Wednesday, August 24, 2011

Organized Simplicity by Tsh Oxenrider

Have you ever thought, "We just have too much junk"? I've been thinking about cleaning some problem areas in my house and checked out this book for fresh ideas and to get in the mood for cleaning. I found that this book provides much more than cleaning room to room. It suggests adopting a frame of mind - from creating a family purpose statement to becoming debt free. In a nutshell, the author seeks to make all of life clutter free. I found the book was particularly meant for young families. Even though my family is older, I still found it to be quite inspirational.

The Naturally Clean Home by Karyn Siegel-Maier

Every so often I get the itch to clean house. My method is to pick a room, a closet, or a drawer to work on, depending on how much time I have. This book has great formulas for making your own cleaning solutions with natural ingredients that are environmentally friendly. The first thing that caught my eye was a mold and mildew remover. There are formulas for anything you can think of. You'll find hints for the garage to the patio and every room in between. Reading through this book is a great motivator to start cleaning.

Wednesday, August 17, 2011

Major Pettigrew's Last Stand by Helen Simonson

A delightful novel that takes place in England. Major Pettigrew, a proper English gentleman, and Jasmina Ali, a 50ish Pakistani woman who runs a shop in the village, find themselves sharing a love of literature and a similar world view. Having both lost their spouses, they begin with a friendship, which gradually grows into something more.
The community around them can't quite handle the relationship because of the difference in cultures and religion. So the couple are treated to gossip and prejudice, and they try to figure out how to handle it.
It is a light-hearted book, but still touches on some big issues. In the end it is a story of perseverance in the face of hardship. Great for all of us who don't want to give up on life and love.

Maggie Rose by Sharlene MacLaren

The second book in the "Daughters of Jacob" series, it is about the scond daughter, Maggie Rose. She feels she is called by God to work with orphans in New York. She is amazed and touched by the orphans' struggles, and seeks to help them by placing them with caring families thoughout the Midwest via the Orphan Trains.There is also a love interest for Maggie in the form of Luke Madison, a jaded reporter, who comes to do a story on the orphanage where she works.

Friday, August 12, 2011

Vison In White by Nora Roberts

Vision in White is the first book in the Brides Quartet. The books are about a group of friends that have been friends since childhood. As childred they played a game called "wedding day". Even when they were young, each one of the girls had a special part of the game. Now that they are all grown the girls formed a wedding coordinating business called "Vows". Each of the women takes what their passion was when they were younger and develpos it into a career. In the first book, the story is focused mainly on Mackenzie, the photographer. Mackenzie recieved her camera from her parents when she was little. Mackenzie deals with a wacky mother and a man that has had a crush on her since high school. This was a light hearted book that makes the reader long for the kind of friendship that is presented in this book.

Friday, August 5, 2011

Tallgrass by Sandra Dallas

During World War II, many people of Japanese ancestry living on the west coast of the United States were relocated to internment camps. This is a historical novel based on this time in American history. The story involves a family and the rural town and community near this camp called Tallgrass. There are many prejudices and the Japanese are treated cruelly. The Stroud family does not agree with much of the areas prejudices and shows kindness to the Japanese employing several to work on their beet farm. Rennie Stroud, a thirteen year old girl, the main character of this book and told from her viewpoint, is confused by these changes in her life especially after a friend is murdered. Blame is placed on the Japanese: times are difficult. I enjoyed this book and the historical elements along with the humorous moments and mystery involved.

Tuesday, August 2, 2011

Fear No Evil By Robin Caroll

If you are a fan of Dee Henderson, Colleen Coble or Terri Blackstock you will enjoy Robin Caroll. This is the first book in a series of 3 Christian suspense novels. The other 2 books are Deliver Us From Evil and In the Shadow of Evil. Fear No Evil introduces us to helicopter rescue pilot Brannon Callahan. Brannon and her partner Lincoln Vailes have anything but a normal rescue. In a raging blizzard, with time ticking on a donor heart for a star witness in child sex trafficking and sniper fire, you have a recipe for murder and suspense. A very enjoyable read.