Saturday, October 4, 2014
Tuesday, September 30, 2014
Freshwater: Meggie
Freshwater: Meggie: Every once in awhile, a friend comes along like no other. Someone who stands by you through thick and thin, easy and hard, high and low. S...
Meggie
Every once in awhile, a friend comes along like no other. Someone who stands by you through thick and thin, easy and hard, high and low. Sometimes, if you're very blessed, that friend is a faithful furry companion who has your back through it all. It is so hard to say goodbye. I love you Meggie.
Saturday, August 23, 2014
Saturday, August 2, 2014
Saturday, July 26, 2014
Saturday, June 14, 2014
Monday, June 9, 2014
Tuesday, June 3, 2014
Gimme Some Sugar by Kimberly Kincaid...Available TODAY!
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I LOVED IT! LOVED LOVED LOVED! I bet you can't tell by the caps :). Fantastic characters (plus we get to see more of Shane and Bellamy), and lots of great supporting characters as well. This book was a fantastic read, in a fun and flirty style which we're coming to recognize as belonging to fabulous, up and coming author, Kimberly Kincaid!
Available on Amazon and Barnes and Noble!
Biography
Kimberly Kincaid writes contemporary romance that splits the difference between sexy and sweet. When she's not sitting cross-legged in an ancient desk chair known as "The Pleather Bomber", she can be found practicing obscene amounts of yoga, whipping up anything from enchiladas to éclairs in her kitchen, or curled up with her nose in a book. Kimberly is a 2011 RWA Golden Heart® finalist who lives (and writes!) by the mantra that food is love. She is thrilled to have collaborated on a Christmas anthology with Donna Kauffman and Kate Angell, titled The Sugar Cookie Sweetheart Swap, to kick off her Pine Mountain foodie series with Kensington this October. Her first full-length novel, Turn Up the Heat, will follow in February 2014. Kimberly resides in northern Virginia with her wildly patient husband and their three daughters. Visit her any time at www.kimberlykincaid.com or come check her out on Facebook and Twitter.
Friday, May 16, 2014
Silenced by Dani Pettrey
Silenced by Dani Pettrey
#4 in Her Alaskan Courage Series
This was a really good book! I managed to miss #3 in the series, so relationships won't be a surprise when I go back to read it, but anyone could pick up this book from the middle of the series, and be perfectly comfortable. She fills in enough that you're not missing the storyline, the characters still fit really well together, and it's a good read!
I give it five stars!
#4 in Her Alaskan Courage Series
This was a really good book! I managed to miss #3 in the series, so relationships won't be a surprise when I go back to read it, but anyone could pick up this book from the middle of the series, and be perfectly comfortable. She fills in enough that you're not missing the storyline, the characters still fit really well together, and it's a good read!
I give it five stars!
Saturday, April 26, 2014
Friday, April 25, 2014
The Cloak of the Light by Chuck Black
Cloak of the Light
(Wars of the Realm #1)
by
Chuck Black
Goodreads:
Author of the popular Kingdom Series returns with this thrilling new novel for young adults.
Tragedy and heartache seem to be waiting for Drew Carter at every turn. Sydney Carlyle, a mysterious and elusive girl offers encouragement through her faith, but Drew is too logical and scientific to believe that her prayer of healing was anything but coincidental in the restoration of his eyesight. As his sight returns, he discovers that the accident has heightened his neuron activity, giving him skills and sight beyond the normal man. When he begins to see fierce invaders that no one else can see, he questions his own sanity, and so do others. But is he insane or do the invaders truly exist? The only one who can help him, his genius friend Benjamin Berg, has disappeared. In Drew's quest to find Ben, he discovers that the invaders themselves are at war, for his efforts to thwart the devastating actions caused by the dark invaders are aided by invaders with a different nature. Time grows short as the dark invaders close in on Drew. With skills that no other man possesses, and help from Benjamin and Sydney, Drew initiates a plan to expose the invaders to the world.
This is the third series from Chuck Black, who also brought us The Kingdom Series, and The Knights of Arrethtrae (where I started reading C.B.), and I love his work more than ever. I cannot wait for Book Two!
These are also available in Audio Drama, which you can find at http://perfect-praise.com/.
Happy Reading!
-Sonja
Sunday, April 20, 2014
Monday, April 14, 2014
Review: A Beauty So Rare
I absolutely loved this wonderful historical Christian novel! Wonderful characters, and lots of supporting characters, not just the two central to the story. I didn't realize that this was a #2, as it read perfectly well as a stand alone novel!
A Beauty So Rare by Tamera Alexander can be found at Amazon!
Eleanor Braddock, a spinster--plain, practical, no stunning Southern beauty--has long since dismissed any hope of marriage. But when a dying soldier whispers his final words, she believes her life can still have meaning and determines to find his widow. But this compassionate deed takes a harsh turn, and Eleanor finds herself dependent upon the richest woman in America and the most despised woman in Nashville--her aunt, Adelicia Acklen, mistress of Belmont Mansion. A clandestine act of kindness leads Eleanor to an unlikely path for her life--building a home for destitute widows and children from the Civil War. And while Eleanor knows her own heart, she also knows her aunt will never approve.
Gerhard Marcus Gottfried, Archduke of the House of Habsburg and fourth in line to the Austrian throne, arrives in Nashville in search of a life he determines, instead of one determined for him. Collaborating with botanist Luther Burbank, Marcus seeks to combine his own passion for nature with his expertise in architecture. But his plans to incorporate natural beauty into the design of the widow's and children's home run contrary to the wishes of practical, frugal Eleanor, who sees his ideas as costly nonsense.
Yet as the construction project continues, Marcus and Eleanor find common ground--and a love neither of them expected. But Marcus is not the man Adelicia has chosen for Eleanor to marry, and even if he were, someone who knows Marcus's secrets is about to reveal them all.
A Beauty So Rare by Tamera Alexander can be found at Amazon!
A Beauty So Rare (Belmont Mansion #2)
by
Tamera Alexander (Goodreads Author)
From the USA Today
bestselling author of To Whisper Her Name and A Lasting Impression comes
a moving historical novel about a bold young woman drawn to a group of
people forgotten by Nashville society--and to the one man with whom she
has no business falling in love.Eleanor Braddock, a spinster--plain, practical, no stunning Southern beauty--has long since dismissed any hope of marriage. But when a dying soldier whispers his final words, she believes her life can still have meaning and determines to find his widow. But this compassionate deed takes a harsh turn, and Eleanor finds herself dependent upon the richest woman in America and the most despised woman in Nashville--her aunt, Adelicia Acklen, mistress of Belmont Mansion. A clandestine act of kindness leads Eleanor to an unlikely path for her life--building a home for destitute widows and children from the Civil War. And while Eleanor knows her own heart, she also knows her aunt will never approve.
Gerhard Marcus Gottfried, Archduke of the House of Habsburg and fourth in line to the Austrian throne, arrives in Nashville in search of a life he determines, instead of one determined for him. Collaborating with botanist Luther Burbank, Marcus seeks to combine his own passion for nature with his expertise in architecture. But his plans to incorporate natural beauty into the design of the widow's and children's home run contrary to the wishes of practical, frugal Eleanor, who sees his ideas as costly nonsense.
Yet as the construction project continues, Marcus and Eleanor find common ground--and a love neither of them expected. But Marcus is not the man Adelicia has chosen for Eleanor to marry, and even if he were, someone who knows Marcus's secrets is about to reveal them all.
Sunday, April 13, 2014
Friday, April 4, 2014
Tide and Tempest by Elizabeth Ludwig
I have absolutely loved reading this book! The characters are fantastic, and there is a great ebb and flow of intrigue and mystery. I love how each character's faith carries him or her through, and how we learn about forgiving ourselves, because God's already forgiven us.
during their voyage to America.
Now she discovers it may have been murder...
Dreaming of a better life, Tillie McGrath leaves Ireland behind and, with her beloved fiance by her side, sets sail for America. But when illness robs her of the man she holds dear, she's left alone with only a handful of tattered memories. While forging on proves difficult, Tillie soon finds some new friends at her New York boardinghouse, and begins pursuing a new dream--to open a home for orphaned children.
Despite two years passing, Captain Keondric Morgan has never forgotten the lass who left his ship so heartbroken. When a crewman's deathbed confession reveals her fiance's demise was the result of murder, the captain knows he must try to contact her. But his attention draws the notice of others as well--dangerous men who believe Tillie has in her possession something that could expose their crimes. And to their way of thinking, the best way to prevent such an outcome is to seize the evidence and then hand Tillie the same fate as her naïve fiance.
My rating:
Tide and Tempest (Edge of Freedom #3)
Two years ago, her fiance perishedduring their voyage to America.
Now she discovers it may have been murder...
Dreaming of a better life, Tillie McGrath leaves Ireland behind and, with her beloved fiance by her side, sets sail for America. But when illness robs her of the man she holds dear, she's left alone with only a handful of tattered memories. While forging on proves difficult, Tillie soon finds some new friends at her New York boardinghouse, and begins pursuing a new dream--to open a home for orphaned children.
Despite two years passing, Captain Keondric Morgan has never forgotten the lass who left his ship so heartbroken. When a crewman's deathbed confession reveals her fiance's demise was the result of murder, the captain knows he must try to contact her. But his attention draws the notice of others as well--dangerous men who believe Tillie has in her possession something that could expose their crimes. And to their way of thinking, the best way to prevent such an outcome is to seize the evidence and then hand Tillie the same fate as her naïve fiance.
Tuesday, March 25, 2014
Debbie Macomber's Blossom Street Brides
Debbie Macomber's done it again! I absolutely loved this one. Blossom Street is just a wonderful place, and I have grown to love the characters who live, work, and shop there.
If you haven't read it yet, run out and get your copy today (I'll wait)!
For all you fantastic Macomber fans out there, Debbie Macomber and Walmart are currently hosting a Blossom Street Brides Sweepstakes. You can check out all the details and enter to win right here!
If you haven't read it yet, run out and get your copy today (I'll wait)!
Sunday, March 23, 2014
Tuesday, March 11, 2014
The All You Can Dream Buffet by Barbara O'Neal!
Perfect for fans of Kristin Hannah and Susan Wiggs—Barbara O’Neal’s new novel of food, friendship, and the freedom to grow your dreams brings together four very different women longing to savor the true taste of happiness.
Popular blogger and foodie queen Lavender Wills reigns over Lavender Honey Farms, a serene slice of organic heaven nestled in Oregon wine country. Lavender is determined to keep her legacy from falling into the profit-driven hands of uncaring relatives, and she wants an heir to sustain her life’s work after she’s gone. So she invites her three closest online friends—fellow food bloggers, women of varied ages and backgrounds—out to her farm. She hopes to choose one of them to inherit it—but who?
There’s Ginny, the freckle-faced Kansas cake baker whose online writing is about to lead her out of a broken marriage and into a world of sensual delights. And Ruby, young, pregnant, devoted to the organic movement, who’s looking for roots—and the perfect recipe to heal a shattered heart. Finally, Val, smart and sophisticated, a wine enthusiast who needs a fresh start for her teenage daughter after tragedy has rocked their lives. Coming together will change the Foodie Four in ways they could never have imagined, uniting them in love and a common purpose. As they realize that life doesn’t always offer a perfect recipe for happiness, they also discover that the moments worth savoring are flavored with some tears, a few surprises, and generous helping of joy.
Barbara O'Neal has once again managed to capture the secret hopes, dreams and fears of her audience. Captivated by this story, I stayed up late last night to finish reading. Her characters are real, complex, and as a reader, I can pick out pieces of myself or people that I know in each of them.
Sunday, March 9, 2014
Tuesday, March 4, 2014
Turn Up the Heat! Available TODAY!
There are only so many times a girl can hear those words before she believes that it is, in fact, very much her. Unexpectedly jilted by her locally famous boyfriend and haunted by a boss who makes Attila the Hun look like a lap dog, Bellamy Blake does what any self-respecting girl in her shoes would do. She rounds up her two best girlfriends and makes plans to get the hell out of Dodge.
But Bellamy's escape plan takes a nose dive on the side of rural route 164 when her transmission self-destructs, leaving her in the middle of a cell phone dead zone with nothing but her wits. Oh, and Shane Griffin, the hottest mechanic who's ever checked under her hood.
Yet this small-town man isn't all he seems. Can Shane and Bellamy prove that sometimes the most unlikely ingredients make the most deliciously sexy mix?
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Not only does she have the best heroes, but the female characters aren't any slouches either!
Whew! This fabulous author definitely turned up the heat! I have read every single one of her novels (so far), so I knew from the beginning that this story would probably have more “steam” than I usually like to read, but I also knew that I absolutely had to read it.
I need to mention that if you don't care for steamy scenes in your novels, or a little language, you probably want to give Turn Up The Heat a pass, but if you are a fan of great characters and a fabulous storyline, then this is the read for you. There is a bit of language, but it suits the characters.
You can't have a great romance without a great hero, but this author has not settled for a great hero alone, but matched him move for move with an intelligent, strong, stubborn female heroine, who makes you love her too!
I absolutely loved Shane and Bellamy's story! Make sure you check out Turn up the Heat by Kimberly Kincaid!
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Turn Up the Heat is available in Paperback, and on Kindle, or Nook!
You can find more of Kimberly Kincaid on Amazon, , on Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads!
You can also sign up for her newsletter, Love Goggles, at kimberlykincaid.com.
Saturday, March 1, 2014
Laundry Soap Recipe
1/3 bar Fels Naptha
1/2 cup washing soda
1/2 cup borax powder
2 gallon (at least) container
And...LOTS OF WATER!
Grate the soap & put it in a saucepan. Add 6 cups water & heat until soap melts. Add the washing soda & borax. Stir until dissolved. Remove from heat. Pour 4 cups hot water into the container. Add soap mixture into the container & stir. Add 1 gallon plus 6 cups of water & stir. Cover and let sit overnight to gel.
I triple this recipe for a 5 gallon bucket of soap. Today I'm septupling it to make two buckets - one for use, and one so I don't have to skip laundry for a day so I wait for the next batch to gel!
Freshwater: Homemade Repost Laundry Soap
I'm re-posting this, because the search has stopped working on my blog page, and I can't even find the darn recipe!!!!! Hopefully someone else out there will find it useful!
Freshwater: Homemade: Okay, we know about homemade cookies, candies, cakes, bread...and if you have recipes to share, I am all ears! But what else do you make? ...
Freshwater: Homemade: Okay, we know about homemade cookies, candies, cakes, bread...and if you have recipes to share, I am all ears! But what else do you make? ...
Sunday, February 23, 2014
The Chase by Janet Evanovich and Lee Goldberg
The Chase (Fox and O'Hare #2)
by
Janet Evanovich (Goodreads Author),
Lee Goldberg (Goodreads Author)
Janet Evanovich and Lee Goldberg, New York Times bestselling authors of The Heist, return
in this action-packed, exciting adventure featuring master con artist
Nicolas Fox and die-hard FBI agent Kate O’Hare. And this time around,
things go from hot to nuclear when government secrets are on the line.
Internationally renowned thief and con artist Nicolas Fox is famous for running elaborate and daring scams. His greatest con of all: convincing the FBI to team him up with the only person who has ever caught him, and the only woman to ever capture his attention, Special Agent Kate O’Hare. Together they’ll go undercover to swindle and catch the world’s most wanted—and untouchable—criminals.
Their newest target is Carter Grove, a former White House chief of staff and the ruthless leader of a private security agency. Grove has stolen a rare Chinese artifact from the Smithsonian, a crime that will torpedo U.S. relations with China if it ever becomes public. Nick and Kate must work under the radar—and against the clock—to devise a plan to steal the piece back. Confronting Grove’s elite assassins, Nick and Kate rely on the skills of their ragtag crew, including a flamboyant actor, a Geek Squad techie, and a band of AARP-card-carrying mercenaries led by none other than Kate’s dad.
A daring heist and a deadly chase lead Nick and Kate from Washington, D.C., to Shanghai, from the highlands of Scotland to the underbelly of Montreal. But it’ll take more than death threats, trained henchmen, sleepless nights, and the fate of a dynasty’s priceless heirloom to outsmart Fox and O’Hare.
Internationally renowned thief and con artist Nicolas Fox is famous for running elaborate and daring scams. His greatest con of all: convincing the FBI to team him up with the only person who has ever caught him, and the only woman to ever capture his attention, Special Agent Kate O’Hare. Together they’ll go undercover to swindle and catch the world’s most wanted—and untouchable—criminals.
Their newest target is Carter Grove, a former White House chief of staff and the ruthless leader of a private security agency. Grove has stolen a rare Chinese artifact from the Smithsonian, a crime that will torpedo U.S. relations with China if it ever becomes public. Nick and Kate must work under the radar—and against the clock—to devise a plan to steal the piece back. Confronting Grove’s elite assassins, Nick and Kate rely on the skills of their ragtag crew, including a flamboyant actor, a Geek Squad techie, and a band of AARP-card-carrying mercenaries led by none other than Kate’s dad.
A daring heist and a deadly chase lead Nick and Kate from Washington, D.C., to Shanghai, from the highlands of Scotland to the underbelly of Montreal. But it’ll take more than death threats, trained henchmen, sleepless nights, and the fate of a dynasty’s priceless heirloom to outsmart Fox and O’Hare.
Hardcover, 320 pages
Expected publication:
February 25th 2014
by Bantam
ISBN
0345543084
(ISBN13: 9780345543080)
edition language
English
series
I loved
this! It was so hilariously funny! Janet Evanovich always makes me
laugh, and I had to read some parts aloud to my husband!
“You have a very overprotective father,” Nick said. “When you were a teenager, how did he greet your dates? With a flamethrower?”
“With a foot-long combat machete, just like the one he gave me for my twelfth birthday.”
“Every girl should have one,” Nick said.
“You have a very overprotective father,” Nick said. “When you were a teenager, how did he greet your dates? With a flamethrower?”
“With a foot-long combat machete, just like the one he gave me for my twelfth birthday.”
“Every girl should have one,” Nick said.
Friday, February 21, 2014
Papa the Stock Farmer
I loved this book! It is a neat little story about life on the farm and the life of a farmer. There are lots of fantastic real life photos, and great vocabulary explanations worked right into the storyline!
Tuesday, February 18, 2014
Review Don't Even Think About It
I enjoyed this book! It was such a fun, and appropriate YA read. I liked the characters. I would definitely let my kids read this. It had real life kids with rather unusual problems, but the language wasn't inappropriate, there weren't any nasty scenes, and it was a fun read.
Friday, February 7, 2014
Review: A Match Made in Texas by Karen Witemeyer, Mary Connealy, Regina Jennings, Carol Cox from Bethany House Publishers
A Match Made in Texas
This delightful novella collection captures the antics of a sweet hearted matchmaker on the Texas frontier, until the tables are turned and she becomes the matchmakee!
This 384 page novella just flew by as I enjoyed one heart warming story after another. Check out the Goodreads information and my review here.
Check out this fantastic read from Bethany House!
A Match Made in Texas
A Novella Collection
About
There's a secret matchmaker at work in frontier Texas!In the small town of Dry Gulch, Texas, a good-hearted busybody just can't keep herself from surreptitiously trying to match up women in dire straits with men of good character she hopes can help them. How is she to know she's also giving each couple a little nudge toward love?
A Cowboy Unmatched
Neill isn't sure who hired him to repair Clara's roof--he only knows Clara desperately needs his help. Can he convince this stubborn widow to let down her guard and take another chance on love?
An Unforeseen Match
Hoping to earn an honest wage on his way to the land rush, Clayton ends up on Grace's doorstep, lured by a classified ad. He may have signed on for more than he expected though--and he may have found the one woman who can keep him from moving on.
No Match for Love
Andrew can't fathom how refined Lucy ended up as the caretaker to his dotty aunt, and somehow her arrival has prompted even more bizarre occurrences around the ranch. When they join forces to unearth the truth, will the attraction between Andrew and Lucy develop into more?
Meeting Her Match
When the tables are turned and a tenderhearted meddler becomes the beneficiary of a matchmaking scheme, her world is turned upside down. As her entire life changes, will she finally be able to tell the banker's son how much she cares for him?
Saturday, January 25, 2014
Sunday, January 12, 2014
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