Read-to-Win 2016 (or Dying and Going to Heaven)

Starting today, Homeschooled Authors is hosting their third Read-to-Win! Basically it's a chance for readers to buy these ebooks for 0.99 cents each at some point during the summer, write Goodreads reviews, and get entered in a giveaway for an $100 Amazon giftcard according to how many times you review. That's what I call awesome. ; ) There's something here for everyone--children's books, historical fiction, fantasy, sci-fi, mystery...

I'm really excited about this for three reasons...

That's number one. ; ) My book is on sale all summer as an ebook thanks to a dear friend who formatted it for me! I'm really looking forward to more people getting to read it and hopefully some more reviews. It's not an action adventure novel; but it's definitely fun, kid-safe and a great read-aloud!

Number two? Some of my favorite books are part of the sale. If you look closely, you'll see Gift from the Storm by Rebekah Morris in the sea of books. I wrote a rave review of it last year, so I'm really excited that now you'll be able to read it too! It's a really amazing mystery, and I love the story to pieces. Another book you'll see is Red Rain by Aubrey Hansen. One of the first books to introduce me to work by homeschooled authors and the sci-fi genre. It was so brilliant but super clean! Definitely a favorite. You can see in this exceedingly short review I wrote of it just exactly what I thought. ; ) And a third book featured this summer is one I read recently--Implant by J. Grace Pennington. It was really brilliant, time-wimey, and a super interesting read (for older readers). You can also read my review of this one on Amazon.

And number three... I'm looking forward to trying out a few books myself. ; )

So hop on over to Homeschooled Authors and stay tuned for great posts and great sales!

A Few of My Favorite Things (Blog Tag)

The wild southwest has its pros. It also has its cons—one of which is definitely that winter always seems to end with Christmas. Now, of course, we still do have some good weather, but it doesn’t quite feel winter-y probably because of the lack of snow. When I found out that Elanee (from Elanee’s Endeavors) had tagged me for this survey, I was super delighted. And then I began to wonder, “How in the world does a desert gal like me write a post about her favorite Christmas/winter things when it really isn’t either right now?” I’ve decided to give it a try, and we’ll see what I come up with. ; )

The rules for this challenge happen to be… (1) Use the same title and adorable picture. (2) Answer the questions. (I promise to do that in a sec.) And (3) Tag five fellow fanciful fantabulous bloggers.

Okay, let’s get down to business…

1. What are some of your favorite “Snuggle Weather” books?

Good question that I’m really not sure how to answer since I love so many different kinds of books. I would have to say my Bible and anything that stirs me poetically and fits the moody weather. ; ) Those would probably be The Weight of Glory by C.S. Lewis (amazing essays), Sir Knight of the Splendid Way by W.E. Cule (medieval Pilgrim’s Progress-like journey), Dreamlander by K.M. Weiland (amazing fantasy), Gift from the Storm by Rebekah Morris (heartwarming family story), and on and on. Another really great winter story I discovered last month is At the Christmas Lodge by Rebekah Morris. It is so cute! I also think that if I had the Aggie’s Inheritance series, I would definitely be reading through them right now. ; )

2. What is you favorite wintry snack?

Oh, snacks. Yummy. Definitely apple pie!!! I love making it, I love eating it, and I love the joy it brings to the people I serve it to. I can also convince myself that it is pretty healthy since the crust is so thin. ; ) Peppermint bark and some ginger cookies I just discovered (that I simply MUST get the recipe for) are also high on the list. Because we are trying to switch to gluten-free, however, my answer should probably be different next winter. ; )

3. What are some of your favorite hot drinks?

Chai tea!!!! I am totally crazy about it right now!!! It’s spicy, it’s milky, it’s sweet, it’s like coffee without the dirt taste and (the way I make it) without the caffeine! What could be better? The people in my family who usually don’t drink tea love it too! ; ) (And, just so you know, if you eat some chocolate on the side the flavors are even more perfect.) I also really like hot chocolate and hot apple cider, but Chai definitely ranks first. ; )

4. What are some of your favorite Christmas movies?

I can answer that one really easily!! For as long as I can remember, we’ve watched “It’s a Wonderful Life” and “The Nativity Story” every Christmas. They definitely spell Christmas for me! (Although I was all right when I didn’t get to watch the first one this year. ; P) They are both so amazing, but I especially love “The Nativity Story” as it reminds me of how beautiful God’s Gift to man really is. I also really enjoy “A Joan Walsh Anglund Christmas” (great childhood memories with this one) and “The Fourth Wiseman”. ; )

5. What are some of your favorite holiday songs?

Andrew Peterson’s outrageously awesome cd “Behold the Lamb of God”, Nat King Cole’s cd of Christmas favorites ; ), Josh Wilson’s recent song “Once A Year” (if that’s the right name…), and, of course, “The Carol of the Bells” in all three versions. ; ) I also love the hymns we sing in church to celebrate this special season especially “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing” and “Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus”. “Adam’s likeness now efface…Stamp Thine image in its place…Second Adam from above…Reinstate us in Thy love…” We really should sing Christmas carols all year!

6. Favorite snow [rainy, cloudy, rainy-ish, cloudy-ish] day crafts?

Well, definitely writing. Cozy, gloomy weather helps me to get in the creative mood sometimes. ; ) I also discovered this year that I kinda’ like making Christmas cards whether or not I’m good at it. Baking, some sewing, and a bit of knitting are always fabulous too. ; )

7. Do you want to build a snowman?

No, actually. *sheepish smile as I prepare to make a horrible confession* I-don’t-really-like-snow. Phew. There, I said it. ; ) Don’t get me wrong—I love the decorative aspect of snow, the crunchy pretty aspect of snow, and even occasionally a vicious snowball fight—but I don’t love being in the snow. I’d rather stay indoors. ; ) (Though I have to say toddlers that look twice their regular chubby size because of their snow clothes are definitely special.) ; )

So, there you are! Those are just a few of my favorite things, but since I don’t get bit by dogs or stung by bees very often I’m very grateful for the reminder to look for the marvelous things in every day. ; ) What do you love most about Christmastime/winter?

Since that was so much fun, I’ll pass it on to Perry, Holly, the Tons and Bunches people ; ), Mrs. Bowes, and Rebekah.

Have a great day, everyone! ; )

My Bookshelf of Oddities and Amazingities (Part One)

This weekend I've gotten to go with my family to help our aunt set up her yardsale (and do some awesome "pre-shopping"); help my siblings make a storm of snowflakes to go in this book; attend a concert by Sam Rotman; listen to a fabulous sermon on true religion (from the book of James); and yesterday I got to go celebrate Chap's birthday. ; ) So many blessed and blessing adventures!

One of the other blessings I've noticed recently, as I've gotten to loan out books to various friends from church, is just how overflowing my bookshelf is! So many relatives (especially Dad and Mom!!) have helped me collect them all, and the amazing authors make it all possible. ; ) God has truly blessed me by giving me something to share. 

Would you like a tour? Here goes...

My bookshelf is an odd collection of a little of everything. My favorite mystery serieses (??) from when I was 13…Bible study books…picture books…books for the future on teaching babies to sleep…audio dramas…adventures—ordinary and extraordinary…an amazing coloring book…an old-fashioned cookbook…even a board book… Like I said, a little of everything. ; ) My tastes and my standards have changed through the years, so not everything is always super recommendable or applicable to the stage of life I’m in right now.

Still, since I’m so book crazy (that’s actually my reviewer name on Amazon), I’ve decided to give you a quick tour of everything on there. Oh, don’t worry. This won’t take all day--I'll split it into two parts. ; )

The Mary Frances Cookbook by Jane Eayre Fryer

I spotted this book ages ago in a quilt store along with the rest of the series. I’ve always been interested in cooking and was excited to see cooking lessons in story format. The different utensils in the kitchen are teaching the little girl how to use them. ; ) Seeing my interest, my dad so sweetly picked it up for me. Unfortunately, it’s an old book so the utensils and methods are too antiquated for our kitchen; but I’ve kept it anyways since it’s so cute. ; )

A Man Called Peter by Catherine Marshall

After watching the amazing movie version of this story, we were excited to find that some friends of ours owned the book and borrowed if from them. Partway through the story, I found that it was going to be one of my “very favorites ever” and (having book money on hand) decided to purchase it. ; ) Mom finished reading this book aloud from the copy I bought, and it truly is amazing!!! Even better than the movie in some ways!!

Bonnie Prince Charlie by G.A. Henty

I got this book for Christmas when I was ten or eleven. At that time, the typical-of-Henty pages of straight history at the beginning were too much for me; but I was fascinated by the Jacobite revolution/resistance and delighted that there was next to no romance in the story. ; ) I still enjoy the story, but it’s not the best ever.

At Agincourt by G.A. Henty

Love the espionage and disguises, hate the astrology and feminism. Sigh. Very interesting, not bloody (always love that!) look at the times; but once again not super awesome.

Calico Bush by Rachel Field

This story is one of my most favoritest historical fiction books ever. (Right up there with “Carry On, Mr. Bowditch”!) Just enough history, realism, romance, and excitement for me! My Mom read it aloud to us a while ago, and she did find a few parts to skip for younger listeners (Really sad pioneer-like accidents); but we loved the story!!

The Viking Quest Series by Lois Walfrid Johnson

I’ve already reviewed this series on here before, but I’ll say a little about them again. They have had a huge impact on my life both for good and for ill. I ran into them at a time when I need to learn to forgive others and trust God. They helped me a ton in that! Unfortunately, the romance was too much for my fourteen-year-old brain, so I don’t loan them out to younger readers now. Instead, I keep them for old times’ sake and older readers. ; ) My favorite book in the series has got to be The Invisible Friend, but the others are awesome too. ; )

Dreamlander by K.M. Weiland

Frequent readers on here will remember me screaming about how awesome this book is about six months ago. I still love it. Someone make a movie of it. I will pay you. I have chocolate. I make brownies.

Gift from the Storm by Rebekah Morris

And this one. I keep these two next to each other because they are both gorgeous, I got them at the same time, and they go on my list of “very favorites ever”. I recently loaned this one to some friends, and they love it too. So it’s not just me. ; )

The Triple Creek Ranch Series by Rebekah Morris

Oh, wow! Same author as the last one. Since I bought the first book a year and a half ago at Perry’s Homeschooled Authors booth, I’ve been loving and collecting this series. The four books I currently own have been enjoyed by approximately seven people, and I think that whoever opens them next will love them just as much. ; ) God-centered, exciting, non-violent westerns—what could be better? More.

Little Miriam of Galilee by Edith Martin

I found this book through one of the Mennonite catalogs we order our school curriculum through. It’s one of my earlier ones, so the reading level and content are great for younger readers. I’ve always loved stories set in Bible times, and I really appreciate how the author didn’t try to portray Jesus and fall short. ; )

The House with Two Grandmothers by Rebecca Martin

Another from the same company, this one is about a family during the Great Depression. It wasn’t the best story or style ever so it hasn’t become one of my favorites, but it served the purpose of giving me something safe to read. ; )

Tanya and the Border Guard by Anita Deyneka

I bought this book after reading the sequel Alexi’s Secret Mission from our ancient church library and really enjoying it. It isn’t as amazing as the second book and has a bit more attitude, but it was neat to know backstory of what I had read first. ; )

Flat-Out Awesome Knock-Knock Jokes for Kids by Bob Phillips

We were snowed in with friends for Christmas, and the mail had stopped until New Years’. Some of our Christmas presents wouldn’t be on time, but Dad and Mom gave us what they had on hand. This little book was one of my gifts, and that’s why I keep it. I’m not a kid comedian anymore, but my younger siblings like pulling it out once in a while. ; )

The Farm Mysteries Series by Mr. and Mrs. Stephen B. Castleberry

My oldest sister is five years older than me, so I used to get a lot of my reading recommendations from what she had read when she was little. Hearing about this series, I asked for it for my thirteenth birthday and my parents got it for me. (They are so supportive of my obsession.) ; ) I accidentally found out what I was getting before it was time, but that didn’t spoil my reading appetite. I read all nine books in maybe two weeks! Then the next siblings down the line read them, and I wrote a letter to the authors telling them how much we enjoyed them and that my brother and my younger sister had started their own detective agency just like the characters’. They sent me the tenth book since it had just come out. You can imagine how pleased I was. ; ) I can’t wait to share them with my littlest sister when she can read well enough. ; )

The Scripture Slueth Books 3 & 4 by Matt Halverson

I’ve always loved mysteries, and nothing shows that better than this part of my bookshelf I suppose. My Dad purchased book 3 for me at a homeschool convention and I loved it! (Still do, actually.) Mysteries you solve yourself using clues from the Bible then reading the ending to see if you were right. What could be better? Like I said earlier—more. ; ) My brother and I ordered more (I got book 4 this time) making sure to have them signed by the author. We spread the joy to a friend and between all three of us we have the complete series. ; )

Janette Oke’s Animal Friends by Janette Oke (what a surprise!)

I got these two books at a Christian bookstore when I was say, nine or ten. (All I remember about that day was that I got confused about how much money I had and Dad came to my rescue by adding a little.) ; ) These aren’t the best books ever, but they are fun for young readers. ; )

The Three Cousins Detective Club by Elsbeth Campbell Murphy

Dad and Mom got me two of these books for my eleventh birthday and signed them with really sweet messages. ; ) Four days later, we flew up to the Greatest Northwest that ever was to consider moving there. I read one of the books on our flight and saved the other to read on our trip. Since then I’ve been collecting as much of the series as I can. A few here and there for birthdays, one for a quarter at a library booksale, and so on. At first it was for me, and in a way it still is, but now it’s mostly for the younger family members and friends I share them with. I always love it when I find a safe series for that 8-12 age when it’s hard to find anything. ; )

Next time I'll tackle the next shelf... ; )

Book Review: Gift from the Storm

"One cold, dark evening a young stranger appears outside the Morgan home with two small children. Injured and on the verge of complete exhaustion, she will only say that her name is “Amy.”
Where did she come from? Who is she? And what has she been through? Dr. Justin Morgan and his family look for answers as they struggle to minister life and health to the needy ones in their midst."

Since I love Rebekah Morris's writing style and saw this book's gorgeous cover, I decided to award this book a place in my famous Amazon cart.   I was not disappointed in the least. After reading through the book in a day or so, I immediately spent the same amount of time reading it to one of my sisters. It is that good. : )

The Setting:
I loved the cozy, mountain cabin setting through each of the seasons it was portrayed in. It was so accurate and descriptive that it reminded me very much of a place I've been to and loved before.

The Characters:
Amy was favorite character. Her struggles were realistic and captivating. The love of the Morgan family, Adam's quiet speeches, Sarah's enthusiasm, and Justin's doctor-liness were all a delight. And Danny was a crack up!

The Story:
I enjoyed the plot twists and the well-crafted mystery so much! It would be a bit on the slow side for readers looking for a ton of action, but I found it amazing. Add to the story a powerful Gospel presentation and wonderful Spiritual lessons!

The Concerns:
Parents may want to use caution in choosing this book for younger reader's because Amy's story is a sad/scary (but not immoral) one. There is some question if she is the children's unmarried mother, but the thought is dispelled early in the story.

Altogether, I found this book to be an intriguing, godly mystery that is now added to my list of favorites!

Guess What I Got in the Mail...

When life (or one of your sweet aunts) hands you an Amazon gift card, buy books. I suddenly found myself armed with book money and so many delightful possibilities. I chose two with beautiful covers and interesting sounding storylines. They came on Monday. Two days early. I love it when packages come.

 

See? They are gorgeous!

 

And the spines are even better, since they are so thick!!!

 

Since Monday, I've read Gift from the Storm once; and now I'm almost finished reading it to one of my younger sisters since it is so good. Dreamlander is waiting tantalizingly for me; but I've decided to wait on that one a little bit. Don't worry, reading isn't the only reason I've been gone from this blog for over two weeks. I've been doing a lot of other life too, and when I finish my reading I hope to be back here to tell you all about it. Expect a general update, reviews (of course), and even some pictures of our Resurrection Day celebrations. Until then--where is my bookmark?





Psst!! Just so you know--Perry made the cover of Gift from the Storm. You can see other fabulous things like it at www.perryelisabethdesign.blogspot.com.