Book Review: Simon and the Easter Miracle by Mary Joslin

About the Book:
The gospels tell of Simon of Cyrene--"a man coming in from the country"--who was ordered to carry Jesus' cross. Over the centuries, his story has been woven into a Polish folktale. In the tradition of The Three Trees, this folk tale gives a fresh perspective on the Easter story.

When Simon the farmer brings his wares to market, little does he expect how he will be involved in the events of that very special day, nor how his items--bread, eggs, and wine--will become important symbols of Jesus' passion and resurrection, remembered throughout the ages.

About the Author:
Mary Joslin, published exclusively by Lion, is known for her children's books on belief and spirituality. Her books, which include The Story of the Cross and On That Christmas Night, have sold more than 200,000 copies.

About the Illustrator:
Anna Luraschi, has illustrated a number of books for Usborne.


Oh, how excited I was for Simon and the Easter Miracle to arrive - and oh, how disappointed I was with it. The illustrations are absolutely lovely, but the story, honestly, is terribly written.

The story starts off with Simon, a farmer of sorts, coming into the city to sell his items at the market. He is distracted by guards beating a man who is carrying a cross. (Side note: while I think it's important - when telling the Easter story to children - to make a point of telling them how Jesus was treated, I was not impressed at the presentation of his treatment, either. But, moving on...) The guards then bark at Simon for HIM to carry the man's cross. Before obliging, he asks the man (Jesus - though the story NEVER ONCE clarifies that this is who the man is) what is his crime for deserving such treatment? The man shrugs and replies "for preaching a message of peace." Really? He's being beaten and tortured and he's THAT blase about the whole situation? 'Meh - just preaching peace. No big deal.' *shrug*

At this point, we fast forward to the Crucifixion. Simon hears some people crying, others yelling, cheering, demanding Christs' death... So what does Simon do? He runs away. He runs to his food that he had come to sell at the market, and discovers that it is all ruined and that he has lost his day at the market, and any money he might have made that day.

Let me reiterate what just happened: Simon was more upset about the money he lost than the man he had just witnessed being beaten and crucified.

At this point, I'm going to let another reviewer explain what happens, because I think they hit the nail on the head:

Simon goes home, eggs break open, and doves fly around...and Simon knows doves are the symbol of peace, "And God blesses all those who work for peace." Easter is all about working for world peace? No explanation of eggs as symbols of resurrection..new life from the tomb? What about the spilt wine? No mention of Christ's saving blood. What about the trampled bread? No mention of the bread of life, the Body of Christ.

The other supposed miracle is "when he returned to work he noticed how quickly spring had warmed his new season's crops." I kept looking for a missed page, thinking, that's it? The other miracle is that spring comes? No mention of the symbolism of new life there either.

Exactly. No life changing realizations, no emotions, nothing. And worse? That where the book ends! Abruptly. No 'wrap-up'. Just 'spring came. The end.' When we read the last page, my 4 year old asked 'is that it?' I said it was and he asked if I'd missed a page. It felt like it, but no. He looked at me, with a very puzzled expression, said 'Oh.' and just turned around and walked away. It just wasn't a story that we could connect with at all.... which is sad.

I've only done this one other time here, and I truly hate to do it, but I don't think I'd recommend this book to anyone. The illustrations were beautiful, but the story was terrible. I think that, especially for the Easter story, there are MANY books that are far better.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher, Kregel Publications. 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: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Paleo Chocolate Pudding

I'm a day late (sorry!), but here it is. Behold it... it is glorious.

Paleo Chocolate Pudding
1/4 c. coconut palm sugar
1/4 c. arrowroot starch
2 T. cocoa powder (If you dare, go with the 'Special Dark' kind)
pinch of salt
2 c. coconut milk (the stuff in the cans - not the cartons!)
4 egg yolks
2 T. coconut oil
1 t. vanilla extract (you could totally use coconut extract here - I bet it'd be awesome!)
3 oz. (by weight) chocolate chips (optional, but good)



Directions:
1. Set a fine-mes sieve over a medium sized bowl. In a medium saucepan, whisk together the sugar, starch, cocoa, and salt. Gradually whisk in the coconut milk, then the egg yolks.

2. Cook the mixture over medium heat, whisking constantly, until thickened to the consistency of mayonnaise, 7-8 minutes. Continue to cook, whisking, 1 minute more. Remove from heat and push through the fine-meshed sieve using a rubber spatula to help. Add the coconut oil (and chocolate chips, if using) and stir until melted and well combined. Mix in vanilla.

3. Press a piece of plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the pudding and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Before serving, gently stir to loosen it.

Serve with coconut milk 'whipped cream' and/or shredded coconut.

Yummy! Enjoy!

Oh... I'm a genius.

For reals. Yes, I know it's taboo to type stuff like that when you homeschool your kids. People read it and jump to conclusions. But, seriously, I've hit on a winner here.

Tonight, I saw a recipe for 'The Best Chocolate Pudding Ever' in Real Simple Magazine. It looked good, but since I seem to have that whole can't-follow-a-recipe problem, I decided to change it and just see what happened.

I subbed almost every ingredient for something else. I'm a rebel like that. Whole Milk? Nah... coconut milk sounds better. white sugar? Nope. Coconut sugar for me. Butter? Hey, let's go with this whole coconut thing and use coconut oil for that. Cornstarch? What?! THAT's not Paleo! Gotta go with the arrowroot starch. Regular cocoa powder? Not for this chocolate lovin' girl! Dutch processed special dark would be SO much better!

Seriously guys. It's unbelievable.

I'll share the recipe tomorrow (neener-neener!)

Night! (*slurp*)

Paleo Apple Crisp... yummy.

I love apple crisp. Like, so much so that it might be a little bit unnatural. I've run across tons and tons of Gluten Free and/or Paleo recipes for various crisps over the last 2 years. Most were good, a few were not, but I never really found one that was... it. Until yesterday.

Yesterday I found the blog I Cook Free COMPLETELY by accident (Side note: FANTASTIC blog - go check it out). Then I noticed that she had a Paleo Apple Crisp Recipe that looked pretty close to what I had been going for. I gathered my ingredients and went to work...

Now, here's the thing, I'm completely incapable of actually following a recipe. No matter what recipe it is, I have this bizarre urge to change something and make it my own. Which is exactly what I did here.

It. Was. Awesome.

The filling was sweet, but not too sweet. The topping wasn't spongy and weird - it actually had a bit of crunch! And that's when I decided: it must be shared.

I apologize for my lack of food photography skills.

Paleo Apple Crisp 

Filling:
6 apples, sliced (peel if you want, but I never do)
1/2 t. cinnamon
1/2 t. pumpkin pie spice
1/4 c. coconut sugar (you could also sub honey, agave, maple syrup or plain white sugar)
1 T. arrowroot starch (you can sub cornstarch if you aren't worried about being a Paleo purist)
1/4 c. liquid (apple juice, cider, water, lemon juice... whatever you have will be just fine)
1 t. vanilla
pinch of salt

Topping:
1/4 c. coconut oil and/or butter, melted (I used a combo)
1/2 c. almond flour
1/4 c. milled flax seed (I prefer golden flax)
1 T. coconut flour
1/2 c. unsweetened dessicated coconut (feel free to just use shredded coconut for this)
1 T. vanilla
1 t. cinnamon
pinch of salt

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Grease 8 or 9" square pan with coconut oil or butter.
3. Mix together all filling ingredients and place in pan.
4. Mix together all topping ingredients and crumble on top of filling.
5. Bake for approximately 45 minutes, or until filling is bubbly and top is browned.

Enjoy!

Why I Will NEVER Shop at Target Again

So, here's the thing. I don't shop much for things other than food (gluten free by necessity and paleo by choice means that my grocery budget is sometimes cringe-worthy). When I stumble on a deal on something that I actually NEED, I seriously get almost giddy.

On September 26th, I got an email from Pinching Your Pennies (do you get their daily email? You should... they rock) alerting me to a 2-for-1 deal on some jeans at Target. As I was down to ONE PAIR OF PANTS, I literally squealed out loud and hopped on over to Target's website.

I found the jeans that were advertised, and they looked great. Unfortunately I couldn't find a size chart ANYWHERE, so I had to guess which size to get based on the jeans I was wearing (remember - only pair I had at the time).

Fast forward to October 5th. My jeans arrived (yay!) and I excitedly took them out of the box only to immediately recognize that they were not going to fit (boo!). I needed the next size. I carefully folded them back up and put them back into the bag in which they had arrived, and placed both pairs of jeans, my receipt, and the packing slip back into the box. I moped out to my car and put them into my trunk so that I could go return them.

I had back to back out of town visitors, so I didn't get to Target until October 19th. I arrived and walked to the Service counter thinking the whole process would be quick and painless and I'd quickly be on my way. WRONG! Target could not locate my order - using the receipt, packing slip, my address, phone number, credit card, or order number - AND they could not find the item in their database. An hour and a half later, I was told that there was nothing that they could do and my only recourse was to mail the jeans back to Target and wait for a refund to be issued.

I spent the following 2 weeks on vacation out of state, so when I returned and life got back to normal, I decided to go online to get a return shipping label. Unfortunately, their automated process kept giving me errors and was unable to locate the order and give me a return label, so on November 11th I had to call customer service.

After spending an hour on the phone with Target's customer service, and being told that they were having a myriad computer problems that prevented them from getting their requests for return labels to go through, I finally reached a representative that apparently possessed Magic Computer Abilities and was successful in her endeavor. I received a return label by email.

I mailed the jeans back to Target on November 17th.

On December 16th, I checked my bank account for the umpteenth time and, much to my dismay, found that I had still not received a refund for the 2 pairs of jeans I had mailed back a month before. Feeling somewhat frustrated by this, I decided to call Target customer service.

I spoke to a very nice girl by the name of Rachel who informed me that it was highly unusual that the refund was taking so long, and informed me that she was going to return the entire order amount to me for my trouble, and was going to 'push it through' the system. I was told that my refund should be in my bank account in 5-10 business days. Great.

Well, what'd'ya know, on January 5th I checked my bank account (again) and there STILL was no refund. Bummer. So, I called Target customer service yet again. This time was super fun. The customer service representative informed me that they were experiencing some 'technical issues' involving my account and that for 'some reason', my refund would not go through. I was informed that on January 3rd, Target's Order Research Team had submitted a research order to look into what was causing the delay in issuing my refund. I ask to speak to someone in the Order Research department, and connected. There, they reaffirm the earlier explanation and inform me that I should hear from them by the following day (January 6th). They also offered me a $50 Target gift card (in lieu of a refund), which was laughable.

I agree to wait and see if their Order Research Team  will, in fact, call.

Surprise! They don't.

On January 13th I reluctantly decide to call Target's Customer Service AGAIN. This time is even more fun-filled than the last! I am told that the financial department 'froze my account' due to the number of failed refund attempts (2) due to 'technical issues'. This is awesome, because what this basically means is that Target can't figure out their own computer system, so they've decided to punish ME and hold MY MONEY while they try to figure it out.

I eventually have the opportunity to speak with a representative in the financial department and am informed that this 'freeze' is in fact due to the ongoing research of the Order Research Team, who elevated the requested research order on January 9th. I ask why I was never contacted, despite requesting so twice and being informed once that I would be, but they have no explanation. They again offer $50 gift card in lieu of refund. (Um, NO.) They again tell me that it shouldn't realistically be more than another week.

So, here we stand today, January 22nd, more than TWO MONTHS after I mailed the 2 pairs of jeans back to Target. I've spent over 5 hours of my life on the phone with their customer service team. I still have not been contacted by anyone from Target, I still have not received a refund. Yesterday, January 21st, I decided that my only choice was to file an official complaint with the Better Business Bureau against Target. I guess we'll just have to wait and see what happens.

I've posted a bit of my story on Target's 'fan page' on Facebook, with some feedback (though no hint at any resolution).

I'll keep everyone updated, but rest assured, you will never, ever, catch me spending my money with that company ever again.

Why I Wont Eat Non-Organic Potatoes - A Short & Sweet Explanation

We rarely eat potatoes - even though I LOVE them. I have a plethora of reasons for this - the overabundance of starches and carbohydrates in the Standard American Diet, the way they make me feel overfull and sluggish, the fact that every good way to eat them requires massive amounts of calorie and fat-laden ingredients to be piled atop (and OH, how I LOVE those calorie and fat-laden ingredients!) But the main reason we don't eat non-organic potatoes (when we eat them at all) - and why you shouldn't either? Because they're root vegetables! Allow me to explain.

Root vegetables absorb every chemical that is put into the soil around them. Most of the time we eat either the leaves or the 'fruit' of a plant. Even if they are treated with fertilizers and/or chemicals, the majority of the bad stuff is stored in the plants' roots. In the ground. Where we don't EAT IT.

When you eat a potato - or carrots, turnips, radishes, or yams - you are eating the ROOT of the plant. The very part of the plant that absorbs all of those nasty chemicals. There have been studies that have shown that root vegetables that have been grown with all of those chemicals actually have incredibly high concentrations of them INSIDE the vegetable. No amount of washing or peeling is going to fix that! As a result, I spring for organic on the rare occasion that we eat them. 

There are several other foods that we don't touch. This article touches on a few of them (and freaked me out about a few more). I suggest a quick read.

I'm still here.

The last 6 months have been... hard. Very hard. While most of the hard stuff has been good (at least in the end), some has tested my mental, physical and emotional limits to my absolute core.

In April we found that we would be relocating to another state for my husbands' employer. While we were very excited about this, moving is extremely stressful. It was also a corporate relocation, which is monetarily fantastic, but you have a LOT of people with their 'hands in the pot'. This makes it a LOT more stressful. We had relocation liasons, realtors, inspectors (4 different ones!), loan officers, etc. And everyone wanted to talk to us or have us fill out paperwork or meet with them RIGHT NOW.

3 weeks after we found we were moving, I found that I was pregnant. I'll be honest, I wasn't very happy about this. The timing was awful and I felt terribly overwhelmed. I develop hyperemesis gravidarum when pregnant (the entire 9 months) and just functioning is a trial. My daughter was only 17 months old at the time and I felt pretty panicked when I thought about having a 4.5 year old, a barely 2 year old and a newborn a week before Christmas... mere months after moving to a new place where I didn't know a soul.

I eventually told myself to suck it up and make the best of it. No sense in dwelling on something that I had no control over. Be happy and figure it out as you go, right?

So my husband and I started house hunting and preparing for our move. I was focusing on finding a house that would work for our soon-changing family dynamic and actually started to get a little bit excited about a warm, tiny cuddly baby again.

Then I had my first OB appointment and everything fell apart. I went through the appointment with the usual 'congratulations' at every step and then went for a preliminary ultrasound to confirm how far along I was. All I wanted was to hear that there was only one baby. What I got was far different news.

My baby was anencephalic. You can do an internet search if you'd like, but in short, it didn't have a brain. There was also no heartbeat and it looked as though my baby had died about 5 days earlier - when I was looking at houses and trying to visualize a nursery for my cuddly new baby. I was also 2 days shy of 11 weeks along, which is a bit farther along than normal to lose a baby. I dissolved... and then I drove the 25 miles back to my home to cook dinner, trying all along to keep it together in front of my kids.

The next few days were a blur. I'll spare you the details, but I had to have a D&C (terrifying and heartbreaking), in which they missed some 'tissue'. I then got to experience the horror of a miscarriage anyway - at 3 am, by myself, while my husband was out of town and my children slept.

8 days later was moving day.

I numbly went through the motions of moving my family into a corporate apartment, and tried to quickly claim some semblance of normalcy and peace in my life. Sometimes it was ok, and a lot of the time it wasn't. Over the next 2 months we sold our old home, closed on a new one and moved for the 2nd time in 8 weeks. I also started a new work at home job and got back on track with my sons homeschooling.

We've now been in our new house for 2 months. Our things are unpacked and (mostly) put away. We've fallen back into a routine and life seems comfortable again. My kids love their new rooms, and I love my screened in porch (and the view of my 15 partially forested acres I look out at from it).

I still struggle a bit with the emotions of the roller coaster that the last 6 months has been. I still feel a little beaten up. I do know that everything will be okay. I also know that in spite of the bad that we've gone through recently, I'm blessed. God has been good.

I'm going to jump back into the saddle here again. I enjoy my blog. It brings me happiness to have this little thing that is mine. I have 6 or 7 book reviews coming (a backlog from the last 6 months), so stay tuned.

Super Easy Dairy Free Popsicles!

On Friday my son was BEGGING me for ice cream. We've been trying to eliminate dairy from his diet over the past 2 weeks due to some behavior issues that we're trying to take care of, so ice cream was obviously out of the question. I was racking my brain to figure out something fun for him... to no avail. Then I had an epiphany - Chocolate Almond Milk! Here is our creation - they're delicious!

Banana and Dark Chocolate Dairy Free Popsicles:
2 c. Dark Chocolate Almond Milk
1 ripe banana

Blend until smooth and pour into popsicle molds or small dixie cups (with popsicle sticks). Freeze for at least 6 hours, but preferably overnight. Enjoy!

Bloging for Books book review: 'The Dragon and the Turtle Go on Safari' by Donita K. Paul and Evangeline Denmark

Publishers' Description: 
Padraig the dragon and his best friend, Roger the turtle are determined to spend the whole night outside. As brave explorers at the base of Mount Sillymanborrow, the boys use their imaginations to have fun while munching on crunchy baked bugs and toasting s’mores over their campfire. But when the sky gets dark and the sounds of strange animals fill the forest outside their tent, their safari gets scary. This adventure is just what the boys need to discover that the dark might be frightening, but their friendship is stronger than fear.

This is the third book by Donita K. Paul that I've read, and I still love her. This book is a cute little follow up to the previous children's book about Padraig and Roger - 'The Dragon and the Turtle'.

In this story, Padraig and Roger decide to go on safari to Mount Sillymanborrow. During their expedition, they discover wild animals and eat bugs and S'mores while battling their fear of the dark. While they exchange stories over the campfire, Roger does his best to calm Padraig's fears and encourage him to stay all night outside under the stars. Because of Roger's friendship, the two manage to brave the wilds all the way until morning.

I thought this story was a nice one - as did my (almost) 4 year old son - but I did find it a tad long. I suppose this is really because my child is younger and I suspect that it will cease being an issue in another year or two. I also found the British English a little distracting. I didn't notice it being used in the first book, so I was surprised that it was so prevalent in this one. I don't necessarily dislike it, it just took some getting used to. The illustrations are absolutely lovely - just like the first book.

All in all, great book - I'd rate it 4/5. I'd estimate the age range around 5-9, though it's perfectly readable for younger kids. You can pick it up on Amazon for under $10 - I say that's a good price for a kids book like this one.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the Blogging for Books book review bloggers program. 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: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Just to Let You Know I'm Still Alive

I've had to deal with some things in my normal 'real-world' life lately, and thus I've been unable to blog. I've got a backlog of books that I'll be bringing you reviews on over the next couple of weeks.  I also have decided that I am going to be posting more about our Gluten Free eating habits and recipes and about our homeschooling adventure. In fact, I've just finished selecting my son's Kindergarten curriculum which we *should* be starting in August.

Sit tight - I'm coming back!

Book Review: 'ABC is for Circus' by Patrick Hruby

Copyright: © Patrick Hruby 2010/Courtesy of www.ammobooks.com

Publishers' Book Description:
ABC IS FOR CIRCUS celebrates the colorful and festive world
of the circus through each letter of the alphabet. Young children
will enjoy memorizing letters and words like A is for Acrobats,
B is for Big Top, and C is for Calliope in this imaginative chunky
board book.
 
ABC IS FOR CIRCUS is an awesome addition to AMMO Books' artistcentric line of ABC books and is sure to delight an audience of children and adults alike.

'A' is for apple, 'B' is for ball, 'C' is for cat, blah, blah, blah... Most of us with children have a board book or two that sound very similar to that, right? I know I do - and I avoid reading them like the plague. This book? It's not like that. This book took some imagination. This book took more than 45 minutes looking for free-use clip art to put together. This book is original. This book... is magic.

I have a 3 year old son (he says he's not 3 - he's almost 4!) that has been a book lover since he was 6 months old and a 15 month old daughter that I can't, for the life of me, get to care at all about them. Until, that is, I got this one.

The day after 'ABC is for Circus' came in the mail, I sat down on the floor and pulled my daughter into my lap. She's a girl on the move, so she immediately tried to push me away and get back to whatever she thought was important at the time. I showed her the book - and she sat down and stared. 

By the time we got to 'C is for Calliope', she was hooked. We stopped on every page for a minute or so while she touched all of the shapes and colors with her chubby little fingers. I've never seen her that quiet for that long.

Then we came to the letter 'F'.  'F is for Fireworks'. People, she jumped out of my lap and started clapping when she saw the page. Seriously - you can't make that up.
 
Every page seemed to be better than the last. Every page a new buffet of color. More shapes, more imagination, more excitement.

She sang 'Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star' when we got to 'N is for Nightime'. She roared at the Tiger. She called the weightlifter 'Daddy' (heehee). And when we were done? When we were done she picked up the book, carried it to her room, and sat on her floor to look at it again.  That, for me, says it all.

If you know someone with children from birth to 5 and need a gift idea - get this book. If you are a parent that is bored to tears with the furry kitty cats and the unoriginal fluff - get this book. If you have an appreciation for kids books with modern illustrations and lots of color - get this book. You can get it on Amazon, or from AMMO Books. I promise you'll love it.

About the Author/Artist:
Los Angeles-based illustrator Patrick Hruby grew up in a log cabin within an Idaho forest. As a young boy he
dreamt of running away to join the circus and become a trapeze artist. Eventually, however, he grew up to
study math and physics before attending the renowned Art Center College of Design and pursuing a career
as an illustrator. His interest in the geometry of nature is central to his work.

Influenced by artists and designers such as Charley Harper, Paul Rand, and Mary Blair, Hruby has gone on
to develop his own stunning and modern aesthetic. Hruby’s clients include The New York Times Magazine,
Playboy Jazz Festival, Varsity Pictures, and Brand New School. CMYK Magazine recently named him one of their Top 100 New Creatives

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher, AMMO Books. 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: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Next Book Review: 'ABC is for Circus' by Patrick Hruby

Publishers' Book Description:
ABC IS FOR CIRCUS celebrates the colorful and festive world
of the circus through each letter of the alphabet. Young children
will enjoy memorizing letters and words like A is for Acrobats,
B is for Big Top, and C is for Calliope in this imaginative chunky
board book.
 
ABC IS FOR CIRCUS is an awesome addition to AMMO Books' artistcentric line of ABC books and is sure to delight an audience of children and adults alike.

Copyright: © Patrick Hruby 2010/Courtesy of www.ammobooks.com

I will be bringing you my review of this delightful childrens' board book on Friday. Keep a look out - I'll see you then!

Booksneeze Book Review: 'Fasting' by Scott Mcknight

Publishers' Book Description:
Building a body and mind that hungers for God.

Is the practice of faith centered solely on the spirit? Is the body an enemy, or can it actually play a role in our pursuit of God? In this installation of the Ancient Practices Series, Dr. Scot McKnight reconnects the spiritual and the physical through the discipline of fasting.

The act of fasting, he says, should not be focused on results or used as a manipulative tool. It is a practice to be used in response to sacred moments, just as it has in the lives of God's people throughout history. McKnight gives us scriptural accounts of fasting, along with practical wisdom on benefits and pitfalls, when we should fast, and what happens to our bodies as a result.

For those who have wondered how to grasp the value of this most misunderstood ancient practice, this book is a comprehensive guide.

A volume in the eight book classic series, The Ancient Practices, with a foreword by Phyllis Tickle, General Editor.

I wanted to like this book.  No, I wanted to love this book. It sounded absolutely fascinating to me and I couldn't wait to read it. My husband also wanted to read it and kept asking me to hurry up so it would be 'his turn'. Finally, this books' ticket came up and I dove in, eager to soak up everything Scott Mcknight had to offer. I gave up about halfway through - and my husband lasted about 40 pages. Neither one of us could finish it - although my husband says he may try again.

The book, to be perfectly honest, was one of the most dry, repetitive, and redundant books I've ever read. It had all of the potential in the world and it fell way short of expectations. It was very critical of the modern perceptions and treatment of fasting and, while I agreed with a good chunk of his positions, it came across as quite negative sometimes. That's not the feeling I would think you'd generally be going for when you're writing about something as spiritual in nature as this. Mr Mcknight also tended to repeat the same subject matter over and over in each chapter, adding very little new information - just re-formatting and repeating what had already been said. My opinion is that people could understand the main viewpoint from the book in the 2 page conclusion at the end.

As much as it pains me to write a bad review (and, I assure you, it does pain me), I can't help but be honest with you. I think this book is one that can be skipped. Now, in the spirit of full disclosure, I must tell you that according to the reviews on Amazon.com - I'm in the minority when it comes to my opinions on this book. As of the time this post is being written, 'Fasting' has 4 stars with 67 reviews.

What can I say? I've never been one that goes along with the crowd...

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. 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: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Litfuse Blog Tour: 'The Rhythm of Secrets' by Patti Lacy

Publishers' Book Description:

Since 1955, Sheila Franklin, a talented musician, has perfectly performed the role of devout pastor’s wife, locking away her past as Sheba Alexander and Sylvia Allen. Her carefully constructed façade crumbles with a single phone call from a young Marine named Samuel, the illegitimate son she secretly put up for adoption. Samuel begs Sheila to use her government contacts to get his fiancé, Mali, a Thai prostitute, into America. A dangerous mixture of love and guilt spurs her to help her only child even though it devastates her husband Edward and exposes her questionable past. After a quarrel with Edward, Sheila and Samuel board a C-130 for Thailand and then search Bangkok’s steamy streets for a Madonna-faced prostitute. The two whisk Mali from a brothel but are seized by a warlord who considers Mali his “number one girl.” In a teak “ghost house,” Sheila discovers God’s grace and gains the freedom she needs to find her own identity—Sheila, Sylvia, and Sheba. A framed story, this novel has roots in the bohemian 1940s New Orleans French Quarter and spans three decades, including the turbulent Vietnam era.

Rarely do you read a book that spurs emotion and sympathy for the characters. This book did just that.
  
I must admit, when I first started reading this book, I wasn't convinced. I had a hard time 'getting into it' at first. I would pick it up grudgingly and soldier on, but I just didn't want to read it. I recognized that the author was talented and the book was a good one - the problem was mine. I think that I just wasn't in the mood for such a 'heavy' book. I'm so glad that I kept with it. This book is one of the most brilliant, inspirational, emotional, honest, and unique books that I've read. Ever. Patti Lacy is a literary genius and I've become a fan for life. I think I may even re-read it when things slow down for me a bit. It's an astoundingly good book.

Most of the book is about Sheila's story - as she tells her son Samuel about her past and how they both got to the places in life that they are then.  Her story, wrought with tragedy and heartbreak, is a touching one. Watching the journey of learning, understanding and accepting God and his love is an emotional one under the best of circumstances. Watching Sheila's journey is awe inspiring. The reader can really feel every emotion that has wrenched at her heart over the three decades long battle for peace.

'The Rhythm of Secrets' is a poignant, detailed, well-written novel. Patti Lacy has a truly unique writing style that I really feel most people will enjoy. I will, without a doubt, be seeking out more of Lacy's work in the future. This is my most highly recommended book to date - and it can be purchased here. 

If you would like to read other reviews of this book, visit this website.

About the Author: 

Baylor graduate, taught community college humanities until God called her to span seas and secrets in her novels, An Irishwoman's Tale and What the Bayou Saw. She has two grown children and a dog named Laura. She and her husband can be seen jog-walking the streets of Normal, Illinois, an amazing place to live for a woman born in a car. For more information, visit Patti's website at www.pattilacy.com, her blog at www.pattilacy.com/blog, and her Facebook daily Artbites. Patti's longer bio here.  

Patti Lacy is celebrating the release of her latest book with a NOOK Giveaway, blog tour and Book Club Party!

Follow the blog tour and read the reviews!

Patti and her publisher, Kregel Publications, are giving away a NOOK prize package worth over $150 to one lucky winner!!!! 

Enter the Nook eReader Giveaway and you could win:

• A brand new Nook eReader with Wi-Fi
• $25 gift certificate to Barnes & Noble

To enter, simply click on the icons below to fill out the entry form/s, then tell 5 or more friends about the contest. Oh, and enter soon! Winner will be announced on February 16th at Patti's Rhythm of Secrets Facebook Party.

Patti will be announcing the winner of The Rhythm of Secrets NOOK giveaway at her Party on Facebook  February 16th! 

She’ll be hosting a book club discussion of The Rhythm of Secrets and giving away other fun prizes! (signed copies of her books and gift certificates to Barnes & Noble, Starbucks, & iTunes!). Don’t miss the fun at Patti’s FB Author Page on February 16th at 5pm PST ( 6 pm MST, 7 pm CST, & 8 pm EST)!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from LitFuse Publicity. 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: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Blogging for Books book review: 'The Dragon and the Turtle' by Donita K. Paul and Evangeline Denmark

Publishers' Book Description:
Friends come in all sizes, shapes, and colors. Sometimes they’re even dragons.

 Roger loves adventure. Today he’s playing pirate, sailing the high seas, dancing to the hornpipe, and catching fish. But the wind’s blown him off course and he’s . . . well . . . lost.

When Padraig, a kitten-sized, bug-eating dragon, encounters the lost turtle, he offers to help Roger find his way home. Roger’s directions take some time to follow—his house looks brown, sounds like singing, smells like baking, feels like sand, and tastes like strawberries—and along the way, Roger and Padraig become friends. And friendship always yields unexpected rewards. Like cookies.

I know, I know... I said I'd have this up yesterday. We had sick germs in our house. Those little beasts are not conducive to writing book reviews. I apologize for my tardiness, though. Without further adieu, the review (see how I get all fancy and rhyme when I feel bad?)

 I love, love, love this book. It's without question a total winner. It's written by Donita K. Paul - who wrote 'Two Tickets to the Christmas Ball', which I reviewed here - and her daughter, Evangeline Denmark, and it's illustrated by Vincent Nguyen.

Roger is a turtle who loves to imagine that he's a pirate (which is a common playtime theme with my son as well). He has all sorts of adventures in his little fantasy land, but on this particular day Roger realizes that he is lost. He's feeling a little nervous when who should show up but a small, bug-eating dragon named Padraig.

Padraig - kind, self-sacrificing dragon that he is - offers to help Roger find his house since he can fly up high and therefore cover ground (sky?) more quickly. Rogers' descriptions of home take some figuring out. His house looks brown, sounds like singing, smells like baking, feels like sand, and tastes like strawberries. Through much trial and error - and great patience and compassion - they finally find Rogers home. Once there, they are treated to a plateful of Chocolate Chip Snappers (which every pirate needs after a day of sailing the High Seas).

This book had so many wonderful teaching aspects that it's hard to know where to begin... You have character traits - patience, compassion, self-sacrifice, kindness, respect. You have the five senses - look, sound, smell, feel, taste. You could also use it to teach your child how they would describe their home to a stranger if they were lost, which is something they may not think about.

The illustrations are lovely. The characters look warm, friendly and happy. You don't see many dragons that look sweet! The pictures are somewhat fairy-tale like and the colors are rich, warm and comfortable. They were a perfect reflection of the sweet story.

My son loves this story. We've read it at least a dozen times over the last few weeks and he's dying to make the Chocolate Chip Snappers recipe in the back of the book (though we'll have to do some tweaking since it's obviously not a gluten free recipe). He also saw me looking at the next book by Donita K. Paul and Evangeline Denmark - 'The Dragon and the Turtle Go on Safari' - and is begging me to get it for him.

Two thumbs WAY up. Publishers' age recommendation is 4-8 and I'd agree with that. My 3 1/2 year old loves the book, but there are some subtleties that are lost on him so far. You can purchase it here.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the Blogging for Books book review bloggers program. 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: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

How flattering!

It was just brought to my attention that Craig Froman, author of 'Passport to the World' which I reviewed here, linked to my review on his Writer's Cafe page. How flattering for an author to want to showcase my review. I'm so honored. It really is an exceptional book and I feel privileged to have had the opportunity to review it.

Next Book Review: 'The Dragon and the Turtle' by Donita K. Paul and Evangeline Denmark

Publishers' Book Description:
Friends come in all sizes, shapes, and colors. Sometimes they’re even dragons.

 Roger loves adventure. Today he’s playing pirate, sailing the high seas, dancing to the hornpipe, and catching fish. But the wind’s blown him off course and he’s . . . well . . . lost.

When Padraig, a kitten-sized, bug-eating dragon, encounters the lost turtle, he offers to help Roger find his way home. Roger’s directions take some time to follow—his house looks brown, sounds like singing, smells like baking, feels like sand, and tastes like strawberries—and along the way, Roger and Padraig become friends. And friendship always yields unexpected rewards. Like cookies.

I  will have this book review up on Monday. It's really a lovely book. 

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the Blogging for Books book review bloggers program. 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: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Litfuse Blog Tour Book Review - With GIVEAWAY: 'The Search' by Suzanne Woods Fisher

For a list of other bloggers that are reviewing 'The Search by Suzanne Woods Fisher, you can find the Blog Tour schedule HERE.
Thank you to Revell/Litfuse for providing me with the review copy.

Publishers' Book Description:
Fifteen years ago, Lainey O'Toole made a split-second decision. She couldn't have known that her choice would impact so many. Now in her mid-twenties, she is poised to go to culinary school when her car breaks down in Stoney Ridge, the very Amish town in which her long-reaching decision was made, forcing her to face the shadowed past.

Bess Reihl is less than thrilled to be spending the summer at Rose Hill Farm with her large and intimidating grandmother, Bertha. It quickly becomes clear that she is there to work the farm--and work hard. The labor is made slightly more tolerable by the time it affords Bess to spend with the handsome hired hand, Billy Lapp. But he only has eyes for a flirty and curvaceous older girl.

Lainey's and Bess's worlds are about to collide and the secrets that come to light will shock them both.

Beautifully written, The Search is a skillfully woven story that takes readers through unexpected twists and turns on the long country road toward truth. Fans both old and new will find themselves immersed in this heartwarming--and surprising--tale of young love, forgiveness, and coming to grips with the past. 

Bess has basically been tricked into coming to Lancaster from her own Amish community in Ohio to take care of her grandmother that she thought was ill. Bertha was far from ill, she just had her own sneaky ways of getting what she wanted - time with her granddaughter, her son to come home, and for a big secret to be revealed so her family could heal.

I really enjoyed this book. I have to say, I've read several Amish fictions now, and I'm generally a little bit disappointed with them - they just tend to leave me unsatisfied for some reason. That was not the case with The Search. The characters were dynamic, the location was described vividly and the storyline, while dramatic, was believable. It had everything you could want - romance, mystery, heartbreak, excitement, joy... The book truly is superbly written.While this novel can definitely be read on its own, it’s the third in The Lancaster Series and I would recommend picking up the first two novels and start at the beginning.

About the Author:

In no particular order, Suzanne Woods Fisher is a wife, mother, writer, lifelong student of the Bible, raiser of puppies for Guide Dogs for the Blind, a gardener and a cook...the latter two with sporadic results.

Suzanne has loved to write since she was a young teen. After college, she started to write for magazines and became a contributing editor for Christian Parenting Today magazine. Her family moved to Hong Kong for four years, just as the internet was developing, and she continued to write articles in a 44-story high-rise apartment, sending manuscripts 7,000 miles away with a click of a key.

After returning from Hong Kong, Suzanne decided to give her first novel a try. For four and a half months, she worked on an antediluvian computer in a cramped laundry room. She didn't even tell her husband what she was up to. When the novel was completed, she told her family at dinner one night that she had written a book. "That's why there's no food in this house!" said her slightly insensitive sons.

Undaunted...Suzanne found a small royalty publisher for that book and wrote three more (all earned multiple awards). With help from an agent, she now has numerous  books under contract with Revell. Also look for Suzanne's Amish non-fiction, Amish Peace: Simple Wisdom for a Complicated World, a non-fiction book of stories and examples about the Old Order Amish, as well as Amish Proverbs, and coming in Spring of 2011, look for Amish Values for Your Family. The Choice and The Waiting are the previous books in the Lancaster County Secrets Collection.

Writing, for Suzanne, is a way to express a love of God and His word. With every book or article, she hopes readers get a sense of what faith really looks like in the daily grind. She hopes they realize that life can be hard, but God is good, and never to confuse the two.

Suzanne can be found on-line at: www.suzannewoodsfisher.com

About the Contest:
Suzanne Woods Fisher's latest installment of the Lancaster County Secrets, The Search,  is just out and to celebrate Suzanne is hosting The Search iPad Giveaway!

One Grand Prize winner will receive an iPad Prize Package worth over $500 and includes:

• A brand new iPad (16KB with Wi-Fi)
• Signed copies of all three Lancaster Country Secrets books (The Choice, The Waiting, & The Search)

To enter, simply click on the icons below to fill out the entry form/s, then tell 5 or more friends about the contest. Oh, and enter soon! Winner will be announced on February 3rd at Suzanne's Everything is Coming Up Roses Facebook Party. (Did you know The Search takes place on a rose farm?)

 

Facebook Party:

Join Suzanne for the Everything is Coming Up Roses Facebook Party on February 3rd! She’ll be announcing the winner of the The Search iPad Giveaway, hosting a book club discussion of The Search, giving away copies of all three books and HEAPS of other readerly prizes! Including roses delivered to your door for three months for you AND a friend! Be sure to join us on Thursday, February 3rd at 5:00 PM PST (6:00 MST, 7:00 CST & 8 EST) at Suzanne’s Author Page. 

Other Bloggers that are reviewing this book Today: 

Jenifer @ Parris Ponderings                

http://www.jmparris.blogspot.com                 

Janet @ Janet at Home Is Where God Sends You

http://www.homeiswhereGodsendsyou.blogspot.com             

Jennifer @ Mrs. Q: Book Addict       

http://web.me.com/quirion               

Paula @ Thrifty mommas brain food

http://www.thriftymommasbrainfood.blogspot.com/               

Thanks for stopping by!