Summertime Crochet by Helgrid Van Impelen and Verena Woehlk Appel

Here is the book summary:

Today's cotton and linen yarns are perfect for summer apparel! Breezy tanks, motif tops, and cute hats can all be crocheted and are just right for the warm-weather style. Fill your summer wardrobe with one-of-a-kind items that have you looking your best for every occasion.

And now, my review:

Who doesn’t love a little breezy summer accessory?  When I saw this book I just knew that I wanted to check out what it had to offer because of the summer options that I love to work on in the summer.  My daughters get out our crochet hooks, look through and pick a pattern, and go for it.  Great fun!  From bags to hair pretties to clothes…  it’s all included. 

I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

https://www.amazon.com/Summertime-Crochet-Wraps-Sunny-Nights/dp/0811717747/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1527642946&sr=1-1&keywords=summertime+crochet

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/summertime-crochet-helgrid-van-impelen/1126829860?ean=9780811717748

Diet For The Mind by Martha Clare Morris

Here is the book summary:

From the creator of the MIND diet, the authoritative guide to eating for a healthy brain and optimal cognitive function.

Several factors play into whether you will suffer from cognitive decline and develop Alzheimer's disease -- lifestyle, health conditions, environment, and genetics, for example. But now there is scientific evidence indicating that diet plays a bigger role in brain health than we ever thought before. In Diet for the MIND, one of the leaders in this research provides an easy, non-invasive, and effective way to prevent cognitive decline and reduce the risk of Alzheimer's disease through diet and lifestyle.

There are specific foods and nutrients that are important for keeping the brain functioning optimally, and also foods to limit because they can cause brain injury. With 80 delicious recipes for every occasion, Diet for the MIND is your roadmap to a healthy brain -- for life.

And now, my review:

Diet For The Mind by Martha Clare Morris is a book I desired to read to learn more about food and how it affects the brain.  I know people who are affected by dementia and other things like that so I have a desire to learn more about this.  This book is broken down into 2 parts with 15 separate chapters that seem to meet all the needs to learn more about how food affects our brains.  To go along with her research she included 80 recipes. 

I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

https://www.amazon.com/Diet-MIND-Science-Alzheimers-Cognitive-ebook/dp/B06Y14KQZD/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_product_top?ie=UTF8

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/diet-for-the-mind-martha-clare-morris/1126605190?ean=9780316441155#/

A Voice Becoming by Beth Bruno

Here is the book summary:

In A VOICE BECOMING, Beth Bruno helps mothers cast a Godly vision for their daughters and chart a course that will prepare their daughters for womanhood.

What if you as a mother concentrated on your daughter for one year? Who might she become? A VOICE BECOMING is for moms who want to usher their daughters into womanhood but know they need more than tips, techniques, and programs. This is for moms who to desire to chart a course for their daughters that helps them know the story of God they are entering and the global sisterhood of women they are joining.

A VOICE BECOMING is written by a fellow sojourner, still in the middle of the journey, processing her own story as she casts a vision for her daughter to discover hers. Sometimes roadmaps are too restrictive and a friend is needed who has made the journey already. Beth Bruno seeks to activate moms by infusing them with hope and vision. Readers will join Beth in a yearlong journey of teaching their daughters that women lead, women love, women fight, women sacrifice, and women create. Moms learn how to use film and books, tangible experiences, volunteering, interviewing other women, traveling, and more in a creative and life-altering way to help solidify these important concepts in the mind and life of their young teen.

And now, my review:

A Voice Becoming by Beth Bruno is a Mother-Daughter book that helps Moms navigate through the parenting years of a maturing daughter in her tween and teen years.  I was very interested in reading this because I have a couple of daughters and we are starting the journey through these years as I read.  I love that this author is sharing what she is learning and in a sense is on the journey with us as I read.  This author gives great help in a direction to go with your daughter(s) and I really appreciated her sharing.  Here’s to a right of passage to the Glory of God.

I received this book in exchange for my honest review.

https://www.amazon.com/Voice-Becoming-Yearlong-Mother-Daughter-Passionate-ebook/dp/B071986LXD/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1527639253&sr=8-1&keywords=a+voice+becoming

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-voice-becoming-beth-bruno/1126358693?ean=9781478974680#/

https://www.christianbook.com/becoming-yearlong-daughter-journey-passionate-purposed/beth-bruno/9781478974659/pd/974659?event=ESRCG

Encountering God by Steve Pettit

Here is the book summary:

Encountering God: A Study in Psalms brings the familiar hymnal of the Bible to life as it explores the purpose of Psalms: to worship God. In Psalms, believers meet with God, constantly learning about Him and deepening their understanding of His love. In order to worship Him, they meditate on His character, pour out His blessings in prayer, and rejoice in song. A journey through Psalms will bring any child of God closer to Him.

And now, my review:

Encountering God is a book to help you meditate on God in the Psalms.  This book takes you through 10 different Psalms and the author asks you questions and you have an opportunity to reflect on what the Lord might be saying to you.  Psalms is a well-known book of the Bible and it’s great to dig a little deeper into a few of its tasty morsels.  I found that I mostly agreed with the author and his takes.  For example, he mentions the meaning of Selah throughout Psalms and gives many things it could mean but it’s widely known that it means to pause and reflect on what has just been said.  With this in mind as I read the Psalms, I see that the author of the chapter has a heart change most times as he eventually continues on after a pause.  When we stop and reflect on what God wants to say to us we have heart changes too. 

I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

https://www.amazon.com/Encountering-God-Study-Psalms-Lifetouch-ebook/dp/B078X98PK5/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1527637684&sr=1-2&keywords=Encountering+God

https://www.christianbook.com/encountering-god-a-study-in-psalms/steve-pettit/9781628564884/pd/564885?product_redirect=1&Ntt=564885&item_code=&Ntk=keywords&event=ESRCP

42 Days to a More Powerful Prayer Life by Glenn Hascall

Here is the book summary:

Transform Your Prayer Life in 6 Short Weeks

Do you yearn for a deeper, more meaningful, more powerful prayer life, but don’t know where to begin? Or maybe you struggle with praying repetitive prayers that seem little more than a ritual.

This simple how-to guide will lead you on a six-week experience that can result in real prayer-life-transformation. Each week opens with a devotional chapter that introduces that week’s theme, and then every day of the week includes an inspirational thought as well as three short prayer points that can be accomplished in a few minutes, perfect for morning, noon, and night.

Weekly Themes Include

·        Praying for Others

·        Praying for Myself

·        Praying God’s Will

·        Praying through Tough Times

·        Hearing God

·        The Model Prayer

·        Praise as Prayer.

And now, my review:

This devotional book is set up with 6 weeks of prayer times that have a focus a week that builds each day.  First, you start with praying for others, then yourself, for God’s will, during hard times, hearing from God, and more and more on prayer.  Each day is set up with praying 3 different times with thoughts that go along with it to guide you.  I felt that the challenges that the author puts out are basic but thought-provoking, based on Scripture, and in need of the Holy Spirit’s power to follow through on.  All I needed was a journal and time before the throne and I was on my way to see what God wanted to say and is still saying. 

I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

https://www.amazon.com/Days-More-Powerful-Prayer-Life/dp/1683223128/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1527637019&sr=1-1&keywords=42+days+to+a+more+powerful+prayer+life

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/42-days-to-a-more-powerful-prayer-life-glenn-hascall/1126073476?ean=9781683223122#/

https://www.christianbook.com/powerful-prayer-life-simple-week-guide/glenn-hascall/9781683223122/pd/223122?product_redirect=1&Ntt=223122&item_code=&Ntk=keywords&event=ESRCP

The Calico & Cowboy Romance Collection by Mary Connealy

Here is the book summary:

Love sneaks up on eight couples in the Old West.

The Old West comes to life under the talented pen of bestselling author Mary Connealy. Enjoy a lighthearted ride alongside seven historical and one contemporary cowboys and the women who tame their hearts.
 
The Advent Bride
Melanie Douglas is alone on the Nebraska plains, teaching school to get by. She finds a unique box with hidden drawers to use over the advent season to engage a young boy in his schooling. When Henry O’Keeffe sees a positive change in his son, he has to see for himself what this new teacher is doing.
 
A Bride Rides Herd
Matt Reeves arrives at his brother’s ranch to find Betsy Harden alone with the little girls during a cattle drive. Will the ladies be too much to handle when Matt steps in for the missing ranch hand?
 
His Surprise Family
A lonely young rancher orders a mail-order bride and after the vows are spoken, she “surprises” him with her three little brothers. No amount of apologies Meghan McCray gives are going to make Silas Harden, Jr. believe a word she says. Should Silas just build himself another house and let his mail-order family take over the one he’s got?
 
Homestead on the Range
Widow Elle Winter meets new homesteader Colin Samuelson on the Nebraska prairie, but the attraction between them is soon dampened by the discovery that they have seven children between them. Soon their children are working against them to bring the two families together.
 
Sophie’s Other Daughter
Dr. Ike Reeves comes home to visit his family only to bring trouble in the form of outlaws who believe he witnessed their latest crime. When the gang traps Ike and his old nemesis, Lauren McClellen, in a cave, they must work together to outsmart the thugs. But will their time together put them in a compromising situation that will threaten both of their good reputations?
 
The Sweetwater Bride
Debba McClain takes offense at being offered a wedding in exchange for valuable water rights. But she doesn’t like to see a good man’s cattle die of thirst—and the rancher Tanner Harden is rather handsome.
 
Texas Tea
Luke Reeves has gotten wealthy in the oil business and goes to visit his uncle to convince him to sign over the oil rights to his land. But when he meets his grown up adopted cousin Libby Cooper, he may be forced to give up one dream to win another.
 
Hope for Christmas
It might be 2016, but Montana is still a mighty rough place to survive the winter. When Silas Harden finds the very pregnant Kelsey Black in a wrecked car surrounded by a pack of wolves in the heart of a blizzard he takes her to his remote home. What will Silas do when the baby decides to come and Kelsey confesses why she was out in such a terrible storm?

And now, my review:

This is a book of 8 short stories all set to the Frontier historical period in America.  Mary has a way of writing that moves you right along in these stories.  I liked all the stories, but my favorite was His Surprise Family.  I thought it blissfully romantic.  My least favorite was The Advent Bride because the ending seemed so abrupt.  Although I loved the advent box and would love to come across one of those if there even is such a thing!  How clever. 

I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

https://www.amazon.com/Calico-Cowboys-Romance-Collection-Lighthearted-ebook/dp/B071HB3QYQ/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1527636381&sr=1-1&keywords=the+calico+and+cowboys+romance+collection

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-calico-and-cowboys-romance-collection-mary-connealy/1127171844?ean=9781683224020#/

https://www.christianbook.com/the-calico-cowboys-romance-collection/mary-connealy/9781683224020/pd/224021?product_redirect=1&Ntt=224021&item_code=&Ntk=keywords&event=ESRCP

Keturah by Lisa T. Bergren

Here is the book summary:

In 1773 England, Lady Keturah Banning Tomlinson and her sisters find themselves the heiresses of their father's estates and know they have one option: Go to the West Indies to save what is left of their heritage.

Although it flies against all the conventions for women of the time, they're determined to make their own way in the world. But once they arrive in the Caribbean, proper gender roles are the least of their concerns. On the infamous island of Nevis, the sisters discover the legacy of the legendary sugar barons has vastly declined--and that's just the start of what their eyes are opened to in this unfamiliar world. 

Keturah never intends to put herself at the mercy of a man again, but every man on the island seems to be trying to win her hand and, with it, the ownership of her plantation. She could desperately use an ally, but even an unexpected reunion with a childhood friend leaves her questioning his motives. 

Set on keeping her family together and saving her father's plantation, can Keturah ever surrender her stubbornness and guarded heart to God and find the healing and love awaiting her?

And now, my review:

I thought that Keturah by Lisa T. Bergren was a great historical read!  I enjoyed that it started in England and journeys across the sea to the islands in the Caribbean.  It opens the eyes to slaves and society back in the day and some of that is hard to read but I appreciate that she keeps it realistic and true to history.  The way women were treated back in the day is crazy in so many ways, but the women in this book are adventurous and willing to put themselves out there, not that they really had much choice.  Check it out for yourself and enjoy this great read!

I received a copy of this in exchange for my honest review.

https://www.amazon.com/Keturah-Sugar-Barons-Daughters-Book-ebook/dp/B07879Z24T/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1527635153&sr=8-1&keywords=keturah+lisa+t.+bergren

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/keturah-lisa-t-bergren/1126332856?ean=9780764230240#/

https://www.christianbook.com/keturah-lisa-bergren/9780764230240/pd/230246?product_redirect=1&Ntt=230246&item_code=&Ntk=keywords&event=ESRCP