Aloha Rose by Lisa Carter

Disclosure: I received a free complimentary copy of this book for the purpose of writing a review.  This however did not affect my positive or negative opinion about the book.

Aloha Rose.  The story of adoption was beautiful.  I loved how Laney who was adopted was reunited with her family in Hawaii.  Though a bit skeptical, unsure of herself or her feelings, she warms up as the story of her birth mother unfolds through the beautiful dancing of her grandmother.  The quilt in which she was wrapped as a baby are dear to her birth family and a matter of tradition and love.  As Laney opens up her heart one can be moved by her emotions and can relate to the shock of meeting a family one never knew to love.  The descriptions of Hawaii were beautiful and was easily pictured in my mind.

On a secondary note I had thought the story moved a bit too fast to develop the characters and the relationship between each other.  The love between Laney and Kai I felt was rushed.  Though I did enjoy the comical moments between Laney and Kai, I felt that their relationship was still shallow. I would have loved to have more of a developed story between Laney's Hawaiian family for I feel the characters are delightful and have so much more to offer.  There was a lot going on in the book that could have been either left out. Not one of my favorites in the Quilts of Love Series.  

Purchase a copy here.

Learn more at the Quilts of Love website.

The Christmas Quilt by Chapman (Book Review)

Disclosure: I received a free complimentary copy of this book for the purpose of writing a review.  This however did not affect my positive or negative opinion about the book.

Book Review:

The Christmas Quilt was truly moving.  As two friends work on a quilt a story develops focusing on the Fruits of the Spirit.  To distract and ease the nervousness of giving birth to twins, Leah asks her friend, Annie, to tell her stories since she is good about telling stories.  Most quilts have a story behind it, and the stories told unfold will move one’s heart as each demonstrates the Love of God behind each fruit of the Spirit.  A number of characters tell a story throughout the book, and from each story told, I find myself either in tears or held captive.  I love the beauty of God’s work and plan as he works through the lives of the Amish people to bless Leah. 

Though not  usually a fan of Amish fiction, this one truly was a delight to read, and would love more types of books like this from Chapman.  

Purchase a copy here.

Learn more at the Quilts of Love website.

The Dancing Master Giveaway and Book Tour

Best-selling author Julie Klassen will be hosting a Kindle Fire HDX giveaway and a live webcast event (1/23) to celebrate the release of her latest novel, The Dancing Master. Enter and RSVP today!

 
  One winner will receive:

• A Kindle Fire HDX
• The Dancing Master by Julie Klassen

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on January 23rd. Winner will be announced at the "All Things Jane (from Austen to Eyre)" Live Webcast Event on January 23rd. Connect with Julie for an evening of book chat, trivia, laughter, and more! Julie will also be taking questions from the audience and giving away books, Jane Austen DVDs, fun "Jane" merchandise, and gift certificates throughout the evening.

So grab your copy of The Dancing Master and join Julie and friends on the evening of January 23rd for a chance to connect and make some new friends. (If you haven't read the book, don't let that stop you from coming!)

Don't miss a moment of the fun; RSVP today by signing up for a reminder. Tell your friends via FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning. Hope to see you on the 23rd!

The Painted Table Giveaway and Book Tour

Suzanne Field is celebrating her novel The Painted Table with a beautiful hand-painted table giveaway!

One winner will receive:

• A beautiful hand-painted table (see it here: http://etsy.me/15L90cD)
• The Painted Table by Suzanne Field

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on January 18th. Winner will be announced January 20th on Thomas Nelson's Facebook Page.

Don't miss a moment of the fun; enter today and be sure to stop by the TNZ Facebook Page on the 20th to see if you won.

Book Review: The Painted Table by Suzanne Field

Disclosure: I have been given a free review copy of the book for the sole purpose of writing a review. This has in now way affected my opinion of the book. The review of the book is solely mine and in my own words.

A Little Summary of the book:
The Painted Table depicts a story of a young child, Joann, who grows up with a painful past. In the midst of nine children, she misses the lack of the caresses and attention of a mother. Joann in the midst of trauma finds refuge under their table, passed down from generation to generation. Hidden and protected beneath it, she views the world around her. Finding solace, comfort and peace it is her refuge. As a child she overhears and sees things, that were not meant for her beneath this table. Traumatic events and happenings intertwine themselves as dark memories stored down deep in her mind. As an adult she inherits that same table she took refuge under, but now it has become nothing more than a reminder of all of the dark and forboding past. In an effort to bury the past behind her she begins to paint the table.

Watching Joann are her two daughters Saffe and April. As Joann tries to cover up her past with paint, she unknowingly traumatizes them with her disturbing behavior and childhood fears. It seems that her mother's past though gone, has come to haunt Saffe in a different way.
My Review:
At the beginning of this book, I was unsure whether or not I would enjoy this book. The more I read I felt the misery of Joann and Saffe her daughter. I felt the pains and stings of heart break and yearning. Not to mention the brunt fears they faced and ache of absence of father and mother.  Author Suzanne Fields captures the emotions the main characters feel so well that I wondered if I wanted to read on!  But I kept reading, and began seeing glimpses of hope and redemption for the characters (and me!).  The manner in which each character feels things deeply draws a reader in...I love this element.  By the middle and end of the book, I was glad to have not been discouraged by the really sad happenings that set the book into play.

The characters are quite memorable. The parts they play in this book remarkable and relatable. I have to say relatable for at some instances the characters seemed to have conversations and situations that hit close to home. I love seeing them grow into becoming who they are at the end of the book. I am so thankful to have read the Painted Table, for I believe that everyone may find ways in which to grow, become whole, and deal with their own painted table.
 
 This book is quite interesting and I have to admit in some places the tone was scary and dark. The mind can be a dark place, and author Suzanne Field captures the downward spiral of Joann's life quite well. Yet at the same time, I find the contrast of dark to light quite riveting and emotional. Somewhere in the plot, a switch is turned on in Joann's oldest daughter, Sapphire (Sapphe). The whispered promise of a different life, sparks a small ember of light in her heart. I as a reader welcomed the drastic difference from beginning to the ending of the book. And Author Field has a wonderful ending to it, that I was not prepared for. I simply loved it.

Conclusion and Final Thoughts
Personally, this was a book that I would not have picked out for myself; as I am not fond of dealing with psychological characters. But I am glad to have read this book. You cannot judge a book by its cover or in my case its back cover writing. I simply recommend this book in spite of my inclination to avoid matters of psychosis. By the end of this book I am left with a new found interest in the challenge of having a more positive mindset and not minding the "trivial" things in life.

Book Info

About the book: A beautiful heirloom ingrained with family memory has become a totem of a life Saffee would rather forget---a childhood disrupted by her mother's mental illness. Saffee does not want the table. By the time she inherits the object of her mother's obsession, the surface is thick with haphazard layers of paint, and heavy with unsettling memories. After a childhood spent watching her mother slide steadily into insanity, painting and re-painting the ancient table, Saffee has come to fear that seeds of psychosis may lie dormant within her. But as an adult with a family of her own, Saffee must confront her mother's torment if she wants to defend herself against it. Traversing four generations over the course of a century, The Painted Table is an epic portrait of inherited memory, proclivity, and guilt. It is a sprawling narrative affirmation that a family artifact---like a family member---can bear the marks of one's entire past . . . as well as intimations of one's redemption. Purchase your copy: http://ow.ly/rIosh About the author: Suzanne Field, a graduate of the University of Minnesota, has taught English as a Second Language in China, Ukraine, and Hawaii. She has also been a magazine editor and home-school teacher. She and her husband have five children and divide their time between Kansas and Hawaii where she is a tutor and mentor. Learn more about Suzanne at: https://www.facebook.com/SuzanneFieldThePaintedTable

Excellent Natural Soap: Dr. Woods

Disclosure:  I was sent a free sample of the product for the sole purpose of writing a review.  All opinions are my own and are my honest opinion.  I was not compensated in any other way.

We all need a break from daily chores, worry and lifes ever present pressures. Our Coconut Milk Soap blends coconut milk, papaya and vanilla beans to relax your senses, all the while enriching your skin with organic shea butter and Vitamin E.Use Dr. Woods Coconut Milk Shea Butter Soap for a much deserved getaway that better prepares you for tomorrow. (Description)

For a month now, I have been using Dr. Woods Coconut Milk Soap.  I have grown quite fond of taking showers and baths.  As a mom, "getaways" and spa treatment are wonderful, but I do not always get the opportunity to get away.  But having something as indulgent as Coconut Milk Shea Butter Soap on hand with its silky smooth lather and light scents made me feel like I was getting away to a spa.  Dr. Woods Soap was definitely a treat for me.

Long Lasting.  With Natural Soap I usually run into the problem of the soap "melting" way too fast.  I happily found to my satisfaction that this soap can be labled as "Long Lasting".  One bar of soap lasted me about a month--I shower maybe three to four times a week.  (Plus usage with my toddler).

Gentle on sensitive skin.  I have itchy sensitive skin, and in my personal experience I felt that Dr. Woods Coconut Milk soap did a great job in calming my irritated skin.  With a rich creamy lather, I felt that this soap both cleaned and kept my skin moisturized.  The scent was light and not overpowering.  Personally I am not too fond of overpowering scents just because I am cautious about my sensitive skin.  So I had thought that Coconut Milk Soap was perfect for my tastes.

I used this product not only on myself but my daughter.  I have been searching for a product that would be perfect for the both of us.  Dr. Woods Soap seems to cut it perfectly.  For example of how much I trust this product to be great for sensitive skin:  Recently, my daughter broke out in hives.  She was miserable.  To help relieve the inflamed skin, I gave her a quick shower using the Coconut Milk Soap.  I did not dare try using any of the kids' soap we had on hand for I knew those kids' soaps contained SLS.  However with the natural ingredients in Dr. Woods Soap, I was confident in using it to help moisturize and soothe her skin.

Overall Dr. Woods Soap is a great product.
I would recommend it for those looking for a natural soap free from parabens and SLS.  I do plan on getting more of Dr. Woods Soap for our household.  It may be a splurge, but one that I say is worth it.

Places to Visit:

• Dr. Woods Blog and Website for information and other products they offer!
• Dr. Woods Facebook 
• Dr. Woods on Twitter
• I have found you can purchase this soap on Amazon: