Forever Friday ~ A Book Review

Every Friday, a postcard.
Every Friday, a love poem.
Every Friday for sixty years. 
Adam Colby is just doing his job, sorting through the unsold Alexander belongings after the estate sale. He is unprepared for what he finds in an old photo album, overlooked by the bargain hounds and treasure hunters—six decades of postcards and poems from Gabe Alexander to his wife, Pearl. The mystery of the Alexanders’ love entices Adam, a man unhinged by divorce and puzzled by the depth of commitment that he finds in the unabashedly romantic cards.
 
Forever Friday invites you to travel back in time to the early twentieth century Texas Coastal Bend where a young couple—Gabe and Pearl Alexander—are swept up in a miraculous love. As the heartwarming, pulse-quickening story of their relationship develops through Gabe’s poems, the Alexanders reveal a new way to consider what it means to be truly devoted to each other. Could the secrets of their love affair, laid to rest twenty years ago, hold the key to one man’s future?

~~ I simply loved this book, the story was timeless, smooth storyline with no hidden twists and turns. It takes you on quite the journey of the heart and at the end you feel like your closing a chapter on a sweet hour long movie.~~

This book was sent to me for Review by Blogging for Books, all opinions are my own.

Where Will You Go From Here~ A Book Review

   

• Pub. Date: June 2011
• Publisher: The Doubleday Religious Publishing Group
• Format: Paperback , 272pp
• Sales Rank: 81,504

• ISBN-13: 9780307729767
• ISBN: 0307729761

Has the unexpected knocked you off course? You lost your job to the latest round of layoffs. A relationship you thought would last forever, didn’t. A health challenge is disrupting your life. Life doesn’t always go according to plan, but with the right attitude and skills, you can persevere through even the toughest situations—and emerge stronger and better than ever.
 
Resilience to Get Through Any Challenge
 
In Where Will You Go from Here? Valorie Burton helps you navigate life’s obstacles and unexpected challenges. You’ll find all the tools you need to be resilient in the face of setbacks, now and in the future, including:
 
·   The Five Commitments that propel every successful comeback
·   Step-by-step guidance for restructuring your life 
·   Strategies to unearth the courage you need for any situation
·   In-the-heat-of-the-moment words to combat negative thinking
·   Practical exercises to become better, not bitter, as a result of adversity
 
Packed with uplifting insights and powerful principles, this personal coaching resource offers the wisdom and  encouragement you need to think differently about your circumstances and take hold of the lessons God is offering you. As you experience the “post-traumatic growth” that comes only through adversity, you’ll be equipped to unleash a stronger, more authentic you.




        ~~I read this book very slowly as I was trying to take it all in and I learned quite a bit. I can't believe how long it took me to finish it though because of chapters that were to me dragging along. Overall a slow but thought provoking book.~~


This book was sent to me by "Blogging for Books" all opinions and thoughts are my own.

Plain Wisdom~ A Book Review

Best-selling novelist Cindy Woodsmall might seem to have little in common with Miriam Flaud, a woman immersed in the culture of Old Order Amish. But with nine children and almost 60 years of marriage between them, Cindy and Miriam both have found the secrets to facing life with strength and grace. Whether enduring financial setbacks, celebrating new babies and times of prosperity, grieving the crushing losses in the deaths of family and friends, or facing disappointments with their respective communities—through it all they find guidance for each day by looking to God. 

With poignant recollections, unexpected insights, and humorous tales, the two women welcome you into their unique friendship.  You’ll also gain a rare glimpse into the traditions and ways of the Amish as Miriam recalls special occasions and shares family recipes throughout the book.

Plain Wisdom is a heartwarming celebration of God, womanhood, and the search for beauty that unites us all. So grab your cup and your quilt and settle in for a soul-comforting read with Plain Wisdom.

I read this book before we moved and I liked learning little insider tidbits about the Amish. I found it interesting to read how the Amish and English have the same problems but take different directions in solving the issues at hand. We lived down the road from a few Amish and they waved to us every Sunday morning while on their way to Church. I do miss looking out our kitchen window and seeing them pass by.

I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review.

~Lady in Waiting~ Book Review

Love is a choice you make every day.
Content in her comfortable marriage of twenty-two years, Jane Lindsay had never expected to watch her husband,  rad, pack his belongings and walk out the door of their Manhattan home. But when it happens, she feels powerless to stop him and the course of events that follow Brad’s departure.

Jane finds an old ring in a box of relics from a British jumble sale and discovers a Latin inscription in the band along with just one recognizable word: Jane. Feeling an instant connection to the mysterious ring bearing her namesake, Jane begins a journey to learn more about the ring—and perhaps about herself.

~

In the sixteenth-century, Lucy Day becomes the dressmaker to Lady Jane Grey, an innocent young woman whose fate seems to be controlled by a dangerous political and religious climate, one threatening to deny her true love and pursuit of her own interests.

As the stories of both Janes dovetail through the journey of one ring, it becomes clear that each woman has far more infl uence over her life than she once imagined. It all comes down to the choices each makes despite the realities they face.

* I really enjoyed reading this storyline even though it has nothing to do with the Amish and some parts are even in a different time period. From the moment Jane finds the ring you are drawn in and wondering if it truly belongs to Lady Jane. The details are so clear that you feel like you are standing in the room along with Jane or even Lady Jane. I was sorry to see this book end and I wish the author had expanded on the healing relationship between Jane and her Husband.*

This book was given to me to read and review by the kind waterbrookmultomah group. All opinions are my own.

Blind Hope- An Unwanted Dog & the Woman She Rescued~ Book Review

Meeder (Hope Rising) tells the story of an unwanted dog whose forlorn and broken heart and body called out to Meeder'sco-author, Sacher, and how, in their subsequent relationship, the dog became the agent of spiritual rescue to her owner. Together, Meeder and Sacher write about their own meeting and work at Crystal Peaks Youth Ranch in Oregon, where Sacher was moved to take ownership of a disabled pooch that she renamed Mia. In a completely disarming manner, Meeder relates a love story between Sacher and Mia as human and dog grew to trust one another one day, one bump, and one bruise at a time. Meeder parallels their human/canine relationship with the trust and love Sacher develops with God. With humorous and poignant asides, Meeder beautifully bridges the gap between the sad and silly, showing the lovely and forsaken aspects of the individual heart so powerfully that readers will be coaxed into revisiting their understanding of the rescue God readily offers to all.

• Paperback: 208 pages
• Publisher: Multnomah Books; 1 edition (July 20, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1601422806
• ISBN-13: 978-1601422804

Mia is such a sweet dog. This book has made me stop and take a second look at homeless animals in the hopes that many will be rescued, cared for and loved in a safe house with a lovely family to see them thru till the end of their days. Mia started out abused but was rescued by Laurie and proved to be a worthy dog for the rest of her sweet life. She showed Laurie how to open her heart to God and to except situations that you can not change.

My dogs are rescued from the shelters and are so trusting and excepting of us that it was good to read about another dog gaining trust and showing love to her owner.

I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review.

~Two Tickets to the Christmas Ball~

Can mysterious matchmaking booksellers bring two lonely hearts together in time for Christmas?
In a sleepy, snow-covered city, Cora Crowder is busy preparing for the holiday season. Searching for a perfect gift, a fortuitous trip to Warner, Werner, and Wizbotterdad’s (a most unusual bookshop) leads to an unexpected encounter with co-worker Simon Derrick. And the surprise discovery of a ticket for a truly one-of-a-kind Christmas Ball.

Every year, the matchmaking booksellers of the Sage Street bookshop host an enchanting, old-fashioned Christmas Ball for the romantic matches they’ve decided to bring together.

This year, will Simon and Cora discover a perfect chemistry in their opposite personalities and shared faith? Or will the matchmakers’ best laid plans end up ruining everything this holiday?

It was fun curling up on the couch reading this book while the house was quiet. The pace was fast and lighthearted. I enjoyed reading about the budding relationship between Cora and Simon who have worked along side of each other but never took the time to look up and notice, really notice one another until fate jumped in. Along the way of getting to know one another they encounter how to trust their feelings and to deal with some rude family members while Fate makes sure to bump them together at every spare moment.

 Thank You Blogging For Books for sending me this delightful book to review.