Book Review: Rancher’s Family Christmas by Leslie North

  

 

Rancher’s Family Christmas by Leslie North

This story follows Juniper and she's a crafty lady who runs her own stall at craft shows and has a local shop. During the holidays it's slammed with business. She also runs events for others to participate in, make their own ornament, etc

Story also follows Alex who's doing it all. After his wife and mother had passed away he's the only one on the ranch to handle his dad using a walker, his three little girls and the ranch. He has no time for himself but he learns his daughter wants a family Christmas this year with the whole family. He alerts his other brothers that they need to come home that year. He gets the girls excited by bringing them to the local event where they can make their own ornament. They have a blast especially because Juniper is there and she loves kids and makes them feel special.

Love how they do barter with one another to get what they need but one night she leaves the ranch with snow falling hard. He's worried because she never called to say she arrived home. He rescues her and she is able to spend the night. When she awakes up  Alex's brother is also there, the one she hung around with the most as they all lived next door. She's had a really tough life with no family and at times they made her feel very welcome. Like how the girls are able to get what they want for the holidays as if they are in control.  Things are going very well til Alex misses his little girls first tooth and he breaks up with Juniper. She takes it very hard and plunges back into work. It's Christmas and she's so depressed she doesn't wanna get dressed but gets a call to get more wood.

Love how this ends. Love snow ball fights and the holiday baking, gatherings and family time. 

Love learning how they each do their jobs and careers. So detailed.

 

May 27 Mossad Extraction by Ethan Jones

  

 

Mossad Extraction by Ethan Jones

Story starts out with Jack and he's with others to extract an operative but things go wrong. They are lucky to get out and cross back over the border to safety. The intel was right but that was 6 hours earlier. When they got to the point the operative had been moved to another location and nobody knew where that was.

There are quite a few characters to keep track of and for which side they are for, and against. So many different locations and like hearing about the traffic, city life and the food they eat at these areas.

Torture methods are varied mostly depending on where they are at and what weapons they have on hand. Like the strategic movements and how they are successful and other times they are not. Love the underlining story of Jack's family and his strive to find out any information about them throughout the book. Twists, mysteries, religious cultures, moles and how they are discovered, and a bit of romance. Something for everyone to appreciate.

Excerpt of the next book in the series as we follow Jack around the world.

Really great read 

Book Review: The Herbalist’s Apothecary Collection: 501+ Easy, Step-by-Step Natural Preparations & Herbal Recipes for At-Home Natural Living by Clara Greenhart

  

The Herbalist’s Apothecary Collection: 501+ Easy, Step-by-Step Natural Preparations & Herbal Recipes for At-Home Natural Living by Clara Greenhart

Like this book as a reference to solutions of things that ail your body.

Lots of introductory material about the natural cures for your body and inside issues as well.

I love the recipes because there are many ways to actually 'take' them and each one is explained in detail.

The recipes start with a title and tells you what ailment it can help with. Also a color photo and short summary.

List of ingredients and step by step prep instructions.

How to use, how much, when, how often is explained  also with notes and tags that are associated.

So many natural ways to heal your problems from things you can get online or in nature food stores.

Great reference book to keep handy.

 

Book Review: Systematic Theology Workbook for Adults: 52 Weeks to Understand What Christians Believe and Why They Believe It. Build a Faith That Holds You Steady—and Stand Firm by Paula Hartwell

  

 

 Systematic Theology Workbook for Adults: 52 Weeks to Understand What Christians Believe and Why They Believe It. Build a Faith That Holds You Steady—and Stand Firm by Paula Hartwell

What I like about this book is the fact you can take your time and digest what you've read for a week before you move on to the next weeks reading challenge. Book consistently throughout enforces the 5 C's: clarity, confidence, courage, character, and compassion.

Each chapter starts with a theme and devotes the chapter to understanding it fully. Has sections on Key Passages, reading notes, supporting passages with a summary of what each is about pertaining to the theme, tension passages, life passages, bible first questions which you can do by yourself or with others.  Plain language teaching, micro doctrine clarity guided relections and so much more. Like that you can do this on your own time.

There is so much to learn about and fully understand.

Great reference book to keep handy.

 

Book Review: The Natural Healing Handbook: The Herbalist’s Collection of Ancient Natural Remedies & Simple Herbal Recipes to Nurture Everyday Wellness & Vitality by Mira Hawthorn

  

 

The Natural Healing Handbook: The Herbalist’s Collection of Ancient Natural Remedies & Simple Herbal Recipes to Nurture Everyday Wellness & Vitality by Mira Hawthorn

What I like about this book is when you first open it up and see the list of chapters in the book you realize it can help cure any issue you have with your body: sleep, brain fog, joints etc and recipes are included and sound so easy and simple to make and use. Love section for older adults the best. It's where I'm at right now in my life.

Love intro material about hydration and movement and just things everybody should be doing daily to keep going strong.

Each chapter starts out with a summary of what's included. Each item has a color picture, title, summary, list of ingredients, and step by step prep. Also tells you how ot use it, how often and how much, no guessing.

Also has notes and tag and clinical dada.

What a super resource book to keep handy in the kitchen. 

Book Review: The Thirteenth Apostle: A Thriller by Jo Anne Barnes

  

 

The Thirteenth Apostle: A Thriller by Jo Anne Barnes 

This story starts out with Wendy and she's a city horticulturist. She also works weekend nights at a bar to earn money for a new car.

Story also follows a man who is stalking her. He uses many names and is so precise about using gloves so his DNA is not available at the crime scenes.

Very frightening scenes as he kills others before he is able to take her, again. The local police investigator, Shawn is very sympathetic and they fall for one another. He tries to reassure her and how to watch your surroundings. He equips her with tools also that she can use. Like connection she has with Shawn's son Chip who is an avid baseball player. He's got a great coach also who listens to him. I had a feeling, but I'm always wrong when I think I know who the stalker is.

Like the very descriptive details in this one and they are there for purposes that you will understand later in the book. Colorful tiles sound like a great hobby to do, peaceful and calming and such beautiful shades of colors for a window with sun coming in behind it.

Stalker is also hearing his mother talk to his conscious as she had sold him for $100 when he was younger. She's telling him what to do about the girls in his life and he tries to please her.

When he tires of trying to get Wendy he searches for others.

Very creepy and chilling to the bone for me as I do read thrillers but this one stuck with me, I couldn't put the book down and finished in one night. Like the connection about Paul the 13th apostle and the religious references in the book, scriptures from the Bible. 

May 26 The Ledger by Steven Manchester

  

 

The Ledger by Steven Manchester

This story is a bit different from the author's regular works. Enjoyed the read and just learning more about prison life and how those behind bars survive to do it all again another day.

We learn about the lives of:  the prisoner, an officer and the sergeant from all different angles.

Some stories are gruesome, some tragic.  It's the real life in the prison.

There is one given another chance from God but before he could get on the good side he had to experience the bad side first. 

Author is so very descriptive with his words I can picture myself watching it LIVE with them as it's happening. This would be a great movie!

So very realistic, I remember my father who was a local cop but had state police training talk about some of his work.  God keeps the ledger and you have to prove your life to him to get to heaven.

Can't wait for more from Steven.

Received a review copy from the author and this is my honest opinion.