Cool MineCraft Avatars that you will never meet in the game

My Review for this item has been moved to the new blog! You can see it here

*Disclaimer* 

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

{{Book Review}} Who's The New Kid by Heidi Bond

This post has been moved to my new blog! You can find it here.

In Who's the New Kid?, Heidi Bond, a self-described "ordinary mom," shares her story of how she helped her daughter overcome childhood obesity. She provides helpful insights and practical tips, equipping families to help their children establish healthy habits as well as lose weight. Bond's hope for her new book is "to shine a light on the truth surrounding childhood obesity, to let other families know that they are not alone, and to show the world that childhood obesity is 100 percent reversible and can be reversed in less time than you might think." At nine years old, Breanna Bond weighed a whopping 186 pounds. Just walking up the stairs to her room was a challenge. Her legs chafed to the point of bleeding from rubbing against each other, and her school days were filled with taunts of "Hey, Fatty!" Breanna's mom, Heidi, was devastated and wondered, How can I get my daughter healthy again? Who's the New Kid? shows readers how Heidi helped her daughter lose weight without the aid of fad diets, medication, or surgery and how other parents can do the same with their kids.  In just over a year, Heidi's plan worked! Breanna dropped 40 percent of her body weight and was transformed from a morbidly obese child who spent her days in front of the TV eating chips and chocolate to a vibrant, healthy, energetic little girl. Filled with helpful diagnostic tools, easy-to-make recipes, eye-opening nutritional information, fun exercise ideas, and practical tips and advice, Who's the New Kid? will not only show parents how to help their kids lose weight naturally but also introduce them to simple, yet effective lifestyle changes that will benefit the entire family.

Meet the Author

Heidi Bond has appeared on Good Morning America, CNN, and The Biggest Loser. A sought after speaker, she has helped thousands of parents who are struggling with overweight, underactive children. Heidi lives in Clovis, California with her husband, Dan, and their children, Breanna and Nathan. Find Heidi online: website, Facebook, Twitter

*Disclaimer*

I received this book free from LitFuse Publicity in exchange for my honest review. I am not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own. 

{{Book Review}} Never Say "No": Raising Big-Picture Kids

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The question Mark and Jan Foreman are most often asked is: How did you raise your kids?

Never Say No takes you on a personal journey to learn first-hand how they raised Jon and Tim of Switchfoot. They share practical advice for instilling wonder in a media-saturated culture, cultivating specific gifts, and balancing structure with individual choice. Our purpose as parents is the same as our child’s: to live creatively beyond ourselves, bringing the love, beauty and nature of God to this world. Let the adventure begin.

*Disclaimer*

I received this book free from LitFuse Publicity in exchange for my honest review. I am not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are 100% my own. 

{{Book Review}} Untangled

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Think you'll never measure up? Think again.

We all want to feel valued. We crave approval and acceptance in the eyes of family, friends, and even strangers. But when we seek confirmation that we areenough using the world's standards, it seems like we always fall short. As a result, we cannot believe we are who God says we are--accepted, loved, beautiful, and treasured.

With hope-filled writing and plenty of hard-won personal advice, Carey Scott teaches you how to untangle your self-esteem from the world and anchor it in Jesus. She lovingly shows you that God was intentional in how he made you--and that he is pleased with his work. You'll learn practical strategies to escape the unattainable standards of our performance-based world. And you'll find comfort in the fact that you are not alone on the journey.

"If you feel like you're simultaneously 'too much' and 'not enough,' Carey gets you, gives you hope, and guides you to the one and only perfect One, in whose love you are complete."--Cheri Gregory, coauthor of The Cure for the "Perfect" Life

"Carey Scott offers encouragement for your heart and practical tools for your mind that will help you truly get free from insecurity."--Holley Gerth, Wall Street Journalbestselling author of You're Already Amazing

"Carey's transparency is permission for women to gently unwrap our own areas of insecurity. Her faith leads us to change and freedom."--Amy Carroll, speaker and author of Breaking Up with Perfect

Carey Scott is an author, speaker, and certified Bible life coach who challenges women to be real--not perfect--even when real is messy. She speaks to women's groups and writes an online devotional designed to help women be who God created them to be. She lives in Colorado with her husband and their two children.

*Disclaimer*

I received this book free from the publisher in exchange for my honest review. I am not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed here are 100% my own

{{Book Review}} Heart Sisters- A MUST read for ALL women!

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Heart Sisters is for women who want to both be and have better friends and want a helpful guide to take them through the process.

Author Natalie Chambers Snapp uses her own and others' stories of successes and failures to illustrate what she has learned about girlfriend relationships. Healthy boundaries, honesty, tact, sharing, and agape love all play a part in being and maintaining a circle of close confidants. She also deals with the inevitable challenges that face many relationships including how to handle conflict; life changes like a new baby, move or divorce; and when it is right to "break-up" with your friend.

Discussion questions, space to journal, photos, and quick interviews of healthy female friendships are included within each chapter.

{{Book Review}} To WIn Her Favor

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A gifted rider in a world where ladies never race, Maggie Linden is determined that her horse will become a champion. But the one man who could help her has vowed to stay away from thoroughbred racing forever.

An Irishman far from home, Cullen McGrath left a once prosperous life in England because of a horse racing scandal that nearly ruined him. He's come to Nashville for a fresh start, hoping to buy land and begin farming, all while determined to stay as far away from thoroughbred racing as possible. But starting over proves harder than he'd wagered, especially when Maggie Linden's father makes him an offer he shouldn't accept yet cannot possibly refuse.

Maggie is certain that her mare, Bourbon Belle, can take the top purse in the inaugural Peyton Stakes, the richest race ever run in America. Maggie only needs the chance to prove it. To give her that chance---and to save Linden Downs from being sold to the highest bidder---Maggie's father, aging, yet wily as ever, makes a barter. His agreement includes one tiny, troublesome detail---Maggie must marry a man she's never met. A man she never would have chosen for herself.

Purchase a copy: http://bit.ly/1OYbn27

About the author:

Tamera Alexander is a best-selling novelist whose deeply drawn characters, thought-provoking plots, and poignant prose resonate with readers. Having lived in Colorado for seventeen years, she and her husband now make their home in Nashville, Tennessee, along with their two adult children who live near by. And don't forget Jack, their precious---and precocious---silky terrier.

Find Tamera online: website, Facebook, Twitter

*Disclaimer*

I received this book free from litfuse in exchange for my honest review. I am NOT required to write a positive review, and all opinions expressed are 100% my own. 

{{Book Review}} Cassey Ho's Hot Body Year-Round: The POP Pilates Plan to Get Slim, Eat Clean, and Live Happy Through Every Season

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Cassey Ho, internationally renowned fitness instructor, is known for her irresistibly popular workout videos which have been shared millions of times online. She runs the #1 women's fitness channel on YouTube, Blogilates. Her unique format, POP Pilates© is a fusion of ab-chiseling, butt lifting, total body sculpting exercises that are performed using only your bodyweight. Cassey's personality is bubbly, inspiring, and infectious. But don't let the smile fool you - her workouts will leave you sweating and sore for days. By following Ho's super effective workout plans and clean-eating recipes, you will transform your body towards a stronger, sleeker, and happier version of you.
 
Hot Body Year Round is your ULTIMATE exercise and nutrition guide to living a fit, happy, and healthy life while sculpting your HOTTEST body.
 

{{Book Review}} Side By Side

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Part of New Hope® Publishers' contemporary missional fiction line,Side by Side opens the reader's eyes to the life of Muslims in Sudan as well as some of the struggles that Christians face when living under Islamic law. The reader will be inspired to pray for those who are persecuted for their faith as well as pray for the salvation of those who persecute.

In the dusty, Islamic country of Sudan, Mia's life collides with that of another young woman. A young Christian American mother, Mia finds more than one dark secret on the streets of Khartoum. She finds Halimah, a young, upper-class Arab student with a bright future in her family's business whose risky and secretive decision has put her life in danger. What happens when the path of young mother intersects with that of a spunky Sudanese student? God transforms them both . . . forever.

{{Book Review}} Walking with God in the Season of Motherhood: An Eleven-Week Devotional Bible Study

Learn how God’s imprint on your heart can make a lasting impression on your children.

Being a mom usually means being busy. Really busy. Whether you’re zipping from your children’s piano lessons to their next ballgame or nursing a baby while comforting a toddler, life is brimming with activities.  Yet one encounter can help shape every moment: time in the Word with Jesus. In Walking with God in the Season of Motherhood, you’ll learn how to nourish your own heart, mind, and soul with the wisdom you need to become the mother you long to be.  
As you spend time with God through this eleven-week Bible study, you’ll gain life-shaping insights to help you…
·         Understand and pursue your purpose as a mother
·         Live out your true priorities
·         Entrust your child to God
·         Bear the fruit of the Spirit in your everyday interactions
·         Recover from Perfect Mom Syndrome (PMS)
Each week offers four days of study geared specifically to a mother’s concerns, with the Bible passages already printed out for your convenience. The fifth day is a warm-hearted devotional reading to help you reflect on and apply the truths you’ve learned. 
As your relationship with God deepens through prayer and studying His Word, you’ll discover how His imprint on your heart can make a lasting impression on your children.

*My Review*

There are many books out there about the motherhood, most of them focus on either being a mother or the child. This book however focuses on the Lord, encouraging women that the best they can be for themselves and their child(ren) is to walk closely with Jesus. This study is very firmly grounded in Scriptural truth and engages the reader with thoughtful questions that help the reader to meet with the Lord in the midst of a challenging season of life.

*Disclaimer*

I received this book free from bloggingforbooks.org in exchange for my honest review. I am not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are 100% my own. 

{{Book Review}} A Heart's Obsession

Will Sarah’s journey west lead her back into the arms of the one man she can trust?

When her father succumbs to a long illness, Sarah Montgomery is freed from duty to family. At last she can be with the love of her life, Rand Campbell, who has gone out west to Fort Laramie, Wyoming. Sarah and her younger brother Joel make the arduous journey filled with hope.

But at Fort Laramie, the reception Sarah meets isn’t what she had hoped for. Her friend Amelia is thrilled to have her, but Rand seems to be in the clutches of Jessica DuBois, the scheming daughter of the post commander.

Sarah resolves to remain at Fort Laramie and try to win Rand back. But things will get tougher before they get easier . . . especially when her ex-fiancé Ben Croftner arrives in Wyoming, obsessed with having her back in his arm.

*My Review*

I enjoyed reading the first book in this series, so I naturally I couldn't wait to get "A Heart's Obsession". I really thought I had a pretty good idea of how the book would go, but I was wrong. 

The author is such a clever writer and put in several twists & turns that I didn't see coming at all. A Heart's Obsession is a fast-paced sequel that I couldn't put down until the very last page. I am currently reading the third novella, "A Heart's Danger"!

*Disclaimer*

I received this book free from LitFuse Publicity in exchange for my honest review. I am not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are 100% my own.

{{Book Review}} A Sparrow in Terezin

Bound together across time, two women will discover a powerful connection through one survivor's story of hope in the darkest days of a war-torn world.

Present Day—With the grand opening of her new art gallery and a fairytale wedding just around the corner, Sera James feels she's stumbled into a charmed life—until a brutal legal battle against fiancé William Hanover threatens to destroy the perfectly planned future she’s planned before it even begins. Now, after an eleventh-hour wedding ceremony and a callous arrest, William faces a decade in prison for a crime he never committed, and Sera must battle the scathing accusations that threaten her family and any hope for a future.

1942—Kája Makovsky narrowly escaped occupied Prague in 1939, and was forced to leave her half-Jewish family behind. Now a reporter for the Daily Telegraph in England, Kája discovers the terror has followed her across the Channel in the shadowy form of the London Blitz. When she learns Jews are being exterminated by the thousands on the continent, Kája has no choice but to return to her mother city, risking her life to smuggle her family to freedom and peace.

Connecting across a century through one little girl, a Holocaust survivor with a foot in each world, these two women will discover a kinship that springs even in the darkest of times. In this tale of hope and survival, Sera and Kája must cling to the faith that sustains and fight to protect all they hold dear—even if it means placing their own futures on the line.

*My Review*
A Sparrow in Terezin is the second bok in the "Hidden Masterpiece" series, "The Butterfly & The Violin" is the first. You really need to read both books in order. Both are written in two separate timelines, with the contemporary style in both.

Just like in the first book, the historical section of this book follows the story of a woman in WW2, following her from Prague to London and back to Europe over the course of three years.

When i got the email saying I was going to be reviewing "A Sparrow in Terezin" I quickly ordered a copy of "The Butterfly and the Violin" that way I would be ready for when this book arrived. I'm glad I did, because I thoroughly enjoyed The Butterfly and the Violin. 

There are some readers who don't like the way it skips between two timelines, but it was unique and I think it is great. 

*Disclaimer* 

I received this book free from LitFuse Publicity in exchange for my honest review. I am not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are 100% my own.

{{Book Review}} Every Bride Needs a Groom by Janice

Small-town girl Katie Fisher is planning her wedding. Sure, her boyfriend hasn't managed to pop the question just yet, but that doesn't mean she shouldn't enter a contest in Texas Bride magazine to win the dress of her dreams, right? But when her boyfriend breaks up with her and takes a job in another town--the very same day Katie wins her dream dress--her world is turned upside down. Should she claim her prize? And will the hunky former pro-basketball player who runs the swanky Dallas bridal shop--yeah, you read that right--catch on to her humiliation if she does?

Janice Thompson designs a romance sure to delight, with plenty of fish-out-of-water moments, a hilarious supporting cast, and more of the wedding biz world her readers adore.

*My Review*

I have never read any of Janice Thompson's books before, but I fell in love with the cover and was looking forward to this one. The story line was funny, but it wasn't as great as I thought it would be. 

Janice Thompson gives creative chapter titles, that's something that I did enjoy about this book.

The chapter titles in this book were all Loretta Lynn song titles. I thought that was pretty cool.

There were some innuendos in this book that were not necessary at all. It's never funny(or okay) to make light of sin.

In the end...."Every Bride Needs a Groom" is a light-hearted read, with likeable characters.

Janice Thompson is a seasoned romance author and screenwriter. An expert at pulling the humor from the situations we get ourselves into, Thompson offers an inside look at the wedding business, drawing on her own experiences as a wedding planner. She is the author of the hugely popular Weddings by Bella series and the Backstage Pass series, as well as Picture Perfect, The Icing on the Cake, and The Dream Dress. She lives in Texas. Learn more at www.janiceathompson.com.

*Disclaimer*

I received this book free in exchange for my honest review. I am not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are 100% my own.

{{Book Review}} God, Me, & Sweet Iced Tea

In the South, nothing is more refreshing than a glass of sweet iced tea. Nothing, that is, except experiencing God in those small, everyday moments. God, Me, and Sweet Iced Tea is a deeply personal collection of spiritual treasures designed to help readers experience new mercies each morning. Seasoned with insight and grace, this tender devotional points to the divine presence of God in everyday moments. Whether purchased as a personal resource or given as heartfelt gift, God, Me, and Sweet Iced Tea will help readers develop a daily habit of turning to God in those quiet moments of reflection. *My Review* When I received the email to sign up for this book tour, I knew I wanted to read it right away. I have a few fav devotionals that I read, but this one has easily become my favorite by far.  I love keeping it by my bedside that way whenever I can't sleep in the late night hours(which is more often than not). One night while I couldn't sleep...I opened up "God, Me & Sweet Tea" to a page about trouble sleeping...fitting right?  I didn't take a screenshot of it, but this One of the questions for that day, as well as the "Sweet Tea" moment of the day.  "Can you imagine Jesus tossing and turning, worrying over the burdens that He carried for souls, or worrying about the trials & tribulations that lay before Him?" "Today's' sweet tea moment: God neither slumbers nor sleeps & He watches over me." If you are looking for a great devotional, then I would recommend "God, Me & Sweet Tea"...you won't be disappointed!

Meet the Author

Rose Chandler Johnson, a Southern girl from a tiny Georgia town, is the author of the devotional blog, Write Moments with God. A devoted Christian and mother of six, she has been a teacher of English and French over the last twenty years. She looks forward to continuing her writing ministry in the years ahead. Find Rose online: website   *Disclaimer* I received this book free from LitFuse Publicity in exchange for my honest review. I am not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are 100% my own.

{{Book Review}} The Legacy by Dan Walsh and Gary Smalley

One young man is about to discover the true cost of independence

For years, Doug Anderson has been drifting slowly but steadily away from both his family and his faith. His parents have been trying to reach him before he falls too far. His friend Christina hopes what she is seeing online isn't true. But sometimes you have to hit bottom before you're ready to grow up.

Just as things begin to settle down a bit, Doug's life takes a turn that requires every bit of faith and patience for both his family and Christina--whose growing feelings for Doug, a man who writes her off as not worth his time, keep her off balance. Will Doug's crisis finally clear his vision and help him focus on what he has right in front of him?

*My Review*

"The Legacy" is book 4 of the Restoration Series. Doug is a junior in college is leading two lives; the one he shows his family and the one he has with his friends. What he doesn't seem to realize is how much his family worries about him. When those two worlds collide, he’ll have to  choose who he wants to be before it’s too late.

This is a "prodigal son" type story. Doug is the youngest in the Anderson family and is following the typical college kid pattern. He strays from the ways his parents have raised him and starts participating in activities they would not be happy about. He starts by leading a double life, which we all know cannot be hidden forever. 

If you want to know what happens, you'll have to read the book for yourself...because I don't want to spoil it for anyone. But I promise it's good! 

The emotionally gripping conclusion to the series critics are calling . . .

"Captivating."--RT Book Reviews

"Emotional."--Booklist

"Uplifting."--Library Journal

"Satisfying."--New York Journal of Books


Dan Walsh is the bestselling author of many books, including The Dance, The Promise, and The Desire with Gary Smalley. He has won three Carol Awards, and three of his novels were finalists for RT Book ReviewsInspirational Book of the Year. He lives with his wife in the Daytona Beach area, where he's busy researching and writing his next novel.

Gary Smalley is one of the country's best-known authors and speakers on family relationships and has appeared on national television programs such as Oprah, Larry King Live, and TODAY, as well as numerous national radio programs. He is the bestselling and award-winning author or coauthor of many books, including the Baxter Family Redemption series with Karen Kingsbury. Gary and his wife, Norma, have been married for 50 years and live in Missouri.

*Disclaimer*
I received this book free from the publisher in exchange for my honest review. I am not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are 100% my own. 

{{Book Review}} The Allergy Fighting Garden

The Groundbreaking Guide to Health-Conscious Gardening 

If you are one of the millions of people with allergies or asthma, this totally unique book shows you how to avoid plants that trigger allergies and to create a garden that will actually protect you by trapping pollen and cleaning the air around you. This revolutionary approach combines the best of horticulturist Thomas Ogren’s previous books—Allergy-Free Gardening and Safe Sex in the Garden—into a full-color guide, including hundreds of new and updated plant listings and photographs.

Ogren’s innovative system for combating allergens is based on the crucial matter of plant sex. By replacing troublesome male plants in your yard with pollen-blocking female “pollen screens,” allergy sufferers can reduce or eliminate their symptoms. More than 3,000 plant listings are included, accompanied by an easy-to-use allergy ranking scale of 1 to 10. With many new pollen-free plants to choose from, as well as clearly marked “worst offenders” to avoid, this is the ultimate resource for home gardeners and professionals alike who want to build healthy, safe, and beautiful gardens that everyone can enjoy.

*My Review*

I'm going to be 100% honest & say I didn't quite know what to expect when I started reading "The Allergy Fighting Garden" by Thomas Leo Ogren

I was surprised with the research and science Thomas put into this book! In his introduction, You will see where he says that he began this project because his wife has asthma and allergies so he tried to find books on landscaping his yard to help her and when he couldn't....He wrote his own.  Thomas also says in his introduction, when he re-landscaped his yard armed with this knowledge, his wife does indeed feel better!

There are technical terms and a bit about plant sex. If science really isn't your thing,you can also just thumb over this part.

One of the best parts of this book, would have to be "Part Two" which contains a rating of literally hundreds, if not thousands of plants on a scale that Ogren devised.

The scale is based on numerous factors about the pollen, the amount of time the plant is in bloom, whether the plant has a fragrance and whether there is sap that causes a rash. The scale goes from 1-10 and is called OPALS. It covers all types of plants from trees, shrubs, perennials, annuals, house plants, vegetables and fruits. 

I have allergies and have had them all my life. Some days the pollen gets so thick around me that I have to stay inside. I"m excited to try this the tips in this book and see if it indeed does help

*Disclaimer*

I received this book free from bloggingforbooks.com in exchange for my honest review. I am not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are 100% my own.

{{Book Review}} The Sweetapolita Bakebook

Paint, doodle, and sprinkle your way to stunning one-of-a-kind sweets. 
 
The world of Sweetapolita is sparkly and sprinkly and charming as can be, with 75 recipes for everything from pretty homemade cookies to decadent layer cakes. But what really sets these treats apart are interactive designs that let everyone in on the fun of decorating: Painted Mini Cakes are served with edible "paint" for guests to personalize at the table, the fondant-covered tiered Chalk-a-Lot cake is paired with homemade edible "chalk," and Rainbow Doodle cookies are made for kids to go to town on with edible markers. 
 
Rosie Alyea, the creator of the Sweetapolita blog, frolics in flour and frosting, and she loves to get her two young daughters involved, too. The pages of her debut book are full of playful ideas that will inspire creativity in bakers of all levels—including a recipe for making sprinkles at home and numerous ways to showcase them, such as the Sprinkle-Me-Silly Pizza with rainbow jimmies and nonpareils galore. 
 
With 75 full-color photographs of cookies, cakes, and more plus step-by-step technique tutorials, The Sweetapolita Bakebook will change the way bakers decorate, while entertaining every kid—and kid-at-heart.

*My Review*

I absolutely LOVE this book. Rosie is so talented and creative. When I saw this book available for review on bloggingforbooks.org I had to snag a request copy ASAP & I'm so glad that I did! I cannot wait to make her recipes, the book is bright & colorful, with thick glossy pages with pictures of all of her yummy goodies! Many of the recipes are the same as on her site, but in the book there are beautiful step by step pictures for basic techniques.

If you are like me and are addicted to having cookbooks on your bookshelf, then this book is DEF for you! You should get yourself a copy ASAP and get a few for those friends/loved ones in your life that love to bake as well!

You can find the book here on amazon! 

**About The Author**
ROSIE ALYEA trained in Cake & Confection Design at the Bonnie Gordon College of Confectionary Arts in Toronto. She established herself as a savvy entrepreneur with the creation of Cake Beauty, a popular dessert-themed line of natural bath and body products before going on to found Sweetapolita.com. She has been featured in TheGlobe and Mail, Reader's Digest, Martha Stewart Living online, Huffington Post,People.com, and The Kitchn.

*Disclaimer*
I received this book free from bloggingforbooks.org in exchange for my honest review. I am not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are 100% my own.