RECIPE: Apple Cream Pie

So, yesterday, if you were paying attention, my review of 'The Seekers' by Wanda E. Brunstetter went live.  All the recipes in the book were included for the reader.  Off all the recipes this was the only one I would and/or could eat.  So of course I had to make it.  Since I have amazing neighbors I took some for myself and sent the rest next door.  I mean seriously, I don't need a whole pie to myself.  Want?  Of course!  Need.  No way!

Ingredients:
3 cups apples, finely chopped (I used Granny Smith because well, Granny Smith!)
1 cup brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 rounded Tablespoon flour
1 cup cream
1 (9 inch) unbaked pastry shell

Directions:
Preheat over to 450 degrees.  Mix apples, brown sugar, salt, flour, and cream.

Put in unbaked pastry shell.  Bake 15 minutes.  Reduce heat to 325 degrees for an additional 30 to 40 minutes.  When pie is about halfway done, take a knife and push top apples down to soften.

Halfway Done!  And blurry since well, phone pictures and I aren't besties!

After pie cools, store in refrigerator.

Don't make my mistake!  I totally didn't read the 'rounded' part of the recipe correctly and put a level Tablespoon of flour.  I'm pretty certain, almost positive, that this is the reason my filling didn't set up like it should have.  It was yummy and surprisingly I didn't miss the cinnamon and/or nutmeg at all.  But it was more apple cream soup in a pie shell.  Though not near as bad as when I made cream of broccoli cheese foam (I'll tell you that story another day, don't worry!) Don't make my mistake!

BOOK REVIEW: The Seekers by Wanda E Brunstetter

Join a class of unlikely Ohioans who take cooking lessons at Lyle and Heidi Troyer’s Amish farm. A woman engaged to marry, an expectant mother estranged from her family, a widowed mom seeking to simplify, a Vietnam vet who camps on the Troyer’s farm, and an Amish widower make up the mismatched lot of students. But Heidi’s cooking lessons soon turn to life lessons as they each share the challenges they are facing. Is this what God had in mind when Heidi got the idea for cooking classes?

Trying to figure out what I want to say about this book is hard.  Within the first little bit I felt like Ron was a toad and Lyle was a push over.  I was almost immediately annoyed with both of them.  However, both played a pivotal role in building a wonderful feel good story.  Let's talk about my initial impressions of the rest of the cast, as well.  Kendra, while her situation wasn't in any way fair felt like a whiner, Loretta left me feeling wishy washy, Eli interested me, and Charlene seemed so at odds with her security with her career and hobbies while being so annoyingly insecure about her relationship.  Of course they were so much more than that but that's were I started with them.  I was hoping they would do a lot of growing and changing and for the most part I was rewarded.

There are two things that draw me into a story and keep me engaged.  Characters and the the actual story.  If I can't bond with the characters and feel like I know them (I don't have to like them!) that hurts how I feel about the story.  If I can't bond with the story-line then it's hard to really care what happens or how it turns out.  The way this book was set up showing the different characters in their real lives, not just at cooking class grabbed my attention and made me invested in the story.  I cared who these people were and wanted to know more about who they were, why they were there, and how it came to pass.   I actually hope to see these characters again in future books since I really don't feel like their stories are told.  They just aren't finished you know?  There has to be more.  The drawback, for me, however was that I don't feel like I had a chance to truly bond with the characters.  The characters were truly well developed and I came to like them all, I even changed my mind about a few, but there just wasn't enough time with each of them.  Giving them more time would have been a mini-series but I feel like the small glimpse weren't quite enough.  I lost some of that bond that makes me truly care about a character.

At the end of the day I still feel like Lyle is a push over, but not in a bad way.  I feel like what Kendra's family did was completely unacceptable but she's still a bit whinny.  Charlene redeemed herself a little bit at the end but I'm not sure I will ever grasp the change of heart her future mother-in-law had and feel like it left a gaping opening that wasn't closed.  Eli and Loretta's story I saw coming from a mile away but it was OK because it just made sense.  Ron, oh Ron. Ron redeemed himself, sorta, but I felt like it was just too easy.  Lacking that ability to really delve into the characters left me with so many unanswered questions about Ron and feel like his revelation was too easy.  He was too easy to explain it when I'm sure it was one of the hardest things he has even done.  He was too easy to be off the hook.  I'm happy for him and honestly, the man needs something too easy in his life.

This book started slow and I was frustrated for about the first part of the book.  But as the characters started to grow for me the book came to life.  I am so glad that I was provided a complimentary copy of this book by NetGalley.  I was not compensated for this review and all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.  I was not required to write a positive review. And I truly cannot wait to read the next book in the series!


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About Wanda E. Brunstetter

Wanda E. Brunstetter is an award-winning, New York Times best-selling author of Amish and historical fiction. She's also written Amish cookbooks, Amish-themed devotionals, and several children's books with Amish characters.
Wanda E. Brunstetter writes about the Amish because they live a simple life, which she feels we all need in this day and age.
Wanda and her husband Richard, who grew up in a Mennonite church, have Amish friends in several Amish communities.
Besides writing books, Wanda's a professional ventriloquist. In her spare time she photography, gardening, knitting, looking for shells and agates on the beach, and spending time with her family.

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BOOK REVIEW: Rachel's Dream by Lisa Jones Baker

Rachel Kauffman and Jarred Zimmerman seem to have nothing in common. She's the outgoing youngest of a large, close-knit Amish clan, and longs to raise a brood of her own near those she loves. Estranged from his family by tragedy, Jarred is a young veterinarian who trusts the animals he heals far more than he trusts people. However, when Rachel's beloved horse falls ill, Jarred's struggles to save him show Rachel he's a man who cares deeply. And the respect he feels for her gentle warmhearted ways soon becomes an irresistible bond...
When Rachel tries to help Jarred reunite with his parents, it is an unexpected blessing--with one complication. If he takes this chance to put his past to rest, it could separate him and Rachel for good. Now, with prayer, love--and her hope chest's small miracles--Jarred and Rachel must find the courage to reconcile their wishes into a joyous life together. 

"You can't control your past, but with God's help, you can own your future."  This quote stands out for me from the entire book.  If I had to one line summarize this book this quote would be it.  That and of course "Memories stay in your heart.  But if I've learned anything throughout my life it's that the future's all about making new ones."  'Rachel's Dream' is the third book in The Hope Chest of Dreams series.  I was concerned about not having had time to read the previous two books before reading this one but it works extremely well as a stand alone novel as well.  Rachel is an idealist, she knows that God can and does answer prayer and she takes everything to Him with the expectation that her prayer's will be answered.  Jarred, while an Englisher, was raised by a Mennonite couple and is familiar with the Amish ways.  He's also the local vet, while young, comes with a great history and recommendation and places the fate of his patience in God's hands as well.  A patient, Rachel's horse, brings them together and leads the way to their connection, his re-connection to his birth family, and so much more. 

Let's talk about why this book was only rated 2 stars online.  It's a good story that just needs some help.  And it really needs help right out of the gate.  The introduction to the 'conflict' of the story feels so contrived, forced and completely unrealistic.   I had a hard time falling into the story-line because I felt like it wasn't established reliably.  She asks off the wall questions, he freezes up, the part ways.  Next they meet she thinks about it but doesn't say anything, he reads her mind or something and brings it up, but it's left hanging.  Rinse and repeat a few times until he tells some great secret he's harbored since childhood and has never trusted anyone with.  The story was good, a little off, but it's introduction didn't work for me.  Let's also talk about character descriptions.  In chapter 1 Rachel has these amazing blue-green eyes with a tan halo around the pupil.  Jarred has blue eyes that have been compared to a couple of different shades.  OK.  However suddenly in chapter 8 Jarred has this tan halo as well (and we are told so 3 times in as many pages during one conversation).  Much much later in the book, another character suddenly develops a tan halo as well.  I'm thinking perhaps something in the water?  Or something completely missed by the story editor.  There were a few other story 'glitches' as well but the eye thing was overdone and annoyed me the most.  Lastly, while I love that they take everything to God - animal health, their relationship, their dreams, their fears - everything I don't feel like the story sets a realistic expectation of how prayer works.  Let's pray for the horse before we have to put him down and he's suddenly totally well and fine.  Every. Single. Prayer. Was answered in this book.  Everything works out perfectly.  Life, and prayer, doesn't work like that.  If that were the case there would be no death, no hardship, no disappointment. 

The book is a sweet love story.  Englisher man meets Amish woman and they fall in love.  He decides to take the leap to join the church, not just for her since it's been a thought of his apparently.  They have to work through a few things but it they make the hard choices and come through stronger in the end.  It's a sweet story.  I like to believe that love always wins.  This book has so much promise but it just needs a little help to get there.

I was provided a complimentary copy of this book by NetGalley.  I was not compensated for this review and all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.  I was not required to write a positive review. 

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About Lisa Jones Baker 

Lisa Jones Baker grew up near a small Amish town in Illinois that she frequented with her family on weekends. She's also a dog lover and a fan of Scottsdale, Arizona, where she spent nearly two decades. Lisa graduated from Illinois State University with a French major, has been on 5 out of 7 continents, and considers her parents the best in the world. Raised in a Christian home, Lisa has always been blessed with love and support.

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Goodreads Monday

Goodreads Monday is a weekly meme hosted by Lauren's Page Turners. To take part, you simply choose a random book from your TBR and show it off. Don’t forget to check out her blog and link back to Lauren’s Page Turners.

I'm going old school To Be Read this week, again from my Kindle library.  I'm pretty sure I've read this before, it's been in my library for years, but I don't really remember it and never reviewed it.  Hopefully that will change soon.

Joan Sanderson's life is stuck. Her older sister, Allie, is starting a family and her younger sister, Tori, has a budding career. Meanwhile, Joan is living at home with Mom and looking after her aging grandmother. Not exactly a recipe for excitement. That is, until a hunky young doctor moves in next door. Suddenly Joan has a goal--to get a date. But it won't be easy. Pretty Tori flirts relentlessly with him and Joan is sure that she can't compete. But with a little help from God, Allie, and an enormous mutt with bad manners, maybe Joan can find her way out of this rut.

Book 1 of the Sister-to-Sister series, Stuck in the Middle combines budding romance, spiritual searching, and a healthy dose of sibling rivalry.

  

What's sitting in your TBR pile?  

RECIPE: French Onion Soup

Spring is here and soup season is drawing to a close but today was a bit cloudy and chilly and I developed a craving for some French Onion Soup.  I don't typically crave this outside of winter only because while it's not 'hearty' with lots of filling ingredients but because the flavors are so very rich.  Today though, today was a French Onion Soup day (not the day you are reading this mind you!).  This soup has such basic ingredients that I always have them on hand so it's a good soup to crave and not have to plan for!

Ingredients:
Onion
Butter
Flour
Beef Broth - I use soup base and water
Worcestershire Sauce
Toasted Bread
Cheese - shredded (I prefer Swiss but mozzarella, white American, or even Monterrey Jack will be just a yummy)

Directions:

Bread not pictured.

I'm making for just myself with the intention of leftovers, because common sense says that soup is always better the next day when the flavors have more time to marry together.  For me I'll use 1/4 of the onion pictured, very finely chopped.  (I'm not a fan of onion but love the flavor, by finely chopping it I never know it's there.  When I'm making this for a Mom I coarsely chop it so she can easily pick it out.)  I'll also use about 2 tablespoons of the butter.  Melt the butter in a sauce pan over medium heat and add the onion, cook until the onion turns translucent.

While the onion is cooking shred your cheese, unless you are using a pre-shredded cheese that is.  (For the record I was certain I had taken pictures of these steps but I didn't check them and totally headache inducing blur - sorry.)

Once the onion is ready add some flour.  Think like gravy for this step.  I used right about a tablespoon, stirring it in to make a light paste of the butter and onion.  Let it cook for a couple of minutes.  Trust me, nothing ruins a good soup like the awkward flavor of raw flour. 

Here's were this all becomes soup.  Add beef broth, I used 3 cups, and Worcestershire to taste.  I don't measure the Worcestershire, I literally do it to taste.  Shake some in, stir it in, taste.  Good?  Not quite right...add more until it is.  Simmer.  I set it at medium low for about 20 minutes just for flavor development.

 OK, if you are having a dinner party for some friends and serving this please go to the store and spring for a loaf of French Bread.  If you are just cooking it at home for yourself because it sounds good, sandwich bread it is.  Toast your bread.  French bread should be cut in slices that will fit in the toaster and then floated on the mug or bowl you are using.  I used sandwich bread, toasted, and then for convenience cut it into bit sized pieces and floated on my mug.  Top with shredded cheese.  Again, if you are rockin' the dinner party use crocks that are heat safe and pop in the broiler for a few moments until the cheese is melted and bubbly.  If you are me just waiting to crawl in your chair and devour, the heat of the soup or a quick zap in the microwave, while not as aesthetically pleasing, is just as delicious!

ENJOY!

BOOK REVIEW: Behind the Scenes by Jen Turano

Miss Permilia Griswold, the wallflower behind "The Quill" gossip column, knows everything that goes on in the ballrooms of New York. When she overhears a threat against the estimable Mr. Asher Rutherford, she's determined to warn him. Away from society's spotlight, Asher and Permilia discover there's more going on behind the scenes than they anticipated.

Oh my stars but this book is a doozy, in mostly the right ways.  Permilia is nothing short of a slightly ditzy yet really too smart for her ow good sort of character.  Raised by a single father in the late 1800's he remarries to someone that can introduce her to the New York social scene, thinking that it would make her happy and be of future benefit to her.  He was partly wrong.  She doesn't 'take' to the social scene and is quickly relegated to a 'Wallflower' or outsider.  But like any self-respecting too quick for her own good woman, Permilia makes the most of her situation.  She makes friends with the other Wallflowers, something not traditionally done, apparently if you are a Wallflower you are to sit on the sidelines and think about what you've done to not fit in.  Through all of this she meets Asher, a very eligible gentleman of the true elite society.  And they form a slightly awkward, weird bond over  an overheard threat to kill him, though he didn't believe her.  A few twists of mystery and well you know the drill with a romance...

There were a few things with this book that didn't quite appeal to me.  I felt like so many of the situations were contrived and didn't feel natural or even really accurate to the time period.  They weren't inaccurate but just lacked authenticity.  Permilia seemed to find herself in such awkward situations that felt too outlandish which left me lacking substance with the story.  Even the mystery, blown up and then left to someone else to deal with, until it was time to reveal the truth.  Though the truth did take me by surprise so the book actually gained about half a star for that.  This is a Christian novel but for me the faith felt like a toss-aside.  Like oh wait, um yeah here's a good place to throw a touch of God in but lets make it sorta random OK?  I didn't feel like the introduction of faith and the conversations about faith truly fit into the overall scheme where they were used.  The faith wasn't subtle but it wasn't consistent either.  It felt like an afterthought.  The last thing I want to touch on is the dialogue.  Oh my gravy, it felt as though the book was all talk and now show.  And the dialogue was so convoluted at times and the back and forth between speakers was easy lost on who was speaking now.    I'm convinced that Permilia and Asher both speak in near run-on sentences that twist and turn instead of just sharing a conversation.  

That being said, it was a good book with a great story...even with the neat little bow at the end (you know how I feel about that by now I hope!).  Permilia had a good heart, a good mind, and a solid sense of self.  That last one is hard to find in the average person, much less someone thrown into a situation they didn't want, don't care for, and aren't accepted in.  Asher is a self-possessed gentleman that has managed to take life circumstances and do something most people wouldn't entertain.  And he did it with style and heart.  Though the Huxley sisters are my absolute favorite characters and add so much flavor to the story.  I'd have loved to see more of Mrs. Davenport as well and hope she features more in future books in the series.  I would also like to see what becomes of Permilia's dad and stepmother since their secrets came out as well and then has them trotting off to Paris with her step-sister and potential suitor.  Yes, there's a neat little bow but the strings are still hanging to hopefully be addressed in future books.

I was provided a complimentary copy of this book by NetGalley.  I was not compensated for this review and all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.  I was not required to write a positive review.

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About Jen Turano 

Jen Turano is a graduate of the University of Akron with a degree in Clothing and Textiles. She pursued a career in management for nine years before switching to full-time motherhood after the birth of her son. When she's not writing, Jen can be found watching her teenage son participate in various activities, taking long walks with her husband and dog, socializing with friends, or delving into a good book. She lives in suburban Denver, Colorado

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BOOK REVIEW: Invitation by Bill Myers, Frank Peretti, Angela Hunt, and Alton Gansky

A compilation of the first four episodes of the Harbingers series. Five characters--with gifts they do not fully understand-- are mysteriously brought together to battle growing pockets of darkness throughout the world: Brenda-the street-hustling tattoo artist who sees images of the future. The Professor-the atheist ex-priest ruled by logic. Andi-the professor's brilliant-but-geeky assistant who sees inexplicable patterns. Tank-the naive, big-hearted jock with a surprising connection to a healing power. Daniel-the institutionalized ten-year-old who can see into the supernatural world."

I was a little bit excited to be able to read Invitation through NetGalley.  It promised to be different, engaging, yet manageable in small bits.  It was all those things and a few others as well.  Each story within the book is a continuation of the previous from a different character's point of view.  Brenda starts us out with 'The Call' and ultimately bringing most of the group together.  She can sometimes see things, premonitions of people that will later become important to the story. We also meet most of the group with their own special talents. The Professor takes over from there with 'The Haunted' where the final member of the group meets up with them.  The Professor is all logic all the time.  Everything can be explained by science and logic.  Even when he can't figure out at way he still tries.  Andi takes over in 'The Sentinels' where they all come back together again.  Andi sees the world in patterns and number sequences.  Seriously, the girl can look at a pattern in the carpet and figure out exactly how often the pattern repeats in a set area.  Finally we hear from Tank and the girl that can appear and disappear at will.  Tank has a foundation in faith and in Christ, the only on of the bunch that does.  Tank also has an ability to heal things, sometimes.  He's OK with sometimes though because he feels that it happens when it's God's will and not just because it's his will.  

While I knew this book was going to be something different there were aspects that I didn't 'get' right away and aspects I didn't expect.  I get it, a harbinger is something that brings forth something else.  Perhaps I'm more obtuse than I thought because I just didn't get it.  I kept waiting to figure out what was coming, what was going to happen, something.  Finally about the third story I realized it's all harbingers, every story is a harbinger of something more to come.  By the end though I still don't know what's coming.  I know that there are more books, more episodes, to come but I'm still feeling lost.  The other things that threw me off a bit was how deeply supernatural it all was.  I mean, I should have clued in during story one at a school for the 'gifted' (and they don't mean super smart) that was built over a well to somewhere else.  I should have clued in as the special talents of the cast were put into play.  Yup, kinda clueless here.

That aside, I really really liked this book.  When I say I will literally read almost anything it's the truth.  Faith - got it but it was a bit downplayed in this book and not as forward as I expected from this cast of authors.  Supernatural - got it, and done well.  Mystery - yup, at least for me since I totally missed the harbinger play on words and all.  I would recommend this book to anyone who is open and likes the supernatural aspect of the world and storytelling.  In this book the faith was subtle and therefore I don't feel would be a deterrent for someone who doesn't look for that in a book.  I can't wait to be able to read the next episodes.

As mentioned before, I was provided a complimentary copy of this book by NetGalley.  I was not compensated for this review and all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.  I was not required to write a positive review.

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About Bill Myers

Bill Myers was born into a Christian home, and although as a child he became bored with Christianity, he decided at the University of Washington quote, to "make God my boss." Ironically, at the University his worst subject was writing. He claims to have prayed, and said that he would be able to do anything for God, except write. Even so, he has become a prominent Christian writer, and has a large amount of successful books and films to his credit.
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About Frank Peretti

Frank Edward Peretti is a New York Times best-selling author of Christian fiction, whose novels primarily focus on the supernatural. To date, his works have sold over 15 million copies worldwide.
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About Angela Elwell Hunt 

Christy-Award winner Angela Hunt writes for readers who have learned to expect the unexpected in novels from this versatile author. With over three million copies of her books sold worldwide, she is the best-selling author of more than 100 works ranging from picture books (The Tale of Three Trees) to novels.
Her books have won the coveted Christy Award, several Angel Awards from Excellence in Media, and the Gold and Silver Medallions from Foreword Magazine’s Book of the Year Award. In 2007, her novel The Note was featured as a Christmas movie on the Hallmark channel. Romantic Times Book Club presented her with a Lifetime Achievement Award in 2006. 
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About Alton Gansky 

Alton Gansky is the author of 30 books--24 of them novels, including the Angel Award winner Terminal Justice and Christy Award finalist A Ship Possessed. A frequent speaker at writing conferences, he holds a BA and MA degrees in biblical studies. Alton and his wife reside in Southern California.

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GoodReads Monday

Goodreads Monday is a weekly meme hosted by Lauren's Page Turners. To take part, you simply choose a random book from your TBR and show it off. Don’t forget to check out her blog and link back to Lauren’s Page Turners.

 Because I don't have enough to do here's another little gem that actually popped across Kristin's radar and fell into mine.  It struck a chord with me so it's worth giving it a whirl, right?  And perhaps start holding me accountable to reading more books that I've got stashed around.  

A mysterious disappearance fuels the mutant curiosity of Ivy Malone, whose oddball humor, possum-gray hair, and quirky sleuthing skills make her an unlikely crime fighter. Even the authorities' attempts to keep Ivy out of danger. But will the determination that fuels this persistent, quirky sleuth threaten her very safety?

I have this book in paperback sitting on one of the bookcases.  I have this book sitting in my Kindle library as well.  It's not for lack of access to read this book, and it's been sitting in both places a couple of years. It seems like the more books that cross my path the fewer of the older ones get read. It's time to change that...one book at a time!

What's your oldie but goodie To Be Read?   

BOOK REVIEW: Easter is Cancelled by Sally Huss

Easter comes but once a year. But this year the Easter Bunny was not participating, not taking charge, not helping out. The other animals had their duties and were working well. Not the Easter Bunny! Why? His excuse was that no one ever thanks him for all the work he does to create a special day for kids all over the world. So, he cancelled Easter. Oh my, oh my.

A wise and thoughtful owl is consulted. His solution warms the heart of the bunny. What the Easter Bunny is told is important for all kids to know. You’ll have to read the book to find out what that is. 

What happens when all the other animals are doing their part to get ready for Easter but the Easter Bunny has had enough.  He feels unappreciated, unloved, and that all he does means nothing.  With a little help the Easter Bunny realizes that what he does really does matter and that children everywhere do love him and appreciate what he does.  All told this is a cute book that has a good story and a good moral.  I felt like some of it was a bit 'preachy' and a bit too focused on the eggs and candy aspect and less on other important parts of Easter.  This is not billed as a Christian book so I am not talking about faith aspect of Easter.  Easter is more than candy and eggs.  And this book leaves that out.  In my adult opinion, some of the wording in this book is too mature for a younger reader/listener.  The rhyming was a bit off so it was awkward to read aloud as well.  Don't just take my word for it, as I read it with Goobie (4) and  MooMoo (6) and asked their opinions of the book as well.  I skipped Squirt (2) for this review as she wasn't really into much but trying to swipe the screen and Munchkin (8) rolled his eyes at me as he's been reading middle grade books for a while now (read too smart for his own good!). 

Goobie really liked the story.  He loved the pictures and asked to read the book multiple times.  Some of the words he kept asking for them to be explained and other went so far over his head that he didn't even know how to ask.  With multiple readings and some explaining he seemed to 'get it' better but his favorite was still the pictures.

MooMoo said she really liked the book.  Her favorite part as when the Easter Bunny chose to go back to work for Easter.  She really wanted to read it on her own however many of the words were too advanced for her reading level.  Again, as with Goobie but not as involved, there was some need to explain what the words or intent of the words were.  All in all though she liked it and has continued to try to read it independently.

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About Sally Huss

Bright and happy," "light and whimsical" have been the catch phrases attached to the writing and art of Sally Huss for over 30 years. Sweet images dance across all of Sally's creations, whether in the form of children's books, paintings, wallpaper, ceramics, baby bibs, purses,  clothing, or her King Features Syndicated newspaper panel "Happy Musings."Sally is a graduate of USC with a degree in Fine Art and through the years, has had 26 of her own licensed art galleries throughout the world..

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BOOK REVIEW: When God Made You by Matthew Paul Turner

YOU, you... God thinks about you.
God was thinking of you long before your debut.
From early on, children are looking to discover their place in the world and longing to understand how their personalities, traits, and talents fit in. The assurance that they are deeply loved and a unique creation in our big universe is certain to help them spread their wings and fly.
Through playful, charming rhyme and vivid, fantastical illustrations, When God Made You inspires young readers to learn about their own special gifts and how they fit into God's divine plan as they grow, explore, and begin to create for themselves.
'Cause when God made YOU, somehow God knew
That the world needed someone exactly like you!

I was so excited to be able to get this book for review from Blogging for Books to be able to review.  A friend of mine had recently gotten it for her family and had such great things to say about it.  The first thing that stands out to me before even reading the words is the illustrations.  Oh my gravy but are the so whimsical and inviting.  They complement the words so well while also engaging you into a second story all their own.  The words were just as inviting and encouraging, the rhyming was spot on though the repeated You at the beginning of some pages were a bit awkward.  Not overly awkward but just 'off' if that makes sense.  From the Meme perspective this is a complete win and one that I hope grows with us through the years.  

However, we all know that even when the grownups like the book that doesn't always translate to the little ones so I went to them for opinions as well.  With four Minnions of Mischief to chose from I went to the middle two this time.  Squirt (2) doesn't quite have the attention span to get through a book this size though she seemed to like to try to grab the pictures off the pages.  Munchkin at 8 (almost 9) thought about it and decided to pass on the review part as this is truly below his reading level.  So MooMoo (6) and Goobie (4) were more than willing guinea pigs.

MooMoo had trouble expressing what she thought about the book.  She had trouble settling into the story and following along while also trying to read independently at the same time.  She seemed to be drawn into the story the pictures told more than the words and to me that is a great marker of the story within the story.   She didn't really have an idea of whether she loved/liked the story or not but did express that she liked the parts where the girl was drawing and making things.  I think from the six year old perspective it's a bit of a mixed review.  When she read her part of this review she's like but I like the book.

Goobie had a lot of trouble settling in to the book as well.  He was too busy trying to convince me that he should be Munchkin and his brother Goobie.  Somehow, I think he totally missed the point of the story :)  He was taken into the pictures and as we got into the book the pages with less words and (to me anyway) more impact to the words he became more engaged.  He officially gave it an I liked it review.

I have to wonder if it was just poor timing for reading this gem with my Minnions of Mischief.  Though I have to agree, after reading it multiple times now, that perhaps the first part is a bit too wordy with the poetry for this age group and became more successful as the story developed and there was less to get through allowing more to focus on.the message.  It does however, allow for repeated conversations about individuality and how God chose us, before we were born, to be who we are.  In my house being a weirdo is a complement.  This book helps, in our own zany way, to reinforce that.  

As stated above, I was provided a complimentary copy of this book by Blogging for Books.  I was not compensated for this review and all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.  I was not required to write a positive review.

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About Matthew Paul Turner

Matthew Paul Turner knows all about career transitions. As the former editor of CCM magazine, Christian entertainment's premiere publication, Matthew got his auspicious start stuffing envelopes after graduating from Belmont University. He is the author of several books, including the Christian pop culture tour-de-force, The Chrsitian Culture Survival Guide (Relevant Books). Matthew and his wife, Jessica, reside in Nashville, Tennessee.

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About David Catrow

David Catrow's favorite subject in school was math. Why? Well, Mr. Hirsch's class was where Catrow did some of his best drawings! Catrow's zany illustrations have illuminated over 30 books for kids, and his editorial cartoons are syndicated in more than 900 newspapers in the U.S. and Canada. Not bad for someone who started out as a pre-med major at Kent State and later worked as a paramedic for ten years. During this time Catrow also worked as a freelance artist for the Cleveland Plain Dealer and the Akron Beacon-Journal. Art finally emerged as his definitive career, and he's never stopped since.

This amusing illustrator and his wife, Deborah, live in Ohio and have two children. When asked what would be the one thing he would like to learn to do, Catrow replied that he'd like to learn to catch a Frisbee with his teeth! It's this same offbeat sense of humor that truly colors his art. There's no doubt that Catrow's work has brought chuckles, smiles and even smirks to the young and old.

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RECIPE: Eggy Sauce

So, a staple for me growing up is something called Eggy Sauce.  Now work with me a minute as it only got that name about 7ish years ago.  I always just said scrambled eggs with sausage and sometimes cheese.  Nope, not good enough for the Munchkin.  Perhaps because he couldn't say it?  Who knows now but at the ripe old age of 2ish he named that particular treat Eggy Sauce and the rest is history.  Seriously, everyone even remotely connected to me that I know about calls it that!

Since today is all about the Eggy Sauce it only seems right that we have a guest contributor.  If you know me in real life then you've known him his whole life.  I first introduced him on the blog back in 2012 when he was an obnoxious 4 year old. (See original post here) Now he's closing in on 9 and probably slightly more obnoxious, if that's possible?  Seriously though, I love this kiddo.  He's still too smart for his own good, we now call him Sheldon Jr (from Big Bang).  His attitude is still his greatest detriment.  And gravy help me, I still love him.

Thomas first made his first Eggy Sauce when he was 2, standing on a chair at the stove with me stirring and insisting I hadn't put enough cheese in it.  Below, all these years later, he's doing in on his own.  Me supervising him as opposed to him supervising me.

Ingredients:
Sausage
Eggs
American cheese slices
salt, if needed
butter, if needed

Directions:

Cook enough sausage for how many you are feeding, approximately 2 ounces per serving. Just like with the gravy cook it thoroughly, no pink!   Once the sausage is thoroughly cooked there should be a small bit of fat in the pan.  Not enough to float the sausage but also your sausage should not be dry.  We used a pork and bacon sausage which gives just the right amount of fat. If you have too much drain a bit off.  If you have too little add some butter.  Sausage cooked?

Add eggs. (He begged for me to take a picture of him cracking the eggs.)  Again, add eggs based on how many you are serving.  I generally allow two eggs per serving.  Now stir.  Mix it all together and keep mixing while the eggs start to set.  For some reason eggy sauce tastes best when there's not big chunks of egg and sausage but that it's tightly mixed.  When the mixture is about halfway cooked add the cheese.  I allow one slice per serving.  Keep stirring.  Once the eggs are completely cooked and the cheese melted in completely you are ready to eat!  I will frequently serve with biscuits.  Biscuits with butter and/or jelly, eggy sauce biscuit sandwiches, the options are limitless!

BOOK REVIEW: The Amish Widower by Virginia Smith

Is It Time for This Widower to Give Love One More Chance?

After the devastating loss of his second wife, Seth Hostetler believes a lasting love is beyond all hope. A year has passed, and his mamm and sister are determined to see him happily married once again. But how can he open his heart to another woman when their relationship could end in tragedy?

On an outing with his family, Seth comes across an Amish potter hard at work and decides to try his hand at the trade. He quickly takes to this creative outlet, pouring his long-buried emotions into each utensil he shapes. Unfortunately, the fancy nature of his art draws the disapproval of his district's leadership.

His work also puts him in the path of Leah, an Englisch woman employed by the Amish to sell their wares to tourists. Despite her aloofness, there's something about her that speaks to his wounded soul. But what is Seth to do when the things he wants most threaten to pull him away from the life he's committed himself to live?

A compelling novel of second chances and the power of God to redeem hearts and dreams, set in the inviting Amish community of Lancaster County.

Set in a modern time, The Amish Widower has such a good premise, a well developed story line, and mostly tangible characters.  Seth drew me in, made me feel for his plight and his mindset, and made me want to smack every other 'do-gooder' that attempted to sway his life in the direction they thought it should be.  OK, I really loved Elias (the potter) too and how he was a steady support for Seth without trying to sway his choices.  There was a host of supporting characters and all of them were well developed and added to the story without detracting from who Seth was.  I was a bit worried about picking up the 4th book in a series but it truly did well as a stand alone novel and did not feel as though there was anything missing by not having read the first books of the series.  Enough backstory and procrastinating getting down to why this book is only rated 3 stars at Amazon, Goodreads and Barnes & Noble.

Let's start with the do-gooders.  And oh my gravy and grits there were too many to count.  The bishop, do-gooder.  Seth's best friend, do-gooder.  Seth's family, a whole bunch of do-gooders.  The do-gooders started to get annoying and tacky.  Here's Seth living his life, finding his way and trying to overcome the loss of not just one wife but two.  And the second wife had only passed within the last year.  The more you try to push single young women onto him the more steadfast he is going to become about his desire to never marry again.  I wanted to start smacking heads (Gibbs style) and tell them to lay off and back off before you push him over the anti-marriage edge.  Next let's talk about the big 'twist' of the story.  When the character for the twist was introduced I knew immediately why that character was there, yet had to wait 3/4 of the book before it was revealed.  Meanwhile feeling as though I was gnashing teeth along with the characters for the truth to come out.  I felt like the agony of Seth and this other character were too drawn out.  Instead of drawing out the twist and flilling with the do-gooders, so much more could have been accomplished with this story.  And while I loved the overall story I was just frustrated so often.

But, I did like this book.  Truly.  I cannot imagine the grief and self-recrimination that would come from losing two wives at such a young age.  Seth really struggled with this.  Self-recrimination, self-blame, overwhelmed.  Oh wait, yeah P.T.S.D.  Amish are no more immune to this than any other population.  Mental health issues are not only for those without faith, without community, and without support.  I LOVED that this book introduced the idea of Amish/Mennonite counseling.  The idea that even the devout need a little help from a professional now and then is not such a stretch.  And the fact that these options are available is so important.  Someone who can help them work though issues within their similar belief system is so important.  A bishop, without training can only do so much.  And, as so obvious in this story, sometimes they can do more harm than good.  I also appreciated that Seth's family was encouraging, and open, to his pursuing his own path and not just the family farm.  I think learning to be a potter helped to heal Seth's heart more than anything that he did throughout the story.

I was provided the opportunity to read this book through NetGalley.  I am not required to write a positive review and all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.


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About Virginia Smith

VIRGINIA SMITH is the bestselling author of thirty-one novels (and counting!), an illustrated children’s book, and over fifty articles and short stories. An avid reader with eclectic tastes in fiction, Ginny writes in a variety of styles, from lighthearted relationship stories to breath-snatching suspense. Her books have been finalists in many prestigious awards, and two of her novels received the Holt Medallion Award of Merit.

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BOOK REVIEW: Thorns of Rosewood by G.M. Barlean

Gloria Larson is happy to take a job as editor of a weekly newspaper in the small town of Rosewood, Nebraska, even though her parents don’t like the idea one bit. The town holds a secret—her birth mother’s identity. Gloria’s parents worry she won’t like what she finds, but once Gloria starts unraveling the story, she can’t be dissuaded.

Gloria is armed with three pieces of knowledge about the woman who gave her up for adoption. 1) The woman was in her forties. 2) She lived in Rosewood. 3) She was accused of murder in 1974. No wonder Gloria’s parents don’t want her to dig into her past.

How many women in Rosewood in 1974 could have been accused of murder? Only four, it turns out. Articles in the newspaper archives show a picture of four women dubbed The Thorns of Rosewood. The women were suspects in the disappearance of a judge’s wife, but once again, Gloria knows three things: 1) No body. 2) No proof. 3) No charges. It looks as though the Thorns got away with murder.

Gloria wants the truth. Did these Thorns of Rosewood murder the judge’s wife? She finds the four women at an assisted-living facility in Lincoln, Nebraska. They tell her they are ready to confess. This is Gloria’s chance to get the story of a lifetime and find out who her birth mother is…and why that woman gave her away.

I'm struggling to understand how taking a small town newspaper editing job is a catalyst to launch career opportunities for a near on 40 year old woman.  And how her bestie is, at the same time frame, moving to find her fame and fortune in NYC.  This feels a little off kilter to me, and at times I feel like the main character should be 20-something instead of looking at 40 in the mirror.  Be that as it may it was just one minor 'say what' issue with the book.  The rest was fairly well built around four elderly women's history in the town of Rosewood.  A history that predates the 1974 murder accusations.  And a history that included 5 best friends, not just 4.  Oh and don't forget the quintessential mean girl of small town life.  Regardless of decade there is always a 'mean girl'.  That one girl that intentionally makes all the other girls lives miserable.  The girl that ends up missing in 1974.  The girl the others are looked at for murder.  No body, no confession, no charges.  But apparently a baby that was given up for adoption during this same time frame.  Oh the drama to unfold!

I liked the development of these characters.  Though to be fair I felt at many times that Gloria was a bit weak, weak in her maturity not as a character.  (One of those multiple times where her age felt more 20ish than 40ish.)  The 'Thorns' were questionably developed, until they started telling their story.  I have read other reviews where they felt that the women were wishy-washy ish.  However, remember that time period this happened in.  Women were not empowered to be strong, independent, and resilient like now.  As they told their story you felt their sense of empowerment develop.  Their sense of themselves and their rightful place in the world.

The two drawbacks from this, for me was Gloria's romance.  Again, how is she 40ish?!?  It felt contrived and forced.  Really, he's cooking for you at your house on a second date?  When the dates don't even really back the story legitimately.  It felt more like oh yeah this girl is 40 she needs a love interest type development.  The other drawback was the ending of the 1974 part of the story.  It felt a little too pat.  Too easily contrived.  Like, I've built this amazing story of bullies and intrigue and things getting way out of hand (like they are want to do after all) but here's a nice little bow to make everyone breathe a little easier.  I mean it worked, and still left a bombshell but it felt too pretty.  Does that even make sense?

I promise I did really like this book.  It had that ability to suck me in and keep me engaged.  It had the ability to truly draw me into the story, despite the aforementioned discrepancies.  It kept me engaged to the last little bit.  Hand's down, I'd definitely recommend this book to anyone who likes a good mystery with a healthy dose of chick lit thrown in for good measure.

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About G.M. Barlean

My life is full, my friends are many. I write, I read and I read about writing. When I'm not doing that, I'm quite probably cooking.

I have a wonderful husband, two grown children busy living their own lives, a silver Schnauzer and a shedding white cat.

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BOOK REVIEW: Sanders' Starfish by Tara C Allred

Dr. John Sanders is about to begin his career as a clinical psychologist. Full of optimism, he believes he can make a difference and is eager to provide hope to a group the world has deemed hopeless. Yet in John's quest to offer those in his care a second chance, he embarks on his own journey of self-discovery. In his search, clear answers become scrambled confusion while the unimaginable truth is trapped in a complex web. 

Have you ever sat down to write a review but you really don't know how to get started?  OK, well yeah like every single review I write.  This time it's more a I liked this book, but...There are some things that didn't work for me.  Before I start my usual picking lets talk about the story.  John Sanders is young, idealistic, following something he chose as a passion while still just a child and dealing with his mother's own mental illness.  This is not overly fleshed out in the story and that's OK.  It seems this is part of a potential series so hopefully more is fleshed out in the future.  He finds a job at a private mental institution, when private is quickly becoming a think of the past due to insurance cuts and the cheaper easier route of state care.  He's given patients to work with that honestly, some should never been handed over to a newbie, but that's just me.  Especially to a newbie that you haven't fleshed out yet and these patients lead to bigger secrets of the administration.  And as we all know secrets lead to drama, conflict, and coverups.  And there sits John, the newbie trying to dig it all out

Here's where it gets complicated for me.  It is hard to find a fiction book about mental illness that adequately and appropriately portrays mental illness.  This book does that, somewhat but then it falls so flat with the interactions of those illnesses.  John leads these in-depth group sessions with his patients where he talks with them as though they were his undergrad peers.  Deep, thoughtful, here's the steps that you need to take and how I can help you get there if you want to do the work.  But then in one on one conversations with those same patients the dialogue feels stilted, flat and at times almost like he is speaking to a child and not an adult diagnosed with a mental illness.  This childish, stilted and flat conversation style carries over into conversations with his superiors, administration and even friends.  There is good here but it's hiding behind the not so good.  Even the title is so well painted to the idea behind the book.  The story has so much merit but could really be improved with additional rewriting and some good editing.  

On the idea of rewriting I find some huge formatting issues that also made the book difficult to enjoy.  There are obvious breaks in the story that change location or time and are well marked.  Other times the story will jump location or even time from one paragraph to the next without any notation that it's happening.  Sometimes it was hard to follow the train of thought.  Things that would again benefit from additional editing and rewriting.  Beyond that there are elements of how things play out that are slightly far-fetched but make a great story.  Additional back story and plot building would make these ideas work better. (SPOILER - John meets girl who happens to be a reporter.  They go in to interview the administration over the things that he discovered that caused him to be fired. No one questions him showing up with a reporter who has a scheduled interview?  Really?)  

At the base of the book there's a really good story to be told here.  However, a thorough going over by a good set of beta readers (not friends who will tell you what you want to here but readers who will help to build and create a better overall story) and some additional editing are needed.  The story is worth reading. It's worth saving.  It's worth the effort.  But there's a lot of hills to climb for this to be the amazing book I know it can be.  Still worth the read and I'm not in any way disappointed that I did read it.  Or even that I do own it.

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About Tara C Allred

TARA C. ALLRED is an award-winning author, instructional designer, and educator. She has been recognized as a California Scholar of the Arts for Creative Writing and is a recipient of the Howey awards for Best Adult Book and Best Adult Author. She lives in Utah with her husband.

Her published works include Sanders' Starfish, Unauthored Letters, and The Other Side of Quiet, a 2015 Kindle Book Award Finalist and Whitney Award Winner.

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