Book review: Lost & Found by Kendra Fletcher

This book packs a powerful punch for such a small book. Written about a thriving family's unsung tragedies it opens the door to the reader that God is in control despite what circumstances one finds themselves facing.
Through all the trial God begins turning the parents focus on religion and their own pious attitude that everyone needs to act like them or be wrong: to an attitude of Christ.
These stories will melt your heart, as they teach you powerful truths about living for Jesus according to His way. Not the way we make up. But truly the way of our Shephard.
It is a simple read and can be finished in an afternoon.


This book was donated for review by litfuse.

Her Secret book review

Her Secret

written by Shelley Gray

I've read many books about the Amish. Most of them involve teenage Amish during their "wild years" and Amish doing very non-Amish things. This book, Her Secret, is a nice switch from that. I wouldn't say it portrays a typical Amish family but it does a good job of helping the reader relate to the family that struggles to handle things in their own way. The parents try to protect their kids by hiding from them and running away from problems and the oldest girl deals with guilt and blame over everything that is happening.

The contrast between the main character's family and a neighboring family creates a longing that is satisfied as the book progresses and everyone learns to work through their problems.

There is a gentle love story in this book that is painted against the agitation of an infatuation that turns into stalking and a family being completely uprooted. It takes the love and help of friends (and those who turn into more than just friends) to pull main-character Hannah out of the depression and fear she has closed around herself.

Though this book deals with many things between a stalker, men and women, and even talk of marriage, the book stays very modest and would be a permissible read for even the more protected of teens. There is some violence and kidnapping but all done tactfully and without any comment to the what-could-have-been's that we hear on the news in real life.

It was a pleasant read and I was able to finish it in about a 24-hour span. Much faster than I had planned on reading, but once I started I didn't want to stop. It is a page turner, comfortably predictable with delight as it ends happily. A book you close with a happy sigh.

This book was sent to me from litfuse publicity group in exchange for my writing this unbiased opinion.

Book Review: Long Days of Small Things by Catherine McNiel

I was excited about this book because the author seemed so easy to relate to as she shares about herself in the first pages.. She admitted she wasn't the world's greatest mom, not in the "now-everyone-can-relate-to-me" kind of way but in the, "no-really,-I-don't-have-it-together" kinda way. She proceeds with a book full of examples on how to use motherhood as a spiritual discipline.

This is a singular idea and one that should be exposed as much as possible. Think about it. As mom's we are more disciplined then we probably ever have been! We may not get up to run at 5am but we certainly wake up to any little cry in the middle of the night? We budget our time (even if it is just to survive) and we make it through each marathon day. We keep more people than just ourselves alive every day. You don't get much more disciplined than that!

To realize that some of these disciplines can blur over into the spiritual since is wonderful to me!  Each chapter ends with a topic point and an idea to go with it.  This I didn't find helpful for me and wish she would have included more stories but maybe if I used this in a group setting it would be more ideal!

I would totally read more books by this author, Catherine McNiel. She is funny and lighthearted but deep at the same time!

Book Review: Ant Dens by Mary Coley

This book was written by an author in my local area and I thought I'd give it a try. I was able to get the 2nd book this week so I started with that one.

This author is not just talented in her writing but she possesses a complicated ability to create a winding story that twists and turns and gives no hint to the ending.
I believe I would like to start with book one if I had it to do over, but book two did a fine job standing alone. The character struggles with the recent loss of her husband, the moving on with her life and the guilt over seeming to successfully do so.  There would be a lot of ability to relate for anyone who has suffered a loss, even though the book is a suspense novel.  It is also riddled with historical fact and strongly references human sex trafficking in the US.
Even though the plot is good I would give this book a 3.5 out of 5 stars due to the language and references in it. Tactfully written considering the topic it refers to sex trafficking throughout the book language would prevent me from recommending it further.