Wednesday, October 12, 2016

Has Anyone Ever Seen God?

Cover: Has Anyone Ever Seen God? 
No one has ever seen the face of God, but we can be sure He is near.
Cheerful artwork with a modern whimsical style wraps around honest, easy-to-understand answers to your toughest questions about God, the creation, and the Bible. Has Anyone Ever Seen God? will inspire and offer comfort as you grow closer to God and gain a better understanding of his character, the world he created, and his Holy Bible. Also serves as a heartfelt gift of love and promise to those who are considering faith or are new believers.

“Has Anyone Ever Seen God?,” written by Carolyn Larsen and featuring cute illustrations by Amylee Weeks, answers 101 frequently asked questions about God.

The author breaks the book into three parts: questions and answers about God, about God’s world, and about the Bible. Each page features a common question, with its answer and a verse from the Bible applicable to that topic.

In the first section, questions include, among many others, who God is and what His character is, who Satan is, what sin is, why God allows bad people to succeed, where is God when terrible things happen, and why He sent Jesus into the world.

The second section focuses on topics like why and how did God create the world and mankind, the Garden of Eden, do animals have spirits, and our responsibility toward creation.

And the third sections tackles issues like the Bible and its importance, how to study the Bible, and Jesus and the gospels.

Overall, “Has Anyone Ever Seen God?” is a good, VERY BASIC introduction to many of the commonly asked questions about God and Christianity. Some of the answers are fairly generic, but this book offers a good overall synopsis — and it does it in a cute way with Weeks’ illustrations!

 Tyndale House Publishers has provided me with a complimentary copy of this book.

Gratitude: A Prayer and Praise Coloring Journal

Cover: Gratitude 
Gratitude: A Prayer and Praise Coloring Journal invites you to bring creative journaling and the calming act of coloring into your quiet time with God. This beautifully designed interactive prayer book from Tyndale’s Living Expressions collection helps guide your thoughts as you pray about concerns such as health, overcoming stress, personal relationships, and more. Gratitude gives you a way to celebrate and give thanks to God for the many blessings he provides. Filled with over 100 designs to color, plenty of space for journaling and sketching, and 40 needs-based prayers, Gratitude helps you express your devotion to God with your whole heart!

I was impressed with the beautiful feel of the book. It has a durable, beautiful cover that is thick and sturdy. Despite the hard cover the book opens easily to spread the pages flat for writing and coloring. Each page spread contains a short prayer, a related Bible verse in NLT, either lines for writing or a space for other artistic pursuits like making a collage, writing with more freedom for size/space, sketching, etc. AND a beautiful variety of areas to color in yourself. Some pages are just to be colored, some have places to write on. This book seems perfect for the journaling type interested in trying coloring or the coloring type who's interested in journaling.  The book is ready for whatever mood you are in, no pressure to do it page by page!


What I didn’t like - It’s a minor thing, but some pages have one picture covering both the right and left page so when you are coloring you can’t color well in the crease and the picture doesn’t quite line up. Also, some pages have parts of the picture colored in. I can see where some people might like this, but I would prefer to choose my own color pallets. 

What I liked - I found it is a good way to change up my quiet time with God. The pages have prayers on them and spaces for journaling. It is peaceful to sit and color and praise God for His character.

Overall, I find this book to be very inviting, warm, and its creative beauty welcomes a reader to the devotional experience it allows without making you feel like you'd need to be on a schedule or need to hurry through a lot of text. I think combining the ability to both journal or color will really help me to slow down and dwell on the prayer and Scripture.  I appreciate the thoughtfulness in the writing of the prayers. While the overall feeling of the journal is one of encouragement, love, and appreciation, there are prayers with sound doctrine that prompt us to consider our own sin, to be forgiving to others, and to look for opportunities to share the Gospel with others sprinkled throughout. It's not a pushy to-do list. It's a gentle reminder and encouragement to live out the faith we've stated we commit our lives to.

 I think it would make a great gift item for those times you want to give something tangible but just aren't sure what. This could be given at baby showers, graduations, to someone needing a get-well encouragement, as well as birthdays, holidays, etc. Everyone needs gratitude!

 Tyndale House Publishers has provided me with a complimentary copy of this book.




Tuesday, September 15, 2015

The Sea Keeper's Daughter ~ Lisa Wingate


I became a Lisa Wingate fan, after reading "The Prayer Box", which was the first book I'd ever read by this talented author. Since then, I have read every book that Lisa has written and enjoyed them all.

“The Prayer Box”, the first book in this series, blessed my life.  I have to admit, I wasn't as thrilled with “The Story Keeper“ - I just didn't connect with the characters or the 'story within a story'. I became a part of Lisa Wingate's Sisterhood of the Traveling Books group and  was given the chance to read an Advanced Reader Copy of "The Sea Keeper's Daughter". Being part of this group of ladies, who read, comment in the margins and pass it among the other readers in the groups-within-a-group (known as 'Sister Circles'), was a thrill.  So many of us in the Sister Circle were touched by many of the same parts of the book, but it was also nice to see where the book hit home more with one than another based of each members' own life experiences.

“The Sea Keeper’s Daughters” plot is rich, with characters that come to life. Historical issues are very well-developed - which must require a lot of investigation and deep thought to cover every detail possible.

There’s this amazing connection between present and past, with ancestors speaking through letters… it is all covered in a nice tidy order, to be as realstic as possible. 


The main character, Whitney, shares in detail all in her mind and heart, written as a first-person narrative. I enjoyed this as it gave me great insight into who Whitney is.  I found that in many ways, I connected with Whitney, seeing many of her traits in myself.  There were awesome lessons about life, love, trust and faith.

The subplot, in the form of letters from the past fascinated me.  I have kept many old letters from family members that are cherished heirlooms for me.  Because of the age of these letter, they seemed to be written in more formal English than what I would expect from someone writing home about adventures, even if those adventures were part of a project to record the history of places and people.

One of my favorite characters in this book was Mark. I think both he and Joel gave this book color, laughter and emotion. And while I wasn't, in the beginning of the story thrilled with Clyde, the curmudgeon step-father, as the story progressed and he softened, he became more likable.


As I mentioned, earlier in this review, as part of the Sisterhood of the Traveling Books, it was fun to see where the other sisters in the Sister Circle found statements that really connected with them.  There were many underlined passages, many bracketed sections with fun quips or notations in the margins, and much of this story brought back personal memories for me.  


I had several statements in this book that I consider my favorites:

***Chapter 4, page 24: 'If you could know - if you could always know - when the lasts in life are coming, you'd handle them differently. You'd savor. You'd stop. You'd let nothing else invade the moments."

***Chapter 12, page 136 - "Sometimes, even when you've spent years ignoring God, there are places where His fingerprints seems absolute."

***Chapter 17, page 205 - "How sad, to live an entire life blinded by the ordinary, when the path to the extraordinary waits just beyond the well-meaning prisons of our own making."

***MY FAVORITE QUOTE*** Chapter 25, page 291 - "To love and be loved is the very thing our souls scream for from birth and every moment after, the urge to need and be needed as natural as breathing, as life-giving as breath."

***This statement summed up the feeling I've had as I've finished reading many novels*** Chapter 22, page 256 - "Scanning the last page from beginning to end again, as if somehow by re-reading it, I could make the paper stretch, grow new words, tell me more of the story."

I highly recommend "The Sea Keeper's Daughter", which can be read as part of the series or as a stand alone.

Thanks to Lisa Wingate and the Sisterhood of the Traveling Books for the ARC of this book to read, enjoy and review.

Michael Symon's 5 in 5 For Every Season




Review:

I enjoy "The Chew" and am a Michael Symon fan, so I was excited when I was given the chance to read and review about this book.  Michael Symon does a regular segment on "The Chew"called 5 in 5 where he takes 5 ingredients and is challenged to make a delicious meal in just 5 minutes. These recipes will take longer than 5 minutes (I mean, who is lucky enough to have prep cooks to get all your items in place and ready for you?). You'll also notice in the cookbook that sometimes recipes go beyond 5 ingredients. Again, 5 in 5 is more of a guideline than a rigid rule. 

This book is for anyone who loves to cook in every season (or wants to learn). Not too many ingredients, no elaborate preparations. Michael Symon gives you a list at the beginning of the book of items to keep on hand in the pantry (olive oils, balsamic vinegar, pasta, etc.). It makes it quick and easy to get what is needed to stock a pantry. After that, you just need to pick up a few fresh ingredients for each meal.

The only drawback I have with this book (and it's no reflection on the content of the book itself) is the way the book was printed...to use this cookbook in your kitchen, as you're cooking, a spiral binding would have been a better choice. The book, as published, does not lay flat - a spiral bound book would be much more helpful as you prepare recipes.  Other than that, I'd highly recommend this book.

From the Publisher:

5 fresh ingredients + 5 minutes of heat = 165 recipes

Ridiculously easy from-scratch recipes to get you in and out of the kitchen in a flash every day of the week—now with sides and holiday dishes, too

The follow-up to the bestselling Michael Symon’s 5 in 5, this new book delivers 165 quick, easy, fresh recipes organized by season with an entire section devoted to making the holidays simpler than ever. Each chapter features inspired main courses as well as recipes for sides and 5 fun ways to celebrate the season, including no-bake summer fruit desserts and spiked drinks to warm up with in winter.



About the Author

MICHAEL SYMON is an Iron Chef on Food Network’s Iron Chef America and a James Beard Award Winner. He is the chef and co-owner of the acclaimed restaurants Lola and Lolita, located in Cleveland, Ohio, as well as Roast, in Detroit, Michigan.

Disclosure information:  I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review.


Thursday, September 3, 2015

Ties That Bind by Cindy Woodsmall

From the Publisher

Ties That Bind: A Novel (The Amish of Summer Grove)

Ariana’s comfortable Old Order Amish world is about to unravel. Will holding tightly to the cords of family keep them together—or simply tear them apart?
Twenty-year-old Ariana Brenneman loves her family and the Old Ways. She has two aspirations: open a café in historic Summer Grove to help support her family’s ever-expanding brood and to keep any other Amish from being lured into the Englisch life by Quill Schlabach.

Five years ago Quill, along with her dear friend Frieda, ran off together, and Ariana still carries the wounds of that betrayal. When she unexpectedly encounters him, she soon realizes he has plans to help someone else she loves leave the Amish. 

Despite how things look, Quill’s goal has always been to protect Ariana from anything that may hurt her, including the reasons he left. After returning to Summer Grove on another matter, he unearths secrets about Ariana and her family that she is unaware of. His love and loyalty to her beckons him to try to win her trust and help her find a way to buy the café—because when she learns the truth that connects her and a stranger named Skylar Nash, Quill knows it may upend her life forever.     

Ties That Bind is the first novel in the Amish of Summer Grove series.

Angel Linda's Thoughts on Ties That Bind

I have been a Cindy Woodsmall fan for a number of years, as such, I've read every one of her books.  I enjoy them all immensely.

Cindy creates believable characters and story lines that draw the reader in right from the first page.  This book was, for me a little hard to get into but I'm not blaming it on anything other than myself.  I agreed to read and review this book at a hectic time for my family, so I believe this is the reason it took a little longer into the story to be grabbed and not let go.  In any event, this book is an excellent story. One that I highly recommend to all reading enthusiasts, especially those who enjoy Amish fiction.

I don't want to spoil the story line for anyone, so I'm letting the Publisher note serve best as the description of the story.  I will add to this by saying....that I HAVE TO READ the next book to find out what happens with Ariana and Skylar.  The way the book ended will leave you free-falling.  I can't wait to see the direction Cindy takes with these characters and what twists and turns these characters lives take!


Author Biography

Cindy Woodsmall is a New York Times, CBA, ECPA, and USA Today best-selling author who has written a dozen (and counting!) works of fiction and one of nonfiction. Cindy has been featured on ABC Nightline and on the front page of the Wall Street Journal,and has worked with National Geographic on a documentary concerning Amish life. In June of 2013, the Wall Street Journal listed Cindy as the one of the top three most popular authors of Amish fiction.

Her real-life connections with Amish Mennonite and Old Order Amish families enrich her novels with authenticity. As an adult, Cindy became friends with a wonderful Old Order Amish family who opened their home to her. Although the two women, Miriam and Cindy, live seven hundred miles apart geographically, and a century apart by customs, when they come together they never lack for commonality, laughter, and dreams of what only God can accomplish through His children. Over the years Cindy has continued to make wonderful friendships with those inside the Amish and Mennonite communities--from the most conservative ones to the most liberal.

Cindy and her husband reside near the foothills of the North Georgia Mountains in their now empty nest.

If you'd like more information or to contact her, you can go to her website: http://www.cindywoodsmall.com or Facebook https://www.facebook.com/authorcindywoodsmall 

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BloggingForBooks program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255


Ariana’s comfortable Old Order Amish world is about to unravel. Will holding tightly to the cords of family keep them together—or simply tear them apart?
Twenty-year-old Ariana Brenneman loves her family and the Old Ways. She has two aspirations: open a café in historic Summer Grove to help support her family’s ever-expanding brood and to keep any other Amish from being lured into the Englisch life by Quill Schlabach.

Five years ago Quill, along with her dear friend Frieda, ran off together, and Ariana still carries the wounds of that betrayal. When she unexpectedly encounters him, she soon realizes he has plans to help someone else she loves leave the Amish. 
*
Despite how things look, Quill’s goal has always been to protect Ariana from anything that may hurt her, including the reasons he left. After returning to Summer Grove on another matter, he unearths secrets about Ariana and her family that she is unaware of. His love and loyalty to her beckons him to try to win her trust and help her find a way to buy the café—because when she learns the truth that connects her and a stranger named Skylar Nash, Quill knows it may upend her life forever.  

Ties That Bind is the first novel in the Amish of Summer Grove series. - See more at: http://waterbrookmultnomah.com/catalog.php?work=242924#sthash.4AyzWN4w.dpuf

A Hopeful Heart by Amy Clipston

Amish fiction is a popular genre and there is a lot of it out there - not all of it is good.  If the authors who write Amish fiction, Amy Clipston is one of my favorites. She write authentically about Amish culture with believable characters. I live in a small town area, with a large Old Order Amish population, so it's easy to know which authors write authentically and those who don't.

A Hopeful Heart, the first novel of the new Hearts of the Lancaster Grand Hotel series, is an interesting twist on the typical Amish fare. Hannah finds herself at a crossroads in her life. Her community offers her love and support after the untimely death of her husband. Hannah is trying to raise her children and works at a local hotel. There she meets a man who is not Amish, but is a Christian. She knows that there can be no future for them without one of them making drastic changes in their lifestyle. In her case, marrying a non-Amish man would be grounds for excommunication. This would mean the loss of her community, family and friends.

Wealthy businessman Trey Peterson is surprised by his attraction to the gentle Amish woman who works as a housekeeper in the Lancaster Grand Hotel. They share a common bond of loss and are able to offer each other comfort and support as they journey through their grief.

Joshua Glick wants nothing more than to offer his friendship and love to Hannah and her family. Not only is he her late husband’s brother and business partner, he has always been in love with Hannah.

A Hopeful Heart is filled with surprising twists as Hannah tries to balance her life in the Amish community and her growing love for an outsider.
 
A Hopeful Heart was a great read and one that I highly recommend to readers of all genres, but those who fancy Amish fiction, this will be a real treat!


Author Biography

Amy Clipston has been writing for as long as she can remember. Her fiction writing "career" began in elementary school when she and a close friend wrote and shared silly stories. She has a degree in communications from Virginia Wesleyan College and is a member of the Authors Guild, American Christian Fiction Writers, and Romance Writers of America. She is the author of the bestselling Kauffman Amish Bakery series with Zondervan, which is part of HarperCollins Christian Publishing. An advocate for organ and blood donation, Amy donated a kidney in 2011 at Johns Hopkins Hospital. Through her donation, her husband received a second kidney transplant. Amy and her husband matched another couple and swapped kidneys with them. Amy's memoir, A Gift of Love, will be available in early 2014. She hopes her story inspires others to become organ and blood donors. Amy lives in North Carolina with her husband, two sons, mother, and four spoiled rotten cats. You can find her on the web at www.AmyClipston.com or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/AmyClipstonBooks. 
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookLook Bloggers program from HarperCollins Christian Publishing. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255

Welcome to AngelLinda's Book Nook

Hello Reading Enthusiasts!

Welcome to the new home of AngelLinda's Book Nook. Formerly angellindasfriendshipcircle.blogspot.com

I had a book review blog a couple years ago with great success.  My readers had a great time visiting and reading about wonderful reads that had been shared with me by major publishing houses and popular authors.  A year ago, I shut down that blog and took some time off from reviewing and blogging.  I tried all I could to revive that blog, but it was gobbled up by the internet!  Actually, I was able to 'see' the old blog, but was not able to access or revive it....so the only thing left to do was begin all over again.  And so here we are, starting new and fresh.  (If I can get the world-wide web to give up it's hold on the old blog, I'll revive it but in the meantime....here we are!)

If you enjoy the reviews I share here, please feel free to share this blog with your friends and family.  I'm excited to share the great reads I come across.

If you're ready....hang on tight 'cause....here....we....go!
AngelLinda