Sheila's Books Read

Sheila's bookshelf: read

The Best Intentions
Scotland's Melody
The Secret Society of Salzburg
Secret of the Sonnets
20-40-60-Minute Dinners: Meals to Match the Time You Have
Through the Wilderness: My Journey of Redemption and Healing in the American Wild
Secret Santa Claus Club: A Tool to Help Parents Unwrap the Secret of Santa
Mr. Pudgins
Revenge Never Rests
The Best Mistake
Meriden Park
More Inspirational Stories for Young Women
The Great Tree: A Christmas Fable
To Capture His Heart
The Call of the Sea
Esperance
Livvy and the Enchanted Woodland
Come, Gentle Night
The Bad Boy Theory
Guide To Smart Wedding Planning: What You want to know and everything you haven't thought of yet.


Sheila's favorite books »

2024 Goodreads Reading Challenge

2024 Reading Challenge

2024 Reading Challenge
Sheila has read 4 books toward her goal of 100 books.
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Tuesday, August 18, 2020

Official Cover Reveal & Giveaway-What She Left Behind By Rebecca Caswell

 




Rebecca Caswell is a writer living in the beautiful foothills of the Rocky Mountains of Wyoming. She is a joy-filled wife and mother of three. When Rebecca is not writing, she runs a salon and furniture renovating business called Teal House Beauty Lounge.


What She Left Behind is Rebecca’s first book. She wrote it hoping to help others cope with the profound losses that we all must face.



 ~ Website ~ Facebook ~
Twitter ~ Instagram ~
Pinterest ~ Goodreads ~




In life we are blessed to have those who we love. Those we depend on. Those whose very existence proved to help to shape and form us into the very person we are. But what happens when you lose someone whose light, love, and strength brought so much significance and guidance to your life? How do families navigate through the pain of losing a mentor, mother, wife, and friend? What happens as the family dynamics begin to change and shift? After our lives are turned upside down do we ever find ourselves back to a new normal? What She Left Behind is a deep emotional journey that takes you into the abyss of love and loss. It is a memoir of a fight with grief. It takes you down a winding personal account of tragic events and one woman's struggle to find who she really is without the love and strength of her mother. Caught between holding on and letting go, she attempts to weed through the pain and trails that the family faces. This is a story about finding our way out of the depths of heartache and the redemptive way we find ourselves back home.


And now for the Cover
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Big Bug Who Loves to Hug: Hugs Make Everything Better By Jessica Glade Illustrated by Iryna Davidenko: Read Aloud Book for Kids 3-5: Book Review

 

Product Details

  • Title: Big Bug Who Loves to Hug: Hugs Make Everything Better
  • Author: Jessica Glade, Illustrator: Iryna Davidenko:
  • Paperback: 30 pages
  • Publisher: Independently published (July 3, 2020)
  • Genre: Children's Picture Book
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-13: 979-8663157964
  • ASIN: B08CN2YJFJ

***I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy from the publisher. All opinions are my own*** 


Book Summary

Hugs make everything better, don’t they?

"I just read this book to my daughter (3 1/2 years old), and my son (5 1/2 years) overheard and came over to see. I finished and they both want to hear it again! That is a good sign!"

"The book was adorable! My kids enjoyed it and the pictures were so vibrant!"

 “Big Bug who Loves to Hug” is a story that teaches about love, friendship, and supporting the ones you love. Start your day with a smile and give a warm hug to everyone in your family! Psychologists say that everyone needs 8 hugs per day to be happy.Hugs are a way to say “I love you”, or “Thank you”, or “Don’t worry! It’s going to be just fine!”It costs nothing to give a hug to somebody you care about. And a hug may mean a lot to someone. A simple hug can make a big difference!●Read aloud book for kids 3-5●Professional illustrations●The story has a great moral●Bonus: fun educational activities●7 ideas for quality time for parents and children“Big Bug who Loves to Hug” will become a great addition to your home collection of books for kids.

 

My Review

Big Bug Who Loves to Hug: Hugs Make Everything Better is a darling book for small children ages 2-6.The illustrations are cute and will keep children glued to the pages. The story line is one that is easily understood by young children talking about things they can relate to like starting your day with a smile, helping someone that may be sad and offering a hug, and reaching out to mom and dad when they need a hug. I can see this book becoming a favorite story at bedtime. I wish that my kids were still little, but I know that I will be sharing Big Bug Who Loves to Hug: Hugs Make Everything Better with my future grandchildren. This is a book I highly recommend for families that have small children to teach them about many important life concepts. This will also enable some nice discussions with your little ones.

 

 Purchase your copy of  Big Bug Who Loves to Hug: Hugs Make Everything Better HERE: https://amzn.to/313nyL4 

Wednesday, August 12, 2020

The Doctor and the Midwife By Sarah Alva-Book Review

 

Product Details

  • Title: The Doctor and the Midwife
  • Author: Sarah Alva
  • Paperback
  • Genre: Christian Romance
  • Publisher: Covenant Communications, Inc. (September 1, 2020)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 1524412996

***I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy from the publisher. All opinions are my own*** 


Book Summary

As a midwife running her own home birth practice, Audrey Novak deals with pressure like a superhuman. Until, that is, she meets her handsome and arrogant neighbor, Dr. Ammon Parker. Ammon, who believes only in modern medicine, is just as unprepared for the infuriating---and inconveniently beautiful---midwife. When the two are repeatedly called to the same labor and delivery unit, their clashing ideals and fiercely independent personalities threaten to derail both their professional goals and their pride.

Outside of work, Audrey is a passionate rock climber, tantalized by a secret route she's heard about in an online forum. Her hunt for the climb's location leads her to the intriguing BelayingonofHands, a man who claims to have set the route. Soon their anonymous virtual flirtation and witty exchanges deepen into a true connection. But when Audrey discovers the man from online is actually Ammon, she's blindsided. It seems they have more in common than she could have imagined, but will their differences keep them from making the climb to true love together?

 

 My Review

I was so intrigued by the title the minute I first read it. Opposition first came to my mind, and that's what's in full abundance in this Contemporary Christian Romance: Opposites Attract...eventually! The main characters, Audrey the Midwife, and Ammon, the Doctor don't have a terrific start as their beliefs differ in the perfect way for women to give birth. In fact, you could say they are "Frenemies" throughout much of the book. This fact alone makes this novel so much fun to read. You have two people that have such opposite views about childbirth, one is kind of arrogant and the other can be prideful. The sad part is that they both were hurting in their own ways. One thing after another happens that compounds their problems. Add in both of their rock climbing passions, an online forum where they sit anonymously behind their screens, and somehow they fall for each other; until the truth comes out.


 I loved the paths that the characters went down that helped them become stronger people. In the end, Ammon learns to let go of his pride and arrogance, while Audrey learns to open her heart and trust again. There is a lot of witty dialogue, funny moments, and several heart-wrenching scenes that will make you cry: I mean, get the tissues ready! 


This romance of highs and lows will entertain you and make you think. I learned to love the characters as they fell for each other. Clean Romance readers will want to buy this one and then tell their friends about it.

Meet Author Sarah Alva

Sarah Alva lives in Salt Lake City but calls Arizona home. She graduated from the University of Arizona with degrees in creative writing and political science. In college, she once told a creative writing class she wanted to grow up and be a stay-in-bed mom. She is almost living that dream as a mom to two little boys who don’t like naps or sleeping in as much as she does. When Sarah’s not busy doing mom or wife things, she enjoys reading romance novels in excess, shopping online, and listening to National Public Radio. You can find her on social media at facebook.com/sarah.alva, @writerlysarah, or at sarahalva.com.

 

Purchase The Doctor and the Midwife HERE: 

Coming September from Author Sarah Alva, "The Doctor and the Midwife" a contemporary Christian Fiction Romance.

Preorder Pricing #kindle currently ONLY $4.49
▶️ amzn.to/3cQPO6i

 

 

Tuesday, August 4, 2020

Once and Future Wife By Clarissa Kae: Official Book Tour and Giveaway




Immortal men like Rhys Glyndwr belong to forgotten fables—along with his reincarnating wife—but instead, they haunt the mind of a modern scientist, Isla Belle Thorne. Like an old blanket, visions of the healer servant and his wife, the daughter of a duke, have comforted Isla Belle, the only constant in her unstable childhood.
When her mother is hospitalized for a mental breakdown, Isla Belle fears for her own health and keeps the visions a secret. As Isla Belle starts her new job at a renowned medical organization, she comes face to face with Rhys—the same man from her visions.
She’s told an impossible tale of a love that death cannot kill. Surrounded by science but faced with an implausible legend, Isla Belle must decide what to believe and what to leave behind.






Clarissa Kae is a preeminent voice whose professional career began as a freelance editor in 2007. She's the former president of her local California Writers Club after spending several years as the Critique Director.

Since her first novel, she's explored different writing genres and created a loyal group of fans who eagerly await her upcoming release. With numerous awards to her name, Clarissa continues to honor the role of storyteller.

Aside from the writing community, she and her daughters founded Kind Girls Make Strong Women to help undervalued nonprofit organizations—from reuniting children with families to giving Junior Olympic athletes their shot at success.

She lives in the agricultural belly of California with her family and farm of horses, chickens, dogs and kittens aplenty.


~ Facebook ~ Website ~
~ Blog ~ Instagram ~


Snippet #2
The cold night air nipped at my skin, the temperature falling as we inched closer to the holidays. Stephen had tried once more to convince me to
stay home but I owed my mother—and myself—some answers. An army of silk dresses and black tuxedoes made their way up the two-prong staircase of the Stanford mansion. Earlier, Stephen had told me that Leland Stanford built the mansion in Sacramento years before he built the university in Palo Alto. I’d almost told Stephen that I had no memory of Leland, only his wife, Jane—an impossible idea. The Stanfords were buried a century before my birth.








To view our blog schedule and follow along with this tour visit our Official Event page 



Sunday, August 2, 2020

It Started in Budapest (Romance on the Orient Express-Book One) By Julie Daines

Product Details

  • Title: It Started in Budapest
  • Author: Julie Daines
  • Series: Romance on the Orient Express-Book One)
  • Genre: Historical Romance
  • File Size: 1542 KB
  • Print Length: 177 pages
  • Publisher: Covenant Communications (August 10, 2020)
  • Publication Date: August 10, 2020
  • Sold by: Amazon.com Services LLC
  • Language: English
  • ASIN: B08BJGNB5W
***I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy from the publisher. All opinions are my own*** 


Book Summary
Molly Cooper is haunted by one simple fact: it is her fault her twin brother, Matthew, has spent his life trapped in a frail body while she has thrived. Deep in her heart, she knows he can’t hold on much longer . . .

In her desperation to save her brother, Molly finds inspiration in an unlikely source: the newly published novel Dracula. When her family embarks on the Orient Express to seek treatment for Matthew in Bulgaria, Molly is prepared to set her plan in motion: she will sneak away from her parents and journey alone to Transylvania, where she will seek a vampire, whose blood can make her brother immortal. Molly’s rash plan is going flawlessly—until she encounters Percy Hunt, a handsome American traveler running from the shadows of his own past. When he discovers Molly’s plan, Percy’s concern for the naive young woman leaves him no choice but to accompany her on her strange quest. But neither Percy nor Molly is prepared for the feelings that quickly grow between them or for the death-defying escapade that awaits.

My Review
I was very excited when I first heard about this new series named "Romance on the Orient Express". The first book is, 'It Started in Budapest' by Author Julie Daines. This book has many nuances from a story of family love and loyalty, a budding romance when Molly meets a handsome and interesting man, to a Gothic tale of Molly looking for a vampire amongst many shady characters.

Molly is young and naive and makes many blunders along the way, even though she has a good heart. Her twin brother Matthew is in very ill health and Molly will do anything to help him. So after reading Dracula, she knows she needs to go to Transylvania to find a vampire to save her brother. This book has mystical qualities to it that I found at times kept the plot moving forward; from the man dressed in black on the train and to the things that happened after Molly told a story. I really liked the character Percy Hunt who was kind, caring, and saved Molly throughout the story. There is a part in the last 3/4 of the book that made me a little crazy. I was doing some shouting at Molly and it did show her innocence in some of the decisions she made. Overall, I did really like the ending of this story and how Molly learned a lot about herself. It will be fun to read the next romance on the Orient Express.

Rating: 3.5 Stars (I Liked It)
 
Special Pre-Order Kindle Price:  

#PREORDER your ebook copy TODAY!
 

Only $3.99 each on Amazon until August 10th!

▶️ It Started in Budapest amzn.to/2AIhayG
▶️ Wrong Train to Paris amzn.to/3gw6Vwu


Meet Author Julie Daines
Julie Daines is an award-winning and best-selling author. She was born in Concord, Massachusetts, and was raised in Utah. She spent eighteen months living in London, where she studied and fell in love with English literature, sticky toffee pudding, and the mysterious guy who ran the kebab store around the corner.

She loves reading, writing, and watching movies--anything that transports her to another world. She picks Captain Wentworth over Mr. Darcy, firmly believes in second breakfast, and never leaves home without her vervain.


 Learn more about Julie and her books at her website HERE: http://www.juliedaines.com/