Friday, August 29, 2014

"Interrupted" by Rachel Coker



About this book:

  “Can love really heal all things? If Sam Carroll hadn’t shown up, she might have been able to get to her mother in time. Instead, Allie Everly finds herself at a funeral, mourning the loss of her beloved mother. She is dealt another blow when, a few hours later, she is sent from Tennessee to Maine to become the daughter of Miss Beatrice Lovell, a prim woman with a faith Allie cannot accept. Poetry and letters written to her mother become the only things keeping Allie s heart from hardening completely. But then Sam arrives for the summer, and with him comes many confusing emotions, both toward him and the people around her. As World War II looms, Allie will be forced to decide whether hanging on to the past is worth losing her chance to be loved.


Series: As of now, no.


Spiritual Content- Allie says many times that she does not believe in God, and her mother has told Allie that Christians are hypocrites (Later it’s said that Allie’s father said he was a Christian and when he left, her mom started hating Christians; “Mama hated Christianity, and she told me I should as well.”); When up on a hill, Allie writes that she feels closer to God and the heavens (Which she’s never told her mom as her mother does not believe in life-after-death); When her mother dies, Allie thinks “Are you in a better place, Mama? No, I don’t think you’re in any place at all. Christians are the crazy ones. That’s what you told me—there isn’t a God. There’s no one listening, no one who cares.”; Miss Beatrice tries to get Allie to go to church but Allie says “Mama says church is for the superstitious fools who don’t have enough guts to stand on their own two feet.” Miss Beatrice tries many times to witness to Allie and invites her to church; Allie wonders if her mother is a star now; Allie thinks back many times on what her mother said about Christians; Allie and Charlie talk a bit about God, Allie still believes that there’s no God and that it doesn’t matter Charlie says that you can’t be sure, not completely, “I guess we’ll never be sure until it’s over.” Allie then wonders if she could be wrong about God; Miss Beatrice does a long, detailed prayer which Allie overhears; Many Scriptures are quoted; Church going (semi-detailed); Bible reading; *Spoiler* Allie breaks down near the end and prays. She becomes a Christian after that. *End of Spoiler*; Many talks about God and finding comfort in His arms.


Negative Content- Minor Cussing including: an ‘oh my word’, an ‘oh my gosh’, a ‘shut up’, two ‘jerk’s, two forms of ‘drat’, four forms of ‘darn’, five ‘gosh’s, and 13 ‘stupid’s; Allie curses herself once (“cursing myself”); Allie wishes that a boy would get drafted the tells herself that that was a cruel thought; Mentions of the war.


Sexual Content- Allie calls a boy a “gangly, feminized type”; Irene says her & Daniel want a baby but can’t have one, when Allie asks “Why didn’t God give you a child?” Irene says “Sometimes God doesn’t give us the answer that we want. But that’s no excuse for being angry at him.” {In my opinion, the ‘H’ should have been capitalize}; *Spoiler* Irene says her birth mother was a cabaret dancer & her birth father was “a rich banker with a love for pretty women.” *End of Spoiler*; A bit of love/romance of the end, no kisses though!

-Alycone “Allie” Everly, age 14 (then 18)
                                        First person P.O.V. of Allie
                                              Part 1 is Set in 1939 and Part 2 is Set in ’43-‘45
                                                        247 pages

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Pre Teens-
New Teens- 
Early High School Teens-
Older High School Teens-
My personal Rating-
I liked “Interrupted”, it was really good! While I liked “Chasing Jupiter” better, I’m looking forward to reading Rachel Coker’s next book!


See y’all on Monday with another review!



*BFCG may (Read the review to see) recommend this book by this author. It does not mean I recommend all the books by this author.

Wednesday, August 27, 2014

"The Half-Stitched Amish Quilting Club" by Wanda E. Brunstetter



About this book:

  “Join the club of unlikely quilters who show up for Amish widow Emma Yoder’s quilting classes. A troubled young woman, a struggling couple, a widower, a rough and tough biker, and a preacher’s wife make up the mismatched lot. But as their problems begin to bind them together like the scraps of fabric stitched together in a quilt, they learn to open up and lend a helping hand. Is this what God had in mind to heal hurting hearts and create beauty from fragments?


Series: Book #1 in “The Half-Stitched Amish Quilting Club”. {I’ll be reviewing #2 and #3 this coming month!}


Spiritual Content- Psalm 34:14 is in the dedication; Mary says her Mother (Emma) has an unwavering Faith; Emma witnesses (& prays for) to all of her students; Paul has a strong faith and Ruby Lee is a Pastor’s wife; Many Scriptures are quoted, a hymn is sung and many Prayers are said.


Negative Content- Minor cussing including: a form of ‘shut up’, the phrase ‘like a heel’ is said twice, a few ‘jerk’s, four ‘crummy’s, ten ‘dumb’s, and 29 ‘stupids’ (or a form of); An unintelligible word is said but not written; Jan lost his license because he was drinking & driving (prior to the opening); Star says she hated her stepdad; Pam & Stuart argue/fight a lot; Drinking is mentions but not done; Talks of dead animals & ones dying by being hit by a car (semi-detailed for sensitive animal lovers).


Sexual Content- Star doesn’t know her birth father (Her mother got pregnant at age 18, more to the story is added her the end); A friend suggests to Pam that she & Stuart need to get away and be by themselves and that “a little romance wouldn’t hurt either”.

-Emma Yoder   /  -Pam Johnston    /  -Paul Ramires  /  -Ruby Lee Williams
-Star Stephens  /  -Stuart Johnston  /  -Jan Sweet
                                         P.O.V. switches between them.
                                                        313 pages (with a Quilt Pattern & recipe inside)

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Pre Teens-

New Teens- 

Early High School Teens- 

Older High School Teens-

My personal Rating- 


A fun storyline! I personally didn’t think it would need to be a series as I thought it ended well. (But after reading #2, I liked them together!)


 See y’all on Friday with another review!



*BFCG may (Read the review to see) recommend this book by this author. It does not mean I recommend all the books by this author.

Monday, August 25, 2014

"A Grand Design" by Amber Stockton



About this book:

  “A fun getaway on a charming island may be just what Alyssa needs...if only she can let go of her past.
  Fifteen years ago, Alyssa Denham stopped taking her annual summer trip to Mackinac Island, refusing to tell anyone the real reason she avoided the island she loved as a child. Now here she is, unexpectedly on the island for two weeks with her best friend, Libby, trying to keep her secret buried.
Alyssa's grandmother, who lives on the island, has asked Alyssa and Libby to help piece together a friendship quilt she had started years earlier. Their quest takes them to the homes of some [of] her grandmother's long-lost friends, giving Alyssa amazing insight into her grandmother's life...and attracting the attention of the handsome Scott Whitman.
Will memories of her past keep Alyssa from letting go? Or will she finally learn to trust and let God heal her fractured heart?



Series: Book #20 in the “Quilts of Love” series {They do not have to be read in order; see my reviews of number #17, “A Promise in Pieces”, Here! Number #18, “A Stitch and a Prayer”, Here! and my favorite QoL book, “Rival Hearts”, number #19, Here!}


Spiritual Content-  Talks about God & people say “Thank God” and “Praise God”; Ben teases Scott about maybe sleeping in instead of going to church (Ben decides to go when he learns that Libby will be there, Alyssa’s grandmother comments that that’s his first time in a Church in a long time); Other content includes: “bad karma” and “like a towering god of thunder” are both mentioned once.


Negative Content- Minor cussing including: a ‘sheesh’, a ‘stupid’, a ‘wretch’ and two forms of ‘idiot’; Quite a lot of Sarcasm; a bit of blood (barely above not-detailed).


Sexual Content- two almost kisses, not-detailed kisses, a semi-detailed kiss and a very detailed kiss; Libby talks about wearing “a skimpy little number with a drop-dead gorgeous instructor standing behind…” her; Libby says she has a man radar and calls it a “man-dar”; Libby is able to put her swimsuit in a small handbag (Scott thinks “a suit in need of additional material”); *Spoiler* Alyssa is attacked but before anything happens, Scott saves her; Alyssa’s secret is that Charlie wanted to have ‘fun’ and when she refused to ‘play along’ he got forceful and overpowered her (semi-detailed of Alyssa talking about it). *End of Spoiler*; Staring and noticing people’s bodies; Mentions of shirtless men; Flirting (quite a lot of it); Alyssa & Libby are boyfriend crazy (meaning that they are always trying to get a boyfriend); Love, falling in love & the emotions (semi-detailed being the highest).

-Alyssa Denham, age 29
-Scott Whitman
                                         P.O.V. switches between them.
                                                        187 pages

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Pre Teens-
New Teens- 
(and a half)
Early High School Teens- 
Older High School Teens-
My personal Rating- 
(and a half)
{Because of all the Sexual content}
Hmm. In my opinion, it didn’t start out good with Alyssa saying that she hates the month of June (because that’s when weddings are). That’s my birthday month, missy! :/ Well, thanks. And we really don’t know anything about Scott! The big secret didn’t shock me, as I thought that’s what it would be and as I’ve said before I’m sensitive to those subjects.
So definitely not for this blog’s target age.   

Don’t miss this month’s Quilts of Love book, A Grand Design by Amber Stockton. Who hasn't struggled to let painful memories go and move into God's healing? You’ll be sure to love this heartfelt and encouraging tale set on historic Mackinac Island.

Celebrate August’s release by entering to win a Kindle from Quilts of Love and RSVPing for the "Fall into Fall" Facebook author chat party.


Quilts of Love Kindle HDX Giveaway, Amber Stockton, A Grand Design

  One winner will receive:
  • A Kindle HDX
  • A Grand Design by Amber Stockton
  • Hidden in the Stars by Robin Caroll
Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on September 16th. Winner will be announced on the Quilts of Love blog. Plus make sure you RSVP to the October 7th author chat party with Amber Stockton and Robin Caroll for an evening of book chat, quilting tips and tricks, prizes, and more!

RSVP today and spread the word—tell your friends about the giveaway via FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning. Hope to see you on October 7th!


I have a cute book that I reviewed on Goodreads, about a nine-year-old on the Titanic! (Everything works out as fine as you can get, Moms. ;) ) There isn’t any Christian content in it but there’s some fun historical facts in the book! Plus it would be an easy read at only 22 pages! You can see my review of it Here!


See y’all on Wednesday with another review! :) 


*BFCG may (Read the review to see) recommend this book by this author. It does not mean I recommend all the books by this author.
*I received this book for free from the Publisher (Abington Press) (through Litfuse) for this review.