Hunter's Moon

Hunter’s Moon is a gripping story of family secrets that have never been told but have haunted CJ Baxter for years. CJ Baxter is a bestselling novelist whose stories are closely related to the real life secrets he has known for so long. When his grandfather dies, he returns to his home town of Adelia, NY, where he must face the family that he left so long ago. An old flame, a pending divorce, a bitter custody battle over his dog, a suspicious business deal and a decades old secret all serve to complicate CJ’s life and he soon finds that he must release the secrets he has kept for so long… at any cost.

The author did a great job of pacing this story out. There was always some mystery that kept me wondering until the end. The plot was well-crafted with many intricacies that all linked together to make the story work. My favorite character in this story was Artie, an old-man who talks to scarecrow and knows more of the Baxter family secrets than he should. Definitely a book I will read again.


Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Bethany House Publishers as part of their Blogger Review Program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commision's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

The Kodak ESP 9 All-in-One Printer

The Kodak ESP-9 is a new printer produced by the well-known Kodak Eastman Company and sold through chain stores such as Best Buy. The printer features the ability to print photos, scan documents, copy documents and fax documents. The two inch LCD screen is a nice aspect, but I personally am not that impressed by it. Navigating the menu options on the screen is done by the touch-sensitive buttons beside the screen. The printer has two trays. One is used for standard size letter paper and one is used for photo paper that is 5x7 or smaller. Wireless capability is one of the best features of this printer. It can operate on a local network and I can print from anywhere in the house without having to connect my laptop to the printer.

I bought my Kodak ESP-9 in the beginning of April 2010 from the local Best Buy. It retailed for $249.99; however, between the two promotional discounts, I paid $129.99 for the printer. I think that is a reasonable price for the features of the printer. I certainly would not have bought this printer for the retail price. Replacement ink cartridges cost less than $10 making the replacement ink quite affordable.

My biggest complaint about this printer is the time it takes to turn on and the pre-printing time it takes to get going. The actual print speed is not bad and it has decent photo printing quality. However, when you turn the printer on, it takes a good minute at least to turn on. Then when you print, it takes a lot of time warming up to do the print. It also makes a lot of noise while it is getting ready to print.

This printer certainly can not be considered energy efficient with all the lights that stay on continually while the printer is on. I usually keep it unplugged from the wall when not in use.
 
I give it 3-1/2 stars out of 5.

Beguiled by Deeanne Gist and J. Mark Bertrand

Rylie Monroe loves her dog walking job. The dogs are her only family besides her ailing grandmother and she loves the time that she spends with them. When the families of her dogs become victims of benign burglaries, Rylie becomes a suspect. An attractive reporter, Logan Woods, is covering the burglary stories, but his alternative motive leads him to investigate the stories deeply. When Rylie and Logan team up to prove her innocence their lives become uniquely entwined and romance sparks unexpectedly.

Beguiled by Deeanne Gist and J. Mark Bertrand is a good, good book. I would definitely recommend this book to fans of mystery and romance. The mystery aspect of the story develops slowly and kept me guessing about the identity and motive of the burglar. This really kept me engaged with the book. The relationship between Riley and Logan was handled well and I was quite pleased with the ending.
I am sure I will reread this book again in the future.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Bethany House Publishers as part of their Blogger Review Program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commision's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Not A Sparrow Falls

A carefully planned escape allows Mary Bridget Washburn to leave behind the drug dealers that she lives with. In an attempt to start life anew, Mary takes on her mother’s identity and becomes known as Bridie. When her plans seem to be going askew and she considers returning to the drug dealers. However, a child-care job neatly falls in her lap and she agrees to care for the children of a troubled Presbyterian reverend. She can not know the journey of healing that lays before her for both herself and the family she cares for. Still she is plagued by the thought of the drug dealers coming after her. However, it is only by the fear being realized that she can find true freedom.

I enjoyed Not a Sparrow Falls by Linda Nichols. By the time I got a third of the way into the book, I was hooked. The book was well-written, though personally, I would have like to have seen a little more romance. I absolutely loved the ending though. The way in which the author wrapped things up and released Mary Bridget Washburn from the very fear she had been running from was absolutely superb. The title of this book is certainly appropriate. Nearly all of the main characters have “fallen” in some way, yet the theme is that God can lift up a broken life and bring restoration.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Bethany House Publishers as part of their Blogger Review Program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commision's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

The Rewards of Simplicity

In their book, The Rewards of Simplicity, Pan and Chuck D. Pierce explain the need for simplification in a society where multi-tasking, complexness and stress are a daily routine for most adults. The authors give practical tips for overcoming anxiety and stress, clearing clutter out of homes and hearts, and obtaining freedom from the destructive mindsets that many Americans learn at a young age.

Although I do not necessarily agree with everything in this book, it did make some valid points. For example, the authors did a great job of explaining why simplicity is important in the life of an individual and supporting their claims with Scripture. However, there were portions that I do not believe were supported by Scripture and those are the portions that I question.

Some of the most effective points made by the authors were: the need for a Sabbath, a day of rest from normal work activities, and how anxiety can affect a person’s health and the need to put our trust in God to help us simplify our lives. The portion of the book relating to anxiety seemed very well-researched and I found to be very helpful.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Bethany House Publishers as part of their Blogger Review Program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commision's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Never Say Never

Kai Miller has traveled all her life. Now at 27, she is displaced once again – this time by hurricane. When Hurricane Glorietta makes a turn towards Kai’s home in Perdida, Kai joins the wave of residents fleeing the hurricane’s path. Along the way Kai finds herself thrown together with Donetta Bradford of Daily, Texas, and two of her friends. The four of them find a relationship forged from desperation and hope. Kai accompanies Donetta to the haven of Daily, Texas, and finds herself thrown together with Kemp Eldridge. As an attraction grows between Kai and Kemp, so does Kai’s doubts. Will she find the faith to stay and finally call a place home?

I was excited when I received this book from Bethany House Publishers. I had seen it advertised and the plot sounding interesting. I was not disappointed throughout the story until the very end. The author’s tone was perfect as she gave Kai and Donetta their own personal voices to narrate the events, the story was written with humor (especially during the parts when Donetta was narrating), the plot moved at a good pace and was filled with things to keep you interested in the story. My biggest complaint with this book was that the ending was unsatisfactory. An additional chapter or epilogue would have cleared things up nicely. The reasons that Kai left Kemp were all valid and never resolved; the issues that Kai dealt with in the past were somewhat resolved, but not fully; and Kai failed to ever make a decision about God.

Never Say Never is an enjoyable read, but the imperfect ending strongly affects the whole perception of the book.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Bethany House Publishers as part of their Blogger Review Program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commision's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."