tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-88904096250489768892024-02-06T19:51:28.014-08:00From the BookshelfSandrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00448386993712122412noreply@blogger.comBlogger13125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8890409625048976889.post-61819780345464432202014-11-21T21:32:00.001-08:002014-11-21T21:32:41.704-08:00Fried & True - Delicious Fried Chicken<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<i>Whether you prefer it cold out of the fridge or hot and crispy on a buttery biscuit, you will find your new favorite fried chicken recipe in Fried & True, serving up more than 50 recipes for America's most decadently delicious food. Lee Schrager has left no stone unturned in his quest to find America's best fried chicken. From four-star restaurants to roadside fry shacks, you'll learn how to brine your bird, give it a buttermilk bath, batter or even double batter it, season with loads of spices, and fry it up to golden perfection.</i><br />
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The hardest part about this book was trying to figure out which recipe to try first. It is filled with delicious fried chicken recipes, of all sorts and versions and ways to fry.<br />
<br />
I was just gobsmacked and totally drooling.<br />
<br />
Imagine if you will, a trip through the USA, stopping at some of the biggest cities and really looking into what their interpretation of Fried Chicken is. <br />
<br />
I loved seeing how every single State does it a little different, adds their specific ingredients or side dishes and really kicks up plain old fried chicken.<br />
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I can't wait to get in there and try some of the recipes, I believe this may just make a fry cook out of me.Sandrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00448386993712122412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8890409625048976889.post-76790323093130134892014-08-21T09:13:00.000-07:002014-08-21T09:13:56.697-07:00My Irish Table by Cathal Armstrong and David Hagedorn<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The debut cookbook from Cathal Armstrong featuring 130 recipes showcasing modern Irish fare, along with stories about Armstrong's journey from Dublin to Washington, DC, and becoming an internationally recognized four-star chef, the owner of seven successful food and drink establishments, and a leader in the sustainable-food movement.<br />
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With its moderate climate and amazing natural resources, Ireland is a modern-day Eden, boasting lush, bountiful produce, world-renowned dairy, plentiful seafood, and grass-fed meats. In <i>My Irish Table</i>, sustainable food movement leader and four-star chef Cathal Armstrong celebrates the food of his homeland and chronicles his culinary journey from Dublin to Washington DC, where he runs seven beloved and critically lauded restaurants.<br />
Featuring 130 delicious recipes—from Kerrygold Butter-Poached Lobster with Parsnips to Irish Stew, Shepherd’s Pie, and Mam’s Apple Pie—<i>My Irish Table</i> draws on Armstrong’s Irish upbringing as well as his professional experience and French culinary training. In his hands, Irish food is comforting yet elegant, rustic yet skillful, and <i>My Irish Table</i> invites you into his kitchen to explore the vibrant traditions and rich culinary landscape of the Emerald Isle.<br />
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<b>Where to Purchase:</b><br />
Amazon - Kindle: $16.14 Hardcover: $24.92<br />
<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1607744309/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1607744309&linkCode=as2&tag=notstarvingye-20" id="static_txt_preview" style="font-size: 90%;" target="_blank">My Irish Table: Recipes from the Homeland and Restaurant Eve</a></span> <br />
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<br />
I love food, I love cooking, and above all, I love cookbooks.<br />
<br />
This one just had to be part of my kitchen, and I'm thrilled that I got a chance to review it.<br />
<br />
Filled with interesting tidbits and background on the author, where he came from, how he got into the food business and became an internationally acclaimed chef. <br />
<br />
Combining these two things, I was able to sit down and actually read the cookbook from cover to cover, not only enjoying the story behind it, but the beautiful photography and the delicious recipes it contains.<br />
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Best part? Recipes made from scratch, and I mean absolute scratch. Want to enjoy Corned Beef for St. Patrick's Day? He teaches you how to do that, from the cut of beef to how to cure it. Same with boiled bacon.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/sillybugs/13269160595/" title="Slow Cooked Corned Beef and Cabbage by jasnicmommy, on Flickr"><img alt="Slow Cooked Corned Beef and Cabbage" height="427" src="http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2859/13269160595_9f5778c7f3_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Another favorite of mine is Irish Soda Bread. Yum!!!<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/sillybugs/8566380928/" title="Irish Soda Bread by jasnicmommy, on Flickr"><img alt="Irish Soda Bread" height="427" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8369/8566380928_9faee9f348_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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There are quite a few other recipes that I want to try, I've actually sat down and jotted all the recipes and page numbers, and I think I may have one from pretty much every page. I can't wait.<br />
<br />
If you're looking for a cookbook that you will truly enjoy, not only for it's contents but for the sheer beauty of it, then this is it.<br />
<br />
For more information, <a href="http://www.randomhouse.com/book/221216/my-irish-table-by-cathal-armstrong-and-david-hagedorn">go here</a>. <br />
For the author's bio, <a href="http://www.randomhouse.com/author/162047/cathal-armstrong-and-david-hagedorn">go here</a>.<br />
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Thank you to <a href="http://www.bloggingforbooks.org/">Blogging for Books</a> for providing me with a review copy.Sandrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00448386993712122412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8890409625048976889.post-63602754268887179082014-08-05T09:50:00.001-07:002014-08-05T09:50:37.096-07:00{ Liar, Tempress, Soldier, Spy by Karen Abbott }<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />
Belle Boyd<br />
Emma Edmonds<br />
Rose O'Neal Greenhow<br />
Elizabeth Van Lew<br />
<br />
In Liar, Temptress, Soldier, Spy, bestselling author Karen Abbott tells the spellbinding true story of four women who risked everything—their homes, their families, and their very lives—during the Civil War.<br />
<br />
Seventeen-year-old Belle Boyd, an avowed rebel with a dangerous temper, shot a Union soldier in her home and became a courier and spy for the Confederate army, using her considerable charms to seduce men on both sides. Emma Edmonds disguised herself as a man to enlist as a Union private named Frank Thompson, witnessing the bloodiest battles of the war and infiltrating enemy lines, all the while fearing that her past would catch up with her. The beautiful widow Rose O'Neal Greenhow engaged in affairs with powerful Northern politicians, used her young daughter to send information to Southern generals, and sailed abroad to lobby for the Confederacy, a journey that cost her more than she ever imagined. Elizabeth Van Lew, a wealthy Richmond abolitionist, hid behind her proper Southern manners as she orchestrated a far-reaching espionage ring—even placing a former slave inside the Confederate White House—right under the noses of increasingly suspicious rebel detectives.<br />
<br />
Abbott's pulse-quickening narrative weaves the adventures of these four forgotten daredevils into the tumultuous landscape of a broken America, evoking a secret world that will surprise even the most avid enthusiasts of Civil War–era history. With a cast of real-life characters, including Nathaniel Hawthorne, General Stonewall Jackson, Detective Allan Pinkerton, Abraham and Mary Todd Lincoln, and Emperor Napoléon III, Liar, Temptress, Soldier, Spy shines a dramatic new light on these daring—and, until now, unsung—heroines.<br />
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<br />
This book.....oh this book was amazing. <br />
<br />
You all know how much I love history and research and all that shebang, right???<br />
<br />
If I tell you that this book satisfied every single area of my history fiction genre, would you believe me???<br />
<br />
Because it did. It absolutely did.<br />
<br />
The story centers around 4 women who in way or another, manage to contribute or rather aid their causes during the Civil War.<br />
<br />
I love what the author did here, she managed to tell a great story but also teach a good history lesson, I walked away knowing so much more and actually knowing things I had no idea about the war.<br />
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<br />
I usually prefer a fiction book over a non fiction, but when I came upon this one I knew that I would love it, as my fascination with the civil war era has no end. <br />
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We have Emma, a woman who disguises herself as a man to work the front lines.....she was able to hide her true identity but what happens when she starts to have feelings for two of the men she works with???? You gotta read to find out.<br />
<br />
Belle, Rose and Elizabeth did pretty much whatever they had to, in order to achieve their objectives, if it meant seducing, lying, cheating, jail time, it didn't matter, it was done. <br />
<br />
Fascinating book, told in chronological order, that left me wanting more by the time it was over.<br />
<br />
If you love history and you love the civil war era, you have to read this one, I am sure you will enjoy just as much as I did.<br />
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<b><i>Thank you to Harper Collins and Edelweiss for providing me with a copy for review.</i></b></div>
Sandrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00448386993712122412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8890409625048976889.post-32757472483207346102014-08-05T09:32:00.001-07:002014-08-05T09:32:17.395-07:00{ Treacherous Trust by L.V. Delcid - Book Review }<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaBIzAhrAqasmPjdSdaOd-iZsAlQuERxEiPi8AVj3JedTEI4cOK3Nn1e5PTQQpEIpCf6LoO7M_uhQLqyy3mDIjaiax6z5NIbFXdkpM8FZENo_d6awQh-uDwHK87XUCiIFsogYfqS4Ysv8/s1600/Treacherous+Trust+Cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaBIzAhrAqasmPjdSdaOd-iZsAlQuERxEiPi8AVj3JedTEI4cOK3Nn1e5PTQQpEIpCf6LoO7M_uhQLqyy3mDIjaiax6z5NIbFXdkpM8FZENo_d6awQh-uDwHK87XUCiIFsogYfqS4Ysv8/s1600/Treacherous+Trust+Cover.jpg" height="640" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b><i>Holly McLairn is still struggling to overcome the tragedy that left her a widow two years ago. However, all that changes when she rescues a mysterious and embittered stranger from a fiery helicopter crash, Now that act of kindness has not only put her fragile heart in danger, but her life as well.</i></b></div>
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<br />I was recently contacted by Lola Delcid, back when I was still on Facebook, and asked if I would consider reviewing her first book. Lola is the mom of one of my friends on Facebook and so I immediately said yes, I love helping out new authors and if they are related to someone I know, then even better.<br />
<br />
I didn't quite know what to expect from the novel. Obviously when I read a book that is the authors first, I have nothing else to compare it to, previous work, word of mouth, reviews etc.<br />
<br />
I consider it a bit of a test to see if I can stay with it, or if it is not to my liking.<br />
<br />
I was pleasantly surprised. I enjoyed the book from the very beginning and quite liked the main character Holly, she was spunky and funny.<br />
<br />
The story is well written, it was an easy read and I didn't find that I got bored or that I was faced with dry material. <br />
<br />
For it being Lola's first book, I think she did a phenomenal job and I'm quite looking forward to the next book in the Tropical Skies series.<br />
<br />
If you want to get your hands on a copy, head on over to <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Treacherous-Trust-Tropical-Skies-Book-ebook/dp/B00KRO9YU6">Amazon</a>.<br />
<br />
If you would like to know more about the author, then be sure to visit her <a href="http://thestarfishinnandcafe.blogspot.com/">website</a>. <br />
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<br />Sandrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00448386993712122412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8890409625048976889.post-8175683764815213322013-03-28T15:48:00.002-07:002013-03-28T15:48:26.945-07:00An Amish Kitchen<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b>An Amish Kitchen by Beth Wiseman, Kelley Long, Amy Clipston</b></div>
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<i>The Amish Kitchen is the Heart of the Home – and the Ideal Setting for Stories of Love and Hope.
Fall in Paradise, Pennsylvania, always brings a brisk change in the weather. This season also ushers in unexpected visitors, new love, and renewed hope for three women. </i><br />
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<i>Fern has a green thumb for growing healing herbs, but longs for love to bloom in her life. Then the next-door neighbor’s oldest son, Abram, comes running into Fern’s kitchen seeking help for his little sister. The crisis soon leads to a promise of romance—until mistrust threatens to end the growing attraction. </i><br />
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<i>Nearby, Hannah runs her parents’ bed and breakfast, Paradise Inn—but her life feels nothing like Paradise. She longs for a man of integrity to enter her life, but never expected him to knock on the front door looking for a room. Will she be able trust Stephen with her future once she discovers his mysterious past? </i><br />
<br />
<i> When a storm blows a tree onto Eve’s farmhouse, she has little choice but to temporarily move her family into her parents’ home. Outside of cooking together in the kitchen, Eve and her mother can’t agree on anything. But this may be just the recipe for hope in healing old wounds.
Three Amish stories—each celebrating love, family, and faith—all taking place in a tight-knit community where the kitchen truly is the heart of the home. </i><br />
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<br />
Short, but such good stories.
One of my favorite book genres, are Amish Fiction. Maybe because I love the Amish life so much and have such admiration and respect for them.
These 3 stories take us right into the heart of Pennsylvania, to the kitchens, to the goodies being baked and cooked, and to the stories of Fern, Hannah and Eve.
I really enjoyed the different characters, the stories, the faith that the Amish women have and as always the love that binds this community together.
A joy to read.Sandrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00448386993712122412noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8890409625048976889.post-85360167834182509612013-01-18T13:09:00.001-08:002013-01-18T13:09:32.400-08:00Soft and Tenderly by Sara Evans and Rachel Hauk<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b><br /></b>
<b>Book Blurb: </b><br />
<br />
Happily married and owner of two successful boutiques, Jade longs to begin a family with her husband, Max. But when she discovers that Max has an illegitimate son–who he wants her to help raise–Jade’s life is turned upside down.
She flees to her childhood home, a rambling Iowa farmhouse, with enough room to breathe. There–while her mother’s health grows fragile, and the tug of her first love grows stronger–Jade begins to question everything she thought she knew about family, love, and motherhood. In the wide-open landscape, Jade begins to see a future that doesn’t rest on the power of her past, but in the goodness of God’s tender mercies.<br />
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<br />
<b>My thoughts:</b><br />
<br />
I think this is a book that touches on some very important but tender issues, some things that many may not like to talk about or think about. But issues that are extremely common in many lives.
I think an author has to be extremely careful when handling certain situations in a book, it not done correctly it could be completely misunderstood.
The fact that Sara Evans was able to capture these moments in such a raw and heartfelt way says a lot of about the story that we watch unfold through the pages.
There were moments that the pain the character was enduring was so palpable that it left a lump in my throat, but thankfully there were also some much lighter funny moments mingled in.
It was a great read, and a story that I thoroughly enjoyed.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Disclaimer: I received this book for review from BookSneeze. All my views are my own.</span></b></div>
Sandrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00448386993712122412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8890409625048976889.post-73343970908625203332012-01-01T21:15:00.000-08:002012-01-01T21:15:34.981-08:00Folly Beach by Dorothea Benton Frank - TLC Book Tour<div style="text-align: center;"><img alt="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51qJbe7sHFL.jpg" src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51qJbe7sHFL.jpg" /></div><br />
<div id="outer_postBodyPS" style="height: auto; overflow: hidden; z-index: 1;"><div id="postBodyPS"><blockquote class="tr_bq">Folly Beach, South Carolina, with its glistening beaches, laid-back Southern charm, and enticing Gullah tradition, is the land of Cate Cooper’s childhood, the place where all the ghosts of her past roam freely. Now, thanks to a newly deceased husband whose financial and emotional perfidy has left her homeless and broke, she’s returning to this lovely strip of coast.<br />
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Once, another woman found comfort here: an artist, writer, and sometime colleague of the revered George Gershwin. With her beloved husband, DuBose, Dorothy Heyward enjoyed the greatest moments of her life at Folly. Though the Heywards are long gone, their passion and spirit linger in every ocean breeze.<br />
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To her surprise, Cate is about to discover that you can go home again, for Folly holds the possibility of unexpected fulfillment—not just the memories of the girl she was, but the promise of the woman she’s always wanted to become. . . .</blockquote><br />
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<br />
So as the book starts, we are at Cate's husband's funeral. I have to say that the very beginning and probably the first two Chapters or so, were kind of slow for me.<br />
<br />
This was my first Dorothea Benton Frank book and while I think by the end I was able to appreciate her style of writing, it did take some getting used to. I'm not a huge fan of books that seem to have long pages about the backstory or explaining who so and so is and what they did and whatever....it's just not the kind of stuff that I find interesting.<br />
<br />
But I kept with it and very shortly began enjoying the story.<br />
<br />
This is a Southern fiction at it's best. I like that intertwined with the all the family ups and downs and drama, there is also historical details and a lot of funny moments throughout the book. The author was able to vividly describe the setting and I think for me that was one of the best parts of the book, I kept imagining being where the characters were and kept thinking "boy, I wish I was there".<br />
<br />
Overall, after the slow start I ended up not only enjoying the book but unable to set it down for very long, I was so into the story that I wanted to know what was coming next and what was going to happen to Cate.<br />
<br />
Definitely recommend it :)<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><img alt="http://tlcbooktours.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/tlc-logo-resized.png" src="http://tlcbooktours.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/tlc-logo-resized.png" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><b><br />
</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><b>Thank you to TLC Book Tours for providing me with a review copy. If you want to check out the rest of the tour, here are the next stops:</b></span></div><br />
<br />
Tuesday, January 3rd: <a href="http://bookjourney.wordpress.com/">Book Journey</a><br />
Wednesday, January 4th: <a href="http://veronicamarcettidimick.blogspot.com/">Chunky Monkey</a><br />
Thursday, January 5th: <a href="http://pantylesspreacherswife.wordpress.com/">All Grown Up?</a></div><div id="postBodyPS"><br />
</div></div>Sandrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00448386993712122412noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8890409625048976889.post-56129750206695607072011-12-29T15:56:00.000-08:002011-12-29T15:56:50.856-08:00The Waiting Place by Eileen Button<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1r24mjVIbFNlmhjZBJdGkHpijQgvADVaZTiWZLZ97xgU5s3X971bp-31EduJBo63WEyBBmpbtPAr5a-GkpCi57pT2aPWcNEJpuS5tDlDhv2Ek00Q8MrmBEwPoV_CctnP2518HoWHEvvU/s1600/waitingplacecover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1r24mjVIbFNlmhjZBJdGkHpijQgvADVaZTiWZLZ97xgU5s3X971bp-31EduJBo63WEyBBmpbtPAr5a-GkpCi57pT2aPWcNEJpuS5tDlDhv2Ek00Q8MrmBEwPoV_CctnP2518HoWHEvvU/s320/waitingplacecover.jpg" width="207" /></a></div><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
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<br />
A collection of essays describing the beauty and humor that can be found in what often feels like a most useless state—The Waiting Place.<br />
<br />
We all spend precious time just waiting. We wait in traffic, grocery store lines, and carpool circles. We wait to grow up, for true love, and for our children to be born. We even wait to die. But amazing things can happen if we open our eyes in The Waiting Place and peer into its dusty corners. Sometimes relationships are built, faith is discovered, dreams are (slowly) realized, and our hearts are expanded.<br />
<br />
With humor and heart-breaking candor, Eileen Button breathes life into stagnant and, at times, difficult spaces. Throughout this collection of essays she contends that The Waiting Place can be a most miraculous place—a place where beauty can be experienced, the sacred can be realized, and God can be found working in the midst of it all.<br />
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<br />
Again, as with the previous book, I love that I don't have to worry about having to put the book down and then forget where I was at, or have to reread the chapters again.<br />
<br />
It's small enough and written in such a way that I can pick it up and set it down as needed but not feel like I've lost anything along the way.<br />
<br />
For me, I will say that the most captivating part of the book is that Eileen writes as if she was talking to you in person, as if she was sitting down across the table for a cup of coffee or tea and telling you about her experiences, her waiting places, what happened, how she got there and how she got through it.<br />
<br />
The waiting place is something I think we are all very familiar with, that moment in time where we are left feeling that we can't move forward and can't move backward and don't know what to do, left helpless and with no control over what is happening around us. <br />
<br />
From the book I have learned that Eileen is actually a lot like I am and I suspect like many others out there. She shares her moments of waiting, what she observed, what she took from it, what she thought and how she laughed or cried or worked through it.<br />
<br />
Thank you Eileen for such a great book, I really enjoyed this one :)<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Disclaimer: I received this book for review from BookSneeze. All my views are my own.</span></b></div>Sandrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00448386993712122412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8890409625048976889.post-32637665778800036572011-12-29T15:31:00.000-08:002011-12-29T15:31:06.331-08:00Untamed by Lisa Harper<div style="text-align: center;"><img alt="http://www.randomhouse.com/images/dyn/cover/?source=9780307459077&width=142" height="400" src="http://www.randomhouse.com/images/dyn/cover/?source=9780307459077&width=142" width="270" /></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>How the Wild Side of Jesus Frees Us to Live and Love with Abandon</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;">Written by Lisa Harper</div><br />
Through a powerful blend of storytelling and biblical insights, Lisa Harper invites you to engage with the Jesus of the gospels, a person so provocative that no one left an encounter with Him unchanged. Pharisees fumed, paralytics turned cartwheels, and pariahs found love and acceptance.<br />
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Come meet the Jesus who is both safe and strong—and learn how this radical Redeemer can liberate you to live and love with abandon.<br />
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Includes questions for group discussion or personal reflection.<br />
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<br />
There is a very deep yearning inside me to be closer to Jesus, to have that unwavering Faith which I so envy in others. I think it's one of the reasons why the Amish are so fascinating to me, I want to be like them in that relationship with Jesus.<br />
<br />
I couldn't have asked for a better book when it comes to helping me along this journey.<br />
<br />
The book includes personal testimony from the author’s life and from other people. She uses anecdotes to get the point across, lessons to help us understand and she links it to our normal lives which I absolutely love. Another one of the things that drew me to it, are the discussion questions at the end of each chapter which include Scriptural references.<br />
<br />
Every chapter starts with "Our Savior is......." and I just think that is the cutest thing ever. For example...."Our Savior is Wildly Compelling<em>........His character enchants, subdues, overwhelms--and with the irresistible impulse of its own sacred </em><em>attraction it draws your spirit right up to Him -</em><em> </em>Charles Spurgeon".<br />
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You find snippets like these littered throughout the book. Honestly, I'm a busy mom and I don't have time to sit down with a big book, I am constantly being interrupted by one of the kids or by the time I get around to reading, I'm exhausted and just want to go to sleep, so I found this book was perfect for me to carry around and be able to get through a quick Chapter without having to stop and come back to it later.<br />
<br />
If you're looking for a book to nourish your soul, to give you back the faith that you so long for, this is it. What a wonderful read :)<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Disclaimer: I received this book for free from Waterbrook Multnomah Publishing Group. All my views and opinions are mine alone.</span></b></div>Sandrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00448386993712122412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8890409625048976889.post-41621237817383854502011-10-13T20:04:00.000-07:002011-10-13T20:04:52.916-07:00Wishes & Stitches by Rachael Herron<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFguIaBzYFkZIxMG9JfODbpvymKYyLqIXEpcd0CZ3xTEVjCRYl2A0YCdGryTOLGzyq-gLY-6W3ct0rJR-Ne8huCMo8fKXkvVbLyL8M1SKKPEguvsN4kviiFhdoblqxsCJY3jRfDpCd7jA/s1600/307174_10150330342728691_119861198690_8410256_411943596_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFguIaBzYFkZIxMG9JfODbpvymKYyLqIXEpcd0CZ3xTEVjCRYl2A0YCdGryTOLGzyq-gLY-6W3ct0rJR-Ne8huCMo8fKXkvVbLyL8M1SKKPEguvsN4kviiFhdoblqxsCJY3jRfDpCd7jA/s320/307174_10150330342728691_119861198690_8410256_411943596_n.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">Pub. Date: October 2011</div><div style="text-align: center;">Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers</div><div style="text-align: center;">Format: Paperback , 400pp </div><br />
<span style="font-size: 11pt;"><i><b>Available here:</b></i></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 11pt;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0061841323?ie=UTF8&tag=yarnagogo-20&linkCode=shr&camp=213733&creative=393185&creativeASIN=0061841323&ref_=ntt_at_ep_dpt_4" target="_blank">Amazon</a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 11pt;"><a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/wishes-and-stitches-rachael-herron/1101366373" target="_blank">Barnes & Noble</a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 11pt;"><a href="http://www.powells.com/biblio/62-9780061841323-0" target="_blank">Powells</a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 11pt;"><a href="http://www.indiebound.org/book/9780061841323" target="_blank">Indiebound</a></span><br />
<br />
You can find Rachael Herron on <a href="http://www.facebook.com/Rachael.Herron.Author">Facebook</a><br />
<blockquote><span style="font-size: 11pt;">It has always been Naomi Fontaine’s dream to practice small-town medicine—an ambition that brought her to Cypress Hollow, the charming, tight-knit community her late friend, knitting guru Eliza Carpenter, loved so well. But no matter how hard she tries, Naomi can’t seem to fit in here. Then rugged Rig Keller moves in to take over half of Naomi’s medical practice, and instantly charms everyone in town . . . including Naomi.</span> <span style="font-size: 11pt;">Rig saw what a broken relationship did to his brother, and has no interest whatsoever in getting serious. But the temptation to play doctor with his new partner is just too strong to resist. Any chance they might have of being truly knit together by love, however, depends entirely on what secrets they are willing to reveal . . . and on Rig’s willingness to risk his heart and Naomi’s desire to open hers completely.</span></blockquote><br />
I LOVED this book, no, I really loved this book.<br />
<br />
To be perfectly honest, the very first thing that caught my attention was the cover because I love yarn and I love crocheting and knitting, so the cover itself was a like a huge red flag for me, just waving and saying read me read me. And read it I did.<br />
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The minute this book arrived in the mail, I immediately set aside all my other reads and began this one.<br />
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It spoke my language, the language of a knitter, stitches and patterns and needles and the joys of casting on and seeing something emerge.<br />
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But it wasn't just the knitting anecdotes in the beginning of each chapter that kept me smiling, it was the story itself.<br />
<br />
Naomi and Rig, the main characters and then all the others, Rig's family Jake who has recently lost his wife, his son Milo and their dad Frank....Naomi's family, her mother who she doesn't really get along with and her sister Anna who is kind of the black sheep of the family.<br />
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You get to really dig into the family history here and you start loving these characters from the get go, it's like following them on a daily journey from the minute they get up to the minute they head to bed. You start loving their work, the small town they live in and it really gives you the feeling of small town living, the fact that everyone seems to know each other and how someone coming for the first time may feel like the outsider, the one cast aside and talked about.<br />
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Watching Naomi and Rig's love develop was so sweet but I think one of the characters I actually most loved and began to really feel for was Anna. She shows up out of nowhere, pregnant and needing a place to stay, it's like she's the inconvenience in Naomi's life but soon they all begin to understand just how much they love each other and what family means. I love the fact that we also get to enjoy Jake and Anna's friendship.<br />
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All in all this book ended way too soon for me, I wanted it to keep going and going and going and I'm dying to know what comes next for them all. I only hope that the author graces us with another story follow up to Naomi and Rig and Jake and Anna and even Frank and Shirley.<br />
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Like I said, I couldn't put this book down and now that it's over I am left with a bitter sweet feeling, loving what I read but wanting more and I think for me that is the sign of a good author.<br />
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This was my first Rachael Herron book but by golly, I'm going to be hunting down her other ones and reading them too, not just because I love the author but the covers themselves are too pretty to pass up.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6dyy5Er_2k1T09RcmDFieVEN50UyRqWTGBViog2rrd6ee5lzw5tdkYBuNOWusdOv8nEVv6vgd3VHCnKn4JbnJ2hL42MhbPNx1OYac9RsyynAMGzEdjS-jy0IfzUDUcHVxVRmvpEKY7Hs/s1600/books.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6dyy5Er_2k1T09RcmDFieVEN50UyRqWTGBViog2rrd6ee5lzw5tdkYBuNOWusdOv8nEVv6vgd3VHCnKn4JbnJ2hL42MhbPNx1OYac9RsyynAMGzEdjS-jy0IfzUDUcHVxVRmvpEKY7Hs/s640/books.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">The book was provided by <a href="http://www.harpercollins.com/">Harper Collins </a>for review purposes. </span></div>Sandrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00448386993712122412noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8890409625048976889.post-88110132245883532622011-09-09T00:00:00.000-07:002011-09-08T20:10:14.861-07:00Displaced Persons by Ghita Schwarz<div style="text-align: center;"><img alt="http://tlcbooktours.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/Displaced-Persons-198x300.jpg" src="http://tlcbooktours.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/Displaced-Persons-198x300.jpg" /></div><br />
<blockquote>In May 1945, Pavel Mandl, a Polish Jew recently liberated from a concentration camp, finds himself among similarly displaced persons gathered in the Allied occupation zones of a defeated Germany. Possessing little besides a map, a few tins of food, and a talent for black-market trading, he must scrape together a new life in a chaotic community of refugees, civilians, and soldiers. With fellow refugees Fela, a young widow, and Chaim, a resourceful teenager with impressive smuggling skills, Pavel establishes a makeshift family, as together they face an uncertain future. Eventually the trio immigrates to the United States, where they grapple with past traumas that arise again in the everyday moments of lives no longer dominated by the need to endure, fight, hide, or escape.<br />
Ghita Schwarz’s <i>Displaced Persons</i> is an astonishing novel of grief, anger, and survival that examines the landscape of liberation and reveals the interior despairs and joys of immigrants shaped by war and trauma.</blockquote><br />
<h2><a href="http://tlcbooktours.com/2011/07/ghita-schwarz-author-of-displaced-persons-on-tour-augustseptember-2011/gita-schwarz/" rel="attachment wp-att-13760"><img alt="" class="alignright size-full wp-image-13760" height="150" src="http://tlcbooktours.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/Gita-Schwarz.jpg" title="Gita Schwarz" width="100" /></a> About Ghita Schwarz</h2>Ghita Schwarz is a civil rights lawyer specializing in immigrants’ rights. She lives in Brooklyn, New York. <i>Displaced Persons</i> was a finalist for the Foundation for Jewish Culture’s Goldberg Prize for Outstanding Fiction.<br />
Visit Gita at her website, <a href="http://www.ghitaschwarz.com/index.html">gitaschwarz.com</a>.<br />
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I'll start by saying that I find the cover to be one of the prettiest and most eye appealing I have ever come across. Then I will tell you that when I first read the summary for the book, I knew it was one I not only was interested in but couldn't wait to get my hands on.<br />
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And now I will tell you that it wasn't exactly what I was expecting, but not in a bad way.<br />
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I will say that it was a difficult book to read at times almost too intense, it made me want to put it down and take a deep breath, but it also made me want to stop and thank the Lord for being blessed, for never having to endure what the survivors have.<br />
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The author did a brilliant job of bringing us into the story, of taking us down this path, of focusing on what happens AFTER the war, after the heartache and the pain. I think it's easy to forget about the "after" but often there is so much more to the usual survivor stories.<br />
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Like I said, it was an intense book to read. Some may find it too serious, others may find it just up their alley. I'm sort of in between, I enjoyed it but I don't think I want to read something similar too soon :)<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgViAvSzlCxuVSmPQu3RLwNPCnJ4hBZdmiY56N2BW0wjy4eMx9AIgNvhC0JMx9LC1LMa7xoEVUY-BlAr4gF05WmJeEAuHUkMG9m9i9m9McxIIV9eWtlQB7-HzfIwN5HinjcyEfh7Zo7ojc2/s1600/tlc-logo.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgViAvSzlCxuVSmPQu3RLwNPCnJ4hBZdmiY56N2BW0wjy4eMx9AIgNvhC0JMx9LC1LMa7xoEVUY-BlAr4gF05WmJeEAuHUkMG9m9i9m9McxIIV9eWtlQB7-HzfIwN5HinjcyEfh7Zo7ojc2/s200/tlc-logo.png" width="200" /></a></div> <a href="http://tlcbooktours.com/2011/03/mark-macdonald-author-of-body-confidence-on-tour-april-2011/">TLC Book Tours</a> provided a proof copy of this book for review purposes. All opinions are mine alone.Sandrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00448386993712122412noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8890409625048976889.post-28239135333280609122011-08-31T09:57:00.000-07:002011-08-31T09:57:01.350-07:00Call me Irresistible by Susan Elizabeth Phillips<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3PnaBmoK9AmjXrEtgqtJmWPhYu7JP5g90QR02t0A8g0YFaDlo8emfyxWOtm8DIK134Sc43fS2hShf9hyfPKKe-9xv6iBc2d7F6SRODZiCKbgqFxfpGktu-K-8QVS-ws7-r5YOYBFbplw/s1600/Call+Me+Irresistible.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3PnaBmoK9AmjXrEtgqtJmWPhYu7JP5g90QR02t0A8g0YFaDlo8emfyxWOtm8DIK134Sc43fS2hShf9hyfPKKe-9xv6iBc2d7F6SRODZiCKbgqFxfpGktu-K-8QVS-ws7-r5YOYBFbplw/s1600/Call+Me+Irresistible.jpg" /></a></div><br />
Paperback: 416 pages<br />
Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks (August 30, 2011)<br />
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R.S.V.P. to the most riotous wedding of the year!<br />
<br />
Lucy Jorik’s the daughter of a former U.S. president.<br />
Meg Koranda’s the offspring of legends.<br />
One of them is about to marry Mr. Irresistible—Ted Beaudine—the favorite son of Wynette, Texas.<br />
The other is determined to save her friend from a mess of heartache.<br />
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Meg knows breaking up her best friend’s wedding is the right thing to do, but no one else agrees. Faster than Lucy can say “I don’t,” Meg’s the most hated woman in town—and stuck there with a dead car, an empty wallet, and a very angry bridegroom. Broke, stranded, without her famous parents watching her back, Meg believes she can survive by her own wits. After all, what’s the worst that can happen? She’ll lose her heart to Mr. Irresistible?<br />
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Not likely. Not likely at all.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9D_IkoHOtA-f7xNfd3w-isER_DTyKiKqy_hyphenhyphenlR79Px41dERdUjch-O9pwsftrBeV58Ep8uamDDkXmEBuM0COPZinNUlkBsfQ4f5M6YdJPW7cWTDCHpPyutm3PaJzvEPtZv4Dt341bJUc/s1600/Susan-Elizabeth-Phillips.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9D_IkoHOtA-f7xNfd3w-isER_DTyKiKqy_hyphenhyphenlR79Px41dERdUjch-O9pwsftrBeV58Ep8uamDDkXmEBuM0COPZinNUlkBsfQ4f5M6YdJPW7cWTDCHpPyutm3PaJzvEPtZv4Dt341bJUc/s1600/Susan-Elizabeth-Phillips.jpg" /></a></div><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>About Susan Elizabeth Phillips</b></span><br />
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Susan Elizabeth Phillips is one of our biggest women’s fiction stars soaring onto the New York Times bestseller list with Dream a Little Dream. She’s the only four-time recipient of Romance Writer’s of America’s prestigious Favorite Book of the Year Award. Susan delights fans by touching hearts as well as funny bones with her wonderfully whimsical and modern fairy tales. A resident of the Chicago suburbs, she is also a wife and mother of two grown sons.<br />
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Visit Susan at her website, <a href="http://www.susanelizabethphillips.com/">susanelizabethphillips.com</a>, like her on <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Susan-Elizabeth-Phillips/69980933572">Facebook</a>, and follow her on <a href="http://twitter.com/#%21/SEPauthor/">Twitter</a>.<br />
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My Thoughts:<br />
<br />
I have always enjoyed Susan Elizabeth Phillips, she is one of my favorite writers so I knew that this book would be a good read.<br />
<br />
I would venture to say that the book is predictable but then again I think many are, especially the cutesy romantic ones like this. But it doesn't stop me from still reading and enjoying the story, and enjoy it I did. It was sort of like watching one of those romantic comedy movies on TV.<br />
<br />
I liked the main character Meg, I enjoyed seeing her thrown into this crazy chaos and trying to get through it with literally no one by her side.<br />
<br />
Don't know how much more I can say about it, other than it's a cute, fun read and if you like chick lit, you'll definitely enjoy this one. :)<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgViAvSzlCxuVSmPQu3RLwNPCnJ4hBZdmiY56N2BW0wjy4eMx9AIgNvhC0JMx9LC1LMa7xoEVUY-BlAr4gF05WmJeEAuHUkMG9m9i9m9McxIIV9eWtlQB7-HzfIwN5HinjcyEfh7Zo7ojc2/s1600/tlc-logo.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgViAvSzlCxuVSmPQu3RLwNPCnJ4hBZdmiY56N2BW0wjy4eMx9AIgNvhC0JMx9LC1LMa7xoEVUY-BlAr4gF05WmJeEAuHUkMG9m9i9m9McxIIV9eWtlQB7-HzfIwN5HinjcyEfh7Zo7ojc2/s200/tlc-logo.png" width="200" /></a></div> <a href="http://tlcbooktours.com/2011/03/mark-macdonald-author-of-body-confidence-on-tour-april-2011/">TLC Book Tours</a> provided a proof copy of this book for review purposes. All opinions are mine alone. Sandrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00448386993712122412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8890409625048976889.post-22024490191417166882011-08-31T09:05:00.000-07:002011-08-31T09:05:42.653-07:00Welcome....I love reading and I love reviewing, but it bogs down my main blog a lot and it tends to turn it into something I don't like.<br />
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So in an effort to continue both my usual day to day blogging and also book reviewing, I've decided to start this blog in order to keep all my book reviews in one place.<br />
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<div style="color: #0b5394; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: georgia,bookman old style,palatino linotype,book antiqua,palatino,trebuchet ms,helvetica,garamond,sans-serif,arial,verdana,avante garde,century gothic,comic sans ms,times,times new roman,serif;">A book is like a garden carried in the pocket. ~Chinese Proverb</span></b></div>Sandrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00448386993712122412noreply@blogger.com0