Title: The Life Ready Woman
Author: Shaunti Feldhahn and Robert Lewis
Publisher: B&H Publishing
Published Date: 2011
ISBN: 978-14336-7112-8
Pages: 229
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher for my honest review.
Synopsis:
We have amazing choices and opportunities today-opportunities our great-grandmothers could never have imagined. Yet we also encounter a whole new host of challenges.
Every woman knows the feeling of struggling to juggle everything, wishing there were more hours in the day. And every woman has also enjoyed the wonderful opportunities God provides that simply didn't exist a few generations ago. The trick is knowing how to manage this crazy, modern life. For those of us who follow Jesus, the challenge is even greater. How can we live a modern life from a biblical perspective?
The great news is: there's a way to do this! There is a way to be "ready" for life that leads to peace and enjoyment rather than stress and regret. Within the ancient words of the Bible we can find a road map that applies directly to our lives as contemporary women: an encouraging, life-giving blueprint you can look to for clarity about the unique design, callings, balance, choices, relationships, and direction that God has for you.
Becoming "Life Ready" involves thinking purposefully about subjects you may never have thought through before. It involves courageous steps of faith at some points, and waiting for open doors in others. But the end result will be that you not only survive but thrive in our do-it-all world. Being a "Life Ready" woman means you are clear about your life, bold in your faith, and able to find God's best for you. No matter where you are-younger, older; single, maiired, divorced, remarried; stay-at-home mom or busy executive; no matter your ethnic background or even your personal faith beliefs or questions-you can start today to reach for it. The Life Ready Woman will guide you there!
About the Authors:
Shaunti Feldhahn is a former Wall Street analyst, best-selling author, national speaker, and regular commentator in the media. She and her husband live with their two children in Atlanta, Georgia.
Robert Lewis is the visionary leader behind the Life Ready series of video studies. He is a pastor, best-selling uthor, and the founder of the popular Men's Fraternity Bible study movement. He and his wife have four grown children and live in Little Rock, Arkansas.
My review:
I am woman that is often busy. Although I don't have children; I work full time-with an hour commute one way and take currently take classes. I often get overwhelmed in keeping up with work, classes, housework, spending time with my husband and family, and making sure day to day details get taken care of. The Life Ready Woman is a great book that takes on those need to get it all done issues and explains how a woman can do it all, yet still remain true to the biblical scripture and her faith. I like that the book addresses all women and is not specific to just those with children. It takes all women into consideration and offers solutions on how to keep it all together, to be successful, and attempt to calm those stresses that often get in the say. I recommend this book for all women as it has great ideas on reshaping your life and faith and becoming able to tackle it all.
Click on the link below to get your own copy. You can also leave a comment below to enter to win your own copy. I have one copy to giveaway and the winner will be chosen on March 16.
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
Book Feature: 13, Rue Therese
American academic Trevor Stratton discovers a box full of artifacts from World War I as he settles into his new office in Paris. The pictures, letters, and objects in the box relate to the life of Louise Brunet, a feisty, charming Frenchwoman who lived through both World Wars.
As Trevor examines and documents the relics the box offers up, he begins to imagine the story of Louise Brunet's life: her love for a cousin who died in the war, her marriage to a man who works for her father, and her attraction to a neighbor in her building at 13 rue Thérèse. The more time he spends with the objects though, the truer his imaginings of Louise's life become, and the more he notices another alluring Frenchwoman: Josianne, his clerk, who planted the box in his office in the first place, and with whom he finds he is falling in love.
The book is fiction, but the mysterious box on which it is based is real. Every item inside it, described in the book in intimate detail and photographs, exists. We may never know the real story behind each of them, but the items themselves offer a peek, and it inspired a woman to catch that mystery, wonder, and inspiration in this lovely, movingly descriptive novel. Click below om the banner to see what was in the box and don't forget to check back here on my blog for an upcoming review.
New Book Release-George R. R. Martin
George R. R. Martin's new book entitled, A Dance With Dragons, will be released on July 12! You can read more about it HERE.
Click below to preorder your copy.
Click below to preorder your copy.
Monday, March 7, 2011
Book Review: Threads West
Title: Threads West
Author: Reid Lance Rosenthal
Publisher: Rockin' SR Publishing
Published Date: 2010
ISBN: 978-0-9821576-1-9
Pages: 228
I received a free copy of this book for my honest review.
Synopsis:
This first book and namesake of the six novel series is being compared by reviewers and authors to Lonesome Dove and Centennial. The tale bursts with the adventure, romance and promise of historical America and the West.
The epic saga of Threads West begins in 1855 with the first of four richly-textured, complex generations of unforgettable characters. The separate lives of these driven men and independent women are drawn to a common destiny that beckons seductively from the wild and remote flanks of the American West. They are swept into the dangerous currents of the far-distant frontier by the mysterious rivers of the fate, the power of the land and the American spririt.
Their turbulent journeys are heartbreaking quests intertwined with romance and adversity, passions and pathos, despair and triumph.
This is not only their story. It is our story. It is Threads West, An American Saga.
About the Author:
Reid is fourth generation land and cattle. His cowboy heart and poet’s pen captures the spirit of the western landscape and its influence on generations of its settlers. His long-standing devotion to wild and remote places, and to the people—both past and present—who leave their legend and footprint upon America and the American West is the inspiration and descriptive underpinning of all of his writing.
“If your mind and spirit are seduced by images of windswept ridge tops, flutters of aspen leaves caressed by a canyon breeze, and the crimson tendrils of dying sun…if your fingers feel the silken pulse of a lover and your lips taste the deep kisses of building passion…if nostrils flare with the conjured scents of gunpowder and perfume, sage brush and pine, and your ears delight in the murmur of river current…if your heart pounds at the clash of good and evil and with each twist and turn of interwoven lives you feel a primal throb, then I have accomplished my mission.”
My review:
Threads West can be compared to Lonesome Dove, yet it is a story of the west that has its own individuality. The characters are diverse and complex, and the writing is divine. I have never been a fan of books set in the American West time period, but this book has turned that around. It gives the reader a love for the land, the frontier, and yearning for a time that is now long past. I read the book in a few hours and am eagerly awaiting book two. I can't wait to have the entire saga. It is the start of one that I feel I will read many times and want to share with friends.
Author: Reid Lance Rosenthal
Publisher: Rockin' SR Publishing
Published Date: 2010
ISBN: 978-0-9821576-1-9
Pages: 228
I received a free copy of this book for my honest review.
Synopsis:
This first book and namesake of the six novel series is being compared by reviewers and authors to Lonesome Dove and Centennial. The tale bursts with the adventure, romance and promise of historical America and the West.
The epic saga of Threads West begins in 1855 with the first of four richly-textured, complex generations of unforgettable characters. The separate lives of these driven men and independent women are drawn to a common destiny that beckons seductively from the wild and remote flanks of the American West. They are swept into the dangerous currents of the far-distant frontier by the mysterious rivers of the fate, the power of the land and the American spririt.
Their turbulent journeys are heartbreaking quests intertwined with romance and adversity, passions and pathos, despair and triumph.
This is not only their story. It is our story. It is Threads West, An American Saga.
About the Author:
Reid is fourth generation land and cattle. His cowboy heart and poet’s pen captures the spirit of the western landscape and its influence on generations of its settlers. His long-standing devotion to wild and remote places, and to the people—both past and present—who leave their legend and footprint upon America and the American West is the inspiration and descriptive underpinning of all of his writing.
“If your mind and spirit are seduced by images of windswept ridge tops, flutters of aspen leaves caressed by a canyon breeze, and the crimson tendrils of dying sun…if your fingers feel the silken pulse of a lover and your lips taste the deep kisses of building passion…if nostrils flare with the conjured scents of gunpowder and perfume, sage brush and pine, and your ears delight in the murmur of river current…if your heart pounds at the clash of good and evil and with each twist and turn of interwoven lives you feel a primal throb, then I have accomplished my mission.”
My review:
Threads West can be compared to Lonesome Dove, yet it is a story of the west that has its own individuality. The characters are diverse and complex, and the writing is divine. I have never been a fan of books set in the American West time period, but this book has turned that around. It gives the reader a love for the land, the frontier, and yearning for a time that is now long past. I read the book in a few hours and am eagerly awaiting book two. I can't wait to have the entire saga. It is the start of one that I feel I will read many times and want to share with friends.
Book Blog Tour-Miss Scarlet's School of Patternless Sewing
Title: Miss Scarlet's School of Patternless Sewing
Author: Kathy Cano-Murillo
Publisher: Hachette
Published Date: March 8, 2011
ISBN: 978-0-446-50923-7
Pages: 330
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher for my honest review.
Synopsis:
To raise money for her move to New York, Scarlet Santana opens an after hours sewing school in a local record shop. As classmates become friends, and Scarlet moves from teacher to pupil, everyone will learn that there is no single pattern for a good life. Happiness is always a custom fit.
About the Author:
Kathy Cano-Murillo leads an artful life and her mission is to inspire others to do the same. A Chicana pop artist and writer, she is the founder of CraftyChica.com, a lifestyle site for creative women. Kathy has authored seven craft books and her work has been spotlighted in Bloomingdale's, Target.com, and Michaels, and featured on NPR, the New York Times, HGTV, and SiTV. Her debut novel, Waking Up in the Land of Glitter, was chosen by Latina magazine as a "Top 10 Latina Summer Beach Read," and by Publishers.org as a selection for Latino Book Month. Kathy lives in Phoenix, Arizona, with her husband, two kids, and five Chihuahuas.
My review:
I enjoyed this book as I am crafty and the references to the craft classes made me relate well to the book. I have a group of cross stitchers that get together once a month to stitch and talk and share stories and this book fit right in with our time together. It was a delightful read about a group of people that befriend each other and become entwined in each other's lives. It was a testament to learn a lesson that you don't always know where you will find the comfort and guidance that you are looking for, even when you didn't know you were looking. The book was a quick read and woould be perfect for a book club. The book also contains a reading guide just for that purpose. Check out the link below for your own copy and it is also available for the Kindle. Also, leave a comment below to enter to win your own copy here. The winner will be chosen on March 15.
Author: Kathy Cano-Murillo
Publisher: Hachette
Published Date: March 8, 2011
ISBN: 978-0-446-50923-7
Pages: 330
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher for my honest review.
Synopsis:
To raise money for her move to New York, Scarlet Santana opens an after hours sewing school in a local record shop. As classmates become friends, and Scarlet moves from teacher to pupil, everyone will learn that there is no single pattern for a good life. Happiness is always a custom fit.
About the Author:
Kathy Cano-Murillo leads an artful life and her mission is to inspire others to do the same. A Chicana pop artist and writer, she is the founder of CraftyChica.com, a lifestyle site for creative women. Kathy has authored seven craft books and her work has been spotlighted in Bloomingdale's, Target.com, and Michaels, and featured on NPR, the New York Times, HGTV, and SiTV. Her debut novel, Waking Up in the Land of Glitter, was chosen by Latina magazine as a "Top 10 Latina Summer Beach Read," and by Publishers.org as a selection for Latino Book Month. Kathy lives in Phoenix, Arizona, with her husband, two kids, and five Chihuahuas.
My review:
I enjoyed this book as I am crafty and the references to the craft classes made me relate well to the book. I have a group of cross stitchers that get together once a month to stitch and talk and share stories and this book fit right in with our time together. It was a delightful read about a group of people that befriend each other and become entwined in each other's lives. It was a testament to learn a lesson that you don't always know where you will find the comfort and guidance that you are looking for, even when you didn't know you were looking. The book was a quick read and woould be perfect for a book club. The book also contains a reading guide just for that purpose. Check out the link below for your own copy and it is also available for the Kindle. Also, leave a comment below to enter to win your own copy here. The winner will be chosen on March 15.
Jane Austen Society of North America
The Jane Austen Society of North America
Ohio North Coast Region
Remembering Jane Austen
April 16, 2011
The Ohio North Coast Region welcomes you to the Spring Conference in beautiful Cleveland, Ohio. In the 200 years since the publication of her first novel, Jane Austen’s works have never gone out of print, and today are the most adapted, filmed, performed, translated and emulated works in English literature. Since her early death, our image of Austen has been shaped not only by the memorials of her closest family members, but by generations of scholars and fans. This conference is a terrific opportunity for enthusiasts of Jane Austen—in any medium—to celebrate her life and work with us here in Cleveland, one of the most literate cities in America.
The event is scheduled for Saturday, April 16, 2011 from 10 AM to 5 PM. The day will start with a private, guided walking tour of the Lake View Cemetery. Within these grounds and the horticultural splendor of 285 acres, you will find the final resting places of President James A. Garfield; crime fighter Eliot Ness; artist Viktor Shreckengost; inventor Garret Morgan; baseball player Raymond “Chappie” Chapman; Mayor Carl W. Stokes; and others.
Tim Bullamore
The tour will feature the Garfield Memorial, the stunning Tiffany stained glass window in the Wade Chapel, and beautiful lake views. In the springtime, the Cemetery is home to a gorgeous array of flowering trees and shrubs, including the brilliance of 10,000 blooms on Daffodil Hill.
The program continues with lunch at Nightown Jazz Club in Cleveland Heights and presentations by British journalist, Tim Bullamore and Jane Austen scholar, Juliette Wells, Ph.D. Tim Bullamore is a regular contributor to the Daily Telegraph, The Independent, The Guardian, and The Times; and the he is the publisher and editor of Jane Austen’s Regency World Magazine. He will present research on his doctoral dissertation on obituaries of Jane Austen’s time.
Juliette Wells
Dr. Wells is an associate professor of English at Manhattan College and former Goucher College Burke Austen Scholar in Residence (2009-2010). She will speak on how Jane Austen has recently been represented by novelists, filmmakers and visual artists.
Carrie Bebris, author of the Mr. and Mrs. Darcy Mystery Series will make a special appearance.
This event is open to JASNA members and non-members. Tickets are $45 for JASNA members and $50 for non-members. For more information, including registration information, menus, a link to Paypal, and a registration form, please visit Ohio North Coast website. Registration closes April 6, 2011.
Ohio North Coast Region
Remembering Jane Austen
April 16, 2011
The Ohio North Coast Region welcomes you to the Spring Conference in beautiful Cleveland, Ohio. In the 200 years since the publication of her first novel, Jane Austen’s works have never gone out of print, and today are the most adapted, filmed, performed, translated and emulated works in English literature. Since her early death, our image of Austen has been shaped not only by the memorials of her closest family members, but by generations of scholars and fans. This conference is a terrific opportunity for enthusiasts of Jane Austen—in any medium—to celebrate her life and work with us here in Cleveland, one of the most literate cities in America.
The event is scheduled for Saturday, April 16, 2011 from 10 AM to 5 PM. The day will start with a private, guided walking tour of the Lake View Cemetery. Within these grounds and the horticultural splendor of 285 acres, you will find the final resting places of President James A. Garfield; crime fighter Eliot Ness; artist Viktor Shreckengost; inventor Garret Morgan; baseball player Raymond “Chappie” Chapman; Mayor Carl W. Stokes; and others.
Tim Bullamore
The tour will feature the Garfield Memorial, the stunning Tiffany stained glass window in the Wade Chapel, and beautiful lake views. In the springtime, the Cemetery is home to a gorgeous array of flowering trees and shrubs, including the brilliance of 10,000 blooms on Daffodil Hill.
The program continues with lunch at Nightown Jazz Club in Cleveland Heights and presentations by British journalist, Tim Bullamore and Jane Austen scholar, Juliette Wells, Ph.D. Tim Bullamore is a regular contributor to the Daily Telegraph, The Independent, The Guardian, and The Times; and the he is the publisher and editor of Jane Austen’s Regency World Magazine. He will present research on his doctoral dissertation on obituaries of Jane Austen’s time.
Juliette Wells
Dr. Wells is an associate professor of English at Manhattan College and former Goucher College Burke Austen Scholar in Residence (2009-2010). She will speak on how Jane Austen has recently been represented by novelists, filmmakers and visual artists.
Carrie Bebris, author of the Mr. and Mrs. Darcy Mystery Series will make a special appearance.
This event is open to JASNA members and non-members. Tickets are $45 for JASNA members and $50 for non-members. For more information, including registration information, menus, a link to Paypal, and a registration form, please visit Ohio North Coast website. Registration closes April 6, 2011.
Water For Elephants Movie
I have not yet read the book Water For Elephants but have heard amazing things about it, so it is on my to be read shelf. However, Amazon just released the movie trailer on their site and I wanted to share it. I am a huge fan of Reese Witherspoon and can't wait to go and see the movie. I hope you enjoy!
Poetry for Wednesday
A friend of mine has been posting poetry on her blog and I thought that was a great idea. I have decided to post a poem each Wednesday, here on my blog. I chose Wednesday because it is the middle of the week and often when you are wishing for Friday to get here quickly, yet often a day when you could use a little pick me up. I have been contemplating names to call this new feature and am at a loss. I thought Poetry Pick, Poetry Potpourri just to name a couple but nothing I came up with really grabbed me. So I am taking suggestions. Please comment here with what you think I should name this new feature. If your suggestion is chosen you will win a surprise package of book related items. I will take suggestions until Friday, March 11, so start posting!
Would you like to be a Guest Blogger?
I have been trying to come up with some ideas to make my blog more interesting and to offer more variety of interests and topics. So, I thought why not let my readers engage more with my blog. I am looking for guest bloggers to share their reading stories. I want to hear what or who started you reading and how that love has developed over the years, books and authors that you love, and general book talk that you would like to share. Send me a guest post to my email at laura.leahj@ gmail dot com. Or email if you have questions on this new feature.
Saturday, March 5, 2011
Blog Tour-The Betrayal by Sheila Hendrix
Two brothers hunt the supernatural so we don't have to. Eighteen year old Zachariah McCannon was forced to grow up fast. His parents left him to raise is younger brother, Matthew. No easy task. Matt has powers and because of that Zack stays on his toes to keep him safe. When a demon ask Matt a question, "How far will you go to save your brother," Zack replies, "As far as I have to." Now evil is after them and if they're not careful, neither will be able to escape!
About the Author:
Sheila Hendrix is a native of Alabama and resides there with her husband of sixteen years. She has no children except for her nine dogs. She is the author of the Young Adult series, The Dark Circle. She also does reviews for two magazines. Writing has always been a dream of hers. She is a nurse at a psychiatric hospital and a youth correctional facility. She is currently working on other books in the McCannon brothers series.
Would you like to follow Sheila? Here is how:
Website
The Dark Circle Blog
Goodreads
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