Having suddenly lost my precious husband 6 months ago, I have been reading many books that have to do with losing a loved one and whatever insight and help I might find on this painful pathway I have begun. That is the reason I decided to read this book.
Instead of finding a “how to help me book”, I found a beautiful, sincere memoir of a woman mourning the death of her husband. Yet while dealing with all the realities of her loss, she celebrates the life they had together.
Her husband had recently had bypass surgery and his family was relieved and looking forward to many more years together. A week later he dies suddenly due to complications. My heart broke for her. My husband survived 2 bypass surgeries and I remember how happy I was he would live. Many years later, he also died suddenly during a minor procedure not involving his heart.
I related to her story in so many ways: her shock, pain, walking through the fog and being slammed daily with the truth that the one you loved most is gone. Although it was not what I expected, the book was a blessing. By her sharing not only about her grief, but her memories with her husband, coping with day to day realities of his death, and her life years later, it helped me see a bigger picture.
When someone you love deeply dies, you find yourself focusing on your loss and sorrow. The wonderful memories that come to mind are tied to your grief at first. Ms. Hayden helped me realize those memories are a legacy and joy you will hold on to forever, even though at the present they are bittersweet. By sharing her journey I was reminded again there is a light at the end of the tunnel. If she made it through with God’s help as have many others before me, then I will too. Her writing was honest and transparent. I felt more like a friend walking with her throughout her story than someone reading her book. I can tell this was written straight from her heart.
I received this book free from the publishers through the Bookcrash.com book review program, which requires an honest, though not necessarily positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s CFR Title 16, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

This the second book of Mr. Starr’s I have read. He has been added to my all-time favorite author’s list! I plan to read all his books. The setting in the 1300’s continues to fascinate me along with all the historical background of life in those times.
The star once again is Hugh de Singleton, bailiff and surgeon to Lord Gilbert of Bampton Castle. After almost a month, Lord Gilbert was tiring of playing host to Sir Henry Burley, his wife, daughter, 2 knights, 2 squires and the rest of his entourage. All hopes are dashed of them possibly departing when Sir Henry is found dead in his bed one morning. Upon first observation his death looks to be of natural causes, but Hugh is never one to take things as they appear. He quickly discovers that the guest has been murdered in a very crafty way that would have gone undetected by most. This turns out to not be a simple case! His investigation opens the possibility of Sir Henry’s wife, daughter, and knights! Before he can pin point anything specific another murder occurs and makes things even more complicated! Lord Gilbert has reached his limit with the unpleasant company and just wants Hugh to be done with it, and find a murderer so they will leave!
I was captivated by the plot. The more Hugh uncovers, the more unsure he is of who the murderer is. One minute I found myself thinking “Oh it has to be that one”, and the next “Hmmm this person could be the guilty party too.” It kept me on my toes guessing and wondering if the case could be solved. I loved Hugh’s keen observations and brilliant ideas to attempt to flush out the criminal.
Once again I thoroughly enjoyed all the personal information about the daily life during in medieval times. This book also included a glossary of words that were used in that era we are not familiar with. They added even more to the historical detail and gave a vivid picture how people lived, from the wealthy to the poor.
The ending is a surprise, not only who murdered Sir Henry, but another very expected turn of events. Hugh Singleton is the Sherlock Holmes of the middle ages! Mr. Starr’s is not only a very talented writer, but I appreciate the wholesomeness and good taste in which his books are written. You would be hard pressed to find a murder mystery in this day and time that is not filled with blood, gore, and foul language. This book would be a wonderful read for a young person who likes mysteries. I cannot emphasize enough how entertaining this book is. You definitely will want to read it! Hats off to Mr. Starr once again!
I received this book free from Kregel Publishers. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

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This book is not only a treat for the eyes with so many pages of beautiful pictures and meaningful illustrations but it is the best book I have ever read on the biblical truth about Christmas. While extremely in depth it is not a boring or heavy reading. I found it very interesting.
Christians are saddened by the increasing commercialization of Christmas, and the focus on secular customs that draw attention away from Christ. But they might be surprised to find they have fallen into the trap of accepting some of the ideas too! As a born-again Christian that studies my Bible, I was surprised to find some ideas I too had unknowingly accepted! One being that Christ was not born in a stable and the other being, that Mary was not turned away because there was no “room in the inn”.
This book answers numerous questions Christians and non-Christians asked. “Is Christmas a pagan holiday? When was Christ really born?” to name just a few.
Mr. Hodge also addresses the confusion and misconceptions about the holiday that are accepted as fact today.
I appreciate that he doesn’t just stop there. He clearly and biblically presents the true history of the season, and the real reasons we should be celebrating the birth of our Savior. While some of the information is quite in depth, it is written in such a way all of it is easy to understand. I especially like that this is not just the author’s opinions and ideas, but he shows where these truths are in scripture. Lots of scripture! This is so important because it is only by God’s Word that we can compare our lives, beliefs, and choices.
He boldly confronts the error of not only symbols that are associated with Christmas in this day and time, and also where these are actually taking Christ’s place and substituting Him with Satan’s counterfeits. The author is not saying we should stop celebrating the holiday. Instead he shares how to celebrate it in a way that honors the Lord.
Unlike most books and articles on this subject, Mr. Hodge did not bully or condemn what has happened to Christmas, but clearly presents the facts, and allows them speak for themselves. This is a book I will read again and study closer, that I might be able to stand in this battle. It would make an excellent Bible study for a group or Sunday school class. I think it would be wonderful to study with teens to help me know the truth before they are adults and pass the misconceptions onto their children. A very, very good book!
I received this book free from Handlebar Publishing. I received this book free from Handlebar Publishing. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

Annie Yoder did something different during her rumspringa, she went into the English world and became a nurse. Upon her return she married herbalist, Samuel Yoder, who took care of the local Amish’s basic medical needs. As the story opens they are expecting their first child and her brother, Adam and his wife Leah are expecting for the first time too. Leah is carrying twins. The two women are very close. Annie wants to make Leah a special quilt for the babies. Thinking she has time to spare, (Leah isn’t due for two months), Annie gets a late start.
Leah unexpectedly goes into early labor, endangering her life and the babies. She is must be taken to a hospital in Philadelphia where she and the babies can be cared for. Annie agrees to stay with her until the babies are born.
Adam and Leah have been having struggles in their marriage since Leah became pregnant. Neither knows what the problem is and the distance grows between them. The sudden separation they experience while Leah is in the hospital causes both of them to view their marriage through different eyes.
Annie and Leah work on the quilt together and to pass the time share stories that illustrate the nine fruits of the spirit from Galatians chapter 5, one for each quilt square.
The community pulls together to have an auction to help pay for Leah and the babies hospital stay. Adam is overwhelmed by their love and generosity.
While this book would be a great read anytime, it is especially so for the Christmas season. Not because the story takes place around the holiday, but because of the many lessons associated with Christmas that can be learned from it.
Adam and Leah’s marital problems stemmed from losing focus on what was important. Adam was worried about finances and being a new father. Leah focused on her pregnancy discomfort and began to be selfish and ill tempered. When faced with the possibility of losing one another their priorities became very clear. I was reminded of how we lose focus of Christ, during the Christmas season. He is the true reason to celebrate, yet people caught up in buying gifts, decorating, preparing special food; everything except the Child that was the greatest gift of all. He should always be our priority and focus.
Annie made a great sacrifice to stay with her sister in law. She spent many days away from her husband whom she missed and loved. She sat long hours caring for Leah and keeping her company. The Amish community made sacrifices of time and possessions to help earn money for the young couple’s medical bills. This time of year the greatest sacrifice ever made began with the birth of Jesus. God sent His only Son to begin life on earth only to give it up for us.
I enjoyed the examples the women shared to illustrate Galatians 22 -23. It gave me the idea to do the same thing. I plan to find nine examples of each “fruit” from people and situations from my own life. This would be a great thing to do in a group as a Bible study too!
There are more examples I found, those were just a few. How many can you find?
A wonderful heartwarming book! This is the first of Ms. Chapman’s I have read and I look forward to reading more!
I received this book free from Abingdon Press. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

This is the first book in this series I have read, but the story didn’t leave me missing anything from the previous books. Beverly Lewis is on my favorite authors list. I have never read one of her books I didn’t enjoy.
The story line was very different. While so many stories involve Amish who want to leave the life and become “Englishers”, this one is about an “Englisher” that to wanted to leave the world and become Amish!
From the time she was young, Jenny Burns had been drawn to the Amish faith. Everything about them and their way of life deeply touched her. The wealthy, materialistic, fast paced life of Jenny’s family always left her at odds with them and not fitting in. This made her long for the simple life even more.
After corresponding for many years with an Amish friend, Marnie, she met on vacation; she feels she is ready to make the move. She saves her money, sells her earthly possessions, and quits her job. Marnie arranges for her aunt and uncle, the Lapps, to welcome her into their home and help her during her year of “Proving”.
Being a “seeker”, someone from outside desiring to become a church member, the community meets her with distrust or open arms, there doesn’t seem to be a happy medium. Jenny struggles to adapt, learning the language and all the skills she must have to be a true Amish woman. While she is very happy, she finds the way of life more difficult than she thought, but most of all her image of the Amish people being “perfect” is shattered. She finds they are just as human as she is.
Accidentally she stumbles on a secret of another’s that she would have to reveal when she joined the church or she would not be holding true to the Ordnung. That combined with her homesickness for her family, whom she never thought she’d miss nor would miss her, makes her begin to question if she can stay. She had grown to love the people and one young man in particular. What should she do? The ending has an unexpected twist!
I always enjoy the details about daily Amish life but this book gave me something extra. It looked not only into the hearts and minds of the Amish characters but also through the eyes someone outside of the faith seeing it from the inside for the first time. I look forward to reading the other books in this series.
I received this book free from Bethany House Publishers. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255

Taste of Home has done it again! Another fantastic cookbook and great value! This hardback cookbook is a great addition to my collection. Taste of Home cookbooks are a favorite of mine. I can use the recipe knowing they have been thoroughly tested to make sure all runs smoothly in my preparation. I especially like this because I am not wasting my time or food investment throwing out a recipe “flop”.
Taste of Home Recipes Across America opens the door to a whole new experience in learning about and cooking family favorites from different regions in the U.S. that is different from your own. This way I won’t get in a rut of just “southern” cooking. I love the fact that the recipes come from 100’s of other cooks just like me all across the U.S., not just recipes from one person. This adds so much variety and creativity for my meals!
Northeast, South, Midwest, Southwest, West Regions are well represented with Main dishes, Sides and More, and Sweets. The color pictures of recipes are excellent. Recipe lay outs are easy to read and follow. I enjoyed the “dishing out about food” boxes on the pages that interesting information and history on different foods. Also included are color pictures from each region highlighting yearly special events and locations in those areas. This cookbook would be fun just to curl up in a chair with and browse through. There is so much to read and see!
The back of the book had two handy indexes. One listed the recipes in alphabetical order. The other was quite extensive and you could find the recipe by ingredient, regions, and type (appetizers, etc.). Finding it by ingredient is a bonus for me because I might have unthawed chicken and can’t decide what to fix, or I am craving something with eggplant and haven’t a clue what to make. These features make the cookbook very user friendly. Positively a cookbook you will want to own!
I received this book free from FBS Media. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

Here is the perfect gift for the preschooler in your life! The cover is softly padded and washable with sturdy pages, making it perfect for those times when you snuggle together with your little one to share about God. I really liked the concept of “Teddy and me”. Most children have their favorite stuffed animal that is a comforting companion and very important to the child. The idea of this favorite “friend” sharing a special time is very appealing to children.
Old and New Testament stories are both included. Simple concepts and short stories make it easy for a young child to understand and help with short attention spans.
Engaging, colorful illustrations with the characters having a childlike quality, helps young ones further relate to the stories. At the end of each story is a rhyming poem or prayer related to the story’s lesson, and of course a picture of a child with their beloved Teddy bear. Not only do children love rhyming but it helps them to memorize and remember material.
This book is an excellent way to start a child on the way to loving God’s Word and understanding His love and care for them. The short prayers are a wonderful tool in teaching them they can talk to God. It is a beautiful book for the family library!
I received this book free from Kregel Publishers. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

This is a remarkable story and beautifully written. I can tell it came straight from Mrs. Campbell’s heart. In her midwife career and still a very young woman, Catherine Campbell was called upon to care for a severely handicap newborn until it died. She put her heart into it, showing all the love and compassion a heart could hold in giving this precious child comfort in its last days. Little did she know, the child she was carrying would face not days but years of suffering, and not only one, but two of her children.
Her first daughter Cheryl was born with microcephaly, rare neurological condition where the baby’s brain does not grow. After 7 months of denying something was wrong the diagnosis hit her like a freight train. Her baby would never be normal. She was blind, could not speak, walk or talk, or even be able to know her mother and father. Her husband was a pastor and she was a strong Christian, but in the face of this devastating news, she struggled with her faith in God. She continued to seek Him and He gave her the strength and peace she needed.
Their 2nd child was a healthy little boy, Paul, but their third child, Joy, also had microcephaly. She was stretched to the limit caring for 3 children, two of which needed round the clock care and were very sick. She worked hard at giving Paul the time and love he needed while meeting the many other health complications and challenges of her daughters. Cheryl lived until she was 13 and Joy until she was 10.
While it might seem like this book was depressing, but it was not. Yes, it was very sad, but the hope and peace of God rang loud and clear throughout it. It was very inspirational.
I loved the way Mrs. Campbell called the promises God gave her in His Word as “rainbows”, referring to the rainbow of promise after the flood of Noah. She did not sugar coat any of her heartaches or doubts. Her honesty helped me relate to the very human emotions and thoughts we have when faced with overwhelming loss in our lives, no matter how strong a Christian we are.
I was blessed to see how she valued her daughters. She did not look at them as burdens or children that should never have been born, but each one as person in their own right. She saw their lives with purpose and significance no matter how different it might be from others. This is how we should view all life given by God. Having lost my husband recently, I treasured the scriptures and poems she shared. Our losses were very different but there are certain common denominators in all grief that I related to. This book gave me courage for the road ahead that I face. I had been struggling in spending time in the Word since my husband died. She shared that was something she made sure she did daily to receive the strength and peace she needed. That spoke volumes to me and I now purpose to do the same.
No this story didn’t have a happy ending but it was an incredible testimony of God’s power and love working through a willing and submitting vessel. My heart is so full after reading this book, not with sorrow but with joy. There is so much more I could share. I strongly encourage everyone to read it, especially if you in a valley of life right now and questioning God. Thank you Mrs. Campbell for this wonderful book!
I received this book free from Kregal Publications. I was not required to write a positive review and the opinions I have expressed are my own.
Please visit the author’s website at http://www.catherine-campbell.com to learn more about her and her other books.

The Title of this book hit straight home with me as I was asking myself the very same thing after my husband died suddenly. “Where do I go from here?” Even more so, “How do I go on from here?” The change was definitely unwanted but I had no clue on how to go on boldly. Mrs. Neff understood as not only had she faced being a widow, but many, many more painful life altering experiences.
Her message was something that I definitely needed. She understood the path I have so unwillingly been placed upon. She not only understands but has traveled it ahead of me and come out on the other side! This gives me hope! It not only covers the loss of a loved one but other defeats people face. While losses may differ coping with each one is much the same. The author gives you the bare bones tools to help yourself move ahead and let God lead.
I have been reading many books on the death of a spouse, but this one was different. Mrs. Neff doesn’t just share the details of her hardships but also the healthy biblical way to look at them. She covers emotional, mental, and even physical pitfalls to watch out for. I liked the way she directly addresses wrong mindsets and ideas a grieving person accepts.
The book is filled with wonderful illustrations and biblical truths to guide you in the new way of thinking you need to embrace. I found it uplifting and refreshing. Even though my loss is so new and fresh, I got a glimpse that there is a future ahead for me. I realized that God still has a plan for me and will work that plan, but it is my choice as to whether allow Him to. While I would not make all the choices the author did in her life, the basic truths and skills she shared can be applied to anyone’s life. I am still grieving deeply but this book gave me a light at the end of the tunnel, and the hope of moving forward one small step at a time. A very different book on loss!
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Moody Publishers in exchange for my honest review. I am not required to write a positive review.

Okay I have to make room for another book on my bookshelf! This one is a keeper. It is one I will reread and study many times over. When I first read the title I thought, “Okay another pie in the sky, Pollyanna book about how to be happy.” I was so wrong!
The author does not promise some quick fix ideas to a happy life that everyone would like to find. I liked this as I do not believe there are any. Instead he turns to God’s word and opens the door to what true happiness and how to achieve it realistically, God’s way.
I liked his honesty in the fact that happiness doesn’t consist of our mood or circumstances. In fact, it means facing some hard truths, biblical and personal truths about ourselves and our relationship with God.
He uses the Bible story of Joseph’s life and all the mistreatment, setbacks, heartaches and tragedies he faced and overcame by relying on God. I have always found these scriptures inspiring and encouraging but Mr. Giovannetti opened my eyes to even more lessons and truths. There are many more scriptures and Bible examples to study and “renew” your mind. The eleven “secrets” aren’t secrets at all but “meat” right from God’s Word that presented in a new way. He helped me see that in trying to obtaining happiness the worlds’ way, we are working against God, and then shares how to work with Him.
I loved the stories he shared about people today and his personal testimonies. I was pleasantly surprised at the delightful humor throughout the book. This book was a double blessing to me. Not just in the sound Bible teaching and inspiration but with having just lost my husband it is an encouragement in finding true happiness with the Lord. A book you WILL want to read.
I received this book free from Bethany House Publishers. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.