Written by Cynthia Ruchti, this book is a collection of true stories she gathered from others. Each chapter tells a person’s painful life experience, where they were greatly hurt by someone they loved. I’m not talking about small hurts either. Most of these stories deal with pains I had never really thought about, and they all kept me interested.

I liked how each chapter stood alone and completed a story. Lately, I haven’t had much time for reading fiction, as those books are often hard for me to put down, and life has been a bit hectic. This book made it easy for me to read one chapter before bed each night, usually while soaking in a hot bath.

It is a Christian read that tells how each person chose to deal with other people’s choices that destroyed their lives. Like I said, these aren’t small hurts, and their lives will never be the same again because of someone they loved. It’s a book about forgiveness to the extreme. Everyone has a choice to make on how to deal with their harsh realities, and these people chose to forgive instead of getting bitter.

I truly can’t think of a negative thing about this book, and I give it five stars. Very interesting, uplifting, and it’s an easy read. It would make a great gift for someone going through extreme pain because of the wrong choices of someone else. It’s also a great read in general. You don’t have to be struggling with forgiveness to get something out of this book. It’s really that good!

The Rise of Miss Notley by Rachael Anderson

To escape an undesirable match, Miss Notley must give up her riches for rags.

When Miss Coralynn Notley’s father barters her off to the first titled gentleman to come along, she realizes she must flee her home or be forced to wed a despicable man. Driven by desperation, she applies for the position of housekeeper at Tanglewood Manor, the home of the handsome Mr. Jonathan Ludlow.

The moment Jonathan sees Miss Notley, he is intrigued. She is far too young and inexperienced for the position, yet there is something about her that that inspires a certain hope within him. Does he dare offer her the position of housekeeper or will doing so result in catastrophe?

The Rise of Miss Notley is the delightful tale of a mysterious gentleman and a determined young woman, caught together in a web so tangled it begs the question: Will they ever get out?

Coming February 2017

Author Rachael Anderson

A USA Today bestselling author, Rachael Anderson is the mother of four and is pretty good at breaking up fights, or at least sending guilty parties to their rooms. She can’t sing, doesn’t dance, and despises tragedies. But she recently figured out how yeast works and can now make homemade bread, which she is really good at eating.

Website

$25 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash Giveaway

Ends 1/25/17

Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

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Want to be one of the first to read Unexpected Beginning? If you have an e-reader or app on  your device and would like to get a copy of the fourth book in the Alissia Roswell Series–before its official release–please fill out this form, and you’ll be contacted as soon as the editing is finished.

As a beta reader, you agree to notify me of any errors you may find that was overlooked during the proofing and editing stages. (Yes, those frustrating typos still exist, even after multiple people read through it many times–including an editor. I agree. It’s truly amazing how those little things slip through unnoticed.)

It should be ready for beta reading around the end of January, and I’ll need your input within two weeks of receiving your copy, as I’m striving for a February release.

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It’s that time of year again! You know, sitting by the fireplace in your comfy clothes. A cup of hot tea in hand. Warm and cozy. Maybe even a couple of dogs resting nearby. You’re staring at the computer screen, hoping to find a sale. Sound familiar? Maybe you’re more of a coffee and cats person, but you’re definitely hoping for a sale.

That’s where Ebates and RetailMeNot come in handy. If you haven’t read the post I published earlier this year on how I got $152.36 back in the form of a check from Ebates, I highly recommend you read it. This past Monday was called “Green Monday,” and I made a large purchase from a certain store. Because I went to Ebates first, I got a discount code for $100 off and will also receive 20% back from the purchase. That’s a total savings of $160! I had expected to pay a lot more for that purchase, and the combined discounts made me a happy woman. I do love a good deal!

I don’t want to be redundant, so check out my recent post to learn how I get my deals. Good luck with your shopping, and Merry Christmas!

Felicity and the Fire Stoppers by Loralee Evans

Felicity is no stranger to adventure, and not much surprises the little sparrow any more. Even if it’s a visit from an old enemy!

But when she sees something that looks suspiciously like…smoke in the mountains near her home, Felicity realizes that she’ll need to use all her smarts and courage to help her friends.
Especially when a group of fire fighters, or as the animals in the Wildwood say, fire stoppers, needs her help!

Author Loralee Evans

Some of Loralee Evans’ earliest memories are of sitting with her mom or dad while they read her stories like The Tale of Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter, or Make Way for Ducklings by Robert McCloskey. These memories, along with many great teachers who got her excited about reading are what helped her develop a love of books, and of writing. She has lived in Missouri, Texas, and Utah, and even spent a year and a half in Japan! Some of her favorite authors are James Dashner, C.S. Lewis, Heather B. Moore, and J.R.R. Tolkien. Felicity and the Fire Stoppers is her sixth book.

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Blast Giveaway
$50 Amazon Gift Code or Paypal Cash

Enter to win a $50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash

Ends 1/1/17

Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

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Have you tried Walmart’s free curbside pickup yet? Not all their locations offer this service, but if you go to their website and type in your address, it will let you know if it’s available near you.

Although I’ve only used it once, I’m excited about this new service, as I hate going into stores lately and do most of my shopping online. I’m surrounded by a variety of health food stores and buy a lot of organic and specialty items I can’t find at Walmart. However, I do have certain items I buy there, and I usually stock up every other month with large purchases. This curbside pickup makes things super easy for me. I just go to their website and fill my cart with what I need, and when I go to pay, I choose a pickup time. Totally easy peasy!

The only problem I had with my first order was miscalculating the size of things. Instead of large containers of old-fashioned oats, I winded up with small containers, and since we go through a lot of oats, this was a bit of a pain. The same went for my mayonnaise. I didn’t even think about checking sizes when I added things to my online cart. Lesson learned! I’ll be more careful in the future.

Other than that minor complication, my experience was perfect. I didn’t have to pay extra for someone else to lug a buggy (cart if you’re from the North) through the store and pull items from the shelves, and I didn’t have to wait in a long line to check out. All I had to do was sit down with my laptop (with a cup of hot tea most likely in hand) and do some clicking.

Oh, there is another unavoidable complication as well. I prefer using my own bags to cut plastic waste, and that’s not possible with this service. My conscious will have to deal 🙂

They now offer an app so they can know the exact moment you arrive, and you don’t have to call them ten minutes beforehand. Be sure to go here for $10 off! I highly recommend!

Colors of the Sun & Moon by Talia Aikens-Nunez

Colors of the Sun and Moon is an English/Spanish STEM book which featuring an inquisitive young girl and her grandmother. The bright illustrations engage children and illuminate the science of the horizon with vibrant colors.

An inquisitive young girl questions her grandmother about the science behind the colors of the sun and moon. With a forward by Spencer Christian. “Colors of the Sun and Moon” is the second book from the new multicultural, multilingual children’s press, SundanceKid Press. The mission of SundanceKid Press is to promote cultural, ethnic/racial and linguistic diversity in children’s literature. Each page includes the English text along with the Spanish translation. A free audio recording is available on the SundanceKid Press website.

Forward by Spencer Christian

As a young child, I was much like the little girl in this book – intensely curious about the wonders of the natural world – asking questions such as those put forth by young Gabriela, “Why is the sky blue; why are leaves green?” My search for answers took me on a fascinating path of discovery, which eventually led me to become a national TV weather forecaster.
If the child in you – or a child you know – finds the world to be a wondrous place, your path to discovery can be found in the pages of “Colors of the Sun and Moon.” “Colors of the Sun and Moon” is the story of 8-year-old Gabriela and her wise and loving grandmother – a grandmother who has the answers to all of her precious granddaughter’s questions about the world of wonders they see around them. While Abuela’s answers are simple enough for a young child to understand, they are factual and scientifically sound.

I applaud author Talia Aikens-Nuñez for giving her readers a story that is appealing on so many levels: it is educational, entertaining, and family-focused. What a rare combination of elements! As I read “Colors of the Sun and Moon,” images from my own childhood flashed in my mind, and I found myself smiling in amusement and amazement. I feel certain that the young reader and the not-so-young reader in your home will enjoy this book as much as I did.

– Spencer Christian, Weather Anchor for ABC 7/KGO-TV, San Francisco

Author Talia Aikens-Nuñez
Talia Aikens-Nuñez wanted to be a meteorologist, a politician and a lawyer. She never thought she would be a writer. It was the birth of her daughter that caused her to start writing. Raising a bilingual child inspired Talia to write lyrical children’s books. Talia’s family loves nature so much that she and her husband vowed that they will always try to live close to water. They live on a river in Connecticut with their kids.

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Blog Tour Giveaway

$25 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash

Ends 1/1/17

Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

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