Friday, September 27, 2013

Swept Away by Mary Connealy

            Swept Away by Mary Connealy is a Christian romance novel set in Texas during the settling of the state.  Luke is returning to the family ranch to get it back from the man who had murdered Luke’s father and then stole the ranch.  Luke’s father had evidently known that something was up since he had sent him the deed just before it had happened.  Luke felt shame that he had not been at home to help his father defend the ranch but he was returning now to defend the family ranch.  Ruthy MacNeil was forging a stream with her adopted family when she was swept away in a runaway flood.  She had her shoulder caught in a board and had been knocked out until Luke found her face down on the stream bank.  Not having time to take her wherever it was that she was supposed to be heading he took her along.  When Ruthy came to she was only too happy to go along since her adopted family had been nothing but mean to her since taking her into their home.  Luke soon finds that Ruthy is more than needed in the Texas settlement and also finds that she is quite pretty especially after he allowed her time to clean up in the stream.

I liked this book though I found it with much the same plot as other romance novels.
This is from Bethany House


I have not placed this book on review any place else.

Sunday, September 22, 2013

Too Good to be Truman by Chris Well

Too Good for Truman by Chris Well is an action crime mystery story set in Nashville.  Truman is an unemployed crime reporter for the local Nashville newspaper and no one is more surprised than he is when he receives a thank you note from the local homeless mission thanking him for his half million dollar contribution to their charity.  The trouble begins to build though when the IRS agent comes to investigate why he has not reported how he came to have a half a million dollars to contribute to a charity.  Mix all this up with the kidnapping of up and coming rising teen country and western singing sensation, Darla Lovell and you have the making of this mystery.  This is not the mystery so many crime novels that leaves the reader wondering who done it no this is the mystery of how Truman going to prove that not only did he not bilk the IRS out of their tax dollars but also how he did not kidnap Darla Lovell and try to collect the ransom money from the music producer’s insurance money. 
This is a great story.  I have never laughed so much while reading an action novel.  Mr. Well has so many twists and turns and throws in comedy with each one.  I have enjoyed reading his novels before and this one did not disappoint in any way.  Great read and I hope to read more of your work.
I received this book from       for this review.

Friday, September 20, 2013

Secrets of Dynamic Communicaiton by Ken Davis


Secrets of dynamic Communication by Ken Davis is a tool for the speaker.  This book tells of how to prepare a speech whether a sermon or preparing the rare speaking engagement.  Mr. Davis provides the step by step preparation for giving a good speech that people will not only be engaged in but will also remember after they go home.  His speech preparations are all based on his SCORRE methodology.  This is an acronym for: Subject, Central theme, Objective, Rationale, Resources and finally Evaluation.  He reminds the speaker that all well delivered speeches are based on this same criteria.  He reminds the speaker to focus on the main subject then to narrow it down further to the central theme.  He states that many speakers try to pick too broad of a subject and then to tell all they know on the subject or worse even try to impress the audience with facts that they are not familiar.  This book even encloses within its cover how to embellish the speech to give it humor even if “funny isn’t really your thing”.  He tells phrases to avoid, such as, “in closing” and time management of not only planning your speech but also planning how to make your speech fill the time (not run short or long).  He reminds the speaker to always make eye contact with the audience and hold them during the duration of the speech.
This easy to read book has a systematic way of writing and delivering speeches for either small or large groups of people.  He has written a book that can be of value to the accomplished speaker but would be valuable for the beginning speaker.  He delivers in a very short book (154 pages) a concise method for foolproof speech writing and delivery.  I read for my own ability to deliver infrequent speeches for audiences.  The only thing I see wrong with this book is that though the author tells in earlier chapters about sticking to a very narrow subject then he appears to break his own rule and put in chapter 13 which just about lost me.  He tells about Aristotle’s use of Logos, Ethos, and Pathos and its use in speech writing.  It is a good thing he had earlier mentioned that he wrote an appendix or I probably would have quit reading and would have missed this quite important part of the book.
I received this book from Booksneeze for this review.

Tuesday, September 17, 2013

For Every Season by Cindy Woodsmall 3rd in Amish Vines and Orchards


For Every Season by Cindy Woodsmall is the 3rd installment of the Amish Vines and Orchards series.  In this series there is tension between the brother Samuel and Jacob and this is over the love of Rhoda Byler their business partner.  Rhoda and the others have started to feel at home in the new Amish settlement that they have set up.  Others have started to notify them and want to request information about them in order to move there and join them.  Landon, Rhoda’s longtime friend has configured a website which is attracting buyers.  Rhoda has already worked through her legal problems and Jacob has contacted a lawyer and is working to get him out of his problems and maybe work through Casey and her daughter, Casey’s problems at the same time—this time without complicating his love life with Rhoda.  With all of this going on the orchard seems to be thriving under the care of Rhoda and Samuel when weather this time in the form of a late spring freeze once again threatens to undermine all their work.  Read the book yourself to find out how the threesome solve their personal problems and also work with the rest of the family to save the orchard.
I had read the first 2 books of the series and was excited to be able to read the 3rd one.  I see on one of the back pages that there is another coming out in the spring and now I am anxiously awaiting that one.  I love this series and I liked this one better than the 2nd one.  It seemed that the characters in the story have become more loving and forgiving of  each other’s character flaws and accept each other for the gifts that each of them has.  This book is excellent reading for those (especially women and girls) of the age of about 13 up.  The reading is easy but the plot easily holds the interest of grown women also and as always there are recipes in the back.
I received this book from Waterbrook Multnomah for this review.

Tuesday, September 3, 2013

A Plain Disappearance by Amanda Flower

A Plain Disappearance by Amanda Flower is a novel from the Appleseed Creek Mystery series.  Chloe Humphrey joins forces with the police department and her boyfriend Timothy Troyer to solve a death in the Amish community, Katie Lambright.  Neither Chloe nor Timothy knew when they headed for a quiet abandoned barn to exchanged Christmas gifts where the twists and turns of this mystery would take them.  Katie was a promising teenage girl growing up in the Amish community when she faced her death.  Who had strangled such a sweet and innocent girl?  Chloe came up with many possibilities and had their faults but none seemed quite right.  Was it Katie’s former Amish boyfriend with his violent tendencies?  Was it her father with his impatience toward his children?  Was it Timothy’s friend, Billy, who had a checkered past that no one had known about until after the death?  Was it Brock or Curt that dynamic duo who were always causing Chloe some kind of grief of the violent type?
I live the way this mystery writer tells the story and keeps the reader guessing all the way through the book.  Such a talent she has telling this 3rd book of the series.  Ms Glower is a great writer and I look forward to reading more of her Amish mysteries.  I had not read any of the previous mysteries of the series but this novel easily stands alone and she introduces the characters in such a way that the reader quickly knows them.  The novel though a mystery is easy to understand and follow.  I recommend it for reading to anyone who enjoys mysteries especially girls and women.
I received this book from B & H Publishing Group and Handlebar for this review.

Monday, September 2, 2013

My Hope is Found by Joanne Bischof

My Hope is Built by Joanne Bischof is the 3rd installment in the Cadence of Grace series.  In the 1st book Gideon and Lonnie had found a better life living on a farm with the elderly Elsie and Jebediah Bennett.  They had their son Jacob and Gideon was learning to live the Christian life until the letter shows up and says that he is still married to Cassis.  This marriage was one that Gideon had thought was annulled within days of it taking place.  In the 2nd book of the series Gideon lives with Cassie but never sleeps with her.  During this time Cassie becomes very sick and Gideon helps nurse her back to health.  Gideon shows her kindness and learns to care for Cassie but never loves her.  Cassie upon realizing this decides to confess to her family that Gideon was telling the truth about the annulment and agrees to have the legality take place.  Gideon in this 3rd installment walks back home to Lonnie and his son.  When he gets there he finds that Lonnie has moved on and is engaged to Toby, the local pastor.  This installment is of the turmoil that Lonnie faces with her decision to marry either Toby the good man who loves her and she loves also or Gideon the man of her dreams who loves her but has so many faults.  During this installment Gideon learns to wholly lean on Jesus for his peace and to accept life as it comes.
I had so looked forward to this installment in the Cadence series and I was not disappointed in it.  Ms Bischof’s writing style in exciting and fun to read.  These are easy to read books with good morals about normal people who have to fight temptation in their life which is the same as people in real life.  She writes of people who are poor in possessions giving of what they have to others who have less.  This book is not sappy—the characters all have faults (well maybe not the Bennetts) but they lean on Jesus for their pattern on which to piece together their life.  I would recommend reading this book to anyone of any age.
I received this book from Multnomah for this review.