Blessing

My Rating: ★★★★

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Finding Us

My Rating: ★★★★★

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Through the Fire

My Rating: ★★★★

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The Captured Bride

My Rating: ★★★★

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Rhapsody and Rebellion

Rhapsody and Rebellion by Aubrey Wynne 

An enduring legacy... A rebellion... A destined love... Raised in his father’s image—practical and disciplined—there are no gray lines interrupting the Earl of Stanfeld’s black and white world. Until his mother has a dream and begs to return to her Highland home. Alisabeth was betrothed from the cradle. At seventeen, she marries her best friend and finds happiness if not passion. In less than a year, she’s a widow. Vowing to honor her husband’s memory, she joins his activist group of Glasgow weavers and is soon embroiled in the Radical War of 1820. Crossing the border into Scotland, Gideon finds his predictable world turned upside down. Folklore, legend, and political unrest intertwine with an unexpected attraction to a feisty Highland beauty. But Lissie doesn’t trust the Englishman or the rising desire between them. When the earl learns of an English plot to stir the Scots into rebellion, he must choose his country or save the clan and the woman that stirs his soul.

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Fall Into Books 2018 Reading Challenge - Part 5 & a Giveaway

Here are my final entries for the #FallIntoBooks challenge!  I can't believe the challenge is ending!  I've really enjoyed it.  If you'd like to see my previous entries you can see them here:

Part 1   Part 2   Part 3  Part 4

Don't forget you get one free entry just for logging in so get those entries in!!

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Diary of a Beatlemaniac

Sometimes I wonder if I was born in the wrong generation.  Being the history nerd that I am, I enjoy many different eras, and wonder if I would've participated in certain historical happenings had I been alive in that time.  One era in particular always draws me in: the Swinging Sixtie's.  Growing up in a rock 'n roll household I heard my fair share of all the classics but one band captured my heart at an early age and never let go: The Beatles.

When I see the video clips of the girls screaming and fainting at Beatles concerts I can't help but wonder if that would've been me had I been a teenager during that time.  Every girl who has ever loved the Fab 4 has their favorite Beatle.  Mine was, and forever will be, George. Sure I have a fondness for George but would that have ever been an obsession?  What went on in these girls minds to make them so incredibly passionate and obsessive about this band?  That is the question that Patricia Gallo-Stenman dares to answer in her Diary of a Beatlemaniac.

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Say You Love Me

Picture this: You are engaged and find out that your fiancee has been cheating on you for the past year and a half with a co-worker.  They are the ones that are in love and he is leaving you to be with her.  Your job is shut down due to an investigation, leaving you jobless, and your grandmother, the most cherished person in your life, has just passed away, leaving you utterly lost and alone.  What do you do?

If you're Clara Benson, you move to Pine Valley, hoping for a fresh start.  Losing her fiancee, grandmother, and job all happened within a week and it is too much for poor Clara to bear.  It's been seven months since her life has imploded and she is settling into her new life in Pine Valley.  She had decided to not return to teaching and is working as an assistant for Jeff Finch, an up and coming realtor in the area, and is adjusting to her new normal.

Dawson Harris is also adjusting to a new way of life.  It's been over a year since his wife left him with only a note to explain why.  Dawson is a successful lawyer, and just happens to be Jeff Finch's lawyer.  Being incredibly handsome, Dawson could have any woman that he wants but he is wanting something more.

Clara and Dawson meet in a yoga class after being acquaintances over the phone, Clara being the go between for Jeff and Dawson.  Clara and Dawson's attraction is immediate.  Dawson wants to jump into a relationship with Clara with both feet but Clara is incredibly apprehensive and holds Dawson at arms length.  Will Clara ever put her guard down and give Dawson her heart?

This is the question that plagues you as you read Say You Love Me.  If you've been following my reviews for any length of time you know that I love Heather B. Moore's writing style.  Like the other books in the Pine Valley series, Say You Love Me is a quick, yet charming, read.  Dawson is easy to fall in love with but I did find Clara a little annoying at times.  Here she has a gorgeous man that is head over heels in love with her and she wants to play games with him?  I can empathize with the fear that she felt giving her heart to another man after what she'd been through with her fiancee but to break off their entire relationship, and go from friendship to relationship and back seems a bit drastic.

All in all, I enjoyed Say You Love Me.  The premise is sweet, the characters likable, the writing wonderful, and you gotta love a happy ending.

*I received a complimentary copy of this book from Mirror Press in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.  All opinions are my own.

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The Easy 5-Ingredient Ketogenic Diet Cookbook

Keto is all the rage right now and being a girl that is overweight herself my doctor has recommended that I go for a lower carb lifestyle and ketogenic diet is perfect!  I have to admit that I am scared to dive right in feet first and thought trying a few new recipes might help me ease my way into a new way of eating.

The Easy 5-Ingredient Ketogenic Diet Cookbook is the perfect place to start in my opinion.  It gives you a quick synapsis of what the Ketogenic Diet is all about and then delves right into the yummy recipes. 

The few pictures that are included are gorgeous but what really caught my eye was how easy the recipes are!  I hate cooking but so many of these recipes require little to no effort on my part so this gives this cookbook high marks from me!  The ingredients are well known and readily available which is also a plus and a lot of the recipes call for the same ingredients which helps leave little to no waste and gives variety for your meal plan.

However, I do have a few complaints about this cookbook.  My first complaint is that many of the recipes call for more than five ingredients, yet the book in entitled, "The Easy 5-Ingredient Ketogenic Diet Cookbook".  It feels like false advertising to me but this is a pretty small complaint when compared to all the positives of this book.  I also noted that several of the recipes seem to be higher in carbs than you would expect so you need to be careful and possibly calculate the carbs for yourself before you consume them.

My final issue is with the actual book itself.  I have the paperback version which you would think would make it easy to keep open while you're writing down the ingredients needed, or making the recipes themselves, but it does not.  I was constantly fighting my book to stay open which was frustrating.  I eventually downloaded the Kindle version on my Kindle Unlimited and it was perfect!  There is a spiral-bound option as well if you prefer print which I would highly recommend.

All in all, this is a great Ketogenic Diet cookbook and perfect for those of us who are just starting out on their keto journey.

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Fall Into Books 2018 Reading Challenge - Part 4

Welcome to part 4 of the #FallIntoBooks challenge!  Have you been playing along in the challenge?  I have personally loved it so far!  You can see all of my previous entries here:

Part 1   Part 2   Part 3

We only have a few more days of the #FallIntoBooks challenge so get your entries in!  The challenge ends October 10th!  Check back daily for each day's challenge and even if you can't do the challenge you get one free entry just for logging in!

09.29 #Unforgettable

Share a book that is impossible to forget

When I was in junior high I went through a suspense/horror reading phase and Stephen King is the "king" of horror for good reason.

Photo Credit: Penguin Random House

I remember reading Night Shift with my best friend Melissa and getting incredibly freaked out reading The Boogieman.  To this day I still cannot sleep with a closet door cracked.  Thanks Stephen King for forever scarring me.

10.01 #CurrentlyReading

What book are you currently reading?

I should be finishing Say You Love Me by Heather B. Moore within the next few days so you will be seeing a review from me most likely next week.

I won't give anything away but I will say it is such a sweet story!!  If you haven't read any of the Pine Valley series I highly recommend you do.  It is a heartwarming, clean and wholesome series.

I have several other books that I am reading as well but this is my main one.  I normally have 2-3 books going at one time depending on my reading mood that day.

10.02 #EbookOrPrint

Which do you prefer? Ebook or print?

Lately I have been all about the ebooks.  I've been sick in bed a lot these past few months and it's just easier for me to not only get books in my hand but read them as well.  But I have to say that there are times when I crave to have an actual book in my hand.  I love the smell of bookstores and libraries and there are moments when I need to go and get my fix.

10.03 #FavoriteCouple

Who is your favorite literary couple?

I have to admit that I watched the movie first but one of my favorite couples is Bridget Jones and Mark Darcy in Bridget Jones' Diary by Helen Fielding.

This is by no means a clean read but it is still a charming and relatable tale and you can't help but fall in love with this couple, especially since Mark Darcy is based off of Mr. Darcy from Pride & Prejudice.

10.04 #ChildhoodFavorite

What was your favorite childhood book?

I taught myself how to read when I was in kindergarten.  I have craved the written word for as long as I can remember and with the help of my mom I was able to learn how to read quickly and read my first novel, Harriet the Spy, when I was in the second grade.

Photo Credit: Aljazerea America

After my grandmother passed away a few years ago my dad was helping clean out her house and he found a first edition copy of Harriet the Spy with the original cover mixed in with other novels that my grandmother had enjoyed over the years.  He gave this treasure to me and though its dust jacket is faded and tattered the rest of the book is in wonderful condition.  It is now one of my most prized possessions not only because it was the first novel I ever read but my copy came from my grandmother.  It can't get much sweeter than that.

There are only FIVE MORE DAYS left in the Fall Into Books 2018 Reading Challenge!!  Get in all of your entries HERE and finish this challenge strong!

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Look for Me

I love a good suspense story.  You know when you read the first page and are instantly hooked that you are going to be in for a wild ride.  Look for Me is one of those stories that you think you have figured out and then there is a sudden twist that has you second guessing yourself.  Then another twist.  And another.  By the time you reach the end you close the book and mutter, "Wow."

Roxy, a sixteen-year-old girl, is missing.  Her family is brutally murdered in their home and no one knows if the missing girl is the murderer or running for her life.  Detective D.D. Warren is on the case, carefully putting the pieces of the puzzle together.  From what she is being told Roxy is the most level-headed person in her family, having to raise her younger brother and sister, protecting them every way she knows how, especially when they are taken away by child protective services and placed in foster care due to their mothers negligence due to alcoholism.  This is the wakeup call that their mother needs and see fights to get clean and get her children back.  Against all odds she accomplishes her goal and the little family is reunited.  Everything seems to be going good and now almost the entire family is gunned down in cold blood and Roxy is nowhere to be found.

The deeper D.D. digs into the family's backstory the darker the secrets that are unearthed which makes the situation that much more confusing.  D.D. is approached by Flora Dane soon after news of the murders are out and requests that she be a CI in the investigation.  Flora is a victim herself, and an advocate and leader of others who have been through traumatic experiences.  She tells D.D. that she has been in contact with Roxy prior to the murders that adds another twist in the already confusing narrative.

The attitudes and sarcasm between D.D. and Flora is great.  They both have very different tactics but they both have the same goal: to find Roxy and find the truth.  The conflict between these two characters helps lighten the very dark subject matter.  Look for Me delves into alcoholism, the dark side of the foster care system, the effects of a family being torn apart, and the consequences of the choices of others.

Look for Me is the ninth book in The Detective D.D. Warren Series and since this is my first book in the series to read I can honestly say it is perfectly fine to read as a standalone book.  I do not post spoilers but I do have to comment that the ending, though slightly predictable, is incredibly sad.  The pace of the book is even and constant and makes the book hard to put down once you stop.  This is my first book by Lisa Gardner and have to say that it is well written, the story multifaceted, and will not be my last book to read by this author or in this series.  Five stars!

*I received a complimentary copy of this book from Penguin Group Dutton and NetGalley in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.  All opinions are my own.

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Music Monday: Building 429's "Live the Journey"

I have been a fan of Building 429 for years.  When they came to my church last year I was beyond excited and have fond memories of singing along to almost every song and loved getting to worship with them.  Their music is so uplifting and full of praise.  I just adore them!

It has been three years since their last album and I have been impatiently waiting for their next one. September 7th they released their latest album.  It's finally here!!

Let me tell you, Live the Journey was worth the wait!  Every song has a powerful message of surrendering to God and worshipping the One who made you despite your circumstances.  There is a perfect balance of slow songs intertwined with more upbeat worship songs which I fell in love with and of course their signature style is infused in each song.

The biggest song trending right now is the first song on the album entitled "You Can."  The lyrics are powerful but when you watch the music video it really hits the meaning home.

I had tears in my eyes when the video ended.  So powerful and a perfect reminder to not take the many blessings in our lives for granted.

Another favorite of mine is 1,000 Promises which talks about the many promises of God and how He is not finished with you yet.  It is one of the more upbeat tunes which is what I really enjoy.  It is so motivational, especially for a girl who's been struggling with a lot of personal trials lately, and a perfect reminder that "You (God) complete everything you start," and "I know you're not done yet."

You can find Live the Journey on Apple Music, iTunes, Amazon Music, Spotify, and YouTube and I highly recommend that you do.

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