Willie Out West

Willie Out West by Rhonda Walker was a children's book I reviewed for the BookSneeze program. Westbow Press E-Books provided me this book for my nook in exchange for an honest review. I am sorry to say I did not enjoy this book, except for some humorous pictures.

This book was obviously geared toward preschool age children but the very first page starts out with Willie the walrus exclaiming to his mom, "I am sick of swimming and playing dumb games." Even though the idea in this story is that Willie changes his attitude after a bazaar dream, his mother just smiles at him in response to his disrespectful attitude. I can totally see little kids mimicking Willie with, "I am sick of doing dumb things."
Willie then has a dream about going to Big West and being a hero. Nice idea but his motives are to "have a story to tell when I return home a hero." While Willie is in "Big West" there is symbolism used about being a "thick-skinned" walrus or a "spineless jellyfish" which would be lost on the kids for which this book was written. And then somehow, because of this dream of defeating the big bad one-eyed ugly whale, Willie started listening to his parents. Huh?
Sorry, Rhonda Walker, one star.

Plain Peace

Plain Peace, by Beth Wiseman, is book number six in the Daughters of the Promise series. It was provided to me through the BookSneeze program and Thomas Nelson Publishers in exchange for an honest review.
I had already read some of the books in this series, but not all of them. I can see how reading all of the books in the series could add to the enjoyment of reading Plain Peace but not reading all of them certainly doesn't take away or make the reader lost or confused while reading. Beth Wiseman does a great job of making the reader feel like this is a stand alone book. The family trees at the beginning help as well.
Anna Byler, the bishop's granddaughter, is the main character in Plain Peace. Because of her strict grandfather, Anna faces difficulties in trying to date. As in, no young man is willing to approach the bishop to ask permission to date his granddaughter. When a new family moves to town, their oldest son isn't quite as intimated - at first.
But that isn't all that is going on in this quick-to-read-book. There are plenty of hurting people, all trying to figure out where they fit in with family and friends. I love Anna's grandmother's quote about family: "Family is a gathering of people who love and accept each other for who they are, whether related or placed together by God for His own good purposes."
Four stars.

Dandelion Summer

I finally took the time to read a book that has been on my "to read" list for two and a half years. Dandelion Summer by Lisa Wingate.
It took me a couple chapters to figure out what was going on but I am so glad I stuck to it. Great book! From the back:

All her life, Epiphany Jones has been tossed like a dandelion seed on the wind. Now, with the death of Mrs. Lora-the family friend who took Epie into her home-the sixteen-year-old must move to Dallas to live with her indifferent mother and new stepfather. Trapped in the low-rent area of blue Sky Hill, Epie doesn't fit in-and soon finds herself on the wrong side of the law. To make restitution., she's sent to work in another place she's not wanted: a home on the upscale streets of the Hill.

When J. Norman Alvord learns that his daughter has hired a teenager to stay with him in the afternoons, he's determined to nix the arrangement. Widowed and suffering from heart trouble, Norman wants to be left alone. But in Epie's presence, Norman finds a mystery. Deep in his mind lie memories of another house, another life, and a young black woman, a housekeeper, who saved him...

As summer comes to Blue Sky Hill, two residents from different worlds will journey through a turbulent past and find that with an unexpected road trip through sleepy Southern towns come a life-changing friendship... and clues to a family secret hidden for a lifetime.

A letter J. Norman wrote really touched me (this might be a bit of a spoiler so if you plan to read this book, hold off on reading the rest of this post). These are words he would say to a young father:

• When you hear the first whimper in the night, go to the nursery and leave your wife sleeping. Rock in a chair, walk the floor, sing a lullaby so that she will know a man can be gentle.
• When Mother is away for the evening, come home from work, do the babysitting. Learn to cook a hotdog or a pot of spaghetti, so that your daughter will know a man can serve another's needs.
• When she performs in school plays or dances in recitals, arrive early, sit in the front seat, devote your full attention. Clap the loudest so that she will know a man can have eyes only for her.
• When she asks for a tree house, don't just build it, but build it with her. Sit high among the branches and talk about clouds, and caterpillars, and leaves. Ask her about her dreams and wait for her answers, so that she will know a man can listen.
• When you pass by her door as she dresses for a date, tell her she is beautiful. Take her on a date yourself. Open doors, buy flowers, look her in the eye, so that she will know a man can respect her.
• When she moves away from home, send a card, write a note, call on the phone. If something reminds you of her, take a minute to tell her; so that she will know a man can think of her even when she is away.
• Tell her you love her, so that she will know a man can say the words.
• If you hurt her, apologize, so that she will know a man can admit that he's wrong...

Peace on Earth

I was provided Peace on Earth A Christmas Collection by Mary Engelbreit from the BookSneeze program and Zonderkidz publishers in exchange for an honest published review.

This is a beautiful Christmas book - for children and/or for the coffee table. The cover has snowflakes on it with texture - very fun. All of the illustrations are in the familiar colorful Engelbreit style.

Except for one story which lasts four pages, each page spread is something different - a Christmas poem, a Christmas carol, or the Christmas story. My favorite part is near the end: two paragraphs by James Freeman Clarke about how God made so many different kinds of people. "Let us not torment each other because we are not all alike, but believe that God knew best what he was doing in making us so different."

Four stars.

The Christmas Candle

Through the BookSneeze program and Thomas Nelson Publishers I was provided The Christmas Candle by Max Lucado in exchange for an honest review.

This is a cute Christmas story set in the 1800's in England. The story is based around a candle maker the week before Christmas. See, it is said that an angel visits the candle shop the week before Christmas every twenty-five years. The angel touches just one candle and that candle is said to be the vessel for God to work. This is the year for the angel to visit and everyone in the village is wanting to be the recipient of this special candle.

The story is the anticipation of the angel coming and to whom the candle maker and his wife will give this special candle. All the while the new preacher is not on board with the candle holding special powers. So what will happen when the candle touched by the angel is mixed up with the others?

I rated this book three stars. I had a hard time following the story line at the beginning and keeping up with the characters. The writing style was just difficult for me: a chapter would start with all pronouns and on the next page the pronoun was finally identified. But it is a cute Christmas story and one I will probably enjoy with additional readings - maybe each Christmas.

Runaway Emotions

I was provided an incredible book by the BookSneeze program and Thomas Nelson publishers: Runaway Emotions Why You Feel the Way You Do and What God Wants You to Do About It by Jeff Schreve. This book took me a long time to read - simply because I wanted to take the time to process all of the great truths! 

Each chapter highlights one emotion, what Shreve calls a "smoke alarm." Those emotions, that seem to take over, are warnings from God. Shreve follows that up with how to handle it God's way. 

1. Embarrassment: When You Feel Inferior
2. Loneliness: All by Myself
3. Frustration: A Real Nowhere Man
4. Worry: When Anxiety Attacks
5. Anger: The Beast Within
6. Guilt: When Your Conscience Is Killing You
7. Discontentment: Unhappy Campers
8. Depression: When All Hope Seems Lost

Some highlights from the book:

• The very first chapter (EMBARRASSMENT) reminded me that we have already been given everything we need (patience, strength, etc.), but we need to claim those gifts from God. 
• I definitely had some "take-homes" from the ANGER chapter as well... "when we see life from His perspective, we will say, 'Lord, You did all things well! You did every single thing in my life perfectly, Lord, and I'm so glad.'" 
• The GUILT chapter reminds the reader of Hebrews 12: 7-8 summarizing it by saying, "If you're not experiencing discipline, then you're not My child." That "the smoke alarm of guilt is a blessing." Schreve uses examples such as premarital sex or harboring bitterness. If you don't feel guilty about those things, then you aren't walking with God. 

 Five stars and highly recommended!

Rosemary Cottage

I was provided Rosemary Cottage by Colleen Coble from the BookSneeze program and Thomas Nelson Publishers in exchange for an honest review.
Knowing this book is the second Hope Beach Novel, I reserved the first book Tidewater Inn from the library before this book arrived on my doorstep. Many of the characters from the first book show up in the second book and the location is the same. However, reading Tidewater Inn is not necessary in enjoying Rosemary Cottage.
Rosemary Cottage has a little bit of romance on top of the mystery and suspense involved in Amy Lange's investigation into her brother's death. Amy is a midwife with parents who have their own plans for her, including leaving her brother's death labeled as a drowning. However, Amy has many reasons to be suspicious of her brother's death and she learns that things are not always as they seem.
A coastguard, Curtis Ireland, decides to help her with her investigation. He lost a sister in a boating accident and can relate to Amy's grief. But in their grief there is also anger and denial. The reader sees how these emotions cause them to become defensive and therefore interfere with their possible budding romance.
Through this story Amy learns, "No one was perfect. Trying to make believe only led to heartache" and from that realizes she needs to share her trials, not hide them.
Five stars.