and the Quest of the Final Summit

The Final Summit ~ by Andy Andrews

I did not read "The Traveler's Gift", but once getting started with this novel, I do want to. It took me some time to get into the book, as I felt somewhat lost not having any of the back story.  Unlike many sequel novels I have read of late, this one seemed to me to be deeply rooted in it's first episode. As I read a bit further, some details of the first book came through, but I still felt a bit lost when trying to sort out the complete picture.

David Ponder is a "Traveler" and apparently he is the chosen one. In this novel, we follow David to the "final summit" with all of the other "travelers" of the past, from Winston Churchill to Joan of Arc, whom have all been gathered by the archangel Gabriel to meet and find the "one principle that will save humanity." That's a pretty lofty ambition, right? and with Ponder at the helm; Ponder, who appears to be an average guy; is he ready to figure out what will save humanity?

The narrative of this novel is quite good, and once I focused more on the story at hand as opposed to the previous story, I found myself quite immersed in the tale, and felt as though I was at the summit right along with all of it's famous (and not so famous) travelers. There is a lot of wisdom and inspiration in the words of Andrews. I enjoyed the story, and won't give away the ending....just suffice it to say, you won't be disappointed.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze.com http://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 http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”


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is not a Max Lucado fan.

Max on Life ~ by Max Lucado

Okay, I have to confess. I don't care much for Max Lucado's preachy kids shows...see http://ditlothislittlemommy.blogspot.com/2011/04/max-lucados-hermie-and-friends-bug.html . But I do like {some} of what he does, so I wanted to give him another try. Perhaps I shouldn't have chosen this particular book to do that with. I don't want to judge Max, but I couldn't get past the feeling that in this book, he was judging me.

In this book, he gives "answers and insights to your most important questions" and I appreciated the bulk of what he had to say. He had good insights into marriage questions, and to those where a question of faith was involved, but I kept coming back to one question in particular, that of whether or not one should support a gay friend at a gay wedding. I know, I know, I shouldn't focus on ONE question, but it bothered me so much that I couldn't get past it. I'm not going to tell you the answer in this review, but I would reveal it if anyone wants to know within the comments.

Overall, the book was okay. I didn't care much for the way the book was organized, and there was just too much of Max's own personal bias to many of the answers (I know, it's called "MAX on Life", not "Max on God on Life"). It may be better suited to someone that enjoys and reveres Max, but it's just not a good fit for me.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze.com http://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 http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”


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is excited to read "No Place Like Holmes" with her kiddos!

No Place Like Holmes ~ by Jason Lethcoe

I'll admit. I got this book eons ago, and it sat on my shelf for far too long. It caught my eye while I was cleaning up and I pulled it off the shelf, and began to read it. I was instantly hooked. What a great read!

It begins with Griffin on his way to stay with his uncle in London for the summer. On his journey, he discovers that his uncle lives at the same address as the famous Sherlock Holmes, could they be one and the same?! I found myself as excited as Griffin to meet his uncle....even if it happened that his uncle was Holmes' neighbor, not Holmes himself. But that doesn't deter Griffin. His uncle turns out to be a detective as well, albeit, a much lesser known one. When Griffin gets him a case, they begin to unravel the mystery side-by-side. Did the Loch Ness Monster really eat a hapless man?

This is a fabulous book, aimed at young, independent readers between 9 and 12. I thoroughly enjoyed the character development, the storyline, the twists and turns and of course, with every good mystery, the cliffhanger at the end! I look forward to stormy nights when I can read this with my own kiddos, who, at 5 and 8, are just about ready for the length of the tale.

As this is a Christian book, there is talk of faith, prayer, and God, but not in a preachy way, and it flows so effortlessly into the story that you may not even notice it. If nothing else, it serves as a bouncing off point to discuss such matters with your children in a comfortable way. I highly recommend this novel for reading aloud, and for the newly independent chapter book reader. It would also be great for boys that are difficult to find interesting reads for.


Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze.com http://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 http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”


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....was moved by Still LoLo by Lauren Scruggs

 When I first saw this book as a choice for a free copy through Tyndale House Publishers, I was excited to read it. I was looking forward to learning more about Miss Scruggs story and to be able to share her journey with my children. I am always looking for ways to share stories of adversity and "being different" without going over the top. This book perfectly fits that bill.

Lauren Scruggs is an up and coming fashion journalist, a young woman making her way through the world, carrying with her the grace of God. She had just completed her online fashion magazine debut when the life that she knew came to a halt. On a fateful day just before Christmas of 2011, Lauren was struck by the spinning propeller of the small plane she had just taken a holiday light flight in. She was badly injured and her injuries were nearly fatal.

Her account of the accident and her life spread out among the pages of this book, written in the voices of herself, her twin sister, her mother, and her father. It is an account of a life on the brink of the vision of the American dream, and a life held tenaciously in the hands of God. What Lauren finds after the accident is what she ultimately was searching for all along ~ a place, a peace, a purpose.

I was moved by this story, by the honesty of the fears and doubts, by the courageousness of this young lady, and by her strength and integrity. I felt honored to be a part of her journey, feeling at times quite saddened by her raw emotions, and at other times quite uplifted by her resolve. This memoir is interlaced with many Christian values, and may come across as preachy to some. I didn't find it that way, as that is the basis on which Lauren and her family overcame tragic, to rejoice in a sense of peace through prayer.

The stories from Lauren's family are touching, and the photo look book in the center of the novel is both moving and inspiring. I have enjoyed sharing her story with my own daughter, who is 6. She was also quite moved by the strength of Lauren and how she overcame what could have been her breaking point. I recommend this memoir to anyone looking for inspiration.


Disclosure of Material Connection: I received an ARC (advanced reader copy) of this book from Tyndale House Publishers in exchange for an honest review.

...enjoyed The Harvest of Grace

The Harvest of Grace by Cindy Woodsmall

I am a sucker for a good Amish Romance, I'll admit it! This did not disappoint. I was a bit nervous in receiving it, as it is the third installment of the "Ada's House" series and I hadn't read the other two. No need to worry, though, as this book stood on it's own quite nicely, filling in some of the back story without being completely tied to the previous books. So, it wasn't imperative to have read the previous books in the series, though I would like to read them now, for sure.

I love the character of Sylvia Fisher ~ she isn't your typical Amish heroine, as she is very strong willed, and determined to do things her way. She loves running her family's farm with her father; so much so that when her beau, Elam proposes to her, she declines, nervous about what her life will become, once she has become a wife and mother. Imagine how she feels when Elam chooses her sister for his new bride!

Sylvia's life eventually takes an unexpected turn, and she leaves her family farm to work for the Blanks an older couple in need of assistance on their dairy. The Blank's son, Aaron has left to attempt to rehabilitate from alcoholism. When he returns, he and Sylvia clash, battling over every little thing. Is there a way for them to compromise for what is best for everyone on the Blank farm? Will they be able to set aside their differences for the good of the family? Will Sylvia ever return to her home or find the love that she aches for?

I enjoyed this book and it's complex characters. I look forward to reading the rest of the series, even if I do read it backwards.


Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze.com http://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 http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”


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...Loves TJ and The Time Stumblers!

When I first received this book, I wasn't really sure what to make of it. Obviously, it's a bit below my reading level, and at the time, I felt it was probably a bit above the listening level (they were 3 and 5). It was missing in action for a while, and reappeared after cleaning my house. Ooops. So I figured it might be fun to try and read it to my kids while we were camping. Turns out, this is a great book for kids (and I'd say it's great for even 4 to 6 year olds like mine). It is highly entertaining, silly, fun and even carries a good message, without being overly preachy..

TJ has a little problem. She has two new constant companions named Tuna and Herby. Not only are they kind of annoying, they are also invisible to everyone around her. They are on a mission from the future, doing a history project on TJ and they are stuck. If that wasn't bad enough, it's TJ's first year in Junior High in a new city, and making friends isn't going well. She really likes her new neighbor, but he happens to be the boyfriend of Hesper Breakahart, teen tv star, which, as one could imagine, doesn't make Hesper all too happy. Plus, Tuna and Herby keep getting in the way, making more trouble for TJ.

Much of the lingo and inside jokes went over my kids heads, but they liked when the different characters got into sticky situations, or turned into a fish, and they laughed themselves silly over Tuna and Herby's failed attempts to make their futuristic gadgets work properly. Some of the stereotypical names and characteristics may have been a bit much, but my kids are too young to understand them, for the most part. they just sounded silly to them.

Overall, we enjoyed reading this Time Stumblers book. In fact, my kids liked it so much that I purchased the rest of the Time Stumbler series from their book fair. We look forward to finding out what other misadventures TJ, Tuna and Herby get into, and learning along with TJ on how to grow up with integrity, honesty, thoughtfulness and respect for others!

I received an ARC (advanced reader copy) of this book from Tyndale House Publishers in exchange for an honest review.

A Tale of Two Young Girls on the Journey of Their Lives

I loved the format of this book, with it's two short stories delicately intertwining the lives of two young girls, Sierra and Christy.

Both stories tell of the girls embarking on summer vacations that hold many possibilities and excitement, with a hint of romance.

In the first tale, "Now Boarding at Gate 10", we are along with Christy Miller and her family on their trip to Wisconsin. She is still aching from a the departure of her boyfriend, Todd, and isn't all too happy about the trip, but once they arrive in Wisconsin, she is reunited with an old friend, and a romantic spark leads her to the conclusion that there is something to be said about finding a balance between life and love, and that there is a place for her in God's world.

In the second tale, "In the Event of a Water Landing", Sierra Jensen is on a journey to Montana with her friend Jana. She is irritated at Jana's boycraziness, and aches for the days when she and her friend could just be themselves. She turns often for guidance from her much-read Bible, and finds a way to be confident in herself as a young woman as she leaves her girlhood days behind her in search of where she fits in the great scheme of things.

I enjoyed both of these novellas, and would recommend them to any young lady for light and comfortable reading. A great little book to give or get for a summer vacation.

I received this book free in exchange for my honest review ~ from Blogging For Books. If you won like to get your free books, too, please click the Blogging For Books link to the left.
Please visit the Blogging For Books site http://waterbrookmultnomah.com/bloggingforbooks/reviews/view/14763 to rank my review :) thank you!!