Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom

Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom is one of my all time favorite books now.  Though this is the 20 Anniversary Edition of this book I had never read it.  When it came out again I snatched it up to see what everyone was talking about and now I know.  This is the story of a man who had lost touch with his favorite teacher and when he found out that his teacher was dying of ALS he made it a point to reconnect with him.  While in college he had met with his teacher on Tuesdays to work on a senior project and as luck would have it he again met with him on a Tuesday.  This is the story of the last Tuesdays of Morrie's life and how they spent them.  Every week Mitch Albom had a different topic to discuss from family to death.  9 topics to discuss in the time they had left.  Every week Mitch got on a plane to Morrie's house bringing Morrie's favorite foods, the topic to discuss and a tape recorder.  Every week he brought these things though soon Morrie could no longer eat the food, though it was difficult for Morrie to talk, every week Mitch brought it all and spent the Tuesday listening to Morrie's thoughts, philosophy on the topic and learning what it was like to live and to die.  Mitch and Morrie grew even closer together these last weeks working on this project.  Mitch learned some of the cares that Morrie needed including the "ass wiping" which Morrie dreaded as he knew that it would come a day that he would be too weak to do this for himself.  Morrie learned to die as Mitch looked on and learned along with him.

Reading this book you will laugh, you will cry, but most of all you will ponder on the meaning and purpose of your own life.  Don't think that you can casually read this book.  It will draw you in and grab hold of you as you not only marvel on the strength of Morrie as his gets closer to his death but will be grateful that Mitch took the time out of his business of living to finish this last project with his favorite teacher,"Coach".  This book can and should be read by everyone.
I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review.

Love Letters from God by Glenys Nellist

Love Letters from God Bible Stories for a Girl's Heart by Glenys Nellist is a delightful picture/story book for girls on the women of the Bible.  This book has wonderful pictures accompanying each story.  The book begins of course at the beginning with the story of Eve.  Each story is contained in 2 pages and includes a letter from God which can be personalized by the giver of the book to contain the girl's name in the letter.  There are many good children's Bible stories on the market today but this is the first that I have seen that tells of the women of the Bible's stories.  This book contains not only the well known women of the Bible such as Eve and Mary the mother of Jesus but also the females who are seldom mentioned such as Naaman's servant girl.  It also brings out how each might have been feeling as they were going through their life following the path that God had lain out for them. 

I loved the Love Letters from God specially made for girls.  As a woman who raised all girls I never knew how to answer the many questions about why no one talks very much about the women in the Bible.  This Book would have been such a delight to provide for my children as they were growing up and I am so glad that this author has provided this book for the females growing up  in our world today.  I would recommend this for any young reader but also for children to be read to.  This would make a wonderful bedtime storybook.  This book would make a delightful gift for any little girl.
I received this book from Handlebar Publishing for this review.

Hello Stars by Alena Pitts with Wynter Pitts

Hello Stars by Alena Pitts with Wynter Pitts is the first in the new series, Lena in the Spotlight.  This series stars Lena as the oldest child in her family.  Lena on the advice of her friend Savannah has entered a contest to meet her favorite star Mallory Winston and even though in the video entry she made she had a piece of candy between her teeth she won. The prize not only included meeting Mallory but also living for the summer in Hollywood starring in a role in a movie.  Lena soon finds that making a movie is more work than she anticipated and spending the whole summer in California away from her friends is more lonely than she thought.  Lena learns to make new friends in California and trust God to guide her along the way. Lena becomes friends with Mallory as well as Kay B who helps her get ready for her scenes.   Lena learns to work hard and enjoy the fun as it comes. Most of all Lena learns to relax and trust God to lead her toward the plan He has set for her life. 

I enjoyed this book and think that any tween girl would enjoy reading this book.  This book has a Christian message as this Christian family learns to live in California and follow the path that God has set for them.  The book is about a 12 year old and is written so that 12 year olds could easily read it.  There is no violence nor sexual content.
I received this book from Handlebar Publishing for this review.

Beyond Justice by Cara Putman

Beyond Justice by Cara Putman is the next novel out by this mystery writer.
Miguel Rodrigus is a Mexican who crossed illegally into Texas and was caught.  He was housed in the juvenile detention and was murdered while there.  Texas is trying to sweep it under the rug but when Miguel's mother, a Mexican immigrant who is raising her other son legally in one of the surrounding towns of Washington DC.  She is poor but working steadily to keep food on the table for herself and Jorge.  Someone had anonymously sent her pictures of Miguel's dead body and she went to a law office, Elliott and Johnson, to get justice.  Miguel's mother, had readily talked to one of the partners, Gerard, but now she refused to give anymore information to anyone.  Gerard assigned the case to a rising young female attorney, Hayden, but Hayden was getting no help from either Gerard nor Miguel's mother.  Then someone breaks into both Hayden's and Gerard's office and killed Gerard.  Hayden had gotten into Gerard's office and took Miguel's file and had a clerk, Angela copy it and send it to her home.  Then Angela is fired and Hayden is offered no help from the remaining partners and is told her job is also on the line.  Why did everyone suddenly clam up? Why did Miguel's mother refuse to help even though she appears to want Hayden's help?  Hayden realizes she can't win this case in Texas and tries to get the case moved but first she must go investigate in Texas where the crime occurred.  Suddenly she has no expense account to fly down there.  Why is the firm trying to keep her from winning this case?  Why hadn't Miguel who was a minor immigrate with his mother?  All these questions swirl around in Hayden's brain as she fights for the young Miguel's justice and 'accidents' suddenly start happening to Hayden and anyone who tries to help her.

Great murder mystery from this author.  You will love reading this page turner and find it hard to put down.  I would recommend this as good reading for anyone high school age and over.  There is some violence as there would be in any murder mystery, no cursing, no explicit sexual content.
I received this book from Booklook for this review.

The Ebb Tide by Beverly Lewis

The Ebb Tide by Beverly Lewis is the newest book by this author. Ms Lewis' next Amish love story centers on the last summer of Sallie Ruehl before studying for her baptism and joining The People of her Amish community.  Sallie has been planning this last summer for years and has saved up for her trip to Australia.  Then she hears that her beloved nephew needs an important surgery she feels pulled by God to donate the trip money to his fund to pay for the needed surgery.  Just afterwards she finds an opportunity to be the nanny for the summer for a well to do family while they vacation on the beach at Cape May in New Jersey.  She would be spending the summer caring for their daughter Autumn  while the mother cares for her new infant son.  She feels that this might be Providence that this happened right after donating her trip money to the fund.  Her aunt, Essie, feels much the same way but her mother on the other hand is obviously disappointed that Sallie won't be taking her lessons on her baptism this summer as she had hoped.  Sallie knows that she won't be going without her father's blessing but he surprises her by okaying the trip.  In no time at all Monique Logan shows up in her car to whisk her away to the Jersey beach.  Sallie loves the beach as she expected and she loves working for the family as she expected, she is even learning all the workings of the thoroughly modern cabin that the Logans are letting her stay in during the summer---but what she didn't expect is to fall for the Mennonite boy, Kevin, she met on the beach who is a summer intern working on a boat as a tour guide.  Sallie is torn by her growing feelings for Kevin and her guilt about Perry who is waiting for her at home.  What will she do?  Can she put off her baptism again?  She is not baptized so the church won't shun her but can she live happily outside of The People.  Read this book to find out Sallie's solution to this dilemma.




I loved this book about the Jersey shore.  This book brings out the importance of baptism in the Amish church but also the love that the families still have for each other even when choosing life outside the fold of the church.  It brings out some of the decisions that the young Amish must make in order to either stay in the church or the shunning that occurs if the decision to stray from the church is made after the baptism.  Timing is everything in all communities and the Amish are no different.  It also tells of how one may straddle the fence so to speak in order to avoid irritating the family and avoiding the shunning while still staying our of the church membership.
I received this book from BethanyHouse for this review.

In a Different Key by John Donvan and Caren Zucker

In a Different Key by John Donvan and Caren Zucker is an extremely interesting book on autism.  The book manages to take a subject of which I had no direct knowledge of and hold my interest from the very first page.  The book begins by drawing the reader into it with the story of Donald a little boy growing up in Mississippi.  His mother, Mary was just exhausted with caring for him.  She kept him home which was not the norm of the 1930s but when he was joined by his little brother she begins to accept that maybe the doctor is right and maybe an institution would be good for him.  Beaman, his father is a very involved father especially of the 1930s but Donald was a boy who would not interact with anyone. If you tried to hug him he pulled himself away.  He rarely spoke to anyone and if he did answer a question it most likely had nothing to do with the question.  He appeared to enjoy being alone most of all.  Both parents agree he is not normal but are beside themselves for what to do.  Donald wouldn't eat, he preferred to wear no clothes, it seemed as if he couldn't feel the cold weather, and though at an early age he could sing many songs and recite from memory he quit talking to people in a meaningful way between 2-3 years old.  For a year Mary and Beamon left Donald in the institution but what few smiles Donald had they noticed were gone and finally Mary had enough and the family came back and took Donald home.  Still they struggled with all of Donald's oddities and didn't know what to do until Donald was given into the care of Dr. Leo Kanner.  Dr. Kanner eventually diagnosed Donald as "autistic disturbances of affective contact".  Donald was the first diagnosed case of what became known as autism.
The book then tells of other cases and scientific trials, exams, and treatments rounding out the progress of the treatment of autism until the present day.  The book holds the attention though I have only a passing acquaintance with the disorder I read many parts of the book 2 and 3 times because of the interesting way the authors have of telling the story.  I would recommend this book to any of those who have children with autism spectrum disorder or work/interact with these children.  This book explains many things of the difficulties that these children and their family faces on a daily basis in an honest and interesting way.
I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review.

Home is Wherever Mom Is

Home is Wherever Mom Is  is a delightful adult coloring book especially for Moms. With Mother's Day coming up I would think that this would be a good gift for the woman who has everything, creativeness and some time on her hands.  The pages are mostly intricate small spaces to fill with the color of pencils, pens or markers.  Be aware that there is a small amount of bleed through using regular markers so if you're picky you will be sacrificing the back of the page that you color with markers.  I think that the colored pens do a great job if you are wanting the jewel tones of the markers but I like colored pencils the best.  I like the way that pencils fill the small spaces for a more impressive picture and I don't mind the more muted color of the pencil.  The more expensive pencils resharpen best to points for the nicest outcome rather than the colored pencils mostly used by schoolchildren.  I love doing these books and this is one of the better ones.  There are pages also included which are mostly lettering to color in for those who like that or for less intricate pages to color.  These books are a nice way to wind down in the evening after a rough day at work.  I would highly recommend this book for gift giving or to use yourself.  Some of these books are quite expensive and this one is quite reasonable for the nice thick pages that is contained within the covers.