book review: "a marriage in middlebury" by anita higman

"Charlotte Rose Hill enjoys a comfortable life serving up country delicacies, uniquely blended teas, and matchmaking advice for her quirky, devoted customers. The only thing lacking is someone to share it with. 

At eighteen she denied Sam Wilder's marriage proposal after his family convinced her to walk away from their relationship. They both moved on...or so she thought. When Sam walks back into her life more than a decade later, Charlotte is surprised that her heart still quickens. But is it because of his presence? Or because of the presence of Sam's new fiancee?

A second chance at love doesn't happen often, but their past may keep them apart. Is it too late for Sam and Charlotte?"

I always like books set in a small town. I love how quaint the town is - I secretly want to live in such a place someday :) It didn't take me long to get pulled into the story, wondering if Charlotte and Sam would have a second chance to be together. I thought all of the characters to be charming - especially quirky Cricket. My heart broke over Obie and his story. And I really liked the final scene being Sam and Charlotte on the bridge - the same place where he proposed ten years before. I finished the book with a smile - my indicator of a good book! Overall, a fun, easy read. 

I received a copy of this book from Litfuse Publicity for my honest review.

book review: "dear mr. knightley" by katherine reay

A book of letters. Dear Mr. Knightley is a book of letters from Samantha to the man responsible for funding her way through journalism school. I wasn't sure I would like a book in this format but oh, I did. Even though the story is told through these letters, Samantha includes dialogue and specific moments. And then she meets Alex Powell. Their game of quoting lines from stories made me smile because I do the same thing sometimes. I couldn't help but be pulled in to Sam and her struggle to make it as I read these letters. She told Mr. Knightley she was able to be honest with him because she didn't know who he was. So she shared about her past, revealing parts of her no one else knew about. She shared her disappointment when she was about to be kicked out of the program because she wasn't giving her best to the writing assignments and then her excitement and hesitancy when she finally wrote the piece that changed everything. And what made me love the story all the more is the final page of the book. Sam quotes not from Pride and Prejudice the book but from the movie and it just happens to be one of my favorite lines in the movie: "It was a 'completely, perfectly, and incandescently happy' moment," she said." Dear Mr. Knightley is a great read. You go on this journey with Sam as she discovers herself as a writer and who she finds when she finally stops running.

I received a copy of this book from Litfuse Publicity for my honest review. You can read other reviews in the tour by clicking here.

Debut author Katherine Reay is celebrating the release of her delightful novel, Dear Mr. Knightley, with a Kindle Fire HDX giveaway, a fun Favorite Austen Moments Pinterest contest, and an Austen-themed Facebook Party.

  One winner will receive:

• A Kindle Fire HDX
• Dear Mr. Knightley by Katherine Reay
• Handmade Austen-themed items (scarf, mug, bracelet, and necklace) 

Two ways to win! Enter today by clicking one of the icons below or participating in the Pinterest contest (see banner below)—or BOTH! 

But hurry, the giveaway ends on December 3rd. Winner will be announced at the "Dear Mr. Knightley" Austen-themed Facebook Author Chat Party on the 3rd. Join Katherine (and Austen fans) for an evening of book chat, prizes, and an exclusive look at Katherine's next book.

So grab your copy of  Dear Mr. Knightley and join Katherine on the evening of December 3rd 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 clicking JOIN at the event page. Spread the word—tell your friends about the giveaway and party via FACEBOOK, TWITTER, or PINTEREST. Hope to see you on the 3rd!

 

recipe: bacon appetizers

I made these earlier this week and they were everything Pioneer Woman said they would be! I made a practice batch last weekend and decided when I made them again, I would make a pan of the brown sugar ones as well. Oh, it was fun to hear the conversations surrounding these three-ingredient wonders. "I can't eat any more. I've had five!" "I've had seven!" was the reply from someone else. I love how incredibly easy these are and they smell absolutely amazing as they bake. I wonder what it might taste like to add sliced ham to the brown sugar ones? Something I might try next time. And unlike other recipes, I didn't have to do much after sticking them into the oven. There wasn't additional stirring or flipping or anything - though I did check on them after about an hour. Super easy and super tasty! You can also see Pioneer Woman's photo-by-photo instructions by clicking here. 

What you need:

- Club crackers

- thinly sliced bacon (bacon will be cut in half; one half wrapped around a cracker) 

- grated Parmesan cheese

What to do:

"Lay crackers (as many as you want) face up on a cookie sheet. Scoop about 1 teaspoon of grated Parmesan cheese onto each cracker. Cut your package of bacon in half (or cut pieces individually) and carefully, so the cheese doesn’t fall off, wrap each cheese covered cracker in one half piece of bacon, completely covering the cracker. It should fit snugly around the cracker. Place the bacon wrapped crackers onto a baking sheet that has a rack on it. Place in a 250-degree oven for about 2 hours."

 

book review: "the girl's still got it" by liz curtis higgs

"Walk with Ruth as she travels from Moab to Bethlehem, certain of her calling, yet uncertain of her future. Hold Naomi's hand and watch love put the pieces of her broken life back together. And hang out with Boaz, their kinsman-redeemer, who blesses both women and honors God, big time."

I really enjoyed this book! The story of Ruth is one of my favorites and Liz did an amazing job of pulling out things I'd never noticed before and giving such detail to things that oh my, I now see Ruth and Boaz as this beautiful love story! She brought their story to life for me. I love the way God weaves things together. I had forgotten Boaz's mother was Rahab - a fact Liz brings up when talking about how both women left their homeland, choosing to follow God. I now see Ruth's boldness and obedience as she went to Boaz at the threshing floor and the way Boaz provided for Ruth, long before the threshing floor scene. Boaz is a rare find. "A Boaz is a man of emotional and spiritual maturity who comes into your life during a period when you most need him and helps you see the worth you already possess." Boaz is an example of Jesus, our Redeemer. Liz writes in such a way to draw you in, making this a great read!

I received a copy of this book from Waterbrook Multnomah for my honest review.

 

october 16

Today is an exciting day. It's my birthday! I'm excited because of everything a birthday stands for. It's a special day every person gets once a year; like a personal "new year." I'm looking forward to what this year holds and it's going to be good! Life never seems to unfold like we plan but God is guiding me, step by step. My job is going well and through the job change I went through this summer, I've rediscovered the passion I have for my career. I'm working on some job-things that though are still only in the planning stages now, I'm super pumped about as I continue to work out the details. I'm slowly but surely pursuing my mission statement and it's fall! Fall is my absolute favorite season. I love the colors and all of the great fall smells! So having my birthday occur during this fabulous month is perfect. I'm super busy right now but I know I'm exactly where I'm supposed to be and that's an awesome feeling :)

 

diy: duck tape container

Duck Tape is very inspiring :) I made a clipboard last month and as I was about to throw away a Gatorade container, thought "Wait! I can use this!" So I grabbed my roll of mustache Duck Tape and got to work. I added a little pop of color by hot gluing ribbon along the top and bottom. And in less than thirty minutes, I had myself a super cute container! 

 

"grace unplugged" giveaway

I was super excited to get an email from PartnersHub, asking if I wanted to give away some great stuff in relation to the new movie Grace Unplugged! So here's what you can win:

• Grace Unplugged Soundtrack CD      - Songs by TobyMac, AJ Michalka, Chris Tomlin and Shawn McDonald. • Grace Unplugged: A Novel by Melody Carlson. • Own It: The book Discover Your Faith in God by Michael & Hayley DiMarco. • Grace Unplugged Exclusive Guitar Pick.

Haven't heard of the movie yet? Here you go: "Sometimes, chasing your dreams leads you right to where you belong! Having just turned 18, Grace Trey aspires to more than just singing at her church where her father, a former pop star, is the worship leader. So, with the help of Mossy, her dad's former manager, Grace records a cover version of her dad's old Top-10 hit, runs off to Los Angeles, and begins to taste the kind of stardom she's always dreamed about. 

Yet with each rung of the ladder she climbs, Grace feels more and more pressure to compromise her values, further straining her relationship with her parents. Will everything she experiences lead her to reject her faith...or rediscover it?

Grace Unplugged opens in theaters October 4 and is "Family Approved" by the Dove Foundation."

The Grace Unplugged Cast:

AJ Michalka

James Denton

Kevin Pollak

Michael Welch

How do you enter? I'm making this super easy. Just leave me a comment - along with an email - and tell me you want to win! For a bonus entry, follow me on Bloglovin'. Contest ends midnight (EDT) October 7 (U.S. and Canada only).