Tuesday, December 3, 2013

Sound of Music LIVE

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One of my favorite movies growing up was the Sound of Music. Way back in the day {before we had DVDs to pull out and watch at any time}, I remember waiting for Julie Andrews to sing her heart out each year via our tiny television set. Our family now owns the Sound of Music on DVD and has watched it a few times, but I am SO very excited to see that NBC will be showing a LIVE version of The Sound of Music!
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Thursday, December 5th at 8/7c, you can catch this 3 hour version of the stage production of The Sound of Music on your local NBC channel. This isn’t a remake of the movie {for those of you die-hard Julie Andrew fans}, but a full-scale musical based on the original Broadway musical. Carrie Underwood will be performing the leading role of Maria, and the characters boast many Broadway performers.
This is one tv production that I am truly excited to watch with the kids - LIVE, no less - and know that it will be family friendly. Do you have fond memories of the old Sound of Music movie growing up? Think you’ll be tuning in to watch this?

Friday, November 15, 2013

Unspoken by Dee Henderson {Book Review}

This post may contain affiliate or advertiser links. Read my full disclosure policy here.

http://distilleryimage5.ak.instagram.com/935f1c8835df11e3b96122000a1fc5c9_8.jpgBryce Bishop runs a successful coin store, and when Charlotte Graham offers him first refusal of a massive coin collection that she has acquired from her grandfather’s estate. Bryce is intrigued not only by the coins, but by the circumstances surrounding the offer.

Charlotte is a very quiet and guarded. Years ago she was the victim of a kidnapping, and though eventually found and rescued, she has never spoken of the events that happened in the years she was missing. Reliving the events proves painful and no one has been let into that traumatic time in her life.

Despite her cautiousness, the story of her kidnapping is being told through the words of a reporter. Charlotte has to decide if she should break her silence or continue to push back the memories that haunt her. In the midst of it all, she struggles to close out her grandfather’s estate and hold on to her guarded life, while so much around her is no longer the quiet life she desires.

The kidnapping story opens up old wounds, but also causes questions to be raised in another crime that was committed during the same time. Charlotte is put in a position of needing to confront her past and possibly shed light on the situation, but will that vulnerability come with too high a price or is it better to leave some things unspoken?

My Thoughts on Unspoken

As with all of the other books I’ve read by Dee Henderson, Unspoken was one that I loved. While not a part of a series, there are characters that pop up from time to time from her other novels - which is fun for fans, but doesn’t lose any meaning for new readers who are picking up the book to read as a stand alone. Meeting and getting to know new characters is always fun, especially when the author does a wonderful job making them come to life on the page. Unspoken does pull in a few of the characters from Full Disclosure as they put together pieces from an unsolved murder years prior as more of Charlotte’s past comes to light.

The relationship between Bryce and Charlotte was slow to develop in some ways, mainly because of her past history and the issues surrounding her kidnapping. But - it was sweet to watch it unfold throughout the pages. While there is so much more that I could say about it, I do love the way that Henderson handled the decisions they made together. {Really, if I said more, it would spoil some things!}

The job Bryce holds as a coin dealer was interesting, although I have to admit that I was floored at the unlimited amount of funding that he seemed to have at his disposal to purchase the coin lots from Charlotte. I’m sure there is a huge market for coins, and it does make me curious to know more about it, but at times my eyes may have glassed over a bit at the description of the rare coins. It’s something I would like to see in person to truly grasp the magnitude of the collection.

Unspoken is a hefty 400+ page suspense novel that takes a little bit more to get into, but once started, it is hard to put down. Just be warned - you may find yourself curled up in a cozy spot and immune to the demands of your family. Overall, the story is one that is filled with the themes of restoration, healing, and patience - and one that I would recommend. 

Find Out More

You can pick up a copy of Unspoken by Dee Henderson via Amazon in either paperback or Kindle. Be sure to visit Dee Henderson's website as well.

 

This book was provided for review by Bethany House. All opinions expressed in this review are solely my own.

Friday, September 13, 2013

Stranded by Dani Pettrey {Book Review}

This post may contain affiliate or advertiser links. Read my full disclosure policy here.

imageDarcy St. James just wanted to help out a friend with an undercover story. She knew it sounded ‘big’, but had no idea that same friend would go missing without a trace mere hours after her arrival on the cruise ship. None of the staff on board the ship is aware that Darcy is really a reporter, and everything surrounding the disappearance leaves Darcy with so many questions to ask - and no concrete answers from anyone.

One of the last people Darcy expected to see on her undercover trip was Gage McKenna. His family has been hired to lead several of the excursions the cruise ship offers, and he is not happy to see Darcy on board the ship. He believes she is sticking her nose into something that isn’t a problem and hopes her digging doesn’t lead to a loss of business for the family.

Their past relationship of butting heads continues to get in the way, but the more time they spend together, the more suspicious the disappearance of her friend seems. Pieces of the mystery are not fitting together and more oddities keep popping up - some with harmful results. Fearing for Darcy’s safety, Gage and his family and friends attempt to help Darcy uncover the mysterious happenings onboard and off the cruise ship - but will they remain safe in the process?

My Thoughts on Stranded and Dani Pettrey

A good suspense book is hard to put down, and Stranded by Dani Pettrey is a book that falls into that category. Years ago, I began reading the O’Malley series by Dee Henderson and didn’t think that I would find another that equaled it in writing style and character development.

Thank you, Dani Pettrey for providing that series for me. {I’m sure it was just for me, a fellow homeschool mom - right?}.

Filled with suspense and an undercurrent of romance, Stranded {and the other books in the Alaskan Courage series} will keep readers engaged, glued to their books, and anxious for the next installment. Stranded can be read as a stand-alone novel, but you will want to dive into the small Alaskan town of Yancey and meet everyone there. Be sure to block off a chunk of time once the book arrives though. You won’t want to put it down!

You can pick up Stranded, book 3 in the Alaskan Adventure series by Dani Pettrey, from Amazon. While you’re there, you may also want to add Submerged and Shattered to your cart too - you’re going to want them {trust me}.

Enter the Alaskan Adventures Sweepstakes

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To celebrate the release of Stranded, Dani Pettrey and Bethany House are hosting the Alaskan Adventures sweepstakes, with over $600 in prizes to be awarded! Entries will be accepted until September 20, 2013, so head over now to enter.

 

This book was provided for review by Bethany House. All opinions expressed are my own.

Tuesday, August 27, 2013

Apple Crisp with Zucchini Instead of Apples

This post may contain affiliate or advertiser links. Read my full disclosure policy here.

Apple Crisp with Zucchini

Yes, you read that right. Apple Crisp without apples. Instead, you can use the plethora of zucchini that the garden seems to be putting out this time of year.

And your family won’t be able to tell the difference. Trust me.

You may even decide to grab all that extra zucchini that others are trying to unload. But don’t take my word for it - just try it and see!

Ingredients for Zucchini {not Apple} Crisp

  • 8 cups of diced zucchini
  • 3/4 cup lemon juice
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 3 tsp. cinnamon, divided
  • 1/4 tsp. nutmeg
  • 1 cup rolled oats
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup flour
  • 1 stick butter

Directions

  1. Peel zucchini and dice into small bite-sized pieces. Put in frying pan and add lemon juice and cinnamon. Bring to low boil over medium high heat and let simmer for 20 minutes or until zucchini pieces are tender. Add 1/2 cup of sugar. Stir well until sugar is dissolved.
  2. Put zucchini mixture into the bottom of a 9x13 casserole dish.
  3. Mix oats, brown sugar, flour, a teaspoon of cinnamon, and nutmeg together. Cut in the stick of butter until the mixture is well blended into small crumbs.
  4. Sprinkle topping mixture over zucchini and bake at 375 for 30-40 minutes, until the filling is bubbly and the topping is melted.
  5. Serve with ice cream and enjoy!

Tuesday, August 20, 2013

Stealing the Preacher by Karen Witenmeyer {Book Review}

This post may contain affiliate or advertiser links. Read my full disclosure policy here.

imageJoanna Robbins loves God and has been praying for a preacher to revive the small church in her community. Her father is a reformed stagecoach robber who wants little to do with God, but wants more than anything to make his daughter happy.

So he decides to hold up a train and steal the preacher on board.

Crockett Archer is on his way to interview for a pastoral position when his train is stopped and robbed - with him as the ‘prize’ needed. He isn’t happy being held hostage and wants desperately to escape, but the redhead at the end of his journey is nothing short of intriguing.

Although Joanna explains her plight to Crockett, he continues on to his interview. Getting her off his mind is no small task though. Now he needs to figure out if his kidnapping was all a part of a bigger plan that God had in mind for him - one that includes a young lady named Joanna.

My Thoughts

Although the obvious storyline in Stealing the Preacher revolves around the developing romance between Joanna and Crockett, the underlying story of Joanna’s father was equally as wonderful. With a past that involves running from the law and a man determined to keep it all hidden, the growth in his character is so fun to watch - humorous at times and touching at others.

Joanna was such an amazingly sweet character to ‘meet’ and I had completely forgotten about Crockett, one of the Archer brothers from Witemeyer’s book Short Straw Bride. It was SO much fun reading his story as well. 

Karen Witemeyer is an author that I know I will always enjoy, no matter the book. Stealing the Preacher proved to be another wonderful addition to her list of books.

Find Out More

Stealing the Preacher is available in both paperback and Kindle format from Bethany House. See all of her available books on the Bethany House website.

 

This book was provided for review by Bethany House. All opinions expressed in this review are solely my own.

Wednesday, August 7, 2013

Earn FREE Books from Tyndale

This post may contain affiliate or advertiser links. Read my full disclosure policy here.

Tyndale Rewards Program 

Who likes free books? I know I do! If you love sharing via Facebook and other social media outlets, you need to check out the all new Tyndale Rewards program.

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It is super easy to join and earn points. I’m already having fun earning points toward free products. I happen to know a little girl who wants a ‘real’ Bible as she calls it {grins}. I’m thinking one of the above Bibles would be perfect for her!

Incentives in the program include a free gift on your birthday, chances to share your recommendations on products, and free books in the areas of fiction, Bibles, parenting, youth, non-fiction, and audio books. Earn points as quickly as you would like and earn products for ZERO dollars. That’s a great number, isn’t it?

Tyndale even put together a fun video to give you the basic overview of the program.

Additional ways to earn points in the program including:

  • taking a survey
  • subscribing to a devotional or newsletter
  • joining a focus group
  • joining the birthday club
  • reviewing a Tyndale product
  • sharing the rewards program via social media

Joining the rewards program is easy. Just follow this link and sign up for free today!

Emealz - Easy Meals for Busy People!
 

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