When I received my review copy of Winter in Full Bloom, I didn’t realize how much this book would strike home for me.  You see, the book is about a woman whose family life gets turned all upside down and she has to sort through the pieces to arrange the puzzle again.  Everyone has family issues at one point or another; it’s just that my family issues happened to occur when I was reading this book.  This book about reconnecting with family members was a dose of irony for me.

Winter in Full Bloom tells the story of very likable characters.  Each of them has a strong personality, so I halfway expected there to be a lot more clashing than there was.  The dialogue, plentifully dished out in the novel, felt very realistic.  Ironically, the cover seems completely off base to me.  For some reason the cover image makes me expect to read about a nineteenth century spinster looking for a husband in the winter of her life.  Right???  It is truly a beautiful cover but unfortunately is so misleading.  Instead, the story is deep and scarred like the bitter family divide that Lily has experienced.  [Read more…]

Fast food fries somehow taste better when the windows are rolled down, don’t they?  If you are aching for a good road trip but don’t have the time or funds, consider this giveaway hop your ticket to the big wide world.  Welcome to the Summer Road Trip giveaway hop!   In this hop, hosted by The Starry-Eyed Revue, you’ll find all kinds of books about grand adventures.  In our giveaway, you can also escape the summertime heat since we’re giving away a copy of Winter in Full Bloom by Anita Higman.  I received a copy of this book to review.  The giveaway winner will receive a brand new copy, valued at $14.99.

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Where God Finds You by Anita Higman is a book that really spoke to my heart.  Each chapter is only a few pages long, so it was easy to incorporate into my daily reading.  There are 40 Biblical stories that bring Biblical characters to life.   Some of these characters are unnamed in the Bible, such as the woman who touches Jesus’ cloak, yet their personal stories are completely reflective of their lives.  Higman makes the story relevant to today’s reader by adding a personal note at the end of each chapter.   Take the time to respond to the discussion questions.  Like my students, I want to skip over the “think about it” questions because I don’t want to take the time to internalize the message.   Don’t make that mistake with this book. These questions are the delectable dessert at the end of a wonderful meal.   The most important part of this devotional is the take-home thought, realizing that the message DOES apply to me. [Read more…]

Yes, A Merry Little Christmas is every bit as quaint as it sounds.  It’s even a small giftable hardback book with a red ribbon motif on the dust jacket.  Adorable!

When I signed up for this book tour, I didn’t think about the fact that I’d be receiving the book in October.  Since it’s not even Halloween yet, it was hard to think of holiday scenes.  Still, I persevered and was rewarded.  The characters don’t seem to fit together at first.  I wasn’t sure how it was all going to play out in the end. That’s kind of the beauty of the holidays, I guess……things sometimes seem like they won’t work out but somehow it always does.    A Merry Little Christmas is just one of those stories that you’ve gotta read while snuggled in a warm blanket and sipping a cup of hot tea.  It’s small enough to finish in one sitting, yet filling enough to keep you smiling the rest of the day.  How’s that for a good book?

And here’s something else to get you into the holiday spirit——Author Anita Higman spread Christmas cheer by giving away FIFTEEN COPIES of the book.

If you didn’t get a chance to win, be sure to check back on Savings in Seconds for lots of chances to win giveaways like this!