A Most Inconvenient Marriage by Regina Jennings (a book review)

I absolutely loved this book! I couldn't put it down. It was full of civil war history, love, and still an underlying faith in God. The author does a great job building each character and making each person realistic. If you are looking for a light hearted historical romance, get this book stat. It will make you laugh and wonder what will happen next. I want to describe the story but I don't want to give anything away- that's part of the mystery. Enjoy!
(I was given this book for review purposes, but the opinions and reviews are my own.)

A book review: An Insider's Guide to Spiritual Warfare by Kristine McGuire

I enjoyed reading this book for a more in depth understanding of spiritual warfare. The author has been involved in a lot of enemy activities- and after being set free,  has been involved in spiritual warfare against the enemy activities. Strengths of this book include:
1. The basics of whole body health (physical, spirit, emotional): at times I have forgotten that even the smallest details done for Jesus matter. Also even the smallest wound unattended, can lead to more serious issue.
2. The simplicity of being a spiritual warrior: it is more a matter of willingness and motivation. But the results are more than worth it!
3. Last, I appreciate the fact she addressed issues like ghosts, supernatural activities, etc...  By understanding what these things really are, we can more effectively combat them under authority of Christ.

This book has changed my life in some simple ways, I definitely recommend it to anyone seeking to follow God more whole heartedly.
(I was given this book for free, but the review and opinions are my own.)

Kitchen Ecosystem (a book review) by Eugenia Bone

1.  This book is amazing because it has something for everyone from a novice cook to some of the most advanced chefs.  It teaches you some basic principles that allow you use and re-use common items in your kitchen.  This allows you to make multiple dishes from a common initial supply of food (say apples) or whatever is in season.  This is perfect if you start with a surplus of almost any food from apples to zucchini with almost any meat, fish, seafood, vegetable or fruit inbetween! 

2. Or even if you don’t have a surplus, this book shows some great new ways to simply use what you have effectively.  I really love all the visual aids the book uses.  It has enticing and motivating pictures that will tempt you to try and prepare every dish.  There are awesome flow charts that show you the progression of being able to use each item you are working with.  

3. It is a great investment in the long lost art of cooking with low waste- something you can use and pass on to future generations.

4. The author talks about food preservation. Using preservation, food can be bought when it is cheapest/in season and then stored for a different season.  There are a lot more ways of food storage than I thought!

5. Last but not least, there are chapters in the end of the book that talk about homemade condiments and recipe techniques (stocks, pasta, etc...). So much to learn, and money and food to save while doing it.

(I received this book for free in return for a review. The opinions are my own.)

The New American Herbal Review

If you are interested in improving your life in any kind of herbal way, this book is a great asset! Full of information regarding herbs and with lovely bright pictures, you won’t have to guess what plant the author, Stephen Orr (http://www.randomhouse.com/author/164786/stephen-orr) is talking about. This is a very practical book for all level of herbal learning.

There are chapters about how to harvest and dry herbs. Other topics covered are herbal extraction, and how to use them in the kitchen. Another helpful section explains how to plant different kinds of herb gardens depending on what kind of space you have.

Stephen covers herbs from all over the world. Each section describes the herb, how to grow it, the safety of the plant, and a short article on how to use it ( or how to not use it).  The clear big picture of each herb allows you to hopefully learn to identify each plant.  Although most herbs are safe, there are some plants that are very toxic. I appreciated the safety description for each plant as well as some pages of the most toxic herbs. If you have pets or children, it is good to know which plants to keep around and how secure they need to be (if you choose the more toxic ones).

A bonus feature is for certain herbs, wonderful recipes are offered with delightful pictures of each dish. A cookbook, herbal resource, and a how-to book all in one, I really enjoyed this book immensely and will be looking in it a great deal as my life becomes more herbal-infused! http://www.randomhouse.com/book/222569/the-new-american-herbal-by-stephen-orr

I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review, but the opinions are my own.

Book Review: Face to Face with Jesus

I loved this book! This is a story of a young Muslim woman who's life is radically changed by a relationship with Jesus. It is full of miracles and faith building times. And it's a true story!

The story is very well written and is an easy read. The subject matter is soul challenging to say the least. In this area of the world, Christians are persecuted even to the point of death. It has reminded me of luxuries I take for granted.

I learned so much from reading Samaa's story , facts and realities of another culture, faith building testimonies, and an invitation to take my walk with Jesus even farther. Everyone should read this book , it is life changing. May we always remember those who are persecuted in our prayers.

(This book was given to me for free to review but the opinions are mine and mine alone. Loved this book!)