A Wedding Inivitation by Alice J. Wisler

It has taken me a really long time to finish this book, which isn't to say that I didn't enjoy it.  Alice Wisler's writing style is a little different that what I normally read.  It's gritty, heart searching, and sometimes feels very real emotionally.  She takes you into the lives of her characters and has you try on their emotions, their feelings, and their past. I enjoyed reading Samantha Bravencourt's story of teaching in a refugee camp in the Philippines and her life experience years after that has been saturated by her year abroad.  Her story has heartache, doubt, faith, and renewal.  This book has some Southern flair mixed in with the dirty streets of the refugee camp.  Two very different worlds collide in this book as we learn Samantha's history and her present.  A deep-reaching book with a lot of light thrown in.  Great book club read for a group, and there are discussion questions in the back!

Disclaimer:  This book may have been provided free for review by Bethany House Publishers.

A Love That Multiplies by Michelle & Jim Bob Duggar

This is another great book from the Duggars!  I really enjoyed all the details and insights they shared about a variety of topics.  Their stories are rich with so many ideas that can be applied in everybody's life, especially those with children (whether you have one or four or seven or more).  Many of the concepts they talk about I would love to try to implement in my young family (I have a 2 1/2-year-old, an almost 10-month-old, and one due in November).  They are honest and forthright about their thoughts and beliefs on many topics, and I congratulate them on that.  Not everybody is willing to put themselves so much out in the public eye as they do and be truly who they are all the time.  I imagine it can be quite difficult at times.  I, myself, cannot imagine having 19 children, but that doesn't mean that I disagree with their beliefs on the topic or their reasoning behind the choices they've made.  Even if I did, it wouldn't matter because it is not my place to say if what they are doing is the right thing or not.  I enjoyed the recipes that were shared throughout the book and the many pictures of the family.  They seem to be a very rich family in the way that counts most.  I highly recommend this wonderful book from the Duggars.  Reading their own words and stories really sheds so much light not only on their lives but also on your own life.  A true treasure of a book!

Talk of the Town by Lisa Wingate

Very enjoyable book!  Mandalay and Imagene are two wonderful characters who are easy to relate to.  Their stories are heartfelt and honest.  Daily, Texas, is a town I'd certainly like to visit so I could get to know some of the locals; they are very kind, helpful people.  This story is rich with great characters, emotions, humor, and so much more.  Mandalay is striving for something that she really doesn't want anymore if she ever truly did.  Imagene is still mourning the loss of her husband and living a secluded life.  Amber is trying to do the right thing despite all the bad press surrounding her.  Carter is starting on a new journey for good reasons.  These people are really, fun, happy, sad, etc.  And Daily is certainly a town full of wonderful people.  My one issue with the book is that the charcters' relationships with Christ are a little less than I'd like.  Overall, Talk of the Town was very hard to put down.  A great read and a wonderful choice for book clubs.  Get your cowboy hat on and head on down to Daily, Texas, for some great times with some genuine folks.

Disclaimer:
May have been provided free for review by Bethany House Publishers.

A Great Resource!

I will begin homeschooling my daughter this fall.  She will be in preschool.  I found out recently about this awesome sale that the wonderful people at The Old Schoolhouse Magazine are putting on.  If you're at all interested in having another great resource at your fingertips, click on the link below!

Check this out:

Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen

Being the huge Jane Austen fan that I am, I have read and enjoyed all 6 of her complete novels (some on more than one occasion).  What a treat to be able to read and review this special edition of Sense and Sensibility from Bethany House!  I usually rank Sense and Sensibility in my top 4 favorite novels from Jane Austen.  I know there are only 6, which doesn't say much for my thoughts on 5 and 6.
In this timeless tale from Austen's hand, we find truths that still resonate with us today.  Struggles with money, love, truth, honesty, chivalry, etc.  The story of the Dashwood sisters is one that I cannot truly relate to since I only have a brother, but I find their love and care for each other to be genuine and true.  They each have their own defined personality and this can sometimes make for a lack of complete understanding between them.  Elinor, being the oldest of the sisters, certainly takes her role to heart in her choice of actions concerning Marianne and the rest of her family.  This story is full of rich characters: Colonel Brandon, Edward Ferrars, Willoughby, Sir John, John and Fanny Dashwood, etc.  Some characters will be dearly loved at the end of the book and some will leave you with a rather sour taste in your mouth.  But reading an Austen novel is always worth the time.  The language, history, ideas, and wit presented from Jane are rich and enjoyable.  I like the family in this story - Mrs. Dashwood, Elinor, Marianne, and Margaret.  They are a wonderful example to us.  I really think that Jane Austen truly wanted to give us a treasure when she illustrated some of her characters so well, and that is especially true in her representation of this family.  Family, I believe, was very dear to Jane.  This story is one of love, betrayal, family, and much more.  I truly recommend it to one and all.
The fun thing about this particular copy of Sense and Sensibility is that the wonderful people at Bethany House added some fun trivia and other tidbits to the novel.  Reading the bits of history, opinions on characters, word definitions, and other remarks made the novel more enjoyable.  In a way, it also felt as if someone was reading along with me and sharing their thoughts with me.  Who doesn't enjoy talking about a good book with their friends?  I really found this addition of detail to make this edition of the book a much more fun one to read and enjoy!  Definitely a good copy to share with fellow Austen enthusiasts!

Disclaimer:
This book was provided free for review by Bethany House Publishers.

Never the Bride by Cheryl McKay and Rene Gutteridge

Wow!  I'm not even sure where to begin.  I read this book in 4 days time, which is pretty quick for me right now.  Overall, I really enjoyed the story.  Cheryl McKay's characters honed into book format with Rene Gutteridge's help made for an interesting and thought-provoking story on many levels.  In the story, we meet Jessie Stone and follow her through life's misadventures and human assumptions.  She is thirty-four, single, longing for the man of her dreams, wanting her love story to finally happen.  She has tried all the avenues that most of us (until recently maybe) wouldn't try.  She's going through life on her terms without considering what God might want for her.  She is the ultimate romantic (hopeless or otherwise) and everybody who knows her knows this about her.  What is a woman to do when a mysterious man shows up in her life; a man who says that he's God.  This presents many interesting situations for Jessie as she talks to someone that only she can see, etc.  The story has twists and turns as does life when we try to follow our format for it and not the format (path) picked out for us by our Creator.  Many good characters, fun scenarios, and great details.
I have a problem or two or more with this story.  Normally, I try very hard to be very positive when I write my reviews, but I struggle to do that with some parts of this book.  I guess my trouble comes from the fact that I want all Christian fiction to be entirely Christian.  Not to say that Christians don't have their stumbling blocks (myself included).  The issues for me from this book are Jessie's sister (who has lived with one guy after another for some time now), Jessie's decision to move in with someone, Jessie's need to get drunk, and even Blake's shallowness when it comes to women.  The other thing that bothers me is that Jessie hasn't had a relationship with God for years, if ever.  At one point, we find out that she hasn't set foot in a church in 14 years or so, yet God comes into her life to write her love story.  I guess for me the state of one's heart in terms of their relationship with Christ is more pressing, but maybe I'm missing the purpose of this story or overanalyzing it when that much analysis was never what the authors wanted.  I believe truly that God wants to be involved in every aspect of our lives.  He loves His children (His creation) and wants to be involved in us, but we have a tendency to limit His involvement.  Truly, I believe this saddens Him.  So, from that point of view, I can see where the authors want us to see that God truly is concerned for us, wants to guide us, counsel us, reprimand us, praise us, enjoy us, etc.  I find that there is so much more that I could say about this story, but I don't want to tear about what really was an entertaining, fun, unique story full of interesting characters with human aspects we can each certainly relate to.  I did find the book funny, intriguing, and hard to put down.  Check it out and tell me what you think.

Disclaimer: This book was provided free for review by WaterBrook Press.

Changes to New Blog Tour Challenge

1. The Bridge of Peace by Cindy Woodsmall
Reading Dates: June 25-July 6, 2011
Blog Tour Dates: July 6/7, 2011

2. A Measure of Mercy by Lauraine Snelling
Reading Dates: July 4-12, 2011

3. Never the Bride by Cheryl McKay and Rene Gutteridge
Reading Dates: July 12-15, 2011
Blog Tour Dates: July 15, 2011

4. Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen
Reading Dates: Jul 15-26, 2011
Blog Tour Dates: Jul 26/27, 2011

5. Talk of the Town by Lisa Wingate
Reading Dates: Jul 28-Aug 8, 2011
Blog Tour Dates: Aug 8/9, 2011
Finished: August 11, 2011

6. Word Gets Around by Lisa Wingate
Reading Dates: Aug 10-21, 2011
Blog Tour Dates: Aug 21/22, 2011

7. Never Say Never by Lisa Wingate
Reading Dates: Aug 23-Sep 3, 2011
Blog Tour Dates: Sep 3/4, 2011

8. Beguiled by Deeanne Gist and J. Mark Bertrand
Reading Dates: Sep 5-16, 2011
Blog Tour Dates: Sep 16/17, 2011

9. Sixteen Brides by Stephanie Grace Whitson
Reading Dates: Sep 18-29, 2011
Blog Tour Dates: Sep 29/30, 2011

10. The Lord's Prayer by R. T. Kendall
Reading Dates: Oct 1-12, 2011
Blog Tour Dates: Oct 12/13, 2011

11. No More Christian Nice Girl by Paul Coughlin and Jennifer D. Degler, PhD
Reading Dates: Oct 14-25, 2011
Blog Tour Dates: Oct 25/26, 2011

12. Love is a Flame Compiled by James Stuart Bell
Reading Dates: Oct 27-Nov 11, 2011
Blog Tour Dates: Nov 11/12, 2011

13. A Measure of Mercy by Lauraine Snelling (Originally #2)
Finish Reading Dates: Nov 13-15, 2011
Blog Tour Dates: Nov 15/16, 2011

14. The Rose Legacy by Kristen Heitzmann
Reading Dates: Nov 17-28, 2011
Blog Tour Dates: Nov 28/29, 2011

15. Christians Are Hate-Filled Hypocrites...and Other Lies You've Been Told by Bradley R. E. Wright, PhD
Reading Dates: Nov 30-Dec 11, 2011
Blog Tour Dates: Dec 11/12, 2011

15. The Vigilante's Bride by Yvonne Harris
Reading Dates: Dec 13-24, 2011
Blog Tour Dates: Dec 24/25, 2011

16. From A Distance by Tamera Alexander
Reading Dates: Dec 26-Jan 6, 2012
Blog Tour Dates: Jan 6/7, 2012

17. Beyond This Moment by Tamera Alexander
Reading Dates: Jan 8-19, 2012
Blog Tour Dates: Jan 19/20, 2012

18. Within My Heart by Tamera Alexander
Reading Dates: Jan 21-Feb 1, 2012
Blog Tour Dates: Feb 1/2, 2012

19. A Rush of Wings by Kristen Heitzmann
Reading Dates: Feb 3-14, 2012
Blog Tour Dates: Feb 14/15, 2012

20. Hatteras Girl by Alice J. Wisler
Reading Dates: Feb 16-27, 2012
Blog Tour Dates: Feb 27/28, 2012

21. The Girl in the Gatehouse by Julie Klassen
Reading Dates: Feb 29-Mar 11, 2012
Blog Tour Dates: Mar 11/12, 2012

22. To Win Her Heart by Karen Witemeyer
Reading Dates: Mar 13-24, 2012
Blog Tour Dates: Mar 24/25, 2012

23. Spiritual Warfare for Women by Leighann McCoy
Reading Dates: Mar 26-Apr 6, 2012
Blog Tour Dates: Apr 6/7, 2012

Bonus Days: Apr 8-11, 2012