Sunday, June 30, 2013

Another Big Hit Curse of the Holy Pail by Sue Ann Jaffarian

From my other blog mysteryreadingnook.blogspot.com
The Curse of the Holy Pail (An Odelia Grey Mystery, #2)

 The Curse of the Holy Pail (An Odelia Grey Mystery #2) by Sue Ann Jaffarian


I just have to say right up front I love this book and this series by Sue Ann Jaffarian. Last night I stayed up past midnight to finish this book because I just couldn't put it down, 4:30am came early this morning, but the book was well worth losing sleep over.

Odelia Grey is a plus size, smart, sassy, paralegal who seems to have a knack for getting into the middle of murder mysteries. Trouble just seems to find her even when she isn't looking for it. In The Curse of the Holy Pail a client for the firm she works for collects lunch boxes and when she goes to do some notary work for him he shows her his collection of lunch boxes, including his most precious one The Holy Pail.  Later that day he is found dead at his office and the pail missing and everyone assumes Odelia has the pail since he had sent her one from his collection earlier that day after their meeting. So again Odelia is thrown into danger while trying to solve this mystery that just happened to fall in her lap.

This book has a number of possible suspects and it keeps you guessing to the end who the murderer is. Odelia also goes through a range of emotions from fear, to anger, to sorrow and of course her love for her boyfriend Greg. It has everything mystery, mixed with a little romance and intrigue as well as giving us a look into the world of lunch boxes.  I think with this book we see even more into who Odelia Grey is and her character.


I can't say enough how good this book is and I can't wait to read the next book in the series, Thugs and Kisses (An Odelia Grey Mystery #3) by Sue Ann Jaffarian
 
 
Thugs and Kisses (An Odelia Grey Mystery, #3)

Monday, June 17, 2013

The Fourth Fisherman by Joe Kissack Review

The Fourth Fisherman: How Three Mexican Fishermen Who Came Back from the Dead Changed My Life and Saved My Marriage  The Fourth Fisherman: How Three Mexican Fishermen Who Came Back from the Dead Changed My Life and Saved My Marriage by Joe Kissack


     This is the story of Joe, he has money, a great job in the entertainment business, a wife and family and yet he is on a downward spiral into a dark hole. He had tried to fill this hole with things and prestige, but nothing was working. In the book Joe says, " I kept searching for more. More of what? I really didn't know. Something I couldn't put my finger on it, but it felt like it was out there, just around the corner. Something to fill the emptiness inside me." pg 41 This book is Joe's story of his struggles, searching, redemption, forgiveness, love and learning to rely on God and God's plan.

    This is also the story of the three fisherman from Mexico that get stranded at sea for 9 months with nothing put their faith in God and a Bible to sustain them. They were drifting aimless at sea and  they had God with them through the whole 9 months. This tells their story of struggle and rescue, hope and faith. It is a remarkable true story of strength that comes from God,  faith and  how they survived for those 9 months. It tells us how God would provide what they needed just in time and how He never left them. Just like He does for us in our lives.

      The book tells us  how God sends Joe to meet the fisherman after they are rescued to help them tell their story and in so doing Joe grows in his faith and reliance on God. You find that he has the same doubts and fears that we have when it comes to knowing if we are reallying doing what God wants us to or not. As Joe goes through the jungles  and obstacles in Mexico trying to meet the fisherman you see how God nudges him along and reassures him, as well as protects him, just as God does us in our lives. 


    When I first started to read this book I had already decided that it was just going to be another feel sorry for me book, but boy was I wrong. The more I read the book the more I realized this is a book of brokenness and faith. A book of hopelessness and hope. It is a true story of how one man has everything, but really has nothing, and three men who have nothing, but they have everything because they have God. It is a powerful, insightful, encouraging book that I think everyone should read once or twice.

This book is all this an more. As it says in the book, "And then my eyes were fully opened: God was present in all of it, speaking to me about what the story really was. No, this isn't my story. But it isn't the fishermen's story either. It is God's story, and all of what He has done needs to be told." pg 189
This book tells us that story and I hope everyone will take the time to read it.

For more information:
http://waterbrookmultnomah.com/author-spotlight.php?authorid=150186
You can follow Joe Kissack on twitter at
https://twitter.com/jkissack
http://www.thefourthfisherman.com/
http://waterbrookmultnomah.com/catalog.php?isbn=9780307956279
http://waterbrookmultnomah.com/blog/2011/08/22/video-the-fourth-fisherman/
Here is the link to read the first chapter of the book
http://waterbrookmultnomah.com/blog/2011/11/15/sneak-peek-the-fourth-fisherman-by-joe-kissack/



"I received this book from WaterBrook Multomah for free in exchange for an honest review."



     

Friday, June 14, 2013

A Good Series Postcards From Pullman by Judith Miller Review

 Hope everyone had a great weekend and a good week.  My husband and I enjoyed the nice weather by going on walks at the park this weekend. Over the weekend we walked over 5 miles, which we didn't do all at once, but over the whole weekend, which for someone who was in a wheelchair for years and is now out for the last 3 years is not bad. If you want to know more of my story go to http://debforb-fromwhereisit.blogspot.com/  . Reading ,walking, spending time with my husband and seeing my kids and grand kids makes for a great weekend.

I know these books have been out for awhile but I just got around to reading them. I gave them to my Mom for Mother's Day a few years back and she enjoyed them. I decided to read them and I loved them. I am talking about the Series Postcards From Pullman by Judith McCoy Miller
 In the Company of Secrets (Postcards from Pullman #1) Book 1 In the Company of Secrets (Postcards From Pullman) by Judith McCoy Miller
Olivia is in service, in England, to Lady Charlotte's family. When Olivia has trouble, and  Lady Charlotte has troubles of her own they run away and go to Pullman IL. Olivia gets caught up in Charlotte's lies as well as her own.  This is a good book. If you like books on early American history or history of Pullman Rail Cars you will like this book. Olivia learns a good lesson that lies tend to come back to haunt you even if you think they are told for a good reason. I highly recommend this book. It gives you a good lesson on Pullman and the town, it has romance and twists as well as a good lesson in truth and accountability. I really enjoyed the book and series.

Whispers Along the Rails (Postcards from Pullman #2) Book 2 Whispers Along The Rails (Postcards From Pullman) by Judith McCoy Miller
More talk of unionizing the workers for the Pullman company is spreading around Pullman IL and Olivia working still as assistant chef but Mr Howard has her riding the rails finding ways that Pullman can improve, or so that is what he has told her. Things are unsettled in Pullman and she is caught in the middle. Charlotte is living in Chicago and we find she is learning about being humble and getting a second chance.  This book is all about doing what is right, God's forgiveness, and second chances. You have romance, mystery, redemption and history rolled into a good book.

If you want to know more about this series and other books by Judith McCoy Miller visit
http://judithmccoymiller.com/

If you would like to know more about Pullman IL and Pullman Rail Car Company go to
http://www.pullmanil.org/
http://chicagohs.org/history/pullman.html

Will be reading the third book in this series soon and will let you know what I think.
For now:

GRAB A CUP OF COFFEE OR TEA, SOME CHOCOLATE, AND A GOOD BOOK AND KEEP READING!



Thursday, June 6, 2013

What's on my Summer To Be Read list

The last few days have been hectic at our house. We had a flat tire, with no spare and I think we bought a whole forest of Rubber Trees for the price we paid for a tire. Then our daughter had surgery on her elbow and they had to reattach her tendon. Then she went to the ER because her arm was hot to touch and she was sick an they found she has an infection at the surgery site. She was given antibiotics and is doing better now so finally I hope, saying with fingers crossed, that things are settling down.

Getting back to books I decided to make a list of books I want to read this summer but find there are so many good ones coming out that it is really hard to narrow down just a few. What are you planning on reading? Have any suggestions for me to read or books you have read that you could suggest to me?

Here is a list of the ones I know for sure I am reading over the summer:

1. The Fourth Fisherman: How Three Mexican Fishermen Who Came Back from the Dead

Changed My Life and Saved My Marriage by Joe Kissack

2. Just As I Am: The Autobiography of Billy Graham by Billy Graham

3. End Of The Spear by Steve Saint

4. Inheritance (The Inheritance Cycle # 4) by Christopher Paolini

5. The Shop on Blossom Street (Blossom Street # 1) by Debbie Macomber

Of course this is just the ones I want to read, these and the mysteries I have listed on my mystery blog mysteryreadingnook.blogspot.com should keep me busy this summer. If your library is having an adult summer reading program be sure to sign up for it and help support your local library also.

For now: 
Grab a cup of coffee or tea, some chocolate and a good book and KEEP READING!