Review: Happily Ever After by Susan May Warren

I am an avid FREE Kindle book buyer. I found Happily Ever After in the "free books" list on a sleepless night and read it all in one sitting, it was so good!

Back Cover:
God has answered Mona Reynolds's prayers and given her the opportunity of a lifetime: she is about to open her own bookstore-coffee shop, the Footstep of Heaven. Now Mona has no time for love and no hope that a man can ever be the hero of her dreams. But when she hires mysterious drifter Joe Michaels to be her handyman, she discovers that it isn't only in fairy tales that people live "happily ever after."

I Loved...
First of all I LOVE the coffeeshop/bookstore idea. That's what drew me to the book in the first place. I was very pleased with the large amount of Christianity that was in the book - not preachy, but real, and inspiring. Mona is a lovable character with a colorful (but kind) best friend. The romance between Mona and Joe was really sweet...wonderful but full of little bumps in the road that made it believable. Both of them have secrets, secrets that could ruin their relationship if they don't get them out in the open. There were even a few cliffhangers that chilled my blood! :) I thought that Mona and Liz were a great example of a strong friendship.

I'm afraid to tell you more for fear that I will spoil it for you so I'll stop there.

I Did Not Like...
I felt that the author built up the "secrets" expectations much too high - I was expecting something a lot more dramatic than what the secrets ended up being. They were interesting, but still, I was disappointed. But that's just me.

Overall...
Happily Ever After is a delightful chick-lit romance that warms your heart and encourages your faith. I encourage you to check it out at your local library or purchase it from Amazon. I'd say it's appropriate for girls ages 13+, so you might even want to gift it to someone you know!

Hope you enjoy it!
Steph

Goals

3 Books A Week.
1 Cup of Coffee
6:00 AM
Reading.
Writing.

Let's hope this works. :)

Certain Jeopardy by Capt. Jeff Struecker

Specs:
400 pgs. (Paperback)
Publisher: B&H Books
Rating: 4.5 Stars!
It's so cool it even has a website of it's own - www.certainjeopardy.com

Product Description:
Six American men live behind a protective façade, their real work hidden from neighbors and friends. Different in countless ways, they are intimately the same in one: at any moment their lives can be altered with a phone call, and their actions may change the world.

They are Special Ops. And one team’s mission is about to hit certain jeopardy status when the discovery of an Al Qaeda base in Venezuela becomes secondary to thwarting the transport of a nuclear weapons expert from that training camp to Iran.

Informed by the true combat experience of Captain Jeff Struecker and finessed by award-winning novelist Alton Gansky, Certain Jeopardy is an immersing and pulsating fictional account of what really happens at every level of a stealth engagement: the physical enemy encounter, the spiritual war fought within a soldier, and the emotional battles in families back at home. --Amazon

I received this great book from Netgalley. I am deeply grateful for the chance to review books like this for FREE. I receive no compensation for my reviews, and my opinions are my own.

General:
Certain Jeopardy was "certainly" thrilling! I really enjoy military thrillers, and this was no exception! Lots of action. One thing I appreciated was...it was real. The Christian on the team did not have all the answers. He hurt like everyone else. The non-Christian team members were also quite realistic. They swore - although I was very relieved that it was limited to "he swore", etc. without spelling it out. The heroes were impressive. There were several intense moments where I was on the edge of my seat, and couldn't see a way out of the situation. Thankfully, the plot avoided becoming too predictable.

I liked:
The teamwork. Endurance. Sticking by each other even when it might mean losing your life. The value of human life and the hard choices that can come your way when you value life. The pain that can result from divorce. Also, a team member's wife divorced him because of his infidelity, and later remarries. (One of the few Biblical reasons for divorce is infidelity - I was appreciated that she had good reason to divorce him and made sure to do it the Jesus way.) The fight between good and evil and the fine line that exists between them. The deep love between a husband and wife. Identifying one of the reasons a parent is being hard on his teenage son - which might apply to some fathers out there. These heroes are guys I would look up to. They are imperfect humans, but God uses them nonetheless. :)

I didn't like:
I wished the Christian member of the team would have witnessed/read his Bible/something to share his faith more. Certain Jeopardy was Christian, but in a quiet, almost inperceptible way. This might make it more acceptable to non-Christians and slip in under their radar, but as a Christian, I wished the character and the author both would have been a little more outspoken about their faith.
One scene in which a character is enduring torture really turned my stomach. A little graphic at times, and quite a bit of violence, but hey - this IS a military thriller!

Overall:
I thoroughly enjoyed Certain Jeopardy. There were a few minor things that I disliked, but they weren't a big deal. Capt. Jeff Struecker has done a wonderful job! It reminded me of some of Dee Henderson's books...but much less romance, of course. If you enjoy a thriller with wild chase scenes and dangerous missions, then you will have a great time reading Certain Jeopardy!

Check it out at Amazon, where you can pick it up for as low as $1.02+s&h!

Pathetic.

My lack of any responsible qualities, that is. Since I am really awful at keeping up with this myself, I am going to partner with my 12 year old brother and reviews will be coming from both of us and will hopefully keep this place MUCH more busy. We will change the name and URL most likely, because he won't want to be called a girl. Hopefully this will make our blogging experience, and your reading experience, much more interesting and fun. :)
Thanks for your patience with a struggling, learning bloggger!
Stephanie

Delay in Amish Proverbs review

I had a very grueling all-day musical practice today and cannot bring myself to write a review. Look for it tomorrow!
Thanks,
Stephanie

In My Mailbox: July

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by The Story Siren

It's supposed to be weekly, but for me it's turning out to be monthly.

(I don't get many books in the mail, especially over the summer!)

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When pastor Jordan Rau accepted a position with a European missions agency, his decision was based on money, not on an opportunity to serve God. However, shortly after his family's arrival in Germany, Jordan's priorities dramatically change - his young son, Chase, has been murdered. Abandoning his faith in God, Jordan becomes obsessed with finding Chase's killers and delivering justice. He sets out on a course of action that will destroy not only the murderers, but his own family as well - and only a miracle can stop him.

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If you want to know a people," says Suzanne Woods Fisher, "know their proverbs." These small, concentrated packages of insight allow outsiders to peek into a fascinating closed community. In Amish Proverbs, Fisher collects more than 200 proverbs to uncover the rich heritage, folklore, faith, values, history, and essence of the Amish people. These proverbs serve as teaching tools and maxims for right living for the Amish and can also inform the lives of anyone who seeks peace and simplicity in life. Ranging from the simple to the profound, from the serious to the humorous, these sayings will stick with readers through life's joys and sorrows. The perfect gift for any occasion, Amish Proverbs is sure to become an instant classic.

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Tired of doing all you can for others while your relationships remain stuck in neutral--or headed in reverse? Paul Coughlin and psychologist Jennifer Degler show how being nice can harm you and drain the life out of your relationships. They explore the keys to fulfillment at home, work, church, and even in the bedroom. You'll discover that emulating the real Jesus is the key to transforming from a Christian Nice Girl into an authentic, powerful woman of loving faith.
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In this uplifting devotional, popular speaker and author Thelma Wells offers readers help for overcoming adversity and finding hope. When faced with problems, from unpaid bills to loved ones experiencing illnesses, people often hear, You just need to trust God. But how do people grasp that truth when their world is going haywire?

Through biblical wisdom and powerful real-life stories, Thelma reveals steps readers can take and share with others to conquer problems:

                                                           ·         Pray about everything

                                                           ·         Study God’s Word

                                                           ·         Never say never to God

                                                           ·         Discover what motivates people

                                                           ·         Be proactive and double check everything

                                                           ·         Love your family, friends, and enemies

                                                           ·         Be liberal with praise

From simple strategies to in-depth approaches, Thelma shows readers how to draw closer to Jesus, experience the relief He offers, and welcome a new day.

Look for a review of Amish Proverbs tomorrow!

Love,

Stephanie

Goodness Me!

I go on a mission trip and explore a homeschool convention and I have once again abandoned my blog!
I sincerely promise to do my ultimate best to keep up with it. It will be much easier now that I'm home again. :)
Stephanie