What Child is This?

What child is this, who, laid to rest,

On Mary's lap is sleeping?

Whom angels greet with anthems sweet,

While shepherds watch are keeping?

This, this is Christ the King,

Whom shepherds guard and angels sing:

Haste, haste to bring Him laud,

The babe, the son of Mary.

Why lies He in such mean estate,

Where ox and ass are feeding?

Good Christians, fear, for sinners here

The silent Word is pleading.

Nails, spears shall pierce him through,

the cross he bore for me, for you.

Hail, hail the Word made flesh,

the Babe, the Son of Mary.

So bring him incense, gold, and myrrh,

Come, peasant, king, to own him.

The King of kings salvation brings,

Let loving hearts enthrone him.

Raise, raise a song on high,

The virgin sings her lullaby

Joy, joy for Christ is born,

The babe, the Son of Mary.

This, this is Christ the King,

Whom shepherds guard and angels sing:

Haste, haste to bring Him laud,

The babe, the son of Mary.

The Innkeeper at Ivy Hill Book Review

Title: The Innkeeper at Ivy Hill

Author: Julie Klassen

Genre: Christian, Historical Fiction, Romance, Community, Drama,

Plot: The young widow Jane Bell spends her days in a solitary haze, overlooking her inn with mild interest, still wondering why her husband left it to her in the first place. She was born a gentlewoman and doesn't feel cut out for the hard work of landlady. She's nothing like her fierce mother-in-law Thora, whose unexpected arrival coincides with the announcement of bad news from the banker.

Now Jane and Thora must work through their differences and combine their strengths to save their beloved inn in three months or watch it - and their futures - crumble under the weight of secrets and debt.

Likes/dislikes: a wonderful book and an excellent start to a series, though I was a bit distracted by trying to figure out which minor characters will show up in following books. I really hope we learn more about Gabriel, he was intriguing, and Rachel seemed very interesting. All of the cleaning done by the characters was very inspiring and I felt so sorry for Jane when we learned the heartbreaking extent of her losses. Overall a great book.

Rating: PG-16 and up mainly for reading level and content (one bloody miscarriage scene and some suggestions but nothing graphic)

Date Review Written: Dec 23rd 2016

I received a copy of this book courtesy of the publishers. I wasn't required a write a positive review and the opinions expressed in the above review are my own.

O Holy Night

The stars are brightly shining

It is the night of our Savior's birth

Long lay the world in sin and error pining

'Til He appeared and the soul felt

Its worth

A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices

For yonder breaks a new and

Glorious morn.

Fall on your knees O hear the

Angels voices.

O night divine O night when Christ as born

O night divine O night divine

O night divine.

Let it Snow

Oh, the weather outside is frightful,

But the fire is so delightful.

And since we've got no place to go,

Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!

Oh, it doesn't show signs of stopping,

And I've brought some corn for popping.

The lights are turned way down low,

Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!

When we finally kiss goodnight,

How I'll hate going out in the storm!

But, if you really hold me tight,

All the way home I'll be warm!

The fire is slowly dying,

And my dear, we're still good-by-ing.

But, as long as you love me so,

Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!

Oh, it doesn't show signs of stopping,

And I've brought some corn for popping,

Since the lights are turned way down low,

Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!

When we finally say goodnight,

How I'll hate going out in the storm!

But, if you'll really hold me tight,

All the way home I'll be warm!

Oh, the weather outside is frightful,

but the fire is so delightful.

And since we've no place to go

Let it snow! Let it snow, Let it snow!

Let it snow! Let it snow! LET... IT ... SNOW!

Joy to The World!

Joy to the world, the Lord is come!

Let earth receive her King;

Let every heart prepare Him room,

And Heaven and nature sing,

And Heaven and nature sing,

And Heaven, and Heaven, and nature sing.

Joy to the world, the Savior reigns!

Let men their songs employ;

While fields and floods, rocks, hills and plains

Repeat the sounding joy,

Repeat the sounding joy,

Repeat, repeat, the sounding joy.

No more let sins and sorrows grow,

Nor thorns infest the ground;

He comes to make His blessings flow

Far as the curse is found,

Far as the curse is found,

Far as, far as, the curse is found.

He rules the world with truth and grace,

And makes the nations prove

The glories of His righteousness,

And wonders of His love,

And wonders of His love,

And wonders, wonders, of His love.

Honor Redeemed Book Review

Title: Honor Redeemed

Author: Christine Johnson

Genre: Christian, Romance, Fiction,

Plot: Prosperity Jones is set adrift in the big bad world of 1852 when her mother dies. Her father's ship had gone down years before and all that's left is a wealthy estranged aunt in Boston and her betrothed, David, in the Key Islands serving out his eight year tour of duty as an engineer. With nothing left for her in Nantucket, Prosperity uses her small savings and goes to Key West looking for her beloved, only to have her world shattered upon arrival to learn that David is married. Forced to stay with new friends and take a job as a laundress at the hospital, Prosperity doesn't know what to do with her future anymore and is unaware of God's hand in her life.

David made a mistake and seems to keep paying for it over and over again. Seeing Prosperity again only makes matters worse but little does he know, he's in for greater trouble ahead. With a tiny shred of future and an innocent life hanging in the balance, how will God mend these broken hearts?

Likes/Dislikes: I was intrigued by this book and hoped for a really exciting historical  adventure but instead, found a painfully silly romance set in a historical time with a bit of plant lore thrown in for plot filler. When you read a historical fiction, you want historical details and to come away feeling like you just time traveled and learned some pretty cool stuff, not a love triangle with everyone bemoaning their choices in life and going on and on about how so and so broke their heart and oooh, if only I could make things better without talking about them! Seriously, if everyone had just sat down and communicated, everything would've worked out so much better. It was a sequel but you barely noticed that fact unless you already knew it which was nice.

Rating: PG - 16 and up, mainly for content {bloody birth scene, suggestive content, nothing graphic}

Date Review Written: October 6th, 2016

I received a free copy of this book courtesy of the publishers in exchange for an honest opinion. I wasn't required to write a positive review and the opinions expressed in the above review are my own.

Counted With the Stars Book Review

Title: Counted With the Stars

Author: Connilyn Cossette

Genre: Christian, Biblical Fiction, Historical Fiction, Romance, Action/Adventure, Egypt,

Plot: Young Kiya has everything that wealth can bring, including an indulgent father, loving mother and sweet big brother. But her reality comes crashing down when her father's ships sink, taking down the family's livelihood with them and Kiya finds herself sold into slavery to pay the debts incurred. Thankfully, she is bought by the close family friend Shefu. Unfortunately, Shefu's bitter wife hates her and takes delight in Kiya's reduced status and humiliation. And on top of that, her handsome betrothed soldier Akhum abandons her for another wealthy girl of status.

But all is not lost. Kiya befriends a sweet Hebrew slave girl named Shira and watches in increasing horror and awe as ten devastating plagues sweep through her beloved Egypt, each one more terrifying than the last until, in order to save her brother's life, Kiya flees Egypt with the Hebrews. Homeless and godless, Kiya agonizes over whether or not she made the right choice, not realizing that she is on the very path that God wants her to be on.

Likes/Dislikes: This is a very unique story of Moses and the mass exodus out of Egypt from the eyes of an Egyptian slave who flees with the Hebrews. I really enjoyed that angle of the story though it flet like the author rushed through the plagues a little. It's rather obvious that this is a debut novel; it's very fancy worded which was close to overkill in some areas. "My chest ached after enduring the abuse of my furiously thrashing heart." Still, there's a lot of potential from this author. The main character, though apparently eighteen, is very immature for most of the book which annoyed me, though that's just my own personal thing. I like mature main characters and female main characters are often extremely hard for me to like cause they're just so wishy-washy and whiny. Kiya was okay mostly but wasted an awful lot of time being infatuated with Eben. All in all, a pretty good book.

Rating: PG-16 and up, mainly for content {some suggestive hints of attacks on women and bloody deaths, etc.}.

Date Review Written: September 27th, 2016

I received a free copy of this book courtesy of the publishers in exchange for an honest opinion. I wasn't required to write a positive review and the opinions expressed in the above review are y own.

Christmas Love Letters From God Book Review

Title: Christmas Love Letters From God

Author: Glenys Nellist and Rachel Clowes

Genre: Christian, Children's, Christmas, Bible Stories,

Plot: Telling the Christmas story of Jesus' birth is a long-held tradition and this book is a beautiful new addition. Beginning with Isiah's prophecy and ending with the Wise Men, this book covers the classic tale in a lovely new way for children.

Written in a story form with poetry and a short verse that children could memorize if they wanted, this little gem will delight children everywhere and the best part is the little letters from God accompanying each story that can personalized by adding the child's name. And at the back is a longer envelope for the child to write their very own letter to God. Colorful, unique and just right for the targeted age range. This is a Christmas gift you will want to get and then share with everyone you know.

Likes/Dislikes: The targeted age range is 4-7 year olds, so my almost 3 year old was interested in the pictures and the love letters but didn't want to sit still long enough for the whole story to be read. That's okay; I intend to save it for her and her sister. The colors are all bright and lovely with cute animals and little embellishments like holly on one page, etc. and the stories were short, simple and sweet. I liked the Bible verse and the poetry bits particularly. The pictures had a sort of felt cut out look to them which seemed odd to me but they weren't weird like other books I've read. All in all, very cute.

Rating: G-5 and up. Highly recommended.

Date Review Written: October 6th, 2016

I received a free copy of this book courtesy of the publishers in exchange for an honest review. I wasn't required to write a positive review and the opinions expressed in the above review are my own.

The Big Bang Theory 10.3

Working under the intense pressure of a two month deadline,the guys put in late hours and lots of coffee. At least, Howard and Leonard do. Sheldon refuses to touch the stuff until the Flash convinces him to try an energy drink. Once it wears off, the guys are even more annoyed by a very distracted Sheldon.

Amy and Penny attend a geologist;s party and are the only ones to show up while Raj helps a worried Bernadette try to set up her nursery while battling hormonal mood swings and concerns over whether she'll be a good mom or not.

I Wish He Had Come With Instructions Book Review

Title: I Wish He Had Come With Instructions

Author: Mike Bechtle

Genre: Nonfiction, Christian, Relationships, Marriage, Men, Humor,

Plot: The differences between men and women has fueled many books and movies, some to make fun of those differences and some to try to solve them. In that regard, this boo isn't any different than another relationship book, but it is unique in that it's by a man for women to learn how to appreciate those differences and live with them rather than a manual on ho to change the men in their lives.

With humor, Mr. Bechtle lays down a map to the man's brain and points out the unique differences and the areas that women can influence {habits} and the areas they can't change {genetics and how God wired the man}. If more women understand the differences, accept and appreciate them, more men will find themselves willing to change for their woman. And together, every couple can write their own instruction manual.

Likes/Dislikes: This book really is unique and fell in line with a lot of what my husband says about men, which was nice. And being reminded of the different ways I can appreciate my husband was a timely blessing. It never hurts to run little martial check-ups and remind your husband that he's the number one person in your life, no matter how rough or smooth things are going. But beyond that, this book wasn't anything new and it was excruciatingly repetitive. Copy and paste must've written half this book. Some of the stories were funny but the mind map wasn't a map at all and the chapter on red flags in relationships was completely useless.

Rating: PG-15 and up, mainly for content {its a marriage book}

Date Review Written: September 27th, 2016

I received a free copy of this book courtesy of the publishers in exchange for an honest review. I wasn't required to write a positive review and the opinions expressed in the above review are my own.

The Big Bang Theory 10.2

The guys meet with the scary military Colonel who, an engineer himself, is impressed with Howard being the brains behind the project. Sheldon was told not to speak but at this insult to his chosen career, he can't take it and promises to deliver the prototype in two months and smaller than they currently have it. This annoys Leonard and Howard till they see their new work space.

Meanwhile Bernadette is angry that word slipped out at work concerning her pregnancy and is worried that she'll lose her big promotion. Penny and Amy do their best to cheer her up.

The Big Bang Theory 10:1

The Big Bang Theory season 10 picks up whee season 9 left off - more precisely, the day after the gang gets together at dinner with Leonard's estranged parents. Leonard's father and Sheldon's mother left the restaurant together and turned off their phones, causing stress and drama for their sons and amusement for Penny. The next morning there is an awkward breakfast gathering wherein Sheldon asks some pointed questions, as is fitting his character. Meanwhile, Penny goes off to the airport and picks up her parents and brother. This lets us meet her mother and brother for the first time and they are quite entertaining.

And while all that family wedding drama is going on, Howard {still freaked out about the Air Force emailing him} gets a mysterious visitor.

All in all, a very fun start to the tenth season. I'm kinda surprised they did it this way, giving Penny and Leonard two weddings and not fast-forwarding through Bernadette's pregnancy to when she has the baby but we'll see how this all plays out.

A Super Upsetting Cookbook About Sandwiches Book Review

Title: A Super Upsetting Cookbook About Sandwiches

Author: Tyler Kord

Genre: Nonfiction, Cookbook, Sandwiches, Food, Humor,

Plot: Kord is the chef and owner of No. 7 Sub sandwich shop in New York and has his own unique cooking style, coupled with amusing ramblings on life, politics and food {just to name a few}. Teaming up with a very patient editor {we can assume anyways}, Kord presents to us his first cookbook entirely on unique sandwiches and boy, what sandwiches these are!

Divided into the following categories of Beef, Chicken, Sausage, Broccoli/Cauliflower/Asparagus, Muchin, Fried Things with Gooey Sauces, Seafood Explosions, Vegetable Purees, Meatloaf, and Veggie Burgers along with three additional categories for things to put into the sandwiches, this is a very well laid out book with lots of wonderful pictures to accompany the tasty recipes. So fry up some broccoli, put on some music and make an amazing sandwich.

Likes/Dislikes: While homeschooling moms will and should take a marker to the foul language scattered about before letting their junior chefs delve in, this book was overall very good and hilarious. Many of the recipes looked delicious, especially Chutzpah Express and Bacon Von Braunhut. I haven't yet made one of these recipes but when I next go grocery shopping, I'll hunt down the ingredients and hopefully try something new and delicious.

Rating: PG-15 and up, mainly for reading level and language.

Date Review Written: August 31st, 2016

I received a free copy of this book courtesy of the publishers in exchange for an honest review. I wasn't required to write a positive review and the opinions expressed in the above review are my own.

The Happiness Dare Book Review

Title: The Happiness Dare

Author: Jennifer Dukes Lee

Genre: Christian, Nonfiction, Self-Help, Happiness
,
Plot: In a harsh world of cynicism, the hard and surprising truth is that God wants you to be happy. With bills piling up, medical issues and children screaming at you all day, this can be a very tricky idea to wrap your mind around but with a dose of humor, Lee helps you unlock the secret to happiness and gives you the tools to control your own personal happiness level.

In the book, you'll discover that genetics play a role in your happiness along with life circumstances {but not as much as you think} and your own thoughts. By changing the way you look at life and think about your circumstances and your day to day existence, you can reprogram your brain to be happier. And you'll get to learn a little something about yourself too by taking the quiz to learn what your happiness type is. So jump in today and let's be happy together!

Likes/Dislikes: I really liked the cover and was intrigued to learn how I could be happier. I don't usually read these kinds of books, especially when I'm working through unhappy issues. The first part of the book I just skimmed because it came across as a self-pep talk and was completely boring {of course, that could also have been sleep deprivation thanks to the new baby}, it was also very repetitive but the second and third parts were really intriguing, I liked reading about the happiness types and how to reprogram my brain with just five minutes a day. A lot of it sounded easy to do, especially since I try to do it anyways. I told my husband and mom they should read this book, and shared about it on Facebook so it must be a hit.

Rating: PG-15 and up, mainly for reading level and content {teens don't usually have problems being happy but ya never know. There's nothing graphic or bad in it so anyone can read this book}. Highly recommended.

Rating: Date Review Written: August 3rd, 2016

I received this book free from the publishers in exchange for my honest opinion. The opinions expressed in the above review are my own and I wasn't required to write a positive review.

A Beauty Refined Book Review

Title: A Beauty Refined

Author: Tracie Peterson

Genre: Christian, Historical Fiction, Drama, Romance,

Plot: Phoebe Von Bergen is finally seeing more of the world when she accompanies her father on his sapphire hunting trip to America. They see all the major East Coast cities before making their way to a secluded resort in Montana near the sapphire mines. Little does she know, however, that her life is about to drastically change. First she meets handsome Ian Harper, a lapidary very skillful in refining raw sapphires into dazzling gems, and the cheerfully adorable Kenny. These new friends help while away the hours for Phoebe while her father is off at the mines. And then, with a twist of fate, she discovers the truth of her mother's death years ago. A moment in time that left Phoebe heartbroken.

On the road to healing, trouble waits around the corner. Ian knows her secret and thinks he knows how to save her from her life circumstances but it will take skills, trust and faith in God to see his plan to the end. But is the risk worth it?

Likes/Dislikes: This was a beautiful story. It wasn't overly ambitious, was just the right length with a lovely setting, detailed characters and an easy to follow plot that held my interest. I loved it, especially the bits about sapphires and how smoothly the faith element was blended into the story. That's hard for Christian authors to do sometimes. I liked Phoebe and I usually don't like the main female leads. Ian was a little odd at first but he's the kind of character that grows on you.

Rating: PG-15 and up, mainly for content {past accounts of abuse and miscarriages, a main character is viciously beaten, bad guys are shot, etc. nothing overly graphic}.

Date Review Written: July 23rd, 2016

I received this book free from the publishers in exchange for my honest opinion. I wasn't required to write a positive review and the opinions expressed in the above review are my own.

Little Men Book Review

Title: Little Men

Author: Louisa May Alcott

Genre: Classic, Fiction, Boys, Adventure, Family, Sequel, Christian

Plot: Jo March, the reckless headstrong writer from Little Women returns as a married woman with two babies of her own and a whole school full of boys to take care of. She and her professor husband take in boarders {some rich to pay the bills, some orphaned and in need of care, love and a safe environment to grow up in}. In addition to their charges and their own children, the couple also has the professor's teenage nephews and Meg's adorable twins, Daisy and Demi. The new kid on the block, Nat, discovers the workings of the school {whose nice, whose not, etc.} and makes a friend in Tommy and Daisy whom he rather develops a crush on. But soon he's not the only newbie; a wild girl named Nan and an even wilder boy named Dan soon arrive to help turn the school topsy-turvy in this delightful classic story.

Likes/Dislikes: I loved having a sequel featuring the March girls all grown up with husbands and babies and households to manage. The boys were a rambunctious lot, Nat and Dan being my favorites. Daisy was such a sweet little girl. I read this book out loud to my siblings {one of the few we actually finished} and their favorite scene was when Nan and little Teddy are lost in the woods and panic when Nan thinks a harmless cow is a big scary bear. For some reason, my brothers loved that.

Rating: G- all ages. Highly recommended.

Date Review Written: November 9th, 2015.

The Woman Who Would Be King Book Review

Title: The Woman Who Would Be King

Author: Kara Cooney

Genre: Biography, Historical, Egypt,

Plot: Hatshepsut has intrigued people for decades and probably will for decades more as researchers work to uncover the veiled mysteries of the past. This great woman of the ancient times rose to power and ruled the greatest kingdom on earth, wielding the might of an empire for years and defying the ancient world's views on women with one great swoop. But she wasn't the first Egyptian daughter to do this and so much of her story will never come to light, lost to the shadows of time and speculation. Such a shame. If time travel existed, the wonders of the past would be available to dazzle us with just how spectacular and horrifying they really were.

Till such a time as time travel comes into existence, we have talented authors and brilliant researchers who attempt to step into the void of the past and peel back, inch by inch, the layers shielding this great historical figures and reveal them more fully to us. And while we may never know what their daily lives were truly like, we can at least know more about the moments that made them great.

Likes/Dislikes: Hatshepsut is one of those Egyptian figures that hovers at the edges of my personal scope of interest, ranking above Cleopatra {whom I have very little interest in studying at all} and below Nefertiti {whom I'm always interested in studying}. The fact that a woman rose to rule Egypt will always intrigue every woman in the modern times, but what I really want to know is lost to the vastness of time. What was she really like? What did she think of all the events that put her on the throne? What was her education like? What made her strong enough to take the reins of an empire? And more importantly, who was the ruling queen before her who dared to ascend the throne? We know for a historical fact that Hatshepsut wasn’t the first or the last woman to rule Egypt, just the most famous. So who was the first and what was her story? And while this book attempts to paint more of Hatshepsut's picture, it does nothing for the former queen to set the trend and little for the daily life of the heroine. Still, an excellent attempt and wonderfully written, which is hard to do with a biography of an ancient person.

Rating: PG-15 and up, mainly for reading level and some frank talk about intimate historical situations. Anyone who's studied Egypt knows just how open they were about everything.

Date Review Written: June 21st, 2016.

I received a free copy of this book courtesy of Blogging for Books in exchange for an honest review. I wasn’t required to write a positive review and the opinions expressed in the above review are my own.

A Worthy Heart Book Review

Title: A Worthy Heart

Author: Susan Anne Mason

Genre: Christian, Historical Fiction, Romance, Sequel,

Plot: Coming to America has been a dream of Maggie Montgomery's for so long and now it's finally happening. She and her brother have just landed in New York, intent on visiting their older brother Rylan and his lovely wife. Seeing more of the world than just her little corner of Ireland gives Maggie a burst of fresh air and being away from the increasingly unwanted attentions of her suitor back home is an added bonus. But what neither brother knows is that Maggie intends to stay in America permanently.

Meanwhile, Rylan's no good brother in law Adam O'Leary has just been released from prison. Shrunken and dirt poor, Adam slinks back to his old family home to swallow his pride and ask for a job, knowing that his family will never see him the same way again. But keeping his head down proves to be a challenge when he meets the curious Maggie. Warned to stay away from Adam, Maggie finds herself intrigued by the mysterious man and wants to know more about him.

Despite the family's efforts, a bond is formed between the two that now must stand the test of the past and the pull of the future.

Likes/Dislikes: The description of this novel sounded so intriguing and exciting that I was eager to delve into the pages of what was sure to be an epic story. And while Maggie and Adam's individual story lines are intriguing and exciting, I didn't realize this was a sequel. Everyone else's stories are mysteries to me and therefore rather boring in the overall scope of the book for me. Because of this and the flipping between the main characters and these established secondary character's viewpoints, it's a bit hard to pick up the book and resume reading after a week or so. Toddlers can make reading for pleasure so hard sometimes. I haven't yet finished this book but I intend to because I want to find out more about Maggie and Adam's relationship and how it all comes into play. It'll just take me awhile to get there.

Rating: N/A, though clean so far with hints of a bad past.

Date Review Written: June 21st, 2016

I received a free copy of this book courtesy of the publishers in exchange for an honest review. I wasn't required to write a positive review and the opinions expressed in the above review are my own.

Fading Starlight Book Review

Title: Fading Starlight

Author: Kathryn Cushman

Genre: Christian, Contemporary Fiction, Friendships, Mystery/Intrigue, Hollywood Fashion,

Plot: Lauren Summers is an up and rising fashion designer with all her hard work finally paying off in the form of a lovely gown being worn by a teenage star on the red carpet. With her future in fashion glittering and sparkling in the camera flashes, Lauren couldn't be happier, until a suspicious wardrobe malfunction sends her career plummeting and Lauren scrambling out of the spotlight as fast as she can.

An old professor friend comes to her rescue with a job and a place to stay in a secluded neighborhood with strict rules. The perfect hide out, or so Lauren thought. But when a reporter comes snooping around, Lauren's fight or flight instinct kicks in - only to turn to intrigue when she learns that the reporter isn't after her. She's after the mysterious Charlotte Montgomery, the reclusive old woman who rules the neighborhood with a firm hand.

With her dreams in tatters, Lauren is grasping at straws and poking into her neighbor's secrets seems like a good straw to grasp.

Likes/Dislikes: I was intrigued to read this book by the lovely cover and the description which made it sound like a historical fiction set around the turn of the century with a dashing hero reporter to come rescue the floundering fashion designer. I was somewhat disappointed to get the book and learn that the story is modern and the reporter is just a nosy woman looking to expose hidden secrets. While still interesting, it wasn't exactly the story I wanted to read. Hence why I haven't finished it yet. But I'll keep poking away at it because the descriptions of Lauren's new house and remodeling sound nice. The writing style is quite nice and smooth. Very easy to read and follow along.

Rating: N/A, though very clean so far.

Date Review Written: June 21, 2016

I received a free copy of this book courtesy of the publishers. I wasn't required to write a positive review and the opinions expressed in the above review are my own.

Jo's Boys Book Review

Title: Jo's Boys

Author: Louisa May Alcott

Genre: Classic, Children, Sequel, Christian, Adventure

Plot: In this third installment in a presumably unintentional trilogy, the March girls take a backseat and watch as their grown children take on the world. The boys of Jo's school are men now and branch off on their own paths, some to never return and some to strive, fail and ultimately triumph. One of the professor's nephew's is set adrift in the sea and survives the horrible experience, coming out alive with a beautiful wife, while the other nephew marries in a hurry to surprise everyone. Nan pursues her medical education and continues to refuse Tommy's marriage proposals, while Nat has his hands full trying to survive on a struggling musician's salary. And Dan? Well, he is perhaps having the greatest adventure and causes poor Jo the deepest heartache.

All of Jo and the Professor's hard work to raise these boys pays off in this sequel and we get to see how God carries the lessons through into their adult lives.

Likes/Dislikes: This is my favorite book by Alcott. I loved all the romance and meeting old friends all grown up, taking on the challenges in life and rising above the hardships thrown in their paths. Dan was my favorite character and I loved his adventures, but was sad that he never got to marry his true love.

Rating: G-all ages. Highly recommended.

Date Review Written: November 10th, 2015

Inside Out Movie Review

Title: Inside Out

Starring:

Release Date: Theaters early 2015, DVD November 3rd, 2015

Genre: Children, Fiction, Humorous, Family

Plot: Have you ever wondered what it's like inside other people's heads and what emotions would look like if they were people like us? Well, Pixar's newest movie explores those concepts in a fun colorful humorous way. Ever since she was born, eleven year old Riley has had two dominant emotions; Joy and Sadness. Of course, Anger, Disgust and Fear came along eventually but the two primaries are Joy and Sadness. Joy, with her blue hair and twirling yellow dress, just wants to keep Riley happy and does everything she can to keep the other emotions under control. She puts Fear in charge of making lists of possible disasters, Disgust in charge of fashion, and Anger is talked out of blowing his top and using that one curse word he knows. Poor Sadness doesn't really have a use, so she's stuffed into a corner and given manuals to read. And Joy "drives," creating an abundance of happy memories for Riley to recall later on.

All is going great till Riley and her parents move from Minnesota to San Francisco. That's when everything changes. Separated from her friends, unable to play hockey for the time being and thrust into a new school with a new house to adjust to, Riley has her hands full. And her emotions are running amuck. Disgust, Fear and Anger are unexpectedly left in charge when Sadness touches the sore memories and threatens to turn them blue, causing Joy to overreact and both of them with the main memories are sucked into Long Term Memory. Away from the keyboard of Riley's brain, Joy and Sadness begin a long journey through her colorful mind to get back to headquarters and put everything to rights. But will they be in time to save the day before Riley makes a terrible decision?

Likes/Dislikes: This movie is unique and very colorful. With each emotion their own set color, it's easy to figure out their personality and watch how they work together to grow and shape Riley's day. While I thought Disgust was an odd character for an eleven year old to have {it seems more fitting for a teenager}, I enjoyed all the others and the added balance Disgust provided. Anger was hilarious and quite possibly my favorite, while I felt bad for Sadness and Joy is well, Joy. My daughter's name is Joy so we get a kick out of watching this movie with her. I thought it was weird that in the Riley's mom's head, all the emotions are mature women who look like her and in the dad's head all the emotions are mature men who look like him, but in Riley's head, there's a blend of male and female emotions who don't really look like her. Just kinda odd to me. I loved seeing the parents, school friends, dog's and cat's emotions are the end. That was great. This is definitely a fun clean family movie.

Rating: G- 10 and up mainly for storyline. Recommended for all ages.

Date Review Written: November 9th, 2015.

My Joy

One of the reasons why I haven't been posting nearly as much as I'd like is that my sweet toddler has Juvenile Arthritis and its been a real roller coaster ride the last six months since we found out. She'd sprained her ankle in Oct 2015 and gradually stopped walking over the holidays, alarming us and {after an insurance issue}, sent us to the urgent care to see what was wrong. They bounced us around a little and two exhausting weeks later we learned she has Arthritis. Since then we've been doing everything we can to ease her pain, lower her inflammation and get her back on her feet. She's several doctors {some good, some not} her diet has changed and she's improving.

We've placed her on a Weston Price/anti-inflammatory diet with no gluten, soy, dairy, corn oil, processed foods and reduced sugar {all of which is hard to communicate to a two year old with a roving appetite}. We discovered she's allergic to soy and citrus so we immediately removed those from her diet and began to see immediate improvement in that area. She's seeing a nutritionist and a physical therapist regularly, and I'm happy to say that she has been walking independently for some months now and is in the process of trying to run. She still has a few kinks to work out though. We just started her on immune suppressant therapy which should help. We're hoping and praying that that combined with everything else we're doing will have her in remission sooner rather than later and she can go about her life in a happy pain-free toddler way once more.

And just in time too since she'll be dealing with a whole new challenge of having a baby sister here very very soon. Another reason for my lack of posts. Anyway, the reason I'm writing about all this now is partly because I just can't remember if I posted about it previously or not, and partly because I need your help. Some of you may have seen this lovely post over at In The Bookcase; my blogger buddy Tarissa kindly wrote it up for me and it says so clearly what we need; we need, help, we need funds, but most importantly, we need prayers and to get the word out about this sweet little girl who is going through so much at such a young age. Please hop over to her blog and check out the post, and then click Share. Also, please please share the GoFundMe page made just for my Joy. Anything and everything you can do to help is greatly appreciated. It's at difficult times like this that God tests us and shows us His grace. Please keep us in your prayers. Thank you.

Lions in the Garden Book Review

Title: Lions in the Garden

Author: Chelsea Luna

Genre: Fiction, Fantasy, Teenagers, Romance, Action/Adventure

Plot: Rebellion is brewing all around the royal court but Mila could care less about that; she has a much bigger concern on her hands and must act before her opportunity vanishes. In an attempt to escape the impending marriage to an old baron her father has arranged, Mila runs headlong into danger and the arms of a handsome blacksmith who both saves and intrigues her.

But the handsome Protestant blacksmith has secrets of his own and they could land Mila into hot water, especially as the rebellion grows and threatens to burst.

Likes/Dislikes: With a title as intriguing as this one, you'd think there would actually be a plot to this book other than, "Idiot girl runs away, gets into trouble and starts flirting with hot guy who rescues her." Also, she gets jealous seeing him with other girls and seems obvious to everything going on around her. I couldn't finish this book at all.

Rating: PG-14 and up, mainly for content {with all the talk of sleeping around in the first couple chapters, somethings bound to happen later on}.

Date Review Written: May 15th, 2016

I received a free copy of this book courtesy of the publishers and Netgalley. I wasn't required to write a positive review and the opinions expressed in the above review are my own.

We Just Had a Baby Book Review

Title: We Just Had a Baby

Author: Stephen Krensky

Genre: Children, Family, Babies, Adorable,

Plot: Being the only kid is great, until you realize that that title can be threatened by the arrival of a tiny bundle of wriggly pinkness. So, to help younger readers adjust to the change, books like this are essential. Children can read along as the hero investigates and gets used to the squirmy new arrival, and, despite the initial wariness, he grows to love the new baby.

Likes/Dislikes: With my own firstborn about to get a new sibling this summer, I was intrigued by this book and extremely happy that the publishers were able to send me a print copy because then I could share it with my daughter. While it seems like a book geared toward big brothers, my two year old enjoyed it and had a lot of fun reading it with me and looking at the lovely pictures.

Rating: G-all ages, though more for 4 yr. olds and up.

Date Review Written: May 3rd, 2016.

I received a free copy of this book courtesy of the publishers and Netgalley. I wasn't required to write a positive review and the opinions expressed in the above review are my own.

There's a Green Plastic Monkey in My Purse Book Review

Title: There's a Green Plastic Monkey in My Purse

Author: Jessica Clemence

Genre: Christian, Nonfiction, Motherhood, Humor, Parenting

Plot: Written with a purpose in mind and wrapped in a cozy sense of humor {see title for proof}, this book features a fun quiz, interesting interviews of other moms {oh the joys of being friends with a writer!} and scripture to help you along this difficult journey known as motherhood. Each chapter focuses on a different character trait we as mothers are or should be striving to show in our lives, modeling the good behavior we want our kids to display.

With humorous personal accounts to balance the often hard to swallow truths and lessons, this book is ideal for any mother. And can be read with a toddler attempting to distract you; believe me, I tried it.

Likes/Dislikes: While I didn't enjoy every aspect of this book {the medical chapter hit rather close to home}, I did enjoy the organizing chapter a lot and the overall tone of comfort and seeking God in the big and little things was soothing to me and helpful.

Rating: PG-14 and up, mainly for reading level.

Date Review Written: April 29th, 2016

I received a free copy of this book courtesy of the publishers and Netgalley. I wasn't required to write a positive review and the opinions expressed in the above review are my own.

A Mini Chocolate Review

Lindt chocolate is a household name for chocolates. I've tried several of their truffles and enjoyed them, especially the dark chocolate ones. So imagine my delight when I received some yummy Lindt chocolates for my birthday from a dear friend. Right there and then we sampled some sweet Strawberry Cheesecake bar. Decadent milk chocolate forms a firm shell around soft sweet strawberry filling that surprisingly tastes a lot like strawberry cheesecake. The texture is fairly close and while it's sweet, it isn't overpoweringly so. I was able to break the bar into smaller bite-sized bits and share them - the baby particularly loved that. The ingredient list is a moderate length with a few items that make me wonder if I should look them up on Google to find out what exactly they are, but I kinda don't want to in case they're something nasty. That would really ruin the charm of the chocolate for me. There were only twenty grams of sugar which was surprising because it tasted like it should be a bigger number of grams. I found the cute designs on the chocolate adorable and the packaging was hilarious. All flirty and inviting. If only it had been dark chocolate.

I'd say a yummy eight out of ten stars is in order for this bar.

I also received two sticks of Lindt chocolates, both milk. One is a yummy-looking Cookies 'n Cream flavor that I plan to share with my husband since that is his favorite blend of chocolates. The second was Caramel Brownie. With such a delicious name, you picture a yummy {preferably dark} chocolate bar with a truffle and caramel filling that melts in your mouth and makes everything so much better. Instead you get a thicker bit of milk chocolate with a dab of caramel in the middle. It was very disappointing. Tasty and easy to share, but disappointing.

So I'll round up and say five stars out of ten.

Tarzan of the Apes Book Review

Title: Tarzan of the Apes

Author: Edgar Rice Burroughs

Genre: Classic, Action/Adventure, Fiction

Plot: Shipwrecked on the coast of Africa, a lord and his young wife must survive somehow in the wildness they landed in, but it's a struggle and when the birth of their son leaves his wife weak, the shipwrecked lord wonders how they'll survive.

The decision is taken out of his hands by a group of gorillas who take in the now orphaned child and raise him as one of their own. Living in the jungle his whole life, Tarzan grows strong and teaches himself to survive, as well as to read when he discovers the abandoned cabin he was born in. But when English explorers come snooping around his wild kingdom, Tarzan finds himself exposed to a whole new world filled with such fascinating creatures as the lovely Jane.

Likes/Dislikes: This book was a riot of adventure and packed with such clear beautiful and detailed descriptions. I felt like I was there in the jungle with Tarzan and all his friends. The surprising part was how much more there was to the story than what Disney would have you know. I loved it and will read it over and over again. Tarzan did run around naked for quite a lot in the book and there were several deaths with lots of adventure, but I don't remember how violent they were.

Rating: PG-14 and up, mainly for reading level and content.

Date Review Written: November 5th, 2015

Whispers in the Reading Room Book Review

Title: Whispers in the Reading Room

Author: Shelley Gray

Genre: Christian, Historical Fiction, Romance

Plot: Working as a librarian is Lydia Bancroft's ideal job; she's surrounded by all her beloved books and can spend hours talking about books. But secretly, one of the perks of her job doesn't really involve books at all. It involves the mysterious gentleman who comes in regularly, sits in his usual chair, reads for an hour or two and then leaves again, all without ever speaking to anyone. And he doesn't have a library card so Lydia can't even put a name to such a handsome face. Still, she knows exactly what he likes to read.

And then one day all that changes when the mysterious man comes to her rescue in the lobby of the Hartman Hotel, revealing that he is the intriguing and wealthy Sebastian Marks. While Lydia may now have a name to the face, the accompanying reputation is unexpected and even more of a jolt is the fact that Sebastian owns an infamous saloon and gambling club. At odds over this new information, Lydia visits the club and lands in the middle of a murder investigation which not only threatens her life but Sebastian's as well and any chance at a happy future together.

Likes/Dislikes: In all honesty, I haven't entirely finished this book yet. That's a side-effect of an energetic toddler that I wasn't anticipating. That being said, the book so far flows well and the writing style is intriguing. The characters are interesting though hint at possibly getting annoying from too much exposure but we'll see how it all wraps up in the end. I'll update you with my conclusions when I finish the book.

Rating: Unavailable.

Date Review Written: April 1st, 2016

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I wasn't required to write a positive review and the opinions expressed above are my own.

Northanger Abbey Read Along!

While I haven't been around much in the blogging world for a couple months now {we've been a bit busy dealing with our two year old suddenly having juvenile arthritis and a second pregnancy on top of all the usual stuff}, I do pop in occasionally and today I stumbled across this lovely little gem that should be a delight to participate in, so I'm sharing it with you all.

Head over to Seasons of Humility for the whole scoop on her Northanger Abbey Read Along!

A Court of Thorns and Roses Book Review

Title: A Court of Thorns and Roses

Author: Sarah J. Maas

Genre: Fairy Tale Retelling, Drama, Action/Adventure, Dark

Plot: Nineteen year old Feyre has suffered a lot in her relatively short life - she's lost her icy mother, endured verbal abuse form her elder sisters, suffered neglect from her crippled father, saw their fortune destoryed and had to learn to hunt to survive. But Feyre has no idea what's in store for her when she's out stalking a deer in the snowy woods and spots a massive wolf on the hunt. Killing the wolf was easy, selling the pelt brought in some much needed funds but the consequences for her decision are astonishing. A terrifying beast breaks into the tiny cabin and demands blood payment - a life for a life - and takes Feyre away from everything she's known to live out the rest of her days across the mysterious wall where the vicious Fairies of old dwell.

Finding out that the other side of the wall isn't what she expects does little {at first} to dampen Feyre's desire to flee and return to her ungrateful family. But slowly, the lord of the manor begins to chip away at her armor and Feyre finds herself growing content with her new world. Until the gathering darkness presses in too close and she is sent away back to her family, to her side of the wall and relative safety. But she can't forget the things she saw and the person she's becoming, let alone the man she's fallen in love with and she can't abandon him to his fate.

Likes/Dislikes: My local library does a wonderful little Blind Date with a Book for Valentine's Day and after going through three "dates," the librarian recommended this one. I love Beauty and the Beast, so I was intrigued. It started out interesting with a bit of potential for a unique story. Then it got a little wobbly in the middle before taking a nosedive off a cliff into a very dark and disturbing churning sea. The last quarter to a third of the book reeked of darkness and pure evil; the villainous witch is a very good example of why fairies are often better known as bloodthirsty demons and should be avoided at all costs. Even the ridiculous "redeemed" character of Raysand or whatever his name is, is a horrible character. There are recounting of horrible gory torture sessions that lasted for days and weeks - including the vicious death of an innocent character through Feyre's own fault. There are bloody battles {including memories of a horrible war five hundred years ago}, family members brutally killing other family members, Feyre gets drunk multiple times {once willingly and the rest forcibly}, while held prisoner by the bad guys she is forced to wear a horribly skimpy outfit and dance for their pleasure, there are two uncomfortable sex scenes and Feyre is almost raped twice - I'm surprised not more times by all these terrible characters. As if all this darkness wasn't bad enough, Feyre was a stupid character; she spends all her time whining then does a one-eighty and its all good for awhile. One of her problems is that the author can't write a main character made of ice, just mushy gross mud that thinks it's special. This was a horrible book and I don't recommend it to anyone.

Rating: PG-18 and up for graphic content. Not recommended at all.

Date Review Written: February 9th, 2016

Blameless Book Review

Title: Blameless

Author: Gail Carriger

Genre: Steampunk, Victorian England, Romance, Action/Adventure, Drama, Humor

Plot: Everyone knows that werewolves can't produce offspring, but what few people know {until the news is leaked to the press anyway} is that Lady Alexia Maccon is pregnant with her werewolf husband's baby. And that is the cause for his sudden change in attitude and behavior, not to mention the tiny fact that he kicked her out. Alexia has been living with her horrible family for a few weeks in relative peace but when her family finds out her secret, she is suddenly homeless and goes to one of her remaining friends for shelter. Coincidentally, he might also have the answers she seeks but inconveniently, Lord Akeldama has left town in a hurry.

As if her current troubles weren't enough, Alexia finds herself under attack from a swarm of killer ladybugs. Shaken by this experience but uninjured, Alexia decides its time for decisive action and for answers. A quick meeting with her allies and she's off to Italy with her trusty Floote and Genevieve. Pursued across France by vicious vampires bent on killing her before she ever gives birth, Alexia wonders if the Templars will be any worse. Meanwhile, poor Lyall wonders if his Alpha will ever recover form his own drunken stupidity.

Likes/Dislikes: This was an exciting book to read and kept me at the edge of my seat for the two days it took to read {would've been less if I were still single and childless but that's okay}. I didn't like the handful of scenes with Genevieve {whose last name I can't remember how to spell}; it was far too distracting and unnecessary. And I personally would've stayed angry with Lord Maccon for a lot longer. If my husband pulled the stunt he did, I'd be spitting mad for weeks. Still, you can't have something like that too drawn out and it wrapped up beautifully in the end so no worries.

Rating: PG-18 and up, mainly for content {mostly just married couple hints and one scene at the end, and one crazy scientist dude who should've been killed}.

Date Review Written: February 9th, 2016

Changeless Book Review

Title: Changeless

Author: Gail Carriger

Genre: Steampunk, Victorian England, Humor, Fantasy, Romance, Action/Adventure

Plot: Blissfully newlywed Alexia Maccon is rudely awakened in the late afternoon by her werewolf husband yelling at the top of his lungs before dashing off into London on a mission, probably BUR business and possibly caused by her. Curious and unfazed by his behavior, Alexia receives a summons to attend her usual meeting as the queen's preternatural adviser and sets off on her own toward London as well, stopping only long enough to relocate the dotting of army tents from her front yard to her backyard, meet her husband's rather rude Gamma and pick up Ivy who seems to have gone and gotten herself engaged - of all things!

Of course, these little worries are soon overshadowed by the bigger mystery that covers London and had Lord Maccon out of bed at such an early hour. And this mystery grows, causing first Lord Maccon and then his undaunted wife to head to Scotland in search of answers. What they find is surprising and just a little more than Alexia bargained for.

Likes/Dislikes: This is the sequel to Soulless and picks up the thread of the story beautifully just three months into the unusual marriage of Maccon and Alexia. They're a hilarious couple, though after awhile, all his amorous attentions would've gotten on my nerves if my husband behaved like that. *wink* The scene where a secondary character is changed into a werewolf is very bloody and a bit graphic but passed fairly quickly. All in all, a fun romp in the pages. For such a big surprise "twist" at the end, I really wouldn't have placed the cover model's hand so suggestively. I guessed it without reading the book. Still a wonderful exciting read!

Rating: PG-18 and up, recommended for mature readers only for content {happily married couple stuff, innuendos, the wolf changing scene}.

Date Review Written: February 9th, 2016

Little Women Book Review

Title: Little Women

Author: Louisa May Alcott

Genre: Classic, Historical Fiction, Family

Plot: The classic story of four sisters setting out to find their places in the world begins on a cold snowy night around the fire, waiting for Mother to come home. A discussion of Christmas presents takes place and the girls display their unique personalities in their choice of gifts for their mother. As the story unfolds, we watch creative Jo befriend the neighbor boy and take on the intimidating writing world in New York. We watch as Meg polishes her sweet nature and tames her vanity before the trials of marriage and motherhood begin. And silly Amy grows up, becoming more grounded and anchored in the world. All are tied together by their parents' love and their sweet sister Beth who quietly makes a difference in the background.

Readers for years have grown with these characters, experienced their joys and triumphs, their sorrows and heartbreaks, and have grown better for it. And there is always a new generation to share this book with, so curl up with a cup of tea and indulge.

Likes/Dislikes: Growing up I loved this book. I admired Meg, secretly wanted to Jo {we writers all stick together ya know}, wished I had a sister like Beth and, admittedly, I rather hated Amy till she grew up a bit. This book had everything and is so richly written. I can't wait to introduce it to my little daughter and watch her get to know all the characters like I did.

Rating: G- all ages. Highly recommended.

Date Review Written: November 5th, 2015

Chuck TV Review

Title: Chuck

Starring: Zachery Levi {Chuck Bartowski}, Yvonne Strahovski {Sarah Walker}, Adam Baldwin {John Casey}, Joshua Gomez {Morgan Grimes}, Sarah Lancaster {Elli Bartowski Woodcomb}, and Ryan MacPartlin {Devon Woodcomb}.

Release Date: 2007

Genre: Spy, Action/Adventure, Drama, Comedy

Plot: Your average computer whiz, stuck at a dead-end job at the local Buy More, is Chuck Bartowski. Nothing adventurous or mysterious here, just a really smart guy with shattered dreams of graduating college, a nerdy best friend and a sweet older sister who took care of him when their parents split. However, all of that changes when Chuck receives an email from an old friend and accidentally gets all the CIA's spy secrets downloaded into his brain. Now a target and a potential asset, Chuck is assigned two handlers {NSA John Casey who is rather trigger happy and CIA Sarah Walker who stuns everyone with her good looks, apparently}, Chuck must rapidly adjust to his new life circumstances or die.

Spanning five action packed seasons, Chuck goes on dangerous missions with his new friends and adds old friends to his new spy life, even his sister learns about his secrets after awhile and gets roped into his new spy life. But even as he achieves his dream and becomes a spy, wins the girl and saves his family, Chuck never loses sight of his roots or his good character.

Likes/Dislikes: A friend recommended this show to us and we've slowly been watching it episode by episode. I think we're somewhere in the third or fourth season right now, but since I read spoilers and all the episodes are almost exactly the same, I feel safe enough to review the whole show here. During the first season, watching this lanky guy try to process his new abilities was rather intriguing, but once he becomes a spy and gets a handle on it, things settled into a rhythm that mostly involve a lot of whining about/fighting with Sarah, missions that usually go wrong and girls in short skirts fighting each other. That last bit is particularly annoying to me; I don't want to watch a bunch of dumb girls fight each other in "sexy" outfits. Casey is the smartest down-to-earth character in the whole show {it's a riot to watch him after seeing Firefly} and Chuck's friend Morgan shows the most growth, changing from a weird annoying nerd to a funny responsible man. Ellie and Devon add the domestic side to the cast while the secondary characters of Jeff and Lester are completely disgusting and serve no purpose to the story at all.

Rating: PG-17 and up, mainly for content {sexy girls, very suggestive scenes, underwear scenes, etc.}. Not recommended for teenage boys.

Date Review Written: December 15th, 2015

The Pharaoh's Daughter Book Review

Title: The Pharaoh's Daughter

Author: Mesu Andrews

Genre: Biblical Fiction, Historical Fiction, Egypt, Action/Adventure, Drama, Romance

Plot: Pharaoh Akhenaten's beloved wife Kiya dies in childbirth, leaving Tut, Anippa and Ankhe motherless at young ages. Anippe in particular is left traumatized after her mother's death and hides in a closet till someone finds her. Adopted by the childless General Horemheb and his lovely wife, Anippe grows up happy, leaving her shattered childhood behind her until, at age fourteen, she is given in marriage to her father's best soldier, Sebek, and sent away to live in the Delta where the new queen tragically lost her first baby while visiting there earlier in the year.

Thrust from lowly daughter to the position of commanding soldier's wife in charge of an estate and Hebrew slaves, Anippe has a lot to adjust to and her sister Ankhe isn't helping. After three blissful months with her intimidating yet kind new husband, Sebek leaves for war and Anippe has a new challenge on her hands; how to have Sebek's baby without getting pregnant and dying in childbirth. Fortunately for her, Tut's ill advised decree that all newborn Hebrew babies are to be executed lines up in an interesting series of events and Anippe finds the answer to her problem floating down the Nile in a basket. Knowing that if her deception is ever discovered, Anippe will pay with her life, she goes ahead with her decision to adopt little Mey as her son and the circle of who knows the truth widens alarmingly till war distracts everyone and Tut is murdered, throwing everything off balance and into a horrible new reality as a bloodthirsty Pharaoh, hardened by war and grief, takes the throne. But Someone has a bigger plan in mind and Anippe will learn that the hard way.

Likes/Dislikes: While I've never cared for the story of Moses {that point in Egyptian history having lost my interest}, this was a very interesting story. I personally seriously doubt that all this happened during Tut and Horemheb's reigns, but the author's choice to set the story during their times was intriguing. It made for an interesting story, yet that little element made it seem more like fiction than historical events to me because I just really don't think it was Tut and Horemheb. You would have to have a very broken bent man like Horemheb was portrayed as to issue orders to kill babies and to gruesomely murder any traitors the way he did when he assumed the throne. I read Michelle Moran's Nefertiti last year and the characters of Mutnodjmet, her husband, and Horemheb and how they were all related to each other was portrayed very differently, adding another annoying element to this story for me. My nit-picking of Egyptian history aside, this story spanned many years in nice little chunks, was beautifully written and showed the harsh realities of that century {especially for women, slaves or not} in such a way as to make you understand how bad it was without going into horrible graphic details that would leave you with nightmares. And the twist at the end of how Anippe survives was brilliant.

Rating: PG-18 and up, mainly for content {violent deaths and executions, thinly veiled talk of marriage activities and bad guys taking ruthless advantage of women off camera, etc.}. Recommended for mature readers only.

Date Review Written: December 15th, 2015

Books to Read in 2016

I was able to read all but two of the books I'd selected to read in 2015 {I couldn't get a hold of the other two and budgets didn't include books :( } so this year, I've selected a few I'm pretty certain I'll be able to get from my library or as a free ebook.

Changless by Gail Carriger

Blameless by Gail Carriger

Heartless by Gail Carriger

Timeless by Gail Carriger

A Curious Beginning by Deanna Raybourn

Two Tickets to the Christmas Ball by Donita K. Paul

The Bachelor's Bargain by Catherine Palmer

Confessions of a Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella

North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell

A Princess of Mars by Edgar Rice Burroughs

Miss Manners' Guide to Rearing Perfect Children by Judith Martin