My Stubborn Heart by Becky Wade

Her heart said yes, but God was saying no. He said God hadn’t answered his prayers and had abandoned him. So begins the story of the stubborn hearts of Kate and Matt. Kate has returned to her ancestral home, called Chapel Bluff, with her grandmother to fix up the old house and bring it back to life. Unsuccessful in relationships, Kate hasn’t found the man God had for her future husband. Discouragement has set in. Matt had been hired to do the work at Chapel Hill. Preferring to work alone and actually to be left alone, he doesn’t appreciate Kate’s wanting to help, wanting to talk, wanting to be his friend. When his wife died, he had withdrawn into himself and given up his career, but he didn’t count on the persistence of one young woman who saw the hurt in his eyes and wanted to help.

As Kate spends time with Matt, she sees his heart and believes that God sent her to help him find purpose in his life again. Finally, her heart says yes and God says yes.

The reader hurts with the main characters, laughs with the antics of the “older” generation, and cheers for Matt and Kate when the final chapter is read. I don’t want to give away what happens to both Kate and Matt as they work on finding out that God does care about them and does answer prayers in His time.

I received this book to review for free from Bethany House.

 Beloved Enemy 

Al Lacy

What do you do when the love for family comes in conflict your feelings for a man you love? Such is the dilemma faced by Jenny Jordan. Her father, maintains his Southern sympathies and agrees to work as a spy for the south. A member of President Lincoln’s Senate Military Committee, he is part of the group planning the Northern offensive and defensive. As the north continues to lose battles, it becomes apparent that there is a spy in their midst. As this is going on, Jenny has met and fallen in love with a Union office names Buck. Being discouraged by her father for forming an attachment with Buck, Jenny can’t help herself and fears what will happen when Buck learns her father is a spy.

As part of a network of young ladies recruited to carry the battle information south, the day comes when Jenny is asked to carry her first message to the Confederate troops. Caught at a Union road block, she is now under arrest and subject to being put before a firing squad. Buck, as commanding officer, now seeks to intercede with the president on her behalf. Because she was instrumental in saving the life of Tad Lincoln, the president commutes her execution.

A behind the scenes look at the Civil War, I enjoyed this book and recommend it as a book worth reading. The male Confederate spies were caught and executed.  Because of an aversion to shooting the female spies, the woman responsible for recruiting the young girls with information for the Confederates was imprisoned for a while and then sent back south. She never arrived, having drowned in a boating accident on the trip.

I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review.

The Messenger by Siri Mitchell

Siri Mitchell has written a Revolutionary War story that probably mirrors the lives of many of the colonists during this time of history. I enjoyed reading about Hannah Sunderland and Jeremiah Jones. Hanna, a Quaker, finds her faith at odds with what is happening in Philadelphia under British occupation. The Quaker stance of non-violence and non-involvement in the war begins to take second place to helping her imprisoned twin brother. Captured by the British after he joined the Colonial forces, Robert lies sick inside the compound. How can she offer comfort to him and still adhere to the non-involvement her religion requires? How long can she keep the news about Robert from her family and would they help if they knew of his imprisonment? Enter Jeremiah Jones, an ex-British soldier. Jeremiah gives the impression that he is on the side of the British. Unknown to all, he is a spy for the colonists. Wounded while a British soldier and left with a handicap, Jeremiah is bitter for the way the army treated him.

Seeing Hannah sneaking around the prison trying to make contact with her brother, Jeremiah begins to wonder if she will work with him and pass information from the colonial army to the prisoners. Plans are in the works for the prisoners to dig a tunnel and escape. These plans call for coordination between General Washington’s army, the prisoners and a celebration planned by the British officers. The prisoners will escape the night of the celebration and the colonial army will be near to take care of them. While the escape goes well, things are not so good for Hannah and Jeremiah. They end up in prison, abandoned by the British when all the prisoners are moved to prison ships.

I received this book to review for free from Bethany House.

Do This & Live Healthy by Don Verhulst, MD

Do This and Live Healthy by Don Verhulst, M.D.

Dr Verhulst has subtitled this book: 10 Simple Keys That Cure. And ten keys based on scripture and healthy living he does give. Key 1 is learn to relax like the Lord. Key 2 lets us know we need to get to bed on time. Key 3 is about the benefits of exercise and so the list goes on. Using scripture along with personal family experiences, Dr. Verhulst gives the reader a plan that is easy to follow.

I learned so much reading this book and feel I have finally found a practical help that does not require expensive supplements or grocery items that the average American will never use again. The ten keys are found in the first part of the book. The second section deals with common health issues and how to deal with them. Allergies, Alzheimers, asthma, bladder infections and cancer are just a few of the health problems that are explored. I recommend this book to anyone looking for a positive, simple plan for life.

I received this book for free from Charisma House for this review. The opinions expressed are solely mine.

God Gave Us the World – Lisa Tawn Bergren

God Gave Us This World by Lisa Tawn Bergren


A delightful young children’s book for ages 3-8, this story is about a young polar bear, named Young Cub, who learns there are different bears in other parts of the world. He wonders why. Mother bear begins the explanation by pointing out the differences in the snow that is falling. From there Little Cub learns that God is creative. Different bears look different, live in different parts of the world and eat all different foods than he does. As he learns about the world and the differences found there, Little Cub also comes to see that we must take care of this world we live in. Best of all he has a special place in this world.

An easy to follow story with beautiful artwork, I believe this book will hold the attention of any child who reads it or has it read to them.  

I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review.

Finding Our Way Home by Charlene Ann Baumbich

This is the first time I read this author and was very happy with this book. In fact, I found it difficult to put this book down. 

Sasha Davis, a ballerina, has suffered an injury that has led to the end of her successful career. Not adjusting well, she had returned to her childhood home and is living in seclusion. Unfortunately she never learned how to cook and needs assistance with some household chores, so a companion has to be hired. Enter Evelyn Burt, a lively and active young woman who comes with her own set of issues. Just engaged, Evelyn is a bundle of energy with an outlook on life that is totally different from the life Sasha has chosen for herself.

As these two women live and work together, changes take place in both lives. Sasha has to face up to the fact that her injury was the result of health issues that even her husband didn’t know about. Husband? This comes as a surprise to Evelyn when she learns of his existence. She realizes Sasha has shut herself off from the world and sees no future for herself outside of being an invalid. She begins to encourage Sasha to take an interest in life again, beginning with watching birds bathing to reading the wide range of books brought home from the library. As Sasha sees the potential in her life and regains her ability to walk, she begins to help Evelyn see that there is so much in life for her also. Evelyn begins to realize that even though her engagement has ended, she cannot live her life solely by fulfilling the wants and desires of others. She has a future and goals that Sasha and her husband help her move into.

I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review.

Reversing Diabetes by Don Colbert MD

I requested this book because the cover said, “Discover the natural way to take control of type 2 diabetes…” While I am sure some readers will pick up this book, believe they have found some help in controlling their diabetes and be very happy and satisfied with what they are learning, I am not one of them. I was looking for a book that would give the reader some practical, day to day help. I didn’t find much of this.

I was also disappointed when the author began promoting nutritional supplements available through his website and that are not readily available in all areas. I am not questioning the value of the nutritional supplements Dr. Colbert refers to and am sure his patients have found them a great help in getting control of their type 2 diabetes.  

While there is a lot of good information in Reversing Diabetes, there is also a lot of information that was above my head. I got lost in the technical side of things. I could care less about reading some of the facts that are interspersed through the book when I am looking for something that is easy to read and can give me suggestions that will improve my health.

There are recipes and menus for the Rapid Waist Reduction Diet that would work for an individual, but would mean cooking a separate meal for the rest of a family. Some of the foods mentioned would also exceed some family budgets. More helpful were the lists of approved foods for the two phases of the Diet. There were also tips for eating out and grocery shopping that were also informative and well as useful.

I received this book for free from Charisma House for this review. The opinions expressed are solely mine.