Helena, raised from tavern serving girl to Empress by her marriage to a Roman general, divorced and thrown out of her home by the wayward desires of her husband, embarks on a journey of faith. She has a vision from God telling her to go on a pilgrimage to the city that was once Jerusalem. The journey will be long and treacherous because the land is no longer tolerant of Christians and there will be those who seek to stop her from her quest and those who will seek to kill her. She is joined on her journey by a sergeant of her former guards, who vows to protect her, a young Roman soldier who has lost everything including his faith and a battered and beaten priest. They are tracked by Severus, a murderous Roman assassin and fear daily for their lives. Helena is obediently following God's call with the most beautiful faith and perseverance.
Davis Bunn unfolds a beautiful story of one woman's uncompromising faith. A woman, who by her obedient example brings hope and faith back to those she encounters on her journey. This is a moving story, brilliantly told with characters and places that come alive. Davis Bunn's writing skills truly shine in this genre and it is a delight to read.I look forward to reading future offerings of Christian fiction from him.
I was given an eBook copy in exchange for my honest review.
Thursday, August 20, 2015
Sunday, May 10, 2015
Tuesday, November 4, 2014
The New American Herbal by Stephen Orr
I have always wanted to grow and learn to use herbs. I have checked out books and tried to get into it but never really got anything going until this book. ( I received a copy of this book through "Blogging for Books" program for my honest review.) This book is fabulous!!!!!!
This is the most beautiful, well organized, informative book on Herbs I have ever encountered!!!! The author obviously loves growing and working with herbs and sharing his knowledge with others. I feel totally confident in my ability to use this book to grow my own herbs. Even if I had no interest in growing my own herbs, this book is a beautiful book about herbs. The photography is exquisite. ( Great even as a coffee table book!)
The author covers planting , growing, drying, extracting, and making essential oils, tinctures from herbs.
The book is easy to follow and extremely informative. There are outlines for what to grow in a kitchen garden. How to make herb vinegar, herb beverages, and spice blends to use in the kitchen. There are wonderful recipes throughout the book show casing certain herbs.
This is a book to sit and savor, You can to learn from this book and use the knowledge to become an accomplished herb user as well as herb grower. I am thoroughly enthralled with this book and have already started cultivating my kitchen herb garden!
This is the most beautiful, well organized, informative book on Herbs I have ever encountered!!!! The author obviously loves growing and working with herbs and sharing his knowledge with others. I feel totally confident in my ability to use this book to grow my own herbs. Even if I had no interest in growing my own herbs, this book is a beautiful book about herbs. The photography is exquisite. ( Great even as a coffee table book!)
The author covers planting , growing, drying, extracting, and making essential oils, tinctures from herbs.
The book is easy to follow and extremely informative. There are outlines for what to grow in a kitchen garden. How to make herb vinegar, herb beverages, and spice blends to use in the kitchen. There are wonderful recipes throughout the book show casing certain herbs.
This is a book to sit and savor, You can to learn from this book and use the knowledge to become an accomplished herb user as well as herb grower. I am thoroughly enthralled with this book and have already started cultivating my kitchen herb garden!
Tuesday, September 30, 2014
Bend your Brain
Bend Your Brain : 151 Puzzles,Tips, and Tricks to Blow [and grow] Your Mind
from The Minds Behind Marbles : the Brain Store
A fabulously entertaining and insightful book full of puzzles and tips to grow your brain.
This book is primarily fun, exasperating, intriguing and most likely very good for you! Many are concerned with the growing level of dementia in our older adults and how to prevent it or at least put it off. The book is a collection selected by the minds behind marbles the brain store. They begin by explaining what your brain is, who they are and what this book is. The book continues with five chapters of puzzles, and brainteasers to improve certain brain skills : visual perception, word skills,critical thinking,coordination and memory. There is an answer key at the end of the book. There is a short biographical paragraph for the people who created the puzzles. There is also a list of other products that are offered by marbles the brain store.
This was a delightful fun book, great for working through or leaving on the coffee table or any other spot where you could pick it up and do a puzzle or two.
This is a wonderful book I feel smarter already!!!!
from The Minds Behind Marbles : the Brain Store
A fabulously entertaining and insightful book full of puzzles and tips to grow your brain.
This book is primarily fun, exasperating, intriguing and most likely very good for you! Many are concerned with the growing level of dementia in our older adults and how to prevent it or at least put it off. The book is a collection selected by the minds behind marbles the brain store. They begin by explaining what your brain is, who they are and what this book is. The book continues with five chapters of puzzles, and brainteasers to improve certain brain skills : visual perception, word skills,critical thinking,coordination and memory. There is an answer key at the end of the book. There is a short biographical paragraph for the people who created the puzzles. There is also a list of other products that are offered by marbles the brain store.
This was a delightful fun book, great for working through or leaving on the coffee table or any other spot where you could pick it up and do a puzzle or two.
This is a wonderful book I feel smarter already!!!!
Friday, August 22, 2014
I've been reading a lot of science fiction lately...
Crater Trueblood and the Lunar Rescue Company
by Homer Hickam
This is the third and a delightful completion to the helium-3 series. Written for ages 10-18, these are delightful reads for all ages. Homer Hickam creates a believable "world" on the moon using a mix of fiction and a lot of science fact. The characters are fully developed and you feel like they are your friends that you are cheering for. These are adventure stories and are wonderful for even reluctant readers. The books help spark imaginations about the challenges of living in a moon colony. In this book Maria, the love of Crater's life, has been abducted (again) and he must rescue her (again). To do this he must rally his brother, Petro and his Crowhopper friend,Cresent to devise a way to get them into space to rescue Maria from a space station. They must dodge asteroids and fight against time to save the day. Oh , did I mention the giant asteroid that is headed straight for earth bent on it's destruction that they must somehow stop? Non-stop action and rollicking good (if nail-biting)fun are to be enjoyed in this book.
I have read this series and other books by Mr. Hickman and always find him to be a knowledgeable writer with wonderful characters.
VISION OF FIRE
by Gillian Anderson and Jeff Rovin
Wow! I picked this up because I recognized Gillian Anderson's name from her days starring on the X-Files. I was blown away by this book it is fantastic. :This was a fabulous thrill ride that leaves you wanting more!!!! A fascinating tale that leaves you guessing at every turn. At first it is a novel about an artifact stolen from a geologist on a ship in the Falklands. Next it is about an Ambassador in peace talks between India and Pakistan who lives through an assassination attempt only to have his daughter stricken with a mysterious ailment.. Then it centers on a psychiatrist who specializes in traumatized teens . Then begins a roller-coaster of some of the freshest topics and most inventive writing I have ever seen. This book will keep you up late at night and you will not guess where it is taking you. It is a fabulously entertaining read. I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of this book!!!! I will definitely be looking forward to any further books they write!
by Homer Hickam
This is the third and a delightful completion to the helium-3 series. Written for ages 10-18, these are delightful reads for all ages. Homer Hickam creates a believable "world" on the moon using a mix of fiction and a lot of science fact. The characters are fully developed and you feel like they are your friends that you are cheering for. These are adventure stories and are wonderful for even reluctant readers. The books help spark imaginations about the challenges of living in a moon colony. In this book Maria, the love of Crater's life, has been abducted (again) and he must rescue her (again). To do this he must rally his brother, Petro and his Crowhopper friend,Cresent to devise a way to get them into space to rescue Maria from a space station. They must dodge asteroids and fight against time to save the day. Oh , did I mention the giant asteroid that is headed straight for earth bent on it's destruction that they must somehow stop? Non-stop action and rollicking good (if nail-biting)fun are to be enjoyed in this book.
I have read this series and other books by Mr. Hickman and always find him to be a knowledgeable writer with wonderful characters.
VISION OF FIRE
by Gillian Anderson and Jeff Rovin
Wow! I picked this up because I recognized Gillian Anderson's name from her days starring on the X-Files. I was blown away by this book it is fantastic. :This was a fabulous thrill ride that leaves you wanting more!!!! A fascinating tale that leaves you guessing at every turn. At first it is a novel about an artifact stolen from a geologist on a ship in the Falklands. Next it is about an Ambassador in peace talks between India and Pakistan who lives through an assassination attempt only to have his daughter stricken with a mysterious ailment.. Then it centers on a psychiatrist who specializes in traumatized teens . Then begins a roller-coaster of some of the freshest topics and most inventive writing I have ever seen. This book will keep you up late at night and you will not guess where it is taking you. It is a fabulously entertaining read. I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of this book!!!! I will definitely be looking forward to any further books they write!
Monday, June 30, 2014
I review a lot for NetGalley as well as Library Journal and School Library Journal, professionally.I also pick up the occasional book on Book Bub and Book Shout. The shocker is I also read a lot of hard cover books from the library.(I actually work at the public library as my day job. These compilation posts are just some of my reading that I have written reviews on. They are on varied topics and varied genres and some non-fiction tossed in for fun. All these books can be found on the regular book sites such as Amazon, B&N etc. if I tickle your fancy and you want to find out more.
Air Plants: The Curious World of Tillandsias
This is a beautiful book! The author covers all aspects of these beautiful plants from what they are to how to grow them, to how to care for them and how to arrange them artfully. The photography is spectacular! The artful arranging and display of the plants is marvelous. I knew nothing about these types of plants and now I want a house full of them. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who has an interest in these plants. The book is obviously created by people who love these plants.
The book is enchanting even if you never grow any of these exquisite plants.
The City by Dean Koontz
Air Plants: The Curious World of Tillandsias
Zenaida Sengo
This is a beautiful book! The author covers all aspects of these beautiful plants from what they are to how to grow them, to how to care for them and how to arrange them artfully. The photography is spectacular! The artful arranging and display of the plants is marvelous. I knew nothing about these types of plants and now I want a house full of them. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who has an interest in these plants. The book is obviously created by people who love these plants.
The book is enchanting even if you never grow any of these exquisite plants.
The City by Dean Koontz
I loved the first few Odd Thomas books and then they got dark, too supernatural in a bad way.I tried to read "Innocence" , one of his latest, but it felt like a bad script edit of Beauty and the Beast, the TV show. I thought I might try this one but the subject matter didn't really grab me and that would be totally my fault - not Mr. Koontz. This is a human story told as if oral history about the life of a young piano prodigy that is changed by the city he lives in. Pearl ,the supernatural personification of the city cares for her people but ... this was a little odd.The book includes haiku and the background of the music in his world is mesmerizing. I just couldn't get into the story. Sorry.
Friday, June 27, 2014
A Few June Titles
Creature of Moonlight by Rebecca Hahn
Lyrical and beautifully written, this is a charming fantasy. The heroine is a strong character and holds her own as choices are presented to her as she comes of age. The story is similar in writing to a beautiful fairy tale in the telling. The action is slowly evolved in beautifully descriptive prose that draws the reader along.There is a mesmerizing story of Marni the strange young woman who lives with her grandfather, the king who wants her dead and a mysterious forest that grows closer around them each night. There are magical creatures in the forest and girls from the nearby village seem to disappear into the forest and never return. The story is wonderful and will appeal to teens and adults as well. I truly enjoyed this beautiful book.
The Judgement Stone by Robert Liparulo
This is the 2nd installment in this series. (The 13th Tribe was the first.) This is wonderful thought-provoking Christian fiction. The books are exciting thrillers. In the first book you meet the Tribe , a group of people who were among the group of Israelites that were worshiping the golden calf when Moses brought down the Ten Commandments and were punished with immortality. Their goal in life is to punish sinners in hopes of gaining forgiveness from God. In The Judgement Stone we meet a more ruthless and cruel group of immortals, known as the Clan, who are angry with God and want to do any action that will hurt God. The main characters are a reformed immortal, Jagger , who follow neither group but tries to live a normal life with his wife and child. Jagger is a security chief on an archaeological site where a stone is found. The stone , believed to be a fragment of the original Ten Commandments tablet has special powers. When holding the stone the holder is able to visually see the spiritual world - he can see angels and demons and peoples connections to God through their prayers. The Clan attacks the monastery at the archaeological dig and steals the stone. With the stone in their possession they will be able to find those closest to God and destroy them. Jagger and Owen pursue them in an effort to retrieve the stone. While they are gone, the Tribe attack the monastery to kidnap Jagger's wife in hopes that she can lead them to redemption.
This is a fast paced book with a lot of action. I truly enjoyed both books and highly recommend them to teens and adults alike. I hope he will continue this series as the characters are engaging and the plots excellent.
How to Knit by Leslie Ann Bestor
This book is a wealth of knitting information with clear instructions and wonderfully clear illustrations. Any adult who can follow instructions should be able to learn to knit. The author describes each step of the process thoroughly. There are some very basic patterns included in the last chapters. I was disappointed that there are no photographs of projects or of needles , yarn or equipment. The drawings are excellent and cover the necessary subject matter.
More titles to come....
Lyrical and beautifully written, this is a charming fantasy. The heroine is a strong character and holds her own as choices are presented to her as she comes of age. The story is similar in writing to a beautiful fairy tale in the telling. The action is slowly evolved in beautifully descriptive prose that draws the reader along.There is a mesmerizing story of Marni the strange young woman who lives with her grandfather, the king who wants her dead and a mysterious forest that grows closer around them each night. There are magical creatures in the forest and girls from the nearby village seem to disappear into the forest and never return. The story is wonderful and will appeal to teens and adults as well. I truly enjoyed this beautiful book.
The Judgement Stone by Robert Liparulo
This is the 2nd installment in this series. (The 13th Tribe was the first.) This is wonderful thought-provoking Christian fiction. The books are exciting thrillers. In the first book you meet the Tribe , a group of people who were among the group of Israelites that were worshiping the golden calf when Moses brought down the Ten Commandments and were punished with immortality. Their goal in life is to punish sinners in hopes of gaining forgiveness from God. In The Judgement Stone we meet a more ruthless and cruel group of immortals, known as the Clan, who are angry with God and want to do any action that will hurt God. The main characters are a reformed immortal, Jagger , who follow neither group but tries to live a normal life with his wife and child. Jagger is a security chief on an archaeological site where a stone is found. The stone , believed to be a fragment of the original Ten Commandments tablet has special powers. When holding the stone the holder is able to visually see the spiritual world - he can see angels and demons and peoples connections to God through their prayers. The Clan attacks the monastery at the archaeological dig and steals the stone. With the stone in their possession they will be able to find those closest to God and destroy them. Jagger and Owen pursue them in an effort to retrieve the stone. While they are gone, the Tribe attack the monastery to kidnap Jagger's wife in hopes that she can lead them to redemption.
This is a fast paced book with a lot of action. I truly enjoyed both books and highly recommend them to teens and adults alike. I hope he will continue this series as the characters are engaging and the plots excellent.
How to Knit by Leslie Ann Bestor
I was taught to knit when I was 12 and still remember the basics. I was hoping to be inspired to try to learn again. This book does include detailed instructions that I believe will help me or a brand new knitter learn the basics of the craft.
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