Thief of Glory by Sigmund Brouwer

I simply loved this book. It is very well written. It keeps your attention as you just want to find out what happens. The story begins with a flashback in time - our main character, Jeremiah Prins is an old man sitting in jail. His daughter asks him to tell his story. He realizes that "to tell our story makes us human and to be human is to tell our story." p. 275. His flashback is the story as he begins to journal it for his daughter to read after he is dead.

It is an amazing story --- the author's own father and grandmother survived the Japanese invasion and occupation of the Dutch East Indies. They ended up in an internment camp where they endured brutal treatment by the Japanese. The setting for The Thief of Glory is in such an internment camp. The author depicts the difficult struggles faced by those in the camp. It truly is a very good book. This is a story that needs to be told so that events like this can be prevented from ever happening again. It truly is horrific what the Japanese allowed to occur in the camps. Truly horrific.

The book highlights the struggles of a 10 year old boy --- boyhood rivalries, family dynamics and first loves. It is also about reconciliation and forgiveness for others and forgiving one's own actions. 

A wonderful quote from the book ---

"I did not like him, but in that moment I could feel love for him. It would be wonderful if we could always see that what we have in common as humans outweighs our differences." p. 310

I highly recommend reading this book.

I received this book from Blogging for Books for free in exchange for a honest review.

An Italian Wife by Ann Hood

I sincerely cannot recommend this book at all. I finished this book only because I kept trying to figure out what the purpose of the story was. Why did the author write it and what was she trying to say? In the end, I just think the book is a very sad commentary on what is going on in America today. The family immigrated to America from Italy. Josephine is the matriarch of the family. Her marriage was an arranged marriage which she was never happy with. She has seven children and the book then goes into their stories. Yet, it isn't always clear who you are reading about and how they tie into the family. The family is hugely Catholic but it is not a saving type of faith. The priest even has sexual relations with Josephine and one daughter lusts after the priest. There is alot of sex described in the book. It is way to graphic for my tastes. The later generations depict girls that are empty -- turning to meaningless sex and drugs to fill the void. No one in the book is happy. They all seem to dislike their family, hate their marriages. It is really sad. I am not sure why I even stuck with it and read to the end. It never got better. While I agree that America's culture is on a downward spiral and this book probably depicted some of the horrible, ickiness of our culture, I guess that I prefer to read books that inspire and lift up, that teach us to reach beyond our depravity and seek something better. At least if the book can't inspire or teach something it should be entertaining. This book lacked all of that. It has nothing to offer really. Still not sure why I finished it. Certainly will think twice before picking up another book by this author. 

The Longest Ride by Nicholas Sparks

The Longest Ride by Nicholas Sparks.

The story bounces between Ira and Ruth's story and Sophia and Luke's. Ira is at the end of his life remembering back on his life with his love, his beloved wife Ruth. Luke is just beginning his life with Sophia. It is not until the end of the story that we find out how the two couple's lives intersect. It is a fascinating story. Here is a link to the author's website. Click here. The book really kept my attention. It is a wonderful story. The title is a reference to life being a long ride --- it is also a reference to Luke's profession which is bull riding. I highly recommend this book. It is a wonderful love story. 

Worry is the dark room in which negatives are developed

Cancel the Wedding by Carolyn T. Dingman

This is Carolyn Dingman's first novel - and she did a really great job with this one! I hope she writes more. It was suspenseful and yet the emotions of a romantic sub-plot. Olivia's world is reeling. Her mother died a year ago and her mother's last request was for her ashes to be scattered back in her home town. Yet, this is a part of their mother's past that she never talked about, didn't share with her children. It starts a quest for Olivia to discover the events that shaped her mother into the woman that Olivia had known. In pursuing that quest, Olivia also discovered truths about herself and her relationship with her fiancé, Leo. Really good book. Olivia is a more modern woman and the author does have her living with her fiancé. While it is not a value I hold with I also like that she was not graphic. Since it was a holiday weekend - it was so nice to curl up with a good book. I couldn't put it down. Actually finished the book in two days. Normally I don't have the time to just relax and read. It was such a treat. 

Brassicas by Laura B. Russell

This is from the author's website: 

Acclaimed by doctors and nutritionists for their miraculous health benefits, brassicas such as kale, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, broccoli, and cabbage can also be the most delicious part of your meal when properly prepared. The 80 inventive recipes in Brassicas play to each vegetable’s strengths, favoring techniques that celebrate their intrinsic flavors instead of masking them under layers of cheese or boiling them to death. Think of the inherent sweetness that can be coaxed from perfectly roasted Brussels sprouts, or the bright, peppery punch of a watercress and arugula salad.

You can find more info from the author by clicking here. 

I think this is going to be one of my FAVORITE cookbooks. Wow - I am impressed. First, I eat lots of Kale -- I have it growing in my garden right now. Kale is just one of my favorites. I also eat lots of brussels sprouts, broccoli and cabbage - I actually eat a variety of these daily. To find new recipes and ways to serve them is soooooo exciting. I can't wait to try the Kale and Sweet Potato Saute. It sounds yummy. Her recipes look easy to make and yet very healthy. The Tropical Radish Rice Salad also sounds delicious. Each chapter covers one of the types of Brassicas. The introduction to each chapter tells about that brassicas, how to select and prepare them, plus their nutritional value. 

The recipes and the information look fantastic. This one is a real winner!

I almost forgot this --- and to our family it is probably THE most IMPORTANT aspect of what makes this book great --- p. 158-160 is a special diets table where at a glance you can view the recipes and determine what will work for your dietary needs and what won't. In our family we have one person that can't have dairy, two of us can't have gluten and one of us can't have soy. Yes, we are a JOY to cook for. (sarcasm dripping!) This table makes it so easy - at a quick glance I can easily determine what would be okay and what is out for us. Love it! Wish all cookbooks were as thoughtful to the consumer!

I received this book from Blogging for Books for free in exchange for a honest review.

Chicken or Chickpea Salad - no gluten, no soy, no dairy

I found this on foodbabe.com. It is suppose to be served as a sandwich in a wheat tortilla. It does say for gluten-free to use a brown rice tortilla. I have been gluten free and I guess I could have gotten the brown rice tortillas. My husband enjoys them. I just don't gravitate toward tortillas --- and I love salads. So I made the recipe but put it on a bed of mixed greens. I had some fresh garden tomatoes that I put on the side. It was delicious. Really loved it. And no soy, no gluten, no dairy. It does call for 1/4 cup organic yogurt -- and it does say you could use almond or coconut plain yogurt. I used the coconut yogurt but it was vanilla. I sent my husband for the plain and they didn't have it --- and vanilla is close. It was actually very good. Really loved it. Here is the link to the recipe. Click here. 

I was impressed with how quick and easy it was to make -- and how delicious it tasted. 

The Dance by Dan Walsh & Gary Smalley

This is the first book in the Restoration series. The premise is that with God's help all things are possible even the healing and restoration of a marriage that is on the brink of divorce. I enjoyed this book. Gary Smalley wrote a book called The DNA of Relationships and many of the principles he discusses in that book he teaches the characters in The Dance. In The Dance he uses his storytelling ability to show how the concepts would play out - what would they look like in practice. Neat way to get the concepts across. For some this book would be more enjoyable to read then a relationship manual type of book. Highly enjoyable.  

Go Fresh A Heart-Healthy Cookbook with shopping and storage tips

I got this book because I love going fresh. I did find recipes that were wonderful that I can't wait to try. On the other hand, I do have to say I disagree with some of the book's comments or assumptions. 

This is a quote from page 8. "If you're looking to move away from heavily processed foods that rely on preservatives, salt, and sugar and to take advantage of nature's bounty of flavor and nutrition, this is the book for you. We'll show you how to easily combine fresh ingredients with fast cooking techniques to create delicious and healthy meals." Okay I completely agree with eating from 'nature's bounty' and to not eat as many processed foods. Excellent idea for good health. I do think more should be eaten RAW and not cooked. Further, on page 17 they recommend microwaving. They say that "because this method requires no added oils and very little, if any, liquid to keep food from drying out, it is a healthy way to prepare food." I completely disagree that microwaves are healthy at all. Further on page 19 they recommend avoiding saturated and trans fats. Time Magazine just had a cover story on this --- and the new research shows that refined carbs, sugar and processed foods are the real enemy -- and not saturated fats found in foods such as butter or eggs. Here is a link to an article covering this. Click here

Even though I don't agree with their take on what truly constitutes healthy eating -- I still think there are some wonderful recipes that I can't wait to try. For those cold winter nights that we get --- Chicken and Red Lentil Soup sounds amazing. Yummm.

I received this book from Blogging for Books for free in exchange for a honest review.

The Auschwitz Escape by Joel C. Rosenberg

The Auschwitz Escape is a very, very good book but it is not light reading though. It is a heavy subject. At times I just had to put the book down because it is just intense and sad. When Jacob Weisz's parents are killed by the Nazis, he flees and joins the resistance movement. While attempting to stop a train load of Jews heading for a concentration camp, Jacob is apprehended. He winds up at Auschwitz. The book details life at Auschwitz -- the brutal conditions, lack of food, starvation and all the ways people can die at that camp. The underground resistance is alive within the camp, and Jacob becomes a member. Their goal is to get several teams to escape and so that news of what is actually happening at Auschwitz will be told to the allies. They hope the Allies will then either free the camp or bomb it completely so its ovens can no longer be used for mass exterminations. While those in the camp would all die it would ultimately save lives to not have the camp available. The book is fiction but the author did extensive research. Much of what he put into the book is based on things he found to have really happened. The escapes he wrote about were based on real life escapes from Auschwitz. The town of Le Chambon is a real town in France that was recognized by the State of Israel for its exceptional efforts as they "offered shelter in private homes, in hotels, on farms and in schools. They forged identification and ration cards for the refugees and in some cases guided them across the border to neutral Switzerland." Le Chambon is the town that the author has Jean-Luc Leclerc, the person Jacob escapes the camp with, as an assistant pastor. He also winds up in Auschwitz for helping the Jewish people to hide from the Nazis. I really like this quote from the book, "Evil, unchecked, is prelude to genocide." I think that is something we need to never forget. 

Here are a few other quotes I think worth remembering. 

p 179 - "I guess Heine was right. Who? Heinrich Heine. The poet? Yes. ... So what did Heine say? Where books are burned, they will, in the end, burn people, too..... He really wrote that? He did. When? I don't know - 1821, '22, something like that. Maybe he was a prophet..... Maybe he was."

p 456 "..... in the end, evil did not triumph. It tried, but it did not succeed. Evil was defeated because good people rose to the challenge and refused to surrender." 

The Blender Girl by Tess Masters

The Blender Girl by Tess Masters has 100 gluten free, vegan recipes. The Blender Girl is so much more than just recipes though. In the first couple of chapters, she explains a little bit about blenders and how to use them to their fullest. Chapter 2 has lots of really great information on live enzymes, cleansing, the importance of raw foods, super foods that are packed with vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. She also talks about how soaking improves digestion. She speaks to sprouting and milking. Some of these techniques I have already incorporated in my diet but some are new to me. I  have not tried making my own milks. I really want to have the time and energy to do so but it also seems so much easier to by almond milk from the store. 

I love her information and explanations. Many of her recipes are wonderfully easy but some of them are fairly involved. I want to get to the point where I find eating the way she speaks about easy --- sometimes it seems like alot of work. That is when I just opt for a simple salad that incorporates all the raw vegetables, seeds and nuts. It seems easier then blending it all up. I want to be a blender girl more often than I am. I am hoping these recipes will inspire me to pull out my blender every day.

I received this book from Blogging for Books for free in exchange for an honest review. 

What odd looking lettuce!

We have had a very cool spring and start to the summer. Cooler than normal. And my lettuce seems to love it. I grow lettuce in a pot on a table on the back porch. This way the bunnies don't get to enjoy all my lettuce. This year I just can't eat it fast enough --- it keeps growing and growing.

It looks like a small bush - doesn't it. It is extremely tasty. Kids keep teasing me that my lettuce is out of control. They say it is starting to look like a small tree - I think it looks more like a small bush. Odd for lettuce, don't you think?

Hand Vacuum for pet hair

We have a dog - a wonderful beautiful Siberia Husky - tan in color with some black. We also have a darker green couch and love seat. The cream color hair shows up so well. When the dog is in full shed as he is now - my couches just get covered in hair -- it is so bad that people don't really want to sit on them. And yes I know - we could try to get the dog to not be on the couches but my animals are part of the family. I love when they cuddle up next to me. I love the dog and cat far more than I care about furniture. 

Still there are times when I like to clean up the furniture and make it presentable. We have really struggled for years with various different vacuum cleaners. They really do the floors well but have an inability to get the dog hair off the furniture. Plus they always seem cumbersome and difficult to use on furniture. My husband (when I was complaining that the new vacuum we just bought being the absolute worst at getting the dog hair off) suggested getting one of these ---

All I can say is WOW! Love it! I am totally sold. It was not expensive at all. We got it Walmart. And WOW - it works wonderfully. It is easy to use and more importantly it actually gets the hair up. I am sooooooo impressed. Why didn't anyone tell me about these before! So I am blogging about it. If you have issues with pet hair on your furniture --- I highly recommend one of these bad boys - a Shark Hand Vacuum Model #V15Z. Works amazingly well. 

Very Berry Detox (smoothie)

I found this recipe in Deliciously G-Free by Elisabeth Hasselbeck. She has lots of really good recipes in her book. If you are going gluten free --- I recommend this book. She calls this a detox but it really is a delicious smoothie. It was very refreshing on a warm day.

1/2 cup blueberries
1/2 cup raspberries
1/2 cup blackberries

(I didn't have raspberries or blackberries --- I had blueberries and strawberries that we had picked ourselves and then frozen. Frozen worked really well. Added a bit of cold to the mix - really delicious!)

1/2 cup baby spinach leaves
1 cup brewed red bush or green tea (we used organic decaf green tea)
1 tablespoon sugar (we did not add this - berries are sweet enough)
4 ice cubes

Place all the ingredients in a blender and blend on high speed until smooth. Serve immediately.

A Time to Dance by Karen Kingsbury - book review

Abby and John appeared to have it all. They appeared to have the perfect marriage. Things aren't as they seem. Abby and John have grown apart and now all they do is fight. John is on the verge of an affair. Abby is just distant or angry. They no longer sleep in the same bed. After 22 years of marriage they are on the verge of divorce. Yet, with God all things are possible. They each begin to put their focus back on God. Slowly they each being to see the other's point of view. The book is a story about reconciliation and healing. I very much enjoyed the book. I highly recommend reading it. 

A Stillness of Chimes by Meg Moseley

I really enjoyed this book. I think the book's cover was kind of strange - although once I read the book I understood the symbolism on the cover. At first look I thought the hand was covered in blood - yet upon a closer look one can see they are berry stains. 

Laura Gantt's mother dies suddenly and now she is left parentless. Her father supposedly died when she was 18 years old. He drown in the local lake although his body was never found. Then, neighbors begin reporting having seen sightings of her father. She is determined to find out the truth of her past and discover what happened to her father. Sean Halloran was Laura's high school sweetheart. Sean is still in love with Laura and wants to protect her from harm. He helps her to find out the truth. 

Here is a link to read the chapter one. 

It was a very good story. This story seeks to illuminate some of the issues families faced when the Vietnam vets came home. Some of the vets were broken inside. They struggled to be normal, to live a normal life afterwards. I know my own uncle struggled with things he saw in Vietnam. He would never much talk about it. At the heart of this book, it is a love story between Laura and Sean, who waited 10 years for Laura to come back. Wonderful story. I highly recommend reading it. 

"I received this book for free from Blogging for Books for this review."

A Promise Kept

A Promise Kept by Robin Lee Hatcher is a book that is based on a similar path that the author walked. In the book, Allison was devastated when her marriage ended. She felt like God didn't answer her prayers. She also felt that God had told her he would saver her marriage. So when it ended she felt that God had not kept His promise to her. Yet in her heart she knew that God always keeps His promises. So she begins questioning whether she heard Him right. In our human form sometimes we can only see one way and expect that God will do things that one way. Sometimes God has a different way. Sometimes we also have to wait because promises are kept in God's time - not our time. We want things instantly. Often that isn't the way it works. This was a very good book. I really enjoy her writing style. It was a very enjoyable book. 

Ale Boy's Feast

From the Publisher:
The king is missing.
His people are trapped as the woods turn deadly. 
Underground, the boy called Rescue has found an escape.

Hopes are failing across The Expanse. The forests, once beautiful, are now haunted and bloodthirsty. House Abascar's persecuted people risk their lives to journey through those predatory trees. They seek a mythic city - Abascar's last, best hope for refuge - where they might find the source of Auralia's colors.
 
They journey without their king. During a calamitous attempt to rescue some of his subjects from slavery, Cal-raven vanished.

But his helper, the ale boy, falling through a crack in the earth, has discovered a slender thread of hope in the dark. He will dare to lead a desperate company up the secret river.

Meanwhile, with a dragon's help, the wandering mage Scharr ben Fray is uncovering history's biggest lie - a deception that only a miracle can repair.

Time is running out for all those entangled in The Auralia Thread. But hope and miracles flicker wherever Auralia’s colors are found.

This was a very different genre for me. I think it was very well written but this was book 4 in the series. I wish I had begun at Book 1. It was a little hard for me to get into the story and follow the characters. I think this is a book that my boys would simply love though.

This book was provided free by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Awakening Faith By James Stuart Bell

Awakening Faith Daily Devotions from the Early Church by James Stuart Bell

About the Book:  In simple, updated language, Awakening Faith by James Stuart Bell provides a year of inspiring readings drawn from the earliest teachers and writers of the church---the Church Fathers. In every reflection you will be refreshed by deep wells of wisdom and spiritual insight. 'In the age of Twitter and Facebook, where glib sayings abound, one yearns to read some deeper wisdom about life and faith on a regular basis. Well, here you have it, a compendium of wisdom, devotion, and biblical insight from some of the most thoughtful and faithful Christians from the early eras of the church's history. And in Facebook sized posts. That's a nice change of pace!' ---Mark Galli, editor, Christianity Today

This book really came at the right time. I was looking for devotions that I could read just before bed. I love that time when it is quiet and the kids have gone to bed - to study and reflect. The book's message is timeless. The language was very easy to read and understand. This is just a neat book and I highly recommend reading it. Each devotion is a page long - so it is a nice quick read before heading off to bed. Really wonderful messages.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from BookSneeze in exchange for an honest review.

The Victory Club

The Victory Club was really a very delightful book. It follows 4 women during WWII on the homefront. Each has a different story and each reacts to the war in different ways. The four women become friends. Lucy talks the others into joining her one Saturday morning. It become a Victory Club. The concept is simple - they decide that instead of focusing on their own troubles and worries - they will focus on praying for each other, praying for others and doing things to help others. I really like Robin Lee Hatcher's writing style. The book is a Christian book - it has good values -- although not every character is able to live out those values. We just finished studying WWII and this was a nice fun read to follow that up. I recommending reading this - it is quite enjoyable. 

the first phone call from heaven by Mitch Albom

The end is not the end. Several people in the small town of Coldwater, MI receive phone calls from their dead relatives or friends. Are these really phone calls from heaven? The message is simple - the end is not the end. There is a heaven and it is wonderful. People are always looking for proof but belief in heaven is a thing of faith. Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved. Believing is an act of faith. It is the one thing we must do. Jesus has done all the rest - he died for us, rose again, so that we might be saved. 

I enjoyed this book - it was a good read. At first it seems that the focus is the calls from heaven but truly the real message is one of healing for Sully. Many people, including Sully, have unresolved issues and being able to have one more phone call from our loved ones helps to tie up those loose ends - helps us heal through resolution. A lesson we can learn from this is to not leave things unsaid. Say the good-byes, say 'I'm sorry' and 'I forgive you'. Don't leave things undone. I think that is the gift that cancer can bring - those that fight that battle and win - have been given a unique gift of having starred at death - realized that death might be imminent - and then lived life with that knowledge, refusing to leave things unspoken and refusing to leave deeds undone. 

On the other hand, I have to say that I don't agree with everything the author believes. He has one comment - when the alive sister asks the dead sister - "Do you miss me like I miss you?" The answer from the sister in heaven is "every minute". (p283) My belief is that we will be worshipping God and so in awe of Him - we won't miss those that aren't there. Those are earthly feelings that incorporate sadness and pain. In heaven there is no more pain and sadness. I believe there is joy - and that we will be joyful for those that arrive but we will not be sitting around moping and sad until they arrive. 

The Perfect Life by Robin Lee Hatcher

Katherine had the perfect life. Then allegations surface that her husband, Brad, had misappropriated funds from a charity and had an affair. Are the allegations true? Katherine begins to doubt her husband. She has been married to him for over 25 years - shouldn't she know his character and trust in him? Brad is upset she doesn't have more faith in him. Katherine struggles with trying to find the truth and trying to find God in the midst of all the problems. How could God let her life just collapse like this?  Excellent book. 

Far from Here by Nicole Baart

I really enjoyed this book. Danica Greene's husband is a pilot. He takes an assignment in Alaska. When he and his plan go missing, Danica's world is turned upside down. She begins searching for the truth - is he still alive? Is she really a widow? Then she learns he wasn't flying alone and more questions surface. Danica begins to question everything about her relationship with her husband and her marriage. Did she fail him - was she not enough for him? And how to move on? The book is very intriguing. I enjoyed reading it. There were some twists along the way and that made it very interesting. Good book. 

The Swiss Courier by Tricia Goyer & Mike Yorkey

We are currently studying WWII and this we a really neat book that we did as a read aloud. It was a very neat book. In the beginning, we had to really concentrate to keep all the players straight (again as I was doing this as a read aloud with kids). We liked that it had lots of action, tied in with our studies and even though it is fiction - had events that mimicked real life events. The book begins in July of 1944 with the Gestapo rounding up suspected enemies of the Third Reich. It bounces from details on the Gestapo's efforts to find missing suspects and the underground's ability to keep one step ahead of the Gestapo. Gabi Mueller is one of the main characters. She is half American and half Swiss - living in neutral Switzerland. Yet, her family is not neutral. They clearly disagree with Hitler's regime and are willing to risk their lives to save others. She is working for the OSS (American Office of Strategic Services). This is the beginning of the CIA. She begins doing translations and is then promoted to being a courier (or field agent). Gabi's family are Christians and Gabi believes in the power of prayer to deliver her from difficult situations and she does face several in the book. 

Very much recommend this book. It was a great read. We really enjoyed it. 

One Light Still Shines by Marie Monville

This is Marie's story. Marie is the wife of the Amish schoolhouse shooter. Her husband's act was a horrible, heinous act that left Marie having to deal with the aftermath. She had to answer both to others and herself - if there had been any warning signs. Should she, somehow, have known and warned authorities. Could she have stopped him? Was there something she should have done so Charlie wasn't so broken and angry? Marie had only ever dated Charlie and married him right out of high school. They had 3 young children. Marie wasn't prepared to be a single mom. In the beginning Marie avoided the media and just focused on protecting her children. She talks about the grace she received - given freely to the Amish that had lost children in the shooting. The Amish chose to love and offer her forgiveness. It was an amazing gift of grace poured into her life at a time when she least expected it - at a time when she felt she was most unworthy. 

She explains the title of the book she she talks about "when she was blinded by the darkness of grief, his light still shone." The book is about a love story - a story detailing God's love for her and his love for each one of us. 

She talks about moving on after the incident and trying to find a way to rebuild her life. I really enjoyed reading her story. The book is very well written. I was surprised to find that she started dating again so soon after losing her husband. She ends up re-married less than 1 year from his death. When reading her book and getting her perspective I can see she felt ready - from an outside viewpoint it just seems so soon after the incident to move on. Other than being surprised at her moving on so quickly, I found the rest to be a wonderful story. It was a very touching story that, in several places, had me in tears. This book is definitely worth reading. It is a book that speaks to us all. 

This book was provided for free from Zondervan through Booksneeze in exchange for a honest review.