Book Review: Echoes of Mercy

Echoes of Mercy by Kim Vogel Sawyer
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I really enjoyed this novel. In summary, Caroline is an investigative agent sent to a chocolate factory after the death of a fellow agent in order to determine whether his death was an accident or murder. She meets and is attracted to Ollie Moore, who turns out to be the son of the owner, undercover in order to understand the inner workings of the factory and its employees in preparation for taking over the management from his father. Caroline's compassion leads her to help Letta, Lank, and Lesley, three poor children left alone when their father dies. Ollie also becomes attached to the children and  both they and Carrie change him from a good man to an even better one. There is mystery as Carrie tries to investigate the goings on at the factory and romance. The children's story is intertwined throughout the story and definitely adds to the book as they affect all the characters lives. I thought the author developed her characters well and I definitely felt attached to them. Carrie's faith and compassion are so real, and the children's heartbreak and joy are well expressed too. I found myself tearing up with them as things are settled at the end of the book.

Overall, it was an excellent book and I would recommend it to those who enjoy Christian mystery or romance novels.

I received a copy of the book from the publisher in exchange for my honest review.


View all my reviews

Pattern Testing: the Anytime at All Tee!

I'm so excited to be on a team of pattern testers for Shwin & Shwin.  They have a crafty sewing blog AND a pattern shop full of great patterns. Being a pattern tester means I get sneak peaks and sews of patterns she's working on, and the deadlines she gives are what I need to actually get things sewn up!  One of the ones I tested a little while back and again recently is the Anytime at All Tee, a GREAT basic tee-shirt with tons of options.  She gives colorblocking lines (2 different styles, plus you can mix and match to make slews of options!), pockets, short sleeves and long sleeves, and ruffles for girls! And one of the best things for me, is that the pattern goes from 3 months to 8 years old, and the 3-12 month patterns are bodysuits!  So useful for YEARS!  And its great for boys and girls! (I promise, I'm not an afiliate or anything... I just love this pattern and have already sewn it up 3 times plus using the arm pattern to make armwarmers for E!) 

And another important note:  Shwin & Shwin has this pattern along with other new patterns ON SALE!!! Just until midnight Sunday night, February 16, 2014, you can get it for $5.95 (regular $9). 

Photo by Shwin & Shwin

So, on to my versions... Two I've sewn for E, who REALLY needs long sleeved tees since he jumped sizes on me and I wasn't prepared...

 This was the first one.  I try to sew most things from free or super cheap clothes I have stashed, and this was scrapped together from two tees. Obviously I did the colorblocking and long sleeves. LOVE it.  Such a great pattern.  If you check out the pattern page here or the photo above, you'll see there are tons of options with the colorblocking. Also below, I didn't do color blocking on the bodice, but still added it in the arms.  

Again, sewn up from two tees.  This is a pattern that pays for itself, if you have a thrift store that sells off stuff super cheap (mine gets rid of stuff for $0.49!) or buy from yard sales or take cast offs from family and friends!  I can't always find clothes in the right size at our Goodwill for 49 cents, but I can ALWAYS find tons of great fabric!

This is a really terrible picture, BUT I just wanted to show a girly version quick; this was Lia's Christmas outfit this year. The top is from the Anytime Tee pattern with ruffles (and sequins but really, don't ask...).  I also added a band at the bottom of hers, which was super easy, to help it look nice with her skirt.   Yet another great DIY option for a girl's top!  

So if you sew, check out the pattern and snap it up before prices go up.  There also a few other new patterns on sale too, so check them out as well!  (the pattern review post on her blog is here.) i have a couple more things I am now allowed to share coming up, and a few I forgot about completely too...

Book Review: The Jesus Bible

We recieved a copy of the Jesus Bible to review this week.  This is an excellent Bible aimed at younger readers. There are so many great tools in it. First of all, its a sturdy hardbacked book and it uses the New International Version (NIV). This is not a simplified children's Bible, this is the whole entire Word of God, with added tools for kids.  Such as the book introductions: at the beginning of every book in the Bible is a one page intro which answers several typical questions such as who wrote the book, why and to whom.  But I love that it also asks "Where is Jesus in this book?"  I love that kids can start to see the connection to why we read Old Testament books or other dryer books from hundreds of years before He comes onto the scene.  They begin to see how the entire Bible is connected.  Another neat question is "What do we learn about God in this book?" Similarly, I think it's hard to understand some of the more obscure historical books, and I love that they help kids understand them.  There are also are devotions scattered throughout the book, focused on a verse of scripture and (in the one we read) referring to others in the passage.  My six year old loved this reading and was excited to read more. 

Also helpful are the smaller applications notes titled "Live Like Jesus" that help kids apply Jesus teachings to their own lives.  Finally, hints of the Savior and Jesus Revealed are small clues which tell of prophesies of Jesus coming and how they are being fulfilled.  They also include a scripture reference. 

This Bible has a neutral color scheme, great for a boy or girl;  It has a simple typface and simple passage headings to aid understanding.  I would definitely recommend this Bible for kids and young teens as a first Bible, and even for adults who are new Christians and want a simple introduction to the Bible.  If I had to give a criticism, it would be that my daughter was disappointed it wasn't a "girly" bible!  Maybe ZonderKidz will consider doing a "girly" one soon!  Overall, though, I'm thrilled with this Bible and happy to have it as my daughter's first Bible!

I recieved a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest review.  

Book Review: Bible Stories for His Beautiful Princess

We got the book Bible Stories for His Beautiful Princess by Sheri Rose Shepherd from Tyndale House Publishers for review.  Its a very sweet book full of simple stories and colorful pictures. Each chapter includes the bible story, a  one sentence "Princess Prayer", and a "Princess Jewel" which is kind of a thought for the day.  I got it for my 6 year old kindergartner, and as an advanced reader, she can read this with no problem.  For us to read together though, it is well below her level. I'd suggested it for a 2-5 year old.  The stories are very short and simple, 2 pages of large print and lots of margin; I'd guess maybe 60 words and a bible verse.  I think they are well written for a younger child, and my daughter loved the princess theme.  When I asked her what she liked about it, she said the Princess Prayer and Princess Jewel.  As I said, I'd recommend this for girls from 2-5. It's a nice hardbacked, slightly padded cover and and heavier weight pages, perfect for these younger ages learning to care for books.

We got a copy of this book from Tyndale House Publishers in return for our honest review.

Book Review: Say Goodbye to Survival Mode

Say Goodbye to Survival Mode: 9 Simple Strategies to Stress Less, Sleep More, and Restore Your Passion for Life by Crystal Paine

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book is authored by the author of the popular blog Moneysaving Mom. I've loosely followed her blog for a while, and I will say that a lot of the info I felt I had already read on the blog. However, I LOVE having a hard copy all in one place to work through.  i'm sure there is new information and it's expanded from what I remember reading on the blog. Its exactly what the title says, simple strategies.  It is doable and it will get your crazy house and life pulled back into a more doable, normal lifestyle. I love that she talks about doing what is right and enough for you, for example with housecleaning. I don't feel like i'm being pushed to turn into a crazy, OCD cleaning freak, but that she urges you to think about what is enough for you and your family. Throughout the chapter, she offers exercises and ideas to get your mind going, and at the end, always summarizes with a few thoughtful prompts or exercises to do.  While I don't feel like my life is out of control, I do struggle with motivation to get things done, and I think this book will be really helpful to read through a second time, and really think about and do the exercises.  As I said, I love that it's a hard copy all in one place and I don't have to go hunting for individual blog posts from series. I think this is a very helpful book for any homemaker at any stage of life, whether they are just starting out (how amazing to get on top of things from the beginning, before you get overwhelmed!), to working moms and stay at home moms of any number of kids (or  no kids!). I would definitely recommend it and plan to work through it again and apply principals to my own homemaking experience!
The author is a Christian and while she doesn't hide it, it is not overwhelming for those who are not of the same faith.  For me those parts add so much to the experience of the book, but one could easily skip over those sections if not interested.

I recieved a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

View all my reviews

Book Review: Love and Respect In the Family

Love & Respect in the Family: The Transforming Power of Love and Respect Between Parent and Child by Emerson Eggerichs
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book is a spin off of the Love and Respect in marriage book. The premise as applied to the family is that kids need love and parents need respect.  The main points of the book make sense, though i don't really see myself sitting down and explaining the cycle to my kids as the book suggests.  For me, this book is better used as a reminder that i need to love my kids unconditionally and not react to their misbehavior in inappropriate ways.  It is an attitude check for me.  I think most kids know that parents expect respect and it seems unncecessary to have "the discussion" about it.  My favorite parts of the book were the chapters towards the end.  The author uses the acronym GUIDES to present the six ways of Godly parenting which i agree with.  If you want a book to tell you what to do in certain situations, this is not the book for you.  The book more presents general guidelines, even in the D section which is about discipline.  Chapter ten, about teamwork is a powerful chapter.  The author talks about the most important relationship in the family- the marriage!  He says that the relationship that most impacts the family is the parents relationship with each other.  He encourages parents to work as a team when parenting, and to put the marriage relationship first.  i agree that this is a vital point that so many parenting books don't even touch on.  The book also includes a chapter on "Parenting pink and blue" where the author discusses the differences when parenting boys and girls.  He suggests that boys need respect and girls need love reinforced in their interactions (just as men need respect and women need love with respect to the marriage relationship).  My husband and I found this book to be so true in our marriage, and it is interesting to see how it begins to play out at a young age as well. The part that was most convicting for me however, was in the section 3 about the family rewarded cycle.  The book discusses how parenting is more about our relationship with Christ, and having the right attitudes and responses because of our faithfulness to Christ and not necessarily because of how our children behave and respond to us.  It talks about how sometimes we get our self worth from how our kids behave (or misbehave!) when it should come from our worth as a child of God.  One particularly good quote was where the author states that our kids don't cause us to sin in our responses, rather they reveal the sin in us.  My takeaway from this book is most from those last few chapters- if I am having such a difficult time with remaining calm and loving, then my faith is not where it needs to be and I need to lean more on Christ and firm up my faith.  I would recommend this book to all Christian parents, and strongly encourage that you read through to the end, even if the first few chapters don't speak to you.  THe best in this book is at the end!

I recieved a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest review.


View all my reviews

Book Review: A Sound Like Fire

A Sound Like Fire by K. D. Veron
My rating: 1 of 5 stars

I wanted to like this book, a novel about the great tribulation when God takes His church from this earth. the book follows Dax, a U.S. senator, who is living a worldly, luxurious life, devoted to his work and mistress and leaving his wife and 2 children to their own devices. At the beginning, we realize that Dax is imprisoned for religious dissidence and experiencing horrible conditions. the story is told in flashbacks as Dac shares his story with the other prisoners and other times that the story just jumps to a third person narrative about Dax's life. the writing is stilted and awkward and even being halfway through the book, I really don't care about any of the characters. Events such as the world uniting under one government are discussed as if sharing that the someone went out for groceries. Suddenly the government is openly against the Christian church and ignores any mention of any other religions.  The disappearance of the Christian church is barely reacted to except for Dax and his wife immediately believing in Christ though they had ignored his preacher brother for their entire lives. and they seem not to care enough to share the gospel with Dax's good friend and bodyguard, nor do they attend church or read the Bible until months later. The author's description of the believers being taken is interesting, and the premise is obviously excellent, however it seems very underdeveloped. charcters emotion and thoughts are ignored; no mention of his children is made after one dies during a drug deal and the other chooses the occult. Dax doesn't think at all of his wife when they are separated after being arrested. when they are executed with twenty pages left in the book, it is just matter of factly ststed that his wife's bloody head is placed for him to see while the executioner swings the axe for his own. this book has potential, but the author chose to treat it like a news story rather than getting the reader invested in the story and characters and living the amazing experience with them. Unfortunately, I would not recommend this book.

I recieved a copy of this ebook from the publisher in exchange for my honest review.


View all my reviews