Mercy Come Morning by Lisa Bergren

This is a great story of a the forgiveness a daughter can have towards her mother after years of pain and suffering. In the story, thirty-something Krista comes home to the Southwest to care for her dying mother who has suffered from Alzheimer's for decades. While spending time at her mother's side, she discovers things about her mother that she never knew and learns more about why their relationship had been so difficult. 


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

Me gusta Sisterchicks in Sombreros by Robin Jones Gunn

This is a great book about the relationship between two sisters and an adventure of a lifetime.  It's a great beach read, light and easy but thought-provoking.  It's a great piece of women's fiction that shows how God can work in our lives when we least expect it.  Reading it made me want to take a cruise to Mexico someday with my girlfriends.

Restless in Carolina by Tamara Leigh

Restless in Carolina tells the story of thirty-something Bridget Pickwick Buchanan who is still deeply grieving the loss of her husband four years ago.  From a well-established family in the south, she is something of a wild flower in a field of lilies; just as beautiful but sticks out.  Due to financial troubles and the desire of her uncle to pay retribution for a long-standing dispute with another family, the family estate needs to be sold. Her love of nature and environmentalist beliefs cause her to seek out a buyer for the estate who has earth-friendly plans for development.  

Enter J.C. Dirk, the developer Bridget is seeking.  His plans seem acceptable and his price is right but is it too good to be true?  Is everything as it seems?  Can Bridget learn to trust God to take care of her after seemingly ignoring her request to heal her husband?

This book is a great summer read.  It is very entertaining, mildly thought-provoking, and easy to read.  Although it was a little predictable, I still enjoy the way the author unfolded the plot.  She depicts Bridget as an authentic person who is struggling with her faith in God.  If you are looking for a good piece of chick-lit, this book is for you.

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

Regret Free Parenting by Catherine Hickem, LCSW

Regret Free Parenting is about the fears and challenges of motherhood and how we can correct some of our biggest mistakes before it is too late. In this book, Hickem teaches how to figure out what matters to you as a mother and how to instill that in your children in an effective way. She touches on subjects such as your purpose as a mother, knowing and affirming your child, and developing emotional intelligence. She also discusses children's respect for their mother, addressing your fears as a mother, and most importantly being dependent on God.

I found this book very interesting and helpful. It prompted me to thoughtfully consider how I'm parenting my pre-schoolers. Her biggest point was to be intentional, which is something I needed to hear. It caused me to stop and make a point to change how I raise my kids. She does a great job of getting her message across without being condescending or preachy. She fills the book with stories to help illustrate her points, which kept my attention. Typically, I have a difficult time reading non-fiction but this book was different from some others I have tried. I appreciate that she emphasizes the importance of a relationship with God as you parent your child and introducing them to God as well.

**I received a complimentary copy of this book from BookSneeze for this review.

Tandem - Runner Up to its prequel

Tandem is the sequel to Bateman's Thirsty, which I found to make an interesting parallel between an alcoholic addiction and the desire/need for human blood for a vampire. Normally, I wouldn't consider a book about vampires but Thirsty intrigued me. Since I enjoyed it so much I decided to check out Tandem.
While Bateman has proven herself a creative writer with a talent for creating deep and full characters, I was disappointed in this book. The storyline was interesting and entertaining to read. I enjoyed the characters and setting very much. My disappointment lies in the weakness of the analogy in this book. I think it was so strong and obvious to me in the first book that I just couldn't get past that in this one.

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

Sisterchicks in Wooden Shoes

If you are looking for a fun, easy-to-read story about lifelong friends who have never met face-to-face, this book is for you. The eighth book in the Sisterchicks series begins with Summer whose "abnormal" medical test spurs her to finally meet her friend, Noelle, who has been her pen pal since fourth grade and lives in the Netherlands. Summer flies across the Atlantic to spend a week with her long-time friend.

Gunn does a fantastic job of describing the scenery and helping me to understand the differences in culture. She develops the characters nicely and made me feel like I knew them personally and that I was right there with them sharing their adventures. Her description of Corrie Ten Boom's hiding place made me want to go there someday. Gunn has a way of incorporating beautiful historical facts and places in her books and this one is not lacking. This is a great book that is insightful and caused me to reflect on my own life. It is a relaxing read that won't take a long time. Gunn's books always leave me wanting to read the next one.

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

Secrets by Kristen Heitzmann

I've read this book a couple of times because I like it so much.  The story is great and the characters are interesting.  I think Lance is the most interesting character.  I wish I knew a real-life version of him or his grandmother, Antonia.  I would love to know someone who could fix authentic italian food the way they  do.  My family doesn't do much ethnic cooking and I envy families that are rich in their heritage, even if they are fictional.