"Cheaper, Better, Faster" Blog Tour

Cheaper, Better, Faster:

Over 2,000 Ways to Save Time & Money Every Day

Syndicated personal finance columnist Mary Hunt shares over 2,000 tips to make just about everything Cheaper, Better, Faster. Hunt has received thousands of tips and tricks from readers of her daily newspaper column, and she has selected the very best ways to save time and money in this ultimate guide to making life easier.

Cheaper, Better, Faster is all the best advice you've ever heard, collected into one handy volume. Every tip is short, to the point, and helps readers make the most of their money and time, making everyday life less hectic and more enjoyable.

Proven tips on everything from removing hairspray baked onto a curling iron to enjoying gourmet coffee without the gourmet price are included. Readers will learn how to keep their cats from eating their houseplants and know how to get stains out of white carpet.

Hunt hopes the useful and oftentimes humorous information in Cheaper, Better, Faster will help readers spend their money wisely and get creative by using everyday items to achieve the results they need – whether that means finding a wedding gift that won’t break the bank or getting a stain out of a new t-shirt.

Mary Hunt is an award-winning and bestselling author, syndicated columnist and sought-after motivational speaker who created a global platform that is making strides to help men and women battle the epidemic impact of consumer debt. She is founder and publisher of the interactive website Debt-Proof Living, which features financial tools, resources and information for her online members. Her books have sold more than a million copies and her daily newspaper column is nationally syndicated through Creators Syndicate and is enjoyed by hundreds of thousands of Everyday Cheapskate readers. Hunt speaks widely on personal finance and has appeared on shows such as Good Morning America, Oprah, Dr. Phil and Focus on the Family. She and her husband live in California.

My Take: 

Cheaper, Better, Faster is an update of Mary Hunt's previous tip book, Tiptionary.

One thing I really liked about this book that it gave different ways of achieving the same result. For instance, there are several suggestions of ways to remove spots from carpets. It’s nice to have different suggestions so that maybe you won’t have to spend time and money running to the store!

  

And there is more to this book than just cleaning tips. The categories included are:

• ·         Automobiles
• ·         Cleaning
• ·         Clothing & Accessories
• ·         Food & Cooking
• ·         Gifts
• ·         Health & Beauty
• ·         Holidays & Special Occasions
• ·         Home
• ·         Kids & Babies
• ·         Laundry
• ·         Money & Finances
• ·         Outdoors & Garden
• ·         Pets
• ·         Repairs & Maintenance
• ·         Shopping
• ·         Travel & Entertainment

With the advent of Google and Pinterest, books with hints and tips might seem out-of-date, but I think it is still a handy book to have around, as it is from a trusted source. I would have liked for it to have a better index so that you could more easily locate something specific.

Cheaper, Better, Faster is available in January 2013 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.

Disclosure of Material Connection:  I received this book free from Revell Publishers. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this is accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255:  “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

 

   

 

"His Love Endures Forever" Review

An unplanned pregnancy. An absent father. Can love really endure all things?

 

Danielle Kent is anything but Amish. But as destiny would have it, she has fallen in love with an Amish man.

Now she’s 18, pregnant, and hopeful that the child’s Amish father—Matthew Lapp—will do the right thing and marry her. She knows Matthew plans to leave his Colorado settlement for a life in the Englisch world. But that plan never included a baby.

When Matthew walks away from her and their unborn child, she has nowhere to turn. Her unlikely friendship with Levi offers some comfort—yet they have so little in common. This wasn’t the plan she had for her life, and she has never felt so alone. She doesn’t want to be pregnant. Doesn’t want to be Amish. Doesn’t want to trust God.

And yet.

God has plans beyond what her mind can imagine . . . loving plans to show a lost young woman that His love never fails but endures forever.

For more information about this title, please click here.

This is the third book in the “Land of Canaan” series by Beth Wiseman. You can read my review of the first two books in this series by clicking on the titles – Seek Me with All Your Heart and The Wonder of Your Love.

My Take:

As I said in my previous reviews of the“Land of Canaan” novels, I knew right away that this was not going to be your average Amish book. This is a good thing, and this novel deals with some very difficult situations – unplanned pregnancy, abandonment, and abuse – that were handled very well. I also liked how some of the characters really experienced a lot of growth over the course of the novel, especially Levi’s mother, Vera.

It was also different from most Amish novels in that there is a lot of interaction between those of the Amish faith and people from the “English” world. In some ways this was encouraging. I always like to see in Amish novels how the author portrays their Amish characters’ feelings toward the rest of the world, and in this novel, the Amish are very accepting of the “English,” for the most part.

I think, though, that as the story progressed, the interactions between the Amish and the English got a bit convoluted. It was almost as if the author wanted to make the point that you didn’t have to be Amish to be a Christian but that she wanted to do this without condemning the Amish way of life. One thing I thought was interesting in relation to this was that it was brought up several times that those who are“English” can be Christians but that if someone belongs to the Amish faith, then you know they are a Christian. Really? Can we truly know another’s heart? We can often tell by their actions (“known by their fruit”), but to me this fruit does not include just following the rules of the Amish. I thought this was an interesting point that I had not heard from other Amish novels.

However, this point was actually contradicted by one of the characters in the story! Vera was the one to say that if someone is baptized into the Amish faith, then you know for sure that they are a believer. But then she herself admitted to Danielle later on in the book that she did not experience a true relationship with God until well after her baptism and marriage. So, then is her earlier point true then? Just something that I thought about as I was reading this book.

Another thing that kind of missed the mark for me was how Danielle’s faith in God was portrayed. I did like how she didn’t just have some sort of ‘revelation’ moment where she was suddenly a different person. Hers was actually a journey, which felt more true-to-life. However, at one point she eventually “gave it all to God.” While this to me seems to be a step in the right direction, it was quite vague. There was no mention of her accepting the sacrifice for her sins that Christ paid on the cross. I just think it is dangerous territory to get into when Christ dying for our sins is only mentioned one time in the entire book and when a character ‘comes to God’rather than placing their faith in the sacrifice Christ made for us.

I also think this book tread on another dangerous territory. This was in one of the main parts of the storyline when both Danielle and Levi base their decisions on dreams that they had that were supposedly from God. How do you know if the dream is from God and not that it’s just your overactive imagination combined with the scary movie you watched last night? Again, I think this can lead to dangerous thinking. What I know for sure is that Christ is our Mediator to God, the Bible is our source of truth, and dreams can be misleading.

I hate when I seem to be in the minority when it comes to reviewing a book, and this is definitely the case with this one. This novel received tons of great reviews, including from people who I greatly respect as reviewers. But for some reason, this book just didn’t have that zing that makes it a really great read for me. I just had too many problems with some of the characters and how the spiritual aspect was portrayed.         

His Love Endures Forever was written in an easy-to-read style with an interesting storyline that made it a fast and entertaining read. It just didn’t have that something extra to it, and I had some issues with the way some things were portrayed. I realize that this is a fiction book, so maybe I am expecting too much from the spiritual side of the story. I mean, a novel doesn’t have to have a spiritual aspect for me to like it. (Kate Morton’s The Forgotten Garden is one of my favorite books). But when ¾ of the plotline revolves around God and faith and making a decision to live for God, then I will end up evaluating that side of the story a little more.

Although God and faith were discussed a lot in this fiction novel, the gospel was almost completely left out.

I will give His Love Endures Forever … 2 ½ BookWorms.
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers through Booksneeze. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this is accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

"J.R.R. Tolkien: The Making of a Legend" Blog Tour

About the book:

Long before the successful, Lord of the Rings film trilogy, J.R.R. Tolkien's imaginary world and characters enthralled and delighted millions of readers. But who was this man who dreamt up the intricate languages and perfectly crafted world of Middle-earth?

Tolkien had a difficult life. Orphaned and poor, his guardian forbade him from communicating with the woman he loved. He also went through the horrors of the First World War. An intensely private and brilliant scholar, he spent over fifty years working on the languages, history, peoples, and geography of Middle-earth, aided by his vast knowledge of mythology and early northern European history and culture.

This delightful and accessible biography brings this legendary man to life and explores the deep Christian commitment that inspired and informed his work. A close friend of C.S. Lewis and Charles Williams, Tolkien was one of the famous Inklings, a group of literary figures in Oxford in the 1930s who met to discuss their work, which included C.S. Lewis's Narnia books.



About the author:

Colin Duriez was for many years a commissioning editor at Inter-Varsity Press UK. He has subsequently appeared as a commentator on DVDs of Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings, and BBC television's "The Worlds of Fantasy". He is also the author of The Inklings Handbook (with the late David Porter), J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis: The Story of Their Friendship, and Tolkien and The Lord of the Rings, and has contributed to definitive reference works relating to Tolkien such as The Tolkien Encyclopedia (Routledge).


My Take:

Since my husband is the bigger Lord of the Rings fan, I am going to give mostly his review here.

My favorite books are The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings.  I have read them many times in my life.  I have watched the movies (the extended director’s cut, even) and am eagerly awaiting the rest of The Hobbit movies.  So, I was interested to learn more about the man behind one of my favorite worlds.

This book gives insight in the past of Tolkein in an effort to let you know why he wrote his famous books.  It starts from his birth and tells stories of his life through adulthood.  It is your typical biography told about the man behind one of the greatest series of books ever written.  And, if you are into biographies or REALLY into the LOTR, then this book is right up your alley.  Unfortunately, I guess I am just not that into biographies.  It was interesting to learn about Tolkien and where he came from, but I kept wanting to stop reading and go pick up The Hobbit.  But, that is just me.  

This book is well written and does provide good insight into the life of one of the most famous writers in the world.

I give this book 3 ½ BookWorms.

Disclosure of Material Connection:  I received this book free from Lion Books through a Kregel Publishing blog tour. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this is accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255:  “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

"The Lesson" Blog Tour

The Lesson

By Suzanne Woods Fisher

Centered on one of Suzanne Woods Fisher's most loved characters, this is the story fans have eagerly anticipated. The precocious Mary Kate Lapp is all grown up (well, almost) and ready to take on the world – with surprising results.

In her wildest dreams, spunky and impulsive nineteen-year-old M.K. never imagined herself behind a schoolteacher's desk. A run-in with the schoolteacher compels her to act as a substitute teacher, just as her restless desire to see the world compels her to apply for a passport . . . just in case. The only thing of interest to M.K. in the sleepy Amish community of Stoney Ridge is the unexplained death of a sheep farmer that coincided with the arrival of a mysterious young man into the community. Frustrated that no one takes the crime seriously, she takes matters into her own hands. Unfortunately, as tends to be the case for M.K., she jumps headlong into trouble.

Fisher's trademark plot twists and turns are as unexpected and satisfying as ever in this third book in the Stoney Ridge Seasons series.

***Available January 2013 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group***

About the Author: Suzanne Woods Fisher is the bestselling author of The Choice, The Waiting, The Search, The Keeper and The Haven, as well as nonfiction books about the Amish, including Amish Peace. Her interest in the Anabaptist cultures can be directly traced to her grandfather, who was raised in the Old Order German Baptist Brethren Church in Franklin County, Pennsylvania. Suzanne is a Christy Award finalist and a Carol Award finalist. She is the host of internet radio show Amish Wisdom and a columnist for Christian Post and Cooking & Such magazines. She lives in California.
For more information, please visit www.suzannewoodsfisher.com and connect with her on Twitter @suzannewfisher.


My Take:

Since I was already familiar with the characters in this series, it was nice to be able to jump right into the story and reconnect with the folks in Stoney Ridge. And since I felt the previous book, The Haven, had a cliff-hanger ending, I was looking forward to seeing how Sadie's story would be resolved. But when we jump into this novel, everything with Sadie has been resolved without finding out how any of it happened!

So, that was a bit frustrating, but I really like it when each book in a series tells a different person's story, and I was looking forward to see what Mary Kate would be up to in this one.

From the beginning, the storylines were interesting, and Mary Kate was a fun character to read about, but I could not relate to her at all. That is fine, since I’m sure that other readers will be able to connect with her, but my personality is just so completely opposite from hers that she sometimes just got on my nerves. This annoying aspect was more towards the beginning of the book, though, since M.K. grew a lot throughout this novel, which is something that I really like.

This book does a lot of head-hopping and has short scenes, which makes for a fun but sometimes a bit of a head-spinning read. I will say that I liked having the views and thoughts and feeling of all of the different characters right there in front of me. The plot in this novel moved along very well, and the twist was excellent! I didn’t see it coming, and that is unusual for me. But this twist and how everything came around full circle really made this book for me and ultimately upped the rating for this book.

The overall theme of forgiveness in this series, and especially in this novel, was also excellent. The kind of forgiveness that is portrayed can only be found through the power of Christ, and this was portrayed very well.

I really enjoyed this novel, but I really would have liked for the ending to have been fleshed out a bit more. The major storylines were completed, but there were things here and there that would have been nice to know in an epilogue or something. (Like did Julia end up having a girl?!) Since this is the end of the series, I guess I will just have to make up my own ‘down-the-road’ happenings in Julia, Sadie, and Mary Kate’s lives!

I will give The Lesson … 4 BookWorms.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Revell Publishers through their blog tour program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this is accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

"Love Finds You in Glacier Bay, Alaska" Giveaway!

The authors of Love Finds You in Glacier Bay, Alaska

-- Tricia Goyer & Ocieanna Fleiss -- 

 

have graciously offered a copy of the novel to be given away to one of my readers!

Just complete the form below to enter to win.

The contest starts today and runs through Thursday, January 10th. I will announce the winner here on my blog on Friday, January 11th.

Good Luck!!!



*****UPDATE*****

Congratulations to the winner of the Love Finds You in Glacier Bay, Alaska book giveaway -

 

Michelle M.! 

 

Michelle, you will be receiving an email from me announcing you are the winner and so that you can send your mailing address to me. You will be receiving your free book from the authors once I submit your address to them.

 

Thanks to everyone who entered the contest! This was so much fun!

"Love Finds You in Glacier Bay, Alaska" Review and a new Launch Team Experience and a Giveaway!

About the book: Singer Ginny Marshall is one signature away from the recording contract of her dreams—a deal that would guarantee success for the former foster child, who still struggles to bury the memories of her painful childhood. But Ginny needs advice from the one person who will look out for her best interests—her former fiancé, Brett Miller. She travels to the remote town of Glacier Bay, Alaska, where the town’s colorful characters and stunning scenery provide respite from LA’s pressures.

In Glacier Bay, Ginny discovers a box of old letters and is swept up in the love story between Clay, an early missionary to Alaska Territory, and Ellie, the woman who traveled there to be his children’s governess. When Ginny is reunited with Brett in Glacier Bay, will she discover—as Ellie did—that healing and love are sometimes found in the most unexpected places?

For more information and to order this title, please click here.

 
About the Authors:

Tricia Goyer is a busy mom of four and wife to John. When she finds a break from cleaning up mountains of toys, she is busy writing fictional tales to delight her readers and non-fiction titles to offer encouragement and hope. A bestselling author, Tricia has thirty-three books to date as well as 500+ magazine articles. She is a two time Carol Award winner, and a Christy award and ECPA Award Nominee. In 2010, she was selected as one of the Top 20 Moms To Follow on Twitter by www.SheKnows.com. Tricia is on the blogging team at www.MomLifeToday.com and www.TheBetterMom.com. In addition to her roles as mom, wife and bestselling author extraordinaire, Tricia finds the time to volunteer and give back to her community. She is the founder of Hope Pregnancy Ministries in Northwestern Montana, and she currently heads up a Teen Mops Group in Little Rock, Arkansas. Tricia is the creator of www.NotQuiteAmishLiving.com and hosts a weekly radio podcast Living Inspired. Find out more about Tricia at www.triciagoyer.com/
 
Ocieanna Fleiss has cowritten two historical novels with Tricia Goyer: Love Finds You in Lonesome Prairie, Montana and Love Finds You in Victory Heights, Washing­ton. She has written for several publications, including CBA Marketplace and Guideposts, and contributes a bi-monthly column to the Northwest Christian Author. Ocieanna has edited many of Tricia Goyer’s novels and nonfiction titles. An avid historian, she teaches home-schooled junior high students intense history classes involving considerable research and creative methods of bringing history to life. She lives in the Seattle area with her hus­band and their four children.


My Take:

The thing that I really liked about the previous Love Finds You book that I read was how the setting almost became a character in the story.

This was definitely true in Love Finds You in Glacier Bay, Alaska.

I have always wanted to visit Alaska, and the setting, people, and small-town atmosphere in this novel came alive and made it just that much more enjoyable.

Along with the setting, what I thought was great about this book was the historical story that was told in tandem with the modern-day one through the letters that Ginny read. My favorite genre is historical, so of course I would be sucked in by that story a little more than the contemporary one. Both plotlines were good, and I liked how they both sort of followed the same path, but the historical story of Ellie and Clay was my favorite part.

There were so many areas of emotion that were explored in this novel that it is hard to hit them all. Both Ginny and Ellie grow tremendously throughout their stories. They learn that who they are in Christ is more important than anything else. This novel also explores forgiveness and grace and how important it is to extend those to others. There are many heartbreaking things that are experienced by Ginny and Ellie in this novel, but they are never without hope.

If I had to name something that was not quite to my liking in this book it would be that Brett seemed a bit too perfect. Everyone loved him, he seemed to do everything right – it was a bit over-the-top. Also, while I really liked the setting and how everyone in the small town worked together and looked out for each other, I had to smile and chuckle a little every time Ginny noted how much she liked the small town atmosphere. Maybe it would be comforting for someone who grew up without a true home and had been living in LA for the past several years. But coming from someone (me) who grew up in a small town and now enjoys living in a much larger town where everyone doesn’t always know your business – well, I just thought it was funny. To each her own. J

Overall, this novel is a heartwarming story (actually two stories in one!) that will sweep you away to Glacier Bay.

I will give Love Finds You in Glacier Bay, Alaska … 4 BookWorms.

 

 

 

 

About the Launch Team:

 

For 2013, I have been invited to be on the Launch Team for Tricia Goyer's books!

 

This means that I will be reading and reviewing each of her books that are released this year, and I will be involved in getting the word out for each of these releases.

 

I am honored and excited to be a part of this Launch Team. So, make sure to keep up with my blog so that you don’t miss any of the exciting giveaways and more that will be happening this year with the 2013 Tricia Goyer Launch Team! J

 

 

About the Giveaway:

The giveaway this time is for a copy of Love Finds You in Glacier Bay, Alaska. The form will be up in a separate post on January 8th, so check back then to enter to win!





Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Summerside Press through the 2013 Tricia Goyer Launch Team. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this is accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."