Choose Kindness is a children’s devotional written by JoAnne Simmons. My Thoughts: So, I don’t like to write not-nice things about a book because the author spent a lot of time and energy creating said book, and that is nothing to sneeze at. I like the idea that we all need a little more kindness in our lives, and it is a good thing to study, but I just did not care for how this book was set up. Each entry starts with a scripture, and ends with a “think about it” question (I liked that) and there is a prayer in the middle. The prayer is written as if the author is talking to God. This would be fine, except it is written how maybe the author prays? It is very wordy, and I don’t think it is how a child would pray at all. It seems very specific to the person writing this book. This section could have been much more user-friendly had it either been written to the child as a devotional-style passage, or simplified greatly so that a child could repeat it as a prayer to God. Overall, I felt this book wasn’t as user-friendly as it could have been, which is too bad, because I do like the idea behind the book. Unfortunately, this is a book I would not recommend without some changes. I would like to thank Barbour Publishing, Inc. for providing me with a digital copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
The Major’s Daughter was written by Regina Jennings, and is book three in The Fort Reno series. Summary: Caroline Adams is all grown-up and no longer wants to just be know as “the Major’s daughter.” She craves freedom and her own life. On a whim, she decides to enter the great land race, and claim a piece of property with which to start her future. Frisco Smith has his own plans. He has the perfect piece of land picked out to claim for his very own home-the home he’s never had. But when the race starts, all plans are out the window. Chaos, misunderstandings, and thievery abound. Can Caroline and Frisco navigate all the deception and come to an understanding-or even friendship-during these tumultuous times? My Thoughts: I really enjoyed this book. I was on the edge of my seat wondering what would happen next. The plot was full of intrigue, and I had a hard time putting it down. In fact, I am not sure I did-I read most of it in one day! The plot was fascinating, the characters were flawed yet relatable, and the book kept me guessing how things would turn out-including a great plot twist at the end. I love how the author manages to tie in so much actual history into her stories, and I enjoyed learning more about this time period and all of the crazy things that happened during this pivotal time in our nation’s history. I also like how this book manages to tie into previous books, yet still stands on its own. It is definitely my favorite book of the series, and probably my favorite overall written by this author. If you enjoy historical western fiction with a little romance thrown in, this is definitely the book for you. I would like to thank Bethany House for providing me with a free digital copy of this book in exchange for my review. Thank you!
Slow Down, Enjoy, and Create 