed some of the characters we had come to love.
2.07.2019
The Bright Empires ~ Series Review
The Universe is vast- more vast than most people can possibly fathom. There are billions of galaxies in our Universe alone. In addition there an unknown number of dimensions as equally vast as our own Universe. If you don't believe me just ask Kit Livingstone (if you can find him, that is!)
The Bright Empire series by Stephen R Lawhead opens with The Skin Map. In this we are introduced to Cosimo "Kit" Christopher Livingstone who is about to begin the adventure of a lifetime. Kit is about to follow his great-grandfather Cosimo Livingstone on a search for the Skin Map, a search that will span centuries and dimensions. A search that could destroy everything in the omniverse if they accidentally change history in just one dimension.
But what is this Skin Map and why is it so sought after? The skin map was created by Arthur Flinders-Petrie as a series of various symbols tattooed upon his body that were turned into parchment upon his death. The greatest of his various mapped symbols leads to the greatest of treasures - the Well of Souls.
But nothing is ever easy and Kit, his great-grandfather and the Questors are not the only ones seeking the map. Burley and his men are seeking it too and he plans to use the power he would gain in untold evil.
But due to his inexperience Kit, Cosimo and Sir Henry have a secondary quest, to rescue Kit's girlfriend Wilhelmina "Mina" from whatever time/dimension she was pulled into. But nothing ever goes as planned and the three are separated. The Skin Map is filled with unexpected twists and turns up until the very end so that you are left wondering what comes next in The Bone House book 2.
The Bright Empire series by Stephen R Lawhead continues with The Bone House.
With the unexpected deaths of Cosimo Livingstone and Sir Henry at the hands of Archelaeus Burleigh, Kit must rely on the Ley traveling skills that Mina has developed since she was transported to 17th century Prague.
But with time/dimensional travel there are a variety of trips covered in The Bone House including Kit's visit to Egypt in 1822 where he meets up with Doctor Thomas Young who are both on a mission that was brought about by Mina. While Kit is in Egypt with Dr. Young, Mina and Giles are with Dr. Young in Edinburgh.
Arthur Flinders-Petrie's life is further revealed as are the exploits of his great-grandson Douglas Flinders-Petrie to obtain the Skin Map that Arthur created.
When Mina, Kit, and Giles finally arrive at Mina's new home in Prague, they are shocked to discover the one man that they are trying to avoid is there! Burleigh is in Prague and all too soon discovers that Kit and Giles did not die in the Egyptian tomb they were imprisoned in. In their attempt to escape Burleigh, Giles is injured and Kit manages to make it to the Ley line that Mina had directed them to. But Kit finds himself in the Stone Age where he makes a discovery he was not expecting the Bone House.
The Bone House is filled with trips that span the centuries and the globe will leave you anticipating what will come next in The Spirit Well book 3.
The Bright Empire series by Stephen R Lawhead continues with The Spirit Well.
The Bone House left us with Kit having discovered what he believes to be the Spirit Well, a conclusion he came to after observing Arthur Flinders-Petrie enter a deep water-filled environment with a dead woman who is restored to life.
Mina, after being warned by Haven of Burleigh's suspicions, has left Prague in the hopes of somehow locating Kit. When she can find no sign of him, Mina goes to Spain in the hopes that Brother Lazarus can help her in her quest.
Meanwhile, we are introduced to Cassandra Clarke who, while on a dig in Arizona, discovers by accident the Ghost Walk. But when she determines to study this phenomenon she jumps to other places and becomes lost to her time and place, ending up in 1950s Damascus. There she finds the Zetetic Society who are seeking to achieve God's purpose for His creation - unity and harmony as the Creator intended and to be fully realized at "the end of time and the beginning of eternity.
In the Spirit Well we discover the circumstances that resulted in the creation of the Skin Map and its separation as well as Burleigh's discovery of the ley lines.
The Zetetic Society is searching for Sir Henry, Cosimo, and Kit who have disappeared along with Sir Henry's portion of the map. The society feels that discovering them is of the highest priority and assign this task to Cassandra.
Treachery and betrayals abound as many search for the greatest discovery of Arthur Flinders-Petrie. A discovery that Kit has discovered, but can he find his way back?
As is often mentioned by various characters throughout the series There are no coincidences. There is a purpose behind everything that happens in our lives though we may not be able to ascertain it at the time.
The Spirit Well is filled with trips that span the centuries and the globe will leave you anticipating what will come next in book 4 The Shadow Lamp.
The Bright Empire series by Stephen R Lawhead continues with The Shadow Lamp.
Ley travel is imprecise, but it can be done to within a few days of when one wants to arrive unless something goes wrong. And as is often the case something does go wrong for several of our ley travelers. But this is all part of the journey. The journey to reach the Spirit Well that Kit discovered by accident when he was misdirected into the Stone Age. But the Bone House is no longer accessible and a large tree is in its place. And the gargantuan yew is channeling an enormous amount of energy from the ley in which it is growing.
Cassandra points out an amazing coincidence to Kit in that the yew tree is a symbol of immortality and eternity and in a sense that is what they are searching for in the Spirit Well. But little does Kit know that he may hold the answer to saving the Omniverse, the known and unknown, from complete and total annihilation!
Time from the first moments of Creation is at stake if the event that caused the imbalance is not found. The ever-expanding universe is beginning to retract upon itself and time is growing short. An act of Arthur Flinders-Petrie may destroy everything, and we will be alive to witness our own obliteration!
The Shadow Lamp will span centuries and dimensions and if you are very observant you just may see the beginning of the end or the end of the beginning in book 5 The Fatal Tree.
The Bright Empire series by Stephen R Lawhead concludes with The Fatal Tree.
One man may have the knowledge they seek, but can they trust the man who has sought to destroy them? And what ulterior motives could Archelaeus Burleigh be hiding? Kit knows that the man responsible for his great grandfather's death can't be trusted but Mina, Cass, and Gianni feel that the preservation of the Omniverse is worth the risk.
In this the final book we revisit scenes from the previous books but from the viewpoint of other characters who were part of the original scene. A true merging of past, present, and future.
Get ready to go on an adventure that will test your ability to adapt and prepare to grow your mind! Paradoxes, Time loops, and Quantum mechanics, oh my! The unknown is greater than you ever imagined and one misstep or decision can destroy it all!
1.12.2019
Stores Behind the Great Traditions of Christmas ~ Review
Traditions of Christmas
By Ace Collins
There are so many traditions involved with Christmas and all too often they are just done because it is the thing to do. But how often do we wonder about the reason behind these traditions and when they began?
In Stories Behind the Great Traditions of Christmas Ace Collins shares with readers what he knows about a variety of the traditions. And the nostalgic yearning for Christmas of old - well it may not be how you imagine it was. Christmas was a celebration that would not bring a nostalgic remembrance before the nineteenth century - be sure to read the introduction and I think you'll agree it would have been a day to avoid.
The various aspects of what we have come to associate with Christmas are presented in 26 chapters starting with Advent and ending with Yule Logs. Some of these traditions have a spiritual aspect while others have just been accepted as part of the season because they draw friends and family together in a sharing of "the wonder, joy, and magic of the season. ... And that spirit is something worth celebrating."(pg. 148)
I enjoyed the history of the candy cane, mistletoe, and the X in Xmas (which has been in use since the sixteenth century). This is a book with much to offer in just over 200 pages and one that would be useful to have on hand whenever one has a question arise about any of these traditions. Did you know that The Nutcracker was vastly different than the ballet that is performed every year? It went through several transformations before it became the beloved performance that it is today.
This is a book that you'll want to share with friends and family - I know I did as I read through it which may have slowed down my reading as I went back to different sections that caught my attention. This book would also lend itself well to family reading time with all hearing it together and then discussing what was read. But however, you choose to read and share you'll enjoy and value the knowledge you will have gained.
I was provided a complimentary copy of this book by the publisher through BookLook with no expectations but that I offer my honest opinion. All thoughts expressed are my own.
About the Book:
The fascinating stories and origins behind Christmas traditions such as the colors of red and green, the Christmas tree, caroling, nativity scenes, the Yule log, gift-giving, stockings, advent wreaths, mistletoe, and holly.
The cheer of a crackling hearth fire. Colorful cards from friends and loved ones. An evergreen tree festooned with ornaments. The golden traditions of Christmas—gifts, wreaths, stockings, carols, mistletoe, and more—infuse our celebration of the season with meaning and glowing memories. And, in ways you may not realize, they point us to the birth of Christ. Stories Behind the Great Traditions of Christmas reveals the people, places, and events that shaped the best-loved customs of this merriest of holidays. Here are spiritual insights, true-life tales, and captivating legends to intrigue you and your family and bring new luster and depth to your celebration of Jesus’ birth.
The traditions of Christmas lend beauty, awe, and hope to the holiday, causing people all over the world to anticipate it with joy. The stories in this book will warm your heart as you rediscover the true and eternal significance of Christmas.
7.30.2017
Fraying at the Edge ~ Review
Amish of Summer Grove #2
By Cindy Woodsmall
For twenty years Ariana knew she was a Brenneman. And she was as Amish as she could be with her certainty that whatever those in authority said was the truth. But in an unexpected twist, she discovered that what she knew to be true was not as black and white as she had always believed. Her parents weren't her birth parents and she had no siblings. And the beliefs she had always held in highest regard were being attacked to her face and she wasn't allowed to be who she had always been. And worse, another young woman, a Skylar Nash was supposed to be living the life she had had. But Ariana was willing to be separated from the people she knew and loved to protect them from the man she had discovered was her biological father.
Meanwhile, Skylar is having issues of her own - no technology of any kind, banishment to the 18th century, sharing a bedroom, and no access to pills (to help her cope). And to top it all off the Brenneman's aren't that happy to see her thanks to her not being their precious Ariana. And they expect her to work like the rest of the family. But the Brenneman's is better than her other option rehab. But Skylar's biggest issue is that her not parent parents were more than eager to throw her over for a chance at a better daughter.
For both Ariana and Skylar life has just become so confusing as they struggle to make sense of who they are with their switched at birth identities revealed. And Ariana's siblings are having to find their new place without Ariana around to carry the load and make things better. The one hardest hit with the change is Abram - Ariana/Skylar's twin. And then there is Ariana's just purchased cafe that the Brenneman's are left with operating after two weeks of Ariana's guidance. Can we just say potential disaster in the making?
As Ariana and Skylar both confront the changes that life has just thrown at them they both have choices to make. And these choices could either make or break them. And for Ariana, her only hope of holding onto what makes her who she is is if she can withstand the pressures that Nicholas is placing on her. And to do that she will need to reach out to the one person who knows what she is going through - Quill Schlabach. But can Ariana trust someone who left the faith and broke her heart five years ago? And can she hold firm to who she is while being made to take part in a world she never wanted to know? And can Skylar use this separation from the world to get her life straightened out and get clean?
This the second book in the Amish of Summer Grove series continues the theme of family and familial ties. But this time it focuses more on what makes an individual a part of a family is it blood ties, the ties of rearing, or is it a decision made of the heart? And the back and forth between Ariana and Nicholas on matters of faith and belief makes for some interesting exchanges and Quill's insights offer even greater insights.
This book is both intriguing and thoughtful. But if you haven't read book 1 Ties that Bind you have to read it first! Much of this book would lose something without the backstory provided in book 1, though there is a The story so far... synopsis to refresh the reader's memory if needed. This is an excellent book that examines life and how circumstances play a part in our lives but the biggest influence on anyone is the choices they make. I highly recommend this book and anticipate the concluding book in this series Gathering the Threads which is releasing on August 15, 2017.
I was provided a review copy of this book by the publisher with no expectations of a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own.
About the Book:
The Old Order Amish life Ariana Brenneman loved vanished virtually overnight with the discovery that she was switched at birth twenty years ago. Now she’s immersed in the Englischer world, getting to know her mother and under the authority of her biological father, an atheist intellectual with resolute plans to expand Ariana’s worldview. Only Quill Schlabach, a childhood friend living Englisch, can steady the tilting ground between Ariana’s two worlds, but can she trust him after so many betrayals?
At the same time, Skylar Nash is forced to choose rehab or spend several months with her true relatives, the large Brenneman family and their seemingly backward life—no electricity, no technology, no fun. What the young woman can’t leave behind is her addiction to illegal prescription drugs and a deep emptiness from the belief that she doesn’t belong in either family.
New ties are binding Ariana and Skylar to the lives they were meant to have. Can they find the wisdom and strength they’ll need to follow God’s threads into unexpected futures?
Fraying at the Edge is the second novel in The Amish of Summer Grove series.
7.26.2017
Ties That Bind ~ Review
The Amish of Summer Grove #1
By Cindy Woodsmall
Ariana Brenneman loves Her Amish life and can't understand why anyone would ever want to leave it behind and face separation from friends and family left behind. And she's never been able to get over the fact that the man she had hoped to marry turned his back on his Amish roots five years ago.
But Quill Schlabach has made a reappearance in Summer Grove and Ariana fears that his presence means yet more Amish are about to slip away and be lost to her forever. But Ariana only knows the story that was told to her she doesn't know it all (and the reader is left to discover the truth as the story unfolds). But an even bigger secret is about to be revealed, one that could threaten everything Ariana has ever known and unfortunately for Quill he is about to find himself smack-dab in the center of everything.
Meanwhile living a life that is as unAmish as one could possibly get is Skylar Nash a young woman who is struggling with who she is and even her totally dysfunctional family. Skylar's passion is acting and the life of a performer. Unfortunately, she feels she plays the part of failure all too well when it comes to her day-to-day life. She is on a slow descent into a path she may never get out of. And Skylar's actions are about to set her on a path she doesn't want.
What are the ties that bind one together as a family? Is it blood? Is it the household in which one was raised? And what makes a community a community? This is a question that is woven throughout this story but don't expect an answer by the end as this is but the first in a three book series. (But don't fret book 2 is out and the conclusion will be available in August).
This is a story that will touch the heart of any reader. Secrets, betrayal, and family are the focus of this book and I for one can't wait to see where the second book Fraying at the Edge leads.
I was provided a review copy of this book by the publisher with no expectations of a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own.
About the Book:
Twenty-year-old Ariana Brenneman loves her family and the Old Ways. She has two aspirations: open a café in historic Summer Grove to help support her family’s ever-expanding brood and to keep any other Amish from being lured into the Englisch life by Quill Schlabach.
Five years ago Quill, along with her dear friend Frieda, ran off together, and Ariana still carries the wounds of that betrayal. When she unexpectedly encounters him, she soon realizes he has plans to help someone else she loves leave the Amish.
Despite how things look, Quill’s goal has always been to protect Ariana from anything that may hurt her, including the reasons he left. After returning to Summer Grove on another matter, he unearths secrets about Ariana and her family that she is unaware of. His love and loyalty to her beckons him to try to win her trust and help her find a way to buy the café—because when she learns the truth that connects her and a stranger named Skylar Nash, Quill knows it may upend her life forever.
Ties That Bind is the first novel in the Amish of Summer Grove series.
7.14.2017
My Brother's Crown ~ Review
Cousins of the Dove #1
By Mindy Starns Clark
and Leslie Gould
My Brother's Crown is one of those delightful stories that weaves two into one in a such a way that the reader is thoroughly and completely drawn in within the first pages. The story opens in 1685 France and switches off with present day Virginia.
In France, the Gillet family is at a crossroads as the nation has become hostile to those identified as Huguenots. Huguenots are faced with a choice - convert to Catholicism, flee the country, or face the consequences of their defiance of King Louis XIV.
Catherine wants the family to leave yesterday, but her older brother Jules seems reluctant to take any action. Even worse, her betrothed, Pierre Talbot is more than happy to let her brother decide everything for the family and him. Catherine is determined to do whatever she feels is necessary to safeguard those she holds dear. But does she truly know her own heart? And if temptations come her way will she stand firm in her faith?
In Virginia, the Talbot family has prospered during their time in America and has decided to share an important legacy of their family with the world. A document that Renee Talbot feels sure is more than it appears at first glance. As Renee looks for a way to test what she suspects her own past is about to make its presence known. But this time Renee is not about to let anyone tell her she imagined what has haunted her for years. This time she has an ally who is willing to help her prove what she knows.
This book is perfect for those who love exploring history through fiction. And if your tastes run towards contemporary fiction, you are covered as well. Faith is an important theme throughout and is woven so that it doesn't come across as forced. The other thing the reader will come away with is the value of family in an individual's life. It is interesting to contrast the two stories as they unfold from Catherine and Renee's viewpoints. If you are looking for a book club selection you can't go wrong with this one.
And the dress on the cover - keep your eyes open for it as you read - it is an important factor!
I was provided a review copy of this book by the publisher Harvest House, with no expectations of a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own.
About the Book:
3.13.2017
Lights Out ~ Review
By Ted Koppel
Imagine a blackout lasting not days, but weeks or months. Tens of millions of people over several states are affected. For those without access to a generator, there is no running water, no sewage, no refrigeration or light. Food and medical supplies are dwindling. Devices we rely on have gone dark. Banks no longer function, looting is widespread, and law and order are being tested as never before.
It isn’t just a scenario. A well-designed attack on just one of the nation’s three electric power grids could cripple much of our infrastructure—and in the age of cyberwarfare, a laptop has become the only necessary weapon. Several nations hostile to the United States could launch such an assault at any time. In fact, as a former chief scientist of the NSA reveals, China and Russia have already penetrated the grid. And a cybersecurity advisor to President Obama believes that independent actors—from “hacktivists” to terrorists—have the capability as well. “It’s not a question of if,” says Centcom Commander General Lloyd Austin, “it’s a question of when.”
And yet, as Koppel makes clear, the federal government, while well prepared for natural disasters, has no plan for the aftermath of an attack on the power grid. The current Secretary of Homeland Security suggests keeping a battery-powered radio.
In the absence of a government plan, some individuals and communities have taken matters into their own hands. Among the nation’s estimated three million “preppers,” we meet one whose doomsday retreat includes a newly excavated three-acre lake, stocked with fish, and a Wyoming homesteader so self-sufficient that he crafted the thousands of adobe bricks in his house by hand. We also see the unrivaled disaster preparedness of the Mormon church, with its enormous storehouses, high-tech dairies, orchards, and proprietary trucking company – the fruits of a long tradition of anticipating the worst. But how, Koppel asks, will ordinary civilians survive?
With urgency and authority, one of our most renowned journalists examines a threat unique to our time and evaluates potential ways to prepare for a catastrophe that is all but inevitable.
3.17.2016
St. Patrick's Day Reading Suggestions
Ellis Island series by Cindy Thomson
Grace's Pictures | ||
Annie’s Stories | ||
Sofia's Tune |
Pangur Ban Celtic Fantasies series by Fay Sampson
Pangur Ban The White Cat | ||
Finnglas of the Horses | ||
Finnglas and the Stones of Choosing | ||
Shape-Shifter: The Naming of Pangur Ban | ||
The Serpent of Senargad | ||
The White Horse is Running |