Near and Far by Heidi Swanson

Reading this cookbook is a little like making friends with the author in her hometown in California and then getting postcards from her as she travels the world.  Her world recipes come from Japan, India, Italy, France and Morocco.  What I found fascinating about this book is that with each recipe she had a side stripe that gave interesting tidbits from history and culinary insights to the "rare" or "exotic" ingredients used in the recipe.  This was a fun addition to the cookbook.  The recipes sound delicious and the photographs will make your mouth water.  At first I thought the recipes would be too hard to actually make and that I would just enjoy browsing through the photographs and learning about new ingredients that I'd never tried.  But the recipes are not difficult to follow and in fact are much simpler to create than they look.  The little bit of effort to find the unusual ingredients is worth it.

I received this book free from the publishers for my honest review and was not required to write a positive review.

Luther and Katharina by Jody Helund

Surprising details of the personal life of Luther are given in this enticing tale of the Reformation.  A hard look at the real life weaknesses and fears of the great leader are given in a story woven with sentimental romance and earnest religious zeal for truth.  Luther and Katharina had anything but a typical courtship, yet the strong devotion they had for each other is evident in the pages of this book.  Read this book to discover how God can still use people even with all their blundering errors and misguided pride to change the world.  The amazing true historical facts contained in this novel will make you want to learn more of the heritage of the Protestant Reformation Movement.  This book also speaks to the fact that there are always good and evil are both sides of a disagreement, war or reformation.  It brings out the great longing of the human heart to find a place of safety, love and belonging and points to God as the one who truly gives this to us.

I received this book free from the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

God Bless Our Fall by Hannah C. Hall, Illustrated by Steve Whitlow

This book just makes my heart happy!  Soft, soothing fall colors with adorable animal families fill the pages.  The words lend themselves to a calming bedtime routine or a morning worship time with a little one.  The author chose activities that a young child would be familiar with and could relate to.  Such fun times as roasting marshmallows over a bonfire, going to the pumpkin patch, attending a harvest fair, baking pies and playing in leaves.  These events evoke a feeling of happy contentment while pointing back to God as the source of all that is good and the One who blesses us with these things.

I received this book free from the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

Thankful by Eileen Spinelli

Eileen Spinelli has done it again!  This a fantastic kid's book.  I found it a very unique "thankfulness" book.  The ideas and thoughts are ones children can relate to but not the common ones usually found in a thanksgiving theme book.  For example Spinelli writes:  The artist is thankful for color and light.  How unique is that?  And how about this thought:  The chef is thankful for plates licked clean.  Can't you just imagine a child laughing over that line?  The best part of this book is that each page features a brother and sister duo.  The chef is their dad!  The artist is the brother and so on.  Archie Preston illustrations add a depth of warmth to this already wonderfully love filled book.  I'm a kindergarten teacher and a grandmother and I plan to get this book for my classroom and my grandchildren!

I received this book free from the publishers and was not required to write a positive review.

The Plans I have for You by Amy Parker

Best scripture picture book!  This picture book is based on Jeremiah 29:11 "I know the plans I have for you, " declares the Lord, "Plans to prosper you and not harm you, to give you hope and a future."  Each page has cheerful, positive illustrations that pop out at the reader with joy.  Each passage tells of ways God plans for the child from birth through adulthood.  The pages reveal over and over the ways that God has provided plans for each child's personality and gifts that God bestows Himself.  The plans of God are shown to be exciting, fun-filled, full of variety and something to look forward to.  This is the perfect book to help little ones understand their unique value in God's eyes and His specific, detailed plan of love for each life.

I received this book free from BookLook for my honest review and was not required to write a positive review.

Through Waters Deep by Sarah Sundin

My first experience reading Sarah Sundin and I'll be back for more!  This book gave me something no other Christian romance has ever given me.  The author through the characters addressed some incorrect beliefs that Christians hold that can ruin their self-esteem and their relationships with others. Ms. Sundin skillfully crafts an intriguing story about a young women who don't understand that God wants us to shine not hide our talents under a bushel.  Through the false "spiritual" reprimands of her pious mother a young girl is made to feel that when she feels good about an accomplishment that God will punish her for her pride.  Throughout the story the reader is led to see the difference between being prideful in ways that hurt others and being thankful for the gifts and talents God has given to each one of us.

The story is filled with interesting historical facts about WWII especially in reference to the United States Navy and women working to help the government on the homefront.  I have read a lot of books about WWII but learned so many new facts in this book.

The love story was more than a romantic tale.  It actually teaches some good, sound advice on relationships and being open to grow closer to people.  But it's all done in such an entertaining way you don't feel like you're reading a "how to" manual but you're getting a fun, thought-provoking, interesting peek into the past that could actually help you right now with a relationship.

I received this book free from Revel and was not required to write a positive review.

Autumn Brides by Kathryn Springer, Katie, Ganshert and Beth K. Vogt

I recently have become a fan of novellas!  It's a fun way to read a snippet from new authors and see if that author touches a place in your heart.  And if an author featured is one of your favorites already like Katie Ganshert is for me, then you don't want to miss anything they write!

This book has three sweet, romantic tales of friendships that blossomed into love.  I really enjoyed the characters and what they stood for.  Spiritual truths and sound advice on relationships is given in each story but in a way that is entertaining and thought provoking not preachy.

There's variety in the stories too.  You'll read and learn about cooking schools, chefs, police work, veterinarians, and what a treaddesk is!  Each story has interesting plots and endearing characters that you can't help but fall in love with yourself.

I received this book free from BookLook for my honest review and was not required to write a positive review.