Cover L♡ver Book Review

“The lambs leap in the meadow, the larks leap in the sky, and all the bells of heaven ring because our Lord rides by.” Easter Stories: Classic Tales for the Holy Season is a lovely collection of tales for the whole family.     Reading this nostalgic book caused me to reminisce of my childhood days—my grandmother and I sitting on her front porch swing reading stories from a hardback Bible storybook. These were special moments, for they created precious life-lasting memories. The classic Easter stories are suited for all ages: grandparents, parents, caregivers, and children. C.S. Lewis, Leo Tolstoy, Jayne Tyson Clement (one of my personal favorites) Oscar Wilde, and a myriad of other authors penned spiritually significant tales that stir readers hearts and souls. With over two dozen stories, this book provides not only hours of entertainment and spiritual preparation for Easter, but think of the wonderful memories you could create spending read

“Sometimes all people really want is to be the stepper and you the stone.” ~from Secrets. As a writer, a lover of words, poetry is dear to my heart. So are the poets who write them. I respect those who expose their words to others—risking judgment, misunderstanding, and criticism. I know this sounds dramatic, but exposing your writing is truly exposing your soul. And that can be scary, because it’s almost instinctive to show our best face , the mask that shows the rest of the world that we are strong, confident, and have our stuff together. With that said, I enjoyed reading this collection of free verse poetry—the good, the bad, and the ugly. Some contributions are light and simplistic, others are heavy in significance, and the author’s currents of sarcasm are illuminated with beams of hope.                                                Here are a few statements I especially enjoyed:      “Denial is a language.”      “Sometimes the most temporary can s

Many Christians see Jesus as a personal moral example (and rightly so), but not as a social example. But why not? When you become a Christian, your social life, how you interact with others, should change also. Ordinary: How to Turn the World Upside Down , by Tony Merida, is a ministry that helps readers understand how they can make more of an impact by simplifying Christianity. Being hospitable, doing nice things for others without expectations, being friendly with our neighbors—these are the foundations of Christianity—the ordinary things that improve our lives and the lives of others. Audio Narration: Paul Costanzo , the narrator has an authoritative, articulate voice, easy to understand and smooth flowing. Audio Production Quality: The production quality of this audio book is clear, with no distracting background music, static, or skips. About the Author: Tony Merida is lead pastor of Imago Dei Church in Raleigh, North Carolina. He earned a Ph.D. in preach

How dare he look me over as if—as if I were stock to be evaluated for purchase!    In The Trouble with Patience , by Maggie Brendan, Patience Cavanaugh finds herself alone and in need of way to make a living, so she sets out a plan to restore an old ramshackle of a boardinghouse. She soon meets up with the opinionated Marshal Jedediah Jones. Good and not so good sparks ensue. Will they ignite? Or crash and burn? I’m not the most patient person. I’m not pushy or sassy, but I do like things either now or sooner . (heh heh – perhaps I’m exaggerating a bit.) Ahem. Anyway…that’s why I related to Patience’s impatience (say that fast three times!) and her less than healthy self-image. I struggled a bit to connect with her on other issues though. (She sometimes comes off as sanctimonious and impulsive—which of course leads to character growth by the time the story concludes. I liked the Old West setting, even though the dialogue didn’t ring true in